A new educational series hosted by the Berlin Chamber of Commerce is meant to improve financial literacy among local merchants and business owners.
The Berlin Chamber of Commerce Financial Literacy Educational Series kicked off Feb. 1, and runs through the end of March. The weekly series of presentations is open to anyone in the Berlin business community.
“The basics here aren’t just for those already in business,” said Ryan Nellans, executive director of the Berlin Chamber of Commerce. “We want to help provide for and empower our future entrepreneurs.”
The series will consist of eight informative presentations scheduled for Thursday mornings, Nellans said. The first session was held Feb. 1 while the last is set for March 28. Each session starts at 8 a.m. and will be followed by a question-and-answer session. The presentations are being held at the Berlin Welcome Center. Topics include range from basic bookkeeping to social media marketing.
The series kicked off this week with a talk on financial literacy basics presented by Bank of America. Next week, a basic bookkeeping presentation will be made by the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Future presentations focus on understanding financial statements, presented by the SBDC, as well as cyber liability and insurance, presented by Bradley Atlantic, among others.
A full schedule is available on the Berlin Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.
“There are a lot of ways to start a business, but not all of them come with a comprehensive business education,” Nellans said. “The chamber recognizes that, and is rededicating itself to the local business community by helping to fill in some of those gaps and bolster the resilience of our local economy.”
He’s hopeful the array of businesses in Berlin will benefit from the new series, which, to encourage participation, is open to everyone in the Berlin business community, regardless of the size of their business.
“Worcester County has the highest number of small businesses per capita in the state of Maryland,” Nellans said. “The freedom that so many of our neighbors enjoy in being able to chart their own course is an immensely valuable part of the Eastern Shore’s history and culture. We want to help preserve that.”
Attendance is free for the weekly presentations, and a complimentary breakfast will be provided to all attendees. Nellans said the Berlin Chamber was committed to supporting the local business ecosystem and believes that enhanced financial literacy is a crucial step toward sustained growth and prosperity.
