Business Development Training Series for Entrepreneurs begins Tuesday, March 23, 2021

This will be the 26th class for new and growing entrepreneurs

CareerSource Suncoast and the City of Sarasota are presenting the 26th Community Entrepreneur Opportunity (CEO) course beginning Tuesday, March 23. This free 10-week course will teach entrepreneurs how to create and launch a business. Classes will be held virtually every Tuesday from 6 – 7:30 p.m. and CareerSource Suncoast’s business accelerator, THRIVE, will be providing instruction and support for the class. Over the past 26 classes there have been over 400 graduates of the program and several have gone on to open businesses here in our region.

“Throughout the years I’ve seen the CEO program create many opportunities for small business and entrepreneurship in the North Sarasota community and beyond,” says Ted Ehrlichman, President and CEO of CareerSource Suncoast. “This is a chance for entrepreneurs to gain the valuable knowledge they need to bring their business dreams to fruition. While it’s now completely virtual, the time spent networking over Zoom and building relationships with a group of peers is invaluable to someone starting a business on their own.”

The course focuses on the core basics for new and aspiring small business owners. Students will learn through a combination of live virtual sessions and an online self-paced platform about business planning including market strategies, competitive analysis, financials, and operations and management plans. Through a combination of online classroom training and mentoring, participants will have an opportunity to assess their business acumen and determine the strength of their business concept.

While the course content is available 24/7, students are required to participate in the weekly session in order to complete the 10-week course. It is free and open to the public.

For more information, including a course application, contact the City of Sarasota, Office of Economic Development – Newtown: (941) 263-6284, or email rowena.elliott@sarasotafl.gov or click the link https://careersourcesuncoast.com/CEO to sign up.