Athens, Ga. – Before starting a business, it’s essential that entrepreneurs have their personal finances in order, said University of Georgia consumer economics specialist Michael Rupured. He and other faculty in the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences will be offering workshops on personal finance throughout Georgia during the next several months.
“You may have the greatest idea in the world for a business, but if your personal finances are in disarray or if your credit scores are too high, it’s almost impossible to get funding from banks or other lending agencies,” Rupured said. “In addition, there’s the reality that it can easily take six months to a year before a new business has any income. You have to be certain that you can continue to pay your home mortgage and buy groceries during that time.”
Rupured will be joined by housing and consumer economics professor Joan Koonce and family and consumer sciences Cooperative Extension agents for the free workshops. During the four-hour sessions, participants will learn to set and achieve financial goals, plan their personal spending, learn how to work effectively with banks and other financial institutions, learn about credit, plan for the unexpected and take steps to protect their personal assets.
“These workshops are not designed to help entrepreneurs get their business started,” Rupured said. “Instead, they’re designed for people who understand that starting a new business is a tremendous undertaking and who understand the importance of having their personal finances in order before taking on the additional risks of business loans.”
March workshops
• Valdosta – March 8
• Dublin – March 13
• Thompson – March 15
April workshops
• Athens – April 3
• Sandersville – April 12
• Bainbridge – April 17
• McDonough – April 26
May workshops
• Americus – May 15
• Griffin – May 29
June workshops
• Marietta – June 5
• Swainsboro – June 5
• Statesboro – June 12
• Fulton County – June 13
• Waycross – June 19
For more information on the workshops, see www.fcs.uga.edu/ext/econ/mm.php.