Jun
10
Fri
Business Smarts – Critical Steps for Effective Leadership Transition
Jun 10 @ 8:30 am – 10:00 am

With each step forward in your leadership journey, you may encounter roadblocks to leading your teams effectively. As you gain more and more leadership responsibility, you tend to rely less on technical skills, your ability to supervise a process, or your training on how to manage specific metrics. Developing and strengthening specific leadership skills can make a tremendous impact on the results of your team as well as the entire organization.

Following this session, you will be able to:

  • Recognize the three most common roadblocks in any leadership transition and how they prevent you from achieving peak performance and profitability
  • Understand what separates an effective manager from a great leader and how you can be both
  • Recognize the impact of effective communication in a transition
  • Implement strategic, practical steps to overcome your biggest roadblocks.

Presenters:  Prior to founding Dove Development & Consulting, Wes and Cindy Dove built strong resumes in large corporations and small, family-owned businesses. In addition to extensive work in behavior-based safety, Wes was responsible for safety compliance, human resources, and personnel development in multiple industries.  With over 20 years in the healthcare field, Cindy was responsible for operations, hospice, and sales. By applying a foundation of leadership and effective workplace communication principles, Cindy created high levels of success for the companies she served. Both Wes and Cindy have served as Executive Directors with The John Maxwell Team and on that organization’s President’s Advisory Council. They are also Certified Human Behavior Consultants through Personality Insights.

This lesson has also been approved for continuing education credit by SHRM, HRCI, and the National Association of Long-Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB/NCERS).

REGISTER HERE

Jul
8
Fri
Business Smarts – Protecting Your Brand @ Shenandoah Valley SBDC
Jul 8 @ 8:30 am – 10:00 am

Have you made it easy for strangers to hijack your brand?   
It’s often said that branding is storytelling, and it’s a dead-on statement.  You wouldn’t ask a stranger with bad intentions to tell the story of your business.  But that may be what you’re doing if you don’t take steps to protect your brand identity.  Your trademark – the embodiment of your brand – is the place in the mind of a consumer that links your brand to your business.  If the brand is not protected, this connection can be lost or needlessly muddled.  High stakes indeed.
In this fast-paced session, we’ll discuss –

  • what a trademark is (and isn’t),
  • how to start out a business on a solid trademark footing,
  • what it means to register a trademark – and how to do it,
  • steps to take to be vigilant about infringement,
  • ways in which brand value can be corroded from within,
  • how domain names fit into the brand equation,
  • what brand protection means in a post-pandemic world that’s driven by e-commerce and affected by social media influences,
  • five brand protect takeaways to start your Friday.

About the Presenter:  Jared Burden, a Harrisonburg-based Partner in the Virginia law firm GreeneHurlocker PLC, is a hands-on transactional business attorney whose practice over several decades has always been focused (whether directly or indirectly) on assuring that business owners maintain the value of their brand.  Jared has served as inside and outside general counsel to mature middle-market companies with tens of millions of revenue as well as individual entrepreneurs taking their first steps to actualize their big idea.  Jared is a graduate of Duke University and the University of Virginia School of Law, and has lived with his wife Jenny Burden and family in Harrisonburg for 20 years.

 

Oct
14
Fri
Business Smarts – Capital is Key @ Shenandoah Valley SBDC
Oct 14 @ 8:30 am – 10:00 am

Join Jennifer Huffman, Solutions Banking Manager, and Josiah Rider, Business Branch Manager, from Atlantic Union Bank for a discussion on using business capital wisely.

Participants will leave with an understanding of the different types of capital, when to use them, and how each can help drive your business to success.

  1. Business Capital
  2. Relationship Capital
  3. Talent Capital

$10 for Chamber Members $15 for Non-Chamber Members

Oct
18
Tue
Women in Entrepreneurship Showcase @ Festival Ballroom Grand
Oct 18 @ 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm

In celebration of Global Women in Entrepreneurship Week, JMU will showcase female entrepreneurs and business owners from throughout the Shenandoah Valley. Enjoy some food and beverages while browsing their products and learning about their unique entrepreneurial journeys. Also, hear from a JMU alumni serial entrepreneur Tina Fox as she tells her motivational story and the important lessons she’s learned along the way!

The schedule will be as follows:
5 – 6 PM: Open Exhibition. Meet the business owners, learn about their products, offerings, and their story!
6 – 6:30 PM: Keynote Address from Guest Speaker
6:30 – 7:30 PM: Additional Exhibition and Networking time with light refreshments

Register HERE.

Nov
11
Fri
Business Smarts – Canceled @ Shenandoah Valley SBDC
Nov 11 @ 8:30 am – 10:00 am

Many employers are currently facing recruiting challenges.  Veterans and the military community face employment challenges regularly.  In fact, in a recent survey, 90% of veterans indicated there were obstacles in obtaining employment.  In this session, we explore ways to help break down the barriers to employment opportunities for transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses and promote inclusive policies and practices.  The presentation, developed by USAA and the SHRM Foundation will help promote inclusive policies and help employers understand the importance of communicating their desire to be inclusive and welcoming.  We will also explore unique strategies for recruiting, onboarding, and retaining veterans and military spouses.

