Weekly online town halls and webinars for small businesses resume

As the new year kicks off and another COVID-19 stimulus package has been passed, University of Nevada, Reno Extension will offer free online town halls and webinars this week and the following week to provide small-businesses owners with details on the stimulus package, as well as guidance on marketing and taxes.

Discussion on the new stimulus package will include improvements to the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program, as well as emergency enhancements being made to related lending programs.

“With COVID-19 still surging, accessing the new relief funds and knowing the changes and improvements made to existing assistance programs are essential for the survival of our small businesses,” said Buddy Borden, economic development specialist with Extension’s Business Development Program. “But, with the vaccines rolling out, we also want our small businesses to keep looking ahead and to make sure they are on top of their marketing and taxes, two pillars of business that will help their businesses prosper long after we get through COVID.”

The town halls begin with a presentation and then participants network with one another and drive the discussion. The webinars provide more detailed information on specific topics to help entrepreneurs and businesses plan strategically, adapt and succeed. All sessions are free and run about an hour.

The town hall and webinar will focus on the new stimulus package and taxes, and will be for English speakers. The following week’s sessions will focus on the new stimulus package and marketing, and will be for Spanish speakers. Later in the month, there will be sessions on taxes for Spanish speakers and sessions on marketing for English speakers. Details on sessions for the next two weeks are as follows.

The Jan. 6 and Jan. 8 sessions are for English speakers:

The town hall, “Nuts and Bolts of the New Stimulus Package and Getting Organized for Tax Season,” is Wednesday, Jan. 6, at 9 a.m. Panelists include the following:

From the Small Business Administration – Saul Ramos, deputy director

From Extension – Reyna Mendez and Juan Salas, business development instructors; and Mike Bindrup, research associate

The webinar, “Taxes and My Business,” is Friday, Jan. 8, at 9 a.m. Salas will discuss the following:

Tax formulas and the importance of estimation

The three main taxes related to business income and profits

Taxes related to employees at the federal and state level

Identifying compliance dates and documentation

The Jan. 13 and Jan. 15 sessions are for Spanish speakers:

The town hall, “Nuts and Bolts of the New Stimulus Package and Marketing in 2021” is Wednesday, Jan. 13, at 9 a.m. Panelists include:

From the Small Business Administration – Alfredo Cedeño, outreach/marketing specialist

From Extension – Mendez, Salas and Bindrup

The webinar, “Digital Marketing: Basic Concepts,” will be held Friday, Jan. 15, at 9 a.m. for Spanish speakers is Friday, Jan. 8, at 9 a.m. Mendez will discuss:

The importance of digital marketing in business

The three principals of social media: traffic, conversion and retention

Identifying good and bad social media campaigns

Creating a weekly play for social media

To register:

For the January 6, 9 a.m., English-language town hall, go to https://unrextension.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_TJLLCdKJQmWIN_uQ2HHe-A.

For the January 8, 9 a.m., English-language webinar, go to https://unrextension.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_4i4fDG8WR9GE3RaRjhWThQ.

For the January 13, 9 a.m., Spanish-language town hall, go to https://unrextension.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_X_HGJD5ZR4e8UjBPKwUGgQ.

For the January 15, 9 a.m., Spanish-language town hall, go to https://unrextension.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_jMLoYo2hRm2BPUQhyd_WqQ.

Extension has been offering a series of online town halls and webinars for small businesses, “Coping With COVID-19,” since April 2020. For more information, go to the Extension Business Development Program website at extension.unr.edu/busdev. There are also other resources at the website to assist businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. For more information, email Borden at bordenb@unr.edu.