Virtual Classroom

Entrepreneur magazine, May 1999

For many prospective entrepreneurs, the hassle of attending a class on how to start a business just doesn't fit into a hectic schedule that might include a full-time job, family responsibilities and the numerous other duties of daily life. To compensate for this time-crunch, the SBA has made it easy for aspiring business owners to attend classes in the comfort of their own homes.

The SBA Small Business Classroom, located at http://classroom.sba.gov/xtrainx, now offers three classes: "How to Raise Capital for a Small Business," "Are You Y2K OK?" and "The Business Plan." (The latter two are available in Spanish as well as English.) All the classes are self-guided and, because they're on the SBA's Web site, are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The SBA plans to add seven more classes this year, all of which will be offered in both Spanish and English.