Sheri Bender, Pulse HR Solutions, LLC serves as a USAA/SHRM Foundation Veterans Ambassador.  She has over 25 years of practical HR/Training experience and enjoys working with organizations and military veterans to bridge the gap and help translate skills. In her experience, there is a big language barrier and it is enlightening to have true conversations about what a candidate has to contribute and watch them flourish when matched with the right role.  That’s why she believes this program is so valuable.

$10 for Chamber Members $15 for Non-Chamber Members. Coffee & donuts provided.

May
18
Thu
The Global Launchpad @ Irving Theater, CODE Building
May 18 @ 12:45 pm – 5:15 pm

Virginia SBDC’s International Business Development (IBD) Program evaluates startups for export potential and assists startups and existing businesses to compete globally via one-on-one technical assistance and connection to state, national and international resources.Recognizing these specific opportunities and challenges for technology enabled startups, the Virginia SBDC is convening a one-day event in Charlottesville, VA that will bring experts and successful global startups to share their experience entering foreign markets. Specifically, the program will:

  •  Highlight startups that have had success in global markets.
  •  Provide compliance training for early stage companies to understand when and how export controls might impact their business.
  • Host IP and trademark filing training for startups with a focus on how to mitigate costs and prioritize markets for IP protection.
  • Present information on the proper storage and handling of data in foreign markets with a focus on the European Union.
  •  Introduce the taxpayer-funded resources available to companies for global expansion.

**Purchasing multiple tickets for your organization? Add 1 General Admission ticket at $40 and then apply the “GlobalPass” (case sensitive) promo code to unlock $26 discounted tickets for others on your team! Contact Shira Goldeen at events@cvsbdc.org with any questions.**

Program Agenda

  • Remarks from Antwaun Griffin, Head of Socially Responsible Purchasing, Amazon Business
  • Securing Intellectual Property Rights in Foreign Markets
  • Top Regulatory Compliance Issues for STEM Exporters
  • Proper Data Handling Under GDPR
  • Ample opportunities for networking with panelists, resource providers, and the startup community, culminating with a closing reception featuring hors d’oeuvres and Virginia craft beverages
May
25
Thu
Valley TechCon.23 @ Hotel Madison
May 25 @ 7:30 am – 3:30 pm

Now in its third year, Valley TechCon brings together technology enthusiasts, practitioners, researchers, and business leaders to facilitate idea sharing, collaboration, and innovation. This year we are pleased to offer three tracks to choose from for the breakout sessions: Technical Topics for Practitioners, The Business Impact of Technology, and Growing Your Technology Business. Within each track, sessions will cover a broad spectrum of topics. The goal is to inspire new ideas, improve business efficiency with emerging technologies, springboard new ventures, and expand networking opportunities.

Aug
1
Tue
Valley Business Summit @ Plecker Center, Blue Ridge Community College
Aug 1 @ 8:45 am – 12:30 pm

Join local business professionals and local and state legislators for the 10th Valley Business Summit, a time to come together to discuss the workforce opportunities and challenges in our area.

This event will feature special guest speaker Virginia Secretary of Labor Bryan Slater, as well as a panel with local delegates.

Agenda: 
8:45- Registration/ Resource Fair Open/ Networking
9:15 – Welcome and Keynote Speaker Secretary Bryan Slater
10:30 – Resource Fair/Networking
11:00 – Feedback Forum with Delegates
Noon – Event Concludes
JMU SWaM Vendor Fair @ James Madison University Festival & Student Center Ballroom
Aug 1 @ 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm

The SWaM Vendor Fair will offer a wealth of contacts for marketing your goods and services and provide an opportunity to make personal contact with some of the 600+ JMU departmental buyers. The event is scheduled to take place at the James Madison University Festival Center on Tuesday, August 1st 2023. The morning will begin with a networking luncheon to meet with other SWaM vendors and the JMU Procurement Services buyers. As the fair gets underway in the afternoon, you’ll meet with many JMU departmental buyers and faculty as well as numerous buyers from other state, local, and private organizations.

Event Theme:“Back to the Future”
SWaM Vendor Fair Table Registration: $75

Event Website:https://www.jmu.edu/procurement/vendor-fair.shtml

Oct
25
Wed
Global Women in Entrepreneurship 2023 @ The Festival Conference and Student Center Grand Ballroom
Oct 25 @ 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm

In celebration of Global Women in Entrepreneurship Week, the Gilliam Center for Entrepreneurship will be organizing a showcase to highlight local female entrepreneurs from throughout the Shenandoah Valley. Enjoy light refreshments while browsing their products and learning about their unique entrepreneurial journeys.

In partnership with Women for Madison, Shenandoah Community Capital Fund, Shenandoah Valley Small Business Development Center, and the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce, we aim to bring the JMU community and local community together to support female-led companies and learn from their stories.

Click here to see what women-owned business’s will be in attendance at this year’s Women in Entrepreneurship Week showcase.