Upcoming events.
Ways to Finance Your Business
Ways to Finance Your Business Presented by Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection and CIBC Bank USA
Whether you are a business owner or thinking about starting one; this webinar will teach the basics about bank financing. You will receive information about loans, lines of credit and other available resources that can help you on your entrepreneurial journey. Additionally, you will learn about the BACP Entrepreneur Certificate Program as a resource that makes you eligible to apply for CIBC Bank USA’s Entrepreneur Loan.
Beginner's Guide to Product Management
Product management is the ultimate craft of shaping ideas into reality, and it's hotter than a freshly brewed cup of coffee. It's all about bringing together technology, creativity, and business savvy to create products that make waves in the market.
In this free, 2-hour class, get hands-on experience with the fundamentals of Product Management and understand what you need to become a Product Manager yourself!
We will touch on key tools and techniques for testing, designing and improving products. Step into the world of product management and explore how product managers use leadership and versatility to launch products that people love.
Bonus: there will be time at the end for live Q&A with the instructor.
We’ll see you in class.
Takeaways
You’ll leave this class with:
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Basic knowledge of the roles and responsibilities of a product manager
Hands-on practice with hypothesizing, identifying and validating risks and assumptions for a product or feature idea.
Confidence to continue practicing your product management skills
Preparation
This is an entry level class, so no prior knowledge is necessary.
We’ll send a Zoom link to your email the day of class.
Note: your mic and camera will be off for the duration of the class.
A recording will be shared via email after you fill out the in-class survey.
AI for Productivity in the Music Business
AI is not the creative one, you are! Reprtoir is convinced that the brighter days of AI revolve around productivity and automation rather than creation. We all want AI to do the tedious part of the job. And as is the workspace for record labels and music publishers to streamline their business, this is exactly what Reprtoir does for music professionals.
In this exclusive webinar with the Music Business Association, you’ll learn on how to get AI to work for you. And since we’re proud of working alongside the best music companies, we’ll have one of our clients with us to show you how they use Reprtoir. Sign up and stay tuned to learn who’ll join us during the webinar!
Legal Clinic: Copyright Registration Workshop
Are you creating original work as a visual artist, writer, theatre worker, musician or sound designer, video game designer, graphic designer, or other creative? Copyrighting your work can help you protect your creations. Lawyers for the Creative Arts and Irwin IP are hosting a free Copyright Registration Workshop in-person on Monday, November 25 in Chicago to help you register your work!
Learn about copyright, what is protected, and how to register your creations with the U.S. Copyright Office. After the presentations, attorneys will be available to guide you through registering copyrights on one or more of your works. Be aware that not everything is copyrightable.
If you would like to take advantage of this assistance, please make sure to bring:
a laptop (Irwin IP will provide Wi-Fi),
a digital copy of the work,
name of author(s) of the work, their nationality/domicile, and years of birth/death,
name and address of the copyright claimant,
any copyright transfer information if the author is not the copyright owner,
year of creation of the work,
date of first publication (if published),
whether the work has preexisting material,
whether the work was previously registered, and
credit card/debit card or bank account information for payment of the filing fee.
The program is free, but registration is required.
Applying Strategy Frameworks for Business
Applying Strategy Frameworks for Business Development Workshop:
Equip participants with practical strategy frameworks for business growth.
Develop a deep understanding of customer needs and market trends.
Create actionable business plans and growth strategies.
Enhance decision-making skills and problem-solving abilities.
Key Topics:
The importance of strategic thinking for business success.
Understanding different strategy frameworks (e.g., SWOT analysis, Porter's Five Forces)
Introduce participants to the ABCD strategy framework
How to Quickly Win Over Your Readers with Max Timm
Join Max Timm, the ISA's Director of Education and Producer/Consultant, as he dives into the importance of that first page, the essentials needed in your 1st Act, and what to do in order to keep your readers hooked. He will discuss:
What to do and not to do with your 1st act
Tips for features and TV series
How to keep readers engaged, even those with short attention spans
An Online, Lunch Hour Event: Publicity Essentials for Independent Films (RSVP by Nov 19th)
On November 20th at 12pm CST, IFA Chicago will host one of our partners, Bright Iris Film Co., in a lunch hour online webinar.
