No-Cost Resources for Small Business Owners

Connecticut Small Business Development Center (CTSBDC) offers flexible learning opportunities designed to help entrepreneurs and small business owners build the skills they need to start, grow, and succeed. Whether you’re launching a new venture or scaling an established business, you’ll find practical, actionable resources to support your next steps.

CTSBDC’s online trainings are courses designed by CTSBDC advisors to give business owners the fundamentals they need to get started on the right foot. To participate in these courses, you will need to follow the course video, download the provided worksheets, and take the time to work on each section.

Starting a New Business

Have a great business idea but aren’t sure what to do next? This course is designed for aspiring entrepreneurs who want to refine their concept, validate their idea, and build a solid foundation before launching. In this course, you’ll learn how to:

• Determine if you’re ready to start a business.
• Evaluate different paths to business ownership.
• Validate your idea through market research and financial planning.
• Follow the essential steps—in the right order—to launch with confidence.
• Access four downloadable planning tools and nine valuable resources to guide you throughout your startup journey.

Accounting Basics

Accounting doesn’t have to be intimidating. Whether you’re managing your own books or simply want to better understand your business finances, this course will give you the knowledge and confidence to do so. In this course, you’ll learn how to:

• Understand essential accounting terms and concepts without the jargon.
• Learn how money flows through your business and how to accurately record transactions.
• Gain a clear understanding of bookkeeping fundamentals and accounting best practices.
• Read and interpret your financial statements with confidence.
• Make more informed business decisions.

Writing a Business Plan

This course provides step-by-step guidance to help you create a professional, lender-ready business plan that clearly communicates your vision and strategy. In this course, you’ll learn how to:

• Master every key section of a successful business plan, from the Executive Summary to the Financial Plan.
• Write a Business Description, Industry Analysis, Marketing Strategy, Operations Plan, Organizational Structure, and projections.
• Create a business plan that supports funding applications, strategic planning, and growth.
• Access 11 downloadable resources, including a business plan template.

Lean Canvas – Lightening Series

The Lean Canvas is a one-page business model tool derived from the Business Model Canvas and designed specifically to support startups. It is organized into nine blocks that help you think through and describe briefly various areas of your business idea. By the end of the course, you will:

• Understand the Lean Canvas.
• How to Use the Lean Canvas for Customer Discovery.
• Filling a Lean Canvas Step-by-Step.
• Using the Lean Canvas as a Launching Point for a Business Plan.

The course is ideal for new entrepreneurs who want to find a simple, quick and effective method to test their ideas, and discover their customer base.

Marketing Basics – What Is Marketing?

In under 30 minutes, this module will cover important concepts that will support you in developing the initial outline of a marketing strategy. By the end of the course, you will:

• Understand what marketing is and how to better connect with what your customers want.
• Learn about Value & Satisfaction from your customers’ perspective.
• Get the basics of Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning and evaluating your Competitors.
• Dig deeper into the 4Ps of marketing to apply them to your business.

The course is ideal for entrepreneurs who want to either create or refresh a marketing plan.

Marketing Basics – Market Research

In about 35 minutes, this module will explain to you common and inexpensive methods to carry out research, and provide you with interactive scenarios and worksheets. By the end of the course, you will:

• Understand market research and how to learn directly from your customers what they want or need.
• Learn about Primary Research and tools you can use.
• Know how to best make use of Secondary Research.
• Figure out how to apply all this newly gained info to strengthen your business

The course is ideal for entrepreneurs who want to better understand what they can do with minimal resources to better connect with and grow their customer base.