By: Ashmar Mandou
This week marked the kick-off to National Small Business Week in which the City of Chicago hosts a plethora of workshops to help entrepreneurs get started and grow their businesses. From business licensing 101, to using social media to build your brand, to doing business with the City of Chicago, entrepreneurs interacted with several successful entrepreneurs and members of Minority Owned Business Enterprise and Women Owned Business Enterprise, to name a couple.
“This is a great time to be a business owner,” said Chief Small Business Officer Roxanne Nava. “The mayor is truly passionate about making resources available to anyone who has the dream of starting their own business.” Through the end of this month, interested Chicagoans can attend any workshop hosted on Wednesdays and Fridays at City Hall in room 805. “There are numerous ways to connect with seasoned business owners,” said Nava. “Not only can entrepreneurs come here, to City Hall, to seek advice, but also join their local chamber of commerce for guidance. This city is full of possibilities and we are here to foster growth and success.”
The City of Chicago’s Small Business Center (SBC) at the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection hosts free business workshops through the end of May. Workshops are conducted by city officials, BACP’s partner organizations, and experts in the industry. To register for a workshop or for more information, call 312-744-2086 or email BACPoutreach@cityofchicago.org. Nava shared that on Saturday, May 17th, a small business expo will take place geared towards the Latino community at the Arturo Velasquez Institute. The expo runs from 10a.m., to 1p.m. Laura Sanchez, of SWATware LLC., will serve as keynote speaker at the expo. Business Education Workshops include,
5/16 How to Tie Social Media Into Your Other Marketing Efforts?
9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
Social media is just one piece of a small business marketing strategy that makes your business grow. What other marketing channels do you need for your business to flourish? How can you use social media with a multi-channel marketing approach? In this workshop, you discover the best ways to tie all your marketing efforts into a recipe for success.
5/28 Doing Business with the City of Chicago
3:15 to 4:30 p.m.
This information is designed to outline the role and responsibility of the Department of Procurement Services, and how the City’s purchasing process works. This workshop is ideal for companies looking to do business with the City of Chicago. For a full list of upcoming workshops, visit www.cityofchicago.org/SBC.
