March Business Events from GLEQ

Big THANKS to Diane Durance of Great Lakes Entrepreneurial Quest for this outstanding list.Last Minute February Opportunities

SBIR/STTR 101: Introduction and Overview. Attendees will learn SBIR/STTR program basics, including: program purpose, eligibility, sources of funding and tools for proposal development. It is designed to provide enough information for attendees to determine if they would like to seriously pursue a grant or contract proposal.
Wednesday, February 27, 9 a.m.-noon
BBCetc, 803 N. Main, Ann Arbor
http://www.bbcetc.com

Women's Business Enterprise (WBE) Certificate Orientation. Learn about the benefits and process of becoming a Women's Business Enterprise (WBE). Benefits include certification to private sector WBE's and access to procurement opportunities with major national companies.
Wednesday, February 27, 9-11 a.m.
Oakland County MI-SBTDC, Executive Office Building, Waterford
https://www.misbtdc.net/center.aspx?center=39094&subloc=0

Hire and Keep that Elusive "Ideal" Employee. This session will kick off our six-session series on Hiring and Keeping the Ideal Employee. Future topics will include writing a realistic job description, resources for recruiting, interviewing, onboarding and managing the generation gap in the workplace. Watch for dates to be announced.
Wednesday, February 27, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Automation Alley, 2675 Bellingham Road, Troy
http://www.automationalley.com/a2_nws_eventcal?m=2&y=2013

Essentials of Commercialization Planning. Learn the basics of an SBIR/STTR commercialization plan. Includes information on the ingredients of a credible plan, pitfalls to avoid, using market research and building financial plans and business models.
Wednesday, February 27, 1-2 p.m.
WEBINAR
http://www.bbcetc.com/training/

Start Garden Happy Hour. This is an informal time to meet the Start Garden team, some of our funded projects and people in the ecosystem.
Thursday, February 28, 5:30-7 p.m.
Start Garden, 50 Louis Ave., 1st floor, Grand Rapids
www.StartGarden.com

Diary of an Entrepreneur. Ever wonder how they did it? Here is an opportunity to learn from one of Detroit's most successful retail entrepreneurs. Rachel Lutz, The Peacock Room and Emerald, will talk candidly about the ups and downs of her entrepreneurial journey.
Thursday, February 28, 6-8 p.m.
Union Street Saloon, 4145 Woodward Ave., Detroit
http://diaryfeb13.eventbrite.com/

Defense Opportunities Seminar. Is your company looking to diversify into the defense industry? Are you interested in finding out about defense-related opportunities available to your company through your Automation Alley membership? This event will focus on procurement opportunities within the defense industry, and will provide many resources and featured speakers, including representatives from the Michigan Defense Center within the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), as well as from the U.S. Army TACOM LCMC's Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP).
Thursday, February 28, 8:30 a.m.-noon
Automation Alley, 2675 Bellingham, Troy
http://www.automationalley.com/a2_nws_eventcal?m=2&y=2013

Time Sensitive and Rare Opportunities

Bizdom Detroit and Cleveland Summer Accelerator Opportunities. The application period is NOW OPEN for Bizdom Detroit's Summer 2013 Accelerator! Do you know any talented, aspiring entrepreneurs that are trying to launch an innovative, growth-oriented startup? Are they ready to commit to launching their startup at an accelerated pace? If so, Bizdom can help! This 3-month accelerator surrounds talented entrepreneurs with incredible connections, mentoring, funding and experts from within the Quicken Loans family of companies and beyond.
Wednesday, March 3, Application Deadline
http://www.bizdom.com/apply

Michigan Growth Capital Symposium calls for Presenting Company Applications. Companies representing a range of industries will be selected to present for an audience of venture capitalists, angel investors and institutional investors. Please review the company selection and criteria information www.michigangcs.com/presenting_companies/criteria.html for further details on submitting your company's executive summary.
Thursday, March 7 (midnight), Final Application Deadline
http://www.michigangcs.com/presenting_companies/newRegistration.asp

Young Women: Have a Great Idea? - Young Women for Change is looking for you. Young Women for Change is seeking young social entrepreneurs with a start-up business that addresses a social issue in our community. Social entrepreneurs with innovative ideas will pitch their business ideas to a group of 80 community members, who will then vote for the idea they feel is most viable and will best impact the community. The winners of these grants will not only receive a crowd-funded micro-grant, but also opportunities to connect with local entrepreneurs and mentors, as well as gain visibility for their cause.
Friday, March 8, 5 p.m. Application Deadline.
http://miwf.mediathree.net/young-women-for-change/
B2B CFO Issues Call for Nominations for the "Smart 25 Awards^TM". The award program recognizes outstanding companies and individuals for driving smart business growth in one of the toughest economies. Honorees and finalists will be celebrated during the awards ceremony, April 26 in California.
Friday, March 8, midnight. Nominations Due.
http://www.smart25award.com/

