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California Comeback: How Berkeley Small Business Owners Can Take Advantage of New Programs in the State Budget
Thursday October 7 @ Noon on Zoom As part of the budget, the California legislature passed the $100 billion California Comeback Plan, which includes the biggest economic recovery package for small business owners in California history. Please join Berkeley Chamber and Small Business Majority as we discuss the new entrepreneurship programs included in the California Comeback Plan. During this session we will also discuss how getting connected to a free business advisor can help you make heads or tails of the various programs for which you may be eligible. Topics of discussion will include Federal and state policy updates, tax credits available for your small business and common roadblocks, the Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant (new), and the California Dream Fund program for new entrepreneurs. A Q&A period will follow. Register HERE |
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Berkeley Business Bootcamp: A Monthly Series for Small Business Owners
Thursday October 14 @ Noon: How to Raise Funding from Supportive, Values-Aligned Investors There are a lot of myths out there about what it looks like to raise money from investors. You don't have to be a high growth tech startup to raise money from investors! At this workshop, attorney and funding coach Jenny Kassan will teach a step by step process for designing your customized strategy to find the right investors for you and raise funding on your own terms. Register HERE Thursday November 4 @ Noon: Managing a Crisis If the past year has taught a business owner anything, it's that managing a crisis efficiently is paramount in the longevity of a company. Join us to discuss the steps business owners should take in order to prepare and execute emergency response plans to see their staff and production survive the inevitable bumps in the road. Register HERE Thursday December 9 @ Noon: Executive Briefing on Cyber Security Have you ever wondered if your company is cyber-secure? Cybersecurity is a rapidly growing field, but most people don’t have the time to keep up with all the changes. That’s why we created a Cybersecurity Executive Briefing that will cover everything from the Internet to user devices, and all the latest trends on cyberattacks. This webinar will arm the executive team with knowledge that will help you make informed decisions about your own cybersecurity options. Wherever you are in your cybersecurity readiness planning, we have designed this consultation to help provide a place to have your questions answered. We want our customers to feel confident knowing they can cover risks and increase protection against cybercriminals who may try and take advantage of them. If you think you, or anyone you know, can benefit from this briefing, sign up today Register HERE |
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Session 6 -- Marketing & Competitors: Using ReferenceUSA
Our sixth and final session, “Marketing & Competitors: Using ReferenceUSA” was Thursday March 11th, 10-11am. Find your ideal customers, find the best venues to market your wares, and help build your business by using ReferenceUSA. ReferenceUSA is an immensely powerful resource designed to locate your competitors and the best markets and customers for your business. Access this valuable tool for free with your library card from the Berkeley Public Library, all from the comfort of your home, provided you live in California. We will be joined by the master ReferenceUSA “extractor,” Bill Carlson, in this tailored-to-Berkeley demonstration and Q&A session. To Re-watch this session CLICK HERE |
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Session 5 -- Increasing Business Visibility on Google
Our fifth session, "Increasing Business Visibility on Google" was Thursday, February 11th, from 10-11am. Learn digital marketing strategies to grow your online brand by leveraging Google Search Engine Optimization (SEO), content marketing and social media interactions across platforms including websites, blogs, video-sharing, review sites, email marketing and event sites. This keynote will provide an overview of the 9 Key Areas to measure and grow your online presence as defined by David Mitroff, Ph.D. with examples from his consulting and recruiting work. To Re-watch this session CLICK HERE |
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Session 4 -- Human Resources for the Small Business
Our fourth session, "Human Resources for the Small Business" was Thursday, January 14, from 10-11am. Small business owners hire employees to help them grow their business, but if the owner does not define a strategy for managing employees and the human resources requirements to stay compliant with state and federal laws, they may be faced with managing challenging employees, experiencing threats of lawsuits, and spending more time managing employees than growing the business. And now there are also constantly changing state and local laws about how to manage employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Host Sara Skowronski, SPHR, with Eos Human Resources Consulting discussed best practices for creating an HR strategy that will align with business growth and new laws to be aware of to stay compliant. To Re-watch this session CLICK HERE |
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Session 3 -- How to Use Virtual Networking for Business Growth
Our third session, "How to Use Virtual Networking for Business Growth" was Thursday, December 10, from 10-11am. Networking is critical for any business to grow and expand. Many industry conferences and events have been canceled or postponed due to COVID-19. As a result, in-person networking opportunities have become dismal which has opened the door even wider for virtual opportunities. What if you could create 50% more opportunities from the contacts you already have? Our host David Mitroff, Ph.D., showed how you can leverage the internet and social media to expand your professional and personal brand. To Re-watch this session CLICK HERE |
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Session 2 -- Finding your Profitable Niche
Our second session, "Finding your Profitable Niche" was Thursday, November 12, from 10-11am. Every business needs to know their target audiences and how to best match their offer to what the audience wants to buy. Lisa Cain, small business marketing expert and founder of MarketingU, walked us through the steps to finding your profitable niched and the steps to market them successfully. To Re-watch this session CLICK HERE |
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Session 1 -- Why You Need a Business Plan & How to Write One
Our first session, "Why You Need a Business Plan and How to Write One" was Thursday, October 22, from 10-11am. Business Plan expert Pete Kremer walked us through the basics of creating and implementing a successful business plan. Whether you are starting your first plan, or making updates to adapt to this new normal, this is not a session to be missed. To Re-watch this session CLICK HERE |