National Small Business Week Starts Today

This year marks the 50^th anniversary of National Small Business Week, which starts today and runs through Friday, June 21, with events planned both on island and online to help small businesses start, grow and succeed.

Sponsored by the US Small Business Administration, the week’s events culminate with an award ceremony in Washington DC announcing the 2013 National Small Business Person of the Year.

Candidates from all 50 states and territories are competing for the award, including David Yogi and Dr. James Kwong of  Oahu-based Yogi Kwong Engineers, LLC, who won Small Business Persons of the Year for the state of Hawaii.

On island, the Hawaii Small Business Development Center in Hilo will be offering a workshop this Thursday, June 20, on how to start a small business.

Hawaii SBDC Center Director Aaron Brown said the organization is also planning upcoming courses on financial literacy. The Hawaii Small Business Development Center, a program of the University of Hawaii at Hilo, is funded in part by the Small Business Administration.

Nationally, the SBA will offer online forums that will focus on business-related topics, such as access to capital and exporting. All events will be live-streamed on SBA’s website, www.sba.gov.

SBA will also offer online “Hangouts,” featuring industry experts discussing different ways to promote and build a business.

Streaming live today through Thursday, June 20, starting at 10 a.m. HST, (4 p.m. EST), the sessions are free and open to the public.

You can view the sessions through multiple SBA resources, including:

•  SBA Google+ page: http://plus.google.com/+sbagov
•  SBA YouTube channel:  www.youtube.com/sba
•  SBA website: www.sba.gov/smallbusinessweek

Each Hangout session features different speakers and a moderator focusing on a specific subject. Today’s SBA Hangout focused on “Tips on Getting Started with Social Media as a Small Business Owner.”

Tuesday, June 18, the SBA Hangout will discuss “How to Manage Your Business’s Online Reputation.”

SBA’s online Hangout on Wednesday, June 19, is entitled, “The Benefits of Having a Business Mentor,” while on Thursday, June 20, the Hangout will feature “Tips on Getting a Loan to Start or Grow a Business.”

The IRS is also offering two free webinars as part of National Small Business Week.

The first webinar, entitled “Get all the Tax Benefits You Deserve,” will be held Tuesday, June 18, at 8 a.m. HST (11 a.m. PST).

Attendees will learn about business expenses and deductions, business depreciation deductions, available business tax credits, as well as the latest facts about the American Taxpayer Relief Act.

Click here to register for the webinar.

A second webinar on “Avoiding the Top Tax Mistakes that Small Businesses Make,” will be held Thursday, June 20, at 8 a.m. HST (11 a.m. PST).

Attendees will learn tips to avoid common mistakes with business taxes, good recordkeeping strategies, how to choose a tax preparer and helpful tax information resources.

Click here to register for the June 20 IRS webinar.