Basics of Starting a Business
2019-10-07 13:00 - 15:30, 2019-11-04 13:00 - 15:30, 2019-11-07 09:00 - 23:30, 2019-12-02 13:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York) | Scibelli Enterprise Center
Who should attend? Anyone wanting to start a business and existing business owners looking for guidance on creating a business plan and securing financing to grow their business.
Workshop Facilitators: Springfield – Allen B. Kronick, Senior Business Advisor, MA Small Business Development Center. Greenfield – Anita J. Eliason, Senior Business Advisor, MA Small Business Development Center. Oreste Varela, U.S. Small Business Administration Branch Manager, Springfield, MA, is a scheduled presenter in both Greenfield and Springfield. The presentation will help you gain a better understanding of the various SBA programs and services available to prospective or current entrepreneurs who need assistance in starting or expanding their businesses, and will include capital, counseling and contracting information.
This FREE workshop will focus on business fundamentals; from startup considerations to business plan development and funding sources.
Learn the whole nine yards of starting a business. The presentation will help entrepreneurs start a business plan and provide structure to starting/managing their venture. Topics will include:
• Introduction and need for planning
• Basic business plan format
• Choosing your legal form of organization
• Marketing, market planning and research
• Cash flow projections
• Financial Statements
• Financing

Envisioning a Sustainable Future for Your Organization
2019-10-09 08:00 - 17:00, 2019-10-16 08:00 - 17:00, 2019-10-23 08:00 - 17:00, 2019-10-30 08:00 - 17:00 | online
Smith Executive Education invites you to leverage your organization’s unique mission and function to align with the growing knowledge base for sustainability practices in the workplace. Four weeks of online learning and a one-hour virtual live session with expert Dano Weisbord, Executive Director of Sustainability and Campus Planning at Smith College. This course is designed for your busy schedule, with four weeks of online learning and a one-hour virtual live session with faculty. Take advantage of this special introductory pricing

Art of Business & Setting Prices
2019-10-16 09:00 - 12:00 | Scibelli Enterprise Center
Apple never discounts. Clothing stores build in a series of discounts to their initial price. Consulting companies use various techniques to avoid quoting an hourly rate. Law firms typically quote an hourly rate and stick to it. How do you determine what rate you should charge for your time? Too high and you scare clients away. Too low and your clients undervalue your work. There is an art to setting a price for your work. On one hand, what is a livable rate for your work? On the other, what is the range of rates for your work in your market? Do you discount? How do you price a job and how do you cover add-ons and other changes? Do you have separate rates for different types of clients? What about donating services? How do you negotiate rates with a potential client? This workshop covers the process of determining your rate and sticking to it.
Don Lesser, of Pioneer Training, Inc. has been in business for 30+ years. His companies have grown and shrunk, and the nature of his business has changed, but he is still thinking and working on his business. And, he is successful at it. The Art of Business is a collection of some guiding principles that sum up the lessons he has learned over the past 30 years. For Don, running a business is as much an art as it is a science. This session will cover various parts of running a small business with an emphasis on what is involved in setting prices.
Fee: $30 (Payable in Advance – Checks made out to UMass) Free Parking

North East Real Estate Investor Summit
2019-10-19 08:00 - 17:00 | MassMutual Center
The Western Mass Real Estate Investors group is excited to announce that we are hosting our first annual Real Estate Investors Summit here in the Greater Springfield area on Saturday October 19th, 2019. Join other North East Real Estate Investors at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, MA for the REI event of the fall. Whether you are a seasoned investor or just starting out, this event will bring the value and change that you may be looking for to succeed in real estate and your business.
This is a fully educational and networking type event and will not be a pitch fest of services. For more info and to grab a ticket, head over to our site we recently launched at https://nereisummit.com/. Hope to see many of you there!
Buy Tickets here!: https://nereisummit.com/register/
Ticket Prices : $75
Agenda: https://nereisummit.com/agenda/
Travel/Parking: https://nereisummit.com/travel/

The Northeast LEAN Conference
2019-10-23 - 2019-10-24 | The Connecticut Convention Center, 100 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, CT, 06103, United States
This year the GBMP conference turns its focus on recognizing the re-emergence of Total Employee Involvement (TEI) as the key to unlocking the full benefits of Lean transformation. In the early days of Lean implementation, company involvement of all employees at all levels was identified as the keystone to Lean. TEI recognized the innate capabilities and desire of employees to always make things better.
But, in the early 90’s, as Lean tools were popularized, the focus on broad employee involvement diminished and was replaced by subject matter experts and swat teams. New jobs were created to concentrate the tasks of problem solving and improvement in the hands of just a small segment of employees. But now, organizations seeking to change their culture are recognizing that this must involve everyone.
The Northeast Lean Conference was created by the non-profit GBMP to provide information and inspiration to Lean practitioners – from those just starting out to seasoned Lean leaders from the manufacturing, healthcare, service and other vital industry sectors. ​The practical learning format features exceptional keynote and breakout presentations, interdepartmental panels, peer-to-peer discussions, hands-on simulations, interactive learning and sharing, and unlimited networking opportunities. Meet more than 500 passionate Lean, Six Sigma and Continuous Improvement professionals just like you.

The Problem We All Live With: The Achievement Gap
2019-10-23 18:00 - 19:00 | Springfield Symphony Hall, 34 Court St., Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
Nikole Hannah-Jones is an award-winning investigative reporter covering racial injustice for The New York Times Magazine. A MacArthur “Genuis” Award recipient, she investigates the way racial segregation in housing and schools is maintained through official action and policy. Nikole has written extensively about school resegregation across the country and the utter disarray of hundreds of school desegregation orders. She has also chronicled the decades-long failure of the federal government to enforce the landmark 1968 Fair Housing Act and wrote one of the most widely read analyses of the racial implications of the controversial Fisher v. University of Texas affirmative action Supreme Court case.

Second Chance Animal Services Halloween Barktacular
2019-10-26 11:00 - 15:00 | Camp Marshall, 92 McCormick Road, Spencer, MA, 01562, United States
Halloween event bringing families and pets together to benefit Second Chance. Indoor and outdoor event activities including trick-or-treating for kids and pets, haunted hayrides, pony rides, indoor Kid Zone with carnival games, bouncy castle by Central MA Jump, dog massages and agility ‘Try Its’, music, food & craft vendors and other Halloween fun for families and pets. Special featured events include a Costume Contest judged by the Barktacular King & Queen, Your Dog Can Paint with CC Lowell and an indoor RC racetrack sponsored by Turn4 HobbyTown. FREE ADMISSION! Families and pets are welcome!

Road Map for Building an Amazing Website
2019-10-30 09:00 - 11:00 | Scibelli Enterprise Center
Presented by: Derek Allard, President, Tunnel 7
This seminar will cover all of the aspects and elements involved in the planning and design of an amazing website for your business. Specifically, the seminar will cover the three major phases of building a website:
(1) Planning,
(2) Content creation and building, and;
(3) What to do after “going live”.
Whether you are looking to DIY or work with a website developer, you won’t want to miss the practical tips and information provided in this seminar.
Derek Allard, first started working on the internet in early 2000 for a digital healthcare startup. He has worked for large corporations and smaller design studios and brought all of that experience to Tunnel 7, which he started in 2010. With a focus on making clients successful, he has left a long trail of happy clients over the years and continues to build relationships with new organizations. When not at work he can be found hiking, riding bicycles and photographing birds.
Fee: Free & Free Parking
Register Now: http://bit.ly/BuildAmazingWebsite

Alex Sepkus Jewelry Trunk Show
2019-11-01 11:00 - 2019-11-02 18:00 | Don Muller Gallery Inc.), 40 Main Street, Northampton, 01060, United States
The extended collection of renowned jeweler Alex Sepkus is back! Indulge yourself in his distinctive, award-winning pieces. Select from earrings, necklaces, rings, bridal and more at this two-day event.

11/1 11am-7pm & 11/2 10am-6pm

Primeros Pasos Para Emprender Un Negocio Propio (First Steps to Start Your Business-In Spanish)
2019-11-04 16:30 - 18:30 | Scibelli Enterprise Center
Descripción: Este taller te dará información essential para orientarte en como emprender un negocio propio. Comenzar un negocio es una aventura y verás que al principio te abrumarás muy fácilmente, sin embargo la clave para seguir en pie es contar con un plan de trabajo a seguir, un mapa que te debe guiar a lo largo del camino de tu negocio.
Se requiere registración antes del taller. Regístrese en nuestra página de la internet.
Si tiene alguna pregunta ó no puede registrarse por computadora, comuníquese con Samalid Hogan al smhogan@msbdc.umass.edu o al 413-577-1762.

The Years That Matter Most: How College Makes or Breaks US
2019-11-05 18:00 - 19:00 | Springfield Symphony Hall, 34 Court St., Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
Paul Tough is the bestselling author of “How Children Succeed” and a contributor to The New York Times Magazine and This American Life. In his new book, “The Years That Matter Most,” Tough describes the way higher education in America can both help and hinder young people searching for better opportunities. The book tells the stories of several remarkable students, including some for whom college acts as a powerful engine of social mobility. But Tough also reveals the sometimes hidden ways that our higher education system favors children of wealth and privilege and holds back striving young Americans from modest backgrounds.
This event is part of our “Spotlight on Education Series” which is sponsored by Platinum Sponsor, MassMutual.