Publicist and strategist, Lisa Trifone, will talk us through independent film publicity - what it is, when it’s appropriate, and how it can benefit Chicago filmmakers. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions halfway through, and the final 10 minutes of the webinar will introduce the online course. All who attended will receive a free Press Kit Essentials downloadable resource.
Publicity Essentials for Independent Films is a self-directed, on-demand, three-module course that covers PR foundations and terms, essential promotional materials, and goal setting and strategy.
Our one hour webinar is free to attend and only available to IFA Chicago members (who will receive a 20% discount on the course, should they choose to purchase additional modules).
Please register no later than November 19th!
Mastering Cash Flow Management - Uncover Hidden Business Profits
Cash flow management is the lifeblood of a growing business, but it can be a significant challenge for entrepreneurs. Join our expert presenter, Jennifer Dawn, to learn how to master your cash flow.
Join our webinar to discover how to efficiently streamline overhead, strategically manage debt and ensure you're paying yourself what you're truly worth.
In this webinar, you'll learn:
How to trim expenses without sacrificing quality
How to optimize the cost of goods sold to increase profit margins
How to manage liabilities, freeing up cash and accelerating financial health
How to optimize your COGS
Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your money management, this session will equip you with the skills to grow, invest, and succeed in today's competitive landscape.
Live attendees will receive the slide deck and a link to this webinar recording.
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Banking on Success: Seeking Opportunities as a Business Owner
Join us for an exclusive networking event at Citi Bank’s Fox Valley Branch.
This invitation-only event is designed to address the unique challenges and opportunities fa
ed by small business owners in a forum for entrepreneurs to connect, share insights, and explore strategies for growth and success.
Engaging Discussions lead by Maria Rodriguez, VP Banking at Citi, Minerva Calatayud, WBDC Director of Entrepreneurial Programs and Josh Gutstein, WBDC Managing Director of Access to Capital
Breakfast Provided
This event is specifically for businesses that are at least 1 year old and have less than $1 million in annual revenue.
Music Bloom South Loop
Music Bloom is a professional development music series.
About the event: The Music Bloom is a professional development neighborhood music series with panel discussions, workshops, performances and networking.
About the venue: Overflow Coffee is a space to prosper—to foster hope, creativity, and community. A space where belonging is felt from the first greeting to the last sip.
Overflow Coffee is home to the former Vee Jay & Brunswick Record labels housing some of Chicago's prominent music figures from Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler, The Chi Lites, The Beatles, Gladys Knight and the list goes on. Over the past several years Overflow After Dark Productions (OAD) has put together countless community events paying homage and even highlighting and inviting back the artists to the space that came through the various label. Their space has become an all age inclusive safe space community hub for artists, creatives, music lovers, entrepreneurs etc. OAD is bridging the generational gap between emerging and seasoned artists and have worked hard to preserve the legacy and history that put Chicago soul on the map.
Time:
6:30 pm - 9 pm
Moderator: Liv Roskos
Workshop with Calid Bowen
Artist: Jae Via
Managing a Virtual or Hybrid Work Force
Presented by Presented by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Chicago member Diane Yetter, President -YETTER Tax & Sales Tax Institute Today many businesses operate in either a fully virtual or hybrid world. Is this a good thing for employees and employers? Come learn how to manage a virtual workforce – from how to successfully recruit remote workers, how to on-board them so they feel part of the team as well as how to provide feedback. We will also cover what should be incorporated into your work culture, environment and policies to create the type of business that is successful for all. Learn from a long-time business owner who has had at least one virtual employee for over 25 years and who went fully virtual in 2010 (yes long before we all had to!). She will share pros and cons of a virtual workforce as well as tips and ideas on how to set up your virtual workforce for success. To get credit, you must be registered for the program prior to attending this webinar. Learn more at Chicago.gov/BACPCertificate
Storytelling for Impact
Workshop: Storytelling for Impact
Empower entrepreneurs and founders to craft compelling narratives that resonate with their target audience.
Develop effective storytelling techniques for various platforms (e.g., presentations, pitch decks, social media).
Enhance participants' ability to communicate their value proposition and mission.
Key Topics:
The power of storytelling in business.
Identifying your unique story and brand narrative.
Crafting compelling messages and elevator pitches.
Utilizing storytelling techniques for effective presentations.
