back to schoolIt’s that time of year for parents and students to wrap up their summer activities and gear up to hit the books. Back to school for the kiddos may also be time to send your small business back to school for a refresher course. You’ve most likely been consumed with the day-to-day operations that you could be hurting your business by not keeping up with the latest information in constantly changing fields like technology and marketing.

Here are a few ways to help your small business grow and improve your entrepreneurial skill set at the same time.

-Go Back to College-For the total college experience, nothing beats actually attending classes. Most local colleges offer a variety of classes for anyone looking to start and/or grow a business. Not only will you get the latest information on new methods of doing everything from accounting to marketing and product development, but you could also meet potential partners or employees to join your small business venture. Peruse some college course catalogs to see what classes spark your interest. No time to attend yourself? Consider sending one of your staff members to take a class or two, learn new skills, and bring back the information to your company to share with the others.

-Learn from Your Office – A less time-consuming option than actually attending classes is taking a course online. With an online course, you’ll get support from an instructor, and be expected to turn in assignments and contribute to class discussions—which could be more engaging, more informative, and more useful for your needs. Ask fellow business owners for recommendations or search online directories to see what kind of classes are available.  Make it a team event and allow employees to take the courses along with you. 

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