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Providing veteran and women-owned businesses with the skills, tools, and contacts needed to develop and sell their products and services are the goals of an upcoming conference to be held at Northwest Arkansas Community College.
Funded by the Arkansas Department of Veteran Affairs, the 2022 Northwest Arkansas Veterans and Women-owned business conference, with the theme of “Cultivating Veteran and Women-Owned Businesses: Full Speed Ahead!” will bring together approximately 20 private, quasi-state, state, federal, non-profit, and national organizations with a singular focus of equipping existing and aspiring entrepreneurs with the tools and resources needed to conduct business in state, federal, and private sector arenas.
Hosted by the Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs, Arkansas Economic Development Commission-Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise, Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC), Arkansas District Office of the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Arkansas Procurement and Technical Assistance Center (APTAC), and United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the conference will be held Tuesday, November 1, 2022, from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. in-person at the Shewmaker Center for Workforce Technologies, Northwest Arkansas Community College, located at One College Drive, Bentonville, AR 72712.
While the college no longer enforces a mask mandate, conference attendees are encouraged to wear masks. Temperature checks will be conducted and release forms will be required. Topics will include building strategic relationships, exploring and securing the right kind of capital, how to sell goods and services to the government and the private sector, and how to use the many available technical assistance services, such as those provided through the ASBTDC to begin and or enhance your business.
Join us at 9:00 a.m. for presentations from state, federal, and private sector partners. The afternoon will feature in-depth comments and guidance from public and private sector procurement professionals, as well as on-site technical assistance from lending professional through a Lenders Roundtable. Lenders will represent local, regional, and statewide organizations.
Invited lenders will include a host of private banks in the region as well as non-traditional lenders such as Arkansas Capital Corporation Group, Communities Unlimited, FORGE, RMI Finance, Inc., U.S. Small Business Administration, and USDA, RD B&I. The Lenders Roundtable will be facilitated by Mr. Jerry Talbert, Deputy District Director, Arkansas District Office, U.S. Small Business Administration.
Current and aspiring business owners, especially veterans, including spouses and women-owned business status as well as faith-based leaders, and community and economic development professionals, are invited to attend. You will engage with other business owners, receive help with research and business planning, learn how to increase your networking results, and learn to do more business with the government and private industry.
Don’t miss this opportunity to help your small business GROW! AND, INNOVATE!
AN INVESTMENT OF TIME IS THE COST TO ATTEND BUT REGISTRATION IS ENCOURAGED.
You may register by calling Arkansas Human Development Corporation toll-free at (800) 482-7641 or (501) 374-1103, ext. 110, by email at [email protected] or online at https://bit.ly/3CBAqej (case sensitive).
