Help available for Botetourt Small Business Development

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

• Tuesday, August 10 4-7 PM Business Smart Start – In Person
• Are you considering starting a new business?  Not sure what you need to do and what steps to take?  Then Start Your Business Smart! Business Smart Start is an introduction to owning your own business.  Topics covered include deciding on a legal entity structure, basic accounting and tax issues, steps you need to take for permits and licensing, steps to writing a business plan and basics of marketing and market research.  We cover the nine steps to market research to determine if your business idea makes sense.  Class is for individuals in business, thinking of starting a business even if it might be years in the future.  The class is 3.0 hours long so these topics will only be briefly covered.  Upon completing the class, you will have the opportunity to schedule a one-on-one appointment with one of the professional business advisors in our office.  We do not charge for our one-on-one sessions; the class is $20. Note: This class is being held in person at the Roanoke Regional SBDC. Physical address:  210 S. Jefferson Street, Roanoke (Downtown).
• Registration: https://clients.virginiasbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=130410028

• Entrepreneu • Her Retreat 2021 Friday, September 17 –
• Inspiring post-pandemic success for the entrepreneur in all of us. 
• It’s time for you to step up, speak up, and show up for yourself, your business, and your life. Join us for a full day of connection, inspiration, and programming for aspiring entrepreneurs and experienced small business owners. We’ll cover topics from resilience, finance, marketing, operations, and sustainability during engaging activities and meaningful conversations.
  Retreat for the day at one of the region’s most scenic event spaces, The Preserve at Crooked Run
• 
  Ticket sales and Sponsorship opportunities are available online:  https://www.entrepreneuherva.com/
  
• Save the Date – 
  
  • U.S. SBA – National Small Business Week – Virtual Summit – September 13 – 15 
    • https://www.sba.gov/national-small-business-week
    • More information on RRSBDC activity coming soon. 
      
  • National Minority Enterprise Development Week – September 19 – 25
    • https://www.mbda.gov/medweek-2021

Ongoing Support – 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. 

• Thursday, 7/29/21, 12:00 PM | Grow Your Business with Digital Marketing
• Businesses need to understand the basics of digital marketing now more than ever, because digital marketing creates growth.
  Learn about the basics of digital marketing, including:
  • Social Media
  • Email Marketing
  • Paid Ads
  • SEO
  • Affiliate Marketing
  • How to use analytics to measure your success
• Registration –  https://clients.virginiasbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=900410057

• Tuesday, August 03, 2021 6:30 PM | Create Virginia: Writer Kevin Roose Keynote on Digital Ownership And NFTS, 
• 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

• Wednesday, 8/4/21, 12:00 PM | Securing Your WordPress Website
• 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=900410051
• Thursday, 8/5/21, 12:00 PM | Managing Your WordPress Website 
• 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=900410044
• Wednesday, 8/11/21, 12:00 PM | Fundamental Cybersecurity: Protecting your Business and Information  
• 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=900410050
• Wednesday, 8/18/21, 12:00 PM | Cyber Awareness Training for Your Business 
• Cybersecurity awareness is essential for all businesses regardless of size. Your employees are the first line of defense in protecting your digital information and your business from hackers. This training will focus on the latest online threats such as phishing, malware, and ransomware. During this session the Virginia SBDC Cybersecurity Advisor, Tom Stamulis, will provide an overview of the latest threats along with tips that every employee can use to protect your network.
• 
  Registration: https://clients.virginiasbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=900410048

• Thursday, 8/24/21, 12:00 PM | Success through e-Commerce 
• 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.

Instructor: Cameron Nelson, Chief Digital Advisor, Virginia SBDC and CV SBDC

Registration: https://clients.virginiasbdc.org/workshop.aspx?ekey=900410045

Thank you for your continued support Small Businesses across the region and the RRSBDC! Please let me know if you have any questions regarding the above information or if you need the graphics in a different size. They are sized at 1080×1080 pixels. I can be reached by email:  hfay@roanokesmallbusiness.org or phone: (540) 632-1174. For the latest updates and direct links, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @rrsbdc. 

My colleagues and I look forward to continuing to collaborate with you, your colleagues, and our regions small businesses as we strive to rebuild through resilience and recovery.  Have a great day! 
Sincerely,Heather

–submited by Heather Fay Botetourt Advisor – Support made possible by Botetourt County Regional Program DirectorRoanoke Regional SBDCworking remotelyServing small businesses in the Roanoke and New River Valleys and Alleghany Highlands. 


Schedule an advising appointment:  https://roanokesmallbusiness.org/advisingwww.RoanokeSmallBusiness.org

Office Phone (540) 613-5323Cell Phone (540) 526-6799

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