Professional Development
Upcoming Opportunities
POSTPONED: Creative Sector Talk: Building a More Inclusive City Through the Arts: Public Art and Creative Placemaking in Chattanooga
This event has been postponed. Katelyn Kirnie Director of Public Art Chattanooga will share...
POSTPONED: Creative Sector Dinner
The summit will then begin with our first-ever Creative Sector dinner on April 30th where we will present the results of our arts sector survey and hear from the city, county, and state leaders about current and upcoming arts initiatives.
POSTPONED: Creative Sector Summit
The two-day conference will start on May 1st at Wortham Center for the Performing Arts. Each day will begin with a morning plenary session for all attendees followed by afternoon panel discussions, workshops, and offsite breakout sessions.
Additional Opportunities
Western Carolina University - Nonprofit Governance and Volunteer Management: Making the Most of Volunteer Resources
Mar 12 | In this workshop you will learn about roles and responsibilities of a nonprofit board and its committees and differentiation between management and leadership across the nonprofit organization.
SCORE: How to Write a Better Website for Your Business
Mar 14 | Strong brand messaging is a key part of getting your customers and prospects to understand who you are and why they should do business with you. In this interactive workshop, you will learn how to identify the most important ideas you need to convey to your customers and prospects and how to deliver them in a way that supports your brand, engages their interest, and compels them to take action.
Western Carolina University - The Tenets of Project Management
Mar 17 & 24 | This program will be held on two-half days for a total of six hours. During this program, participants will learn how to manage a project by using the 5 phases of project management and several other critical topics related to being a successful project manager in any industry.
Branding - Designing Your Company's Style
Mar 19 | In this seminar, we will discuss the design and management of your company’s branding and logo design. Students will work on defining their brand from the value proposition to working out the tagline and graphic design elements. Class time will have a branding questionnaire to make participants take a closer look at their business and how they want to market themselves.
WomanUP Presents: Living into Leadership
Mar 19 | What better way to be inspired than to hear personal stories of other women in business who’ve “been there.” Join us to hear four unique women who live and work in our community share their stories of juggling business and personal life and being challenged to lead. PRESENTERS Cristina Hall Ackle…
Western Carolina University - Webpage Construction 101: Learn the Basic Coding Skills
Mar 20 & Apr 3 | Having some kind of digital presence is an essential in most businesses. While there are free website tools (e.g., WordPress, Wix, etc.), these tools often provide limited options as well as restrictions on what a user can do. This workshop offers an alternative by providing a crash course on buildi…
Rocket Business Planning Workshop
Mar 23 & 25 | ROCKET BUSINESS PLANNING workshop is a quick and intensive way to get the tools needed to write a business plan in one-week. The workshop will take place over two days in a one-week period with fast paced sessions covering the following topics: marketing, operations, financials, entrepreneur role, capital funding and business planning.
Preparing Your Business for the Threat of the Coronavirus
Mar 25 | Is your business prepared for the Coronavirus? Let our panel of experts in business continuity, supply chain, and healthcare help you respond to and prepare. These experts will take questions and discuss how to ready existing business owners for the potential effects of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
SCORE: Social Media for Your Business
Mar 25 | This seminar delves into the basic principles of effective Social Media marketing and explores a wide variety of the sites being utilized today. This seminar is conducted in a computer lab, so bring your device to connect to WIFI or bring your social media login information so you can explore the sites while our instructor guides you through marketing best practices, tips, and strategies.
QuickBooks Online for Small Businesses
Apr 4 | Business owners! It's time to take the fear out of your financials! Join QuickBooks Certified Pro Advisor, Candy Williams, as she helps you to understand bookkeeping concepts for your small business. This session will provide you with insight on customer transactions (invoicing, receivables, and making deposits) as well as vendor transactions (payables, and issuing checks).
SCORE: How to Find Your Customers
Apr 4 | Finding customers is about understanding your markets. Market research isn’t just for startups; it’s an important ongoing process for every small business. Developing a focused and effective marketing plan requires up-to-date market analysis. Discover the variety of market research tools that will …
Using WordPress to Build a Website for Your Business
Apr 7 | Do you have a local business and are trying to get the word out about it? Looking for new clients, or trying to show that your business has a new and improved look? From landscaping to catering companies, everybody needs a website and there is no easier platform these days than WordPress.
Deep Dive Lab: Leveraging Your Own Money to Launch Your Business
Apr 9 | Entrepreneurs often invest their own money when starting a business. To get a business loan, lenders will look at your personal income, credit, and assets. This seminar will guide you to understanding your personal finances and how to leverage your own money to launch your business.
Building Your Business Study Hall
Apr 10 | Do you have business projects you need to finish (or start)? That’s what our Building Your Business Study Halls are all about. Every Friday following our Deep Dive Labs, come to the Western Women's Business Center and work on whatever you need to for your business. We'll also have business experts standing by to answer questions.
Using SquareSpace to Build Your Business’ Website
Apr 14 | Squarespace® is the leading content management system available today. Whether you’re just getting started or are an established brand, this powerful and secure platform helps grow your business. We will learn how to design handcrafted websites that look beautiful on every device and that produce top results in Google.
Emerging Leaders of Color
Application Deadline 4/17 | Between 11 and 13 participants will be selected for this partnership program between South Arts and its colleague Regional Arts Organization WESTAF (Western States Arts Federation). This is a Southern pilot of the Emerging Leaders of Color (ELC) program for cultural workers and arts administrators located in seven states in the southern region.
WEBINAR: Your Small Business Taxes - Business Tax Essentials-Online
Apr 23 | In this seminar, the instructor will cover basic requirements to help North Carolina businesses understand the laws and obligations necessary to be tax compliant. Participants learn about filing and administrative requirements, the basics of NC sales & use tax law, the basics of NC withholding tax l…
WEBINAR: NCDOR-Sales and Use Taxes - Online
May 7 | This workshop will help participants better understand their sales and use tax obligations. Participants will receive a hands-on experience preparing sales and use tax returns in addition to learning about sales and use tax basics, about the most common types of sales and use taxes collected, and ho…
Western Carolina University - Contract Negotiations, Liability and Risk Factors in Business
Jun 12 | In this one-day workshop, participants will learn about the importance of contract negotiations to manage business risks. Key issues will be addressed related to working with other organizations and how to guard against legal matters related to fundraising, liability, finances and other potential risks.
2020 LEAD Conference and Training – Raleigh, NC
Aug 5-7 | Every year the Kennedy Center's Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD®) conference brings experienced and new professionals together to explore practical methods for implementing accessibility in cultural environments. At LEAD® we share resources and knowledge, develop best practices, and experience accessibility in action.
Resources
Services and Resources | Small Business Center |
The Small Business Center (SBC) at A-B Tech Enka is part of the statewide Small Business Center Network (SBCN), a community college-funded initiative with a vision to foster and support entrepreneurship, small business, and economic development in local communities with an emphasis on assisting start-ups, early stage, and at-risk enterprises.
Association of Fundraising Professionals Western North Carolina Chapter
The Association of Fundraising Professionals Western North Carolina Chapter (AFP-WNC) is a nonprofit organization that serves as a resource for all who raise funds to better our Western North Carolina community. Whether you are a fundraiser for a large agency or a small neighborhood group, we invite
