Time: 5:30-6:00 pm Networking, 6:00-8:00 pm Workshops
Location: The Ben Craig Center
               8701 Mallard Creek Rd
               Charlotte, NC  28262

Kindly register separately for each workshop that you plan to attend.

Workshop 1:  February 3, 2010 
Click HERE To Watch The Archived Video: Assessing Your Business Opportunity
• Arrive at this workshop with your business idea and leave with an understanding of your opportunity.  You will be exposed to tools and resources that will help you evaluate the strengths (and weaknesses) of your concept.
• Bring the information you have on your business idea - a design sketch, notes you scribbled on a napkin, market data.  You will leave with a checklist of what you do know, and what you'll need to find out before moving forward.

Presenters:
Paul Wetenhall, President, Ben Craig Center
Dr. Carol Swartz, Professor of Economics, UNC Charlotte Belk College of Business

Workshop 2: February 10, 2010
Click HERE To Watch The Archived Video: Writing the Plan
• Come away from this workshop with a clear sense of how all of the parts of a business plan fit together and their importance.  Learn why omitting sections can spell disaster for your planning efforts and with investors! 
• Bring the components and information you collected after attending Workshop 1.  Bring any questions you may have on how to fill gaps as you begin to write your business plan.

Presenters:
Paul Wetenhall, President, Ben Craig Center
Mark O. Henry, Attorney, Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A.
Dr. Charles Bodkin, Associate Professor of Marketing, UNC Charlotte Belk College of Business

Workshop 3: February 24, 2010

Click HERE to Watch the Archived Video: Communicating Your Plan & Funding Your Business
• Explore the alternatives for funding your business: family and friends, angel investors and rarely venture capital. Consider the limited role of debt in most start-up businesses. Leave with a clear sense of investor expectations and the financial information that you must provide.
• Every new business needs to be communicated to potential employees, investors and lenders. Your business plan is only part of this process.
• Leave with a roadmap for building your investor PowerPoint presentation based on the content in your plan. You will gain an understanding of your audience, their expectations and strategies for making a high-impact presentation.

Presenters:
Paul Wetenhall, President, Ben Craig Center
Doug Dawson, Founder, Optinfo
George McAllister, Charlotte Regional Director, SBTDC
Kenneth C. Paulus, Assistant Director, Charlotte Research Institute & Director of IMAF-Charlotte

Five Ventures® is constantly seeking qualified professionals who have an interest in supporting and promoting entrepreneurship in the region. We seek individuals with the following skills and experiences:

• Legal

• Accounting

• Sales & Marketing

• Engineering & Scientific

• Executive Management

• Investing or Fund Raising

If you or your company is interested in participating as a coach, sponsor and/or service provider for the Five Ventures® Competition, please contact us at kennethpaulus@uncc.edu.

Attention Students and Faculty:

If you possess one of the skills mentioned above and would like to join an existing business in the competition, please email us at kennethpaulus@uncc.edu. Many of our competitors are in need of complementary skills in order to complete their executive team for the competition.