Each year since 1963, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation calling for the celebration of National Small Business Week, which in 2018 spans from April 30 – May 5. The Small Business Administration (SBA), which provides services through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, is the driving force behind Small Business Week. The agency provides access to training and mentoring programs, assistance in exporting, and, importantly SBA funding for startups and growing companies.
All across the country, local SBA Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) will host seminars designed to help entrepreneurs launch and grow their enterprises. For instance, the Colorado SBDC, which is being honored as the top SBA development center this year, is offering a seminar on “Startup Essentials” that will provide guidance on legal entity selection (sole proprietorship, LLC, C-Corp, S-Corp), taxes (sales, income, payroll), liability protection, name registration and governmental filings.
Additionally, the SBA has arranged a series of virtual conferences on topics that include:
- How Changing Consumer Behavior Impacts Your Business (presented by Google) on May 1, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. (EDT). This webinar will provide insights can help small business owners create a digital marketing plan and methods to position a small company for success. Register here.
- Get New and Repeat Business on Autopilot with Email Marketing (presented by Constant Contact) on May 1, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. (EDT). The presentation will cover simple ways to repeatedly reach customers with email marketing. Register here.
- The U.S. Economic Outlook and Its Impact on Small Businesses (presented by Visa) on May 2, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. (EDT). Visa’s Senior U.S. Economist Jay Hawkins as he shares the near-term outlook for the economy including the health of consumer spending, housing prices, and more. Register here.
- Grow Your Business in 2018 (presented by Square) on May 2, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. (EDT). Learn how to use small business technology tools to streamline work and save valuable time. Register here.
- Sharing Your Story Through Video (presented by Google) on May 3, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. (EDT). Consumers can watch videos whenever and wherever they want. This creates an opportunity for businesses to reimagine the role of video content in their marketing strategy. Register here.
SBA Administrator Linda McMahon will present the 2018 National Small Business Week awardees for 14 different categories at an event in Washington in categories including exporting, contracting, disaster recovery and manufacturing. She will also present the 2018 National Small Business Person of the Year.
“My goal is to help more of our nation’s small business owners be aware of the resources available to them through the SBA. We want more entrepreneurs to think of the SBA as the go-to resource for access to capital, valuable resources, business know-how, and the right expertise for each stage of their business life cycle. That’s how we can continue to help power the engine of our economy,” McMahon said.
Among the honorees is the Chatham’s Women’s Business Center (Chatham University Eastside) in Pittsburgh. The center creates economic opportunities for women through entrepreneurial education, mentoring, and networking. The SBA’s Women's Business Centers across the country help female entrepreneurs in a variety of ways, including helping them to secure small business loans for women.
Since the Eisenhower Administration, the SBA has helped countless entrepreneurs turn the American Dream of business ownership into reality. By empowering small business owners with the resources and support they need to start and grow their companies, the SBA is the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government.
