The following classes are available through the Continuing Education Department at BCCC. To register, call 252-940-6375 or email continuingeducation@beaufortccc.edu. All of these seminars are free.

Financing Your Business

Starting a business is part of the American dream. Brian Cooke will help participants find out how to finance a business, who to ask for solid, reliable advice and what loans and grants are available. This free seminar takes place on Monday, from 6-8 p.m.

Brian Cooke is a former instructor of management and entrepreneurship at East Carolina University. He received his bachelor’s degree, concentrating in entrepreneurship and small business management, as well as his master’s from ECU. During his time at ECU, Cooke worked as the associate director of the Small Business Institute, interned with the N.C. Small Business and Technology Development Center and received two national awards for business case competitions. He has experience in business ownership, business consulting, business planning, product design, manufacturing and supply chain management.

 

Recordkeeping and Taxes for Small Business

This workshop is perfect for business owners who know their product or service very well, but are frustrated by accounting. Owners should not be working hard and running out of cash at the end of the month. This seminar will help participants understand the financial aspects of a business and associated taxes. Participants will become familiar with those financial terms that confuse them, but are the road map to their success.

Topics will include: traits that make a business thrive and grow, CPAs and when and how does one use them, reading financial statements, required federal and state reports and determining profit. The seminar takes place on Dec. 12 from 6-9 p.m. and is free to attend.

 

Etsy 101

Pamela Zimmerman opened her first Etsy shop in 2008 and has had over 6,000 sales there. Although she was a fiber artist of international standing, with hundreds of awards to her credit and work appearing in numerous books, magazines and articles, Zimmerman found her work was not very marketable in eastern North Carolina. Long-distance gallery relationships took a lot of effort and meant her artwork was out of her immediate control. Using Etsy was the solution to selling. Zimmerman maintains four shops on Etsy.com, selling pottery, metal, fiber and vintage items.

This class is an orientation to Etsy.com, a world online marketplace with millions of sellers and buyers. This workshop is a follow-up and will have hands-on computer work.

Participants should have attended the first session or already have an Etsy shop. The workshop will discuss maintaining a shop in 10 minutes per day, setting up shipping profiles, details of reviews and customer claims, mistakes to avoid and finding help. It takes place on Dec. 14 from 2-5 p.m. and is free.