8:00 A.M. - Check In Opens, Continental Breakfast
Room 1
9:00 - 9:45 a.m.
Ask the Entrepreneur About....Raising Money
TV Host and Producer, Susan Brozek Scott, interviews Pete DeComo (ALung Technologies) and Colin Huwyler (Optimus Technologies) regarding their fundraising endeavors for their present and past companies. She'll also moderate an audience Q&A period. Have your questions ready!
Ask the Entrepreneur About....Raising Money
TV Host and Producer, Susan Brozek Scott, interviews Pete DeComo (ALung Technologies) and Colin Huwyler (Optimus Technologies) regarding their fundraising endeavors for their present and past companies. She'll also moderate an audience Q&A period. Have your questions ready!
10:00 - 10:45 a.m.
How Much Software Do You Need to Build Your Business
Early stage companies struggle to afford the cost and effort of developing their first product. It is critical to identify the minimum viable product (MVP) that will allow you to launch your company while avoiding the need to throw your work away and rewrite the system when your business grows. Darrin Grove, (Truefit), will provide direction on how to define your MVP as robustly as possible but still allow you to launch quickly.
How Much Software Do You Need to Build Your Business
Early stage companies struggle to afford the cost and effort of developing their first product. It is critical to identify the minimum viable product (MVP) that will allow you to launch your company while avoiding the need to throw your work away and rewrite the system when your business grows. Darrin Grove, (Truefit), will provide direction on how to define your MVP as robustly as possible but still allow you to launch quickly.
11:00 - 11:45 a.m.
Seed Stage Investment - What is Available to You?
Learn what is available to you as you launch your business, from university-backed programs to local angel funding. Lenore Blum (CMU Project Olympus), and Ed Engler (Pittsburgh Equity Partners) describe what is out "there," how to make contact with the funders, and will take your questions.
Seed Stage Investment - What is Available to You?
Learn what is available to you as you launch your business, from university-backed programs to local angel funding. Lenore Blum (CMU Project Olympus), and Ed Engler (Pittsburgh Equity Partners) describe what is out "there," how to make contact with the funders, and will take your questions.
Room 2
9:00 - 10:15 a.m.
Grow Your Company with Customers, Not Investors. Focus on Your Firm's Best and Highest Use®
Even if you want and can get investors, your customers are always the best source of revenue to grow and keep your company. Learn how to refocus and monetize your firm's Best and Highest Use (BHU) and make it irresistible to your target market. When you resolve your customers' pain and enable their opportunities you grow your revenues. This workshop is for business owners who need to:
Grow Your Company with Customers, Not Investors. Focus on Your Firm's Best and Highest Use®
Even if you want and can get investors, your customers are always the best source of revenue to grow and keep your company. Learn how to refocus and monetize your firm's Best and Highest Use (BHU) and make it irresistible to your target market. When you resolve your customers' pain and enable their opportunities you grow your revenues. This workshop is for business owners who need to:
- Generate revenues from customers and prospects asap
- Avoid borrowing or giving away equity to finance their growth
10:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Getting Your Sales Process in Place
With the advent of the Internet, buyer behavior began to change dramatically. Most entrepreneurs have not changed their sales and marketing processes to keep up. In this session, you will learn how to manage this change quickly and effectively. Eric Keiles (Square2 Marketing, Author), provides this morning workshop informing you how the marketing and sales functions are combining to make a powerful new system to let prospects learn about your company, hear your content and step forward, raise their hand and say “I want to do business with you.”
Getting Your Sales Process in Place
With the advent of the Internet, buyer behavior began to change dramatically. Most entrepreneurs have not changed their sales and marketing processes to keep up. In this session, you will learn how to manage this change quickly and effectively. Eric Keiles (Square2 Marketing, Author), provides this morning workshop informing you how the marketing and sales functions are combining to make a powerful new system to let prospects learn about your company, hear your content and step forward, raise their hand and say “I want to do business with you.”
11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Power Roundtable Lunch
Pick Your Topic and Feed Your Mind!
Sponsored by Idea Foundry
Pick Your Topic and Feed Your Mind!
Sponsored by Idea Foundry
1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
Acting For Business - Presentation Skills
Even if you have a great plan, if you can't communicate it clearly or you unknowingly distract people from your message, your idea can be at risk! You can lose investor prospects, customers and clients. In these tough economic times, it's also important to present a positive image, even if times are tough. Acting instructor and Communications Consultant, Geoffrey Hitch (CMU Tepper), will help you focus on the message and on the positive so that investors and clients/customers hear it, understand it and buy into it!
Acting For Business - Presentation Skills
Even if you have a great plan, if you can't communicate it clearly or you unknowingly distract people from your message, your idea can be at risk! You can lose investor prospects, customers and clients. In these tough economic times, it's also important to present a positive image, even if times are tough. Acting instructor and Communications Consultant, Geoffrey Hitch (CMU Tepper), will help you focus on the message and on the positive so that investors and clients/customers hear it, understand it and buy into it!
2:15 - 3:00 p.m.
Hiring When You Have No Money
Jan Berkow (Intelomed) will share his story of growing his business out of his basement while bringing on top talent, and Holly Maurer-Klein (HMK Associates) will share the tactics you can employ to attract the expertise you need to grow.
Hiring When You Have No Money
Jan Berkow (Intelomed) will share his story of growing his business out of his basement while bringing on top talent, and Holly Maurer-Klein (HMK Associates) will share the tactics you can employ to attract the expertise you need to grow.
1:00 - 1:45 p.m.
Ask the Entrepreneur About...Marketing Strategies
Radio Host of "The American Entrepreneur," Ron Morris, interviews Noah Cohen (Premier Innovations Group) and Sean Marszalek, (SDC Nutrition) regarding the growth of their companies through marketing innovation. Ron will also moderate a Q&A period with the audience so have your questions ready!
Ask the Entrepreneur About...Marketing Strategies
Radio Host of "The American Entrepreneur," Ron Morris, interviews Noah Cohen (Premier Innovations Group) and Sean Marszalek, (SDC Nutrition) regarding the growth of their companies through marketing innovation. Ron will also moderate a Q&A period with the audience so have your questions ready!
2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
You Don't Know Who You Don't Know - Networking Workshop
If you go to various events and only talk to the people that you already know, you aren't maximizing your ability to grow your network - and your business. Two local experts, Chad Zwigart known as the "Network-King", and Beth Slagle, founder of BizChicks will help you increase your skills to break the ice with new people and meet the people you need to know. Then practice what you've learned at the Power Mixer following this session!
You Don't Know Who You Don't Know - Networking Workshop
If you go to various events and only talk to the people that you already know, you aren't maximizing your ability to grow your network - and your business. Two local experts, Chad Zwigart known as the "Network-King", and Beth Slagle, founder of BizChicks will help you increase your skills to break the ice with new people and meet the people you need to know. Then practice what you've learned at the Power Mixer following this session!