Workshops and Training
Community Futures regularly offers business workshops and seminars providing small and medium sized businesses with practical and interactive sessions. These workshops are designed for key business areas and are facilitated by skilled and experienced entrepreneurs.
Opportunity Readiness
The Opportunity Readiness Workshop focuses on preliminary business opportunity analysis and individual preparedness for self-employment. Assess the feasibility of your business idea and your own entrepreneurial skills and opportunity. We encourage all eligible individuals to attend this valuable and interactive workshop. This workshop is mandatory for those wishing to attend the Business Plan Development Program.
The Opportunity Readiness Workshop is available to both WorkBC sponsored clients with new business ideas, and to self-funded entrepreneurs with existing businesses, start-up ideas, or pivot opportunities. Click here for more details.
Business Plan Development Program
Ready to take your business idea to the next stage?
The Business Plan Development Program provides extensive training and support to develop a comprehensive business plan.
Once individuals complete their Opportunity Readiness Workshop they can apply to the Business Plan Development Program by completing an application. Click here for an application. Approved participants attend in-class instruction, and develop and complete a business plan within a ten week period.
Individuals eligible for EI benefits or Reachback can be sponsored and referred by WorkBC to the program. Individuals not sponsored by WorKBC may purchase a seat in the Business Plan Development Program based on availability and suitability. Bursaries and other financial support may also be available through Community Futures. Please call 250-868-2132 for more info.
Please note, all applicants must attend the Opportunity Readiness Workshop prior to applying for the Business Plan Development Program.
The Business Plan Development Program includes:
Operations and Management
Business management, operating plan, business plan writing and layout, vision, goals, objectives, risk management.
Market Research and Market Strategies
Collecting, analysing and finalizing market research, developing marketing strategies based on this research, effective sales staretgies, promotions and sales forecasting.
Finance
Financial planning, cash flow forecasting, income statement and balance sheet preparation, sales and cost analysis, financing strategies including personal financial planning.
Wrap Up
One on one counseling is provided to assist the participant in writing, editing, troubleshooting and modifying the business plan in preparation for a final draft.
Accelerate Your Business Workshops
A series of comprehensive workshops designed to help operating businesses with specific business topics and issues.
All workshops and seminars are available on a first come first serve basis. All facilitators are experienced self employed business people that have demonstrated success in their specialty areas.
MyCommunityFutures
Online registration and support from MyCommunityFutures available by clicking the below link:
https://mycommunityfuturesbc.ca/
Community Futures is pleased to be able to help businesses, enterprising-not-for-profits and First-Nations-Band-owned businesses to strengthen and recover from challenging economic conditions.Workshops, Peer Masterminds, Consulting Services + up to $5,000 in Training Reimbursement available - conditions apply and eligibility criteria differs. In September 2022 Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan) announced relief funding for businesses and select not-for-profits located in 22 regions of BC and was expanded to the Central Okanagan in 2023.