Presented By Sara Ghadiri, Pro Bono Counsel, Chapman & Cutler LLP and Melissa Picciola, Executive Director, Legal Aid for New Entrepreneurs

This webinar offers essential legal insights to help entrepreneurs navigate key challenges in launching and scaling a business. From choosing the right business structure and negotiating contracts to protecting assets, ensuring compliance, and avoiding common pitfalls, this session provides practical guidance to help you make informed decisions. Gain the knowledge you need to safeguard your business and recognize when to seek legal support.

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Kicking off the 2025 Swimming with Narwhals Pitch Competition, we'll be joined by expert investors to explore what the current climate of investment looks like, how to make your startup stand out, and the ins and outs of pitching. 

Bring your questions for an open Q&A session at the end of the event. Whether you're preparing to pitch or just looking for insight and inspiration, this is the starting line you don’t want to miss.

Attendees get early access to pitch competition applications!

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Presented by Music Tectonics

Keyword research is the foundation of successful SEO marketing. In this webinar, you’ll learn how to find and choose the most effective keywords to drive traffic to your website using free, accessible tools.

Our expert presenter will teach you how to conduct effective keyword research for your business. This includes analyzing local and national search volumes, exploring SERP (Search Engine Results Page) features, identifying your customers' most frequent search terms and spotting keyword opportunities that can give your business a competitive edge. 

By the end of this session, you’ll know how to:

• Use Google’s built-in keyword research tools

• Target keywords locally, regionally, or nationally

• Find gaps in featured results and dominate the SERP

• Explore competitor keywords with Google’s developer tools

• Identify the keywords driving traffic to your site

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Presented by SCORE Mentors

Presented by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Chicago member Noelle Curtis, Founder & CEO of Bisi Blvd, Inc

Every business tells a story—make sure yours is one of clarity and growth. This hands-on workshop helps entrepreneurs craft their unique financial narrative using essential metrics, break-even analysis, and forecasting tools. Learn how to set goals, track what matters, and speak confidently about your numbers to funders, partners, or your team. You’ll leave with a refined financial story and strategies to drive business success. Bisi Blvd tools will be introduced to support your ongoing financial management.

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In this webinar, you will learn how to transform your business website from a passive digital presence into an active customer acquisition tool. We will explore proven design strategies that drive conversions and demonstrate how effective website design directly impacts your bottom line.

Our expert presenter will show you how to turn your website into a powerful conversion tool that works for your business. From choosing the right website type to understanding the psychology behind online visitor engagement, we'll break down the essential design strategies into simple, actionable steps anyone can follow.

You'll learn the following:

• The five critical website functions, from branding to lead generation

• How to select the right website approach for your budget and needs

• The psychology behind what makes a visitor stay or bounce

• How to build instant trust through strategic design elements

• How to Implement navigation systems that guide visitors toward conversion

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Presented by SCORE Mentors

Presented by Score Chicago

This workshop introduces first-time founders to modern startup tools that actually work in today’s unpredictable landscape. Join us for an energizing session where you’ll learn how to: replace static business plans with agile frameworks, apply the Lean Startup method to test and refine ideas fast, use the Business Model Canvas to organize and adapt your business model, launch your Minimum Viable Product (MVP) without wasting time or money, and embrace speed and agility to reduce risk and and grow with confidence.

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Struggling to fund large orders from retailers or distributors? Purchase Order (PO) Financing can be a powerful tool to help you scale without giving up equity or running out of cash.

In this live session, we’ll break down everything you need to know about PO Financing, including:

• What PO Financing is and how it works

• How it can help you fulfill large orders without upfront capital

• The application process and what you need to qualify

Whether you’re getting your first big retail order or looking to streamline cash flow during busy seasons, this session will give you the clarity and confidence to take the next step.

Perfect for founders, operations leads, and anyone managing production and growth.

Bring your questions—we’ll have time for live Q&A at the end!

