Women's Business Center

Food Trucking 101 - 8 Week Series (In-Person)
2024-03-26 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-04-02 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-04-09 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-04-16 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-04-23 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-04-30 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-05-07 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-05-14 18:00 - 20:00 UTC | LAEDA WBC Virtual Event, Online, NJ, 08102
ARE YOU READY TO BE A FOOD TRUCKER?
FOOD TRUCKING 101
A Complete Course for Start-Up Food Truckers
Ever thought about starting a food truck? Our Food Trucking 101 gives you a roadmap on how to navigate start-up phase including costs, legal requirements, and best practices for aspiring operators.
Food Trucking 101 is an 8 week course that gives those thinking about starting a mobile food business a complete understanding of the industry and the steps needed to get a mobile food business off the ground.
The course is held one-night per week from 6:00pm – 8: 00pm over an eight week period. Those who complete 6 of the 8 classes will receive a certificate of completion.
Program Curriculum:
– 03/26/2024 – Overview of the Food Truck 101
– 04/02/2024 – The Business Plan and Your Startup Strategy – Part I
– 04/09/2024 – What’s Your Flavor? Deciding Your Concept and Menu
– 04/16/2024 – Food Truck Laws, Regulations, Licenses & Inspection (In Person)
– 04/23/2024 – Marketing & Market Analysis
– 04/30/2024 – Food Production & Facilities
– 05/07/2024 – The Business Plan and Your Startup Strategy – Part II
– 05/14/2024 – Laying a Solid Foundation – Bookkeeping, Hiring and Taxes

From the Kitchen to the Boardroom: Turning Your Small Business or Hobby into an Empire (Virtual)
2024-04-18 18:30 - 20:30 | LAEDA WBC Virtual Event, Online, NJ, 08102
Do You have a great skill or talent? Do you have an idea but not sure what to do next? Do you have a craft or service that you want to turn into a business?
Whether it’s a craft or service, many have an entrepreneurial spirit. LAEDA WBC in conjunction with the southern New Jersey chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. (NCBW SNJ) presents: From the Kitchen to the Boardroom – How to Turn Your Small Business or Hobby into an Empire. Attend this seminar to learn:
• Practical Steps for Launching or Growing a Business
• Why a Business Plan is the key to Success
• What it Takes to Secure a Business Loan
• Minority and Women-owned Certifications
• Developing a Marketing Message and Creating a Marketing Plan

Turning Your Hobby Into a Business (6 Week Virtual Series)
2024-05-16 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-05-23 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-05-30 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-06-06 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-06-13 18:00 - 20:00, 2024-06-20 18:00 - 20:00 | LAEDA WBC Virtual Event, Online, NJ, 08102
The pathway from “creating for fun” to “creating for business” is anything but straightforward, but LAEDA WBC is here to help you navigate the swerves and curves. One part of the journey is transitioning from designing & creating for friends to producing for customers beyond your inner circle.

– How do you meet a larger number of orders
– How do you satisfy a wider variety of customers’ demands?
– How do you make sure each product looks the same or that each service is delivered at the same level of quality EVERY TIME?

We recommend that you attend all 6 seminars in the series to gain the most benefit. Those who attend at least 4 of 6 seminars will receive a Certificate of Completion.
Below are the seminars in the series:

– 5/16/2024 Product Development and Production Process
– 5/23/24 Understanding the Power of Marketing
– 5/30/2024 Sales Channels that Exist for Side Hustle Businesses
– 6/6/24 Money, Banking, & Credit
– 6/13/24 Business Administration & Bookkeeping
– 6/20/24 Final Show & Tell, Business Pitch &

Presentation of Certificates of Completion

Introduction to Entrepreneurship
2025-01-28 18:00 - 20:30 | Cherry Hill Public Library, 1100 Kings Highway North, Cherry Hill Township, 08034, United States
LAEDA’s Intro to Entrepreneurship is for individuals who are in the idea stage in their entrepreneurial journey. This is person seminar lays out the realities of the entrepreneurial journey and key factors to consider before getting started. Once you know where you are in the journey, you will learn about all of LAEDA’s no cost courses and counseling services and how they can help you reach your goals. This course is free but registration is required.
Course Includes:

Entrepreneurial Personality Assessment
Understanding The Journey
Are You Really Ready to Be An Entrepreneur?
Assessing Where You Are in the Journey
Resources & Strategies to Get Started

Register Today!

