LTU hosts program on how to start a business

The Lawrence Technological University, (LTU) Entrepreneurial Collaboratory will present a free program, “How to Start and Build a Business,” 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 5, in room M336 of the Buell Management Building at Lawrence Technological University, 21000 West 10 Mile Road, Southfield.
The program, which is free and open to the public, will begin with coffee and conversation at 8:30 a.m. Participants should register at ltu.edu/startabusiness.
LTU Associate Professor Jacqueline Stavros, the co-author of “SOAR: Building Strengths-Based Strategy,” and LTU Assistant Professor Matt Cole will discuss the SOAR (strengths, opportunities, aspirations and results) planning process.
An overview of the commercialization process will be provided by Francis “Tex” Criqui, a principal of the consulting firm Technology Highway and the leader of the LTU Entrepreneurial Collaboratory.
The program is sponsored by the City of Southfield, the Southfield Area Chamber of Commerce and LTU. For information, visit www.ltu.edu.

VioPoint security consultant to present at BSides Detroit 2013

Josh Little, senior security consultant of VioPoint, a  provider of IT security and compliance solutions will make a presentation during the conference, BSides Detroit 2013 on June 7. 

BSides is a community driven event for and by information security professionals. It will be held on June 7-8 at the GM Renaissance Conference Center in Detroit. 

Little’s presentation, “A Cascade of Pebbles: How Small Incident Response Mistakes Make for Big Compromise,” will focus on a penetration test that showed gaps in the target company’s incident response process. It will highlight how the incident response short-comings allowed the attacker to stay weeks, days, hours and minutes ahead of the responders. A penetration test is a technique of evaluating the IT security of a network by simulating an attack from external and internal threats. This process involves an active analysis of the system for any potential vulnerability that can come from poor configuration, software and hardware flaws and other technical malfunctions.

Little has 14 years of experience in the IT and security fields. He is the chapter leader for OWASP Detroit (Open Web Application Security Project) and one of the founders of MiSec, a collective of Michigan based information security professionals.

For more information on VioPoint of Auburn Hills, visit  www.viopoint.com. 
BSides was named the first grassroots, DIY, open security conference in the world, providing an open platform for security professionals to share ideas, insights and foster discussions. BSides Detroit 2013 More information on BSides Detroit 2013 can be found at www.securitybsides.com/w/page/61144863/BSidesDetroit13.

Facebook seminars included in Oakland County Business Center offerings

Business owners and entrepreneurs who need assistance are encouraged to attend seminars offered by the Oakland County Business Center. The seminars will take place at the Oakland County Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford Township. For registration, visit www.AdvantageOakland.com/expand or call 248-858-0783.

Marketing Your Business is 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, June 5. The course presents practical applications of marketing concepts designed to help small businesses grow. It covers basic marketing tools including market analysis and research. The fee is $40 per person.

Financial Management is 9 a.m. to noon, Thursday, June 6. As an introductory seminar, the course covers the basics of financial management, including how to start an accounting system and how to apply the information from key financial statements to help you manage your business. The fee is $40 per person.

Business Research - Feasibility to Expansion is 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 6. It is for those thinking of starting a business and wanting to research a business idea. Presented by Oakland County Market Research and an Oakland County Public Library business reference librarian. This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.

Venture Plan | 10-Week Series is 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, June 11 to Aug. 20. There is no class July 2. Your application must be submitted and approved prior to registration. Venture Plan is an intensive 10-week program that helps evaluate business opportunities and develop an action plan for owning or growing a business. This program offers essential business information to help develop entrepreneurial skills and build your business on a strong foundation or help to prepare for expansion. Due to sponsor support, the fee is $140 per participant, reduced from $700.

CEED Microloan Orientation is 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 12. Many small businesses face obstacles when trying to obtain a business loan, the Microloan program is for those who need alternative financing. This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.

Facebook for Business (Beginner) is the first of a three-part series, 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, June 12. Introduction to social media marketing and using Facebook for business. The fee is $40 per person.

Starting a Business is 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, June 13. It is an introductory session delivered in a workshop format, the course helps aspiring entrepreneurs assess their abilities to lead and manage a company as well as evaluate market and sales potential for their products. The fee is $30 per person.