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Presented by FoodBevy

As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, organizations are finding out that bigger isn't always better when it comes to language models. This webinar will help business owners learn how to turn large language models (LLMs) into smaller, specialized models that deliver targeted performance at a fraction of the cost.

In this session, we'll explore techniques like knowledge distillation and model pruning to create more efficient AI solutions for your business. We'll discuss how these streamlined models can run more effectively on your devices, reducing costs while maintaining the intelligence and accuracy your business requires. 

Learning Objectives:

• Understanding the business case for model distillation versus large-scale deployments

• Mastering knowledge distillation and pruning techniques for your specific use cases

• Implementing specialized AI solutions within existing infrastructure constraints

• Building a distributed AI strategy that scales across workstations

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Presented by SCORE Mentors

AI can be a powerful tool for small businesses if used correctly. While beginners struggle with generic AI prompts and repetitive instructions, experts are creating customized AI agents that understand their business needs, remember important details, and handle complex tasks automatically.

In this webinar, you'll learn how to transform your basic AI tools into personalized digital assistants that truly work for your business. We'll break down the entire process into five simple, actionable steps that anyone can follow, regardless of technical experience.

Learning objectives:

• Identify the tasks you want your AI assistant to handle in your business

• Set up your assistant that understands your business, offers and brand

• Test and refine your AI helper to improve its performance over time

• Integrate your new assistant into daily workflows to save hours each week

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Presented by SCORE Mentors

Are you tired of chasing new clients with expensive advertising and cold outreach? Many business owners struggle to generate consistent leads despite investing time and money in traditional marketing methods. Join our webinar to learn how to create a referral system that will bring in new leads without uncomfortable sales tactics or costly ad campaigns.

Our expert presenter will provide you with a proven 3-part referral system that turns friends, partners, and connections into enthusiastic promoters of your business. You'll learn how relationship-based marketing can transform your business growth strategy and provide a steady stream of clients who already trust you before your first conversation.

After this webinar, you'll be able to:

• Convert friends, partners, and connections into enthusiastic advocates for your business

• Reclaim your time and focus on serving your best clients while others do the "selling" for you

• Position yourself as the recognized authority and go-to expert in your niche

• Build meaningful business relationships that create mutual value

• Measure and optimize your referral strategy for long-term success

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Presented by SCORE Mentors

In this webinar, you will learn how to create a marketing plan that aligns your business goals with your marketing activities. We will discuss how an effective marketing plan ensures that your marketing efforts work towards a common objective and helps you allocate resources efficiently.

Our expert presenter will guide you through each step of developing a marketing plan designed to help you reach your target market, build brand awareness, and grow your business.

A well-executed marketing plan will help you:

• Define your business strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats

• Set goals for marketing your business

• Define your target audience

• Create your Unique Selling Proposition based on competitor analysis

• Measure and optimize your marketing efforts

• Define your brand with proper visuals and messaging

• Determine the tools you will need to execute your marketing plan

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Presented by SCORE Mentors

In this webinar, you will learn how to leverage Instagram's powerful platform to market and grow your business. We will explore the four key content formats on Instagram and show you how each can be strategically used to reach different audience segments and achieve specific marketing goals.

Our social media marketing expert will guide you through proven strategies for creating engaging content, optimizing your profile, and actively connecting with potential customers to drive meaningful business results.

A well-executed Instagram marketing strategy will help you:

• Master all four Instagram formats: Feed posts, Stories, Reels, and Instagram Live

• Create engaging content that resonates with your target audience

• How to convert followers into qualified leads using effective interaction techniques

• Align your Instagram presence with your overall brand identity

• Optimize your profile to maximize visibility and attract your ideal customers

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Presented by SCORE Mentors

There's many things I love about presenting this series. But the single thing I love more than any other is discovering really cool people who have done a lot and have a lot to share....and bringing them to YOU. This episode is a perfect example and you won't want to miss it.

