The core of the FHF Microenterprise Program is microenterprise training. This six week, thirty hour course offers a multi-faceted approach in both a classroom and hands-on setting. Throughout the course, instructors review the basics of creating and managing a small business. Our clients work with the instructor to develop a thorough, customized business plan. This increases the probability of starting and maintaining a successful business.
The primary goal of the microenterprise training is to provide our clients with sound business knowledge that will allow them to successfully open, revitalize, stabilize, or expand a small business.
The following is a brief program outline of the microenterprise training course:
- Development of Business Concept/Business Plan
- Business Start-Up (insurance and types of business ownership)
- Target Markets
- Marketing and Market Research
- Credit and Financing
- Record Keeping and Management
- Introduction to Cash Flow
- Legal, Tax and Governmental Compliance
The kinds of skills needed to run a business can be put into several categories such as:
- Credit skills: borrowing money, dealing with banks or other creditors, interest
- Financial skills: keep accurate records, make budgets, calculate profits and losses
- Planning and Management skills: to manage people, physical resources, finance
- Communication skills: speaking, writing, reading
- Marketing skills: research, sales, entrepreneurship
- Technical skills: the applied physics, chemistry, biology, craft and artisan skills of a chosen profitable and productive enterprise