2013 Green Light Business Model Competition. GLEQ is joining Spartan Innovations, MSU Federal Credit Union and other sponsors to bring the inaugural Greenlight Business Model Competition to East Lansing. Plan to attend the event and see the pitching competition and networking event showcasing the top submissions. Up to $50,000 in prizes will be awarded.
Wednesday, March 13, 3-8 p.m.
Henry Executive Center, 3535 Forest Road, Lansing
http://www.greenlightmichigan.com/
We Need You @StartupUniversity! The Small Business Administration in partnership with the Department of Commerce has collected new and never before seen research on the best pro-innovation programs and policies on university campuses that are generating new jobs for the 21st century- but they need your help! Visit their new Startup University website and vote for the initiatives stand out to you? Vote on your top 5 success stories and tell them if programs like these should be replicated elsewhere.
Friday, March 15, poling closes.
http://bit.ly/Xy8m03

MGA Conducts Survey of Young Midwestern Entrepreneurs. The Midwestern Governors Association (MGA) released survey results today that examine the region's entrepreneurial environment. The survey of young Midwestern entrepreneurs was conducted in partnership with the Des Moines Area Community College, Monmouth College, Iowa Economic Development Authority and the Iowa Association of Business and Industry.
http://www.midwesterngovernors.org/Release/EntrepreneurialResults.pdf

March Events and Opportunities

Remember to check the sites for the specific events and opportunities as they are subject to change.
Michigan Small Business & Technology Development Center (MISBTDC). The MI-SBTDC offers a comprehensive selection of trainings and workshops statewide for Entrepreneurs - almost 100 each month. The topics are geared to those just starting their first business and also those experienced entrepreneurs looking for ways to improve and enhance their success. Topics include: Writing a Business Plan, Business Accounting and Budgeting, Business Start-up, Cash Flow Management, E-Commerce, Finance, Government Contracting, FastTrac(TM) New Venture Workshops, Managing a Business, Managing Employees, Marketing and Sales, Taxes, and Technology. The GLEQ calendar will highlight select events offered, but many more are available.
http://www.misbtdc.net

Ignite for Change (formerly SWAG Series). Come and join other emerging and accelerating professionals for a networking event that can change the community! There will be FREE drinks and great food with cool stories of leaders who are growing business and changing lives!
Friday, March 1, 5-7 p.m.
Southwest Michigan First, 241 East Michigan Avenue, Kalamazoo
http://www.southwestmichiganfirst.com/events/event_detail.cfm?event_id=149

Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce Open House. APACC has moved to new offices and invites members and prospective members in to network and see their new place of business. Light refreshments will be served.
Friday, March 1, 4-6 p.m.
APACC Office, Troy Place Complex, 3155 W. Big Beaver, Suite 106A, Troy
248.430.5855

The Art of the Cold Call. So your startup doesn't have money for a fancy ad campaign or a seasoned sales exec. You can barely keep the lights on as it is. But you know that your product is amazing and if only potential clients knew about you, you'd be closing deals and generating revenue for your business. Pick up the phone. Take this class and learn how to do it right.
Tuesday, March 5, 6-8 p.m.
Atomic Object, 1407 Randolph Street, Detroit
http://bizdom.com/events/
Motor City Connect Live - Novi. Join the business professionals of Motor City Connect for an effective and fun alternative to the traditional networking meeting. This is a chance for everyone to come face-to-face with other MCC members. MCC Live lunches are relaxed, casual and usually good for a few laughs. It's never a something you have to attend; it's an event you want to attend. No sixty-second commercials. No ten-minute speakers. This is just a chance to break bread together, meet new people, seek to understand their needs and connect on a new level.
Tuesday, March 5, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
BD's Mongolian BBQ, 43155 Main Street, Novi
http://motorcityconnect.groupsite.com

SBIR At-a-Glance. Do you have a technology that you think has commercial potential? If so, you will want to know what options are available to you, and you will need the funding to get there. This class will provide you with a high-level view of alternative avenues for commercialization and how the federal funding through the SBIR and STTR programs can be a valuable part of the process. Program essentials, such as purpose, eligibility, sources of funding, etc., will be covered.
Tuesday, March 5, 10:30 a.m.-noon
TechTown, 440 Burroughs Street, Detroit
http://www.bbcetc.com/event/sbir-at-a-glance-2/
Capital Raise Meetup. If you are a startup or early-stage growth-based business looking for funding, come meet and listen to capital expert, Mike Brennan, Business Commercialization and Capital Investment Advisor for the Macomb-OU INCubator. He will detail the various capital sources in Michigan, and talk about how to properly position your company to be qualified for private funding, including private equity, the angel network and venture capital, and/or public funding, including grants, pre-seed, micro-loans and venture match.
Tuesday, March 5, 9:30-11 a.m.
Macomb-OU INCubator at Velocity, 6633 Eighteen Mile Road, Sterling Heights
macINC@oakland.edu

Insights: Optimize Your Business and Improve your Bottom Line. Today's forward-thinking business and IT leaders are responding to the complexity of increasingly interconnected organizations, markets, and societies. They are focused on how to make the right changes to excel and address this complexity by combining technology within the business to drive innovation and growth. Attend this networking event (brought to you by the Asian Pacific Chamber of Commerce) and hear from a National Business Solution speaker or Network Technology Expert to get an insight on the latest technology for businesses (Speaker to be announced).
Wednesday, March 6, 8-10 a.m.
Comcast Call Center, Plymouth
248.430.5855
D-NewTech and NextEnergy New Year Event. Five presenters this month take the stage for ten minutes each, five minutes to demo and five minutes to answer questions, followed by open announcements and community networking.
Wednesday, March 6, 6-8 p.m.
Atomic Object Detroit HQ, 1407 Randolph Street, Detroit
http://www.meetup.com/DNewTech/

