Valuable Training Opportunities for Chamber Members

Our chamber's Connect Communities status gives us many great benefits. However, none is more valuable than the knowledge offered through WEDC's training programs.
 
Thanks to a grant from the USDA, WEDC is offering several free training opportunities across the state. As a chamber member, you and your staff invited to take part!
 
Below is a listing of the trainings being offered thus far. If you plan to attend, please let us know here. We would like the opportunity to follow up with you to get your feedback about what you learned. And, if we're aware of other chambers attending we can help connect you for carpooling.
 
Entrepreneurship & Business Development
 
Keys to Business Success
(2-hour presentation) Bob Jones of Cuba City will provide a framework for thinking about starting and growing small businesses. The session will include tips on business plan/cash flow development, overcoming common challenges and marketing as well as strategies for writing a business plan and presenting to bankers.
 
Sessions in partnership with Prosperity Southwest

• Monroe: April 17th – 6 pm UWEX, 2841 6th Street

 
Additional sessions

• Arcadia, April 30th - Community Recreation Center, 209 E Main Street
• Wisconsin Rapids, May 1st, Heart of Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce, 1120 Lincoln Street

 
Getting Started with Popups
(1.5-hour presentation) Nora Roughen-Schmidt of the Viroqua Chamber-Main Street will present a how-to session on establishing a successful popup shop program in your community based on 4 years of local success. The presentation will address how to structure the program, identify spaces, solicit entrepreneurs and effective marketing strategies, along with strategies for growing popup businesses into permanent tenants.
 

• Lake Mills: March 21 – 1 pm, Community Center Room, City Hall
• Two Rivers: March 22 – 1 pm, JE Hamilton Community House, 1710 W Park St, Berringer Room

 
Business Transition Planning
(2-hour presentation) Mike Mathews of Economic Growth Advisors and Cathy Durham of Capital Valuation Group will cover the basics of business transition planning. Regardless of size and age of ownership, having a succession plan is the best way to ensure the longevity of your business and safeguard retirement plans. This course covers the basics of planning for the future, including guidance for positioning your business for sale or preparing for internal transition.
 

• Ladysmith: May 3rd, 11:30-1:30 pm, County Government Center, 311 Miner Ave
• Eagle River: May 3rd, 6-8 pm, Northwoods Center
• Stevens Point: May 4th, 2-4 pm, Portage County Library Pineries Room
• Reedsburg: May 22nd, 8-10 am, Chamber of Commerce, 240 Railroad Street
• Waterloo: May 22nd, 4-6 pm, Firemen’s Park Pavilion, 500 Park Avenue

 
Retail, Restaurant and Hospitality Assistance
 
Retail Merchandising
(1.5-hour presentation) Lyn Falk of RetailWorks will provide a tutorial on designing attractive storefronts and interior spaces that attract attention and recruit customers. Learn successful strategies regarding color, placement, layout and grouping of merchandise to maximize sales in your business.
 

• Ellsworth: April 19th, 7:30 am Common Man Brewing, 193 E Main Street
• Menomonie: April 20th, 7:30 am Menomonie Chamber of Commerce, 342 Main Street East
• Marshfield: April 25th, 7:30 am Everett Roehl Marshfield Public Library, 105 S Maple Ave.
• Wausau: April 26th, 7:30 am, Dudley Tower, 500 N 1st Street, First Floor Conference Room

 
Restaurant & Hospitality Business Best Practices
(1-hour presentation) Ryan Doerr of The Spire Group will provide guidance for restaurants and hospitality businesses to allow them to evaluate their menu, pricing, layout and marketing in order to maximize revenues and attract additional customer traffic.
 

• Osceola: March 12th, 9:00 am Midwest One Conference Room, 304 N Cascade
• Rice Lake: March 13th, 9:00 am Kitchen & Floor Décor, 25 N Main Street
• Ripon: April 30th, 9:00 am Bovay’s Study Bar, 329 Watson St.

 
Façade & Property Improvements to Boost Business
(1-hour presentation)
Your business’s storefront is a permanent billboard for your business. Errin Welty and Joe Lawniczak of Wisconsin Main Street will provide information on evaluating your building’s façade and exterior space for improvements that will attract attention and boost sales. Information on various financing programs available is also included in this presentation.
 

• New Richmond: March 21, 11:30 am-12:30 pm, New Richmond Area Chamber, 245 S Knowles Ave.
• Waupun, May 1st, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm, Waupun Public Library, 123 S Forest Street 

 
Business Marketing and Social Media Strategies
 
Cell Phone Photography and Merchandising for Social Media
(3-hour workshop) Danielle Bruflodt of Thyme is Honey will lead participants through a workshop designed to teach the basics of smart phone photography, along with advanced editing techniques, home studio set-up and online marketing and social media strategies that can help small businesses succeed. We'll discuss social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and how each platform can help increase visibility and reach.
 

• Cambridge: March 12 – 8:30-11:30 am, Location TBD
• Fond du Lac: March 13 – 8:30-11:30 am, Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts, 51 Sheboygan Street
• New Richmond: April 11 - 8:30-11:30am, Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College, 1019 S Knowles Avenue

Check back often for any new trainings or dates that may be added to the schedule!
(New dates added 03/01/18)