There are lots of resources available to entrepreneurs who want to expand their knowledge on topics relating to small and medium sized businesses. However, not everyone has the time, money or desire to register for a traditional class. This week we have compiled a list of online webinars relating to small business that are free or very low cost. While some may be formatted more like a college course and take weeks to complete, many are just an hour in length.
TD Canada Trust Webinars
This site provides information on upcoming webinars and links for users to view past sessions online. It is worth noting that you may have to create a login account to view some of the webinars listed on this site. Additional features found for some of the webinars are supplementary materials like the original PowerPoint presentations and resource guides and workbooks.
Webinar titles include:
7 Tips to Improve Your Business Cash Flow
The Latest Tech Tools to Improve Your Business
The Power of Social Media for Small Business
Canadian Youth Business Foundation Webinars**
The CYBF provides access to numerous webinars on a variety of topics including hiring for small business and legal issues for a new business. You can also find the Essential Business Plan Webinar Series on the CYBF website. This series includes topics such as market research, marketing and finance. The webinars are free to view and are not only useful for a youth audience.
**JUNE 2014 UPDATE: In 2014 the Canadian Youth Business Foundation (CYBF) became Futurpreneur Canada. Links have been updated appropriately, but many of the webinar resources have been removed or are unlocatable. Please check this webpage as they continue to curate and grow their new collection of webinars.
Small Business BC
Small Business BC provides many seminars that cover a wide range of topics. The seminars are generally hosted at the Small Business BC office in Vancouver. However they are also offered via live video conference in numerous locations around BC or can be accessed as a webinar from your home or office computer. The cost of these seminars are generally under $100 and if purchased as a webinar you can watch it again up to 7 days after the seminar.
Upcoming seminars include:
Starting a Consulting Business (May 21, 2013)
Getting Incorporated - Essential Steps and Legal Tips (May 22, 2013)
Powerful Marketing for Small Business (May 31, 2013)
PwC Private Business Exchange
The PwC is currently offering the Growing Your Business Webinar Series which is a five part series of short webinars for leaders of private companies. It is still possible to register for the final part of this series "Embracing social media – The impact of the digital customer on the future of your business" (June 11, 2013) and you can view the previous sessions online for free.You can also view other previous webinars on this site that are not part of the Growing Your Business Series.
Webinar titles include:
Getting the Deal Done – Growing through Acquisitions
Creating a lasting legacy – Fundamentals for the future of Canadian family businesses
Creating Lasting Value – Preparing your Business for a Successful Transition
Canadian Association of Family Enterprise
The Canadian Association of Family Enterprise (CAFE) offers free monthly webinars. However, you must be CAFE member to access both upcoming and archived webinars. These webinars are on topics that are primarily relevant to family businesses and can range from succession planning and managing family conflict to creating work/life balance.
Upcoming and past webinar titles:
Decision Making in a Family Enterprise
The Elements of Principled Negotiation & Their Application to Family Business
Intelligent Investing for Family Business Owners
Starting a Company? 8 Free Online Courses You Can't Miss
by Julie Strickland, Inc.com
This article by Julie Strickland and published on Inc.com describes and provides links to 8 free online classes that "every entrepreneur should take". Some of the topics include: how to build a startup, introduction to finance and competitive strategy. Many of the webinars require the user to create a login and some are still upcoming. Another feature to be aware of is that some of the webinars listed are taught as a standard class and can run for as long as 10 weeks.
Webinar titles include:
Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies
Design Thinking for Business Innovation
Startup Engineering
Have you viewed or participated in any business webinars not listed here? If so, where did you find them and what did you think? We love to get suggestions on new resources our readers have found valuable!
PHOTO CREDIT: computer lab lights out, created by zen Sutherland on March 27, 2009. Image made available under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic license. Last viewed on May 15, 2013.