LA2M - Be the Voice in Your Client's Head - The Value of Podcasting. In this age of Relationship Marketing, business owners and marketers are looking for ways to develop relationships with their target audience, prospects and clients. After all, we prefer to do business with people we know, like and trust. In this talk, Lara Galloway will share the secrets to successfully adding podcasting to your marketing mix.
Wednesday, March 6, 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.
Conor O'Neill's (Celtic Room), 318 S. Main, Ann Arbor
http://www.la2m.org/
Selling Smart Workshop - Identifying Compelling Reasons for a Prospect to Buy-PAIN. In this session, you will learn how to define a prospect's needs, wants, challenges, problems and determine the urgency and feelings they have about the issues you uncover. You will learn the four levels of pain and how to use specific questioning techniques to uncover the intensity of their motivation. You will also learn how to qualify or disqualify the opportunity based on whether your product or service could solve the problems identified.
Wednesday, March 6, 9-11 a.m.
SPARK Central, 300 E. Liberty, Lower Level, Ann Arbor
http://www.annarborusa.org/events

BioArbor - Insider's View of a Startup: Year One. Please join us for an informative discussion about the experiences that come with creating a new biotech company. A panel of three entrepreneurs from local early stage companies will present their perspective on building a company from scratch. Topics will include the path to first funding, recruiting a team, securing intellectual property, and "opening doors" on the launch of operations.
Wednesday, March 6, 5-7 p.m.
SPARK Central, 330 E. Liberty Ave., Ann Arbor
https://m360.michbio.org/ViewEvent.aspx?id=73630&instance=0
E200 Information Meeting. E200 Executive Leadership Training is recruiting it's fifth class. The goal of the program is to identify existing small businesses that show high potential for growth and to provide them with the network, resources and motivation required to build a sustainable business of size and scale. Attend this informational meeting to find out more.
Wednesday, March 6, 6-7:30 p.m.
TechTown, 440 Burroughs, Detroit
313.226.6075 X 234

Intro to GROW. A free orientation offered four times a month and open to anyone interested in learning more about GROW and its programs. Get an overview of programs and services.
Thursday, March 7, noon-1pm and 6-7 p.m.
GROW, 25 Sheldon Blvd SE, Ste. 210, Grand Rapids
www.GROWbusiness.org
Best Shot Workshop. Participants will learn how to target their market, explore distribution channels and receive help crafting their sales pitch. Available, but optional, will be some one-on-one time with one of the panelists or speakers.
Register today!
Thursday, March 7, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Traverse City Inside Out Gallery, 229 Garland Street, Traverse City
http://mmic.us/events/view18

Michigan Energy Forum - Geothermal Electricity Generation. Michigan has had success recently with district and campus-scale installations of ground source heat pumps for facility heating and cooling. While still considered nascent compared to other sources of renewable energy, geothermal energy has significant potential, and market adoption of this technology could accelerate if policy, education and technical training headwinds are addressed. Come listen to three interesting and diverse perspectives of these issues from panelists who are in the trenches.
Thursday, March 7, 5-7 p.m.
SPARK Central, 330 E. Liberty, Lower Level, Ann Arbor
http://www.AnnArborUSA.org
OR
Streamed Live - http://www.annarborusa.org/live-events/index.html
Innovation Thinking for a Startup. This interactive educational session facilitated by NewNorth Center focuses on: understanding the startup mindset, avoiding common mistakes, assessment tools for success and more. The vibrant mix of subject matter in both presentation and participation.
Friday, March 8, 1-6 p.m.
Grand Rapids Tech Hub, 38 West Fulton Street, Grand Rapids
http://newnorthcenter.org/

Lunch and Learn - Raising Capital in Michigan. Learn about the many funding sources available to startups in Michigan, ranging from very early stage micro-loans, pre-seed loans, early stage investors, SBIR and government grants, to late stage funding venture capital firms. This excellent panel will help explore funding opportunities: Kevin McCurren, Executive Director for Seidman College of Business GVSU, Kris Bergman, Training & Consulting Administrative Manager for BBCetc. and Eric Seifert, MI-SBTDC Consultant. Bring your own lunch.
Friday, March 8, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Start Garden, 50 Louis Ave., 1st floor, Grand Rapids
www.StartGarden.com
Connecting Transportation and Energy Systems: Perspectives from Sector Leaders and Entrepreneurs. The event is part of a three-day global retreat hosted by SMART at the University of Michigan to bring together its core collaborative partners from around the world - including China, India, South America, Europe and the U.S. - to focus on innovative successes, challenges and strategies for advancing sustainable transportation systems and enterprises in their own regions and beyond.
Friday, March 8, 5-8:30 p.m.
NextEnergy Center, 461 Burroughs, Detroit
http://conta.cc/VywxvH

Business Leaders for Michigan 2013 Leadership Summit: Building a New Michigan. Are you interested in hearing how Michigan has the potential to grow up to 500,000 new good paying jobs quickly? Come to the first New Michigan Summit hosted by Business Leaders for Michigan (BLM).
Monday, March 11, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Radisson Hotel, Michigan Ave., Lansing
http://www.businessleadersformichigan.com/events

