Brendon Matthews of First National Bank is the 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 1, speaker at Bluffton Center For Entrepreneurs Talk Back series.

Free and open to the public, the presentation is at Twisted Whisk Cafe, 103 S. Main St., Bluffton.

Do you have a great idea for a business venture, but aren’t certain where to begin?

Bluffton Center for Entrepreneurs wants to help people who have business start-up ideas to get those ideas off the ground.

To help launch those ideas and to generate interest in the 2018 Ropp Triplett Business Plan Competition, BCE launches a weekly “Talk Back” series.

“It’s where business owners and other professionals meet and lead question and answer sessions about starting and maintaining a small business,” said Eric Berdin, BCE director.

Berdin says, “Think of the series as mini-speaker discussions on business start-ups. It’s a place where you can ask questions from local entrepreneurs who have asked many of the same questions you are asking.”

He added that the sessions are designed to answer any questions people have about starting and maintaining a small business. Talk BACK means “Talk - Business Advancing Community Knowledge.”

Speakers remaining on the series:
• Feb. 1 – Brendon Matthews, executive vice president, First National Bank
• Feb. 8 – Dick McGarrity, entrepreneur who started The Mustard Seed Café
• Feb. 15 – David Steiner and Mitch Kingsley, CPA and attorney

Each session is free and open to the public. Coffee will be served. For more information on the series and the 2018 BCE business plan competition contact BCE.

Ropp Triplett Business Plan Competition 2018
Feb. 21 - First Meeting for Small Business Plan
Feb. 28 – April 11 - Small Business plan classes
April 18 -19 - Final preparation dress rehearsal
April 25 – 26 - Final presentation/feedback dates
April 28 -  Brunch/judging announcement of winners

BCE contact information
BCE’s office is in the lower level of the Bluffton Public Library, 145 S. Main St. Office hours are Mondays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Thursdays from 2 to 6 p.m. BCE’s phone number is 419-672-9076. E-mail address is [email protected]. The website is: http://www.blufftonentrepreneurs.com.