In-Person: The Art of Networking
2025-02-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Burlington County Library, 5 Pioneer Blvd, Westampton Township, NJ, 08060, United States
Are you struggling to connect with new people and build valuable relationships? Join our engaging workshop to enhance your networking skills! You’ll learn effective communication techniques for initiating conversations, identify networking opportunities that align with your goals, and prepare for events with confidence. We’ll also cover the importance of post-event follow-up and maintaining relationships with new contacts. By the end of the session, you’ll have practical tools to approach networking confidently and expand your professional circle. Don’t miss this opportunity!
Hosted in collaboration with the Burling County Department of Economic Development
https://www.bcbridges.org/economic-development/

Register Today!

In Person: Turning Your Hobby Into a Business Series Unit 1- Intro- Product Development and Production Process
2025-03-13 18:00 - 20:30 | TBD
The pathway from “creating for fun” to “creating for business” is anything but straightforward, but LAEDA is here to help you navigate the swerves and curves. One part of the journey is transitioning from designing & creating for friends to producing for customers beyond your inner circle.

Do you have a product or service that would be in demand
Is your production process scalable as you get more orders

How do you make sure each product looks the same or that each service is delivered at the same level of quality EVERY TIME?

We will cover each of these questions and more in this first session.

Registration will begin 1 month before program start

Business Planning
2025-03-19 10:00 - 12:00 | 5 Pioneer Blvd Westampton NJ 08060, 5 Pioneer Blvd, Westampton, NJ, 08060
A business plan is more than just a checklist item; it’s a crucial tool that transforms your vision into reality. Join our upcoming live event to learn the importance of having a business plan and the key elements it should include. You’ll learn which sections to prioritize to create an effective plan. By the end of the session, you’ll feel confident in your ability to develop a strategic blueprint that supports your business growth and stability.

Registration will begin 1 month before program start

In Person: Turning Your Hobby Into a Business Series Unit 2- Understanding the Power of Marketing
2025-03-20 18:00 - 20:30 | TBD
Session Two is all about identifying who your best customers are and how to reach them so they buy from you instead of your competition. Don’t worry if you haven’t had any sales yet. In this session, we’ll learn about

Identifying your target customer and why this is so important
Where and how to find this target customer
Why it’s important to know that advertising and promotion are NOT the same as marketing
How customers are not only a source of income but of information as well

Registration will begin 1 month before program start

In Person: Turning Your Hobby Into a Business Series Unit 3- Sales Channels for the Side Hustle Business
2025-03-27 18:00 - 20:30 | TBD
A sales channel is the manner by which a business sells (exchange of money) its product or service to the customer. In Session Three, we review the sales channels that work best for businesses transitioning from a few, scattered sales to more frequent sales of regularly higher quantities. These channels are public market vending and selling online. We will cover what business owners need to know including but not limited to

Evaluate a vending opportunity
Build an ecommerce presences on a budget
Overview of online sales platforms
Determine the appropriate platform for the product
Equipping yourself to be a professional vendor
Preparing to be an online retailer

Registration will begin 1 month before program start

In Person: Turning Your Hobby Into a Business Series Unit 4- Money, Banking & Credit
2025-04-03 18:00 - 20:30 | TBD
Whether it’s seen as an opportunity or a problem, money is needed by all businesses to run. As a business owner, you need to know how to use money in ways that help you and not hurt you. In Session 4, we will cover

Simple budgeting to help you maximize saving and manage cash flow
How and why to keep your personal spending separate from all business-related spending
Why, as a small business, you want to plan to manage your money through a bank and how to choose the best one for your business
The role credit plays in guaranteeing your business’ future growth and success

Registration will begin 1 month before program start

In Person: Turning Your Hobby Into a Business Series Unit 5- Business Administration & Bookkeeping
2025-04-10 18:00 - 20:30 | TBD
Committing to keeping accurate records of all sales and expenses is the foundation for ensuring your business’ future success. Written transactions serve as a documented history of your business’ daily performance. Moreover, these records are then combined at key moments of each year to present an overall picture of your business’ financial health. This session is about grounding you in these record-keeping practices and teaching you how to use your records as a tool to make future decisions about your business. Examples of what we cover include: teaching.

