Windhaus Associates, a Florida business planning firm, has been contracted by the Treasure Coast Enterprise Fund to launch the first small business micro-loan fund training program in March 2004. The workshop series will offer intense, detailed training in the development of a business plan required of all applicants seeking small business loans of between $5,000 and $35,000 from the Enterprise Fund.

Windhaus Associates, a Port St. Lucie business planning firm, has been contracted by the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council’s Treasure Coast Enterprise Fund to launch the first small business micro-loan fund training program in March 2004. The workshop series will offer attendees intense, detailed training in the development of a business plan required of all applicants seeking small business loans of between $5,000 and $35,000 from the Enterprise Fund.

The workshops are scheduled to span a period of 7 weeks, every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday night from 6:30 to 9:30 PM at the offices of the Planning Council at 301 E. Ocean Blvd, Suite 300, Stuart, Florida. All business owners, existing and startup, in Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin and Palm Beach Counties, seeking commercial loan proceeds are eligible to apply.

The trainer, Stephen Windhaus, is a business planner and published author who has taught existing and startup business owners how to write business plans. The training materials include Mr. Windhaus' text, the first entrepreneurial training program ever approved by the Florida State Board of Non-Public Career Education. His training technique is often compared to a 'boot camp', making every effort to assist the commercial loan applicant to develop a viable business plan worthy of consideration by the Loan Review Committee.

The fee for the 63-hour training program and text and training materials is $225.00. Partial scholarships may be available on a limited basis.

For more information about Windhaus Associates and Mr. Windhaus go to www.windhaus.com.

For more information about the training program contact Mr. Windhaus at 772-871-0585 or steve@windhaus.com.

For further information about the loan fund and applying for the training program contact Mr. Greg Vaday, Economic Development Coordinator for the Treasure Coast Regional Planning Council at 772-261-4060 or gvaday@tcrpc.org.