Review, Prepare and Reenergize for Your Next Busy Season 

January 13, 2010 in News, Region: Soldotna (South West)

by Bryan Zak, South West Regional Director Alaska SBDC

The holiday season reminded us to give thanks and to share with others. For many businesses in and around Homer, the new year marks a shift from our busy tourism season to a time of year when we review, prepare and reenergize for our next busy season. Let’s look at a free webinar that can help you prepare your business for the next busy season.

A Free Webinar: Increasing Financial Stability

I recently viewed an excellent webinar (web-based presentation) that you should find incredibly useful for reviewing and preparing not only next year, but for the complete financial future of your business. The webinar, Increasing Financial Stability for Remote Alaskan Seasonal Tourism Businesses, is available on the Alaska Office of Tourism website.

The instructor, Neil Darish, owner of the McCarthy Lodge, Ma Johnson’s Hotel and several other properties located in McCarthy, has over 9 years experience in the Alaska visitor and hospitality industry.  The Alaska Office of Economic Development offered the webinar.

It was designed to provide assistance to remote tourism businesses with borderline financials or those that may be struggling to stay profitable after several seasons. Small business owners will learn how to attack their Profit & Loss statements (P&L) and head to financial health and/or further enhance their profitability.

Created for Remote Tourism Businesses, But Relevant for All

For most small business owners in remote Alaska, logistical challenges have a unique impact on long term financial stability.  This presentation focused on creating a low fixed cost approach, a key to thriving or even surviving in an economic downturn, while maintaining high quality standards across every aspect of your company.  Neil illustrates relevant ways of using financial data to target specific financial ratios in management decisions.

The information presented within this webinar is ideal for established businesses, particularly small, remote tourism companies including hotels, food and beverage establishments, gift shops, as well as adventure and tour businesses. After viewing the webinar, if you would like to gain additional knowledge, the Alaska SBDC offers a workshop called “Profit Mastery”. This workshop helps business owners understand the financial side of a business in a two-day workshop. After taking the workshop, business owners will understand the ratios from a financial perspective for making strategic decisions for their company.

For More Help

If you would like to sign up for a workshop, explore your business ideas, or would like assistance with your small business, the South West Region of the Alaska SBDC is here at the Homer Chamber of Commerce for you. We assist existing and start-up small business owners develop management skills, thereby improving their potential for success. Counselors maintain the highest ethical standards of confidentiality, and provide one-on-one counseling services at no cost to you, our client. Our counselors have access to additional resources for you our client, through the Alaska SBDC’s family of services.

For additional information please contact the AK SBDC South West Region Office.