ACSBE joins corporate partners, delivers business training

Improving business management skills is an important step toward building an entrepreneurial culture in Kings County. Unfortunately, many adult entrepreneurs have neither the time nor money to enroll in a two- or four-year business program.

To address this gap, the Acadia Centre for Social and Business Entrepreneurship (ACSBE) recently joined forces with five local commercial sponsors to deliver a high impact, five-day training program. The course, called the Essentials of Business Management Certificate Program, offered participants hands-on training in customer service, financial analysis, marketing, sales, human resources, bookkeeping, business law, risk management, and strategic planning.

The program was sponsored by Transcontinental Media, Grant Thornton, Founders Group Insurance, Muttart Tufts DeWolfe and Coyle and Scotiabank, and featured presentations from each business.

According to ACSBE Business Counsellor Joel Stoddart, the expertise shared by these sponsors helped to set the program apart.

“This program was second-to-none in large part because of our expert sponsors. These are the people who are leaders in their fields, and know what small business owners should be thinking about and acting on.”

But that’s not all that made the program distinguishable. Helen Abel, program coordinator, says it’s all about getting hands-on.

“People learn best by doing," she said. "When you look around the room and see each member analyzing a financial statement, creating a marketing plan, and conducting a competitive analysis, you know you’ve connected.”

The program will be offered again in the fall of 2008. For more information, contact Helen Abel at 678-0828 or Helen.Abel@acadiau.ca.