South Carolina’s Sixth Annual Salute to Small Business Event to Be Held in Columbia

April 13, 2009

COLUMBIA, SC – April 13, 2009 – The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, the South Carolina Coalition for Small Business & Entrepreneurship, and the U.S. Small Business Administration have joined together to present the sixth annual Salute to Small Business Wednesday, April 29, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. Workshops on state and federal procurement, connecting with customers in a tight economy, executing innovation in a small business environment, and small business development along with exhibits showcasing small businesses resources, will be followed by the U.S. Small Business Administration’s annual South Carolina Small Business Awards ceremony and luncheon at noon.

The awards ceremony will feature the U.S. Small Business Administration’s South Carolina Award winners who will represent the state in regional and national competition.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is open to the public. The exhibit hall opens at 9 a.m. Concurrent small business training workshops will kick off the event at 9:30 a.m., followed by the awards ceremony/luncheon at noon.

The workshops being offered are:

9:30-10:30 a.m.              How to do Business with State Government

What are the steps to take to become a supplier to state government? Understand the procurement process and learn how to conduct business with state agencies and institutions.

Presented by: Voight Shealy, CPM, SC Chief Procurement Officer for Goods and Services & State Materials Management Officer

 

9:30-10:30 a.m.              Connecting with Customers in a Tight Economy

Standing out from the crowd is tough even in the best of times. Whether trying to reach new clients or retain existing ones, small businesses need to transform their marketing.

This workshop explores:

·         How to strategize for customer loyalty

·         Learning to outsmart the global competition

·         Optimizing your marketing online and off

·         How to evaluate new domestic and international markets for opportunities.

Presented by: Maureen Taylor, Director of Marketing, & Anita Patel, Project Manager, ECI-Find New Markets

 

9:30-10:30 a.m.. Survive Recession & Business Downturn

In a succinct format, participants will learn:

·         How to recognize a recession and its warning signs

·         What its likely impact will be on your small business

·         What are your options?

·         Tactical strategies to survive.

Presented by: Bill Whitehead, Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)

 

10:30-11:30 a.m.            How to do Business with Federal Government Contractors

This workshop benefits small business contractors who wish to do business with Federal Government Contractors. Participants will gain insight into the historical background of the small business program, discover what corporations seek, and learn the reason(s) corporations use small business enterprises.

Find out:

·         Small business categories

·         Corporate small business liaison officer (SBLO) responsibilities

·         Spend tracking

·         ISR (SF-294) and SSR (SF-295) reporting

·         Spend tracking.

Presented by: Gordon Gillespie, A.P.P., Small Business Liaison Officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina

 

10:30-11:30 a.m.            Business 101 (Matchmaking)

Private matchmaking appointments are available between government buyers, large contract buyers and small busi nesses. Sign up the day of the event for a 15-minute slot to present your company’s products and services to large purchasers in our state.

 

10:30-11:30 a.m.            Innovation in the Current Economic Climate

Innovation is nearly dead in the U.S. But you will be interested to learn how small and medium sized businesses are more innovative than large companies.

Discover:

·         What leading authorities have to say about innovation in America

·         Action items to consider to encourage innovation in your company

·         A scientific methodology for business growth.

Presented by: Chris Wayne, Growth Services Manager, South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership

Small business is critical to South Carolina’s economic success and plays an important role in increasing our state’s global competitiveness, says Otis Rawl, president and chief executive officer of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. The Salute to Small Business event is unique because it gives legislators, other government officials, and small business owners the opportunity to collaborate and to recognize outstanding business practices.

 Salute to Small Business is a collaborative forum that brings together legislators and small businesses to interact and initiate productive dialogue like no other event, said Fred Monk, chairman of the S.C. Coalition for Small Business & Entrepreneurship. The synergy between the legislature and the Coalition is pivotal in the creation and continued success of this forum, and South Carolina’s small businesses are reaping the benefits derived from such open communication.

Current sponsors include: US Department of Agriculture/Rural Development-SC, Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina, Business Development Corporation of SC, and Clemson University’s Spiro Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership.

Companies can register with Marie Stiles of Meetings with Style, LLC via phone at (803) 604-9141, via fax at (803) 532-5114 or via e-mail at [email protected]. Online registration and information is available at www.salute.sc. The cost is $60 per attendee for the day, which includes exhibit hall, workshops and awards luncheon. For those who wish to only participate in the workshops and exhibit hall, the cost is $10. Lunche on only is $50. Pre-registration is required for all events. Interested exhibitors and sponsors should contact Stiles.

 

About S.C. Coalition for Small Business & Entrepreneurship
The Coalition, comprising not-for-profit organizations, as well as state and federal agencies, is designed to support entrepreneurs, small business start-ups, and existing businesses, including those in rural South Carolina and woman- or minority-owned firms. The Coalition provides small businesses with a group of services designed to increase their competitiveness in the global market. In addition, the Coalition is designed to increase wealth and job creation across the state. With the support of Governor Mark Sanford and the state legislature, Coalition members combine efforts to create a supportive environment for entrepreneurs and small businesses in the state. 

The coalition members include:20the South Carolina Department of Commerce, the South Carolina Small Business Development Center, the South Carolina Export Consortium, the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (SCMEP), the South Carolina Women’s Business Center/S.C. Community Enterprise Center, the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Rural Development-SC, and SC Launch!. The Coalition does not change any of the missions of the individual organizations, but rather formalizes the already existing relationships among these groups. The act of formalization provides the state’s entrepreneurs and small businesses with a statewide, seamless way of receiving a total package of assistance in order to increase their competitiveness and bottom-line success.