Quickbooks Essentials (Parts 1 and 2) is 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 to 3 p.m. Thursday, June 13. This introduction to small business financial management provides an overview of accurate record keeping and report interpretation and utilization. Part 1 will cover basic accounting terminology, new company file setup, customizing forms and letters, and working with bank accounts. Part 2 will cover invoicing customers, receiving payments and making deposits, entering and paying vendor bills and more. The cost to attend both sessions is $75 per person or attend one session for $40 per person.

Facebook for Business (Intermediate) is 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, June 19. Create your Facebook Strategy. Core strategies and tactics businesses are using to get customers talking on Facebook, how to use social media management tools for Facebook and scheduling posts in advance are covered. Prerequisite: Facebook for Business (Beginner). The fee is $40 per person.

Health Care Reform and Small Business is 9 a.m. to noon, Thursday, June 20. Learn about health care reform legislation and how it will affect all business owners. The workshop covers tax penalties, small business credits, small business wellness program grants (small and large wellness program grants), full-time employee status compliance and all health care reform changes that will be implemented next year. This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required.

Writing a Business Plan is 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, June 20. It is designed for individuals who want to increase their chances for successful self-employment. Specifics of marketing and finance, legal and regulatory issues, operations, and information-based planning and management are key components of the workshop. The first steps for creating a business plan draft will be included along with a demonstration of the MI-SBTDC online business plan tool. The fee is $40 per person.

Facebook for Business (Advanced) is 6 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, June 26. This workshop discusses establishing objectives and goals for a Facebook campaign and effective Facebook promotions and/or sweepstakes that meets Facebook’s rules and guidelines. Prerequisites: Facebook for Business (beginner) and Facebook for Business (intermediate). The fee is $40 per person.

With graduation comes student loan debt

Submitted by the American Institute of CPAs, www.aicpa.org/

New York  – Students go to college to get ahead, but many are falling behind in life’s next stages because of burgeoning school debt, according to a national telephone survey of student loan borrowers and their parents conducted for the American Institute of CPAs by Harris Interactive.

Three quarters of those surveyed, 75 percent, said they or their children have made personal or financial sacrifices because of monthly student loan payments. While 41 percent have postponed contributions to retirement plans; 40 percent have delayed car purchases; 29 percent have put off buying a house and 15 percent have postponed marriage. Most did not anticipate the financial strain, according to the survey. Only 39 percent said they fully understood the burden student loan debt would place on the future, and 60 percent now have at least some regret over their choice of education financing.

“They start out with an anchor that slows their progression toward future goals. It’s a difficult reality confronting a growing number of people, one that will come into sharp focus in the coming weeks as the nation’s colleges and universities produce a new crop of graduates,” said Ernie Almonte, CPA, CGMA, chair of the AICPA’s National CPA Financial Literacy Commission.

Almost 39 million U.S. adults had student loan debt at the end of 2012 – 70 percent more than in 2004, according to statistics from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. During that same time, the total amount of student debt nearly tripled to $966 billion to become the biggest non-mortgage debt burden in America. The average student loan balance: $24,803.

Members of the National CPA Financial Literacy Commission offer the following tips:

Start early. It’s tried and true advice that works. The earlier families start saving for college, the better positioned children will be when they get there. One simple idea: Save half of birthday and holiday money your children receive for college. A CPA can help with more complex or tax efficient strategies that might make sense for your situation. Online education planning calculators can provide a sense of what you need to sock away.
Think different. Consider attending a community college for the first two years, living at home or attending classes part time while working part time to cut down on costs. Online courses are another potential way to gain credits while managing costs. The U.S. Department of Education offers a number of tools, including the College Scorecard that helps you find out more about a college’s affordability and value.
Set limits. If you use loans, be judicious. As a general rule of thumb, your total balance at the end of four years should not exceed the amount you can expect to earn in your first year using your degree. Be realistic about your prospects. And be creative and aggressive during your college years to fend off debt. Avoid credit card and other obligations that add to your burden.
Pay fast. Resist the temptation to start your payments at the lowest level with an increase over several years. This has the effect of increasing the amount of interest you will pay and makes it difficult to build a budget because your monthly expenses will keep rising. You might have to make short-term sacrifices, but once you’re debt free it will be easier to pursue long-term goals.

For a comprehensive financial education program — 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy, visit www.360financialliteracy.org/