Bulletin Board

Program Creates Business Solutions

Business educators are taking to the streets, offices, factories and shops of Charlotte to help entrepreneurs boost their business.

Under the Small Business Owners program, instructors evaluate a company's operations in terms of management, finance, marketing and production, then customize a curriculum to help the entrepreneur improve.

Once the curriculum has been established, the entrepreneur receives regular visits from the instructor and must attend 18 biweekly seminars covering various aspects of business management.

The Small Business Owners program is a pilot project jointly funded by the city of Charlotte, First Citizens Bank and Trust Co., and Central Piedmont Community College.

This year, the director will choose 20 companies that have been in business for three to four years to participate. Each pays a $200 to $300 participation fee. Small businesses have until August 15 to apply to the program. For more information, call the college's small-business center at (704) 342-6900.

This article was originally published in the July 1996 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Bulletin Board.