Extension wants to match small businesses with help

This week’s University of Nevada, Reno Extension town hall and webinar will help small business owners learn about organizations that exist to help them grow.

The English-language town hall and webinar will feature Jamie Schwartz, the new lead business development adviser from the Nevada Small Business Development Center, who will give a preview of how the Nevada SBDC will be assisting business owners over the next few months, as well as comparing buying an existing business or franchise with starting a new business.

The Spanish-language town hall will feature Melecio Ortega, director and Jose Luis Chavez, associate consultant, from Konfronta, an organization that specializes in providing Hispanic-speaking communities with small business counseling, courses and services. The town hall will provide information on the organization’s services and, during the webinar, Chavez will focus on the customer culture, sales strategies and customer loyalty.

Both the town halls and the webinars are free and are part of a series of town halls and webinars for small businesses, “Coping With COVID-19,” that Extension is offering each week.

This week’s English-language town hall, “Introducing Nevada SBDC’s New Lead Business Development Advisor” is 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23. Panelists include Schwartz, Small Business Administration Deputy District Director Saul Ramos, UNR Extension business development instructors Reyna Mendez and Juan Salas and UNR Extension research associate Mike Bindrup.

The English-language webinar, “Should You Buy a Business or Start Your Own?” will be held 9 a.m. Friday, Sept. 25. Schwartz and Salas will discuss pros and cons of franchising and buying existing businesses, how valuation can help your decision and assessing your goals as a business owner.

The Spanish-language town hall, “Introducing Konfronta,” is 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23. Panelists include Ortega and Chavez, Small Business Administration outreach/marketing specialist Alfredo Cedeno, and Extension’s Mendez, Salas and Bindrup.

The Spanish-language webinar, “The Customer’s Journey Up Until the Moment of Purchase,” will be held 11:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 25. Chavez will discuss identifying customers’ culture, determining what customers buy, the five sales strategies and developing customer loyalty.

“Our featured speakers and panelists this week bring a wealth of knowledge and resources for small businesses,” said Buddy Borden, economic development specialist with Extension’s Business Development Program. “We’re excited to be able to connect them with our state’s small businesses during this especially challenging time.”

Both the town halls and the webinars usually run about an hour.

To register for the Sept. 23 English-language town hall, go to https://unrextension.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uXD033_yTICgyRayYRLR1Q.

For the Sept. 25 English-language webinar, go to https://unrextension.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-09sR9D2Rq21MwjL4y50ww.

For the Sept. 23 Spanish-language town hall, go to https://unrextension.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_AxXqb9nMQPq5WvEZD1D3ZA.

For the Sept. 25 Spanish-language webinar, go to https://unrextension.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Cse-MzOhSo2Aw9GPZjtW2Q.

For more information, go to the Extension Business Development Program website at extension.unr.edu/busdev. There are also other resources at the website to assist businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. For more information, email Borden at bordenb@unr.edu.