Scott Liggett is a national Emmy Award-winning music and audio producer whose extensive work has made a mark on television, film, and live performances. His extensive list of collaborators reads like a who's who of Hall of Famers such as Frank Sinatra, David Bowie, Bob Marley, The Carpenters, Van Morrison and many others. In TV/film, he's won numerous awards while working with a similar list of stars such as William Shatner, Howard Stern, Robert Goulet, Little Richard, Aaron Sorkin, Martin Short, Chelsea Handler, among others. 

Kevin Saunders Hayes is also a creative polymath whose award winning works involve  composing, songwriting, producing and directing. Kevin has scored over 50 feature films, including two Academy Award® nominated documentaries, and has been honored with a number of awards, including two 21st Century Filmmaker Awards for Excellence. And that is just the start of his list of credits and award winning projects.

Given the collective history these two guys have, just imagine the stories we will get to hear. I promise this will be the best hour of your week, and you will leave smarter and more inspired than you arrived. 

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Presented by WHO KNEW

Building a successful CPG brand takes more than just great products—it requires systems to manage inventory, orders, and day-to-day operations. In this webinar, we’ll walk through how to set up a business operating system that supports your brand’s growth and keeps things running smoothly. We’ll dive into Kaizntree’s operations software as a real-world example of how to centralize and streamline your operations—from inventory tracking to customer orders—so you can spend less time on admin and more time growing your business.

You’ll learn:

• What a business operating system is and why it matters

• How to align your team, tools, and workflows

• Common mistakes brands make—and how to avoid them

• A live walkthrough of Kaizntree’s platform in action

Whether you’re a startup or scaling brand, you’ll walk away with actionable steps and tools to get more organized.

Register now to join live and ask questions!

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Presented by FoodBevy

Presented by Robert Newton, MBA- Financial Planner, Prudential Advisors and Tom O’Grady- Associate Managing Director, Prudential Advisors

As an entrepreneur in the start-up and growth phase of your business, you have a lot to consider. Decisions made now in areas such as product/service strategy, organization structure, marketing, sales, hiring, benefits, legal and exit plan, will have a significant impact on future outcomes and long-term success. Join this webinar to learn how to navigate these critical decisions and about important considerations that impact your ability to protect, grow, thrive, and ultimately reach the long-term objectives of your venture.

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In this webinar, you'll learn about the funding landscape for women-owned businesses, including traditional bank loans, SBA options, crowdfunding strategies, grants, and much more. 

In this session, you'll discover practical strategies for building business credit, creating compelling business plans, and establishing relationships with financial institutions. Our presenter will provide step-by-step guidance on accessing various funding sources and share an extensive resource list of grants, funding directories, and support networks specifically designed for women entrepreneurs.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn about various funding options available

• Discover how to use crowdfunding platforms effectively

• Develop strategies for building business credit

• Understand the importance of mentorship and networking in securing funding

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Presented by SCORE Mentors

Join us for a hands-on session where Amazon experts will conduct real-time audits of Amazon product listings submitted by CPG brands. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to improve your performance, this webinar will uncover opportunities to boost visibility, conversion, and profitability on Amazon.

What to Expect:

• Live audits of actual Amazon listings from participating brands

• Actionable feedback on content, images, SEO, pricing, and more

• Best practices for standing out in a competitive Amazon marketplace

• Q&A session to get personalized tips from our experts

If you’re looking to scale your brand on Amazon or fix what’s not working, this is the session for you.

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Presented by FoodBevy

As music creation has been put in the hands of the masses, artists have new opportunities to monetize their talents.

Hear from expert creators who are leveraging new technologies, building brand relationships in this new landscape, and monetizing their networks. Hosted by Adam McHeffey, top marketing expert on musical instruments, music tech, and the creator economy.

​​Special Guests: 

• Clara Venice - Electronic artist, producer, and content creator

• Vivek Agrawal - Songwriter, Bollywood mashup artist, and content creator

• The Phronetic -  Producer, multi-instrumentalist, singer, and rapper

 Who should attend?

