SBA Seeking Fresno Small Business Owners to Participate in Mini-MBA Training Initiative
FRESNO – The SBA Fresno District Office is seeking small business owners for its third round of the Emerging 200 Leaders Initiative.
“SBA has reauthorized this nationally acclaimed Jobs Growth curriculum in Fresno to take another group of Fresno small businesses to the next level of growth and success,” said Fresno SBA Director Carlos Mendoza. “In 2011 and 2012 SBA collaborated with many local business development partners to implement this ‘mini-MBA’ opportunity which was brought to Fresno as the result of the City being designated a Strong Cities, Strong Communities City. During the 2012 Fresno initiative, 12 small business entrepreneurs graduated from the e200 program and several of these business graduates have already experienced job creation and growth in revenue. Graduates in the first round received similar results.”
Participation in e200 is free to qualifying small businesses with SBA picking up the tuition. The curriculum is administered by the well-respected non-profit Interise of Boston (http://www.interise.org/) and is patterned after its signature StreetWise ‘MBA’™ program. Criteria for participation include having been in business for a minimum of three years, having one paid employee separate from the owner and gross annual sales of at least $400,000. Preference will be given to businesses located in the city of Fresno.
The eight-month training includes approximately 100 hours of classroom time per participant and provides the opportunity for small business owners to work with experienced mentors, attend workshops and develop connections with their peers, city leaders, and financial communities.
Classes are scheduled to begin April 17, 2013 and will be held in the evenings at the SBA Fresno District Office at 801 R St., Fresno. Deadline to apply for the program is March 22, 2013.
For additional information on participation criteria and nomination forms visit the SBA website at www.sba.gov/ca/fresno, by email at lupe.cota@sba.govor by telephone at (559) 487-5791.
