This is posted on behalf of Duane Krueger, SBM Program Instructor, at the Minnesota West Community & Technical College and South Central College. I love the idea of the regular webinars on the quick hit topics!

The Business to Business Networking & Training Lightspeed Grant from the Blandin Foundation to the Small Business Management Programs of Minnesota West Community & Technical College and South Central College. has enabled participants to see how Business to Business Networking can bring small business owners together for online training, discussion, and the of sharing ideas. These sessions began in September of 2009 and finished in March of 2010. Small business owners were able to obtain additional tools and ideas they could implement immediately in their business.

The semi-monthly presentations, which were also recorded to allow participants to go back and review any session or view a session that they might have missed, covered topics that gave participants tools and ideas to improve the profitability of their business immediately. The first sessions had 25 participants from various communities in Southwest Minnesota. The program used Web-Ex Software which allowed the participants to access the Business to Business Networking and Training from their home, office, or business. Many participants reported they often accessed the training session recordings over and over again. Taking part in the real time discussion seems to be the biggest obstacle for participants. A second session of training topics will be run this fall. The web site for the project is http://www.southcentral.edu/lightspeed.

Session Topics:

Getting Comfortable with Online Workshops
Coping in a Recession
Business Planning in a Day
Marketing on a Shoestring
Is you Dislike Sales, This is for You!
There’s an Elephant in Your Financial Living Room
What You and Your Banker Need to Know About Financial Analysis
I Made a Profit, So Why Don’t I have Any Cash
How to Develop Winning HR Practices
Five Things Every Employer Should Know
How to Be On the Winning Side of the Marketing Revolution
Using Social Networks to Market Your Business
Business to Business Networking
Mentorship
Case Study: Admiral Byrd Bed & Breakfast

Bonus Series
Marketing Your Retail Store
How to Bring New Customers Back Again
Get You Customers to Shop More Often
Keep Your Customers for Life
Introduction to Quickbooks® Accounting Software
Special Question and Answer Session on Quickbooks® Accounting Software