{"id":1413,"date":"2026-05-14T17:03:03","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T17:03:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/test-uwsp-multi.pantheonsite.io\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/?page_id=1413"},"modified":"2026-05-14T20:20:41","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T20:20:41","slug":"first-steps-to-starting-a-business","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/homepage\/small-business-development-center\/sbdc-conferences-and-training\/first-steps-to-starting-a-business\/","title":{"rendered":"First Steps to Starting a Business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"386\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/Web-Header_FS.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/Web-Header_FS.png 900w, https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/Web-Header_FS-300x129.png 300w, https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/Web-Header_FS-768x329.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Details<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Thinking of starting a business but don&#8217;t know where to begin?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Join us for one of our upcoming three-part virtual&nbsp;First Steps to Starting a Business classes. Taught by experienced business owners, the sessions will cover&nbsp;the following topics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Coming up with your business idea<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prescreening your idea<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Market research<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Business feasibility<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Business model canvas<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Business plan creation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Financing<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Participants will receive a variety of materials to help start their business in addition to being introduced to several resources that can help them along the way.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Sessions will include: <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pre-Planning\/networking<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assessment, personal, financial, timing<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Business idea generation and development<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The problem you&#8217;re solving, the need you&#8217;re providing for?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Using benchmark data for business feasibility<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Business modeling<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Panel discussion, Q&amp;A\u200b<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Registration Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Registration Fee:<\/strong> The class is offered at <strong>no cost<\/strong>, but advanced registration is required.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2026 Webinar Dates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The three-part workshop sessions&nbsp;will be held the&nbsp;first three Wednesdays of the listed month,&nbsp;from 7 &#8211; 8 p.m. Please register for only one month.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>\u200b\u200bJanuary 7, 14, 21\u200b&nbsp;<\/strong>(Registration&nbsp;has closed for this series.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>May 6, 1\u200b3, 20&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/businessentrepreneurship.zohobackstage.com\/August2026-FirstStepstoStartingaBusiness\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">August 5, 12, 19\u200b<\/a>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>November 4, 11, 18&nbsp;<\/strong>(Registration will become available in a few months)\u200b<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Advance Course Available<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Want to dive in deeper<\/strong> into business concepts that were introduce in First Steps to Starting a Business and move your business forward? Consider our Entrepreneurial Training Program.\u00a0<br>Our in-depth\u00a0Entrepreneurial Training Progra\u200bm\u00a0is 9-week program,\u00a0offered periodically each\u00a0fall and spring.\u00a0Visit the <strong>Entrepreneurial Training Program\u00a0<\/strong>page for scheduled dates and additional\u00a0information.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/homepage\/small-business-development-center\/entrepreneurial-training\/\">Entrepreneurial training program<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Program Coordinated by<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"726\" height=\"412\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/SBDC-Logo-Stacked.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-439\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.7622411645797764;width:150px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/SBDC-Logo-Stacked.png 726w, https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/SBDC-Logo-Stacked-300x170.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 726px) 100vw, 726px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"374\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/sbaLogo.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-436\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.8021360907347398;object-fit:cover;width:88px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/sbaLogo.png 300w, https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/sbaLogo-241x300.png 241w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"303\" height=\"166\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/SBDC-Accreditation-Logo.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-437\" style=\"width:150px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/SBDC-Accreditation-Logo.png 303w, https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/SBDC-Accreditation-Logo-300x164.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 303px) 100vw, 303px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"369\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/UW-logo-color-1024x369.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-438\" style=\"width:200px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/UW-logo-color-1024x369.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/UW-logo-color-300x108.png 300w, https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/UW-logo-color-768x276.png 768w, https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/UW-logo-color-1536x553.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/UW-logo-color-2048x737.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"283\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/OBE-logo-color-1024x283.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-435\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/OBE-logo-color-1024x283.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/OBE-logo-color-300x83.png 300w, https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/OBE-logo-color-768x212.png 768w, https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/OBE-logo-color-1536x425.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/05\/OBE-logo-color-2048x567.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The Wisconsin SBDC Network is a proud part of the Institute of Business and Entrepreneurship in the Universities of Wisconsin.&nbsp;Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Please contact the SBDC at 715-346-2270&nbsp;\u200bor&nbsp;<a href=\"mailto:uwspce-sbdc@uwsp.edu\">uwspce-sbdc@uwsp.edu<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/homepage\/small-business-development-center\/sbdc-conferences-and-training\/\">SBDC conferences and training opportunities<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-grid wp-container-core-group-is-layout-cdac8cac wp-block-group-is-layout-grid\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uwspsbdc\" rel=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/UWSPContinuingEducation\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" src=\"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/68\/2026\/04\/Bug_Facebook.png\" alt=\"Facebook\" class=\"wp-image-231\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Details Thinking of starting a business but don&#8217;t know where to begin? Join us for one of our upcoming three-part virtual&nbsp;First Steps to Starting a Business classes. Taught by experienced business owners, the sessions will cover&nbsp;the following topics: Participants will receive a variety of materials to help start their business in addition to being introduced [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":73,"featured_media":0,"parent":1305,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1413","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1413","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/73"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1413"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1413\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1518,"href":"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1413\/revisions\/1518"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1305"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uwsp.edu\/continuing-education-and-outreach\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1413"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}