Storytelling for social media and digital marketing.
This workshop is led by Adrian Segura, the Founder and Principal of The Luminary Collective.
A2IM Indiescussion: Soundcloud School
The goal of “SoundCloud School” is to redefine SoundCloud’s image beyond just a Digital Streaming Partner (DSP) by providing an educational program designed to help music creators and industry stakeholders understand and utilize the full potential of SoundCloud. This program aims to educate at scale, covering basic to advanced topics, ensuring users can effectively engage with SoundCloud’s tools and community, whether or not they are releasing music.
The MLC Presents: Q&A for Self-Administered Songwriters
Are you a self-administered songwriter (also known as independent songwriter) with questions about The MLC and your digital audio mechanical royalties? We invite you to join MLC staffers for this interactive webinar to get answers to any questions you have about MLC Membership, The MLC Portal and all of the tools and resources available to help self-administered songwriters register their musical works data with The MLC and get the mechanical royalties they are owed.
Data Analytics Bootcamp Info Session
About This Info Session
Are you curious about General Assembly’s upcoming Data Analytics Bootcamp? Whether you’re looking to cross over into a role that requires you to know data analysis, level up in your existing role, or you’re curious about data, join us and figure out if this bootcamp is a fit for you.
During the upcoming information session you will:
Meet the GA team and potential classmates
Get an overview of the curriculum and course objectives
Meet the instructor, hear about his/her professional experience
Discover the perks of being a student at GA
The New Rules of Brand Management
Having a great brand alone is no longer enough to help your product succeed. But without branding strategies and tactics to increase preference, it is harder than ever to stand out, especially in the food & beverage industry. Effective branding still gives you that extra edge to win. No, brand management is not dead, but some of the tools and techniques historically used to achieve branding goals may now be obsolete.
Today, the fractured media environment requires new and creative ways to successfully keep your brands in front of consumers. Join us for a panel discussion about the new rules of marketing and brand management and learn to navigate this new world by seeing successful marketing by food and beverage companies both large and small.
Join us* for cocktails and appetizers as our top-notch speakers provide an overview of the new rules of Brand Management as well as some real world examples of their experiences in branding their products and services effectively.
Time Management Strategies for Small Business Owners
Whether you’re a seasoned small business owner or just beginning your entrepreneurial journey, it’s important to know how to effectively manage your time in your business.
In this webinar, our expert presenter will teach you the importance of time management, the foundational process to saving time and how to manage your time as a part-time entrepreneur and full-time business owner.
Learning objectives:
How to incorporate time management tools and techniques into your routine
How to determine what you should delegate
How to effectively set up your calendar
How to manage your daily and weekly schedule
IRS Small Business Tax Workshop: Federal Taxes When Hiring Employees or Independent Contractors
Join us for this valuable online session, part of an 8-unit series offered by the IRS and the WBDC. Attendance at all sessions is not necessary; please register and attend any you of them that would be helpful. Separate registration for each session is required.
This session’s topics include Employment Taxes, Worker classification (Employee versus Independent Contractor), Determining Eligibility of Employees to Work Legally in the U.S., Form W-4, Verification of Employee SSNs, Form W2, Independent Contractors Filing Proper Forms, and related issues.
The Artist Friendly Approach: Empowering Artists Through Partnership
Discover how Guin Records and KOGO collaborate to empower artists like Curtis Waters and Asha Imuno. We’ll explore our Artist Friendly Approach, sharing insights on creating impactful, artist-centered campaigns.
Entrepreneurship Essentials (E2): HR and Culture with Michelle Aronson
Join the Polsky Center and Michelle Aronson, Owner of Culture and Strategy Lab, for an engaging workshop on building workplace culture. In this interactive session, Michelle will discuss the critical roles strategic HR and culture play in your business’s success, and also share actionable strategies to create an aligned culture that drives results.
Recognizing and Protecting Your Company’s Trademarks, Patents, Trade Secrets, and Copyrights
Presented by Patrick J. Smith, Partner, registered patent attorney at Greer, Burns & Crain, Ltd.
Learn the basic differences between copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secrets and the assets they protect. Knowing the differences will help you to take the right steps and make the right decisions to protect your company’s intellectual property assets.
