Getting cutting-edge business intel is as simple as showing up at the fifth annual Entrepreneurship & Small Business Conference on Tuesday May 1.
“It’s a no-cost conference,” said Tom Kindred Jr., director of the Florida Small Business Center at Indian River State College.
The conference will be 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Doors will open at the Knight Center for Emerging Technology – 3209 Virginia Ave., Fort Pierce – at 7:30 a.m.
At 8 a.m. Jerry Parrish will speak. “He’s the chief economist and director of research at the Florida Chamber Foundation,” Kindred said. “He’s going to talk about demographics and changing trends in the State of Florida.”
So businesspeople have a better idea who and where the customers are.
At 9 a.m., attendees will head into training sessions. “There’ll be 12 workshops,” Kindred said, which will cover a wide range of topics from understanding business finance to cyber security.
Attendees will follow four tracks, so all have a chance to attend every training session. There will be one on getting government contracts. Another will discuss cultivating the psychology of entrepreneurship. Another will cover online marketing, and yet another covers motivating teams and tapping public relations.
Lunch with Knight Kiplinger will be 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. “He’s the publisher of the Kiplinger Letter,” Kindred said. “He’s going to talk about politics and trends and how that’s affecting the national economy.”
Kindred said the conference can be just the start for entrepreneurs. “The day is filled with information about business resources at the college to help your business,” he said.
The Florida SBDC at IRSC is part of a statewide network. “The purpose (of the Entrepreneurship & Small Business Conference) is so our business and entrepreneurial community are aware of and take advantage of all the business programs we have here at IRSC,” Kindred said.
He added that many are unaware of how much and what kind of help is available at IRSC. “The thing we always hear is, ‘We had no idea what all is available at the college,’” Kindred said. For example, “we have an international trade specialist who’ll help manufactures who want to take their products global,” he added.
Seating is limited. To see more and register, visit www.irscbiz.com.