Upcoming Events
March 2024
GovCon 101: HubZones
The Federal Government has contracting goals for Women, Minorities, Service Disabled Veterans and HUBZone located small businesses. These set asides are a great way to gain entry into the complex world of Federal contracting. This class will introduce you to the HUBZone certification. We will cover these key areas: • Eligibility requirements for HUBZone • Understanding the application process • Understanding how to prepare before applying • Staying Certified Don’t miss out on this informative presentation on how you can…
StartUp Toolbox: Get Your Business Started
Do you want to open your own business? Do you have an idea for a product or service and you want to bring to market? Maybe you have people ready to buy your products, or customers ready to sign up for your services, but you’re not sure how to start getting paid. You may have an idea what your concept is but you’re not sure if it will make a profitable company. We’ll cover the importance of creating a business…
SEO & Social Selling
The following will be covered during this live webinar: Power of SEO and social media for attracting customers, including local SEO to precisely target your market. Website optimization for lead generation. How personas, message maps, and content calendars help to make your website and social media footprint more attractive when integrated. Social selling as an amplifier of your existing sales and marketing strategy. Learn to build an omni channel presence and customer journey for faster wins. What your digital channel…
Trademark Basics
Join us for a discussion about what all entrepreneurs, small businesses, and start-ups should know about trademarks. We’ll discuss what trademarks are, the benefits of federal trademark registration, and the basics of the registration process. We’ll also talk about why it’s so important for any new business to select a trademark that is both federally registrable and legally protectable. We’ll direct you to free resources from the USPTO and close out the discussion with a question-and-answer session. Speaker: Mariessa Terrell, Attorney…
April 2024
Starting Your Small Business
Do you want to open your own business? Do you have an idea for a product or service and you want to bring to market? Maybe you have people ready to buy your products, or customers ready to sign up for your services, but you're not sure how to start getting paid. You may have an idea what your concept is but you're not sure if it will make a profitable company. Navigating the ins and outs of creating a business…
Franchising 101: Starting a Business Through a Franchise
What does it take to be a successful franchise owner in Virginia? Whether you are interested in operating a full-time business, being a semi-absentee investor, or having a highly profitable summer business, learn what to look for in a franchise, which franchises do well (and don’t do well) in our region, and state and local regulations to be aware of before signing a franchise agreement. There will also be information about franchise trends and opportunities. Speaker: Heather Rosen, President of FranNet…
Government Contracting 101
The following essential steps for government contracting will be covered: The government customer Readiness to be a government contractor Marketing to the customer Government jargon Steps to get started Small business set-asides Targeting the government customer What the buyer wants to know What should go into a capability statement Register Here
Pricing Your Small Business Services
How do you generate the "right" price for your service-based business? We'll go over basics of budgeting for your small business first, since that's the foundation of making service-pricing decisions. Then we'll talk through the process of figuring out your prices for your services -- both hourly rate models and package models. Post-workshop, registrants will receive a free digital template for business budgeting, a one-pager with the process overview of service-pricing, a copy of the slides from the webinar, and…
Service Disable Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB)
The federal government aims to award at least 3% of all federal contracting dollars to Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) each year. Joining the SDVOSB program makes your business eligible to compete for the program’s set-aside contracts. You can still compete for contract awards under other socio-economic programs you qualify for. Key Takeaways: What is a SDVOSB? Who is eligible for the program? What to expect with the recent changes to the program? Register Here
Grow Your Business with Digital Marketing
Businesses need to understand the basics of digital marketing now more than ever, because digital marketing creates growth. Learn about the basics of digital marketing, including: Social Media Email Marketing Paid Ads SEO Affiliate Marketing How to use analytics to measure your success Register Here A confirmation email with the Zoom login information will be sent after registration - a day before before the event - please be on the lookout for it.
