CROWN POINT | Purdue University and the Indiana Small Business Development Center will cosponsor a blockbuster workshop for people considering starting their own business or new small business owners. This three-session course will be offered and facilitated by Purdue educators from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. (CDT) Sept. 14 and 21, and Oct. 5.

Registration is due by Friday.

A comprehensive workbook entitled, "Sound and Proven Path Towards Starting Your Own Business" is used to guide the discussion and will help participants identify personal objectives, skills, and resources; understand entrepreneurial characteristics; describe business ideas and target groups; evaluate business feasibility; path toward developing a business plan; ways to find funding resources; and much more.

The workshop instructors are Dr. Joan Fulton, professor, Purdue Agricultural Economics; and Jim Roudebush, director, Indiana Small Business Development Center/Rural Entrepreneur Network.

The workshops will be held via a facilitated webinar at Northwest Indiana sites including the Lake and LaPorte county offices of the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service.

Topics include: "So You Want to be an Entrepreneur" on Sept. 14, "Marketing" on Sept. 21 and "Bringing It All Together" on Oct. 5.

Three-course session is $50 for first person and $25 for each additional person from the same business. Registration after Sept. 3 will be $60 for first person and $35 for each additional person from the business.

For more information, call the Lake County Cooperative Extension Office at (219) 755-3240 and ask for Walt Sell or call the LaPorte County Cooperative Extension Office at (219) 324-9407 and ask for Allison Goshorn.

Payment must accompany registration. Checks can be made payable to the Purdue CES Education Fund and sent to the location that you will be attending. Lake County Office, 880 E. 99th Court, Suite A, Crown Point, IN 46307 or LaPorte County Extension Office, 2358 N. U.S. 35, LaPorte, IN 46350-8380.