The Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity invites you to attend the 2024 Small Business Symposium: Meet Your Business Resources.
This is your chance to connect with local government economic development, counselors and mentors, finance resources, small business training resources, etc. at the business resources exhibit hall.
A room full of FREE resources for your small business.
Hosted by James Madison University
Atlantic Union Bank Center 645 University Blvd, Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States
Webinar Learning Objective
Please join Senior Business Counselor, and Adjunct GMU Professor George Siragusa, as he guides you through a step-by-step process of building your Value Proposition Design which is invaluable to startups, early stage companies, growth, or even mature businesses!
The Value Proposition Design (VPD) is a framework that enables businesses to develop and solidify their foundational ideas for how they will create, communicate, deliver and then extract marketplace value for a differentiated product or service intended to solve a specific problem aligned with a specific customer need while delivering tangible benefits, for an intended potential customer segment in a domain space or industry sector. It lives inside something called the Business Model Canvas, another important foundational business framework.
The VPD is absolute “ground zero” thinking for:
- Entrepreneurs with ideas for a product or service business
- Early stage companies
The VPD is critical formative thinking for:
- New business ventures
- Growth businesses
The VPD is valuable for:
- Businesses considering a “pivot” in some aspect of their business
- Mature businesses looking to expand or grow their offerings or markets
The VPD will:
- help clients understand how they can create enduring personal value with your products
- lower your cost of customer acquisition and retention
- avoid wasting your scarce resources of time and money
Upon completion of this NO-COST webinar you should be able to:
- Become familiar with the definition of a Value Proposition Design and why it is considered such a “bedrock principle” for any business venture
- Understand 3 specific benefits VPD brings to your business
- See how it is one of the very first actions you should take to begin forming your ideas around a product or service you believe to be a viable business
- Understand the relevance of the Value Proposition Design (VPD) to your business
- Become familiar with the 8 steps to building / refining a VPD for your business
- See a list of 10 characteristics of a great Value Proposition Design
- Become familiar with the ways in which the VPD can impact and inform your communication tactics and strategy
- Follow a “use case” to help illustrate how the VPD can inform your marketing strategy
- Answer your specific questions about VPD along during the webinar
THERE IS NO COST to ATTEND; but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
Speaker: George Siragusa – Senior Business Advisor, Mason SBDC, Adjunct Professor, George Mason University teaching Entrepreneurship for Engineers at the School of Engineering, and Senior Mentor for 3 area Startup Venture Accelerators
Co-sponsor(s) & Partner(s): Prince William County Department of Economic Development & Prince William Chamber of Commerce
Cancellation Policy: Contact the Center regarding cancellation earlier than 24 business hours prior to event. Kindly email – help@masonsbdc.org (preferred) or call 703-261-4105 to notify the team.
Special Instruction: This live webinar will be presented via Zoom. Webinar access details (Zoom invitation) will be provided after registration.
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 formatted capability statement will help you get noticed and differentiate you from your competition.
Key Takeaways:
- Proper formatting of the statement
- Information to include and not include
- Differentiators, Core competencies and past performance content
- You will be provided an editable template to use for your own capability statement
- How to use the statement
Speaker(s): Lisa Wood is the Statewide Director of the Virginia PTAC, hosted by George Mason University where she is also an Adjunct Professor of Management. Prior to that, she served as the Statewide Director with the Connecticut and Ohio PTAC programs and was also Director for the Northwest Commission PTAC in Pennsylvania. Before joining the PTAC community, Lisa was a Procurement Specialist for Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. in the Greater Pittsburgh Area. In this role, Wood performed contract administration and negotiation duties. She also recommended bidders, handled issue inquiries, negotiated bids, performed cost and price analysis, and prepared comprehensive letters to justify recommended contract actions. Ms. Wood holds an MBA from the University of New Haven and a BSBA through Robert Morris University of Pittsburgh where she is also pursuing her PhD in Instructional Management and Leadership.
If you need further assistance or have a question, please contact us at (540) 654-1383
Learn strategies for mitigating escalating 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.
Speaker: Quiana Gainey, Virginia SBDC Cyber Industry Expert
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.
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 the principles that guide your 1st dashboard draft
- Know how to get started and begin building a dashboard for your business
- Decide on a group of simple but important key metrics
- See what software is available, making scorecard development easier
- Learn how and when to use these new business metrics with your business team
- See how dashboard insights can make a positive impact on your business performance
- AND… hear answers to many of your business briefing questions in real time!
