Women’s Economic Ventures launches free, bilingual Financial Education Webinar Series to empower small business owners during COVID

Ventura and Santa Barbara, CA—Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) has launched a series of Financial Education webinars to empower small business owners and increase their financial literacy during COVID-19. The series focuses on both personal and business finance and each session will offer simple tools and strategies to help participants manage the pandemic’s impact on their finances. The free webinars will be available in both Spanish and English. For information and to register for the upcoming webinars:

• October 20 at 6pm, in Spanish “Como organizar tus finanzas con QuickBooks Online”
  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ut1ROFn1TXusrdQ6xAgp2Q

• October 22 at 12noon, in English “Simplifying Your Finances during COVID19”
  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_OPxJbju2Tla7fI0SevBf4g

Small businesses are vulnerable to a higher rate of failure during the first five years of operations, oftentimes related to a lack of financial literacy and understanding of business financials. “WEV is focused on the significant ways COVID-19 is impacting our community so we are modifying our services and programs to ensure local business owners have the financial tools and knowledge they need to stabilize their business during this crisis and beyond, said Irene Kelly, WEV’s Financial Education Program Manager.  “Financial uncertainty not only impacts local economies but also the health and wellbeing of everyone involved.”

WEV’s Financial Education webinars will cover topics including the role of financial habits and mindset in creating their financial future, tools, and strategies for managing financial uncertainty, understanding business financial statements, and managing debt. The series will feature guest speakers, including WEV client Juliana Ramirez of JR Bookkeeping, and WEV’s QuickBooks Coach, David Machacek.

About Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV), www.wevonline.org
Women’s Economic Ventures is dedicated to creating an equitable and just society through the economic empowerment of women. WEV provides training, consulting, and loans to help entrepreneurs start, grow, and thrive in business. WEV serves Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. While WEV targets its services toward women, it helps men as well. Services are provided in both English and Spanish. Since 1991, WEV has provided business training and consulting to more than 17,500 women and men throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. WEV has made over $6 million in business loans and helped more than 5,000 local businesses start or expand.  WEV-supported businesses generate more than $300 million in annual sales revenues and have created nearly 9,400 local jobs.  WEV is a U.S. Small Business Administration’s Women’s Business Center, and a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI).