Don Vander Zwaag, Vice President, Exit Planner and Transitional Coach from the Vantage Group will be one of the speakers at the Michigan State University Product Center’s events for businesses, entrepreneurs, and economic development lay people and experts. Session One (morning) of the event is Maximizing the Value of Your Business and Session Two (afternoon) is Cooperative Basics: How to Start a Cooperative Business. People interested in attending can register for either one or both sessions. There is no cost for registration, but it is required.

The event will be held in three locations Traverse City on Tuesday, September 19, 2017 at the Hotel Indigo; in Grand Rapids on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel; and in Ann Arbor on Thursday, September 21, 2017 at the Sheraton Ann Arbor Hotel.

Maximizing the Value of your Business: During this session, Don, from The Vantage Group will discuss the Eight Value Drivers for Your Business. Along with focusing on determining what drives value in your company, other topics include methods of assessment, and strategies to enhance that value. Succession planning and legal issues involved with selling a business will also be covered, as well as employee ownership options.

Cooperative Basics: Starting a Cooperative Business: This session will focus on providing basic information about cooperatives and their development, as well as resources and networking contacts. The sessions will begin with an introduction to cooperatives, covering their principles and what specifically makes them different from other businesses. A presentation outlining the steps and stages of developing a co-op will be given, followed by a presentation on legal considerations. The event will conclude with a breakout session with attendees, where the presenters and service providers at the conference will be available to hear your specific situation and to provide some guidance on next steps.

To register for this free event, please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2017_MSU_Coop.

For more information contact Bill Knudson at knudsonw@msu.edu