Are you thinking about starting a business or have you recently launched your business, and want to be sure you’re on the right track? Join us for Smart Start!

Businesses that start with a solid foundation of research, planning, and setup are up to 89% more likely to remain open three years later. That’s a percentage worth betting on!

Smart Start is an interactive introductory workshop designed to answer your start-up questions and help you take the right first steps with clarity and confidence. In this session, an SBDC business advisor will share the core building blocks of a successful business and provide practical guidance to help you move from idea to action. Whether you’re still shaping your concept or ready to formalize your plans, Smart Start offers trusted tools and insights to support informed decision-making.

Smart Start also introduces you to the support available through the SBDC. The topics covered in this class create a strong foundation for your next conversation with an SBDC advisor.

What you'll explore during Smart Start:

• If entrepreneurship is right for you

• How to pick the perfect customers

• How to best validate your idea

• Keys to growing an iconic brand

• Steps to laying the foundation for a legitimate business

• What resources are available to you

• Determine what stage you are in and what your next steps are

Smart Start participation is required for individuals who have not yet started a business before scheduling a one-on-one advising appointment with an SBDC Business Advisor. This ensures advising sessions are focused and productive.

Each year, the State buys goods and services totaling more than $7 billion – learn how your company can be a part of that!

This webinar is designed to educate small business owners about opportunities to sell their goods and services to the Commonwealth of Virginia and many local governments.

The workshop will provide information about the Virginia procurement process (the eVA system) and the benefits of SWaM certification.

Speaker: Kathy Deacon, Business Services Manager, Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, Southwest Virginia.

Overview of This Live Webinar:

Switching from having a job to running your own business is not as hard as you might imagine. This workshop provides the framework to help you decide if entrepreneurship is right for you and whether you should pursue a non-franchise acquisition (ETA) or license a franchise.

Designed for first-time buyers, especially later-stage career professionals interested in owning a business, this session explores the realities of buying into an established cash flow versus starting from zero.

Key Learning Objectives:

By the end of this workshop, attendees will be able to:

• Compare Business Models: Understand the difference between buying an independent operation (ETA) versus a franchise system, including the impact on creativity, control, and costs.

• Analyze Financial Viability: Understand how to see if the business is priced correctly and displays signs of good financial health.

• Master the Sourcing Process: Discover how to build a "deal funnel," from signing NDAs to executing a binding Letter of Intent (LOI) and managing due diligence.

• Navigate Financing: Understand how to finance the purchase.

• Identify Red Flags: Learn strictly defined "pass" criteria, such as high customer concentration (>30% revenue from one client) or declining 3-year growth trends.

• Evaluate Franchises: Gain insight into estimating the total investment costs including royalty structures, and the reality of being an owner-operator vs. a semi-absentee owner.

Who Should Attend:

• First-time business buyers or recently laid-off professionals looking to control their own destiny.

• Individuals interested in opportunities close to home in the DC Metro (MD/DC/VA) market.

• Aspiring owners willing to leverage assets and personal guarantees to build their business.

About this workshop

AI is changing how customers discover, evaluate, and connect with small businesses. As more people turn to AI tools instead of traditional search engines, business owners need to understand how AI can strengthen their marketing efforts and increase their visibility online. Part of the AI Fundamentals: A Playbook for SMBs series, this focused session explores practical ways to use AI for marketing. You'll gain insight into the tools and strategies that can help you create content more efficiently, improve customer engagement, and position your business to be found through AI-powered search experiences.

You’ll learn how to:

• Create marketing content more efficiently using AI tools.

• Explore how chatbots can support lead capture and customer engagement.

• Automate marketing and customer relationship tasks using AI and CRM tools.

• Understand the basics of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and how AI-powered search is changing customer discovery.

Who should attend

This workshop is designed for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and marketing professionals who want to better understand how AI can support their marketing efforts. It is especially valuable for those looking to improve efficiency, expand their online presence, and prepare for the growing role of AI in customer search and discovery.

What you’ll walk away with

You'll leave with a practical understanding of how AI can support your marketing initiatives, where these tools provide the greatest value, and which strategies may be the best fit for your business. You'll also gain a clearer understanding of how AI is changing the way customers find businesses and what steps you can take to stay competitive.

BEFORE YOU ATTEND

This workshop is part of the AI Fundamentals: A Playbook for SMBs series. If you are new to the series, we recommend you watch the introductory session – AI FUNDAMENTALS: The Small Business Owner's Playbook - to build a broader foundation for using AI in your business.

Los préstamos de la Administración de Pequeñas Empresas (SBA) pueden destinarse a una amplia variedad de necesidades, entre las que se incluyen capital operativo, adquisición de inventario y equipamiento, refinanciación de la deuda empresarial, la compra de una empresa y la adquisición o construcción de inmuebles comerciales ocupados por el propietario. Durante este seminario web, analizaremos los tres principales programas de préstamos de la SBA: el 7(a), el 504 y los microcréditos.

