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EDC APRIL AND MAY EVENT AND WEBINAR SCHEDULE
The Economic Development Collaborative encourages you to sign up for our no-cost events and webinars. Space is limited. Register today!
Plan ahead! Our full EDC and partner event schedule is updated at the start of each month.
IN-PERSON: STOP GUESSING: UNDERSTAND YOUR BUSINESS NUMBERS WITH QUICKBOOKS REPORTS
April 21 @ 8:30 am
QuickBooks Online can generate dozens of reports, but which ones truly matter for running and growing your business? Join SCORE Ventura, City of Ventura, Accelerate CA and Economic Development Collaborative in this practical workshop, business owners will learn how to create and interpret the most important financial reports on QuickBooks Online. Whether you are new to QuickBooks or have been using it for years, understanding your financial reports is essential for making informed decisions and managing your business with confidence. Participants will explore a few of the most critical reports every business owner should review regularly and learn how to interpret the numbers behind them. Check-in: 8:00 am – Coffee and Pastries Provided; Event starts at 8:30 am. Address: Ventura City Hall | 501 Poli St, Ventura, CA 93001 | Community Room. #202. Price: FREE.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
IN-PERSON: QUICKBOOKS ESSENTIALS AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT: AN INTERACTIVE WORKSHOP FOR BUSINESSES PRESENTED BY THE CITY OF OXNARD
April 23 @ 9:00 am
Join the City of Oxnard, the Economic Development Collaborative, and the Accelerate CA Hub for this practical, interactive workshop designed for both beginners and experienced QuickBooks users in Oxnard. Whether you are starting from scratch or have been using QuickBooks for years and want to hone your skills, this session will cover essential features and explore more advanced topics based on participants’ questions. Check-in: 8:30 am. Address: Oxnard Public Library – Main Library, 251 S A St, Oxnard, CA 93030. The Accelerate California: Inclusive Innovation Hub Program (Accelerate CA) is funded by the State of California and administered by the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA). Price: FREE.
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RESTAURANT 101
April 23 @ 12:00 pm
The restaurant industry operates on razor-thin margins, and those who survive understand their operational costs. This webinar is presented to give those in the industry, as well as those interested in starting a food business, the background in costs of goods, staffing needs, labor costs, weekly sales projections, Profit and Loss projections, and other cost-cutting best practices and offered as a Zoom meeting so that attendees can ask questions during the presentation. Price: FREE.
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IN-PERSON: EMERGING FRAUD THREATS
April 23 @ 5:00 pm
The ever-changing landscape of fraud and growing threats of cyber attacks pose a risk for everyone. In this 2-hour training session provided by City National Bank’s fraud team, you will gain valuable insights about how AI is used to enhance attacks, practical steps to protect your accounts and sensitive information, and tools to prevent these attacks. Check-In: 4:30 pm. Address: Ventura County Community Foundation Building, Board Room, 4001 Mission Oaks Blvd, Camarillo, CA. Price: FREE.
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HOW TO IMPORT COFFEE INTO THE UNITED STATES
May 1 @ 9:00 am
This session focuses on the operational and regulatory aspects of starting a coffee business that sources and imports its own coffee. Participants will learn how coffee moves from origin to the U.S., what is required to import legally, and how to structure their supply chain efficiently. Price: FREE.
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STEP BY STEP – HOW TO OPEN A RESTAURANT
May 7 @12:00 pm
“Step by Step – How to Open a Restaurant” gives an overview of opening a restaurant. Starting with the menu, a plan, and profitability, you can explore your dream before spending money. This webinar is for anyone who is interested in exploring the feasibility of opening a full-service, quick-service, or other brick-and-mortar location. Price: FREE.
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IN-PERSON: FROM SYMPTOMS TO SOLUTIONS: PRACTICAL ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS
May 13 @ 8:30 am
Stop solving the same problem over and over. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to identify the real drivers behind operational challenges using practical root cause analysis tools, including the Three-Legged Five-Why method and mind mapping. Designed for leaders and teams who want more than theory, this session helps participants move beyond surface-level fixes and uncover issues related to process, people, and systems. Attendees will leave with a clear framework they can immediately apply to improve workflows, reduce recurring problems, and drive stronger results in their organizations. Check-in: 8:00 am. Address: Workforce Development Board of Ventura County Office, 3rd Floor, 2901 North Ventura Road, Oxnard. Price: FREE. An in-person Workforce Development Board of Ventura County and EDC Small Business Development Center workshop.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
BUILDING YOUR COFFEE BRAND & CHOOSING THE RIGHT PRODUCT
May 18 @ 9:00 am
This session focuses on the commercial side of launching a coffee business. Participants will learn how to choose the right coffee for their target market, build a compelling brand, and create a simple go-to-market strategy. Price: FREE.
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AI 101 FOR SMALL BUSINESSES: WHAT IT IS, HOW IT WORKS, AND HOW TO USE IT TO SAVE TIME AND MAKE MONEY
May 21 @ 10:00 am
Artificial Intelligence is quickly becoming one of the most powerful tools for small business owners to increase productivity, improve marketing, and streamline daily operations. But many entrepreneurs feel overwhelmed by all the new terminology and tools. In this beginner-friendly webinar, you’ll learn the key terminology, how large language models and chatbots work, and real-world business use cases that can save you time and help you grow faster. We’ll also cover important topics that responsible business owners need to understand, including cultural bias in AI, ethical and legal considerations, and how to implement AI to protect your brand and your customers. This session is designed to give you a clear, practical foundation so you can start using AI in your business immediately and confidently. Price: FREE.
