33-Plus New Events for Growing Companies


Welcome to our biweekly roundup of small business events, conferences and webinars, brought to you as a community service by Small Business Trends and Smallbiztechnology.com.

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Business Bootcamp for Wonder Women Conference
February 25-26, 2011

Business Bootcamp for Wonder Women is the professional women’s bootcamp that covers all facets of social media, marketing, business and technology.

There are 30 information-packed sessions, hands-on workshops and panels for attendees to choose from.

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How to Conduct Market Research for Business Plans, Launching New Ventures
February 28, 2011, New York City

Fordham Marketing Professor Hooman Estelami, in this interactive seminar, discusses techniques for conducting market research for evaluating new products, new markets and competitive landscapes. This seminar will help you address the questions: Is your new product/service idea a good one? Is there a market for the product? How big is the market? How do I learn about the competition? How do I make forecasts?

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Disney Institute’s Business Owner & Management Conferences: Quality Service and Brand Loyalty
February 28 – March 2, 2011, Lake Buena Vista, FL

Presented in partnership with Disney Institute and Northpoint Services. “Benchmark your Business to Disney’s” and discover the strategies and practices that contribute to Disney’s world-renowned success at this conference that includes an exclusive “Business Excellence: Behind-the-Scenes” tour.

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Business Process Automation for Solos: The Burgeoning Inbox – Gaining Control of Important Emails
March 1, 2011, Webinar

If you spend more time scrolling through your inbox than actually reading the messages, then this webinar is for you. Things you will take away from this webinar:
* The empowerment to unsubscribe from email lists that aren’t moving your business forward
* Understanding how to implement email filters and rules to read and file incoming email messages
* Contact information for all the other attendees
* An invitation to attend Efficient Office Computing’s “First Quarter Review: How Are You Doing?” 90-minute webinar in April 2011 for free

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Cbeyond Brings “Clarity to the Cloud” With Free Webinar Series

The series of webinars will highlight the simplicity, reliability and affordable solutions offered in the cloud. The topics include:

Bringing Clarity to the Cloud
March 1, 2011, featuring Cbeyond Cloud Services President, Brooks Robinson

Don’t Be a Server Hugger – Take Your Data to the Cloud for Enhanced Security and Redundancy

March 16, 2011, featuring Ramon Ray, journalist, technology evangelist, editor of Smallbiztechnology.com and author of Technology Solutions for Growing Businesses

Cbeyond will be giving away a $50 American Express gift card to one lucky participant at the conclusion of each webinar.

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How to Get Amazing Sales and Marketing Results in the New Economy
March 1, 2011, Webinar

Learn how marketing and sales functions are combining to make a powerful new system to let prospects learn about your company, hear your content and step forward, raise their hands and say, “I want to do business with you.” In this free webinar you will learn how to manage this change quickly and effectively to create marketing programs that produce results. Attendees will learn:

– How to Transition Your Salespeople From Prospectors to Closers
– The Must-Ask Questions to Increase Sales
– How to Use Experience Mapping to Make Your Company Remarkable
– Strategies to Double Your Referrals

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Get Inspired: 20 Amazing Ways Marketers Are Winning With Online Video
March 2nd, 2011, 2pm EST
March 8th, 2011, 2pm EST

Learn how video increases the impact of your marketing campaigns. This webinar explores how companies like Reebok, Philips, Kohler and others use video to drive awareness, generate leads and increase stickiness of their sites.

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Brite ’11 Conference
March 2-3, New York City

Brite ’11 will bring together big thinkers from business, technology, media and marketing to discuss emerging trends in marketing, innovation, technology, society and culture, and how these trends can transform the ways that companies build and sustain great brands.

Brite offers a different blend of thinkers and doers, both onstage and off, than you will find at any other event. Participants come to think differently about the changing landscape of media and technology, and to connect with a unique group of innovators, marketers, entrepreneurs, and champions of social enterprise.

Use discount code briteblog25 for 25 percent off registration.

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Credit Ready NYC Credit Fair
March 7, 2011, New York City

March is recognized as Women’s History Month and in keeping with that recognition, this event is for women entrepreneurs, business owners and startups. The fair is also open to anyone wanting financial information prior to getting involved with the creation of a business or to better manage the one they are involved with. There will be banks, alternative lenders and nonprofit organizations to offer loan and financial services.
To RSVP call (212) 788-6871 or email: events@council.nyc.gov

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Sixth Annual Small Business Summit 2011
March 8, 2011, New York City & Online

Produced by Prime Strategies and SmallBizTechnology.com, this event is an informative, inspiring and productive day. Headline speakers include Chris McCann of 1-800-Flowers and Jim Fowler of Jigsaw, which was acquired by Salesforce.com in early 2010.

