Aspiring entrepreneurs seeking to supplement their business knowledge will have the opportunity to do so in a series of courses offered by the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation.

“With our restructuring taking place over the last couple of years, we have made a conscious effort to develop our entrepreneurial education programmes,” said Erica Smith, executive director at BEDC.

“We have developed courses that align with the entrepreneurial life cycle of growing a business from the first steps of ideation and validation and developing an entrepreneurial mindset, through to knowing how to take a business to the next level once it is established. We also present quarterly seminars on topical issues for entrepreneurs.”

The organisation is offering “Entrepreneurship 101”, an eight-week course beginning on September 5 and running until October 24 on Thursdays from 6pm until 8.30pm.

Facilitated by Ms Smith, the course teaches the basics of small business management, including understanding the requirements for starting a business, understanding Bermuda legislation and how it impacts a business, how to build a budget to help identify start-up expenses, and how to create a business plan.

Participants will benefit from visits by guest experts, and testimonies from entrepreneurs, the BEDC said. The cost of the course is $275.

In addition, the BEDC will launch the award-winning “Streetwise MBA” programme beginning on September 10, running until March, every second week on Tuesdays from 3pm until 6pm.

The programme, designed specifically for established small and medium-sized business owners as well as non-profit managers, provides participants with the right knowledge, management knowhow and networks needed to grow an established operation, the BEDC said.

The course will be facilitated by Tee Ogunyemi, the founder and managing director of Regent Consulting (Bermuda) Ltd, a business consulting and financing brokerage office. Mr Ogunyemi is a certified instructor for the programme.

Organisers say participants will walk away from the programme with a customised strategic growth action plan for their business. The cost of the course is $750.

Beginning on September 11, the BEDC will offer the course, “Financial Statements Planning and Costing Using Quick Books”. The eight-week course will teach the basics of reviewing and understanding financial statements, the BEDC said.

The course, to be held Wednesdays from 6pm until 8.30pm, will be facilitated by Colina Outerbridge, business data and policy analyst at the BEDC. The cost of the course is $350.

Part two of the course, “Financial Planning for Profit Using Quick Books”, will be offered starting on January 13. That course also costs $350.

Beginning on September 17, the BEDC will offer its “Ice House Entrepreneurship” course. The eight-week programme runs Tuesdays from 6pm until 8.15pm through November 12 at a cost of $275.

Participants will learn the core essentials of an entrepreneurial mindset, how to identify and evaluate entrepreneurial opportunities, and will develop cross-discipline entrepreneurial attitudes, behaviours and skills, the BEDC said.

All course sessions will be held in the BEDC training room in Sofia House, 46 Church Street, Hamilton.

• Registration for all courses is open now. Register online at www.bedc.bm, by calling 292-5570, or by e-mailing info@bedc.bm