Small Business Network:
Workshops that Work Series

Build Your Business (Open to Members and Non-Members)

A new Workshops That Work series addresses the needs of small businesses after the initial start-up stage. The program will help build the capacity of small companies while improving the talent of the owners and their staff. Workshops help connect small businesses to each other through “a la carte” seminars and employee participation.

View details of past Workshops that Work:

Hiring & Firing: Employees, Vendors & Clients

October 10, 2007

From the legal, human resource, and small business perspectives, this diverse panel offered practical tips for developing winning strategies for hiring and firing employees, vendors, or clients. From recruitment to termination, attendees discussed best practices for protecting their firms and received tailored resource manuals with guidelines for successfully beginning or ending professional agreements. Click here for this interactive panel presentation.

Also, access some of the materials offered in this useful guide by clicking on the following links: Recruiting Process – Preparation of a Successful Hire by Administaff; Employment Terminations by Francis T. Coleman, Esq. (Williams Mullen); Terminating an I.T. Vendor by Carole Hussey (Technical Impacts, Inc.).

Panelists: Tony Warner, Administaff; Francis T. Coleman, Williams Mullen; Carole Hussey, Technical Impacts, Inc. Moderator: Michael Veve, Lasa, Monroig, & Veve, PLLC

 

Ethics and Corporate Culture

September 12, 2007

In this interactive seminar, attendees discussed the long-term importance of proactively establishing compliance programs within their growing firms. This diverse panel combined insight and practical application on the legal significance of ethics, the profitability and recognition gained from consistent ethical practices, as well as one firm’s successful commitment to creatively approaching this issue. Through research and case studies, panelists emphasized that the keys for preventing ethical conflicts and achieving lasting success for small businesses are awareness and early development and communication of a firm’s ethics policies and values. Download presentation>>

Panelists included Barry Coburn, Attorney, Trout Cacheris, PLLC, Dan Haverkos, President, 401kCo., and the National Capitol Business Ethics Award Nominations Chair, and Scott Forrester, Principal, Forrester Construction.

Download the NCBEA Entry Form and Nomination Form to recognize an exemplary company at this upcoming awards reception. Also, dowload article by moderator, Jonathan Rosen, Mintz Levin, P.C., on the issue of corporate compliance.

 

Marketing 101: Creating a Workable Plan to Market Your Growing Company

May 17, 2007

This popular workshop helped companies look at the steps after defining their market and diagnosing their competition to concentrate on how to define a marketing plan. This workshop provided a step-by-step marketing strategy for firms expanding their businesses and building stronger relationships with existing clients. The workshop's presenter, Blattner Brunner, developed a Marketing 101 Guide for growing companies to use as they build a relationship between their marketing plan, business plan, and vision statement.

Attendees received this valuable guide, compliments of the Greater Washington Board of Trade. Click here to download this guide.

 

How Secure is Your Business? How Cyber Security Can Affect Your Growing Company

April 18, 2007

Moderated by the National Cyber Security Alliance and presented in collaboration with the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council and the Maryland Emergency Management Agency, this workshop addressed the cyber security threats that growing companies face, taught how to develop an internal policy for businesses to assess those risks, and helped companies map out solutions to securing their firms. Participants explored practical tools and techniques that can help them to assess, enhance, and maintain the security of their systems. Workshop presenters Tiffany Jones of Symantec Corporation and Brain Kainec of TechAssist, Inc. guided attendees through:

  • Understanding what cyber security is and how to address the threats it poses to their own firms;
  • Recognizing what threats trend towards small firms and where most companies are commonly exposed;
  • Assessing specific elements of how their company could be at risk; and
  • Identifying what to look for in an external consultant.

Leading Your Workforce: Preparing Your Company Culture
to Retain Talented People with Ken Tucker

February 21, 2007

Ken Tucker, President of Ken Tucker and Associates, led attendees through strategies of recruiting and retaining a workforce in Greater Washington. Attendees learned about our region’s competitive market and what area employers can do to attract a strong and productive workforce.  Participants learned how to:

  • Assess their workforce as well as their tools to recruit and retain talented performers;
  • Lead, implement, and execute a retention plan to achieve the best results for their organization;
  • Measure the investment they make in their company and employees;
  • Learn if their culture is presently one that will attract and retain world-class talent.

Attendees also received an in-depth workbook from Ken’s series, Keys to Your Career Success: Building the Worthy Organization, on strategies for increasing performance capacity and accountability.

