The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas has a limited number of seats remaining for its Legendary Service training on March 23. Due to the limited number, we ask that members only send one employee for the training. If you wish to claim a spot, please email the attending team member's name to Lisa Hamilton at lisa@usvihta.com or simply respond to this email. Spots will be filled on a first come, first serve basis, and your team member will only be able to reserve a spot through USVIHTA, so please be sure to respond directly to this email if interested. Responses needed by 5 p.m. today, March 21. Thank you!

USVI Veterans : Is Your Business Idea the Right Idea? with VI SBDC on March 23 at 10 a.m. Join PR/USVI SBA Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) Outreach Specialist Juan Marrero for resources USVI Veterans need to prosper. How many times have you had an idea that you thought would make a great business opportunity but did not act on it, then you read about someone who did act on it sometime later and launched a venture around that idea? The point is that you already have a certain level of opportunity awareness. Part of the process is honing opportunity awareness, then acting on it. Register here. Employer Guidance in our COVID-19 World with VI SBDC and others on March 23 at 11:30 a.m. The U.S. Virgin Islands DRCVI, USVIEDA, VI SBDC, VIUCEDD and UVI, are pleased to announce collaboration with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Miami District. Join us for a live webinar on current best practices and timely resources for disability employment as it relates to COVID-19. This workshop will explore how businesses can improve company outcomes through application of the research-based scientific principles of behavioral analysis. Register here. SBA Webinar Tuesday: System Award Management - SAM.gov with VI SDBC on March 29 at 11 a.m. Registering to do business with the Federal Government? SAM.gov is your first step. Attend this webinar to learn more. Join SBA PR/USVI District Office Representatives as they share this information. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session. Register here. USVI Business Resiliency Series: Small Business Strategic Planning with VI SBDC on April 5 at 11 a.m. Find out what comes after receiving federal assistance with your business as a result of the pandemic. A strategic plan is critical to the success of an individual or an organization because it guides their action plan. It takes planning, structure and orgnaization to start and stay in business. This webinar is designed to help business owners and entrepreneurs alike, create an action-oriented strategic plan for their business/business idea to help them achieve success. Register here. SCORE: DIScover Effective Selling with VI SBDC on April 6 at 6 p.m. This workshop will use the DISC Model of Human Behavior to help business owners, salespeople and anyone involved in sales learn how to quickly connect with the buyer and sell the way the customer wants to buy. Selling is influencing, therefore, establishing credibility is essential to sales effectiveness. A strategy built on adapting to the “right fit” for a given prospect will reinforce credibility with every interaction! The training teaches you how to apply behavioral-based selling strategies, then adjust for each prospect’s behavior style. Register here. SBA Webinar Tuesday: The 5c's of SBA Loan Eligibility with VI SBDC on April 12 at 11 a.m. Each small business loan application a bank reviews is unique. Most lenders use "The Five C's of Credit" when making credit decisions -Capacity; Cash Flow; Character; Contribution and Collateral. Join us as we address each of these points to help you get the funding you need. Join SBA PR/USVI District Office Representatives as they share this information. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session. Register here. SCORE: Use a Six Month Budget to Guide Your Business' Recovery with VI SBDC on April 12 at 6 p.m. This hands-on workshop will give you the fundamentals you need to build a simple budget for your business. Don't run a business without a budget to guide you and help you make critical decisions. Learn how to forecast revenues and estimate your expenses. Putting a budget together isn't hard when you know what to do. Come to this workshop and get the knowledge needed. A good budget will show you what is coming at you. Will some months produce more expenses than revenue? If so, can you do something about it? Maybe you can move payments around. Profits from prior months can be put aside to cover the shortfall months. You might revise payment terms with customers to get a better flow of cash when you need it. Register here. SBA Webinar Tuesday: 504 and 7a SBA Guaranteed Loans with VI SBDC on April 26 at 11 a.m. Each small business loan application a bank reviews is unique. Most lenders use "The Five C's of Credit" when making credit decisions -Capacity; Cash Flow; Character; Contribution and Collateral. Join us as we address each of these points to help you get the funding you need. Join SBA PR/USVI District Office Representatives as they share this information. The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session. Register here. USVI Financial Literacy Series: Accounting 101 on May 12 at 11 a.m. with VI SBDC. Learn basic bookkeeping knowledge so you can: Understand basic accounting terminology; Identify the differences between the cash and accrual accounting methods; Keep track of your business by becoming familiar with accounts payable and receivables; Use a journal and general ledger to document business financials; Utilize the balance sheet; Identify different types of financial statements; Understand the payroll process and employer responsibilities; Uncover the reasons for and actually create a budget; and become familiar with internal and external auditing. Listen as a financial professional from FirstBank explains the basics you should know about accounting. A question and answer segment is inlcuded. Presenter: Valdamier Collens, SVP & USVI Business Director. Register here. USVI Financial Literacy Series: Applying for a Business Loan on May 19 at 11 a.m. with VI SBDC. How do you build excellent business credit? What are lenders looking for when providing funding? What’s the importance of a business plan? All of these are important questions that you have probably considered at some point while starting or growing your business. Join this webinar and learn from a Banking professional the steps you need to take to obtain funding. Hear about the significance of a business plan as well as the five “Cs” of credit and the importance of building both excellent business credit as well as maintaining good personal credit. A question and answer segment is inlcuded. Presenter: Sharmane Brookes, VP & Commercial Business Mgr. & FB Commercial Lending Team. Register here. Financial Literacy Series: Fundamentals of Credit on May 26 at 11 a.m. with VI SBDC. Credit – what is credit? How do we use it? It is important to understand the benefit and responsibilities of credit and how to manage it wisely. Listen as a financial professional from FirstBank explains how to use credit in a safe and responsible way and the impact it has on your financial future. These tips and best practices can guide you in the right direction towards healthy credit. A question and answer segment is included. Presenter: Sharmane Brookes, VP & Commercial Business Mgr. & FB Commercial Lending Team. Register here.

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