Even amid COVID-19, entrepreneurs are still plowing away – some opening new enterprises and others wanting to make significant changes to their current small businesses. Extension is offering an online town hall and a webinar this week to help. Wednesday’s town hall will focus on help available through the Nevada Business Opportunity Fund, which provides entrepreneurial training, technical assistance and access to lending for new and expanding businesses. Friday’s webinar will define the various classifications for businesses in Nevada, their applicable tax rates, and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Both the town hall and the webinar are free, and there will be English-language and Spanish-language sessions.
The events are part of a series of town halls and webinars for small businesses, “Coping With COVID-19,” being offered each week. The town halls begin with a presentation on a given topic, and then participants network with one another and drive the discussion. The webinars provide information on specific topics to help entrepreneurs and businesses plan strategically, adapt and succeed. This week’s sessions include:
- The town hall, “Getting to Know the Nevada Business Opportunity Fund,” is Wednesday, Aug. 5, at 9 a.m. for English speakers, and at 2 p.m. for Spanish speakers. Panelists include:
- From the Nevada Business Opportunity Fund/Nevada Women's Business Center – Leanna Jenkins, executive director; and Kathleen Taylor, program and marketing coordinator (9 a.m. session)
- From the Small Business Administration – Saul Ramos, deputy district director (9 a.m. session); and Alfredo Cedeño, outreach/marketing specialist (2 p.m. session)
- From Extension – Reyna Mendez and Juan Salas, business development instructors; and Mike Bindrup, research associate
- The webinar, “Business Entities and Taxes: How to Create Your Business,” will be held Friday, Aug. 7, at 9 a.m. for English speakers, and at 11:30 a.m. for Spanish speakers. Salas will discuss:
- Starting a business or legal entity in Nevada
- The different federal level tax structures
- The advantages and disadvantages of applicable tax rates
“Legal definitions can be overwhelming – sole proprietorship, partnership, S corporation, LLC,” said Buddy Borden, economic development specialist with Extension’s Business Development Program. “But entrepreneurs and businesses need to familiarize themselves with them in order to decide the best path for achieving their goals. During these sessions, we hope to clarify terms like these and discuss their differences, as well as provide some information on access to lending and tax structures.”
Both the town halls and the webinars usually run about an hour. To register:
- Register online for the Aug. 5, 9 a.m., English-language town hall.
- Register online for the Aug. 5, 2 p.m., Spanish-language town hall.
- Register online for the Aug. 7, 9 a.m., English-language webinar.
- Register online for the Aug. 7, 11:30 a.m., Spanish-language webinar.
For more information, go to the Extension Business Development Program website. There are also other resources at the website to assist businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. For more information, email Borden.
