Empowerment Works, Inc

On May 16, 2018

In this evening’s class, students learned different ways to enter bills and pay vendors and expenses in QuickBooks. Looking forward to next week where students will learn how to enter customer and sales transactions.

Our next 4 week session has only a few openings left and begins June 6th. Call 239-321-7085 for information on how to register.

Small Business Accounting School Session One – May 9, 2018

On May 9, 2018

Tonight we had our first session of our May 2018 Small Business Owner Accounting School series. This series of 4 classes was sold out three days after it was announced.

Tonight’s class covered a number of accounting concepts, Quickbooks features, desktop vs (cloud) hosted program implementation choices, and provided hands on training on Quickbooks menus and program navigation. Looking forward to next week’s session two.

Additional Small Business Owner Accounting School Session Offered June 6 – 27

On May 9, 2018

Additional Small Business Owner Accounting School Session Offered Before Fall

Because our May Small Business Owner Accounting School session filled up in three days, Empowerment Works is offering an additional 4 week session beginning June 6th. Join us at the Southwest Florida Enterprise Center in Fort Myers on the 4 Wednesday evenings beginning on June 6th and ending on June 27th from 5:45 PM to 7:45 PM. Class size is very small. As of today there are only 5 more openings in the current session.

Participants learn how to keep track of their small business’ accounting through hands on training using QuickBooks software. The class fee is $50.

Due to limited seating, payment is required to register. Payments can be made at the SWFL Enterprise Center, 3903 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Blvd., Fort Myers, 33916 (cash or check) or City Hall, 2200 Second Street (cash, check, or credit card). If you would like to mail a check please call 239-321-7085 to check availability.

Would You Like to Start a New Career in Healthcare?

On April 24, 2018

In Apprenticeship, Scholarship

SWFL Enterprise Center Pre-Construction Readiness Training Program Graduates 17 Students

On April 13, 2018

Last evening, the Southwest Florida Enterprise Center graduated seventeen students from their initial Pre-Construction Readiness Training Program into the workforce. A number of additional students are still completing their course work and will graduate soon. Seven of the graduates have been certified so far by CareerSource Southwest Florida for training fund grants for their future employers.

Five construction companies made presentations at graduation to the students about employment opportunities at their company as they competed to hire the graduates. Graduates were encouraged to sign up for employment opportunities at each of the five companies. CareerSource will also be working to place program graduates into jobs. It is expected that all graduates will soon be employed and working in the construction industry.

The Southwest Florida Enterprise Center will start their next session of the training program next week. The Preconstruction Readiness Training Program is a 52 hour 6 week training course designed to help individuals begin a career in the construction industry. The Core Curriculum includes: Construction 101, Safety Training & OSHA Preparedness, and First Aid. See below for sign up information.

Small Business Owner Accounting School Begins May 9th

On April 12, 2018

Last Small Business Owner Accounting School session until Fall

Empowerment Works is announcing their last Small Business Owner Accounting School session until Fall 2018. Join us at the Southwest Florida Enterprise Center in Fort Myers on the 4 Wednesday evenings beginning on May 9th and ending on May 30th from 5:45 PM to 7:45 PM. Class size is very small. As of today there are only 5 more openings in the current session.

Participants learn how to keep track of their small business’ accounting through hands on training using QuickBooks software. The class fee is $50.

Due to limited seating, payment is required to register. Payments can be made at the SWFL Enterprise Center, 3903 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Blvd., Fort Myers, 33916 (cash or check) or City Hall, 2200 Second Street (cash, check, or credit card). If you would like to mail a check please call 239-321-7085 to check availability.

New Business Start-Up: FastTrac SW Florida Starts April 2

Register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/new-business-start-up-fasttrac-sw-florida-tickets-43504890298

On March 9, 2018

In Entrepreneurship

NEW BUSINESS STARTUP: FASTTRAC SW FLORIDA, is an eight-week, fast-paced entrepreneurship training course, to help you develop your idea into a successful business.

