May
29
Mon
Keeping Up with Digital Marketing – A’s for Your Q’s – Beyond Social Media @ Online
May 29 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Join Virginia SBDC’s Chief Digital Advisor Cameron Nelson for the last session of this informative series covering the latest tools in the digital marketing landscape and how to use them effectively for your small business.

A Zoom link will be provided upon registration, so watch for that email.

Session 4: Beyond Social Media – More Digital Marketing Opportunities

Google, Next Door, Yelp, Trip Advisor, etc. – with so many different digital channels available, how does a small business owner decide which to use? This session with the Virginia SBDC’s Chief Digital Advisor Cameron Nelson will help participants understand how to assess which digital channels are the best for your business and what to do to maintain them effectively. The first half of the session will give an overview, the second half of the hour will be a Q & A.

About the Instructor: Cameron Nelson, MBA, MA
Mr. Nelson has over 18 years’ experience in technology, and as a senior tech consultant in Silicon Valley helping Fortune 500 companies improve their digital marketing and eCommerce. At the same time, he founded several tech companies, including a SaaS website for tree preservation and a blockchain platform for nonprofits. Cameron is accomplished in language, culture, has an MBA and MA and believes new technology products can help shape our world for the better.

 

May
31
Wed
Navigating Your Way to New Global Market Sales @ online
May 31 @ 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm

The “Get Back Out on the Trade Road” webinar features U.S. companies that are successfully navigating export sales and embracing the “new normal” through more direct participation in different types of events.

Are you ready to take advantage of Federal resources that can facilitate direct client engagement to grow your global market sales?

Attendees will:

  • Explore the value of face-to-face interaction with foreign buyers to build relationships, including at trade shows and missions.
  • Discover how to get involved with Commerce’s Industry Teams, office network, and the specialized assistance and unique opportunities and resources they provide.
  • Learn about SBA and EXIM grants, financing, and export insurance that can help facilitate participation in trade events and consummate international business success.
  • Gain insights on leveraging federal government export services – everything from export counseling and matchmaking to trade shows, trade financing, market intelligence, trade data and more.

A business is never too big or small to export, but many need export resources and assistance along the way. The good news: there’s plenty of help available through the federal government and its partners.

This is a no cost webinar, but advance registration is required.

Jun
1
Thu
First Thursdays with the SBA: 504 Loans @ online
Jun 1 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Grab your lunch and join us the first Thursday of each month to learn more about SBA programs and network with other small business owners.

The SBA 504 loan program is designed for businesses seeking to purchase real property. This loan program offers small business owners the opportunity to purchase real property using their business through a loan program that offers extended terms.

Key Takeaways:

How business real estate ownership is achieved through the SBA 504 Program with low down payments and below market fixed rates
Additional ways to preserve cash for businesses to invest into growth and operating needs
Creative ways to meet injection requirements for the purchase of real estate
Speaker(s): Joe DiStefano, REDCO

Jun
6
Tue
Payment Processing @ online
Jun 6 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

This one-hour webinar is designed for small business owners to learn more about credit card optimization, including reducing fees on credit cards and gifts cards.

Learning Outcomes:

  • Choosing a Processor – What to look for when picking a company to process credit cards.
  • Visa/MC Interchange – Find out how the processors get charged and how it affects you.
  • Gift Card Programs – Will setting up a gift card program for your business help? If so, learn how to set one up.
  • Cash Discounting – Find out how to pass the fees to the cardholder in a way that doesn’t break Visa/MC compliance.

By registering for this seminar, you grant UMW SBDC permission to share your contact information with the speaker.

Speaker(s): Ed Hopper is the CEO of Altor Processing Systems, founded in 1999. In January 2018, he led his company in a new direction. They launched Altor/50 and now donate half of their net profits to over 20 charities. Ed says “We can usually help merchants save money and help charities at the same time. It’s a Win/Win!”

Jun
7
Wed
Building your Business Performance Dashboard Metrics @ online
Jun 7 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

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.

SBA Business Virtually-Website vs Social Media @ online
Jun 7 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am

This presentation covers the basics for your business website and addresses common concerns, including:

• why a website is vital to your business

• the 4 essential pages for your website

• the importance of SEO copy & UX design for your site

• the debate over websites vs. social media and how to effectively use them together

With special guest speaker, Hannah Robertson-Forrest from VEDP talking about website enhancement grant for small businesses that are up and running and would like to attract international business.

BIO

Angel Evitts is the owner of The Bonus Writer, a boutique copywriting and web design business that helps new and small businesses create or elevate their online presence.

 

SBA Business Virtually – SEO the Way to Go! @ online
Jun 7 @ 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Learn how to optimize your business profile during this presentation so you can get a little bit of FREE SEO from Google. Trainer/Presenter Lizzie Morrow, Google Partner

SBA Business Virtually – Making Better Business Decisions with Analytics @ online
Jun 7 @ 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

You spend hours marketing your small business, but how do you know if your efforts are working?

Marketing analytics provide valuable data on audience behavior, online ad success, site traffic sources, and more. Two of the most widely used analytics tools are Google Analytics and Facebook Insights.

In this session, marketing strategist and SCORE mentor Cheri Bales will explain how these two analytics tools can guide businesses and marketers with strategy, implementation and evaluation.