THERE IS NO COST to ATTEND; but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.
Speaker: George Siragusa – Senior Business Advisor, Mason SBDC, Adjunct Professor, George Mason University teaching Entrepreneurship for Engineers at the School of Engineering, and Senior Mentor for 3 area Startup Venture Accelerators.
Co-sponsor(s) & Partner(s): Prince William County Department of Economic Development & Prince William Chamber of Commerce
Cancellation Policy: Please provide 24 business-hours notification prior to event. Kindly email – help@masonsbdc.org (preferred) or call 703-261-4105
Special Instruction: This live webinar will be presented on the Zoom platform. Webinar access details (Zoom invitation) will be provided after registration.
Every year, the federal government awards a portion of contracting dollars specifically to businesses owned by veterans. Also, small businesses owned by veterans may be eligible to purchase surplus property from the federal government.
Certification with SBA allows service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses (SDVOSBs) to compete for federal sole-source and set-aside contracts across the federal government. Certified veteran-owned small businesses (VOSBs) have additional opportunities to pursue sole-source and set-aside contracts at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) under the VA’s Vets First program.
Presentator: William Pocan, Economic Development Specialist – U.S. Small Business Administration/Richmond District Office
The following webinar is being facilitated by the Virginia APEX Accelerator at the Mason Enterprise Center (MEC)
The Federal Government buys over $600 billion per year on goods and services, 23% of that spend is allocated for small business. This is a huge opportunity for small firms to grow their business and become part of the challenging world of Government Contracting. Before entering into this arena you must first know how to market yourself to government. This presentation will help you prepare your firm to get noticed by government and prime buyers by developing a proper marketing plan and strategy.
In this session you will learn:
- Steps to take to be where you can be found by buyers
- Preparing a winning capability statement
- Organize your website, business cards and marketing materials
- Prepare a marketing plan to attract buyers
Instructor: Lisa Wood is the current statewide director of Virginia APEX Accelerator. She previously was the Statewide Director of the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) for the Connecticut PTAC and prior to that was Statewide Director with the Ohio Department of Development after serving as PTAC Director for the Northwest Commission of Pennsylvania. Before joining the PTAC (now APEX Accelerator) community, Lisa was a Contracting Officer for Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. in the Greater Pittsburgh Area.
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 strategy needs, to be effective in terms of content, technology and investment.
- How to effectively use paid media and advertising. Cost savings of optimizing your website and SEO to maximize paid media spend and ROI.
Speaker: Hussain Shah, Subject Matter Expert – Digital Marketing, Mason SBDC & Timm Johnson – Director, Mason SBDC
Co-sponsor(s) & Partner(s): Prince William County Department of Economic Development & Prince William Chamber of Commerce
Cancellation Policy: Contact the Center regarding cancellation 24 business hours prior to the event. Kindly email – help@masonsbdc.org (preferred) or call 703-261-4105 to notify the team.
Special Instructions: This live webinar will be presented via Zoom. Webinar access details (Zoom invitation) will be provided after registration.
Arm yourself with strategies for long-term security!
In an era marked by relentless cyber threats, building a cyber-resilient business is not just a goal—it’s a necessity. This comprehensive guide explores the key components of cyber resilience, equipping business owners and leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to fortify their organizations against cyber-attacks.
From implementing robust security measures and leveraging cutting-edge tools with proactive planning and strategic investments, businesses can thrive in an increasingly digital world while safeguarding their assets, reputation, and customer trust.
Speaker: Quiana Gainey, Virginia SBDC Cyber Industry Expert
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.
The following webinar is being facilitated by the Virginia APEX Accelerator at the Mason Enterprise Center (MEC)
In this class we will showcase the federal landscape and you will have the ability on how to consider your scope, scale and size for any contracting opportunities. We will discuss how to display your relevant past performance which match or exceeds government requirements. You will also learn how your past performances are rated by the buyers.
About the instructor: Daryl Corley, Virginia APEX Accelerator Procurement Counselor
More than 30 years of contracting experience with comprehensive contract Life Cycle support in reviewing initial procurements package for accuracy to contract closeout. Most recently, he worked as a Senior Consultant for MSDS Consultant Services, LLC, which included working with the diverse business community, and clients on contractual issues, provide training material for stakeholders and clients — instructing classes on contract regulatory compliance in the federal government. He created a best practice mentor protégé program by combining governmental and commercial organizations.
