Flory Center holds ‘common questions’ conference series

This summer, the Flory Center is hosting a to address the most common questions and concerns that small business owners, new and old, have. As with all services offered by the Flory Small Business Center, Inc. these conferences will be offered at no charge to the participant, however pre-registration is required.

Each conference will feature speakers who are experts in the field, from bonding experts to a master of etiquette and including a presentation from a member of the Prince William County Police Department. Running from 9:00am – 1:00pm, these conferences will cover the essentials skills and knowledge needed to better navigate through the finer details of running your own small business.

The schedule for the summer small business conference series is as follows:

Friday, July 15th – U.S. Census Research and Intro to Quickbooks
When writing a business plan or applying for a loan it is essential for businesses to understand not only their competition and their industry, but whether they have grown or declined over time. The U.S. Census website provides a wealth of free information for business owners to track and document these trends to their advantage. This website can be intimidating at first glance, but the Flory Center and a representative of the U.S. Census will show attendees how to navigate the site and use it to one’s advantage.

In the Flory Center Inc.’s ‘Intro to Quickbooks’, a certified CPA will walk attendees through the often intimidating process of using Quickbooks. The Flory Center, Inc. knows how important it is for companies to not only save money by knowing how to use accounting tools, but also how to read, understand and use the outputs. By using Quickbooks well, one can access the current standing of their company at any point in time – a crucial tool for all small businesses.

Friday, August 5th – How to Read Financial Statements
In the final conference of the summer, the Flory Center will seek to answer one of the most commonly asked questions by clients and start-up entrepreneurs – How do you read and understand financial statements without a background in accounting? Led by a Senior Vice President of Union Bank and Trust, this conference will inform attendees how to review and analyze the core financial statements that affect their company on a regular basis. For small business owners with big ideas, the most difficult, or most intimidating, part of owning or starting a small business is often the numbers – most people just don’t know where to start. This conference will help alleviate the fears that numbers can bring and allow business owners to feel confident in knowing the financial standing of their business at all times.

Registration for these conferences is available by phone at (703) 335-2500 or email at [email protected]

A session on business etiquette and crime prevention was held June 3, and a session on bonding and 8(a)/HUBZone applications was held May 6.

The Flory Small Business Center, Inc. was created by the Prince William County Industrial Development Authority in 1991 as an “economic gardening” program and the IDA continues to provide over 50% of the Center’s funding with non-taxpayer dollars. Economic gardening fosters the idea that economies can be grown locally by local entrepreneurs. The Center’s 25-year-old program is based on the needs and requests of the small businesses they serve and is the recipient of state and national awards.

The Flory Center is funded by Prince William County, the Prince William County Industrial Development Authority, and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park. Mrs. Decker points out that local entrepreneurs are fortunate that our jurisdictions are committed to assisting the potential “start-up” as well as the existing small business owner.

The Flory Center works with referrals from organizations such as banks and elected officials who understand what they do and want to ensure that small businesses have access to the information and resources that they need to start, grow, and thrive. The Flory Center has been a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration since inception. For more information and to sign up for upcoming start-up workshops and conferences, contact the Flory Small Business Center, Inc. at 703-335-2500 or by email at [email protected].