Marco Perez
Jennifer Holder
Every company has to pay attention to three things to thrive: marketing, operations and finance. Not every business owner is good at all of them, and most are probably good at only one.
That's an estimation that Launch's vice president of operations, Marco Perez, thinks is true. It's also one he's hoping to shift locally, for at least some entrepreneurs.
Perez will lead one of three distinct classes that Chattanooga nonprofit organizations Launch and The Chattery are offering to help small business owners. Each costs $12 and is held on the second Thursday of the month, 5:30-7 p.m., through the end of the year, at 302 W. Sixth St.
Many entrepreneurs get the hang of operations, Perez said. "They're good at making their product, offering the service."
That's not often the case when it comes to money.
"If a business owner doesn't know how to evaluate their finances they can't really know how their business is doing," said Perez. "To me, finances don't lie, as long as no one is cheating. They show if you are losing money, or spending money in the wrong areas, or you don't have cash."
Perez's session, Nov. 12, offers tools and strategies for financial management, from breaking down a balance sheet to understanding the difference between income and cash-flow statements. Simply hiring an accountant isn't enough to cover all financial issues, he said.
As far as marketing, some entrepreneurs have a sense for it, Perez said. But many don't.
That's what Thursday's session will shine light on. Chattery co-founder Shawanda Mason and public relations specialist Rebecca Feldbin will help attendees figure out how to make the most of social media, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The final session, Dec. 10, aims to help business owners visualize what they want to accomplish in 2016, using a creative process that involves building a "vision board" through images and words.
This is the first time that Launch and The Chattery are partnering to offer classes like this for entrepreneurs. The sessions are in line with the organizations' missions. The Chattery, which describes itself as a learning collective, was founded in 2012 and took off with help from Launch, which provides resources to entrepreneurs.
"All of our classes are designed to encourage entrepreneurs," said Jennifer Holder, The Chattery's director and cofounder. Many are taught by aspiring business folks themselves. "We're a secondary marketplace for entrepreneurs."
Contact Mitra Malek at mmalek@timesfreepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @MitraMalek.
If you go
Social Media 101 Chattery co-founder Shawanda Mason and public relations specialist Rebecca Feldbin will lead a session on how to gain traction through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. When: Oct. 8, 5:30-7 p.m. Where: 302 W. 6th St., Chattanooga Cost: $12 per session Registration: thechattery.org Understanding Your Company's Finances Marco Perez, Launch's vice president of operations, will discuss the basics of financial management for a business, including how to price products and avoid tax problems. When: Nov. 12, 5:30-7 p.m. Where: 302 W. 6th St., Chattanooga Cost: $12 per session Registration: thechattery.org Creating a Vision Board Alexis "AJ" Willis of Natural Beautiful Me will lead participants in a creative exercise meant to set and help achieve goals for 2016. When: Dec. 10, 5:30-7 p.m. Where: 302 W. 6th St., Chattanooga Cost: $12 per session Registration: thechattery.org