Previously, he worked as a consultant/trainer for CACI providing government business solutions and services. In these positions, he demonstrated the ability to resolve a variety of issues (such as acquisition and supply systems, integration, data mapping and analysis service, system testing, training customers, and software malfunctions. He also provided consultant support creating solicitation matrixes, market research, acquisition plans at the contracting offices for the various agencies. Daryl is also a Service Disabled Veteran and dedicated to assisting Veteran Entrepreneurs.
The following webinar is being facilitated by the Virginia APEX Accelerator at the Mason Enterprise Center (MEC)
A properly formatted Capability Statement will aid in getting the right business recognition, vital in distinguishing one business from another during the government competitive process. This class will provide businesses with the correct tools to communicate what they can provide to help government professionals in their day-to-day competitive acquisition process.
How this class helps
- Introduce purpose of Capability (aka Cap) Statement in government contracting
- Demonstrate/explain fundamentals of how to develop a Cap Statement
- Demonstrate importance of Market Research when preparing Cap Statement
- Cover essential areas for an effective Cap Statement to enhance government interest in product/service offered
- Provide guidance concerning the most acceptable format(s) accepted via government procurement professionals
- Introduction
- Section by Section Overview
- Core Competencies (designed to reach target audiences or satisfy specific requirements)
- Acceptable Past Performance
- Differentiators
- Company Data (with specific codes, schedules, BPAs, state/local data, etc.)
- Overall Appearance
Instructor Lisa Wood is the current statewide director of Virginia APEX Accelerator. She previously was the Statewide Director of the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) for the Connecticut PTAC and prior to that was Statewide Director with the Ohio Department of Development after serving as PTAC Director for the Northwest Commission of Pennsylvania. Before joining the PTAC (now APEX Accelerator) community, Lisa was a Contracting Officer for Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. in the Greater Pittsburgh Area.
The following webinar is being facilitated by the Virginia APEX Accelerator at the Mason Enterprise Center (MEC)
Sections 7(j)(10) and 8(a) of the Small Business Act authorized the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to establish a business development program, known as the 8(a) Business Development program.
The program is a robust nine-year program created to help firms owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals, or firms owned by Alaska Native Corporations or Tribal- Native Organizations.
Once certified, 8(a) program participants are eligible for federal contracting small business set-aside and sole sourced contracts, and training and technical assistance designed to strengthen their ability to compete effectively in the American economy.
We can’t guarantee that your 8(a) application package will be approved, but this session will increase your chances of success if you are eligible, by providing you with the steps and tools you need to walk yourself through the process.
During this seminar we cover —
- Part 1 – 8(a) Application Process from Preparation to Submission
- Part 2 – Financials Documents & Common Financial Mistakes for 8(a) Applicants
- Part 3 – So You Are Eligible, but Are You Ready?
Instructor Lisa Powell worked for the U.S. Small Business Administration at the Connecticut District Office from 1998 to 2019 as an Economic Development Specialist monitoring the HUBZone and 8(a) portfolios for the local office before joining the Virginia APEX Accelerator as a Procurement Counselor in 2021. During her time at the SBA, Lisa worked closely with all of SBA’s resource partners to facilitate procurement workshops held at local Community Colleges, Chambers of Commerce and libraries. As a Business Opportunity Specialist, she was involved with the Government Contracting programs that the SBA provides and worked very closely with the purchasing agents for the Federal and State Agencies as well as the larger prime contractors while organizing SBA Matchmakers and assisting small business.
Instructor Jackie Robinson-Burnette is the former SBA Associate Administrator of Business Development (AA/BD), the decision authority for all 8(a) applications. Jackie also served as the SBA’s Deputy Associate Administrator for the Office of Government Contracting & Business Development, where she led a team of five senior executives service (SES) leaders and more than 250 small business contracting professionals across the nation. Her responsibilities included leadership of all aspects of the government’s $99 billion annual small business contracting program. During her tenure, Certify.SBA.gov was launched to automate and simplify the 8(a) application process; and the All-Small Mentor Protégé Program was developed and launched. In 2015, Jackie served in the Pentagon as the Deputy Director for Small Business Programs, Office of the Secretary of the Army. From 2010-2014, she served as the US Army Corps of Engineers, Small Business Director with nationwide responsibility. Her 34-year federal career includes duty as a Department of Defense (DoD) Senior Contracting Officer (unlimited warrant) with assignments in Korea, Germany, Virginia, and Washington DC.
