Are you a woman thinking of starting your own business? Or perhaps you’ve already started, but are running into some challenges? Then you are in the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs - women!

Join the BizLaunch Up & Running Women’s Program and find out how to handle some of the gender-specific challenges that women face when they start their own business:

- Childcare issues - making childcare arrangements that work for the entire family and coping without a paid maternity leave.

- Learning how to be a credible professional – dressing the part, having self-confidence, being “taken seriously” and asking for the money you deserve.

- Handling the lack of financial and/or emotional support from your partner, family or peers.

- Balancing family responsibilities with business deadlines.

Suitable for any woman who has had her own business for less than three years, you will be learning in a supportive group of other women in the same situation as you. Real-life stories, anecdotes and coping strategies will be outlined and developed throughout the 5-week Program by Ileana Rontea, the BizLaunch Women’s Program expert and herself an entrepreneur!

Feedback from a program participant:

”I thought Ileana did a fantastic job. The [Women’s Up & Running BizLaunch] class was informal but stayed on topic and moved smoothly from one section to the next. I thought the addition of speakers was great. As well, the articles and stories Ileana shared, offered real insight to the work ahead, as well as inspiring us to move forward. The ‘woman’ component of the class was done early so that it didn’t become the focus of the group, but helped create a dynamic for the program and its participants – to share experiences, fears and aspirations.”

- Roxanne Deans, ballybogsdeans@sympatico

Here are some things you will learn:

•  Developing your Business and Marketing Plans
•  Creating a targeted marketing strategy
•  Preparing to obtain financing
•  Conducting crucial market research
•  Fashioning your vision and mission
•  Building sales skills
•  Costing and pricing your product/service for profit
•  Improving time management
•  Preparing financial statements

This Program is incredible value for the money! You get:

*   30 hours of face-to-face presentations - fast and efficient

*   Unlimited business coaching from proven entrepreneurs

*   A 200+ page manual chock-full of how tos, case studies and              resources

*   A CD with over 50 files, spreadsheets and templates that                        are useful for any business

*   The option to repeat any of the Program modules as many              times as you want!

"Ileana, I just wanted to thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with us during the BizLaunch Training Course. Your class was interactive and very, very supportive. I especially loved the real life stories (Good & Bad) from experienced business owners and the round table brainstorming. You were wonderful! Thank you most of all for taking a special interest in my business and taking the time to advise me on how to improve my services. I truly admire you and all that you have accomplished. Good luck with your business and future endeavors. Thank you again."

- Tabitha Marson, www.enjoynotcooking.com

Markham Up & Running BizLaunch Program Graduates, November 1/04

Ileana's Program Graduates

Three of Ileana's graduates have been profiled in the Toronto Sun Career Connection section.

Kyle Massey - Novel Education and Tutoring Inc. (www.neatinc.ca)

http://www.canoe.ca/CareerConnectionNews/050119_upandrunning.html

"The monthly dinners are a great way to extend the relationships made during the course. Becoming an entrepreneur and running your own business is a very difficult quest that many around us often misunderstand. Being with like-minded people in such a giving and supportive environment is not only great for your bottom line, but more importantly, it's great for the person behind the business (good food too!)."

- Entrepreneur Kyle Massey

Kat Aniol - Beyond Destination Design

http://www.canoe.ca/CareerConnectionNews/050302_upandrunning.html

Mandy Kan - The Dessert Lady** (featured on Breakfast Television!)

20 Cumberland Street, Toronto

http://www.canoe.ca/CareerConnectionNews/050427_upandrunning.html

"After finising the Up & Running BizLaunch Program, we have all become close friends. We have a monthly gathering where we share our updated news and brainstorm different ideas that might be beneficial to each other. Two brains are always better than one. Not only that, the most important is that we have built up a strong fundatmental networking system."

- Entrepreneur Mandy Kan ([email protected])

Roc Zhao - Too Gooder's Cafe

Toogood Pond, Unionville

(416-568-5700)

“Thank you very much for all your help. All the extra real life stories you added to the course made it a very enjoyable experience. Thanks a gazillion for going over and beyond your call of duty as and instructor…”

- Entrepreneur Roc Zhao ([email protected])