PRESTONSBURG – Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation will offer Prestonsburg area residents the opportunity to learn more about small business ownership this spring through its Entrepreneurial SMARTS course.

The four-session, 12-hour SMARTS Prestonsburg course will be offered March 20, March 27, April 3 and April 10, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Floyd County Extension Office, 921 S. Lake Drive in Prestonsburg. The cost is $25 per person.

A total of 126 aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners completed Entrepreneurial SMARTS training in nine sessions offered around the region in 2012. The coming year promises to be as successful.

Southeast Kentucky Economic Development Corporation (SKED) is conducting this entrepreneurial and small business training program - Entrepreneurial SMARTS: Simple Methods And Reality-based Training for Success – which is based on a nationally recognized training program called Core Four Business Planning Course. The Appalachian Regional Commission provided funding support for the first round of these training sessions.

Entrepreneurial SMARTS training has reached people from all walks of life. Participants have included owners of existing small businesses, folks working to open their own small business in the near future, entrepreneurs seeking some direction on the basics of starting and managing a small business, retirees, college students, employees of nonprofit organizations seeking education and training to more effectively assist their constituents, and people who are unemployed and seeking an alternative to the traditional job market.

Training is currently under way in Morehead and will follow in the Corbin area in February.

The following additional locations have been designated as additional SMARTS training sites in 2013: Somerset in mid-April and early May; Hindman in mid-May and early June; Liberty in August and Pikeville in September. For more specifics and to register, visit SKED’s website at www.southeastkentucky.com, then click on the training link.

Pat Bradley, SKED small business training specialist, conducts the Entrepreneurial SMARTS classes. Bradley is among more than 200 trainers from over 80 organizations across the country who have been certified as Core Four Business Planning Course instructors. In addition to this and other entrepreneurial training, the East Kentucky native also draws from the first-hand knowledge and experience she gained from starting and operating her own small businesses.

At Entrepreneurial SMARTS training sessions, entrepreneurs and small business owners are instructed in how to create a business plan, including basic knowledge about starting, financing and operating a business and planning for success.

Class participants are also given the tools needed to determine if business ownership is for them. If these entrepreneurs go on to start their own business, this training will give them a tremendous advantage by giving them access to the skill set needed to properly get their business off the ground and running smoothly.

Existing small business owners will get the support they need to advance the growth of their business and operate a solid, reliable investment. Upon successful completion of this training, participants receive a certificate recognizing their achievements and will be eligible to apply for business startup or expansion funding from SKED’s loan funds.

This nationally recognized course is valued at $250 per student. However, due to financial support through a grant from the ARC combined with financial support from SKED, participants pay only $25 per person.

“After completing the first year of Entrepreneurial SMARTS, I’m even more convinced that practically anyone can benefit from this training program,” Bradley said. “Entrepreneurs, folks starting a small business, students, owners of existing small businesses, employees, and small business service providers have all completed this training with rave reviews. This is truly a great opportunity for anyone interested in developing and improving their business management skills! I’m really looking forward to going into year two of Entrepreneurial SMARTS, and continuing our work at SKED of supporting economic development and helping folks in our region realize their dreams of successful business ownership!”

SKED has been providing support for new business development and small business expansion throughout Southeast Kentucky through its lending programs for years. This entrepreneurial and small business training program, supplements SKED’s work to develop successful and sustainable small business ownership in Southeast Kentucky.

Two recent SMARTS graduates attested to the program’s benefits.

“I was surprised at the depth of material covered in such a short course,” said Lesa Neace, of Hazard. “The material was very clear and presented in an easy to understand manner. I learned a lot!”

“This class is worth so much more than the $25 it cost to sign up … it’s worth gold,” said Kim Molen, of Somerset. “I have always wanted to start my own business but didn’t know where to begin … SKED SMARTS arms you with every resource imaginable to make you a huge success.”

SKED Executive Director Greg Jones says the entrepreneurial training program is a natural progression for SKED and its mission of job creation and building a better economic future for the residents of Southeast Kentucky.

“We are pleased to partner with the ARC to bring this much needed and successful training to our service area. I look forward to meeting and congratulating even more graduates in 2013,” Jones said.

SKED was formed 26 years ago by Fifth District Congressman Hal Rogers to create jobs in Southeast Kentucky. The economic development organization, based in Somerset, serves a 45-county region in Southeast Kentucky. Staff works with business owners, small and large, throughout its service area to identify financing solutions to fund their location, expansion and working capital needs.

For more information about SKED’s services, contact Jones at (606) 677-6102 or gjones@centertech.com. For information about entrepreneurship training, contact Bradley by phone at (606) 335-1488 or by email at pat.sked@yahoo.com. You may visit: www.southeastkentucky.com for more information about SKED’s services and about Entrepreneurial SMARTS.