GovCon 101: 8A Business Certifications
The Federal Government buys over $600 billion per year on goods and services, 5% of that spend is allocated for Small Disadvantaged(8(A) firms. This is a huge opportunity for small firms, who qualify, to grow their business and become part of the challenging world of Government Contracting through set-aside opportunities. In this presentation you will learn: • Eligibility requirements for 8(a) certification • Understanding the Application Process • Understanding how to prepare before applying • Staying Certified Register Here
Intro to Selling to State Agencies
Each year, the State buys goods and services totaling more than $7 billion – learn how your company can be a part of that! This webinar is designed to educate small, woman and/or minority business owners about opportunities to sell their goods and services to the Commonwealth of Virginia and many local governments. The workshop will provide information about the Virginia procurement process (the eVA system) and the benefits of SWaM certification. REGISTER HERE Speaker: Angela Barber, Business Services Manager, Virginia…
Navigating Cybersecurity Compliance
A helpful cybersecurity guide for small business owners! In today's digital landscape, small businesses face an increasing number of cybersecurity threats. Navigating cybersecurity compliance can be daunting, especially for those with limited resources and expertise. This comprehensive guide provides small business owners with practical insights and actionable steps to effectively manage cybersecurity risks and ensure compliance with relevant regulations. Whether you're a startup or an established small business, staying ahead of cybersecurity challenges is essential for protecting sensitive data, maintaining…
May 2024
Financing Your Small Business
Promotional Video HERE Overview of This Live Webinar During this live webinar (Zoom), attendees will learn: Financing Basics – Types of Financing Funding Sources & Financing Programs Common Misconceptions of Small Business Financing Bank Financing Basics Preparing for Financing Strategies for your Bank Presentation And Much More! Register here
Marketing 101
Refresh your knowledge to effectively market your goods and/or services! This live webinar (via Zoom) will cover the following marketing essentials: How to choose your target group(s) How to communicate with your target(s) Market Definition Market Segmentation Competitive Analysis Company Branding Online (SEO) and Offline Marketing Register Here
Grow Your Business with Digital Marketing
Businesses need to understand the basics of digital marketing now more than ever, because digital marketing creates growth. Learn about the basics of digital marketing, including: Social Media Email Marketing Paid Ads SEO Affiliate Marketing How to use analytics to measure your success Register Here A confirmation email with the Zoom login information will be sent after registration - a day before before the event - please be on the lookout for it.
Starting Your Small Business
Do you want to open your own business? Do you have an idea for a product or service and you want to bring to market? Maybe you have people ready to buy your products, or customers ready to sign up for your services, but you're not sure how to start getting paid. You may have an idea what your concept is but you're not sure if it will make a profitable company. Navigating the ins and outs of creating a business…
GovCon 101: Creating a Capabilities Statement
The Federal Government buys over $600 billion per year on goods and services, 5% of that spend is allocated for Small Business. This is a huge opportunity for firms, who qualify, to grow their business and become part of the challenging world of Government Contracting through set-aside opportunities. In order to get noticed by small business offices, you must first create a winning capability statement. This is the most importing marketing piece you will create for your business. A properly…
Startup Toolbox: Get Your Business Started!
Do you want to open your own business? Do you have an idea for a product or service and you want to bring to market? Maybe you have people ready to buy your products, or customers ready to sign up for your services, but you’re not sure how to start getting paid. You may have an idea what your concept is but you’re not sure if it will make a profitable company. We’ll cover the importance of creating a business…
Combating Social Engineering Attacks
Learn strategies for mitigating escalating cybersecurity threats! As social engineering attacks continue to evolve and escalate, businesses must arm themselves with effective defense strategies. This comprehensive resource delves into the world of social engineering, offering insights into the latest tactics used by cybercriminals to manipulate employees and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information. With the right knowledge and proactive measures in place, businesses can strengthen their security posture and safeguard against the ever-growing menace of social engineering attacks. Register Here
Building your Business Performance Dashboard Metrics
Please join Senior Business Counselor, and Adjunct GMU Professor George Siragusa, as he guides you through a step-by-step process of building a business performance dashboard, complete with relevant metrics, that is invaluable to meet your strategic and tactical goals and objectives. This webinar is extremely useful for early stage companies, growth, or even mature businesses! During this NO-COST webinar you should be able to: : See what business dashboards look like Understand why a “scorecard” is important Become familiar with…