A simple system to record your transactions
How to create basic financial statements that will help you understand the health of your business
How to determine sales tax collection obligation
How to include business’ income & expenses on your tax return

Registration will begin 1 month before program start

In Person: Turning Your Hobby Into a Business Series Unit 6- Pitch Competition & Last Day
2025-04-17 18:00 - 20:30 | TBD
Session Six is the last session of LAEDA’s Turning Your Hobby into a Business, and the class where you get to showcase your talent! Applying everything learned in the previous five sessions, each student gets the opportunity to pitch their business. The pitch is a “show and tell” way to both market your product or service as well as sell to your fellow classmates! It is a culmination of the THB course. However, LAEDA also sees it as a beginning of the next phase of your entrepreneurial journey which we look forward to accompanying you on through personalized counseling services and access to further training.

Registration will begin 1 month before program start

In Person: Turning Your Hobby Into a Business Series Unit 1- Intro- Product Development and Production Process
2026-05-28 18:00 - 20:30 | LAEDA Office, 433 Market Street, Camden, NJ, 08102, United States
The pathway from “creating for fun” to “creating for business” is anything but straightforward, but LAEDA is here to help you navigate the swerves and curves.
One part of the journey is transitioning from designing & creating for friends to producing for customers beyond your inner circle.

Do you have a product or service that would be in demand
Is your production process scalable as you get more orders
How do you make sure each product looks the same or that each service is delivered at the same level of quality EVERY TIME?

We will cover each of these questions and more in this first session of our multi-session course.
Sessions in this series:
Unit 1- Intro-Product Development and Production Process
Unit 2- Understanding the Power of Marketing
Unit 3- Sales Channels for the Side Hustle Business
Unit 4- Money, Banking & Credit
Unit 5- Business Administration & Bookkeeping
Unit 6- Pitch Competition & Last Day
We recommend that you attend all 6 seminars in the series to gain the most benefit. Those who attend at least 4 out of 6 seminars will receive a Certificate of
Completion and be eligible for a group business counseling in week 6, which will lead to opportunities for 1 on 1 counseling.

Registration Will Open Two Months Prior to Event

In Person: Turning Your Hobby Into a Business Series Unit 2-Understanding the Power of Marketing
2026-06-04 18:00 - 20:30 | LAEDA Office, 433 Market Street, Camden, NJ, 08102, United States
Session Two is all about identifying who your best customers are and how to reach them so they buy from you instead of your competition. Don’t worry if you
haven’t had any sales yet. In this session, we’ll learn about

• Identifying your target customer and why this is so important
• Where and how to find this target customer
• Why it’s important to know that advertising and promotion are NOT the same as marketing
• How customers are not only a source of income but of information as well

Remaining sessions in our multi-session course.

Unit 3- Sales Channels for the Side Hustle Business

Unit 4- Money, Banking & Credit
Unit 5- Business Administration & Bookkeeping
Unit 6- Pitch Competition & Last Day

We recommend that you attend all 6 seminars in the series to gain the most benefit. Those who attend at least 4 out of 6 seminars will receive a Certificate of

Completion and be eligible for a group business counseling in week 6, which will lead to opportunities for 1 on 1 counseling.