Inforum - The Shift in Global Dynamics and What it Takes to Compete. Join us for a lively conversation on strengthening our nation's leadership in world markets, how the U.S. economy stacks up against its global competitors, and the pivotal role Michigan plays. Speakers include Mary Sue Coleman, President, U-M; Lou Anna Simon, President, MSU; Deborah Wince-Smith, President & CEO, Council on Competitiveness.
Monday, March 11, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center, Detroit
https://www.inforummichigan.org/civicrm/event/register?id=4837&reset=1
Motor City Connect Live - Troy Brown Bag. Join the business professionals of Motor City Connect for an effective and fun alternative to the traditional networking meeting. This is a chance for everyone to come face-to-face with other MCC members. MCC Live lunches are relaxed, casual and usually good for a few laughs. Instead of going to a restaurant, we will visit the office of an MCC member. Ideally, the Troy meeting will rotate. For now, MCC is grateful that the good folks of Prudential has offered to host this month. You will be responsible for your own lunch.
Tuesday, March 12, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Columbia Center Prudential Office, 101 W. Big Beaver, Troy
http://motorcityconnect.groupsite.com

Entrepreneur's Round Table with Christopher Smith. Small business and startup issues are addressed in this brownbag forum. From licensing and accessing capital to distribution means and marketing, an interactive discussion on useful and current topics is led by an MMIC mentor, member or entrepreneur. Attendees are encouraged to engage in the dialogue offering unique perspectives. This gathering of entrepreneurs is designed to promote creative productivity and to introduce new resources.
Tuesday, March 12, noon-1 p.m.
MidMichigan Innovation Center, 2007 Austin St., Midland
http://mmic.us
The ABC's of SBIR/STTR Funding. Is your technology company eligible for non-dilutive federal funding through the government's SBIR/STTR program? Join us for this webinar covering SBIR/STTR program basics including: program purpose; eligibility; and sources of funding. It is designed to provide enough information for attendees to determine if they would like to seriously pursue proposal development and tools to help begin the process.
Tuesday, March 12, 1-2 p.m.
WEBINAR
http://www.bbcetc.com/event/webinar-the-abcs-of-sbirsttr-funding-2/

Financial Awareness Cluster (one of three). GROW Business Basics Cluster classes throughout March will assist in the basics of finance. Basics of Bookkeeping (March 12), Fiancial Analysis 101 (March 19) and Financing Options (March 26).
Tuesday, March 12, 6-9 p.m.
GROW, 25 Sheldon Blvd SE, Suite 210, Grand Rapids
https://www.growbusiness.org/Events.aspx

Marketing Roundtable - Who is your Customer. The Marketing Roundtable is a monthly series featuring regional talent who will discuss practical and cost-effective innovation marketing. Program topics range from brand strategy to social media, and from financial accountability to guerrilla marketing.
Tuesday, March 12, 5-7 p.m.
SPARK Central, 330 E. Liberty, Lower Level, Ann Arbor
http://www.annarborusa.org/events

Class @ Start Garden - Document, Test, Repeat: Intro to the Lean Startup. Just getting started? Learn the basics of Business Model Generation, Customer Development, Human Centered Design, marketing Communications, Finance/Law and much more.
Tuesday, March 12, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Start Garden, 50 Louis Ave., 1st floor, Grand Rapids
www.StartGarden.com

Marketing is More than Just Ads ... It's Getting Sales. The Grand Rapids Inventors Network (GRIN) presents this monthly meeting, March's topic focusing on sales and marketing. The guest speaker is Bill McHenry.
Tuesday, March 12, 6-8 p.m.
Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences (GVSU), 301 Michigan St. NE, Room 119, Grand Rapids
http://grinventors.org/pdfs/March2013Flyer-web.pdf
Ann Arbor OpenCoffee. This is a networking event for entrepreneurs, investors and those who work with innovation businesses, particularly in IT, clean-tech and life sciences.
Tuesday, March 12, 8-9:30 a.m.
SPARK Central, 330 E. Liberty, Ann Arbor
http://www.annarborusa.org/events

Innovation Club for Entrepreneurs - Mentoring: how to find one and how to be one. Join ICE for their monthly meeting to get up to date on what's happening with other entrepreneurs, learn about relevant topics and be seen.
Wednesday, March 13, 6-8 p.m.
The Avenue Café (Formerly Gone Wired Café), 2021 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing
http://www.meetup.com/ICE-meetup

2013 Green Light Business Model Competition. GLEQ is joining Spartan Innovations, MSU Federal Credit Union and other sponsors to bring the inaugural Greenlight Business Model Competition to East Lansing. Plan to attend the event and see the pitching competition and networking event showcasing the top submissions. Up to $50,000 in prizes will be awarded.
Wednesday, March 13, 3-8 p.m.
Henry Executive Center, 3535 Forest Road, Lansing
http://www.greenlightmichigan.com/

