Welcome to our bi-weekly 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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Tory Johnson’s 2011 Spark & Hustle National Tour
Multiple Dates and Cities Feb-July 2011
Whether you’re just getting your feet wet with this “business thing,” barely keeping your head above water, or finally ready to swim with the sharks, Spark & Hustle is the place to learn (exactly) how to transform your fledgling (or floundering) business into a wildly profitable venture.
Future of Entrepreneurship Education Summit
February 18, 2011, Orlando Florida
This event will feature the top leaders in entrepreneurship education in the United States — combined they serve over 30 Million aspiring and existing entrepreneurs.
The Future of Entrepreneurship Education Summit is an initiative of Extreme Entrepreneurship Education. This event is being hosted by the University of Central Florida.
Intuit Inner Circle Exclusive Event: Q & A with Scott Cook
February 22, 2011, Online
In honor of Entrepreneurship Week, the Intuit Inner Circle is very excited to bring you an exclusive Q & A session with Intuit’s Founder, Scott Cook. Scott founded Intuit in 1983, based on the core principle of solving customer problems with profound innovation.
Scott will be taking your questions about being successful in small business. He’ll offer his insights and best practices for running a small business in the current environment. You must be an Inner Circle member to attend. Please join the Inner Circle to register for this exclusive event.
Authentic Influence: How Expanding Your Influence Leads to More Income
February 23, 2011, Online
In this webinar, Ramon Ray of Smallbiztechnology.com will interview Lena West, award-winning social media consultant, blogger, speaker, journalist, technologist and the Founder of Real Women Do Social Media and the Authentic Influencer Braintrust about social media, influence, and how it relates to increasing influence in your business. You’ll learn:
– Why, thanks to social media, influence is no longer a dirty word
– Why you don’t have to focus on your income, once you know how to expand your influence
– The misunderstood, hype-free link between influence and income
– 5 simple ways to increase your influence in the next 3 days
And more
Business Continuity and Disaster Survival Strategies for the Small and Mid Size Business
February 24, 2011
Data Loss and extended downtime can cripple a small business. In fact, 94% of companies that experience a major loss of data go out of business. This valuable lunch seminar is about how you can plan ahead with disaster preparedness and business continuity processes.
This Lunch and an Education Seminar is for Business Owners, Company Executives, or anyone responsible for Critical Data on a Computer Network and needs to ensure that the Business Data can be restored in minutes. Larry Owens from IntegrIT Network Solutions and Mark Baird from StorageCraft will share survival strategies and solutions to keep your business going no matter what the disaster – minor, major, environmental, or technological.
Strategic & Financial Planning Seminar
February 24, 2011, Doylestown, PA
This two-part seminar for business owners will help you make informed business decisions about where to spend your money and time. The event is organized by Network Now, a business networking group for women.
Part 1 – Strategic Planning. A strategic plan is the road map for your business. You will learn how strategic planning can help you increase your profitability and be guided on how you can easily develop a solid plan for your company.
Part 2 – Financial Planning. Your financial plan should support your strategic plan. You will learn how to create a budget, keep track of your income and expenses and measure your results to your forecast.
GetListed.org Local University
February 25, 2011, Portland
Local U: Spokane is an intensive day-long crash course in Internet marketing that will help you navigate the possibilities for marketing your business on the web. You’ll learn search engine optimization (SEO) tips and techniques, including step-by-step walk throughs of how to conduct your online marketing campaigns.
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.
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?
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.
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 progressing your business
* Understanding how to implement email filters and rules to read and file incoming email messages
* Contact information of all the other attendees
* An invitation to attend Efficien Office Computing’s “First Quarter Review: How Are You Doing?” 90-minute webinar in April 2011 for free
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% off registration.
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. Early Bird registration through February 15th.
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, non-profits, government agencies, business advocacy groups, and the media.
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.
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.
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?
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 e-mail marketing in the age of social media. Complement your attendance with a one-on-one e-mail consultation and get the chance to take what you learn and immediately put it into action!
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.
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
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.
Trade Nassau
April 12, 2011, Woodbury, NY
Trade Nassau will bring together premier businesses from Long Island the greater NY Metro region. Exhibitors and Attendees will have the opportunity to connect and network with entrepreneurs, local, regional and national corporations, non-profits, 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
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.
unGeeked Elite
May 12 -14, 2011, Chicago, IL
unGeeked Elite 3-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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hi Laura,
Thanks a lot for compiling this list. It gives a quick update of the upcoming events on a single click!
Riya Sam
Training for Entrepreneurs.com