• Companies that serve artists, connect to the creator economy, or use influencer marketing

• Content creators and artists who want to future-proof their careers

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Presented by Music Tectonics

AI is no longer the future of content marketing. These tools are being used right now and are transforming how we engage and connect with audiences. From brainstorming to execution, AI tools like ChatGPT and Canva have transformed how entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and small business owners create engaging content faster and more affordably. 

In this webinar, popular SCORE presenter Steve Strauss will show you how AI tools can help you create marketing content, like generating social media content, email newsletters, and even designing graphics. 

Here's what you will learn:

• Understand how AI can enhance your content marketing efforts

• Learn about the top AI tools for writing, editing, and visual content creation

• How to generate high-quality blog posts, social media updates, and emails using AI

• Best practices and pitfalls when using AI

Register Here

Presented by SCORE Mentors

Google is the world's largest search engine and marketplace, which is why having a presence on Google and using platforms like Google Ads is essential for business growth and sustainability.

In this session, you'll learn how to use Google Ads to increase your visibility, attract qualified leads, and grow your business. Whether you're new to digital advertising or looking to optimize your existing campaigns, this webinar provides the practical knowledge and strategies to help you succeed.

What You'll Learn:

• How to create and set up your Google Ads account from scratch

• How to structure your campaign for success

• Keyword research strategies

• How to create high-converting ads that drive results

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Presented by SCORE Mentors

Anybody who is effective in the music industry must constantly embrace and leverage "the hang". And you either know what this means or your don't. And I am pleased two present these two guys who have mastered the hang and you will learn a lot about this and other ideas that have helped them both achieve huge success.

Brad Parker is Festival Director at C3 Presents, which means he has his fingerprints all over some of the music industry's most important festivals- Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, ACL and others. Trust me when I say this young man punches way above his weight class and I predict he will be running a major festival company one day. And nothing would please me more than putting him in such a job myself. 

Paul Steele has two decades of diverse "been there, done that" experience in starting, growing and selling various ventures in the music industry. He is currently the Executive Partner at Triple 8 Management where he helps guide the careers of Drew Holcomb, Johnnyswim and many others. He is also a very successful founder and investor in numerous businesses including a label, bank and huge whiskey business among other ventures.

In addition to being super successful, these two guys are so grounded, self-aware and refreshingly humble. They embody the perfect example of nice guys do finish first. I promise this will be the best hour of your week, and you will leave smarter and more inspired than you arrived. 

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Presented by WHO KNEW

Leveraging Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) ensures your business appears on Google Search and Maps and boosts your online visibility. However, simply having a profile isn't enough. If you want to rank higher in search results and attract more customers, you need to know how to optimize your profile.

In this webinar, our expert presenter will teach you how to create and manage your Google Business Profile. You'll learn how to improve your business descriptions and photos, establish a posting schedule, and respond thoughtfully to customer reviews. Take advantage of this opportunity to maximize your online presence and attract customers in your local community.

Here's what you'll learn:

• Understanding what a Google Business Profile is and which businesses are eligible

• Step-by-step guidance on creating and verifying your business profile through various methods

• How to build a profile for service-area businesses without displaying your physical address

• How to optimize your business information with descriptions, photos, videos, and business attributes

• How to manage your business profile with regular updates, posts, offers, and events

• Reading and responding to customer reviews and messages

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Presented by SCORE Mentors

Your packaging is your first sales tool. Is it working for you? Join us for a live packaging audit, where packaging expert Sanders from NUEX Creative will analyze your packaging design and share insights to improve visual appeal, messaging, and functionality to boost sales.

Register now to refine your packaging for better conversions!

Want your product packaging audited? Submit product page when you register.

