CITY HOSTS LAST ‘SMALL BUSINESS CENTER ON THE ROAD’ EXPO FOR 2015
Dual Keynote Speakers, Free Professional Headshots and Over 40 exhibitors
The City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) today announced the fifth and final ‘Small Business Center on the Road’ business expo to be held on Saturday, November 14 at Wilbur Wright College, from 10A.M. to 2P.M. For the first time in the series there will be two keynote speakers, Tim Smithe and Kathleen Henson. The expo will offer entrepreneurs and business owners the opportunity to consult, network and gather information from more than 40 government and non-profit agencies including the City of Chicago Department of Public Health, the Better Business Bureau, and the City of Chicago Treasurer’s Office. The goal is to provide expert advice to small business owners on topics such as licensing, financing and business planning. To date, about 1,500 small business owners and entrepreneurs have attended the 2015 expo series.
“We want to end the series strong, so we have maximized our resources to ensure each attendee learns something that will help grow or start their business,” said BACP Commissioner Maria Guerra Lapacek. “The two keynote speakers offer success stories that many can relate to, so I encourage anyone contemplating opening a small business or current owner to come out and check out the plethora of tools the expo will offer.”
The two keynote speakers, Tim Smithe and Kathleen Henson, will take the stage at 10:30 a.m. with a fun banter on their road to business success. Smithe is the marketing mastermind behind iconic family furniture brand Walter E. Smithe; and Henson is the Founder and CEO of Henson Consulting, a public relations powerhouse with offices in Chicago and Cleveland.
Immediately following the keynote speeches there will be three free workshops that begin at noon and end at 1 p.m.
- How to Start A Business in Chicago Presented by Illinois SBDC at the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
- Doing Business with the City of Chicago Presented by The City of Chicago Department of Procurement Services (DPS)
- Opening Your Own Venue: How to Navigate City Licensing Presented by Dylan Rice, Director of Creative Industries-Music, Chicago Dept. of Cultural Affairs & Special Events (DCASE)
The ‘Small Business Center on the Road’ is a series of five free expos in neighborhoods throughout Chicago. The series is a partnership between the City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP), the Office of New Americans (ONA) and Western Union.
Business consultants from the City of Chicago Small Business Center (SBC) will be on hand to help attendees apply or renew for a business license and make an appointment for additional counseling at City Hall. In addition, the Center for Economic Progress will provide a free tax clinic and The Law Project will provide a free legal clinic with representatives offering 20-minute consultations. A professional photographer will be on hand to take free headshots for attendees to use on their social media sites and marketing materials. Lastly, Ulta Beauty will offer free mini makeovers for the perfect headshot.
For more information or to register for the City of Chicago’s SBC and the Small Business on the Road expo series, visit www.cityofchicago.org/sbc.