At this year’s Summit you will network with your peers, gain insight from business leaders who have built successful businesses – including 1-800-Flowers, Jigsaw, 888 Red Light, ColderICE and more – see demos by the hottest technology companies for small businesses, and hear the success story of this year’s Small Business Strategy Award winner.

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Resist the “March Madness:” Get Your Business Unstuck – Tweet Chat
March 10, 2011, Online

Join Network Solutions and Barry Moltz for a #Netsol Tweet Chat on March 10th from 1-2:30 PM EST. Barry Moltz will show you what it takes to handle the “madness” of running a small business.

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Trade Brooklyn
March 14, 2011, Brooklyn, NY

Trade Brooklyn will bring together premier businesses from Brooklyn, the adjoining boroughs of NYC and the greater NYC region. Exhibitors and attendees will have the opportunity to connect and network with entrepreneurs, local, regional and national corporations, nonprofits, government agencies, business advocacy groups and the media.

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Morgan Entrepreneurship Series at the Hudson Library
Multiple dates, Hudson, OH

Quickbooks as a Business Tool
Tuesday, March 15, 2011, at 6:30 p.m.
Terri Brundson, attorney, CPA and author of several books on accounting software, explains Quickbooks as a business tool. Co-sponsored by Akron’s SCORE office, “Counselors to America’s Small Businesses.”

The Entrepreneur’s Edge
Tuesday, April 5, 2011 at 7:00 p.m.
Kirk Neiswander, president of The Entrepreneur’s Edge, which provides services and programs specifically designed to help its member mid-market companies grow in value.

BioEnterprise
Thursday, April 21, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
Baiju Shah, president, CEO and founder of BioEnterprise in Cleveland, an initiative that aids the formation, recruitment and acceleration of health-care companies.

Entrepreneur Success Stories
Wednesday, May 4, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.
Entrepreneur success stories will feature a panel of successful Northeast Ohio entrepreneurs who are living the dream of running their own businesses.

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Geek Girl Boot Camp
March 19, 2011, Cape Cod, MA

At this full-day technology “unconference” for women, workshops include PC and Mac, social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), location (Foursquare, Gowalla, Yelp) Photoshop, QuickBooks, blogging, podcasting, WordPress, Google Tools, Dreamweaver, Video, inbound marketing, digital photography and more. The workshops are designed for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. There are Discussion Groups and an all-day Help Desk. The mission of Geek Girl Camp is to educate and empower every girl and woman at every age level, on every skill level, at every income level on computer technology with fun and provide a legacy by giving back and paying it forward.

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Infusioncon User Conference
March 21-24, 2011, Phoenix, AZ

Infusionsoft, the leading provider of marketing automation software for small businesses, will hold its free annual user conference March 21-24 at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. InfusionCon 2011 is the small business marketing event of the year bringing together more than 1,000 Infusionsoft customers for expert-led panel sessions and intensive training from Infusionsoft’s product and customer service teams. See the complete agenda.

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The Social Consumer: Case Studies and Roundtables
March 23, 2011, New York City

We all know that consumer behavior is rapidly changing. This half-day conference will showcase very specific case studies that demonstrate how leading brands engage, influence and service consumers through innovative social programs. This conference will answer the following questions and more:

  • How are brands using content strategy and content marketing as valuable currency to attract and retain customers and prospects?
  • What are specific examples of how consumer marketers provide better customer service through social CRM?
  • How do you embrace mobile social strategies including location based programs to increase sales and strengthen your brand?
  • How are leading brands engaging customers through social games?
  • What are the best examples of how leading e-commerce brands embrace social commerce to increase sales and provide better service?
  • How does Facebook’s open graph and the explosion of the “like button” impact consumer marketing?

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The 2011 Sales & Marketing Playbook Conference
March 22, 2011

With most predictions calling for mild economic growth, businesses seeking to increase revenues need to have to be more aggressive with their sales and marketing initiatives.

  • Does your company struggle to get noticed among its competitors?
  • Are you aware of the latest proven sales and marketing tactics for the new normal?
  • Do you know the keys to shortening the sales cycle?
  • What elements must your website have to be validated by your prospects?

