Innovation DuPage Workshop: Capital & Funding Strategies for Small Business

Description

Presenter: David Lezondra, Director/Program Manager of the SBDC program at the Business Development Center at College of DuPage

Learn about the various options start-ups and existing small businesses can raise capital through various strategies, including debt financing (loans, factoring), and equity financing (investors), and alternatives like bootstrapping personal financing, crowdfunding, grants, other creative strategies.
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Agenda:

• Introduction: Assessing Your Business Needs
• Personal Financing
• Debt Financing
• Crowdfunding
• Angel Investors & Venture Capitalists
• Grants
• Creative “Use Wisely & Sparingly” Strategies
• Further Learning
• Q&A

Presenter's Biography:

David Lezondra is the Director/Program Manager of the SBDC program at the Business Development Center at College of DuPage (also known as the Illinois SBDC/ITC/Apex Accelerator at College of DuPage). His responsibilities include advising and counseling business owners and entrepreneurs with ideation and business planning, business financials and funding, marketing and sales, operations and management, and growth and expansion strategies.

His career and expertise in small business began with Bank of America where he became a top-ranked Small Business Consultant and financial advisor in the Chicagoland area for over 15 years. He is a recipient of the bank’s prestigious “Pinnacle Diamond Award” which is the highest-level of recognition for exceptional performance, recognizing top-performing employees and financial advisors with significant contributions to the company, clients, and communities.

Parlaying to a career in Workforce Development and working for DuPage County in Business Services and Job Development, he created and nurtured strategic alliances and partnerships with local businesses and entrepreneurs, while promoting no-cost, state-funded, and vital workforce programs and resources for businesses located in and around DuPage.

David holds bachelor’s degrees in business administration, majoring in Business Management, and Visual Communications and Graphic Design.