Registration Open for 8 Week 
Entrepreneurship Class in Ferndale
The Ferndale Small Business Collaborative (FSBC) will present the Build Institute’s Build Basics course in Ferndale this summer. The eight-week class provides business training for aspiring and established entrepreneurs.
Participants receive education in money management, business planning, market research, legal matters, accounting, professional development, and more. It will be offered to select small business leaders in the Ferndale community.
The course is the first event to come out of the newly formed FSBC, which is spearheaded by Ferndale City Councilwoman Melanie Piana and comprised of executive representatives from 
the City of Ferndale, Downtown Development Authority, Chamber of Commerce, Michigan Works, Ferndale Public Library, and Ferndale Public School District.
The group’s mission is to seek and create opportunities for small business owners and entrepreneurs to cross promote and gain access to shared resources.
“This a community of great passion and great ideas,” Piana said. “Each FSBC member organization offers different levels of support—unique combinations of retention, attraction, growth, and expansion services such as technical assistance, consultations, trainings, and 
connections. Our goal is to coordinate initiatives and cross-support so that our organizations are better able to respond to local small business.”
Though the Ferndale Small Business Collaborative was organized just a couple of months ago, Piana says they’ve already begun to make great gains for the Ferndale small business community. “We’re looking at the small-business assistance resources and services currently provided by each organization—evaluating strengths and identifying gaps in services provided,” Piana said. “The outcome will be a better understanding of what each FSBC member organization is providing, and eventually a more accessible and collaborative network of resources for our small business owners and aspiring.
As the collaborative continues to develop, Piana predicts that Ferndale’s small business 
community will find more opportunities for innovation, involvement, engagement, and growth. “In our group’s first meeting, we identified the need for a network of community meeting spaces for small businesses to use,” Piana said. “We’re finding new ways for business owners to get the support, expert advice, and resources they need. The Build Basics course is an exciting first step for the FSBC and the Ferndale small business community.”
The class is open to anyone though seating is limited.
The BULD classes take place July 7, 2015 to Aug. 25, 2015 on Tuesday evenings from 6-9pm at Studio 7, 1200 Woodward Heights in Ferndale.
There is a sliding scale cost of between $200- $500 depending on income and household size. Sign up at http://buildinstitute.org/program/build-basics/
Oakland County Times
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