West Center’s August workshop line-up is nothing short of awesome! Get out your calendar and sign up today for a series of workshops designed to make you and your business shine.

The pandemic certainly turned the way we do business on its head, from new health and safety regulations to incorporating technology and e-commerce into business practices. On August 4, join instructor Lani Lott as she delves into how the retail experience has changed post-pandemic and learn what you can do to maximize sales from your storefront to your online store in The New Face of Retail: Strategies for a Changing Marketplace.

Summer is in full swing and in Northern California it’s the time to have your family and pet go bags packed and ready to, well, go! But what about your business? Do you have a strategy for keeping your business going when disaster strikes? Does your business have its own go bag? If the answer is No!, then make haste and sign up our 90-minute workshop, Emergency Preparation: How To Protect Your Business Before It’s Too Late on August 10 to learn how best to prepare before an emergency!

You have a website for your online business but do you understand where your traffic is coming from and how to boost sales? On August 11, instructor Roger Coryell will take you on a deep dive into Google Analytics and give you the tools you’ll need to find your target audience and strategies to make more connections that will raise revenues.

Artists need to be business people too! Learn from the experts, Kate and Bob Burridge, in this candid and practical workshop on August 17. Part of our ongoing Artists in Action series, “Social Media Marketing on a Tight Budget†will reveal techniques for promoting and selling your artwork while keeping costs under control. This couple brings years of art marketing experience on social media to the table and they’re happy to show you how it’s done to the best effect!

If you hire people, you need to know how to hire the right people! Learn from HR specialist Lisa McCormack who understands the hiring mistakes that employers make and has tools and tips for avoiding them going forward. In her practical workshop, “Hiring for Success: How to Attract and Hire the Talent You Need,†learn how to improve the efficiency of your hiring process, consistently make better hires, and reduce turnover by hiring the right person for the job.

Join three successful Mendocino County women business owners in a frank conversation about how to manage the sticky issue of getting paid on time. Making sure your customers pay for their goods and services in a timely manner can mean the difference between a good financial month and a bad one. Listen to the collective wisdom of these business owners as they share their real-world experience in “How to Get Paid On Time.â€

There’s Google Analytics and now there’s Google Analytics 4! This new suite of analytics tools will give you deeper insights into your web traffic, audiences, behaviors, and conversions. But it’s not as simple as just switching from the old version to the new as Roger Coryell will explain in his one-hour workshop, “ABCs on Google Analytics 4†on Wednesday August 25.

Take the cybersecurity for your business to a new level by understanding and implementing the “ABCs on Multi-Factor Authentication.†A simple password is an easy way in for hacks and phishing expeditions. To keep your business data safe and secure, you need to add multi- (or two-) factor authentication to your accounts using tools you already own, such as your phone. Instructor and cyber-expert Tom Jacobson will take you through the multi-factor maze so you can tighten up security on your accounts.

We continue our Business Balance workshop series with a look at the “three S’sâ€: Skills, Strategies, and Synergies. Dr. Diana Rivera views these spokes of creative empowerment as the keys to resetting the creative vision for your business and unlocking opportunities for you to fulfill your potential for professional advancement. Join Dr. Rivera on August 26 for an inspiring session that will rouse your creative juices!