Webinar aims to help small business find, manage money

The University of Nevada, Reno, Extension’s weekly town hall and webinar for small business will focus this week on “Business Credit and Funding.”

This is the fifth week of the series of town halls and webinars offered by UNR Extension. The town hall will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 13, for English speakers and at 2 p.m. that day for Spanish speakers. Panelists will include Extension business development instructors Reyna Mendez and Juan Salas, Extension research associate Mike Bindrup, Small Business Administration deputy district director Saul Ramos, HOPE Inside financial well-being coach Alannah Ariel and Dream Spring community lending officer Jeremy McVeety.

Mendez, Salas and Bindrup will focus on how to find and manage money during the COVID-19 crisis. Ariel and McVeety will be on hand, as guest practitioners, to help answer questions. Topics to be discussed include understanding your business and personal credit score, business credit analysis, SBA loans and other funding sources and balancing cash flow priorities with vendors and clients.

During the town halls, there is a short presentation on a given topic or a preview of the Friday webinar during the first 10 minutes. Then, the participants network with one another and drive the discussion, with a panel of professionals and educators helping them troubleshoot challenges they are encountering. The Friday webinars provide information on specific topics to help businesses plan strategically, adapt and succeed.

“Our goal is to provide resources and educational platforms to help our small businesses, statewide, cope and retool during this unprecedented pandemic,” said Buddy Borden, economic development specialist with Extension’s Business Development Program. “Ultimately, our goal is that when things begin to return to normal, our state’s small businesses will be even stronger.”

Both the town halls and the webinars are free, and usually run about an hour. To register or for more information, go to the Extension Business Development Program website at extension.unr.edu/busdev.

There are other resources at the website to assist businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. For more information, email Borden at bordenb@unr.edu