On Tuesday, a graduation ceremony was held at the Montecito Country Club in honor of 81 new local entrepreneurs (44 from Santa Barbara and 37 from Ventura County) who graduated from the Self-Employment Training Course offered by Women’s Economic Ventures’ Women’s Business Center.

After 14 weeks of training in finance, marketing, leadership skills and more, graduates are confident and ready to use the knowledge they have gained to turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

WEV’s latest Self-Employment Training graduate businesses and business concepts include: a program based on yoga that aims to empower women who have experienced domestic violence, healthy fast-food, a matchmaking service and an online swimsuit boutique.

With a robust menu of training, technical assistance, networking services, and access to capital through its Small Business Loan Fund, WEV has provided entrepreneurial training to nearly 4,000 women, loaned more than $2 million to local businesses, and has created an average of 300 jobs in the community each year.

WEV’s Self-Employment Training course is part of WEV’s continuum of programs that help entrepreneurs start up, grow and sustain a business, including business consulting, entrepreneurial coaching, advanced business training, and small-business startup and expansion loans.

WEV’s comprehensive 14 week, 56-hour Self-Employment Training program is designed for women (all services are open to men) to provide guidance on how to start, operate and expand a business. The program is offered in both English and Spanish, and provides week-by-week training in the most important aspects of organizing, financing, marketing and managing a small business.

Topics include personal leadership skills, personal finances, marketing and sales, public relations and advertising, legal and insurance issues, record keeping, cash flow projections and writing a business plan.

Self-Employment Training courses are offered twice each year, with classes starting in September and February. The class runs for 14 consecutive weeks, one night a week for three hours, and includes two full Saturdays. Classes are taught in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Oxnard and Ventura. Interested participants must attend a free one-hour orientation workshop prior to registering for the course.

The next Santa Barbara County orientations take place on:

» Wednesday, Jan. 7 from noon to 1 p.m.

» Tuesday, Jan. 20 from 6 to 7 p.m.

Click here to register or for more information.

— Amy Bernstein is a publicist representing Women’s Economic Ventures.