Don’t yet have an idea, but have a burning passion to run your own company? No problem. This course will help you determine if your idea is viable. Even if you don’t yet have an idea, we’ll show you how to go about finding one that works and that matches your unique skills, talents and passions. We’ll cover idea formation, market validation, market assessment and positioning, product launch, customer acquisition, business planning and financing. You’ll meet like-minded entrepreneurs, speakers, and mentors who will help guide you on the journey.

The sessions will be held once a week for eight weeks, on Monday evenings, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm, at the SW FL Enterprise Center, 3903 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, in Fort Myers. Session 1 starts on April 2. The last session is May 21.

Cost: The full course is $74.20 per person, payable AFTER the first session — to make sure it’s a good fit for you. You may bring a spouse or business partner for an additional $37.10 ($111.30 for two tickets). A $40 deposit is required to secure your spot in the course.

If you cannot attend all sessions in person, the course materials will also be available online. The course facilitators are Michael O’Donnell, a serial entrepreneur and angel investor; and Mike Love, the Director of the SW FL Enterprise Center. The program is normally $400, but the majority of the fee (up to $325.80) is underwritten by the SW FL Enterprise Center and its partners.

Space is limited, so if you are located in SW Florida and driven to start a business this year, grab a slot before the course is full!

Fourth Small Business Owners Accounting School Session

On March 1, 2018

We held our fourth and final session Wednesday in our Small Business Owners Accounting School February class series. Students who attended all four sessions received a certificate of graduation.

Wednesday evening we covered month, quarter and year end reporting in QuickBooks and learned how to create and setup a new company file in QuickBooks efficiently with the least amount of extra effort.

Look for our next session of the Small Business Owners Accounting School to be announced soon with a start date later in March or in April.

Third Session in Small Business Owner Accounting School

On February 23, 2018

Wednesday evening we held our third session of four in our Small Business Owner Accounting School. We covered vendor and customer transactions and learned how to reconcile bank accounts. Next week is our final session where we learn how to run month end and year end reports, and setup a new company from scratch in QuickBooks.

Florida Mission of Mercy Event in Fort Myers March 9-10, 2018

On February 13, 2018

In Scholarship

Florida Mission of Mercy (FLA-MOM) is a large-scale, two-day, professional dental clinic that provides care to any patient at no cost to them, with the goal of serving the underserved and uninsured in Florida — those who would otherwise go without care.

The 2017 Pensacola #FLAMOM treated 1,767 patients and provided more than $1.69 million in donated care March 24-25, 2017!

The next FLA-MOM event will be held March 9-10, 2018 at Lee Civic Center in Ft. Myers. With a goal of treating 2,000 patients, FLA-MOM seeks to have a positive impact on Southwest Florida by relieving pain and infection, restoring dignity and creating smiles.

Small Business Owner Accounting School Session Two

On February 10, 2018

Wednesday was the second session in our Small Business Owner Accounting School at the Southwest Florida Enterprise Center. Students learned about QuickBooks menus and program interface, and learned to create vendor transactions and payments during hands on QuickBooks training exercises. We are taking a week off so all of us can spend Valentines Day with those who are significant in our lives and will get back together for session three on Wednesday February 21.

Small Business Owner Accounting School Session One

On January 31, 2018

Tonight we had our first session in the current Small Business Owner Accounting School series. This series of classes was sold out in December. Looking forward to next week’s session two.

SWFL Enterprise Center Preconstruction Readiness Training Program Starts March 1, 2018

On January 30, 2018

The Southwest Florida Enterprise Center is offering a 52 hour 6 week training course designed to help individuals begin a career in the construction industry. The Core Curriculum includes: Construction 101, Safety Training & OSHA Preparedness, and First Aid.

Classes begin March 1, 2018

Call 239-321-7085 for more information

An Update on the MLK Corridor Reentry Scholarship Program