 

Developing an Information Technology Roadmap for Professional Service Firms with PJ Colbeck

Thursday, November 2, 2006

Author Patrick Colbeck lead a discussion on how to generate an IT strategic plan for small and medium sized companies.  Using non-technical lingo Patrick, author of Information Technology Roadmap for Professional Service Firms, helped attendees determine how to better meet their employee and client needs.  Participants learned how to:

  • Find the right IT solution for your business;
  • Identify how you can improve your business performance through the use of advanced IT solutions; and
  • Manage IT solutions to fit within your budget without having buyer’s remorse.

This workshop’s objective was to formulate a tighter synergy between IT solutions and business needs.  It was targeted to business owners and decision makers that are non-technical. IT professionals benefited from the definition of an IT strategy that broke down traditional communication barriers between business and IT. To download Patrick Colbeck’s presentation visit Results Software’s website.

To learn of additional references and to purchase Patrick’s book visit Perspective Shifts.

 

Finding the Door to the Middle Market

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

This workshop provided an excellent opportunity for smaller firms working on business strategy to learn more about middle market companies in the region, many of whom are enjoying rapid growth. The middle market provides exceptional opportunity for new business development and customer relationships. While larger companies are obvious targets for sales opportunities, the middle market is often overlooked. Panelists Ethan Treese of Dun & Bradstreet, Ben Hammer of the Washington Business Journal, Jennifer Cortner of EFX Media, and Russell Wright of Dimensions International discussed questions such as:

  • What does the term "middle market" mean and what do these companies look like in this region?
  • Who makes the decisions in these organizations?
  • How do small companies identify and develop relationships with growing middle market firms?
  • What do middle market firms find attractive in small firms?
  • Online resources to determine how a firm is growing.

Winning Sales Tactics for Your Small Business

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

The workshop taught sales tactics to help attendees’ prospects realize they need what your company provides. Participants came away with practical appointment-making techniques to reach their target market. The workshop featured Rick LaDuca of Crossland Partners, a national sales training and consulting company that helps companies achieve exceptional revenue growth. Attendees were comprised of emerging company entrepreneurs who wanted to develop the talent of their sales personnel.

Defining a Financial Strategy for Your Small Firm

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

This workshop targeted small -- but growing -- firms ready to define their financial future. A panel of experts discussed what successful financial teams look like and how to companies can extend their vision into a strategic financial plan. Panelists Kathleen Fisken of Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman, Dennis Barrett of Adams National Bank and Paul Langevin of SiloSmashers will talked about how -- and with whom -- small businesses need to share their financial information, the significance of keeping detailed and accurate records, and the role of a CFO in an emerging company.

 

Developing Successful Sales Strategies for Your Small Business

Wednesday, June 7, 2006

This workshop addressed what makes great sales professionals and organizations. Jason Pappas, CEO of EntreQuest, a national sales training and consulting company lead an interactive seminar on how to create sustainable and measurable sales revenue. By focusing first on assessing your firm’s needs, and then on your selling process, he demonstrated how to significantly grow sales for companies.

 

Moving On… and Measuring Success: Implementing Your Strategic Business Plan

Tuesday, May 9, 2006

This workshop helped companies to understand how to create an action plan for their company that involved the input of their employees. The workshop was led by Stuart Clark of Eagle Hill Consulting and was designed to help small firms successfully implement and execute a strategic plan that will achieve the best results. As a complement to Stuart Clark’s presentation, participants heard from panelists: Samantha Guerry of Sightline Marketing, Burwell Gunn of Commerce Bank and Bernard Nunez of XIF. These panelists described their real-life scenarios of implementing their strategic plan to audience members.

 

Small Business. Big PR: How to Tell Your Company’s Story to the Media

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Attendees learned how to make their small businesses stand out to the media!  This workshop highlighted what makes a small business success story newsworthy.  Reporters Krissah Williams of the Washington Post and Nick Wakeman from Washington Technology and from public relations experts Brendan Hurley of Goodwill of Greater Washington and Geoff Livingston of Sage Communications, told the best way to approach a reporter, pitch an idea and get noticed without spending marketing dollars.  Breakout sessions with the panelists allowed participants to explore their company’s media strategy.

 

GSA Workshop: Getting on the IT Schedule 70

Friday, March 10, 2006

Along with our affiliate organization, the Greater Washington Initiative, the Board of Trade presented this hands-on workshop featuring the GSA schedule process. Shaunta Johnson, Director of the Small Business Utilization Center gave an overview on the process of obtaining a GSA Schedule which acts as a catalyst for nearly $66 billion in federal spending—more than 25% of the U.S. Government's total procurement. GSA Schedule contracts allow a company to establish a “catalog” price list with the federal government. Companies interested in pursuing a Schedule 70 contract specific to Information Technology participated in an additional hands-on workshop lead by Gary Cook, Business Development Specialist at the Information Technology Acquisition Center, Federal Supply Service, General Services Administration.