Recibirás orientación sobre…

• Qué hacer antes de dirigirse a una entidad crediticia

• Cómo es el proceso de solicitud de la SBA

• Cómo encontrar entidades crediticias de la SBA

Este evento forma parte de Capital Pathways, un programa gratuito del SBDC de Virginia que ayuda a las pequeñas empresas a obtener la financiación que necesitan para crecer. El programa está diseñado para empresas muy pequeñas (con menos de 10 empleados), emergentes y preparadas para crecer que se enfrentan a dificultades para acceder a la financiación tradicional. Ofrece aprendizaje práctico en grupo, implementación guiada y apoyo individualizado prolongado centrado en reforzar sus finanzas, las solicitudes de préstamo y la estructura jurídica.

¡Inscríbase ahora para reservar su plaza!

Tras la inscripción, se enviará un correo electrónico de confirmación con los datos de acceso a Zoom; por favor, estate atento a tu bandeja de entrada.

Ponente: Valeria Lopez – Asesor de Negocios - Capital Pathways y Ford Scott, especialista en relaciones con entidades crediticias, Oficina del Distrito de Richmond (Virginia), Administración de Pequeñas Empresas de Estados Unidos (SBA)

TOPIC: Navigating Veteran Owned Small Business/ Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB/SDVOSB) Certification

This class will walk you through the application VOSBSDVOSB and give you advise on how to properly submit your application.

In this class you will learn:

• Where to access the portal for application submission
• How to manage the required data
• What documents will be needed
• Eligibility guidelines

Choosing the right location can make or break your business — but how do you find the right one the first time around? This 60-minute workshop plus Q&A is designed to guide you through the essential steps of identifying, evaluating, and securing your first business location with confidence.

Whether you're opening a retail store, restaurant, launching a studio, or starting a pop-up, you'll learn how to assess neighborhood demographics, foot traffic, lease terms, zoning laws, and more. We’ll also cover practical tools to avoid common pitfalls.

Business Foundations - Management introduces business operation frameworks and best-practices.
In this session, you’ll get an overview of the following topics:

• Legal Organization
• Basic Principles and Business Plan
• Execution • Professional Affiliations
• Start-up Structure
• Growth Business Structure
• Human Resources

This session is one of three parts in the Business Foundations Series for new and early stage businesses (1 year or less and $50,000 or less in annual revenue). Each session can be taken in any order. Taking all three provides a better understanding of the core business principals of Management, Marketing and Money. An understanding of these concepts is the foundation of business success.

In this session, you’ll learn how to read your income statement (profit and loss) so you can understand where your money is coming from and where it’s going. We’ll break down revenue, cost of goods/services, expenses, and profit in plain language and discuss what “healthy” numbers can look like for small businesses. You’ll leave able to spot trends, flag issues early, and use your income statement to make smarter decisions.

Join our monthly Bookkeeping Q&A Office Hours held on the second Thursday of every month from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Bring your bookkeeping and QuickBooks questions and get practical guidance to help you stay organized, resolve issues, and build confidence in your process. Spaces are limited and registration is required.

To keep sessions accessible and fair, participants with two no-shows will be removed from eligibility for future Q&A sessions.

Webinar Learning Objective

Please join Senior Business Counselor, and Adjunct GMU Professor George Siragusa, as he guides you through a step-by-step process of building your Value Proposition Design which is invaluable to startups, early stage companies, growth, or even mature businesses!

The Value Proposition Design (VPD) is a framework that enables businesses to develop and solidify their foundational ideas for how they will create, communicate, deliver and then extract marketplace value for a differentiated product or service intended to solve a specific problem aligned with a specific customer need while delivering tangible benefits, for an intended potential customer segment in a domain space or industry sector. It lives inside something called the Business Model Canvas, another important foundational business framework.

The VPD is absolute "ground zero" thinking for:

• Entrepreneurs with ideas for a product or service business

• Early stage companies

The VPD is critical formative thinking for:

• New business ventures

• Growth businesses

The VPD is valuable for:

• Businesses considering a “pivot” in some aspect of their business

• Mature businesses looking to expand or grow their offerings or markets

The VPD will:

• help clients understand how they can create enduring personal value with your products

• lower your cost of customer acquisition and retention

• avoid wasting your scarce resources of time and money

Upon completion of this NO-COST webinar you should be able to:

• Become familiar with the definition of a Value Proposition Design and why it is considered such a “bedrock principle” for any business venture

• Understand 3 specific benefits VPD brings to your business

• See how it is one of the very first actions you should take to begin forming your ideas around a product or service you believe to be a viable business

• Understand the relevance of the Value Proposition Design (VPD) to your business

• Become familiar with the 8 steps to building / refining a VPD for your business

• See a list of 10 characteristics of a great Value Proposition Design

• Become familiar with the ways in which the VPD can impact and inform your communication tactics and strategy

• Follow a “use case” to help illustrate how the VPD can inform your marketing strategy

• Answer your specific questions about VPD along during the webinar

THERE IS NO COST to ATTEND; but REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED.