GLREA & EIBC Southwest Michigan Meeting and WMU Showcase. The Great Lakes Renewable Energy Assoc., Energy Innovation Business Council, and WMU Office for Sustainability will host a meeting on Wednesday, March 13, 9:00-11:30 am on the campus of Western Michigan. GLREA members, EIBC members, WMU community, and all interested parties are invited to hear about the exciting renewable energy developments on campus and the latest from GLREA and EIBC
Wednesday, March 13, 9-11:30 a.m.
The Office for Sustainability, 2529 W. Michigan Ave., E. Lansing
http://www.glrea.org/
Mobile Matchup - Where Businesses & Mobile App Developers Meet & Network. This meetup features a keynote address from John Ellis, Global Head of the Ford Developer Program at Ford Motor Company. This class for entrepreneurs only will focus on how to work with a mobile developer to take your mobile app from idea to reality.
Wednesday, March 13, 5-9 p.m.
Clarion Hotel & Conference Center, 2900 Jackson Avenue, Ann Arbor
248.470.3257

LA2M - Becoming a Social Solopreneur. Have you ever excitedly registered for a small business workshop or signed up for a service aimed at "small businesses" only to find out that you have a very different definition of small business? In this talk, Leslie McGraw, owner and founder of Les Go Social Media Marketing, will discuss 9 ways to leverage the advantages of being a smaller outfit using social media, networking, and co-marketing.
Wednesday, March 13, 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.
Conor O'Neill's (Celtic Room), 318 S. Main, Ann Arbor
http://www.la2m.org/
FastTrac NewVenture. The "FastTrac New Venture" program for entrepreneurs is an intensive 30-hour "boot camp" for people ready to engage in the start-up process.
Wednesdays, March 13 - May 15, 5:30-8:30 p.m.
West Shore Community College, Scottsville
http://www.e-mergewestmichigan.org/

Tips on Electronic Submission to National Institute of Health. So you think you're ready to submit? Are you sure you've allowed enough time for an error free submission? Unfortunately for far too many applicants it turns out not to be the case. Successful submission of NIH SBIR/STTR proposals requires a thorough understanding of grants.gov and NIH eCommons. Tips for successful submission and how to avoid common mistakes will help ensure an on time submission.
Thursday, March 14, 1-2 p.m.
WEBINAR
http://www.bbcetc.com/event/webinar-tips-on-electronic-submission-to-nih/
TED Talk. Under the moniker, "Ideas worth Sharing," TEDx satellite programs are stimulating communities, organizations and individuals through these dialogues and TED-like experiences. The MidMichigan Innovation Center is the area's catalyst for bringing innovators together. The philosophy is that this forum serve as a foundation and innovation be inspired from idea sharing that will result in an evolving and sustaining community.
Thursday, March 14, 8:30-10 a.m.
MMIC, 2007 Austin Street, Midland
http://mmic.us

Walk out a Winner - How to Overcome Challenges & Succeed at Negotiations. The ability to negotiate is critical to your success as a leader. Attend WXW's event to hear from a panel of business women who are experts! They have learned to negotiate by understanding that the bargaining process, setting goals for negotiating sessions, and managing relationships with both opponents and allies are all important factors to a successful outcome.
Thursday, March 14, 7:30-9:30 a.m.
Washtenaw Community College, Morris Lawrence Building, Ann Arbor
http://bit.ly/YTPSoT
Got a business idea? Learn how to validate it's Potential. TechTown invites you to attend this upcoming workshop to learn more about business concept and market validation. Entrepreneur, author and educator David Tarver will teach you the steps you'll need to take in order to validate the strength of your busines idea. Lessons will refer to Tarver's own experiences, as documented in his recently released book, Proving Ground: A Memoir. Don't waste your time or money on a flawed concept!
Thursday, March 14, 8-9:30 a.m.
TechTown, 440 Buroughs Street, Detroit
http://validatemar14.eventbrite.com/

Environmental Sustainability & Business Profitability: An International Perspective. Global Business club of Mid-Michigan and the Greater Lansing Chapter of the United Nations Association brings this event with keynote speaker Fred Keller, Chairman and CEO of Cascade Engineering, a morning panel of experts on sustainable business practices and networking luncheon.
Thursday, March 14, 8:30 a.m.-noon
MSU Henry Center for Executive Development, 3535 Forest Road, Lansing
http://global.broad.msu.edu/gbclub/event_brochures/program-2013-03-14.pdf

Intro to GROW. A free orientation offered four times a month and open to anyone interested in learning more about GROW and its programs. Get an overview of programs and services.
Thursday, March 14, noon-1pm and 6-7 p.m.
GROW, 25 Sheldon Blvd SE, Ste. 210, Grand Rapids
www.GROWbusiness.org
Inventors' Council of MidMichigan Monthly Meeting. Guest speaker. Elizabeth Garlow, Executive Director of Michigan Corps, will be informing attendees of programs available to Social Entrepreneurs and will be available for questions. This monthly meeting includes networking time, guest speaker and time for members to showcase new products.
Thursday, March 14, 7-9 p.m.
Walli's, 1341 S. Center Road, Burton
http://www.inventorscouncil.org/

Government Contracting 101. The Procurement Technical Assistance Center of Schoolcraft College presents a workshop that will help you find out what it takes to sell your goods and services to the federal government and the state of Michigan.
Thursday, March 14, 9 a.m.-noon
Schoolcraft College - VistaTech Center, 18600 Haggerty, Livonia
inforeq@Schoolcraft.edu

