SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The WISE Women’s Business Center is accepting applications for the next course on writing a business plan, which is called “Accelerate: Business Plan Intensive.” The 10-week, hands-on course is geared toward women entrepreneurs who have recently launched a new business or have a well-vetted business idea for which they need a business […]
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The WISE Women’s Business Center is accepting applications for the next course on writing a business plan, which is called “Accelerate: Business Plan Intensive.”
The 10-week, hands-on course is geared toward women entrepreneurs who have recently launched a new business or have a well-vetted business idea for which they need a business plan, according to an Aug. 6 WISE email about the course.
A business plan is necessary if you plan to apply for a bank loan. It’s also a useful tool when bringing on business partners or looking for investors. The writing process itself will also help you determine if your business has a chance at success, give you an idea of startup costs and how much you’ll need to invest or finance, and uncover potential challenges. A business plan is a “living, changing” document that gives you as the business owner a “strategic roadmap for the future,” WISE said.
Course cost
The fee for this program is $150 and covers all 10 sessions, optional expert sessions, and a 3-month subscription to LivePlan, a business-plan writing tool.
The WISE Women’s Business Center says its goal is to make the program accessible to the community. The center is able to keep costs low for this cohort through partial sponsorship by Empire State Development. The course fee of $150 partially covers the cost of program facilitators, materials, and software. A limited number of need-based partial scholarships are available. For information about scholarship availability, those interested can contact Jennifer McGee, program manager, at jemcgee@syr.edu.
Course specifics
This course covers every major section of the business plan — from executive summary to financial forecasts, using real-life examples and best practices. Throughout the program, those involved will attend class sessions, spend time working on their plans, and get feedback and 1:1 support from a business mentor.
Between sessions, optional expert-led sessions will be available covering relevant small-business topics such as accounting, human resources, legal considerations, loan readiness, and MWBE (Minority and/or Women-Owned Business Enterprise) certification.
Course instructors include Kelly Wypych, a WISE business counselor and co-founder of Vetric Creatography, and Barb Stone, a WISE business counselor and owner of Build Your Path, LCC.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the program, an applicant must be the owner of a recently launched business or have a well-vetted business idea. If you haven’t yet launched, you must supply evidence of significant market research and describe the steps you’ve taken to validate your business idea.
In addition, you must commit to attending all 10 classes, which are held on Tuesday evenings from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., starting Sept. 30.
An applicant must also commit to spending more than two hours outside of class every week to work on the business plan and keep up with the writing assignments. An applicant must also complete all required steps in the application and registration process, the WISE Women’s Business Center said.
