WATERVILLE — The Waterville Public Library Business & Career Center will host a How to Plan, Start and Grow Your Business Workshop Series for business development beginning Wednesday, Feb. 1.

The library, the Central Maine Growth Council and the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce have partnered with Maine Small Business Development Center at Coastal Enterprises Inc. to present a six-week workshop series to assist businesses, new or long-running, in maximizing successful operation. Sessions will be taught by Maine SBDC-certified business counselor Janet Roderick.

Class size is limited and early registration is recommended. Up to two persons from one business may participate. Course registration is free but required for each session.

The six-week series will include the following sessions:

* Starting Your Business, 10:30 a.m.-noon Wednesday, Feb. 1. A fast-paced exploration of what it takes to start a small business. Discussion will focus on why to start a business, how to increase your chances of success and how to get a lender to say yes.

* Strategies for Business Growth, 10:30 a.m.-noon Wednesday, March 7. Some businesses might grow on their own, but most take intentional actions by the owner. Learn the steps for business growth.

* Marketing Strategy Development, 10:30 a.m.-noon Wednesday, April 4. Marketing is more than advertising. Every business should have a marketing strategy to help reach a target market effectively, efficiently and inexpensively. The group will discuss how to develop a marketing strategy.

* Understanding Your Business Numbers, 10:30 a.m.-noon Monday, April 23. A review of the most common financial statements, where the numbers come from, what they mean and how they can help to manage a business.

* QuickBooks 101, 1-4 p.m. Wednesday, May 2. This session will cover the fundamentals of QuickBooks Pro – how to set it up, write checks, invoice customers, receive payments and pay bills. This workshop is designed for people who have not used QuickBooks.

* QuickBooks Intermediate, 1-4 p.m. Wednesday, June 6. This session will address QuickBooks questions. It will also cover tricky transactions, working with reports, advanced features and tips and tricks. Please be prepared with questions and issues. This seminar is designed for those who have been using QuickBooks for at least six months.

To register, call 680-2611 or email reference@watervillelibrary.org. Provide the session title, session date, name, email and phone number.

All programs and services provided at the Waterville Public Library are free of charge.

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