Start Garden Happy Hour. This is an informal time to meet the Start Garden team, some of our funded projects and people in the ecosystem.
Thursday, March14, 5:30-7 p.m.
Start Garden, 50 Louis Ave., 1st floor, Grand Rapids
www.StartGarden.com
Culture of Innovation. Saying you have an innovation-based culture doesn't make it so. Neither does including the word "innovation" in your mission statement. Fostering a culture of innovation is more about "how" you do business rather than "what" your business produces. This session will focus on: Leadership, Process, Teams, Participation, Environment, Axiom and Othrodoxy.
Friday, March 15, 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Flexco, 1995 Oak Industrial Drive Northeast, Grand Rapids
http://newnorthcenter.org/

Entrepreneurship Hour - Matt Harding. Entrepreneurship Hour (ENTR 407) is a weekly speaker series that invites distinguished members of the entrepreneurial community to share their startup stories with aspiring entrepreneurs. The series is sponsored by the Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Michigan.
Friday, March 15, 2-3 p.m.
Stamps Auditorium, 1226 Murfin, Ann Arbor
http://cfe.umich.edu/entr407
Starting Your Own Business. At this forum you will learn about personality traits that impact entrepreneurialism, creating a marketing plan for your business, legal, accounting, and risk considerations, product development, business plans and financing options. You will have an opportunity to get advice from a variety of business experts and organizations that are available to support new ventures.
Friday, March 15, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
SPARK East, 215 W. Michigan Avenue, Ypsilanti
http://www.annarborusa.org/events

Business Law & Order - Employment II. Starting a new business is complicated: there are many t's to cross and i's to dot. The Business Law & Order Legal Series will give entrepreneurs insight into some of the most important legal issues they must consider during business formation. Some of these issues include: proper business structure, intellectual property protection, founders and key employee compensation, considerations regarding employees versus independent contractors, doing business overseas and commercial agreements. The sessions will help new business owners understand their options and make better decisions relating to the structure, organization and management of their business.
Monday, March 18, 5-7 p.m.
SPARK Central, 330 E. Liberty, Lower Level, Ann Arbor
http://www.annarborusa.org/events

Motor City Connect - 275. Join the business professionals of Motor City Connect for an effective and fun alternative to the traditional networking meeting. This is a chance for everyone to come face-to-face with other MCC members. MCC Live lunches are relaxed, casual and usually good for a few laughs. It's never a something you have to attend; it's an event you want to attend. No sixty-second commercials. No ten-minute speakers. This is just a chance to break bread together, meet new people, seek to understand their needs and connect on a new level.
Tuesday, March 19, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Brann's Steakhouse, 39715 Six Mile Road, Northville
http://motorcityconnect.groupsite.com
A2 NewTech Meetup. Five presenters this month take the stage for ten minutes each, five minutes to demo and five minutes to answer questions, followed by open announcements and community networking. E-mail organizers at a2newtech.org if you'd like to present!
Tuesday, March 19, 6:30-8 p.m.
Law School, South Hall, Room 1225, 701 S. State St., Ann Arbor
http://www.a2newtech.org/

Financial Awareness Cluster (two of three). GROW Business Basics Cluster classes throughout March will assist in the basics of finance. Basics of Bookkeeping (March 12), Fiancial Analysis 101 (March 19) and Financing Options (March 26).
Tuesday, March 19, 6-9 p.m.
GROW, 25 Sheldon Blvd SE, Suite 210, Grand Rapids
https://www.growbusiness.org/Events.aspx

Join Michigan Israel Business Bridge for a Networking Event. Be on the learning side of the curve! Whether you are in the "biz" of additive materials or just want to stay current! Find out what all the buzz is about. Learn how 3D Printing has advanced into additive manufacturing and is revolutionizing how products come to market.
Tuesday, March 19, 5:30-7 p.m.
Dasi Solutions, 31 Oakland Ave., Pontiac
http://conta.cc/YwTGeX
Speaker Series: Lee Rouse. The MidMichigan Innovation Center hosts a 90 minute educational speaker series with industry authorities at its Midland location.
We invite the utmost successful entrepreneurs and renowned industry experts to lead discussions for our members on the third Tuesday of each month
Tuesday, March 19, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
MMIC, 2007 Austin, Midland
http://www.MMIC.us

SBIR/STTR Proposal Prep - National Science Foundation Focus. This NSF-focused seminar provides indepth instruction on preparing a competitive SBIR/STTR proposal that meets the unique requirements of the NSF. Participants will walk away with: current info on the SBIR/STTR program, strategies for solid submissions, understanding of what technological innovation and commercial merit means, common problems to avoid and more.
Wednesday, March 20, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
BBCetc, 803 N. Main Street, Ann Arbor
http://www.bbcetc.com/event/sbirsttr-proposal-prep-nsf-focus/
Best Shot Competition @ MMIC - Midland. This very exciting new competition is modeled after our popular Boost Michigan program. The "Best Shot" competition will allow 10 able entrepreneurs the opportunity to deliver the winning sales pitch in 5 minutes. In that 5 minutes the presenter must explain their product or service, define the ideal customer and explain why, define the ideal sales or distribution channel to reach their target market and end with delivering the pitch that will close the sale. Each presenter will receive valuable feedback after their presentation and there will be two winners chosen by the qualified panel of experts.
Wednesday, March 20, 5-7 p.m.
MMIC, 2007 Austin, Midland
http://www.MMIC.us

