Classes

The path to business and financial success starts here.

WBDC offers classes on everything you need to know to start or grow your business.

Whether you’re just thinking about a business concept, have recently launched your venture or are looking to take your business to the next level, we’ve got the right classes for you – covering topics from business planning and finance to social media, networking and everything in between. Classes are held live (virtually) and on-demand from our eLearning Library.

Most classes are offered at no cost. Need-based scholarships are available for multi-session courses that are offered for a nominal fee.

Many classes are offered in Spanish. Use the sort feature on our Class Listings page to find Spanish and bilingual class offerings.

Muchas clases se ofrecen en español. Utilice la función de clasificación en nuestra página Listados de clases para encontrar ofertas de clases bilingües y en español.

Are you an early childhood educator or child care provider?

Many WBDC classes are tailored specifically to helping child care businesses succeed. Look for the “child care only” note in our Class Listings. But don’t stop there! All WBDC classes are relevant to helping you grow your business, so be sure to check out all of our class offerings. All classes are free of charge for early childhood educators, so attend as many as you can!

Not sure where to start?

If you’re just getting started in business or are thinking about taking the leap, consider:

Learn about the resources available through WBDC — most of which are offered at no cost.

This class explores everything you need to know to decide if entrepreneurship is right for you.

Learn how to evaluate your idea to be sure it is a viable business concept. Or, learn how to adapt your idea so that it can become the successful business you’re envisioning.

Gain a solid understanding of how to turn your business idea into reality – from understanding business entity types and writing your business plan to exploring business viability, learning about financing options, naming your business, and registering it with the state and federal government.

Gain a clear understanding of business building fundamentals and emerge from this class with a solid blueprint firmly in hand.

If you’re already in business and want to take it up a notch, consider:

WBDC’s most comprehensive training program is for people looking for instruction, support, and expert advice while building a business plan. This interactive course is designed for entrepreneurs who are interested in gaining a comprehensive understanding of building your business step-by-step, with each session focusing on a critical aspect of business development. Included in the course is a Business Advisory Event, which provides an opportunity for you to pitch your concept to an array of business professionals and receive customized feedback about how to move forward

This interactive course is for business owners looking for instruction, support, and expert advice on marketing principles and the ability to put them into action. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of marketing and the tools to develop a strategic marketing plan. The course culminates with a peer-to-peer review session giving you access to a live focus group and the ability to gain immediate actionable feedback to help grow your business and shape your brand.

This class is for you if you’ve been running a business for a while and are profitable, but you feel like you may need a new strategy to take your business to the next level. In this class you’ll explore whether you should expand into new markets, new products or offerings, or both. Consider the timing, investment needed, and risk involved.

Looking for guidance on a specific topic?

We’ve got that! Led by our Business Advisors and an army of experienced volunteers, these WBDC classes provide expert advice and information on a wide array of topics that are of interest to business owners at every step along their entrepreneurial journey.

Business Essentials classes are informal discussions led by a subject matter expert on a variety of topics including HR, administration, goal setting and more.

Financial Foundations classes will help you get a handle on your business’ finances as well as your personal finances, covering everything from Quickbooks to forecasting and pricing and profitability to accessing capital.

Marketing Made Simple classes offer information on marketing related topics like social media and SEO, branding, PR, website development, and more.

Tech Made Easy classes provide tips on fundamental technology related to running a business. Topics covered include creating PDFs, organizing digital files, cyber security best practices and more.