News

Roanoke Regional Small Business Development Center (RRSBDC) seminars for Botetourt Businesses

 Below you will find an overview of our upcoming opportunities to support Botetourt Businesses and our regions small businesses as they start, grow, expand and recover. Attached please find the graphics for our various events and programs offered by the Roanoke Regional SBDC and Virginia SBDC as they are available. 

Roanoke Regional Small Business Development Center >>https://roanokesmallbusiness.org/virtual-events-training

  • Food & Beverage Cohort – Applications Due – 5 PM EST, Wednesday, June 23

  • The Food & Beverage Accelerator is a 6-week learning cohort sponsored by the Virginia Small Business Development Center and led by Cureate Courses for growth-oriented consumer packaged goods Food & Beverage Producers with ready-to-scale operations. 

    Learn More and Apply: https://food-beverage.roanokesmallbusiness.org/

    Promotional Flyer is attached to this email 
  • ICAP July Cohort – Applications Due – Midnight, Sunday, June 27

  • The introductory program is designed to generate a maximum impact over a relatively short duration and should be considered a required first step for anyone interested in commercializing a technology or product, whether through a startup or licensing arrangement. Some graduates of this cohort may be eligible to apply to NSF’s Seven-week National I-Corps Program, which includes non-dilutive grants for customer discovery and prototype development. Additionally, this program can help teams develop better submissions for SBIR and CRCF grants from Virginia’s Center for Innovative Technologies.

    Learn more and apply: https://www.virginiasbdc.org/icap-lean-startup-introductory-course-virtual-cohort/


1:1 Advising for current and future business owners
 – The Roanoke Regional Small Business Development Center works with entrepreneurs in all phases of their business from idea to exiting. We are small business champions and believe the heart of our communities and economy comes from your entrepreneurial spirit. Our confidential advising sessions are free with the support of our sponsors, the Small Business Administration, Virginia SBDC, and our host, Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce.  We are currently working remotely and offering appointments through Zoom.  Link to sign up for an advising session: https://roanokesmallbusiness.org/advising


Virginia Small Business Development Center Training >> 
https://www.virginiasbdc.org/training/

  • Manage Supply Chain Impacts and Considerations – Wednesday, June 23 at 9:00 AM 
    For many, bare toilet paper shelves and “one per customer” restrictions on eggs in 2020 shone a spotlight on supply chains for the first time. Less visible were the disruptions in non-consumer sectors and the impacts on a variety of other businesses. Relatedly, there has been ongoing conversations about reshoring in the wake of the pandemic. What does all of this mean for small businesses that are looking for ways to future-proof their supply chains? In this session, participants will consider what they can do to make their businesses more resilient to future disruptions.

    Registration – https://clients.virginiasbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=900410042
  • A Guide for Retail Renewal – Wednesday, June 30 at 8:30 AM
  • Virginia is reopening in Summer 2021 and retail has changed. Marc Willson of the Virginia SBDC is presenting a Guide for Retail Renewal webinar to share:
    • Current retail trends since COVID
    • Customer expectations of the retail experience
    • New opportunities and challenges to maximize for success
    • Tips for developing and executing a renewed business strategy

  • Registration – https://clients.virginiasbdc.org/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=900410040
  • Managing Your WordPress Website – Thursday, July 1 at 12:00 PM
  • Join us and learn how to create and/or better manage your WordPress website!Are you looking for a simple, yet effective website to use for your business? WordPress might be a good option! In this workshop, we’ll cover “the basics” on creating and updating a WordPress site, including:
    • User management
    • Page creation and editing
    • Image and video uploads
    • Plugin management
    • Linking to social media

    Registration – https://clients.virginiasbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=900410043
  • Future Proofing Your Business with Blockchain – Wednesday, July 7 at 12:00 PM
    FOMO on blockchain for your business? We’ve got you covered.We demystify blockchain in this illustrative program that includes a panel of experts to answer your questions.This session will cover:
    • Introduction to Blockchain
      • Blockchain vs. bitcoin – how are they different?
    • How Blockchain can be used for Small Business
      • Accepting cryptocurrency as a form of payment
      • Use of smart contracts
      • Using blockchain to raise capital
    • Looking towards the future of Blockchain Technologies
      • Moving towards cryptocurrency as national currency
    • Industry Applications
    • Safety and Privacy Concerns
    Registration: https://clients.virginiasbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=900410052
  • Securing Your WordPress Website – Thursday, July 8 at 12:00 PM
  • Creating your website with WordPress can be exciting but also overwhelming. Once you have built your site, you need to secure it. Hackers like to take advantage of inexperienced users and new websites to get access to your sensitive information. Most security breaches can be prevented if your site is up to date. Virginia SBDC Cybersecurity Advisor, Tom Stamulis, will share essential security practices and tips on how to keep your plugins up to date and your site secure.

         Registration: https://clients.virginiasbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=900410053

  • Fundamental Cybersecurity: Protecting your Business and Information – Wednesday, July 21 at 12:00 PM
  • Virginia SBDC Cybersecurity Advisor, Tom Stamulis, will discuss current threats impacting small businesses and the risks that could impact the operations of your business. He will introduce fundamental cybersecurity controls, which are in alignment with the Cybersecurity Maturity Model (CMM) developed by the Department of Defense. He will provide instructions on how every small business can implement these controls using the people, processes, and technology they have in place.
    Registration: https://clients.virginiasbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=900410049
  • Success through e-Commerce – Thursday, July 22 12:00 PM

         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.

         Registration: https://clients.virginiasbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=900410046

  • Create Virginia: Writer Kevin Roose Keynote on Digital Ownership And NFTSTuesday, August 03, 2021 6:30 PM 
  • Presented on Zoom, NYT Technology Journalist Kevin Roose will be talking to us about Non Fungible Tokens (NFTs). NFTs are a hot new thing that artists need to be aware of and understand, as they are a kind of digital signature and ownership on a work. 

    Registration – https://clients.virginiasbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=900410037

Heather FayBotetourt Advisor – Support made possible by Botetourt County Regional Program DirectorRoanoke Regional SBDCworking remotely