LA2M: Visual Storytelling and Content Marketing. Charlie Wollborg of Curve Detroit Marketing Strategy & Creative Design, will share a few insights on telling your brand story, cultivate fans and sparking devotion. Social media is not going to be a specialty for much longer - do you see many telephone gurus making the rounds? Social tools will continue to come and go, but corporate storytelling and content marketing are the big opportunities for marketers and communicators to master long term.
Wednesday, March 20, 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.
Connor O'Neill's, Main Street, Ann Arbor
http://www.la2m.org/

Launch Detroit - Founder Matchmaking. Are you interested in participating in Launch Detroit, the summer boot camp for student entrepreneurs, but haven't found a team yet? No worries. Come to the Founder Matchmaking event to meet other student entrepreneurs and to form your soon-to-be, killer start-up team.
Wednesday, March 20, 4-7 p.m.
TechTown, 440 Burroughs Street, Detroit
http://foundermatchmaking-eorg.eventbrite.com/

Lunch with Punch! A monthly networking event focused on fostering professional relationships and providing practical applications to build networking skills. This event offers every participant an opportunity to highlight his or her business services at every meeting.
Wednesday, March 20, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Holiday Inn, 310 Pearl Street NW, Grand Rapids
https://www.growbusiness.org/Events.aspx

Class @ Start Garden - How to Present Like a Pro. This session is designed to equip you with the basic skills you need to know before your next presentation. Participants will learn how to refine your topic, how to best identify the needs of your audience, gather and organize your research and present it all in such a way to leave them wanting more. We will also talk about the appropriate use of visuals and how to polish your delivery skills.
Wednesday, March 20, 5:30-7 p.m.
Start Garden, 50 Louis Ave., First Floor, Grand Rapids
www.StartGarden.com

Start Smart. A business readiness course offered monthly. The Start Smart class focuses on the fundamentals of doing business. Once completed, Start Smart provides participants with the ability to understand what it takes to run their own business. Prerequisite: Intro to GROW.
Wednesday, March 20, 6-9 p.m.
GROW, 25 Sheldon Blvd SE, Ste. 210, Grand Rapids
www.GROWbusiness.org
Connecting the Dots to Generate Sales. The Muskegon Inventors' Netowrk (MIN) presents this monthly meeting including networking, sharing and other membership values. There will be a roundtable presentation revolving around "Invention Process".
Wednesday, March 20, 6-8 p.m.
MAREC, 200 Viridian Drive, Muskegon
http://www.muskegoninventorsnetwork.org

MichBio BioMixer - Southwest Michigan Innovation Center. Each month, a MichBio member company hosts a casual networking event at their place of business or some other select site. There is no set program and guests are encouraged to meet with their fellow life science colleagues at their own pace. BioMixers are held throughout the state and provide a unique opportunity for different bio-industry communities to gather outside their regions.
Wednesday, March 20, 5-7 p.m.
Western Michigan University Business Technology Research Park, Kalamazoo
http://www.michbio.org/
Commercialization for Early-stage Tech Companies. While focusing on the science of their technologies, early-stage companies often overlook commercialization, which is the crux of any discussion of funding, SBIR or otherwise. A credible commercialization strategy not only helps you evaluate your customers and market, it is critical to garnering the attention of funding sources. If you've got a technology, but are lagging in or just need to know more about commercialization, this half-day class will kick-start your thinking with the basics in early assessments and planning, pitfalls to avoid, key steps in the process, and more.
Thursday, March 21, 9 a.m.-noon
BBCetc., 803 N. Main Street, Ann Arbor
http://www.bbcetc.com/event/new-commercialization-for-early-stage-tech-companies/

Meet the Bankers. Attend the CEED Micro Loan Orientation and learn the requirements and process necessary for applying for and obtaining a loan. Also, the Detroit SBA team will be present to help attendees learn the lending process and what is expected when participating in the SBA Guaranteed Loan Program.
Thursday, March 21, 6-8 p.m.
Cleary University, Plymouth Road and US-23, Ann Arbor
http://annarborscore.com/events.html
Lunch and Launch Series - 7 Cool Business Meeting Technologies on the Cheap. Karl Siegert, Director of Business Strategy for MVP Collaborative, will present seven cool meeting technologies that add video, increased engagement and live interaction to your event ... all on the ultra cheap.
Thursday, March 21, noon-1 p.m.
Macomb-OU INCubator at Velocity Collaboration Center, 6633 Eighteen Mile Road, Sterling Heights
macINC@Oakland.edu

New Enterprise Forum - funding until investable. How can a young firm pay for the growth and development they need in order to attract investors? And what do investors need to see before they will take the risk of investing? NEF's panel will takle the dilemma - and suggest methods and means you may not have considered.
Thursday, March 21, 5-8 p.m.
Holiday Inn North Campus, 3600 Plymouth Road at US-23, Ann Arbor
http://www.NewEnterpriseForum.org
CMU 2013 New Venture Competition. Be a part of the excitement at CMU as this event is designed to support student learning, economic development and entrepreneurship in Michigan, student teams pitch their business plans as they vie for more than $65,000 in start-up capital. Top prize is $30,000 going to team with the Best Overall Venture.
Friday, March 22, 4-8 p.m.
CMU Main Campus, Broomfield Street, Mt. Pleasant
http://www.cmich.edu/academics/business_admin/entrepreneurship/new_venture/Pages/nvc.aspx

