Jun
16
Thu
Distributor Relations: Building Strong, Mutually Beneficial Relationships with Your Wholesalers @ Virtual Webinar
Jun 16 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am

Alcohol distribution in the United States is governed by the three-tier system, which means that distributing craft beverage producers’ success requires healthy working relationships with their wholesalers.  In this webinar, Virginia SBDC Craft Beverage Assistance Manager Chris Van Orden will ask Craft Beverage Strategic Advisor Julie Rhodes about the tools and strategies that breweries, wineries, cideries, and distilleries can employ when working distribution partners towards mutual success.   Speaker: Julie Rhodes, Owner, Not Your Hobby Marketing    With over 2 decades of experience on the business side – supplier sales, digital marketing, and distribution management – of the craft beverage industry, Julie provides strategic sales and marketing advice to small- and medium-sized beverage alcohol brands through webinars, whitepapers, digital courses, one on one consulting, and group coaching programs.


A confirmation email with the Zoom login information will be sent after registration, please be on the lookout for it.
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.

 

Aug
24
Thu
The Small Business Guide to Effective Remote Work @ online
Aug 24 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Remote work is rapidly becoming the norm for small businesses across industries. With advantages like lower overhead, wider access to talent, improved employee satisfaction, and streamlined workflows, it’s no surprise that remote SMBs are outperforming fully in-person or hybrid companies. But where do you start as a small business owner looking to take advantage of remote work? How can you build a successful remote team and maintain productivity and engagement? Join us for this webinar as we share expert insights and practical tips for running a thriving remote small business. From setting up the right systems and processes to fostering strong communication and collaboration, we’ll cover everything you need to know to build a successful and high-performing remote team. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to take your small business to the next level.

Speaker(s): Tammy Bjelland, CEO Workplaceless

Co-Sponsor(s): Laurel Ridge SBDC