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GOOGLE AI TOOLS FOR GROWTH AND SCALE: THE SMALL BUSINESS AI TOOLKIT
May 26 @ 10:00 am
There are powerful Google AI tools available right now that can help you research faster, create content, analyze your market, and scale your business without adding more staff. In this webinar, you’ll be introduced to tools like Gemini with Deep Research, NotebookLM, Flow, Nano Banana, Pomeli, and how each tool fits into your business workflow. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by too many AI platforms, you’ll learn how to build your own AI toolkit, knowing which tools to use for marketing, research, content creation, strategy, and automation. This session is perfect for small business owners who want to work smarter, make better decisions, and grow efficiently using AI. Price: FREE.
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IN-PERSON: STOP THE SCRAMBLE: MAPPING WORK AND CLEARING THE PATH FORWARD
May 27 @ 8:30 am
When work stalls, the culprit is rarely effort. It is usually sequencing. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to map workflows visually using physical and digital dependency mapping methods that surface blockers, hand-off gaps, and hidden bottlenecks hiding in plain sight. Designed for leaders and teams managing multiple moving parts, this session helps participants build a shared picture of how work actually flows, not just how it is supposed to flow. Attendees will leave with a working workflow map and a clear picture of who owns each hand-off, so they can return to their team with a plan to remove friction, improve coordination, and move work forward with fewer surprises. Check-in: 8:00 am. Address: Workforce Development Board of Ventura County Office, 3rd Floor, 2901 North Ventura Road, Oxnard. Price: FREE. An in-person Workforce Development Board of Ventura County and EDC Small Business Development Center workshop.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND CULTURE
May 28 @ 12:00 pm
As employers nationwide continue to struggle to find quality employees, employers must focus on their current staff and company culture to attract the best candidates for new available positions. This webinar will touch on ways to improve your current staff morale, offer tips for recruiting the best available candidates, and focus on your overall company culture. This webinar is for all industries which rely on employees. Price: FREE.
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EDC PARTNER SCHEDULE
SCORE: MARKETING PLAN 101: CREATE YOUR ROADMAP TO SUCCESS
April 22 @ 10:00 am
Are you overwhelmed by all the choices for marketing your business in the new year? Not sure where your time is best spent? Are you following what everyone else is doing and hoping it works for you, too? If you answered yes, then this workshop is for you! Price: $10.00.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
IN-PERSON EVENT: SBA: INFORMATION SESSION ON SBA’S SMALL BUSINESS CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS
April 22 @ 10:00 am
This event will provide an overview of SBA programs and services, with an emphasis on SBA’s federal contracting resources! This will be an intro to small business certification programs. Government contracts are a tremendous financial opportunity for small businesses, and the U.S. government is the world’s largest customer. It buys all types of products and services in both large and small quantities, and it’s required by law to consider buying from small businesses. The SBA has several contracting assistance programs and federal contracting resources available to assist entrepreneurs. This is a great opportunity to have any questions answered and learn about the multiple resources available to help you on your way to small business success. The event will take place in person at the SBA Los Angeles District Office, 312 N Spring St, 5th Floor, Suite 531, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Please allow extra time to find parking and to go through building security. SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. For reasonable accommodation requests or questions, please email LADO@sba.gov or call the Los Angeles District Office at 213.634.3855 at least 7 days in advance. Price: FREE.
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SCORE: FINANCIAL BASICS FOR NEW SMALL BUSINESSES
April 23 @ 1:00 pm
Please note that this webinar is not recorded due to the presenter’s preferences. This workshop is designed to give you, the business owner, the financial skills and know-how needed to perform key tasks, such as determining how to accurately calculate the funding you’ll need to start your business. You will also learn how to project your future financial results realistically, including projecting sales for a new business, understanding your cost of goods sold and gross margin, being able to project your operating expenses, calculating your net income and planning your cash flow successfully. Price: $10.00.
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SCORE: AI-POWERED BUSINESS PLANNING: CREATE A QUICK BUSINESS PLAN IN 3 HOURS
April 24 @ 9:00 am
Join SCORE and other entrepreneurs in this hands-on workshop where you will write your “Unique Value Statement” for your new product or service. This is a concise description of your product or service, and it explains the unique value it provides to your customers. As part of the workshop, participants will receive real-time feedback from a SCORE mentor to help them fine-tune their Value Statement. In the second part of the workshop, you will use the “Lean Canvas” to begin the process of turning your product/service into a business. In this interactive session, you use the canvas to guide you in expanding the information in the Unique Value Statement by capturing key ideas, concepts, and strategies about your business. This creates a basic framework that you can use to complete YOUR full, detailed business plan. Have paper, a pencil, or a pen ready, as the goal of this workshop is for all participants to leave with a draft of their “Unique Value Statement” and “Lean Canvas.” Price: $10.00.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
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