GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Starting a business can be an intimidating process for anyone. If you’re not sure where to start, it can be even more challenging. CareerSource North Central Florida has developed several programs to help job seekers interested in working for themselves to gain the skills and knowledge they need to start their own companies.

Candy Ganyo had already successfully completed CareerSource NCFL’s “Startup Quest Boot Camp” course after qualifying for assistance under the US Department of Labor-funded program, “Opportunity Quest.” When she heard about the “Own Your Future” program, she was interested in participating in it, too, because she felt it would help her to be better prepared as an entrepreneur.

“I picked up on [‘Own Your Future’] after I heard about it through the “Startup Quest Boot Camp”,” Candy says. “The reason I took it was that I felt it would offer me additional options that would help me expand my horizons for starting my own business.”

Though Candy had learned a great deal from the “Startup Quest Boot Camp,” enrolling in “Own Your Future” provided her with even more knowledge and tools to help her on her entrepreneurial journey.

She explains, “The class really showed me some additional pathways – some options that I didn’t know existed. It helped me determine how I need to expand what I’m doing on paper before it gets to the point where I actually open the business.”

Similar to “Startup Quest Boot Camp,” “Own Your Future” is a four-week, boot camp-style training that teaches participants the basic concepts of starting a business. Participants learn how entrepreneurs create sustainable businesses with little to no resources; how to set and work toward healthy goals; and determine how to be successful in today’s entrepreneurial climate.

Candy is a cheerleader for both courses she’s taken, but she is especially pleased with her experience with “Own Your Future.” For Candy, the program taught her about more than simply starting and running a business: It helped shed light on her own professional abilities.

“It an awesome class. I would highly recommend it!” she says. “It teaches you to change your thought processes. It gives you insight into… not so much what employers are looking for but a lot of self-introspection.”

Candy’s biggest takeaway from the course was knowing what she needs to continue to work on for herself. “It’s helped show me some areas where I need to work, things that need to be worked on. I really enjoyed it,” she says.

Tamara Dubinksy found CareerSource North Central Florida when she needed it the most. Tamara went from having a job since the age of 14 to being jobless and the sole provider for her family. When she needed help, she was referred to the Gainesville Career Center, where she learned more about the staff’s dedication and kindness to job seekers like herself, who are personally going through hardships and need support.

Before coming to CareerSource North Central Florida, Tamara was unaware of all the local program opportunities available to her and other job seekers around Gainesville. CareerSource enrolled her in a Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint refresher course, which helped her realize how necessary these tools and programs are to find career opportunities. Not only has CareerSource provided Tamara with the resources she needed to apply for better jobs, but also in developing her personal skills, like critical thinking, which have helped her navigate interviews and meetings with job recruiters.

“The training and help that I’ve been getting from CareerSource North Central Florida are going to help put me on a path to finding a career and not just a job, which is incredibly important to me as a mother. It feels like the end of the world when you are unemployed and searching for a job, but there are people who will help you at CareerSource North Central Florida who actually care,” says Tamara Dubinsky.

Karen Williams shares how the classes at CareerSource North Central Florida helped jumpstart her journey as a business owner. With guidance, resources, and a boost of confidence, Karen turned her vision into a reality and took the first steps toward building her own successful business.