 

Strategic Planning for Growing Companies

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

This workshop helped to prepare companies for growth and success in 2006 by teaching the Seven Steps to a Clear Strategy. It was designed to help small companies learn how to link their vision, corporate purpose and market position with a clear strategy and execution plan. Lynne Kaye of the Riders Edge and Bill Bellows of Byron Ruslan Consulting guided participants on how to avoid some of the most common pitfalls for growing companies. A small group setting was used to share knowledge and look at real world situations faced by small business owners. Download the Strategic Planning Workbook & Resource Guide

 

Getting on the GSA Schedule

Tuesday, October 25

The workshop helped small firms navigate the demanding GSA schedule application process and talked about the steps required to negotiate fair and reasonable prices for products or services.  Shaunta Johnson, Director of the Small Business Utilization Center at GSA spoke frankly about how a small company can successfully market themselves once they’re on the schedule. Panelists also included Matt Hankes, VP of Sales, Fedmarket; Robert VanGorder, Vice President of Consulting for the Washington Management Group; Jen Ferguson, Director, GSA Programs at CGI-AMS; and, Tony Fung and Nav Kim, Partners, Catapult Consulting. Download Presentation>>

 


Leveraging the Web to Market your Small Business

Tuesday, September 27

This workshop focused on increasing small company’s expertise and visibility by learning how to utilize the web as a marketing resource. Facilitated by Kip Gregory, President of The Gregory Group and author of Winning Clients in a Wired World.

Kip spoke on five steps to implementing a low-cost, high-impact marketing communication strategy and relationship building process while managing it successfully. He also spoke on how to identify the centers of influence you need to cultivate networking: where to find them, who they are, how to reach them, what they read, organizations they belong to, when and where they meet. How do you manage and follow up on those relationships via the web?

Small breakout sessions with marketing professionals allowed focused feedback to attendees think through best practices and covered questions like: what are the successes and challenges you have experiences in leveraging the web as a marketing tool?  Share marketing strategies have you implemented to date. And how have you managed those networks after you gained access to their contact information?

Some resources Kip recommended can be found at http://www.winningclients.com/links.php where you can uncover information online quickly and easily.

 

Contracting with the Department of Homeland Security

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

This workshop focused on the Department of Homeland Security's needs and what the point of entry is for small companies to do business with them. A panel of speakers including Norman Montgomery, Director of Advanced Programs–DHS, at BearingPoint; Rodney Thomas, President & CEO of Thomas & HerbertConsulting; and Mary Ellen Condon of SRA International provided first hand accounts of how they contract.  This threesome recently won DHS’s contract for Information Technology Support for Integrated Terrorist Screening.  Joe Loddo, District Director of the SBA and Stand Fuji, Contracting Officer with the SBA were on hand to answer questions about the SBA Mentor-Protégé program for which BearingPoint and Thomas & Herbert won the 2005 award. Download Presentation>>

 

Recruiting and Retaining Quality Employees

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

Sponsored by AXA Advisors this workshop helped to focus small businesses owners on how to face the increasingly competitive market for employees at all levels. Lyles is Senior Vice President of The McCormick Group, the region’s largest independent executive search consulting firm and spoke on how to craft a company’s case for attracting talented people, while motivating and retaining current employees. Lyles discussed recruiting and retention techniques, sources of quality employees at all levels, barriers, benefits and employee expectations.

 

Access to Capital

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

This workshop, sponsored and moderated by Sulee Clay of DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary, explored financing opportunities for up-and-coming businesses.  Panelists included: John May of New Vantage Group; Pascal Luck of Core Capital Partners; and, Ron Voigt of Bank of America.  The workshop offered clear comparisons for growing companies interested in potential funding options.  Download Presentation>>

 

Strategies to Grow Your Business

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

To kickoff the Small Business Network Workshop series Lynda Alicudo, President of Alicudo & Associates gave small business owners an important checklist of what to look for as their business grows. Lynda Alicudo is an organizational and business performance advisor, with a core competency in sales and business development. Her seminar agenda included the importance of a strategic plan; determining what growth strategies to employ and expanding your team to execute new business strategy. Additional focus areas included extending the lines of business and adding to core competencies; adding other business models; adding complimentary products or services; expanding target market segments, new industries, larger accounts and expand to other geographies; and, exploring external partnerships, alliances, joint ventures and new clients. In addition to financing company’s growth though debt and equity Lynda touched on cues that small firms should watch for that may hinder their growth.

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  • Greater Washington Initiative