Monday, May 2
8:30-10:00 AM Build Your Marketing Toolkit: Engage Customers and Prospects with Email, Events, Social Media, and More with Amy Hajdu, Say It Said Marketing
Are you constantly seeking or wondering the right strategies to make your marketing efforts as effective as possible? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. The majority of businesses and organizations report the same frustrations. With so many different marketing activities you could focus on, often times you miss some of the core concepts that prove a little bit of marketing knowledge can go a long way!
This presentation is designed to uncover the best strategies to make your marketing efforts as effective as possible – especially in this digital, fast paced world.
10:00-11:00 AM Common Accounting Mistakes that are Costing You Money with Dwayne Brisco, Bookkeeping Results LLC
For new business owners or current business owners, there’s often times issues to where you’re not sure if something is a business deduction or not. Learn about common accounting mistakes that can not only cost you and your business money, it can also cost you additional taxes or a potential loan to expand your business. Key points from this session can be immediately applied to your current status following this session and find out how you can save money by managing your finances better.
12:00-1:00 PM Interviewing & Hiring for Small Businesses 101 with Isis Martinez, E2E Workplace Solutions
Are you in the business planning stage and and can’t get past the hiring/staffing plan? Are you launched and stretched so thin that you need to hire someone, stat? Did you hire employee(s) already and know you need a better system? The answer to these questions can be answered by learning the basics and best practices relating to hiring and interviewing. Please join Isis Martinez, Principal and Founder of E2E Workplace Solutions LLC, and seasoned HR professional with 15 years of experience to learn the following: How to determine a hiring need? How to attract candidates? What are some best practices for interviewing candidates? What labor law issues do you need to be aware of?
1:00-2:00 PM How to Make Infographics that Change the World (for Nonprofits) with Ivy Le, 9terrains
History is made by people who can communicate their ideas to the world. Infographics bring complex ideas to life for audiences who are overwhelmed with competing content. In this workshop, change makers and activists will learn the 6 steps to concept, create, and promote transformative infographics. Whether your communications goal is awareness, advocacy, or fundraising, this course will give you the necessary tools to create the perfect graphic for your cause.
Tuesday, May 3
9:00-10:00 AM Striving to Build your Business or Start a Business? with Beth Tracy, IBM
Don’t miss out! Learn about the IBM Small Medium Enterprise (SME) Toolkit. This resource site may be exactly what you are looking for to establish a small business or grow systemically. SME Toolkit was developed to assist Asian, Black, Hispanic, Native American, Women-owned businesses, Veterans and persons with disabilities with essential business tools. Within five minutes or five hours, you can find the tools, content, resources and more to serve your business development needs. Additionally, learn about Supplier Connection, a free cloud based IBM initiative to grow small businesses and create jobs in the U.S.; connecting your small business to the supply chains of Fortune 500 corporations and other large organizations.
12:00-1:00 PM 6 Thinking Hats – A Tools Based Approach for Faster and Better Thinking with Lisa Bargsley, Operational Strategies
Where do you do your best thinking? How do you come up with that one special idea that shines above all the others? Are you managing your business with the same tried and true tools you learned along the way? Do you have more questions than answers?
If you are ready and committed to make a thinking change, this workshop is for you. Experience Parallel Thinking, a practical, radical and innovative change management tool that produces measurable results for your company’s bottom line.
3:00-4:00 PM The Power of Mobile Marketing with Amy Hajdu, Say It Said Marketing
Consumers are using mobile devices to find what they need, assess their options and make quick decisions including on-the-spot purchases. Small businesses and non-profits who embrace mobile are in the best position to take advantage of this growing trend. This session will help you understand the phenomenon of mobile marketing, help your business stay ahead of the competition and how you can leverage it as a service opportunity to help your clients/members access the information they are searching for.
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM WordPress 101 for Business Owners with Lindsey Tyner, Alt Creative
This session will cover the basics of WordPress. Whether you want to setup your own WordPress site or you already own one and want more information about how to use it effectively, this session will explain the basic structure of WordPress and the various options available to business owners. We will go over the differences between wordpress.org and wordpress.com and how frameworks, themes, widgets and plugins fit into the picture, and how to effectively integrate with Social Media.