Entrepreneurship Hour - Shawn Dougherty. Entrepreneurship Hour (ENTR 407) is a weekly speaker series that invites distinguished members of the entrepreneurial community to share their startup stories with aspiring entrepreneurs. The series is sponsored by the Center for Entrepreneurship at the University of Michigan.
Friday, March 22, 2-3 p.m.
Stamps Auditorium, 1226 Murfin, Ann Arbor
http://cfe.umich.edu/entr407
West Shore Inventor/Entrepreneur Network Monthly Meeting. This association brings together inventors, entrepreneurs and business professionals to network and learn how to turn ideas into marketable products.
Monday, March 25, 5-7 p.m.
West Shore Community College, Schoenherr Campus Center, Scottsville.
http://www.e-mergewestmichigan.org/

Motor City Connect - Royal Oak. Join the business professionals of Motor City Connect for an effective and fun alternative to the traditional networking meeting. This is a chance for everyone to come face-to-face with other MCC members. MCC Live lunches are relaxed, casual and usually good for a few laughs. It's never a something you have to attend; it's an event you want to attend. No sixty-second commercials. No ten-minute speakers. This is just a chance to break bread together, meet new people, seek to understand their needs and connect on a new level.
Tuesday, March 26, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Tequilla Blue, 526 Main, Royal Oak
http://motorcityconnect.groupsite.com
Financial Awareness Cluster (three of three). GROW Business Basics Cluster classes throughout March will assist in the basics of finance. Basics of Bookkeeping (March 12), Fiancial Analysis 101 (March 19) and Financing Options (March 26).
Tuesday, March 26, 6-9 p.m.
GROW, 25 Sheldon Blvd SE, Suite 210, Grand Rapids
https://www.growbusiness.org/Events.aspx

Hot Shots: On the Road! This March SPARK is teaming up with the Washtenaw Community College Spring Job Fair for a Hot Shots Road Trip! Join the Ann Arbor SPARK talent team at the Morris Lawrence building to connect with employers from Southeast Michigan who are recruiting for full-time, part-time, and internship opportunities.
Tuesday, March 26, 1-5 p.m.
Morris Lawrence Building, WCC, 4800 E. Huron River Drive, Ann Arbor
http://www.annarborusa.org/events/details?e=11762
Women in Leadership Summit 2013 - The Influence of Women, Our Voices! This event will keynote speaker Ellen Hill Zeringue, the successful VP of Marketing at the Detroit Tigers. Hear her inspiring story of succeeding in a traditionally male-dominated workplace. The event includes a facilitated power networking session and diverse panel of professional women from a variety of industries.
Thursday, March 28, 9 a.m.-noon
Oakland Schools Conference Center, 2111 Pontiac Lake Road, Waterford
www.ocedc.net

TED Talk. Under the moniker, "Ideas worth Sharing," TEDx satellite programs are stimulating communities, organizations and individuals through these dialogues and TED-like experiences. The MidMichigan Innovation Center is the area's catalyst for bringing innovators together. The philosophy is that this forum serve as a foundation and innovation be inspired from idea sharing that will result in an evolving and sustaining community.
Thursday, March 28, 8:30-10 a.m.
MMIC, 2007 Austin Street, Midland
http://mmic.us
Start Garden Update Night. You've endorsed, we've endorsed and now it's time to find out how our invested ideas have grown. Each presenter will be allowed 3 minutes to answer the following questions: What was your hypothesis? What was your experiment? What did you learn? What is next?
Thursday, March 28, 5-8 p.m.
Start Garden, 50 Louis Ave., 1st Floor, Grand Rapids
www.StartGarden.com

Lunch and Learn - The End of Marketing as we Know It (We Feel Fine). Since its inception, the practice of marketing has become synonymous with one-way customer communications: advertising, logos, brochures, websites. With technology and social media constantly raising customer expectations, traditional MarCom methods are falling short. During this Lunch & Learn, Brian Hauch from Peopledesign will discuss what it means when the customer is changing faster than the communication program and how can companies position themselves for this future. Bring your own lunch.
Friday, March 29, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Start Garden, 50 Louis Ave., 1st floor, Grand Rapids
www.StartGarden.com

April Highlights - Events and Opportunities

Ask-the-Investors Roundtable - Detroit. GLEQ gives business plan competition participants and other entrepreneurs the opportunity to ask their questions. A panel of venture capital and angel investors field questions and provide suggestions to help entrepreneurs build a better business plan. This is an informal event for entrepreneurs to meet investors one-on-one and get their individual questions answered.
Monday, April 8, 6-8 p.m.
M@dison Building, 1555 Broadway, Detroit
http://gleq.net/gleq/events.aspx

Ask-the-Investors Roundtable - Ann Arbor. GLEQ gives business plan competition participants and other entrepreneurs the opportunity to ask their questions. A panel of venture capital and angel investors field questions and provide suggestions to help entrepreneurs build a better business plan. This is an informal event for entrepreneurs to meet investors one-on-one and get their individual questions answered.
Thursday, April 11, 6-8 p.m.
Maker Works, 3765 Plaza Dr., Ann Arbor
http://gleq.net/gleq/events.aspx