Being a small business owner can be challenging these days, with numerous decisions to be made. It can get overwhelming and time-consuming. The class, “Money Smart for Small Business,” is designed to help lighten the load of entrepreneurs in areas of great importance.
University of Illinois Extension is offering a twelve-part class, from January 12 to April 6, to help entrepreneurs become more aware of areas that can be instrumental in the long-term success of their business. The class was developed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in collaboration with the Small Business Administration.
The topics covered include banking services, accounting, insurance, personal readiness, cash flow management, business structure, start-up, record-keeping, risk management, selling/succession planning, credit, and tax planning. Each topic will be covered by a guest speaker with expertise in their field. Additionally, participants will learn from the group discussions and leave with handouts for future reference.
Richard Proffer, Illinois Extension community and economic development educator, will be leading the discussions. He has experience in dealing with small businesses as he counsels entrepreneurs.
“The beauty of these topics is that every business owner has already dealt with or will deal with the topics. This class helps give the owner a leg up in making decisions on how to handle them,” says Proffer.
Participants may register for each session that interests them.
1/12/2026- Banking Services
1/26/2026- Accounting
2/2/2026-Insurance
2/9/2026- Business Planning
2/16/2026- Cash Flow
2/23/2026- Business Structure
3/2/2026- Are You Ready to be a Business Owner
3/9/2026-Risk Management
3/16/2026- Selling Your Business
3/23/2026- Credit and Business Growth
3/30/26- Tax Planning
4/6/2026- Record Keeping
The series will be held at the University of Illinois Extension Peoria branch office located at 4810 N Sheridan Road, Peoria. The class begins at 6 pm, accompanied by light refreshments.
Registration is required for the class and can be completed by visiting go.illinois.edu/MoneySmart
For questions regarding the series or any other topics, Richard can be reached by calling 309-543-3308 or emailing him at rproffer@illinois.edu.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.