You will learn:

• Why you need to use marketing analytics

• Which metrics to follow and what they mean

• How your audience behaves

• Customer acquisition costs (CAC)

• Ad cost per click rates (CPC)

• How to find the data to measure your ROI

SBA Business Virtually – Doing Business More Securely in Cyberspace @ online
Jun 7 @ 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Learn about doing business more securely in cyberspace. Operating safely in cyberspace is crucial for small businesses to protect their data, finances, and reputation. However, most small business lack adeqaute resources to fully protect the IT infrastructure. This presentation will provide cost-effective solutions to doing business more securely in cyberspace.

Biography:

Mr. Webster serves as Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Cybersecurity State Coordinator (CSC) for the state of Virginia.

Jun
13
Tue
Why Cybersecurity is Relevant to Everyone @ Virtual Webinar
Jun 13 @ 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

This webinar will provide safe computer and network usage tips for small business owners. It concerns not only businesses, but also individuals.

Speaker: Quiana Gainey, Virginia SBDC Cyber Industry Expert

A confirmation email with the Zoom login information will be sent after registration – you can expect it a day before before the event – please be on the lookout for it.

Jun
15
Thu
Success Through e-Commerce @ Virtual Webinar
Jun 15 @ 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Updated for 2023

Join us if you’re interested in pivoting more of your efforts to ONLINE SALES

This session will cover:

  • The variety of websites available, the possibilities for upgrading yours to better accommodate online sales and the estimated costs to accomplish this!
  • The various e-commerce platforms available and how to select the best based on your specific business needs.
  • How to setup and manage your online storefront or service portal and how to use data and marketing to maximize returns.
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.

Instructor: Cameron Nelson, Chief Digital Advisor, Central VA SBDC

Mr. Nelson has over 18 years experience in technology, and as a senior tech consultant in Silicon Valley helping Fortune 500 companies improve their digital marketing and eCommerce. At the same time he founded several tech companies, including a SaaS website for tree preservation and a blockchain platform for nonprofits. Cameron is accomplished in language, culture, has an MBA and MA and believes new technology products have the ability to help shape our world for the better.

Jun
21
Wed
Vishing – The Sneaky Phone Scam @ online
Jun 21 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am

This session will introduce you to the world of vishing – the latest technique bad actors are using to scam grandmothers and small businesses out of their hard-earned cash.

Learn how hackers target small business owners and compromise their bank accounts, sometimes without even knowing they have been scammed! With new developments in Artificial Intelligence, it’s getting harder and harder to separate fact from fiction.

In this interactive session, we demonstrate popular variations on this technique, so you will be more aware and able to spot the con. Don’t fall victim to a common and growing social engineering ploy.

Who should attend: Small business owners who want to prevent scams and cybersecurity attacks targeting their company.

Speakers:

  • Dr. Teresa Piliouras, CEO and Founder, Technical Consulting & Research, Inc., is an IT consultant, educator, inventor, and author. She holds a BS from the University of Illinois, an MBA from Iona College, a PhD from NYU Tandon School of Engineering.
  • Pui Lam (Raymond) Yu, Executive Vice President Engineering at Technical Consulting & Research, Inc., has over 20 years of industry experience in Cybersecurity, Software Engineering, and Systems Engineering. He received his BEEE and MSEE from Stevens Institute of Technology and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, respectively, and his MSCS from New York University Tandon School of Engineering.
  • Santhosh Chandraboasc, Cybersecurity Analyst Intern, Technical Consulting and Research, Inc., received his MS in Cybersecurity from Fordham University, and his BS in Information Technology from Pace University.
  • Curtis Rowe II, Cybersecurity Analyst Intern, Technical Consulting and Research, Inc., is currently pursuing a BS in Cognitive Science at University of California, San Diego.

Co-sponsor(s) & Partner(s): Prince William County Department of Economic Development & Prince William Chamber of Commerce

GovCon 101: Is Your Business Ready for Government Contracting? @ online
Jun 21 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Are you considering registering your business to be a government contractor? Do you think government contracting might be a good option to help grow your business? If so, then join us for GovCon 101. This session will be help you to understand:

• Whether government contracting is a good option for your business

• If your business is ready to enter the government arena

• The process of registering to be a government contractor

• Certifications that might benefit your business as a government contractor This event is free, but you must preregister in order to receive the instructions to attend.

Speaker(s): 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 PTAC as a Procurement Counselor in January 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.

Jun
27
Tue
American Craft Breweries: Global Market Opportunity, Export-Readiness, and Key Trade Issues @ online
Jun 27 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

American craft breweries are respected around the world for their quality and innovation, yet it can be difficult for a small independent producer to know how to approach potential international sales.
In this initial episode, the hosts will discuss what it means to be an export-ready brewery and what a brewery needs to know in the key areas of compliance.

The Brewers Association will close with some insights into the contours of top foreign markets for American breweries.

Co-sponsorship Authorization# 23-22-C. The SBA’s participation in this cosponsored activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products or services of any cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least 2 weeks in advance of this event; please send an email with the subject header ACCOMMODATION REQUEST to reasonableaccommodation@sba.gov.

Jun
28
Wed
SEO & Social Selling @ online
Jun 28 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Overview of the Live Webinar

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.