information and skills and generally dont offer the sophistication or broad coverage that youll require. They can be an excellent choice if you lack a basic skill youll need in your business. For example, high school bookkeeping classes and accounting classes can give you a basic foundation of knowledge and practical skills.     Junior or Community College Business Programs. Business education is a vital part of many two-year colleges. Classes often are taught by professionals from the community and offer specific, real world information. The more popular classes are commonly taught in both day and evening sessions. You usually can take just the classes that interest you, unless you wish to enroll in a structured degree or certificate program.     Short Classes and Extension Programs. Some colleges and universities offer a variety of classes that are not part of a degree program. Some of these classes take place in one or two days, while others take longer.     Universities and Colleges. Most universities and colleges offer classes only to students enrolled in a four-year program. Courses tend to be academically rigorous, but provide limited practical business information.     Graduate Business Schools. Many universities have specialized business schools and offer graduate degrees called a Masters Degree in Business Administration (MBA) for students who have completed a four-year college degree. I dont think an MBA degree is necessary to succeed in small business. Im aware of no relationship between academic achievement and small business success. In fact, an MBA hinders some people.     Entrepreneurial, Profit Making Programs. Private promoters organize many classes and private seminars. Some classes can be very valuable, but many are a complete waste of time and money. Fees can range anywhere from free to hundreds of dollars. And supposedly free or inexpensive seminars can be a ploy to induce you to buy something later. Appendix 1: Business Plan for a Small Service Business     Overview     Service businesses have simple financial projections. Usually, fixed expenses are equal to total costs and the owners objective is to make sure that sales revenue exceeds fixed expenses. Investors and lenders look for proof of the plans revenue forecasts, since the plan succeeds or fails on that forecast. The following plan contains a thorough projection of sales revenue and a discussion of why the owner thinks the revenue forecasts are achievable.     This plan contains a different way of looking at a Cash Flow Forecast. I think this different presentation is easy to follow. You can use this new format or the format in Chapter 7.     I lost track of the owner and dont know whether she was successful. The plan is for a small personnel agency located in a city of about 70,000, which specializes in placing people in secretarial, clerical and word processing positions. Basically, all you need to get started in this business is a state license (in many states), a desk and a telephone. However, as in most other businesses, to do well you also need to know the business intimately, be able to manage your time effectively, have good sales ability and be convinced that you will succeed.     This plan would benefit from a more thorough presentation of its components and I recommend