Instructor Jeff Wilson II, CPA is the Principal of The W2 Group, LLC., a solution-driven Accounting and Advisory firm specializing in bringing cloud-based solutions and efficiencies to our clients: Associations and Government Contractors. The firm is an SBA-certified 8(a) Small Business and MBE-certified accounting firm headquartered in Upper Marlboro, MD. Jeff is a graduate of Bowie State University and a former Big 4 CPA that uses his compound domain expertise to bring a blend of best practices learned at Large organizations with practical application for his small business clients. He is a CPA, Financial Planner, and Fraud Examiner. In February 2007, featured in Black Enterprise Inc. Magazine as No.77 Financial Fitness Winner. The magazine recognized him for his insight on the subject matter of personal finance and investments. Jeff is a frequent presenter at workshops and seminars on small business. Jeff was named by CPA Practice Advisor Magazine 40 under 40 CPAs. He is also an author of “The Lies our Parents Were Sold and Told Us.” He has also been named 40 under 40 Black CPAs in 2021 and a Maryland Association of CPAs board member.
The following webinar is being facilitated by the Virginia APEX Accelerator at the Mason Enterprise Center (MEC)
This program creates significant contract opportunities for women entrepreneurs. The program is designed to help more women owned small businesses win federal contracts and thrive in a competitive business environment. It is also intended to help federal agencies meet contracting goals for women owned small businesses.
Instructor: Lisa Wood is the current statewide director of Virginia APEX Accelerator. She previously was the Statewide Director of the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) for the Connecticut PTAC and prior to that was Statewide Director with the Ohio Department of Development after serving as PTAC Director for the Northwest Commission of Pennsylvania. Before joining the PTAC (now APEX Accelerator) community, Lisa was a Contracting Officer for Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. in the Greater Pittsburgh Area.
The following webinar is being facilitated by the Virginia APEX Accelerator at the Mason Enterprise Center (MEC)
Learn about the process a company must navigate to become certified to win Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) set aside contracts.
You will learn the requirements of the SBA’s Center for Verification and Evaluation (CVE) to become a certified SDVOSB or VOSB and how to complete the online application to be listed on Vendor Information Pages (VIP) including:
- The three essential elements of a successful application: Eligibility, Ownership, and Control
- How to avoid non-veteran control by careful structuring the company operating agreement
- What to expect during the application process
Instructor: Lisa Wood is the current statewide director of Virginia APEX Accelerator. She previously was the Statewide Director of the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTAC) for the Connecticut PTAC and prior to that was Statewide Director with the Ohio Department of Development after serving as PTAC Director for the Northwest Commission of Pennsylvania. Before joining the PTAC (now APEX Accelerator) community, Lisa was a Contracting Officer for Bechtel Plant Machinery, Inc. in the Greater Pittsburgh Area.
The following webinar is being facilitated by the Virginia APEX Accelerator.
Start with the federal government using simplified acquisition procedures and build a strong relationship.
- Why use simplified acquisition procedures
- Know the government market place
- Understand government set-a-side procedures
- A comprehensive strategy for success
About the instructor: Daryl Corley, Virginia APEX Accelerator Procurement Counselor
More than 30 years of contracting experience with comprehensive contract Life Cycle support in reviewing initial procurements package for accuracy to contract closeout. Most recently, he worked as a Senior Consultant for MSDS Consultant Services, LLC, which included working with the diverse business community, and clients on contractual issues, provide training material for stakeholders and clients — instructing classes on contract regulatory compliance in the federal government. He created a best practice mentor protégé program by combining governmental and commercial organizations.
Previously, he worked as a consultant/trainer for CACI providing government business solutions and services. In these positions, he demonstrated the ability to resolve a variety of issues (such as acquisition and supply systems, integration, data mapping and analysis service, system testing, training customers, and software malfunctions. He also provided consultant support creating solicitation matrixes, market research, acquisition plans at the contracting offices for the various agencies. Daryl is also a Service Disabled Veteran and dedicated to assisting Veteran Entrepreneurs.