Product and Strategy 102- The What
elcome back to our MHUB Product & Strategy Workshop Series! After diving into “THE WHY,” it’s time to build upon that foundation with our second session: “THE WHAT: Defensible Solutions.”
Workshop Overview:
Differentiation: Discover what sets your product apart. We’ll explore your Unique Value Proposition and how it differentiates your product from competitors. Whether it’s through features, procurement, brand mission, or customer demographics, we’ll help you find your edge.
Defensibility: Learn how to protect your competitive advantage. We’ll discuss the concept of defensibility, from sticky features to emotional connections with your demographic. Understand how to maintain your lead without resorting to price wars.
Unfair Advantage: Identify and leverage your unfair advantage. Whether it’s trade secrets, scarcity, time-to-market, brand, scale, network effect, or unique data, we’ll strategize on how to use these elements to stay ahead.
Pre-Workshop Preparation (worksheet be sent following registration):
Update Your PSAH Statements: Refine your Problem, Solution, Assumptions, and Hypotheses statements based on insights from the first workshop.
Come Prepared to Workshop: Bring your doubts and questions. It’s okay to be uncertain—this workshop is designed to evolve your understanding and approach.
Example Case Study:
We’ll analyze a case study of a startup with a unique product in the education tech space, focusing on their differentiation and defensibility strategies.
Optional Recommended Reading:
Join us for this dynamic session and solidify ‘THE WHAT’ behind your product’s success. Let’s make your solutions defensible and your strategy unbeatable.
Venue
mHUB 1623 W Fulton St
Location
mHUB 1623 W Fulton St 1623 W Fulton St, Chicago, IL 60612, US Get Directions
Date and Time
10/30/24 @ 1:30 PM
The MLC Presents: What is The MLC?
Are you a songwriter, composer or lyricist streaming your songs on a digital platform? The MLC helps creators like you (and your publishers and administrator partners) collect your streaming royalties. This webinar from The MLC introduces who we are, why self-published writers should become Members of The MLC, and why registering your songs with The MLC is critical to ensuring you receive ALL of the royalties you are entitled to when your songs are streamed in the U.S.
WIM Chicago's October Happy Hour
Paradise Park (1913 W. North Ave. Chicago, IL)
Registration
RSVP to Happy Hour
Let us know you'll be there! This event is open to members & nonmembers.
The 5 Best Pricing Methods - How to Choose a Pricing Strategy for Your Business
Setting the price of a product or service can be challenging for new entrepreneurs, but there are structured processes for determining the best price for your business.
In this webinar, we’ll cover five pricing methods and how to implement them. We’ll also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each pricing method and demonstrate which pricing method is best for each type of business.
IRS Small Business Tax Workshop: Federal Taxes & Your New Business
Join us for this valuable online session, part of an 8-unit series offered by the IRS and the WBDC. Attendance at all sessions is not necessary; please register and attend any you of them that would be helpful.
Topics for this session include Employer Identification Numbers, Bookkeeping Systems, Accounting Methods, Types of Business Structures, and Choosing a Paid Preparer.
Separate registration for each session is required.
Chicago Screenwriters Network Monthly Meeting
Meet fellow Screenwriters, Writers, and Industry Pros alike once a month for our CSN Monthly Meeting.
How New Tech Is Narrowing The Space Between Artists & Fans
Tradable Bits helps many of the industry’s most well-known and well-loved artists, promoters, and venues engage with fans at scale. By acquiring, analyzing, and activating on fan PII data, Tradable Bits’ clients are able to make more informed business decisions, generate additional revenue, create new saleable media inventory, attract high value sponsors, and deliver a better fan experience before, during, and between shows. This webinar will delve into the latest technological innovations refining fan journeys through the lens of real-life case studies from the world of music and sports.
How To Get Noticed in an Evolving Industry with Max Timm
Join Max Timm, the ISA's Director of Education and Producer/Consultant, in a discussion on what writers can do to not just get their projects out there, but also to highlight themselves and their career. This will be an optimistic and supportive webinar to help you, the writer/filmmaker/artist, to step toward a bright future. He will discuss:
The realities of today's industry landscape (from series to independent film)
Steps to take to get noticed including marketing yourself
Inspirational and motivational elements that can help you find your way
Overcoming Your Artistic Flaws with Writer-Turned-Licensed Psychologist, Phil Stark
Join us as we speak with writer (South Park, That ‘70s Show, Dude, Where’s My Car) turned psychologist, Phil Stark, to dive into your artistic flaws including procrastination and impatience and learn how to overcome them.