Wednesday, May 4
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Why Do People Buy From You? with Ivy Le, 9terrains
Your business is not your product or service. Customers have probably chosen to buy from you from among dozens if not hundreds of other businesses who offer something similar. Why?This workshop helps entrepreneurs identify the brand promise that’s resonating with your clients, the customer experience that turns buyers into your biggest fans, and how to communicate these through your brand story and brand identity to attract even more people.
3:00-4:00 PM Practical PR Tips for Startups and Small Business with Dave Manzer
This workshop will help startups and small businesses learn the basics of PR. We will discuss how to find newsworthy stories about what you are doing, which kinds of media to approach with your story ideas, how to pitch reporters, and even discuss some pointers on how to write news pitches and press releases. The workshop is designed to be interactive, so plan to share your stories and have a little fun along the way.
Thursday, May 5
10:00-11:00 AM Paperwork: What Records Do I Really Need and Why? with Lisa Bargsley, Sage Speaking LLC
Paperwork! I don’t have the time to spend keeping up with details – I’m too busy growing my business and doing the work! Is this your thinking? Have you ever asked yourself – what do I really need to have and to keep as records for the IRS, the State of Texas, my bank, or even the people I want to do business with? If so, this class is for you! Learn the basics of what records to create, how long to keep them, and how to use this information to grow your business even more!
2:00-3:00 PM Maximize Your Facebook Marketing Strategies with Bill Combes, No Time for Social
Most of the 1.59 Billion people are Facebook do not own businesses but for the ones that do, having a Facebook business page is about as important that having a website. In fact for some businesses Facebook is more important. If you visit 100 random business Facebook pages you will find companies that do an excellent job managing their pages and some doing an abysmal job. We’ll cover the techniques and strategies needed to effectively manage your business Facebook page. In addition, we’ll show you techniques to use Facebook (and Instagram) ads to connect with your customers and future customers opposed to older traditional advertising mediums.
3:00-4:00 PM Intro to the Cooperative Model: Improving Communities Through Ownership with Nicole Renaux, Black Star Co-op
Co-ops exist to meet the needs of their members and communities. In this session, you’ll hear an overview about the cooperative model, learn how this model can be applied to various business types, and explore stories of co-ops that are transforming their communities. After discussing some advantages and struggles of cooperative ownership, you’ll leave this session with resources to find out more about starting a co-op or converting an existing business.
Nicole Renaux works on the Business Team at Black Star Co-op, a member-owned and worker self-managed pub and brewery serving house crafted beer and sustainably sourced pub fare in North Central Austin. Nicole also serves as Board President of the Austin Cooperative Business Association.
4:00-5:00 PM The Marketing Core – Cover the Basics to Win More Customers with Grant Chambers, Workhorse Marketing
Grant Chambers, CEO of Austin-based Workhorse Marketing, presents a series of fundamental marketing activities that any small business should be using to efficiently acquire and retain more customers. Based on their program, The Marketing Core, he will explain how to approach the organization and execution of these activities on a monthly basis.
Friday, May 6
10:00-11:00 AM Find Out What it Takes to Lead the New Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas with Christann Vasquez, Seton Medical Center
Join Christann Vasquez, the first president of the Dell Seton Medical Center at The University of Texas, to learn how to be an effective leader during major growth and innovation. During this session, she will speak about her role in building the new teaching hospital, provide insights on managing others in times of change, and answer questions about the positive impact the hospital will have on small businesses and for entrepreneurs.
11:30 AM-1:00 PM Social Impact as an Innovation Strategy, with Ruben Cantu, Core Media Enterprises
In today’s age, the secret to longevity in a company is when they are truly invested in the social impact of their community. By creating a business model of putting People, Planet first it can result in higher Profits. Now more than ever consumers and especially the younger generation are demanding this of their companies they do business with. It is now more important to know the path and nuances. We will talk about the difference between giving to charity, contrasting that to Corporate Social Responsibility and finally the ideal, a B Corp, which is to use your skills and strengths of your company to make a social impact on your community and the world while still making a profit.
We will talk about how to brainstorm the process, how to measure success and how to apply for B Certification. We will bring leaders who are already doing this and have them share their process and how to evaluate the decision with pros and cons for your business.