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Presented by FoodBevy

Join us for an insider conversation with Cameron Gould-Saltman, Head of Food & Beverage at TikTok, as he shares what it really takes for brands to break through and drive sales through TikTok. We'll dive into the key ingredients behind the next generation of brand success — from sparking discovery and building authentic engagement, to converting community into customers on TikTok shop. Whether you're building a brand, backing one, or simply curious about how TikTok is reshaping commerce, this session will deliver actionable insights on brand growth and selling in a content-first world. We'll wrap with an open Q&A, so come ready with your questions for Cameron.

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Presented by Bluestein Ventures

Presented by National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) Chicago

This panel discussion features the NAWBO Chicago 2025 award winners: Jessica Freiburg, Anabel Lopez, Brooke Foley, Laurette Rondenet and Qiana Turner. These women business owners and trailblazers will share their journeys, lessons learned and the values that drive both their business success and their commitment to lifting others. From overcoming challenges to creating lasting impact, this panel is a celebration of leadership, service and the power of women supporting women. Don’t miss this powerful conversation with some of the most dynamic voices in the WBO community!

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AI is no longer the future of content marketing. These tools are being used right now and are transforming how we engage and connect with audiences. From brainstorming to execution, AI tools like ChatGPT and Canva have transformed how entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and small business owners create engaging content faster and more affordably. 

In this webinar, popular SCORE presenter Steve Strauss will show you how AI tools can help you create marketing content, like generating social media content, email newsletters, and even designing graphics. 

Here's what you will learn:

• Understand how AI can enhance your content marketing efforts

• Learn about the top AI tools for writing, editing, and visual content creation

• How to generate high-quality blog posts, social media updates, and emails using AI

• Best practices and pitfalls when using AI

Register Here

Presented by SCORE Mentors

Presented by Allies for Community Business (A4CB)

Allies for Community Business (A4CB) provides the capital, coaching, and connections entrepreneurs need to grow great businesses that create jobs and wealth in their communities. A4CB offers loans between $500 and $100,000 to early, emerging, and established businesses at fair prices. In addition, A4CB provides free coaching to anyone who wants to start or grow a business, and A4CB connects entrepreneurs to trusted partners that can help further. Join A4CB Director of Community Lending Yessenia Diaz De Leon to hear an overview of what is required to apply for a small business loan and details about A4CB’s business coaching service.

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In this webinar, you will learn to summarize your business concept into a one-page business plan. We'll also discuss how writing a one-page business plan can help you organize your ideas and allow you to be focused and concise about your business goals.

Our expert presenter will show you each element of the one-page business plan, including your business goals, value proposition, market strategy, target market, and more.

You'll learn the following:

• The benefits of a one-page business plan vs. other business plans

• Practical tips on writing a one-page business plan

• How a one-page business plan can eliminate distractions and help you focus

• The key elements of a one-page business plan

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Presented by SCORE Mentors

Join the Polsky Center’s Investor in-Residence for private equity, Tim Kelly, MBA ’00, for an interactive workshop to discuss special topics in EQ.

Tim has been involved in private equity for nearly three decades in senior leadership and investment management roles with Allstate Insurance Company, Heller Financial, GE Capital, and Adams Street Partners. Tim began his career with Goldman Sachs & Co. in Chicago where he traded over-the-counter (OTC) securities and managed the office’s OTC market expansion efforts. He went on to manage billions of dollars in private equity related investment programs and to complete hundreds of successful international partnership and direct equity and fixed income investments. He is proud of an extensive global network of general and limited partner relationships he developed throughout his career as a result of his personable interaction style, objectivity and candor, and desire to help others succeed. His vast industry knowledge and experiences transcend finance, investments, law, international business, and complex capital formation structures.

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Presented by Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Join Skyler Almquist, Founder and Managing Partner of Alliance Growth Partners for an ETA Workshop on Tech Stack Setup & Best Practices. This session will provide essential insights into selecting, implementing, and optimizing the right technology tools to streamline operations, enhance efficiency, and support scalable growth.  Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from an experienced industry leader and gain practical strategies to build a strong and effective tech infrastructure.

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Presented by Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation