THE CAPITAL READINESS BUSINESS INCUBATOR

Sponsored by the Capital Readiness Program of the Minority Business Development Agency

Administered by the Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council in Partnership with 
the VSU Center for Entrepreneurship
at Virginia State University

SPRING 2024

ENROLL HERE

HOW TO NAVIGATE THIS TRAINING PROGRAM

Enroll

This incubator program provides small businesses with live and on-demand training that will help prepare them for business launch, expansion, and capital access.

To enroll, simply click the enroll button and fill out the enrollment form. Training materials will be provided post your completion of at least 7 of the cohort training webinars. These training materials include:
1. Get Prepared to Launch Your Dreams -Business Launchpad workbook by Dr. Patrice Perry-Rivers. This is accompanies by a self-paced online certification portal and electronic version of the workbook. 
2. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Others Don’t by Jim Collins,
3. The Startup Playbook: Secrets of the Fastest-Growing Startups From Their Founding Entrepreneurs by David Kidder.
4. Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?: How Reginald Lewis Created a Billion-Dollar Business Empire by Reginald F. Lewis & Blair S. Walker.


Commemorative Awards
Graduates of the program will also receive the following commemorative awards marking their successful program completion:
1. Training Program Certificate of Completion




Live & Recorded Webinars

You will have access to recorded and live training webinars during the cohort to help you grow your business on topics ranging from developing your business model to raising capital. 

Enrollees must register to access each of the live OR recorded courses. This enables us to track your progress.

Enrollees must complete at least 7 of the cohort training webinars in order to earn a Certificate of Completion for this program.

Self-Paced Certification Program & Workbook

In addition to the live training courses, enrollees will have access to the "Get Prepared to Launch Your Dream - Business Launchpad," a self-paced certification workbook and online program that takes entrepreneur executives through:
-an assessment of the personal and managerial skills they possess to launch and operate a successful firm,
-business model/idea validation,
-personal net worth assessment,
-developing product descriptions and prices, target market identification,
-cost of goods sold calculation,
-operating expenses and profit and loss statement development. 

Participants can optionally earn an additional certification for completion of the Launch Your Dreams workbook and online program. This would qualify them for an application for seed investment grants and participation in pitch competitions through Virginia State University's VSU Center for Entrepreneurship and its Minority Small Business Launch if they are Virginia-based businesses.

Visit www.minoritysmallbusinesslaunchcenter.com, click on the Certifications tab, and select VSU Business Launchpad for more information or to enroll separately. 

Final Program Survey (Required)

Post completion of all sessions, complete the final survey here on how the program benefitted you, and how it can improve.

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Grow your business based on what you learned!

LIVE TRAINING WEBINARS

SPRING 2024

Introduction to the Capital Readiness Program Business Incubator 

Sonya Bigelow,
Director of Business Development The Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council (CRMSDC) 
&
Dr. Patrice Perry-Rivers,
Founding Director
VSU Center for Entrepreneurship


Tuesday, March 19, 2024 
11 AM - 12 PM

Zoom Link To Join Recorded Session

Assessing the Technological Resources Necessary for Your Business Operations

Dr. Olumide Malomo,
Assistant Professor of Computer Information Systems

Wednesday, March 27, 2024
11 AM - 12 PM

Zoom Link To View Recorded Session 
(Coming Soon)

Why You Need a Cybersecurity Plan To Protect Your Small Business

Dr. Somasheker Akkaladevi,
Associate Professor of Computer Information Systems
&
Dr. Shanzhen Gao,
Assistant Professor of Computer Information Systems


Monday, April 1, 2024
11 AM - 12 PM

Zoom Link To View Recorded Session 
(Coming Soon)

Entrepreneurship Training Academy Graduation and Certificate Award Ceremony


Monday, May 13, 2024
2 PM - 5 PM
In Person at VSU Gateway Event and Conference Center

ON DEMAND ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING WEBINARS

SPRING 2024

Introduction to the VSU Minority Small Business Launch Center Program at Virginia State University
Dr. Patrice Perry-Rivers,
Founding Director
VSU Center for Entrepreneurship

On Demand

Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session 

Business Models, Feasibility and Business Planning 101
Dr. Patrice Perry-Rivers, Founding Director of VSU's Center for Entrepreneurship


On Demand
Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session 

How to Select Your
Ideal Business Legal Form
with Attorney Doris L. Edmonds


On Demand
Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session 

How to Identify, Quantify, & Reach
Your Target Customers
Dr. Patrice Perry-Rivers,
Founding Director
VSU Center for Entrepreneurship

On Demand

Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session

Unique Strategies for Raising Capital
Antonio Miller, Small Business Advocate & MBL Bridge Board Member

On Demand
Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session

Intellectual Property Protection for Small Business: Patents, Trademarks, & Copyrights
Attorney Cheryl Black

