Open House Targets Small Businesses

The Ventura County Entrepreneur Academy will host an open house Thursdayto showcase its global entrepreneur program to small-business owners.

The program, which began with two classes in September, targets existing small-business owners by encouraging them to seek opportunities in a changing global business environment, said Huiling Tanouye, the program’s administrator.

At the open house, participants will be able to meet graduates and instructors of the academy’s free classes.

Since 1994, the academy has been offering courses to owners of small businesses. The 100-hour courses, funded by a state grant and administered by the Ventura County Human Resources Department, are free and open to those who run businesses with up to nine full-time employees.

“Our objective is to create jobs so more people can be employed and contribute to the tax base,” Tanouye said. “Our academy graduates have created more than 350 jobs and grown their sales by 16%.”

The global entrepreneur program includes classes on exporting, management skills, planning and technology.

The open house will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the law offices of Lisa Danny-Roberts, 87 N. Chestnut St., in Ventura. For more information, call the Human Resources Department at 654-2562.