Business Education Workshop – Presented by the City of Chicago To operate a successful business in Chicago you must know what it takes to maintain compliance. Officials from City several departments will provide insight to operate safely, stay compliant, help prepare for inspections and point out the do’s and don’ts of operating your business.

Presented by Smart at the Start Blogging is one of the best ways to build authority and traffic on the Internet. As the Internet continues to grow, consumers have an insatiable need for content. The company blog has become one of the most reliable forms of providing that information. The biggest challenge most small business owner’s face is not whether they need a blog, but how to build a blog that brings in business. Sponsored by the City of Chicago’s…

Presented by SCORE Do you have what it takes to start and run a successful business? If so, what are the first steps you should take? This workshop will help you assess your prospects, provide the initial direction you need, and inspire you to move forward. Sponsored by the City of Chicago’s Bureau of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection

Presented by John McLellan, FranNet- Chicago This informative workshop will explore the many franchise opportunities available in the Chicago market and explain the process by which you can determine which franchise meets your personal lifestyle and financial goals. This workshop also will explore the different financial options that are available for financing a franchise. Sponsored by the City of Chicago’s Bureau of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection

Presented by the City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection (BACP) This workshop will give you all the information you need to become either a Mobile Food Dispenser (MFD) or Mobile Food Preparer (MFP) licensed food truck operator. We will walk you through the MFD/MFP licensing process including inspections, the application, mobile food vehicle, and operational requirements, as well as the optional pre-application Mobile Food Vehicle Assessment.

In this two-hour session, Alyssa Conrardy and Lindsay Mullen of Prosper Strategies will guide attendees through the process of creating a set of compelling, targeted key messages they can use while writing, speaking about and marketing their businesses. This workshop focuses on three important exercises: 1. Profiling key stakeholders, from customers to investors 2. Identifying brand values and differentiators 3. Crafting a messaging matrix with messages about each brand value tailored to the unique needs of each stakeholder group  Attendees…

This workshop will focus on operations management and how to find savings at the operational level. It will cover operations management, energy and utilities, and other areas where savings can be obtained in the operation of a business. You will learn techniques that can quickly result in savings on operational costs and fatten your bottom line in the process! Sponsored by the City of Chicago’s Bureau of Business Affairs & Consumer Protection

Presented by Digital Professional Institute and Dean DeLisle, Founder and CEO of Forward Progress Dean DeLisle, Founder and CEO of Forward Progress, will take proven steps from our Social Selling Boot Camp and show you the most effective methods of connecting with your targets, gaining quality appointments, and finding the potential new clients in your network. You will also see what it takes to get THEM to find YOU by using LinkedIn for less than 20 minutes a day! Topics…

Presented by Lema Khorshid, Fuksa Khorshid, LLC Before opening the doors to your new technology concept, it’s important to be aware of legal risks that exist so you can properly protect your business. This workshop will explore different sources to fund your business venture and teach you some basic principles of how to protect yourself in litigation. We will also discuss intellectual property laws and provide practical approaches on how to implement a solid intellectual property plan.  Also, we will…

The world’s leading entrepreneurs reveal how they transformed fledgling business ideas into top-rated television stations, international fashion brands and business that generate social good. It’s an insider’s guide to riding out the waves of failure and turning the very germ of an idea into a successful company. Speakers include Martha Stewart, founder of Martha Stewart Living; Martine Rothblatt, lawyer, entrepreneur, and medical ethicist; Cynthia Rowley, fashion designer; Nancy Lublin, founder and CEO of Crisis Text Line; Kay Kopoloivitz, founder of…