On Demand

Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session 

Preparing Pitches to Investors, Competition Judges, & Banks
Dr. Patrice Perry-Rivers,
Founding Director
VSU Center for Entrepreneurship


On Demand
Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session

How to Do Business with the States of Virginia and Maryland, and with
the Federal Government

Randy Brown,
Business Services Manager
Virginia Department of Supplier and Small Business Diversity (SBSD)

William Pocan, SBA Economic Development Specialist

Giorgio Rashadd, III, SBA Small Business Coordinator

On Demand
Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session

Recession and Disaster Management Strategies: Inflation, COVID, Supply Chain Management, and the Unforeseen

Simeon Harris,
Senior VP of Commercial Lending for Towne Bank



On Demand
Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session

Small Business eVA Registration, SWAM & Micro Certification

Randy Brown, Business Services Manager,
Virginia Department of Small Business & Supplier Diversity (SBSD) 


On Demand

Zoom Link To Join Recorded Session

Business Insurance Essentials for Small Business Owners


On Demand

Zoom Link To Join Recorded Session

Funding for University & Small Tech Firms via Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and National Science Foundation (NSF) Grants

Robert Brooke, Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC)


On Demand
Zoom Link To Join Recorded Session

Small Business Human Resources Management Strategies

Sachiko Wooten, Assistant Professor of Human Resources and Former Director for Academic Faculty Recruiting and HR
Programs at VSU


On Demand

Zoom Link To Join Recorded Session

Creating and Understanding Small Business Financial Statements

Arthur Wharton, Ph.D., VSU
Associate Professor of Accounting 


On Demand
Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session 

Taking the Entrepreneurial Leap:
Creating Your Corporate
Exit Strategy Webinar

Danielle Graves, Founding Owner & Leadership Coach with The Aramint Group


On Demand

Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session 

Contracts, Business Entities and Intellectual Property

Attorney Justin Griffin, 
Reginald F. Lewis College of Business


On Demand

Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session 

Business Banking for Small Business Owners: "Your Financial Journey"

Ricky Parker,
Chase Bank Community Manager


On Demand

Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session 

How to Register to Do Business with the Federal Government
on SAM.GOV

Michelle A. Wilson,
President of Rock Creek Business Systems
(Federal Government Contractor)


On Demand

Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session  

How to Find and Qualify
for Small Business Capital

Karen White, Regional Lending Manager Small Business and Supplier Diversity



On Demand

Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session 

Employee Retention Credit Funding

Dean Francis,
Senior Consultant and Partner
One Bridge Advisors


On Demand

Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session 

Resources for Women in Entrepreneurship

Shara Gibson, Executive Director
Women's Business Center of Richmond


On Demand

Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session 

Human Resources Management 101 for Small Business 

Kelly Suazo, Owner of Anchor In Management Consulting & Talent Acquisition Firm

On Demand

Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session 

Minority Business Development Programs

Lisette Johnson
Programs and Operations Supervisor Office of Minority Business Development City of Richmond


On Demand

Zoom Link to Join Recorded Session 

PITCH COMPETITIONS & BAZAARS

(ENROLLEES MAY OPTIONALLY PARTICIPATE
BASED ON INTEREST AND/OR PROXIMITY TO VSU)

VSU Center for Entrepreneurship
Student and Community PITCH PREP!
Hal Miles, the Metropolitan Business League


Wednesday, April 3, 2024

11 AM - 12 PM
Zoom Link To Join Live Session

Elevator Pitch Practice, Xave Morgan of The Metropolitan Business League, City Point Innovation Center


Tuesday, April 9, 2024

12 PM - 1 PM

Zoom Link to Join Live Session

VSU Center for Entrepreneurship
Student & Community Pitch Competition!


IN-PERSON

Monday, May 13, 2024

12 PM - 2 PM

Gateway Event & Dining Center,
Virginia State University

Self-Paced Certification Program

Business Launchpad Certification

Completion of this certification training in addition to the live and on demand courses offered as part of the Minority Small Business Launch Center Program Cohort will earn you an additional certificate, provide you with access to a pitch deck, and qualify you to apply for seed investment funding offered through the Minority Small Business Launch Center at Virginia State University's VSU Center for Entrepreneurship. To access this training, visit the Certifications tab and select VSU Business Launchpad Certification at www.minoritysmallbusinesslaunchcenter.com .

WANT MORE RESOURCES TO
SUPPORT & GROW YOUR BUSINESS?
JOIN CRMSDC.

For more information about CRMSDC, contact:
Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council
10750 Columbia Pike, Suite 200
Silver Spring, MD 20901
Phone: 301.593.5860
Fax: 301.593.1364
Email: crmsdc@crmsdc.org

For additional free training to grow your business, enroll in VSU's Minority Small Business Launch Center.

www.minoritysmallbusinesslaunchcenter.com