ASBDC Certifies Palo Alto Software Curriculum

Eugene-based software company's curriculum first to be approved by Association of Small Business Development Centers. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) October 09, 2010 - EUGENE, Ore. - The Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC), a nationwide small-business assistance network, recently certified Palo Alto Software's Start, Run & Grow Your Business curriculum - a complete course in entrepreneurship. This marks the first time the ASBDC has put its stamp of approval on a business curriculum.

"Tim Berry's curriculum is a perfect fit for the Small Business Development Centers and their goal of assisting small business owners in achieving success," said Charles "Tee" Rowe, ASBDC president and CEO. "The ASBDC is proud to partner with Palo Alto Software in this effort."

The curriculum - which is designed for use in many academic settings, including universities, community colleges and adult education programs - utilizes Business Plan Pro, Palo Alto Software's top-selling business planning software. Palo Alto Software offers the curriculum free to instructors and at a discounted rate to students. With the curriculum, the instructors are offered a secure instructor area online where they have access to PowerPoint presentations, instructor notes, supplemental reading, student assignments and online videos with tutorials on how to teach different concepts. Additionally, instructors receive three books and a copy of the Business Plan Pro software.

"We have supported the ASBDC for more than 15 years and are excited to work with them to offer our curriculum to anyone teaching entrepreneurship and self employment," said Sabrina Parsons, Palo Alto Software's CEO. "This course is designed to help small businesses in America become more successful, a mission that both Palo Alto Software and the ASBDC share."

The curriculum was developed by Palo Alto Software founder Tim Berry and is based on the long-running, popular course he taught at the University of Oregon's Lundquist College of Business. The course is split into 12 sessions and teaches students the basics of starting and running a business.

Palo Alto Software has been a longtime partner of the ASBDC, which recently celebrated its 30th annual conference. Through their partnership, tools and resources, together the two organizations have helped countless entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses. Palo Alto Software continues to sponsor and attend the ASBDC Conference annually and donates thousands of copies of its software to SBDC counselors.

About Palo Alto Software

Palo Alto Software Inc. helps people succeed in business. It develops, publishes and markets software products for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Its suite of products includes Business Plan Pro, the best-selling business-planning software in the U.S.; Marketing Plan Pro powered by Duct Tape Marketing; Email Center Pro; and their newest product, Start, Run & Grow Your Business. Email Center Pro is Palo Alto Software's first SaaS product, an online email management tool for small businesses.

Palo Alto Software also runs a website network, which includes www.bplans.com, one of the highest trafficked business plan content sites in the world. Its website network receives approximately 1 million unique visitors per month and offers users unique, valuable content and free business planning tools.

Tim Berry, the founder of Palo Alto Software and a co-founder of the influential software company Borland International, is a recognized expert in business planning. After earning an MBA from Stanford University, he worked with several early Silicon Valley companies, including Apple Computer where he consulted on business planning from 1982 through 1994. Berry is the author of the popular Planning, Startups, Stories blog, as well as the Up and Running blog for Entrepreneur.com. He contributes regularly to Business in General and the Huffington Post and has been interviewed by everyone from The Wall Street Journal to Guy Kawasaki. The New York Times recently named his Palo Alto Software Twitter feed number six in its ranking of the top 11 companies to follow on Twitter.

For more information, visit www.paloalto.com or call (800) 229-7526.

About ASBDC

The Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC) represents America's Small Business Development Center Network - the most comprehensive small business assistance network in the United States and its territories.
The mission of the network is to help new entrepreneurs realize their dream of business ownership, and to assist existing businesses to remain competitive in the complex marketplace of an ever-changing global economy.

Hosted by leading universities, colleges, and state economic development agencies, and funded in part through a partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, approximately 1,000 service centers are available to provide no-cost consulting and low-cost training.

Contacts: Chelle Parmele, Palo Alto Software,
(541) 683-6162 or (800) 229-7526,
chelleparmele ( @ ) paloalto dot com;Pat Walsh,
The Ulum Group,
(541) 434-7021,
pwalsh ( @ ) ulum dot com

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