BE SMART

Access to Capital:

Where to look for capital and what criteria those with capital to provide look for in your business as part of their decision process. The class will also teach what to ask your certified public accountant, as well as how to review financial statements [cash, accrual, completed job, percent of completion], job cost records, balance sheets, and income statements.
Takeaway: sample forms, formats, and handouts to include glossary of terms,

Are you ready to be a prime?[Not offered Fall 2017]Leading the team, selecting sub-contractors/consultants; team and document coordination, defining responsibilities; quality control, contract documents.
Takeaway: Handouts

Bonding and Risk Management:

• Bonding/Risk Management A [For businesses in the Construction, Professional Services, Other Services, and Goods & Supplies Industries]: Basics on government projects that require bonding. The class will review bonding and risk management language [bid bonds, surety bonds, collateralized bonds, payment bonds, performance bonds, insurance vs. bonds, general indemnity agreement, line of credit, letter of credit, financial statements vs. tax returns, and funds control administration], limitations on indemnification, additional insured endorsements, basics of general liability, and how to find a quality surety/insurance agent.
• Risk Management B [For businesses in the Architecture & Risk Management B [For businesses in the Architecture & Engineering Industry]:The class will review risk management language, such as general indemnity agreements, as well as limitations on indemnification, additional insured endorsements, basics of general liability, and how to find a quality insurance agent.Takeaway: sample forms, formats, and handouts to include glossary of terms, appendix of State and local regulations

Business Development

Deciding on a business, building corporate culture, leadership, values, communication, organization.
Takeaway: Handouts

The Business Plan:

• Business Plan Introduction A [For businesses in the Construction, Professional Services, Other Services, and Goods & Supplies Industries]:

Basics on factors to consider and include as part of developing or revising a business plan, such as business structure, business plan focus, and business plan format.

• Business Plan Introduction B [For businesses in the Architecture & Engineering Industries]:

Basics on factors to consider and include as part of developing or revising a business plan, such as business structure, business plan focus, and business plan format

Takeaway: Sample forms, formats, and handouts

Business Plan Financials:

Creating and organizing financial documents necessary to track costs and revenue, balance sheet development, cash flow projections, use of accounting software, and planning for changes.
Takeaway: sample forms, formats, and handouts

Business Plan Market Analysis:

Market penetration and market development to increasing capacity, project budgeting, and successful project completion.
Takeaway: Handouts, glossary of terms

Construction Cost Estimating/Cost Proposal Development

Estimating the time, money, resources, and labor required for construction projects or proposal.

Types of estimates:

Design estimates such as screening estimates (or order of magnitude estimates), preliminary estimates (or conceptual estimates), detailed estimates (or definitive estimates), and engineer’s estimates based on plans and specifications;

Bid estimates such as competitive bidding or negotiation, as well as direct construction cost including field supervision, subcontractor quotations, quantity take offs, construction procedures, and percentage for overhead; and

Control estimates such as monitoring the project during construction. Budget estimate for financing, budgeted cost after contracting but prior to construction, estimated cost to completion during the progress of construction.
Takeaway: Handouts

Credit Management: Introduction of what factors affect a credit score, how to check your credit report and how to actively repair credit.
Takeaway: sample forms, formats, and handouts to include glossary of terms, appendix of State and local regulations

Getting started in Government Contracting:

How to review a government issued solicitation and what to consider/provide in your response. This class helps to better understand how to work with municipalities, counties, schools districts, higher education institutions, and other public entities.
Takeaway: Sample Forms

Legal/Human Resources:

Federal employment law, Texas Comptroller requirements, productive workforce management, dispute resolutions, employee training, worker’s compensation, wage and compensation, Americans with Disabilities Act, and Affordable Health Care Act. The class will also discuss employee lawsuits, immigration audits, insurance issues, and internet policy and security.
Takeaway: Handouts

Marketing:Marketing Plan; Marketing Tools; Advertising and Promotion; E-Commerce, Promotion and Advertising; Employee Training Policies
Takeaway: Handouts, appendix of resources

QuickBooks I , II and III:

Program training to assist small business utilizing QuickBooks accounting software. Please note a QuickBooks Manual will be provided to those who take this class.

Level 1

Managing QuickBooks files backups, updates, and tasks. Navigating windows and options. Planning,creating and customizing a company file. Working with chart of accounts, preferences, subaccounts, classes, opening balances, permissions, the report center, the customer center, transactions, invoices, payments, sales receipts, sales tax, and selling items.

Level 2

The vendor center, vendor reports, entering and paying bills, banking with QuickBooks, managing credit and debit card transactions reconciling credit card accounts, banking transactions, banking and balance sheet reports.

 Level 3

Working with balance sheet accounts and budgets, dealing with liabilities, fixed assets, retained earnings, sales tax payable. Working with estimates and time tracking. Creating estimates, progress invoicing, deposits, customer statements finance charges and mileage tracking.

Takeaway: QuickBooks Manual

Safety: Job safety for general industry and construction firms; how-to practices and OSHA instructions

Sustainable Business Practices:

The importance of delegation of responsibility and authority, cross-training, backing up data, creating a rainy day fund, and maximizing technology.
Takeaway: Handouts

Technical Proposal Writing

How to respond to multiple types of proposals, such as request for qualification and request for proposal, as well as how to write a summary, content, costs, budget justification, statement of work, timeline, and selecting projects to pursue.

Takeaway: Samples, Handouts