CareerSource Suncoast and the City of Sarasota present the 26th Community Entrepreneur Opportunity (CEO) course starting Tuesday, March 23rd. In the free 10-week course, entrepreneurs learn how to and can start a business. Classes run virtually every Tuesday from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and CareerSource Suncoast’s business accelerator, Thrive, provides instruction and classroom support. There were more than 400 graduates from the program in the last 26 classes; Several have opened stores in the region.
Students learn at their own pace through a combination of live virtual sessions and an online platform at their own pace for business planning information, including market strategies, competitive analysis, finance, and operational and management plans. A combination of online training and mentoring gives participants the opportunity to assess their business acumen and determine the strength of their business concept. While the course content is available 24/7, students must attend the weekly session to complete the 10-week course. It’s free and open to the public. More information can be found here.