Some things you will learn in this webinar:
The cause of procrastination and how to push past it
The key to managing impatience
How to face and overcome changes and struggles in your writing career
How to create good writing habits
Empower Hour: Dwell Studio Chicago
In honor and recognition of Polish American Heritage Month, celebrated in October, this month’s Empower Hour will feature BACP Chief Small Business Officer Lotika Pai chatting with Greg Grzywacz, Owner of Dwell Studio Chicago.
Dwell Studio Chicago is a dynamic creative space for artists, life perfectionists, and meaning explorers. The studio provides a platform for both local and international artists to showcase their work, and it serves as a connectivity hub for the Polish and local communities, fostering collaboration and cultural exchange.
The candid conversation will cover the launch of the business, arts and culture in Chicago, and community engagement. The webinar will end with a Q&A for attendees to ask questions.
Leverage ChatGPT and AI Tools in Your Business to Increase Productivity
In today's fast-paced market, leveraging AI tools can empower your business to stay competitive by boosting productivity and providing support with various aspects such as business planning and management.
In this webinar, our experienced presenters will cover the basics of AI, demonstrate the tasks AI can assist with, and show you how to integrate AI into your business operations.
Learning objectives:
How to perform better Internet searches with AI
How to apply AI tools to compare data across disparate documents
How to analyze your business data with AI tools
How to summarize information from multiple separate sources with AI
Live attendees will receive the slide deck and a link to this webinar recording.
Customer Journey Mapping Basics | FREE UX Design Skills
So, now that you’ve collected user insights from your interviews… What do you do with them? This is where customer journey mapping comes in.
In this free, 2-hour session, learn why the customer journey is so important, where journey mapping fits into the UX and human centered design process, and how to create a variety of journey maps based on your product or user. Then, get hands-on practice in Mural building your own customer journey map based on the user insights from our previous session.
Make sure to join us next week where you’ll get hands-on practice with Sketching and Wireframing in Figma to start building solutions for your customers. We’ll see you there
Music Publishing in the Cloud
The Vistex Music Cloud is the future of music publishing rights and royalty solutions. In this session, we will look at the industry challenges and opportunities faced by music publishers. We will dive into specific topics such as handling associated metadata for musical works and managing the creation, acquisition and editing of large catalogs. The Vistex Music Cloud boasts a powerful calculations engine for complex royalty agreements, along with intuitive analytics and statements for cross departmental usage. Don’t miss this session!
Webinar - Short Form Video Marketing with Music Ally
Join us for another episode in our ongoing series with Music Ally on Thursday, October 10th at 1pm ET/10am PT. Music Ally is a trusted global insights company in the music industry, specializing in innovation. Their Sandbox reports provide in-depth analyses of music marketing trends.
In this session, Music Ally will discuss key takeaways and useful industry case studies from their recent Sandbox report on "Short Form Video in 2024". Short-form video has transformed music marketing, requiring careful planning, flexibility, and targeted strategies. This guide offers expert insights from industry leaders and actionable steps to effectively integrate short-form content into your strategy.
Join us for a webinar led by Marlen Hüllbrock, Director of Marketing & Strategy at Music Ally. As a digital expert, she keeps abreast of trends and evolving strategies within music marketing and the wider industry. Her team creates resources and tools for artist teams to more effectively use digital strategies to their advantage and helps run artist marketing campaigns. She has trained a wide range of industry professionals on digital strategy including majors, indies, managers, and music tech companies.
Joining Marlen as a guest speaker is Liam James Ward, Co-Founcer of music-based content strategy studio Something Something. Liam and the Something Something team have delivered social media strategy, digital channel management, and content production for a long list of artists including Jennifer Lopez, Billie Eilish, The Hives, Disclosure, Sam Fender, and many more. More recently, they have become a go-to amongst cultural brands looking to tap into hardcore music audiences, including work for Google, Meta, Axel Arigato, Soho House, LadBible, to name a few. Beginning in label life across playlist management, A&R, and digital strategy, Liam is a music industry professional who has a keen understanding of fan bases and how to both grow and engage them through creative online storytelling.