<div class="ExternalClass548D7E10FCE241F5AB0D9BD7DAF7FBDE"><p>​Illinois workNet kicked off the Start a Business Webinar Series with <a href="https&#58;//youtu.be/rCBLw_lQUlI?list=PLlkuU1Id_xm-nQfO0KdY-1DZV_B92wIFw" target="_blank" title="YouTube">Licensing and Registration</a> on May 6th. Thank you for everyone that could attend, and if you were not available, no worries, it was recorded and archived. Check out the upcoming sessions below and register for any or all that interest you&#58;
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<strong><a target="_blank" title="How to Finance a Start-Up - May 13th " href="https&#58;//finance-start-up.eventbrite.com/">How to Finance a Start-Up - May 13th&#160;</a></strong> </p><p>Guest Speaker Harriet Parket of the Small Business Development Center at Waubonsee Community College is joining us to help you understand more about obtaining the financing you need to start your small business. We will cover&#58;
<br></p><ul><li>Identifying options to finance your business, </li><li>Definition of terms, and<br></li><li>Understanding financial statements.</li></ul><p>Knowing where to go to begin is important. Knowing where you stand financially is even more important. Once you are up and running, the income will keep you moving forward. This webinar will provide you some tools and resources to help you plant your feet firmly as you try to grow your business.</p><p>
<a target="_blank" href="http&#58;//www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-finance-a-start-up-webinar-tickets-16903907041?ref=ebtn" title="How to Finance a Start-Up - May 13th ">
<img alt="Eventbrite - How to Finance a Start-Up Webinar" src="https&#58;//www.eventbrite.com/custombutton?eid=16903907041" /></a>&#160;<br><br></p><p>
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<a href="https&#58;//create-marketing-plan.eventbrite.com/" title="How to Create a Marketing Plan - May 20th" target="_blank">How to Create a Marketing Plan - May 20th</a></strong></p><p>Getting the word out about your product or service is critical to your company's success. You accomplish that with a marketing plan. Our guest speaker is Ann Fulmer, an adjunct professor at Benedictine College for the MBA Marketing classes.</p><p>We will discuss&#58;</p><ul><li>how you can identify your product or service,</li><li>finding your target market,</li><li>creating a situation analysis and/or competition,</li><li>establishing key goals,</li><li>creating strategies and tactics,</li><li>developing your marketing program,</li><li>creating a budget, and finally,</li><li>evaluating your efforts.</li></ul><p>
<a href="http&#58;//www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-create-a-marketing-plan-webinar-tickets-16903948164?ref=ebtn" target="_blank"><img src="https&#58;//www.eventbrite.com/custombutton?eid=16903948164" alt="Eventbrite - How to Create a Marketing Plan Webinar" /></a>&#160;<br><br></p><p>
<strong><a target="_blank" title="Small Business Procurement - May 27th" href="https&#58;//small-business-procurement.eventbrite.com/">Small Business Procurement - May 27th</a></strong></p><p>It is important for small business owners and entrepreneurs to consider federal or state government as a potential customer and revenue channel.&#160; Too often, small business owners become overwhelmed with government processes and simply dismiss the idea of selling to government as too hard.</p><p>This webinar with guest speaker Mary Turner of the Procurement Technical Assistance Unit will help you understand the steps to sell to the State. They help you un-complicate the complicated.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="http&#58;//www.eventbrite.com/e/small-business-procurement-webinar-tickets-16904012356?ref=ebtn" title="Eventbrite - Small Business Procurement Webinar"><img alt="Eventbrite - Small Business Procurement Webinar" src="https&#58;//www.eventbrite.com/custombutton?eid=16904012356" /></a>
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