Do you have a restaurant or food service establishment in DuPage County? Recently, the County Board made additional funds available, specifically for restaurants and food establishments, through the Small Business Relief Grant Program. Check here for the criteria and restrictions. This new program, offered in conjunction with Choose DuPage Economic Development Alliance, provides grants for certain business expenses.
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SCORE, a nonprofit resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration, has several live webinars scheduled in the coming weeks. You can view Protecting your Business from Fraud on June 18 and Protecting and Increasing the Value of your Business on July 2, among others.
Take advantage of SCORE's industry experts by using Real Time Mentoring Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Register here.
The library partners with SCORE Fox Valley.
Back to Business: a Virtual Conference takes place June 9 - 11. A librarian from the northern suburbs shared these details. Although some programs pertain specifically to those towns, it looks informative and helpful for all, with topics ranging from new service models to financial support. Register separately for sessions.
Do you need some guidance for the reopening process? Fox Valley SCORE has put out a toolkit that provides a succinct and helpful overview for assessing your business, surviving, planning for the future, and communicating.
We partner with Fox Valley SCORE for a variety of programs.
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A fascinating account that proves sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. In Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup (2018), investigative journalist John Carreyrou details the incredible rise and fall of Theranos. Charismatic founder Elizabeth Holmes, a Stanford dropout, started the company at 19 with a promise to revolutionize blood tests and healthcare. Nothing went as planned, other than the company's incredible ability to raise ridiculous amounts of funding.
Filled with narcissistic personalities, delusions, shady dealings, fraudulent claims, and a propulsive plot, Bad Blood is a book that you won't put down (I recommend the audiobook for a riveting listen). If you want to learn more about the story of this biotech company and the personalities involved, check out the documentary The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley.
On April 15 at 2 PM, customer service specialist Laurie Guest presents a free live Webinar.
Laurie says,"When is the right time to make the sale again? It's an understandable question right now, as we navigate balancing our "new normal" with the need to keep business running. The answer isn't as easy as it seems, so...it depends. It depends on your industry, your relationship with your customers and most of all, your reason for diving back into business.
Join me Wednesday, April 15 at 2p CT for a live conversation about ... when is it OK to get back to selling? A limited number of seats are available at the live, free webinar. By registering, you'll have access to the live Q&A and you'll receive my "Market Plan After Crisis" guide that walks any business through how to rethink their sales plan after an unexpected disruption."
Register here.
If you're like me, you plan on helping local businesses. Try these ideas:
- Shop online, but at the smaller local businesses
- Leave good reviews for your favorite businesses on sites such as Yelp, Google, or Facebook
- Like and share their social media posts
- Buy a gift card. Some businesses may offer a discount now.
- Look for donation-based online classes or presentations at businesses, such as online fitness classes
- Tip generously
- Don't accept refunds for canceled events.
- And we all know about delivery (or takeout) from your favorite small restaurant.
- More ideas? Let me know. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Thanks to: https://startupnation.com/start-your-business/help-small-businesses-survive-covid-19/