At this one-of-a-kind conference, leading experts will provide attendees both the strategy and the tactics needed to create and execute the sales and marketing plans to help them achieve their goals for 2011. This event will feature six breakout sessions covering a variety of critical sales and marketing topics.

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BizTech [Small Business] March 24, 2011, San Francisco

Small businesses deserve access to the same tools and technology big companies employ, without paying big bucks. Discover a different way of doing business.
BizTech [Small Business Technology] is the premier event where small business owners discover the latest tools and technology to increase sales, generate more leads, save time and improve their competitive advantage.

Meet small business influencers including Mark Quinn – Head of Small Business Administration, Regina Dick-Endrizzi – Executive Director of Office of Small Business, City of San Francisco, Guy Philips – Head of Small Business, Visa. Learn what’s going on in the small business technology world today.

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Vertical Response 2011 Take Action User Seminar Series
Multiple Cities and Dates

March 23, 2011 – Boston
March 25, 2011 – New York City
June 23, 2011 – Chicago
September 30, 2011 – Denver

The Vertical Response 2011 Take Action User Seminar is designed to educate you about email marketing in the age of social media. Complement your attendance with a one-on-one email consultation and get the chance to take what you learn and immediately put it into action! Join Smallbiztechnology.com’s Ramon Ray in New York City and get $10 off early bird registration at this link.

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The 2011 U.S./Israel Venture Summit
March 29-30, 2011, New York City

The U.S./Israel Venture Summit, presented by youngStartup Ventures, is the premier gathering where cutting-edge Israeli startups meet top venture capitalists, angel investors, corporate VCs and investment bankers from throughout North America.

Whether you are an investor seeking new deals, or an emerging company seeking capital and exposure, The U.S./Israel Venture Summit is one event you won’t want to miss.

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BlogWell: How Big Brands Use Social Media
March 29, 2011 – New York City

This event is all about how big brands use social media. No agencies, no startups — just big companies sharing what they’ve learned and providing practical, how-to advice on creating great content, earning management buy-in, training employees, engaging fans and keeping everything ethical and legal.

Additional BlogWell events:
May 4, 2011 – Washington, DC

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GROWCO Grow Your Company Conference
April 6-8, 2011, Las Vegas

Inc. created GROWCO, a three-day conference for business leaders who want brass tacks advice to achieve the next level of growth. GROWCO speakers include founders and CEOs of fast-growing companies, icons in the business community and authors of definitive business tomes. Learn how to develop a vision, manage a team, create a brand, get the most for your marketing dollar, connect with customers, close deals and find capital.

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Trade Nassau
April 12, 2011, Woodbury, NY

Trade Nassau will bring together premier businesses from Long Island the greater New York Metro region. Exhibitors and attendees will have the opportunity to connect and network with entrepreneurs, local, regional and national corporations, nonprofits, government agencies, business advocacy groups, and the media.

  • Meet and explore business opportunities with Long Island’s business elite
  • Meet hundreds of exhibitors and over 1,500 key decision makers
  • Attend business seminars and panel discussions to learn about the best business practices from experts

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Specialty Retail Entrepreneur Expo & Conference
April 12-14, 2011, Las Vegas

SPREE is the world’s largest event for the $12 billion cart and kiosk industry. Whether you are a retailer, specialty leasing manager or prospective entrepreneur looking for the newest concepts, locations or services to start or grow your specialty retail business, or an exhibitor seeking new sales opportunities, SPREE is designed with you in mind!

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Extreme Business Makeovers
April 29-May 1, 2011, Orlando, FL

This dynamic and transformational “Connectinar” features top caliber small business thought leaders as well as like-minded, “intentional entrepreneurs” for you to network and form strategic relationships with.

Speakers include such powerhouses as Joel Comm, Frank McKinney and Scott Ginsberg who will teach you how to…
1) Uncover your hidden assets
2) Overcome your challenges
3) Create your action plan to bring you to the next level

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12th Annual U.S. Department of Energy Small Business Conference & Expo
May 10-12, 2011, Kansas City, MO

This event will feature plenaries, educational workshops, an Exhibit Hall with over 200 exhibitors/sponsors, as well as business matchmaking sessions. Over 1,600 attendees will represent all levels of federal, state and local government agencies, the small business community, large/prime contractors, minority educational institutions and many more.

The largest civilian contracting agency within the federal government, DOE spent over $25 billion in contracts in FY 2010. The 12th Annual DOE Small Business Conference & Expo is a great opportunity for small business owners, large companies and universities alike to network and partner.

