Getting your finances organized is the first step toward scaling your business or applying for funding.

In this session, we walk through simple, practical steps to help you structure your finances, build better habits, and prepare for next steps—whether that’s going after a loan or growing your operations.

Learn:

• How to separate personal and business finances
• What basic bookkeeping looks like (even using a spreadsheet)
• Simple systems to track income, expenses, and receipts What reports like an income statement can show you
• How to set goals and forecast your cash flow

This session is ideal for business owners who are ready to get structured before diving into accounting software.

Brought to you by Capital Pathways, a no-cost program from the Virginia SBDC that helps small businesses get the funding they need to grow. The program is designed for very small (fewer than 10 employees), emerging, and growth-ready businesses that face challenges accessing traditional financing. It offers hands-on group learning, guided implementation, and extended one-on-one support focused on strengthening your finances, loan applications, and legal setup.

Los préstamos de la Administración de Pequeñas Empresas (SBA) pueden utilizarse para una amplia variedad de necesidades, incluyendo capital de trabajo, compra de inventario y equipo, refinanciamiento de deudas comerciales, adquisición de negocios y la compra o construcción de bienes raíces comerciales ocupados por el propietario. Durante este seminario web, analizaremos los tres principales programas de préstamos de la SBA: 7(a), 504 y micropréstamos.

Reciba orientación sobre…

• Qué hacer antes de contactar a un prestamista
• Cómo es el proceso de solicitud de la SBA
• Cómo encontrar prestamistas de la SBA

Este evento forma parte de Capital Pathways, un programa gratuito del Centro de Desarrollo de Pequeñas Empresas de Virginia (SBDC) que ayuda a las pequeñas empresas a obtener el financiamiento que necesitan para crecer. El programa está diseñado para empresas muy pequeñas (menos de 10 empleados), emergentes y listas para crecer que tienen dificultades para acceder al financiamiento tradicional. Ofrece aprendizaje práctico en grupo, implementación guiada y apoyo individual continuo enfocado en fortalecer sus finanzas, solicitudes de préstamos y estructura legal.

Most small businesses are not a fit for venture capital, but that does not mean there are no viable growth or exit opportunities available. This session explored alternative acquisition pathways for Virginia founders building durable, niche businesses with recurring or repeat revenue models.

Join SBDC’s Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP) and entrepreneur Joe Belsterling for a candid discussion about the realities of fundraising, company building, and the often-overlooked mechanics behind small private equity acquisitions and buyouts.

NOTE: Our speaker showed up a little late, BUT, tune in from the start…. it’s worth every minute!

If your bookkeeping is up and running, the next step is understanding what your numbers are telling you.

In this 90-minute bootcamp, we demystify the core financial statements every small business owner should know—and show you how to use them to make better decisions. You learn: 

• What an income/profit & loss, balance sheet, and cash flow statement actually show
• How to spot trends and red flags in your reports
• How to make sense of these numbers in QuickBooks or a spreadsheet
• How to use your financial data to plan, pivot, or seek funding

This session is ideal for business owners who already track their finances and want to become more confident and strategic in how they use that information.

Brought to you by Capital Pathways, a no-cost program from the Virginia SBDC that helps small businesses get the funding they need to grow. The program is designed for very small (fewer than 10 employees), emerging, and growth-ready businesses that face challenges accessing traditional financing. It offers hands-on group learning, guided implementation, and extended one-on-one support focused on strengthening your finances, loan applications, and legal setup.

Building strong credit is a foundational step toward financial stability, access to affordable financing, and long-term growth opportunities.

In this session, we walk through clear, practical steps to help you understand how credit works and how to fix common issues so you can pursue your personal and business goals.

This webinar explains personal and business credit scores and reports and breaks down real-world strategies small business owners can use to improve credit, correct common report errors, and prepare for future funding. We’ll connect credit habits directly to loan readiness and explain what lenders look for in your applications.

Learn:

• What credit is, how personal and business credit differ, and why both matter.
• How the three major credit bureaus collect information and calculate scores.
• How to access, read, and monitor your personal and business credit reports .
• How to identify and dispute errors using your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

This session the first step in a program that is ideal for business owners and entrepreneurs who want to take control of their credit before applying for loans. To participate in the program you must schedule a 1:1 advising session after viewing.

