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Delaware’s Small Business Summit 2014 November 24, 2014

Hello friends, last week I had an opportunity to attend Delaware’s Small Business Summit which was held at the Dover Downs Hotel in Dover, Delaware. This free event was sponsored by the Delaware Economic Development Office (DEDO) whose mission is “to be responsible for attracting new investors and business to the State, for promoting the expansion of existing industry, for assisting small and minority-owned businesses, for promoting and developing tourism, and for creating new and improved employment opportunities for all citizens in Delaware.”

Social Media and Small Businesses goes hand in hand, which is why I was anxious to be in attendance. I wanted to meet small business owners who might be interested in learning more about Social Media and Blogging and how it can attract more consumers thereby, increasing their bottom line.

The doors to the Summit opened at 7:30 am, and on this bitterly cold day, the hot Continental Breakfast Buffet was definitely a warm and welcomed delight. At each place setting was a copy of Delaware Business Times, the agenda and a personalized Stylus Pen.

There were well over 300 attendees and the agenda was jam packed with valuable information with sets of panelist who provided insights on how small businesses can increase their profits, gain more exposure and the programs available to all regardless of disabilities, race, or gender.

After a brief introduction by Ken Anderson, Director of DEDO, and a few words from both the Mayor of Dover, Robin Christensen and Bernice Whaley, Deputy Director, the first set of panelist were seated to discuss Prospects for Delaware Small Businesses NOW and in the Future.

Mr. Ken Anderson

Ken Anderson, Director, DEDO

Delaware's Small Business Summit

Bernice Whaley, Deputy Director, DEDO Robin Christensen, Mayor of Dover

Between sessions, Mr. Anderson acknowledged various members in the audience and awarded several door prizes.

The second set of panelist discussed Challenges and Opportunities-Business Ownership and Employment for Individuals with Disabilities.

Door Prize Recipient

Carrie Dennis-Mayer, door prize winner Dust Away Cleaning Services, Inc.

The final session of this half day program was presented by Michelle Morin, Executive Director, DE Office of Supplier Diversity. Her topic, Small Business Focus Program-Implication and Opportunities for Small Businesses of a Certain Size Regardless of Race or Gender, was very informative and sometimes entertaining.

The Summit concluded with Keynote Speaker, Governor Jack Markell who spoke about his signing of Executive Order 44 and the innovative ways in which Delaware seeks to keep the economy moving forward by providing assistance to small business owners and entrepreneurs.

This was especially evident with the many entrepreneurs in attendance who have taken part in Project Pop-Up, which provides 3 months of rent-free space in downtown Wilmington.

Governor Jack Markell & Executive Order 44

Governor Jack Markell Executive Order 44

The Delaware Small Business Summit was a wonderful opportunity for small business owners to network and share as well as receive vital information that will not only help them succeed but will also help keep the economy in the state of Delaware strong.

Does your state have programs for Small Business owners and entrepreneurs?

Hotel Lobby 2

Dover Downs Hotel Lobby fully decorated for the season

C.O.D.E. Conference February 24, 2013

On Saturday The Money School of Delaware held it’s annual C.O.D.E. Conference for National Entrepreneurship Week at the Chase Center on the Riverfront. This FREE event was held to give guidance to the small business community in the state of Delaware.

The doors opened at 8:00 am, and after completing a registration form you received a reusable shopping bag courtesy of Shoprite. Attendees then entered the Riverfront Ballroom where over 30 exhibitors including the SBA, SCORE, PNC Bank, Wells Fargo, DEDO, Traci Lynn Jewelry and the YWCA had tables that showcased their products/services as well as items for sale or small giveaways.

On this cold and rainy morning the hot coffee and danish was a welcomed delight, but for each of the attendees all of various ages and ethnic backgrounds they delighted in a common goal; to obtain information and guidance to make their small business more successful. Small businesses are the engine that drives the economy in Delaware and if they are successful, we are all successful.

The conference was kicked off by Mary Caracciolli, The Money Confidant, who emphasized that the day wasn’t about networking but about meeting people, building relationships and doing something for someone else. Opening remarks were made by Lt. Governor Matt Denn, a major supporter of education in the state. Chase was the #1 sponsor of C.O.D.E. and Daryl Graham spoke about the importance of supporting small businesses. Ken Anderson, a DEDO rep stated that small businesses have created the most net new jobs in the state of Delaware. State Treasurer Chip Flowers was also in attendance and video remarks were given by Governor Jack Markell and U.S Senator Chris Coons.

Judy Travis, Founder of Stockings for Soldiers Delaware spoke of how passion drives your business and presented a slide show. Last year, over 10 thousand packages containing 47 thousand stockings were made and shipped thanks to the many volunteers who devoted their time. Volunteers in this effort included students from elementary schools to members of Senior Citizen centers, but donations and volunteers are always needed. One of the major rewards in volunteering for this program is knowing you are improving the morale of our troops serving overseas.

There were two sets of morning sessions from which to choose that began at 9:30 am: Business Start-up 101, and Run Your Business, Don’t Let It Run You. The next two sessions started at 11:00 am: The Business of Your Business and Service…Your Secret Weapon To Success!

I sat in briefly in all 4 sessions and found them to be very informative, enlightening and one was quite entertaining. Ellyn and Robert of SBA and SCORE started their session by having everyone stand and sing along to the song “Good night, I Gotta Feeling”, by The Black Eye Peas, it was a great way to rev up the brain cells.

A light lunch of pizza, and snacks were provided before the final General Session, “Understanding Social Media”, presented by Eric Holtzclaw, Founder and Chief Strategist of Laddering Works, LLC. Using a PowerPoint presentation Eric highlighted the various groups of social media users; discussed understanding social media and how it makes an impact on today’s business.

Audience participation with questions followed, several asking how social media impacts their small businesses and why it was important to brand themselves on the Internet. Social Media whether it’s Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, or Google+, is here to stay however, the advice of only using what is comfortable was the underlying message from Eric.

The conference ended with the awarding of Door Prizes ranging from a $100 gift card to autographed copies of Eric’s new book, Laddering: Unlocking the Potential of Consumer Behavior. Overall, it was a great event for anyone with or who is thinking about starting a small business in the state of Delaware. Kudos to the staff of The Money School for all their hard work and effort that made this yet another successful event.

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