In partnership with the Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce and the Outlook Inn in Eastsound, the San Juan County Economic Development Council will present a free all-day workshop for small businesses and entrepreneurs on Tuesday, April 20 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The business and financing workshop course material will be presented by James McCafferty, director of the Skagit/San Juan Islands Small Business Development Center, and a management consultant for more than 10 years. An afternoon session in social media and marketing will be presented by Victoria Compton, director of the San Juan County Economic Development Council.

The business workshop will include a course on business planning, and will run from 9:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. As part of the morning workshop, McCafferty will cover business financing. The workshop will discuss a variety of financing options and will provide a reality check for those considering a new or expanded business venture.

Participants in the workshop will leave with the resources and support to create a business plan including a realistic financial plan. In addition, McCafferty will cover current federal and Washington state tax incentive programs for small businesses.

An afternoon session on social media will run from 2 to 3 p.m. and will be presented by Compton. “Marketing in the San Juan Islands can be tricky, particularly for businesses with small budgets,” she said. “Using social media as a marketing tool is an easy and effective for way for many businesses to do additional marketing inexpensively.”

As part of the afternoon session, one-on-one business counseling will be offered from 2 to 4 p.m.

The workshop will be held at the Outlook Inn, 171 Main Street in Eastsound. Advanced registration is recommended: info@sanjuansedc.org, or 378-2906.