Take Your Business to the Next Level

Join Us for an Information Session
Thursday, January 26, 2017
11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
SBA Columbus District Office
401 North Front Street, Suite 200
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Attendees will have a chance to meet the instructor and alumni from the program to learn more about the class benefits and structure. Register for this event.
SBA’s Emerging Leaders is an intensive executive-level training initiative to accelerate the growth of high-potential small businesses located in America’s cities. Developed by the U.S. Small Business Administration, and drawing on the experiences of advisors and business leaders in the community, this comprehensive curriculum provides the tools to catapult your company to the next level and help it emerge as a force in your community. This training is not for businesses in the start-up phase.
View the video: Why You Should be Part of SBA's Emerging Leaders Initiative
The Emerging Leaders advanced training series is open to small business owners and executives located in the Columbus area that:

Attention Rural Food and Ag Businesses in Sutter and Yuba Counties!
Valley Vision and partners invite you to attend a forum connecting rural food and ag businesses with helpful business resources and financing information. Participants will have the opportunity to speak one-on-one with many resource providers.
Date: Friday, January 27, 2017
•Time: 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM
•Location: 420 MVL - 420 E St, Marysville, California 95901
The event is targeted to rural businesses in Yuba, Sutter, and surrounding counties with under 50 employees, including growers, ranchers, processors, distributors, and others. Community partners are also welcome to attend. Follow-up assistance and additional resources will be available for attendees.
Please RSVP if you plan to attend. Seats are limited!
Please share this invite with other folks who can benefit!
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Resource providers include:
•USDA Rural Development California
•Small Business Adminstration (SBA)
•Economic Development Adminstration (EDA)
•UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR)
•Capital Region Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
•California Bank & Trust
•Opening Doors, Inc.
•Many other resource providers to connect with!
Small Business Certification Webinar - January 18, 2017
U.S. Federal Government contracts represent a tremendous sales and revenue opportunity for small businesses as the government is the world’s largest customer, awarding hundreds of billions of dollars for products and services. Additionally, the Federal government has specified annual prime contracting goals for designated small businesses. The current, government-wide procurement goal stipulates that at least 23% of all federal government contracting dollars should be awarded to small businesses. In addition, targeted sub-goals are established for the following small business categories:
•Women Owned Small Business – 5%
•Small Disadvantaged Business – 5%
•Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business – 3%
•HUBZone – 3%
Learn from SCORE and SBA about these Federal set-aside programs and how to qualify for them.
When: Wednesday, January 18, 2017 from 12:00pm to 1:00pm Eastern time
Where: This is an online event
2017 Gro-Biz Conference and Idea Expo

Registration under way for Wyoming’s premiere business conference
CASPER, WYO. For the 15th year, Wyoming’s business owners and entrepreneurs are invited to attend the GRO-Biz Conference & Idea Expo to network with other business owners, meet economic development professionals, and connect with dozens of procurement officers to help them start selling their products in the multi-billion dollar federal government contract market.
The conference will be held Feb. 22-23, 2017 at the Ramkota Hotel in Casper, Wyo. Register by Feb. 8, 2017 for the discounted cost of $165 per registrant; beginning February 8, 2017 registration fee is $185. To see agenda and to register, visit www.regonline.com/2017grobizidea.
Long time attendee Anthony Aguirre of Triple A Building Services says, “There is no better place to meet with contracting officers, network with peers, and learn and refresh many topics of business than this conference.
The GRO-Biz Conference & Idea Expo is two events rolled into one. The event provides opportunities to learn from experts presenting innovative workshops that inspire attendees to think about their business in new and exciting ways. In addition, the conference provides Wyoming’s small businesses the opportunity to better understand state and federal government procurement processes and meet with professionals who can provide valuable information on bidding process, including topics such as marketing to government agencies, exporting, cybersecurity, finding opportunities with the State of Wyoming and WYDOT, increasing innovation at your business, leadership, preparing a response to a government RFP, and intellectual property and technology commercialization.
Federal Contracts - Get Plugged In
January 20th - 2 to 4 p.m.

