December news & updates

What's Inside:

  • Highlight: Startups/Setting Goals/KPIs
  • Client Spotlight
  • Upcoming Events
  • Advisor Spotlight

Startups/Setting Goals/KPIs

The Kansas Small Business Development Center has a variety of resources to assist you with starting up your business, as well as helping you better set goals and KPIs for your business. While easy to get caught up in the day to day demands of your business, the need to take a breath and see where your business is at in the marketplace is critical for long-term success.  


Startups: When you meet with your advisor, they will listen openly to your concerns and discuss your financial challenges, goals, and expectations in a judgment-free environment.


Business Plan & Financial Projections: Your Kansas SBDC Advisor can help you create/update your Business Plan & Financial Projections given where your business is currently situated vs where you would like to see it grow.  


Industry Comparisons: Your Kansas SBDC Advisor has access to tools to help you see where your performance compares to others in your industry. The value of this can help you discover where to examine for cost savings as well as where to invest for greater profit opportunities.


Understanding Financial Statements: This doesn't have to be a headache. We help you understand the raw materials from which your financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet, CashFlow) are constructed, including invoices, deposits, accounts receivable and accounts payable, and much more. We help you make sense of the numbers that allow you to keep your business's financial health in check. 


Data Analytics Benchmarking and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Identifying your KPIs allows you to key in on financial information and metrics that are important to your business. These could include customer satisfaction, sales calls, and weekly revenue. The Kansas SBDC can work with you on setting your KPIs and how to measure and track them to ensure better decision making.


Putting the Numbers to use with Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s): You are tracking all this info about your business, but are you using those numbers to help you operate better? Many times the answer is no, let your Kansas SBDC Advisor help you use those numbers for Projecting/Budgeting and Goal Setting for your business to help lessen some of the “negative surprises” that can occur when running a business.


Learn more about how the SBDC can help you by visiting our website www.kansassbdc.net.

Kansas SBDC Client Spotlight

Aly’s Dance Studio is a faith-driven dance studio. When asked about what makes her business special, Alyson Smith, owner of Aly's Dance Studio, said, “We hold high morals for our dancers with age-appropriate choreography, music, and costumes. We also have employees who are well established in the community and have close relationships with their dance families.” She measures success by the number of lives she changes. She explains, “In Aly’s Dance Studio I want to not only develop great dancers but great individuals inside & outside of the studio. We want to help all of our students grow into respectful adults.”


Alyson was successful in securing adequate funding for her business by securing a business loan. Acquiring loans & financing was intimidating for Alyson. Especially since she is young and her business is a customer base with a blue sky. Smith connected with SBDC Advisors Susan Penka and Vince Haworth who extended their continued support and helped her fulfill her business goal of keeping the studio going in the community and helping it grow into something new. She advises new businesses to be prepared for anything since prices are rising everywhere. Keep good savings and make sure you have a good budget. She shares, “Stick it out! Sometimes it might be hard to get started or to keep it going but if it is something you truly enjoy then you will do whatever it takes to make it happen.”


Aly's Dance Studio can be found at 1701 KS-96 HWY, Great Bend, Kansas 67530. Learn more about Aly's Dance Studio by checking out their social media - Facebook and Instagram: @alysdancestudio


To learn more about how the Kansas SBDC can help your small business, visit https://www.kansassbdc.net

Upcoming Virtual & In-Person Events

Virtual Events (Free Unless Noted)

  • December 6, 10:00am - State Tax Webinar for Construction Contractors
  • December 6, 1:00pm - State Tax Webinar
  • December 9, 11:00am - Fourth Annual Kansas Hemp Conference Q4 Webinar
  • December 14, 12:00pm - Startup and Start Right

In-Person (Free Unless Noted)

  • December 13, 8:00am (JCCC) - Business Basics in a Day: How to Start a Business - $75
  • December 13, 10:00am (Columbus) - Human Resources, Rules and Regulations, First Employee
  • December 14, 9:00am (Chanute) - Human Resources, Rules and Regulations, First Employee
  • December 14, 10:30am (Chanute) - Understanding Financial Statements
  • December 14, 12:30pm (Iola) - Marketing 101: Think Like A Marketer
  • December 14, 2:00pm (Iola) - Understanding Financial Statements
  • December 15, 1:00pm (JCCC) - Know Your Numbers and Make More Money - $35


To register for our upcoming virtual and in-person events, click here

Find an SBDC Center near you!

With 8 regional offices and several outreach centers covering the state, no matter where you are, there is an SBDC nearby to help! 


Find Your Local SBDC Office


Call our Kansas SBDC Statewide Call Center - 7 days per week assistance

(800) 949-7661

Monthly Motivation

Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
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Kansas Small Business Development Center
Kansassbdc.net | (800) 949-7661 | info@ksbdc.net
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Questions? Don't hesitate to contact our 7 day-a-week assistance line at (800) 949-7661.
For Espanol, call (800) 707-0580.