“Financial management and access to capital are two critical issues facing small businesses, and this series is designed to provide critical tools, resources, and strategies that can be implemented in the business the very next day ,” said Steve Cohen, president of Excelsior Growth Fund. “It’s a very practical crash course to help business owners succeed in accessing capital and managing the firm’s finances.”

Marianne Garvin, President and CEO of CDCLI Funding Corporation stated that “The knowledge that small businesses will obtain from these free seminars will help the owners to better understand their finances and loan options, and assist them to grow.”

The Small Business Financial Seminar Series will bring together small business owners for three sessions:

• At the March 23 session on Financial Management, attendees will learn how to make informed financial decisions, how to analyze business financials, and tangible tools for evaluating the financial health of the company.
• At the March 28 session on Access to Capital, attendees will learn about available financing options and which ones are right for them, how to maximize chances of securing credit at the best terms possible, how lenders will evaluate their business, and about personal and business credit, and credit repair.
• At the April 6 Financing Forum session, attendees will meet one-on-one with a financing expert who will create a personalized action plan, connect with loan providers on specific product recommendations, and learn how to build the strongest application possible.

All sessions are from 5:00 to 7:30 pm at the Hofstra University Club at 225 Hofstra Boulevard in Hempstead.

Events partners include: Long Island Development Corporation, Long Island Small Business Assistance Corp, Capital One, Empire State Development, U.S. Small Business Administration, New York SBDC, and Hofstra University.

Excelsior Growth Fund (EGF) promotes economic development and job creation in New York State by providing streamlined access to small business loans and business advisory services. An EGF SmartLoan™ can help businesses secure working capital, refinance existing debt, purchase machinery and equipment, upgrade technology or hire staff. With the easy to use online loan application, pre-qualification takes minutes; loans are approved and funded within days. EGF is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) and certified by the U.S. Department of Treasury as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). For more information, visit www.excelsiorgrowthfund.org