Breaking the Code to Federal Contracting
Join the U.S. Small Business Administration, AR Small Business and Technology Development Center, and distinguished guests to discuss strategies for success in federal contracting.
Who: Small business owners and entrepreneurs interested in federal contracting opportunities.
What: Round table to discuss doing business with the U.S. government.
When: Friday, January 20, 2-4 p.m.
Where: AR Small Business and Technology Development Center, Sam Walton School of Business, 210 North Buchanan Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701
During this Roundtable you will:
• Learn about federal contracting programs
• Hear from small businesses that have been successful i1 federal contracting
• Be introduced to resource partners that can assist you with the federal procurement process.
The event is free, but seating is limited! Sign up here.
TEAM SBA Financing Roundtable Hosted by SBDC - Kalamazoo February 10, 2017
Free SBA Roundtable on Small Business Lending
The U.S. Small Business Administration and the Michigan Small Business Development Center are pleased to offer a free TEAM SBA Roundtable on Small Business Lending at:
3110 Schneider Hall
Haworth College of Business
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
Friday, February 10, 2017 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The roundtable gives current or prospective small business owners insight into the SBA Guaranty Loan Program and the criteria used by loan officers to evaluate a loan request. A team of experts will demystify the lending process, debunk the myths about SBA programs, and share real life examples of successful loan applicants. The roundtable is taught by experienced lenders with expertise in small business and SBA financing. Over 2,000 clients have attended the roundtables since 1998. The roundtable is best suited to those seeking financing for their business, have good credit, a solid business idea, and some money to invest in the business.
For more information or to register online for this free seminar click on:
Team SBA or call 269-387-6004 . Please note: SBA does not provide loan guarantees to real estate investment companies and this topic will not be part of the discussion.
Be Business Smart with SBA, Tri-County Regional Black Chamber of Commerce, LiftFund and
Woodforest National Bank

Join the SBA Houston District Office, Tri-County Regional Black Chamber of Commerce, LiftFund and Woodforest National Bank, as they help you become BUSINESS SMART. This Lunch and Learn workshop will provide information about starting and growing your business, plus what it takes to get financing. Come out and take part in this Q & A Lunch and Learn workshop.
When: Friday, January 13, 2017
11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Where: Houston Community College (HCC) - Southeast Campus
6815 Rustic Street - Workforce Building, 3rd Floor
Houston, TX 77087
Seating is limited and registration is required.

If you’re looking for a solution on how to grow your small business in 2017, the SBA may have the answer.
Recruitment for the SBA’s Emerging Leaders 2017 training cycle is now underway at selected and we’re looking for interested small businesses.Since 2008, Emerging Leaders has trained more than 4,000 promising small business owners in underserved communities, and continues its impact in helping small business owners grow and create jobs.
How Emerging Leaders Works: Emerging Leaders is a FREE executive-level training program that provides tools and resources to help underserved small companies to sustain and grow. Now in its ninth year, Emerging Leaders is an intensive entrepreneurship education series for small businesses that have the potential for quick growth and job creation. The initiative has been a change-maker in increasing opportunities for underserved communities, and it provides participating businesses with an organizational framework, as well as a resource network, that helps to form sustainable companies and promote economic development within urban and rural communities.
Sessions are usually held in the evenings, on a bi-weekly basis. Participants commit approximately 40 hours of in-class time, divided over 13 in-person sessions. Participants will also spend at least 12 hours over the course of the curriculum in self-directed CEO mentoring groups. All instructional in-class sessions, CEO Mentoring Groups and session preparation are interconnected and of equal importance. In total, each participant can expect to commit approximately 100 hours to analyzing their business and planning for growth.
What Emerging Leaders Can Do for You: The benefits of the training series are well documented by the hundreds of entrepreneurs around the country. The initiatives success is highlighted in these numbers. Graduates of Emerging Leaders have reported:
• $17 million in new financing.
• Nearly 70 percent saw revenue growth.
• Over 80 percent created new jobs or retained all existing jobs.
• Over $700 million secured in federal, state, local, tribal and corporate contract awards.
SBA Procurement Resources Orientation Webinar
What is the 8(a) Business Development Program?
The SBA administers this business assistance program for socially and economically disadvantaged businesses who want to access the federal procurement market.
The 8(a) Business Development Program helps small businesses gain a foothold in government contracting. Upon enrollment in this program, firms receive help with finding contracts, proposal preparation and contract administration.
What are the basic requirements for this program?
The applicant must be a small business, unconditionally owned and controlled by one or more socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who are U.S. citizens, been in business for at least two years and demonstrates a potential for success.
What is the HUBZone Program?
The Historically Underutilized Business Zone Program stimulates economic development and creates jobs in urban and rural communities by providing federal contracting assistance to small businesses. Requirements: Firm must be located in designated HUBZone to qualify and at least 35% of its employees must reside in a HUBZone.
What is the WOSB Federal Contract Program?
The SBA administers federal contracting opportunities for women-owned small business (WOSB) and economically disadvantaged women-owned small business (EDWOSB). The Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Federal Contract program authorizes contracting officers to set aside certain federal contracts.
Want to start or expand a business and need funding but, don’t know where to go for financing?

SBA LINC
Connecting Borrowers with SBA Approved Lenders
•Step ONE - Answer a few questions about your business
• StepTWO - Hear from SBA Lenders within 2 business days
• StepTHREE - Receive information on free and low-cost training options
START YOUR APPLICATION NOW!
https://www.sba.gov/tools/linc