Ag-West Bio to hold business planning workshops

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

Ag-West Bio Inc. will once again offer a complete business planning workshop this spring.

The workshop is in the form of three two-day sessions, scheduled in April, May and June. It provides expert instruction and hands-on support to entrepreneurs, whatever their stage of development.

“The material is relevant to new start up companies or existing businesses that are launching a new venture,” Ag-West Bio Investment Analyst Tyler Bradley said. “It is aimed at companies based in agriculture, with a technological component.”

The first of the three workshop sessions deals with the tools to get started in building a business plan. Participants receive a comprehensive binder of resources, including guidance on business planning and financial modeling.

From that starting point, attendees are asked to work on a more detailed plan before the next workshop.

About a month later, the second session provides feedback on the work done so far, and adds in information on business-to-business marketing, as well as some of the more advanced aspects of financial management and accounting.

The third workshop component provides time to adjust the financial pro-forma that has been developed, and on the last day each participant actually presents their own business plan to the rest of the group.

“We do everything in a very confidential, one-on-one environment,” Bradley said. “We are aware that business people are very concerned with the confidentiality of their business concepts.”

The three workshop sessions are scheduled for: April 16 and 17, May 15 and 16, and finally June 11 and 12.

The course outline promises plenty of time to be spent on the fundamental steps of how to prepare a business plan, and on financial planning and management.

Bradley says it is useful if participants can flesh out their business idea as much as possible before beginning the workshops.

“The more prepared you are going in, the further you are going to get,” Bradley said. “If you can come up with a two-page summary of your concept, that’s a good starting point.”

The final session even deals with how to work on your new idea, while continuing in current employment or running your existing business. A seminar entitled “I can’t quit my day job” will be kicked off by a guest speaker who has been through the experience.

The business plan workshop costs $575 for Ag-West Bio members, and $600 for non-members, and is eligible for coverage under the Canadian Agricultural Skills Service program. That price includes information binders and CDs, as well as lunches.

Bradley points out that, in addition to the learning opportunity, the workshop also provides exposure to potential sources of investment capital for entrepreneurs.

You can learn more at www.agwest.sk.ca.

For more information, contact:
Tyler Bradley, Investment Analyst
Ag-West Bio Inc.
Phone: (306) 668-2652
Email: tyler.bradley@agwest.sk.ca
Website: www.agwest.sk.ca