Exploring Small Business Ownership: Your First Steps - In Person & Online

Name: Exploring Small Business Ownership: Your First Steps - In Person & Online
Start: 2026-03-03T17:30:00-05:00
Location: 200 S Washington Ave, Saginaw, MI 48607-1243, United States

Schedule

Tue, 03 Mar, 2026 at 05:30 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

200 S Washington Ave, Saginaw, MI 48607-1243, United States | Saginaw, MI

You have a great idea, but "knowing where to start" is often the biggest hurdle to actually starting. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the transition from a dream to a functional business framework.

In this introductory webinar, we break down the startup process into a logical, 10-step sequence. This beginner-level session introduces the essential concepts you need to move forward with confidence, including how to:
Evaluate your business idea beyond the product or service to see if it is financially viable.
Understand target customers by learning the difference between primary and secondary market research.
Estimate startup costs using a structured summary to plan for your initial investment.
Navigate financing options, including an overview of the "Five C's of Credit" and SBA loan programs.
Structure a simple business plan to turn your dreams into actionable goals.
By the end of this session, you’ll have a clear roadmap to help reduce risk and increase your probability of success. To keep the session interactive, I welcome your questions throughout the presentation as well as during a dedicated Q&A at the end. Participants will receive digital and physical handouts to help them begin their journey.

Notes:
This workshop focuses on foundational planning. For those ready to dive into the specifics of registering a business (LLCs or DBAs), the Michigan SBDC offers dedicated follow-up workshops.
This workshop has a hybrid presentation - Both as a webinar and in person event. If you are in Saginaw, MI, please join us downtown at 200 S Washington Ave in the SVSU Riverfront Building; otherwise, join us online at the link provided.

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact [email protected].

Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.