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unGeeked Elite
unGeeked EliteMay 12 -14, 2011, Chicago

unGeeked Elite three-day Retreat’s unique format:

* No keynote speakers: unGeeked levels the playing field by presenting you with an influential list of international, national and regionally recognized consultants and authors.
* No Presenters: unGeeked is where you participate in open discussions with “discussion leaders” regarding leveraging your corporate and personal brand.
* Fewer Power Points or Prezi’s: Really? We don’t like them. However, if the speaker needs to use one of these tools, they are limited to only five slides.
* More speaker and attendee interaction: We’re changing what to expect from a seminar or conference.

Limited to 125 participants. Note: Anita Campbell, CEO of Small Business Trends, will be speaking at this event.

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America’s Small Business Summit 2011
May 23-25, 2011, Washington, DC

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s annual event — America’s Small Business Summit — unites small business owners, managers and entrepreneurs from across the country to learn, network and discuss common legislative and management concerns. Help influence our nation’s economic and political agenda by advocating for pro-business policies through the Rally on the Hill portion of the program. Register before April 1st for early bird pricing.

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The Art of Angel Investing: What Investors Look for, and Look Out for, When Investing in Startups
May 24, 2011, New York City

This event is a must-attend for anyone interested in learning more about pitching business ideas, venture capital/angel investing and starting their own business. And for those who are Fordham students or alumni, come cheer on your peers in the final round of the Fordham Business Plan Competition!

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140 Characters Conference
June 15-16, 2011, New York City

This event is expected to be the largest worldwide gathering of people interested in the effects of the real-time Internet on both business and “we” the people. It seems like everyone is talking about Facebook and Twitter, but so what? Why do they really matter?

#140conf exposes you to the power the Internet has to disrupt businesses, change lives and create serendipity. You will leave with a fresh outlook on how the real-time Web can be used in your business or personal life to actually do something meaningful.

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Veteran Entrepreneur Training Symposium
June 27-30, Reno, NV

Do you run a veteran-owned or service-disabled veteran-owned small business (VOSB/SDVOSB) and want to work with the government? Or do you want to team with a veteran-owned company but aren’t sure how? The National Veterans Small Business Coalition has created the Veteran Entrepreneur Training Symposium (VETS) to help you accomplish your small business goals.

Unlike other small business conferences, VETS connects thriving veteran business owners with emerging veteran entrepreneurs to expose the knowledge needed to acquire government contracts and teaming opportunities. While attending, also expect to network with government agencies, large companies, and potential clients and customers.

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FAA Small Business Opportunities Training Conference and Trade Show
June 28-July 1, 2011, Oklahoma City, OK

The FAA will host its Annual National Small Business Procurement Opportunities Training Conference and Trade Show on June 28 – July 1, 2010. The conference provides a forum for small businesses (including service-disabled and veteran-owned small businesses and 8(a) certified firms) to participate in technical and procurement opportunities workshops. Sessions will link small businesses with program managers, address business issues and concerns, and provide information that will benefit small businesses seeking to do business with the agency.

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NAWBO Women’s Business Conference 2011
August 31 – September 1, 2011, San Diego, CA

The NAWBO Women’s Business Conference is the only event of its kind focused on connecting women entrepreneurs to real business opportunities that deliver bottom-line results. The conference brings together businesses of all sizes from various industries to provide women entrepreneurs with both personal and professional tools and resources to take their business to the next level of success.

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Affiliate Summit East 2011
August 21-23, 2011, New York City

Affiliate Summit East 2011, the premier affiliate marketing conference, is taking place August 21-23, 2011, in New York City. This three-day conference includes an exhibit hall with affiliate merchants, vendors and networks, and multiple tracks of educational sessions covering the latest trends and information from affiliate marketing experts.

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To find more small business events, contests and awards, visit our Small Business Events Calendar.

If you are putting on a small business contest, award or competition, and want to get the word out to the community, please submit it through our Events & Contests Submission Form. (We do not charge a fee to be included in this listing — it is completely free to list your event.) Only events of interest to small business people, freelancers and entrepreneurs will be considered and included.

1 Comment ▼

Laura Leites Laura Leites plans and manages events for clients through her company, L2 Event Production. Laura's projects include the Small Business Influencer Awards, The Small Business Summit, and many of SmallBizTechnology's live and virtual events, including the five-city Small Business Technology Tour.

One Reaction
  1. Great events coming up! Look forward to some of them!