Getting your finances organized is the first step toward scaling your business or applying for funding. In this session, we’ll walk through simple, practical steps to help you structure your finances, build better habits, and prepare for next steps—whether that’s going after a loan or growing your operations.

You’ll learn:

• How to separate personal and business finances

• What basic bookkeeping looks like (even using a spreadsheet)

• Simple systems to track income, expenses, and receipts

• What reports like an income statement can show you

• How to set goals and forecast your cash flow

This session is ideal for business owners who are ready to get structured before diving into accounting software.

Need to understand the basics about finding funding, types of lending, and finding financing a small business?

In this Start Up Toolbox, we cover what to expect from the bank and what the bank will expect of you.

We also discuss some of the most common ways to find funding while demystifying and defining some of the types of financing that is available to a startups - so you can make the right choice for your new business and set goals for the future. This class is taught live and on-line.

This part of the series focuses on Marketing. Every new or early stage business owner should have a working knowledge of these principles to create a sound marketing strategy and actionable go-to-market plan.

Marketing:
• Building your brand
• Market Research
• Identifying Your Target Customer
• Free Marketing Options
• Paid Marketing Options
• Build a Budget
• Strategize your Marketing Plan

This session is one of three parts in the Business Foundations Series for new and early stage businesses (1 year or less and $50,000 or less in annual revenue). Each session can be taken in any order. Taking all three provides a better understanding of the core business principals of Management, Marketing and Money. An understanding of these concepts is the foundation of business success.

About this workshop

Disaster Preparedness is the third session of our 6-Part Series, Ready For Anything, designed to prepare small businesses in the New River Valley for unforeseen challenges, and to help you develop a plan to move forward once the dust settles.

Unexpected disruptions can put employees, customers, and business operations at risk, especially during severe weather events such as Hurricane Helene. This session will help business owners strengthen their disaster preparedness plans by developing clear emergency procedures, identifying critical safety protocols, and preparing staff to respond quickly when a crisis occurs.

You’ll learn how to

• Develop emergency procedures for flooding, power outages, and building evacuations

• Identify safe assembly locations and communication procedures for employees during an emergency

• Prepare “Grab-and-Go” kits with essential supplies and business information

• Evaluate site-specific risks and emergency response considerations for Southwest Virginia businesses

• Create step-by-step response instructions that support employee safety and operational readiness

Who should attend

This workshop is designed for small business owners and entrepreneurs in the New River Valley who want to improve workplace safety, strengthen emergency preparedness procedures, and better prepare their teams for unexpected disruptions or disaster events.

What you’ll walk away with

Attendees will leave with practical emergency preparedness tools, draft response procedures, and clearer guidance for protecting employees and responding quickly during a disaster. Participants will also gain resources for building site-specific preparedness plans that support business continuity and safety.

Presented by

Business Advisors with the Roanoke Regional SBDC and New River Valley SBDC, along with guest facilitators/subject matter experts.

Location

Workshops are held in-person at CoWorks @The HUB, 801 East Main Street, Radford, VA 24142.

In-person attendance is recommended, but classes will also be broadcast virtually and a Zoom link will be provided prior to the session date.

Registration

There is no cost to attend this workshop, and registration is required. While you are not required to attend all six sessions in the Ready For Anything Series, attending the full series is highly recommended to create a comprehensive plan. The class material is specially designed to benefit the unique challenges of small businesses in the New River Valley region, however Virginia small businesses outside of this area are also welcome to attend.

Refresh your knowledge to effectively market your goods and/or services!

This live webinar (via Zoom) will cover the following marketing essentials:

• How to choose your target group(s)

• How to communicate with your target(s)

• Market Definition

• Market Segmentation

• Competitive Analysis

• Company Branding

• Online (SEO) and Offline Marketing

QuickBooks can make running your business easier—once you know how to use it.

In this hands-on session, you’ll learn how to get started in QuickBooks and set up your system to track your income, expenses, and invoices the right way from the beginning.

You’ll learn:

• How to navigate QuickBooks and choose the right version

• How to connect your bank account and categorize transactions

• How to create a chart of accounts tailored to your business

• How to record expenses, send invoices, and run basic reports

• What to do each week/month to stay on track

This session is best for small business owners who are new to QuickBooks or want a reset on how it’s set up.

