The City of Chicago is celebrating “Money Smart Week” from April 18 to 25 with two free workshops at City Hall

CITY OF CHICAGO SETS TWO FREE WORKSHOPS FOR ‘MONEY SMART WEEK’
City’s Small Business Center to Present Workshop for Food Truck Entrepreneurs

March 30, 2015

The City of Chicago is celebrating “Money Smart Week” from April 18 to 25 with two free workshops at City Hall. On April 22, its Small Business Center is presenting “Business Licensing 101” and, on April 24, Maribel Del Real, of Del Real Tax Group, Inc., is presenting “Accounting in the Cloud: QuickBooks Online.”

“Presenting financial workshops is one of the many ways we support small businesses,” said Commissioner Maria Guerra Lapacek, of Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP). “Providing free resources to entrepreneurs will help them succeed, which helps our neighborhoods and city succeed.”

Additionally, the Small Business Center is reaching out to future food truck entrepreneurs by presenting “How to Obtain a Mobile Food Dispenser/Preparer License” on April 8 at City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805. The workshop tackles the inspection process and is geared toward helping attendees get their food truck on the street.

The City of Chicago also is set to present “City Inspections – Ask Questions, Get Answers” with officials from four City departments, and the Department of Aviation is presenting “How to Open a Concession at O’Hare or Midway Airports.”

Partner agency workshops include “Business Evaluation and Benchmarking Tools” presented by the Small Business Administration, “Securing Adequate Restaurant Financing” presented by Peter Kim, US Bank and Lema Khorshid, Fuksa Khorshid, LLC, “Do You Need an Employee Handbook or Written Policies?” presented by Charles Krugel, a Management Side Labor, Employment & Human Resources Attorney, and “How to Write a Business Plan” presented by Donna R. Rockin, Jules F. Knapp Entrepreneurship Center at IIT.

The Small Business Center at the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection hosts free business workshops every Wednesday and Friday in Room 805 at City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St., Chicago. Workshops are conducted by city officials, BACP’s partner organizations, and experts in the industry. To register for a workshop or for more information, call (312) 744-2086 or email [email protected]. Learn more about BACP programs and events by visiting www.cityofchicago.org/SBC.

April Workshops

4/1     City Inspections – Ask Questions, Get Answers    

3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Presented by the City of Chicago

To operate a successful business in Chicago you must know the requirements. Talk to officials from four City departments who will provide insight to operate safely, stay compliant, help prepare for inspections and point out the do’s and don’ts of operating your business. Don’t miss this workshop!

4/3     Business Evaluation and Benchmarking Tools

9:30 to 11:00 a.m.

Presented by the Small Business Administration (SBA)

At this workshop attendees will learn about resources to help small business compete, plan and execute small business success. The workshop will also provide attendees a number of tools and resources to help them improve upon their business operations.

4/8     How to Obtain a Mobile Food Dispenser/Preparer License

3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Presented by the City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection

Are you interested in operating a food truck in the City of Chicago? Then come and learn how you may obtain a Mobile Food Dispenser (MFD) or Mobile Food Preparer (MFP) business license. We will be discussing the MFD/MFP licensing process including inspections, the application, mobile food vehicle, and operational requirements, as well as the optional pre-application Mobile Food Vehicle Assessment.

4/10    Securing Adequate Restaurant Financing

9:30 to 11:00 a.m.

Presented by Peter Kim, US Bank and Lema Khorshid, Fuksa Khorshid, LLC

Finding enough financing for a new restaurant can be a major hurdle. In this workshop, we will first discuss how to estimate your start-up costs by looking at expenses like potential renovations, employee wages, marketing capital, and commercial kitchen equipment. We will then explore different sources of financing, such as personal resources, private investors, and small business loans. You will also learn about the basic loan application process, including what details to add into your business plan and how to prepare for your bank interview.

4/15     Do You Need an Employee Handbook or Written Policies?

3:00 to 4:30 p.m.  

Presented by Charles Krugel, a Management Side Labor, Employment & Human Resources Attorney

How do you decide which policies to use? What format should they be in? When or how do I make changes?  And who should create this? Attend this great workshop and get all these questions answered and much more.

4/17     How to Open a Concession at O’Hare or Midway Airport 

9:30 to 11:00 a.m.

Presented by Chicago Department of Aviation – Concessions Department

Are you interested in operating a restaurant or shop at O’Hare or Midway International Airports, but don’t know where to begin? Come and learn about the Request for Proposals (RFP) process, how to operate a business at the airports, and a summary of the Airport Concessions Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) program.

4/22     Business Licensing 101

3:00 to 4:30 p.m

Presented by The City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection
Learn the basics of obtaining a business license in the City of Chicago.  We will discuss what our Small Business Assistance Center can do for you, the 3 simple steps to obtain a business license, and the resources that are available for you and your business. Let us help you get your business started!
4/24     Accounting in the Cloud: QuickBooks Online

9:30 to 11:00 a.m.

Presented byMaribel Del Real, CPA, MSA Del Real Tax Group, Inc., Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor

Learn how to keep your books in the cloud using QuickBooks Online. We will identify advantages of QuickBooks Online vs. QuickBooks Desktop and list the important online features and benefits. Attendees will learn how to navigate the user interface, and about the sales and expense processes in QuickBooks Online.

4/29     How to Write a Business Plan 

3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Presented by Donna R. Rockin, Jules F. Knapp Entrepreneurship Center at IIT

Learn how to create a comprehensive business plan. It’s easier than you think when you understand all the components that get included. You’ll receive a complete list of what to include to demystify the process. Writing a solid business plan is your roadmap to business success.

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