Brought to you by Capital Pathways, a no-cost program from the Virginia SBDC that helps small businesses get the funding they need to grow. The program is designed for very small (fewer than 10 employees), emerging, and growth-ready businesses that face challenges accessing traditional financing. It offers hands-on group learning, guided implementation, and extended one-on-one support focused on strengthening your finances, loan applications, and legal setup.

Small Business Administration loans can be used for a wide variety of needs including working capital, purchases of inventory and equipment, refinancing business debt, buying a business, and the purchase or construction of owner-occupied commercial real estate.   

In this webinar, we discuss the three main SBA Loan Programs – 7(a), 504 and Microloans.

Guidance is provided on….  

• what to do before approaching a lender
• what the SBA application process looks like
• how to find SBA lenders

Brought to you by Capital Pathways, a no-cost program from the Virginia SBDC that helps small businesses get the funding they need to grow. The program is designed for very small (fewer than 10 employees), emerging, and growth-ready businesses that face challenges accessing traditional financing. It offers hands-on group learning, guided implementation, and extended one-on-one support focused on strengthening your finances, loan applications, and legal setup.

Already using QuickBooks but want to take it further? This intermediate-level training will help you get more value from the platform by showing you how to use advanced tools, spot errors, and build better reports to support your business decisions.

You learn:

• How to reconcile accounts and fix common mistakes
• How to customize and analyze reports (income/P&L, balance sheet, cash flow)
• How to manage customers, vendors, and products/services more effectively
• Tips for cleaner books and smoother reporting

This session is perfect for QuickBooks users who are ready to go beyond setup and start using the platform more strategically.

Brought to you by Capital Pathways, a no-cost program from the Virginia SBDC that helps small businesses get the funding they need to grow. The program is designed for very small (fewer than 10 employees), emerging, and growth-ready businesses that face challenges accessing traditional financing. It offers hands-on group learning, guided implementation, and extended one-on-one support focused on strengthening your finances, loan applications, and legal setup.

As your business expands, your legal structure can make or break your growth strategy.

This session guides small business owners through entity options beyond the startup phase, including multi-member LLCs, S Corporations, and partnerships. We discuss ownership agreements, liability protection, and how the right structure supports financing and long-term success.

Learn:

• The pros and cons of common growth-ready structures
• How ownership agreements protect you and your partners
• When it makes sense to transition from one entity type to another
• How lenders and investors view different business structures

This session is ideal for business owners ready to scale, take on partners, or strengthen their legal foundation for financing.

Brought to you by Capital Pathways, a no-cost program from the Virginia SBDC that helps small businesses get the funding they need to grow. The program is designed for very small (fewer than 10 employees), emerging, and growth-ready businesses that face challenges accessing traditional financing. It offers hands-on group learning, guided implementation, and extended one-on-one support focused on strengthening your finances, loan applications, and legal setup.

Understanding your tax and compliance obligations is essential for protecting your business and avoiding costly surprises. Structured as a guided FAQ, the presentation breaks down the key points every small business owner should know for their local, state, and federal filings to stay compliant and confidently manage tax responsibilities throughout the year.

Learn:

• What local taxes and licenses your business may need
• How county-level business property tax and meals tax may apply to you
• Which businesses must collect and remit state sales and use tax
• What state unemployment tax means for employers
• Industry-specific taxes (fuel, tobacco, and others) you may encounter
• When and why your business needs an EIN
• The difference between W-2 and 1099 income—and how self-employment tax works 
• Federal unemployment requirements and filing expectations

This session is ideal for business owners who want to clearly understand their tax landscape before tax season arrives.

Brought to you by Capital Pathways, a no-cost program from the Virginia SBDC that helps small businesses get the funding they need to grow. The program is designed for very small (fewer than 10 employees), emerging, and growth-ready businesses that face challenges accessing traditional financing. It offers hands-on group learning, guided implementation, and extended one-on-one support focused on strengthening your finances, loan applications, and legal setup.