300 Preston Avenue, Suite 201, Charlottesville, VA 22902

contact@cvsbdc.org

Our hours are 9:00 - 5:00

+1 434-295-8198

Start Your Business

Home Start Your Business
On-Demand Virtual Course

Starting Your Business

Watch this 90-minute Starting Your Business course as a head-start to launch your business. This recording is available as an On-Demand version of our monthly live class. Resources including helpful handouts and the presentation slides are linked below the video.

Contact the team at CV SBDC after you have completed this on-demand course to get scheduled with a business advisor!
contact@cvsbdc.org | 434-295-8198

Alternatively, you can watch the same video broken up into smaller, more digestible sections to watch when it’s convenient for you.

Presentation Slides

Helpful Handouts

Templates & Tools

Getting Started

If you are a first time entrepreneur or doing it again…
                                  planning is paramount

Our monthly ‘Starting Your Business‘ 2-hour class prepares entrepreneurs and offers startup assistance. Links to municipal resources to get ready are below. We would be honored to take you through the business planning process to help eliminate surprises and help you connect to the best resources available in Central Virginia’s business ecosystem.

Topics covered include:

  • is entrepreneurship for you
  • deciding on a legal entity structure
  • basic accounting and tax issues
  • steps you need to take for permits and licensing
  • steps to develop a business plan and
  • basics of product, process and people to make your business work.

Putting it all Together

The four primary categories to consider for business success are:

• the product or business CONCEPT

• engaging your CUSTOMERS to transact and everything that goes into sales

• the OPERATIONS that support the transactions, and

• the ORGANIZATION‘s people and legal structures that support all of the above. 

We will help you find the business development and management process that works best for you, as well as help with setting up recordkeeping!  

Coursework options to extend your knowledge

Starting Your Business Class (available to watch recorded on-demand or presented live monthly)

CIC workshop 16 week Entrepreneurship Workshop

Business Essentials Training (BET) 5 session training (can lead to a Business Essentials Training Certificate)

Webinars available through the Virginia SBDC network

Business License Links by Locality:

Counties in our region that do NOT require a business license:

Fluvanna County
Louisa County
Madison County
Rappahannock County

Albemarle County

City of Charlottesville

Culpeper County

Greene County

Nelson County

Orange County

Explore Start-Up Resources

We are happy to work with you through your start-up planning. We’ve also provided a host of resources to get you started.

Take 'Starting Your Business' Class (monthly on our Events page)

Join Community Investment Collaborative's Entrepreneur Workshop

Attend ICAP to Build Your Customer-centric Business Plan

Meet with a SCORE mentor and check out their resources

How to Start for Young Entrepreneurs (30 min. SBA course)

An Introduction to Financing Options (30 min. SBA course)

Explore Sales and Customer Engagement (30 min. SBA course)

Explore Legal Requirements for Small Business (30 min. SBA course)

Learn about writing a Business Plan (40 min. SBA course)