In this session, you’ll learn how to read your income statement (profit and loss) so you can understand where your money is coming from and where it’s going. We’ll break down revenue, cost of goods/services, expenses, and profit in plain language and discuss what “healthy” numbers can look like for small businesses. You’ll leave able to spot trends, flag issues early, and use your income statement to make smarter decisions.

Topic: Navigating the New SBA Veteran Owned Small Business/ Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB/SDVOSB) Certification

The SBA oversees the certification of Veteran Owned Small Business/ Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB/SDVOSB) for set-aside opportunities with the government. This class will walk you through the new application and give you advise on how to properly submit your application.

In this class you will learn:

• Where to access the portal for application submission

• How to manage the required data

• What documents will be needed

• Eligibility guidelines

Many small business owners underprice their services or products.

This session teaches a practical pricing framework that accounts for costs, time, value, and market positioning.

Participants will learn how to price confidently while remaining competitive.

Updated for 2026

Does your business need a mobile app?

In this webinar you will learn if your small business will benefit from having a mobile app, and the steps to successfully deploy and market your app on the app stores. Areas covered include:

• Market Research

• App Scoping

• Finding a Developer and Budget

• App Business Planning

• Marketing Approach

• Building a Prototype

• Launching an App

• Promoting App

Business Foundations - Money covers the crucial topics businesses need for sustainability and growth. In this session, you’ll get an overview of the following:

Money: Essential Financial Information for long-term success

• Access to Capital
• Loans and Grants
• Bootstrapping
• Investments

This session is one of three parts in the Business Foundations Series for new and early stage businesses (1 year or less and $50,000 or less in annual revenue). Each session can be taken in any order. Taking all three provides a better understanding of the core business principals of Management, Marketing and Money. An understanding of these concepts is the foundation of business success.

Thinking about turning your kitchen into the starting point for a real food business? Or maybe you're already selling and want to make sure you're up to date on the latest rules?

Join Capital Region SBDC Advisor Jordan Hanna for a virtual session on Virginia's cottage food law, including recent updates every home-based food entrepreneur should have on their radar. We'll break down what changed, what it means for you, and how to move forward with confidence. We'll also explore what growth can look like when you're ready to take things beyond your kitchen.

Who should attend: Anyone currently operating under cottage food law, just getting started, or curious about what scaling a home-based food business could look like.

In this session, you’ll learn how to read your income statement (profit and loss) so you can understand where your money is coming from and where it’s going. We’ll break down revenue, cost of goods/services, expenses, and profit in plain language and discuss what “healthy” numbers can look like for small businesses. You’ll leave able to spot trends, flag issues early, and use your income statement to make smarter decisions.

Strong business credit can open the door to financing opportunities, better vendor relationships, and long-term business growth.

Join us for an informative virtual session led by Bryan Thomas, a 30-year veteran business banker, who will share practical insights into how business credit works, why it matters, and the steps entrepreneurs can take to build and maintain a strong credit profile.

Whether you're just starting your business or looking to strengthen your financial foundation, this webinar will help you better understand the role of business credit in accessing capital, managing cash flow, and positioning your business for future success. You'll leave with actionable tips and a clearer understanding of how to establish credit that supports your business goals.

In times of industry stress, craft beverage producers with a good handle on operations stand the best chance of coming out ahead. But how can company leadership ensure that the right systems, talents, and resources are in place?

In this session, Craft Beverage Assistance Manager Chris Van Orden will speak with Mike McGarvey of Minded, LLC about the vital role that the COO plays in the craft beverage space and how even the smallest producers can adopt best practices established by much bigger firms.

Are you thinking about starting a business or have you recently launched your business, and want to be sure you’re on the right track? Join us for Smart Start!

Businesses that start with a solid foundation of research, planning, and setup are up to 89% more likely to remain open three years later. That’s a percentage worth betting on!

Smart Start is an interactive introductory workshop designed to answer your start-up questions and help you take the right first steps with clarity and confidence. In this session, an SBDC business advisor will share the core building blocks of a successful business and provide practical guidance to help you move from idea to action. Whether you’re still shaping your concept or ready to formalize your plans, Smart Start offers trusted tools and insights to support informed decision-making.

Smart Start also introduces you to the support available through the SBDC. The topics covered in this class create a strong foundation for your next conversation with an SBDC advisor.

What you'll explore during Smart Start:

• If entrepreneurship is right for you

• How to pick the perfect customers

• How to best validate your idea

• Keys to growing an iconic brand

• Steps to laying the foundation for a legitimate business

• What resources are available to you

• Determine what stage you are in and what your next steps are

Smart Start participation is required for individuals who have not yet started a business before scheduling a one-on-one advising appointment with an SBDC Business Advisor. This ensures advising sessions are focused and productive.