Registration Will Open Two Months Prior to Event

In Person: Turning Your Hobby Into a Business Series Unit 3- Sales Channels for the Side Hustle Business
2026-06-11 18:00 - 20:30 | LAEDA Office, 433 Market Street, Camden, NJ, 08102, United States
A sales channel is the manner by which a business sells (exchange of money) its product or service to the customer. In Session Three, we review the sales channels
that work best for businesses transitioning from a few, scattered sales to more frequent sales of regularly higher quantities. These channels are public market
vending and selling online. We will cover what business owners need to know including but not limited to

• Evaluate a vending opportunity
• Build an ecommerce presences on a budget
• Overview of online sales platforms
• Determine the appropriate platform for the product
• Equipping yourself to be a professional vendor
• Preparing to be an online retailer

Remaining sessions in our multi-session course.

Unit 4- Money, Banking & Credit
Unit 5- Business Administration & Bookkeeping
Unit 6- Pitch Competition & Last Day

We recommend that you attend all 6 seminars in the series to gain the most benefit. Those who attend at least 4 out of 6 seminars will receive a Certificate of
Completion and be eligible for a group business counseling in week 6, which will lead to opportunities for 1 on 1 counseling.

Registration Will Open Two Months Prior to Event

In Person: Turning Your Hobby Into a Business Series Unit 4- Money, Banking & Credit
2026-06-18 18:00 - 20:30 | LAEDA Office, 433 Market Street, Camden, NJ, 08102, United States
Whether it’s seen as an opportunity or a problem, money is needed by all businesses to run. As a business owner, you need to know how to use money in ways that
help you and not hurt you. In Session 4, we will cover

• Simple budgeting to help you maximize saving and manage cash flow
• How and why to keep your personal spending separate from all business-related spending
• Why, as a small business, you want to plan to manage your money through a bank and how to choose the best one for your business
• The role credit plays in guaranteeing your business’ future growth and success

Remaining sessions in our multi-session course.

Unit 4- Money, Banking & Credit
Unit 5- Business Administration & Bookkeeping
Unit 6- Pitch Competition & Last Day

We recommend that you attend all 6 seminars in the series to gain the most benefit. Those who attend at least 4 out of 6 seminars will receive a
Certificate of Completion and be eligible for a group business counseling in week 6, which will lead to opportunities for 1 on 1 counseling.

Registration Will Open Two Months Prior to Event

In Person: Turning Your Hobby Into a Business Series Unit 5- Business Administration & Bookkeeping
2026-06-25 18:00 - 20:30 | LAEDA Office, 433 Market Street, Camden, NJ, 08102, United States
Committing to keeping accurate records of all sales and expenses is the foundation for ensuring your business’ future success. Written transactions serve
as a documented history of your business’ daily performance. Moreover, these records are then combined at key moments of each year to present an overall
picture of your business’ financial health. This session is about grounding you in these record-keeping practices and teaching you how to use your records
as a tool to make future decisions about your business. Examples of what we cover include: teaching.

• A simple system to record your transactions
• How to create basic financial statements that will help you understand the health of your business
• How to determine sales tax collection obligation
• How to include business’ income & expenses on your tax return

Remaining sessions in our multi-session course.

Unit 6- Pitch Competition & Last Day

We recommend that you attend all 6 seminars in the series to gain the most benefit. Those who attend at least 4 out of 6 seminars will receive
a Certificate of Completion and be eligible for a group business counseling in week 6, which will lead to opportunities for 1 on 1 counseling.

In Person: Turning Your Hobby Into a Business Series Unit 6- Pitch Competition & Last Day
2026-07-02 18:00 - 20:30 | LAEDA Office, 433 Market Street, Camden, NJ, 08102, United States
Session Six is the last session of LAEDA’s Turning Your Hobby into a Business, and the class where you get to showcase your talent! Applying everything learned
in the previous five sessions, each student gets the opportunity to pitch their business. The pitch is a “show and tell” way to both market your product or service
as well as sell to your fellow classmates! It is a culmination of the THB course. However, LAEDA also sees it as a beginning of the next phase of your
entrepreneurial journey which we look forward to accompanying you on through personalized counseling services and access to further training.

We recommend that you attend all 6 seminars in the series to gain the most benefit. Those who attend at least 4 out of 6 seminars will receive
a Certificate of Completion and be eligible for a group business counseling in week 6, which will lead to opportunities for 1 on 1 counseling.

Registration Will Open Two Months Prior to Event
