Finance and Social Media Headline May’s Business Education Workshops

For Immediate Release

April 29, 2013

May 2013 Business Workshop Calendar

The City of Chicago is hosting 10 Business Education Workshops throughout May by Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP). The workshops are held every Wednesday and Friday at City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St., Chicago. 

In addition to the monthly “Talk to City Inspectors” and “How to Become Certified” workshops, BACP is hosting the popular “How to Finance Your Business” and “Social Media and its (Legal) Issues.” In total, BACP will have ten workshops for current and prospective small business owners to attend.

Some of the workshops have special presenters including Laura Sanchez of SWATware (“Search Engine Optimization for Small Businesses”); Mariana Noli of Ladas & Parry LLP (“Social Media and its (Legal) Issues”); Lisa Ghisolf of Gizmo Design Inc. (“Build a Website Using Wordpress”); and Lema Khorshid Esq. of Fuksa Khorshid LLC (“10 Things to Succeed in Business”).

To register for a workshop, or for more information, email BACPoutreach@cityofchicago.org or call 312.744.2086. Workshops are conducted by city officials, BACP’s partner organizations and experts in the industry. Workshops are located at the BACP City Hall Office, 121 N. LaSalle St., Room 805. Learn more about BACP programs and events by visiting www.cityofchicago.org/bacp.

May 2013 Business Workshop Calendar

5/1 Talk to City Inspectors, Ask Questions, Get Answers             
3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Presented by the City of Chicago

To operate a successful business in Chicago you must know the requirements. At this workshop you can talk to four inspectors from City departments who will point out the do’s and don’ts of operating your business, and provide insight on how to operate safely, stay compliant, and prepare for inspections. Don’t miss this workshop!

5/3 Search Engine Optimization for Small Businesses
9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
Presented by Laura Sanchez of SWATware

Discover how to improve your website's visibility on Google and get more visitors to your site, as well as many useful tips you can implement yourself. Such as: how to find valuable keywords, a list of reliable business directories where you can register your website and much more.

5/8 How to Finance Your Business
3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Presented by the Small Business Administration (SBA)

Attend this great workshop and learn about SBA capital access programs including loan guaranties, CDC 504, micro lending, crowd funding, and surety programs.   

5/10 Social Media and its (Legal) Issues
9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
Presented By Mariana Noli, Ladas & Parry LLP

MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest ... What is social media? Why should you care? Do you think before you post? This workshop will teach you how to maximize the use of the tools that social media offer to entrepreneurs, identifying its benefits as well as its potential risks. If you are interested in hearing how to build your brand, protect your IP rights, avoid losing your rights, becoming aware of the issues that may come up from the use of social media in connection with the work place, you do not want to miss this seminar.  

5/15 Go Global: Tools to Enter New Markets
3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Presented by U.S. Department of Commerce (Commercial Service) and The Alliance for Illinois Manufacturing / NORBIC

Learn about resources available to help your business reach new markets. A multitude of federal, state and local grants, programs and tax incentives are available to U.S. companies that want to grow internationally. This workshop will provide your firm with information on entering new markets and increasing sales to existing ones, with services such as international partner searches, due diligence reports on foreign firms, and introductions to potential buyers at U.S. and international trade shows. 

5/17 Starting and Staying in Business
9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
Presented by The Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC)

What does starting a business really require? What do you need to know to stay in business? Come hear our partner from the Women’s Business Development Center how you can get started: Articulating your business concept, how to structure your business, learn your market and begin to see how to organize your thinking about supporting the business financially.

5/22 JOC Information Session
3:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Presented By Dwayne Pierre-Antoine of The Gordian Group

This workshop provides a summary of the City's Job Order Contract Program and the benefits of JOC for the Prime Contractor and Subcontractors. Learn how to bid a JOC as a Prime Contractor and Subcontractor. This session is ideal for construction and construction related business owners. 

5/24 Build A Website Using WordPress
9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
Presented by Lisa Ghisolf of Gizmo Design Inc.

Does your business need a website? Learn the basics of WordPress and how to build a basic website. WordPress is a very easy to use content management system. Once you've learned the basics and what is possible, Gizmo will take you through WP basics, the dashboard, how it all works; how to run a clean WP site; how to install plugins; security and where you can take your site from here! Bring your laptop with WordPress installed and learn the ins and outs. 

5/29 How to Become Certified
1:30 to 3:00 p.m.
Presented by the City of Chicago Department of Procurement Services (DPS)

This workshop will provide information on which businesses are qualified to become certified as a Minority/Woman Owned Business Enterprise. Learn what documents are required, where to go for help, and how to avoid the most common mistakes.

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.

5/31 10 Things to Succeed in Business
9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
Presented by Lema Khorshid Esq., Partner, Fuksa Khorshid, LLC

Laying a solid legal foundation for your small business can carry you very far.  This soup to nuts interactive seminar will focus on ten tips that you should employ in running your small business to ensure that you are successful.