Prepare your best pitch for the Miami Herald’s Small Business Forum, Feb. 21 at the south campus of our sponsor, Florida International University.
In addition to how-to panels and inspirational stories from successful entrepreneurs, our annual small business forum will include interactive opportunities with experts to learn about financing options and polish your personal and business brands.
During our finance panel, audience volunteers will be invited to explain their financing needs to the group. During our box-lunch session, they will be invited to pitch their business or personal brand to our coaches.
Those who prefer just to listen will be treated to a keynote address by Alberto Perlman, co-founder of the global fitness craze Zumba. Panels include success stories from the local entrepreneurs who founded Sedano’s, Jennifer’s Homemade and ReStockIt.com; finance tips from experts in small business loans, venture capital, angel investments and traditional bank loans; and insiders in the burgeoning South Florida tech start-up scene.
Plus, it’s a real bargain. $25 includes the half-day seminar, continental breakfast and a box lunch.
Register here.
Program
8 a.m.
Registration and continental breakfast, provided by Bill Hansen Catering
8:30
Welcome
Host: David Suarez, president and CEO, Interactive Training Solutions, LLC
• Jerry Haar, PhD, associate dean & director, FIU Eugenio Pino and Family Global
Entrepreneurship Center
• Alice Horn, executive director, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE South Florida)
• Jane Wooldridge, Business editor, The Miami Herald
Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge Overview:
• Nancy Dahlberg, Business Plan Challenge coordinator, The Miami Herald
8:45 a.m.
Session I – Success Stories
Moderator: Jerry Haar, PhD, associate dean & director, FIU Eugenio Pino and Family Global
Entrepreneurship Center
Speakers:
• Jennifer Behar, founder, Jennifer’s Homemade
• Matt Kuttler, co-president of ReStockIt.com
• Javier Herrán, chief marketing officer, Sedano’s Supermarkets
10 a.m.
Session II – All about Tech
Moderator: Jane Wooldridge, Business editor, The Miami Herald
Speakers
• Susan Amat, founder, Launch Pad Tech
• Nancy Borkowski, executive director, Health Management Programs, Chapman Graduate School of
Business, Florida International University
• Mark Slaughter, CEO, Cohealo.com
• Chris Fleck, vice president of mobility solutions at Citrix and a director of the South Florida Tech Alliance
11:15 a.m.
Keynote speaker: Alberto Perlman, CEO and co-founder of Zumba® Fitness
Introduction: Jane Wooldridge, business editor, The Miami Herald
11:45 a.m.
Session III – Show me the money: Financing your small business
An interactive session featuring audience volunteers who will be invited to make a short investment pitch before a panel, including experts in microlending, SBA loans, traditional bank loans, venture capital and angel investing. Audience volunteers should come prepared with a two-minute presentation that includes details about current backing, how much money they are seeking and a brief synosis of ow that money would be used.
Moderator: Melissa Krinzman, founder and managing director, Venture Architects
Panelists:
• Marjorie Weber, chairman, SCORE of Miami-Dade
• Cornell Crews, Jr., program director, Partners for Self Employment
• Darius G. Nevin, co-founder, G3 Capital Partners, a mid-market and early-stage investment company
• Boris Hirmas Said, chairman of the board, Tres Mares S.A. (Santiago, Chile) and entrepreneur in
residence at the Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center
1 p.m.
Lunch session - Polish your Pitch, Brighten Your Personal Brand
An interactive session featuring audience volunteers who will be invited to make short pitches about their businesses and themselves. Audience volunteers should come prepared with a two-minute presentation.
Coaches: Melissa Krinzman of Venture Architects and Michelle Villalobos of Mivista Consulting
advise audience volunteers on how to best pitch themselves and their products.
Box lunch provided by Bill Hansen Catering
All speakers confirmed unless otherwise noted. Agenda is subject to change without notice .
Sign up for Feb. 21 Miami Herald Small Business Forum
This article
Sign up for Feb. 21 Miami Herald Small Business Forum
can be opened in url
http://newsinoverlay.blogspot.com/2013/02/sign-up-for-feb-21-miami-herald-small.html
Sign up for Feb. 21 Miami Herald Small Business Forum
