Virtual Small Business Fundamentals: Six-Session Workshop for Niagara Entrepreneurs

Small Business Fundamentals- Virtual starting 10/19 offers a focused six-session workshop delivered live over Zoom for entrepreneurs in and around Niagara Falls, New York. Taught as a series of 2-hour webinars across three weeks, the course breaks business basics into actionable modules—decision-making, marketing, finances, planning, funding, and legal protections—so founders can move from concept to a defensible operation. Set against the practical backdrop of Niagara Falls, this class is run through the Niagara Small Business Development Center and uses local business realities as its case studies. While the meeting point is a Zoom Webinar, the program ties virtual learning to a region defined by dramatic geology: the Horseshoe Falls and the Niagara Gorge, carved through dolostone and shale, still shape the local economy and tourism flows. That connection makes the curriculum relevant to service, retail, and experience businesses that operate in visitor-driven places. The schedule starts 10/19/26 with decision-making frameworks and the essentials for starting a business, continues 10/22/26 on marketing and promotions, 10/26/26 on finances, 10/29/26 on business planning including SMART goals and the Business Model Canvas, 11/2/26 on financial reporting and funding, and finishes 11/5/26 with legal and insurance topics. Each Zoom session runs 6pm–8pm; recordings are sent to attendees after every class, so learning is flexible for busy owners. What sets this series apart is the pairing of practical tools with regional insight. Local examples make the marketing lessons concrete, the financial modules account for seasonality common to Niagara-area enterprises, and the legal session brings in experts familiar with New York state rules. Completion requires live attendance or a direct arrangement with Maureen Henderson at [email protected] to receive a certificate, a useful credential for grant or loan applications. For prospective participants, this is a low-friction way to level up: no travel time, clear takeaways, and templates you can apply immediately. Expect downloadable worksheets, step-by-step guides to breakeven and P&L projections, and a chance to craft an elevator pitch that reflects your local competitive advantage. The Niagara Small Business Development Center reserves the right to change or cancel classes; refunds are issued if the host cancels. Participants should plan to block the full two hours for each session and to complete short exercises between meetings; the total 12-hour commitment is paced to fit owners juggling seasonal work. Materials include downloadable templates, sample P&Ls, and a Business Model Canvas you can customize. Alumni of previous cohorts report clearer pricing strategies and faster grant approvals. This course converts day-to-day experience into measurable business choices and reduces costly guesswork.