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Entrepreneurship 101: Starting a Business in Fairfax County

Since 2003 the FCEDA has held a free monthly* workshop for individuals interested in starting a business in Fairfax County. Held in partnership with the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD), U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and Community Business Partnership (CBP), the sessions have attracted nearly 4,000 attendees. The sessions provide overviews of:

  • Business start-up basics (licenses and permits)
  • workforce services and training programs
  • SBA financing and resources
  • SDB, MBE and 8(a) certification

The workshops are generally held on the first Tuesday of each month, unless a holiday precedes the first Tuesday, in which case the date is shifted to the second Tuesday of the month. There is no charge, but pre-registration is required and the workshops almost always fill up. Click here to find out which sessions are open for registration.

Upcoming workshops in 2019 are scheduled for February 5, March 5, April 2, May 8, June 4, September 10, October 1 and November 5.

Registration and networking begin at 7:30 a.m., and the program runs from 8:00 a.m.–10:30 a.m. at the Cushman & Wakefield Conference Center, 8300 Boone Boulevard, Suite 100, Tysons, Virginia 22182. For directions, click here.

Workshops will be canceled when Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) announces delays or cancels classes due to inclement weather. FCPS announces delays or cancellations on its Web site, www.fcps.edu, and on local television and radio stations. When workshops are canceled, they will be made up seven days later beginning at 8 a.m.

* No workshops are scheduled for the months of July, August and December.

For more information, contact Karen Smaw at ksmaw@fceda.org.

Register Now

Event Date April, 2

Event Time 11:30pm - 2:30am

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