CHC’s 25th Anniversary Gala “A Night in Oz: There’s No Place Like Our Medical Home”
2019-11-08 18:00 - 22:00 | Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel
COME CELEBRATE WITH CARING HEALTH CENTER ON THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD!
Experience the power of hard work and success as we commemorate CHC’s 25th Anniversary on Friday, November 8, 6:00 to 10:00 pm at the Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel.
Enjoy an enchanting evening of fine dining, entertainment, and a silent auction. End the evening clicking your heels together dancing the night away with a live band! This year’s theme: “A Night in OZ: There’s No Place Like Our Medical Home”, will highlight CHC’s youth programs for vulnerable children in Springfield.
Proceeds raised for the event will support CHC’s Bright Bodies Programming with a special focus on preventing obesity among today’s and tomorrow’s youth.
For more information, visit event page »
http://caringhealth.org/OZ.html
EARLY BIRD TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Save $10 each if you purchase tickets by September 30.

Centennial Program honoring Dr. Mary-Beth Cooper
2019-11-11 17:30 - 20:00 | Ludlow Country Club
The public is cordially invited to join us in celebrating Dr. Mary-Beth Cooper, President of Springfield College on Monday, November 11th starting at 5:30 with a reception and dinner at the Ludlow Country Club, Ludlow MA.
On November 8, 1919, a small group of pioneering women came together in Buffalo, New York with a vision to help all women realize greater equality while using their individual and collective expertise in service to their community. Their vision became Zonta International (ZI), an organization that has grown to more than 29,000 members in 63 countries, working together to make gender equality a reality for women and girls worldwide..
In honor of Zonta’s 100th birthday, we have chosen to recognize Dr. Cooper – someone who is not only a champion for women’s empowerment but an influencer and mentor for equality.

Business Legal Primer
2019-11-14 09:00 - 11:00 | Scibelli Enterprise Center
Presented by: Attorney Sarah K. Willey, Esq., Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, LLP
This presentation will help you gain a better understanding of
the core legal concepts impacting your business.
 Choice of Entity – What does it mean to be a sole
proprietor, partnership, limited liability company or
corporation; which type is right for your business?
 Employee vs. Independent Contractor – Avoiding the
steep risks of misclassification — the basics of
determining whether you are hiring an employee or
engaging an independent contractor.
 Trademark, patent or copyright – What’s the difference,
when and how you need to get one.
Sarah K. Willey is Counsel in the firm’s Business and Finance
Department, and is also a member of the firm’s Intellectual
Property Practice Group and Employment Law Practice Group.
She has experience advising clients in the areas of business
formation, mergers and acquisitions, business succession
planning, and corporate structuring of businesses in regulated
industries. Sarah counsels’ clients in protecting and
maximizing their intellectual property via trademarks,
copyrights, and licensing agreements. She also assists
businesses with designing, implementing and auditing
corporate compliance programs under International Traffic in
Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations
(EAR) and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).
FEE: Free
REGISTER: http://bit.ly/BusinessLegalPrimer

She Said: Breaking the Story that Helped Ignite #MeToo
2019-11-18 18:00 - 19:00 | Springfield Symphony Hall, 34 Court St., Springfield, MA, 01103, United States
Jodi Kantor is one of the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporters who broke the news of Harvey Weinstein’s sexual harassment and abuse for The New York Times.
Kantor will share their investigation and its consequences for the #MeToo movement and will take us for the first time into the very heart of this social shift, reliving in real-time what it took to get the story and giving an up-close portrait of the forces that hindered and spurred change.
Her talk will describe the surprising journeys of those who spoke up–for the sake of other women, for future generations, and for themselves–and so changed us all. Both revelatory and insightful, she will not only address “how did we get here?” but “where do we go now?”

Understanding Your Company’s Cash Flow
2019-11-20 09:00 - 11:00 | Florence Savings Bank
Presented by: Robb Morton CFM, CMA, CPA Managing Partner
Many a new business owner has asked, “What is cash flow and why is it so important?” The short answer is cash flow is the amount of money coming in to a business and the amount of money going out. Think of it as a water tank: water comes in at the top and drains out the bottom. So to keep your tank nice and full, you want more coming in than going out. Your business runs on cash – cash in and cash out – a very critical aspect to you and your business. Understanding Your Company’s Cash Flow will help you understand what cash flow is, why it’s so important and how to monitor. Whether you hire someone to handle your financials or do them yourself, you must understand these fundamentals. This workshop will teach:
• the basics of cash flow • the timing of cash inflows and outflows • how cash flow is different from profit
• how to manage your cash flow projections
• how to improve your company’s cash flow
Location: Florence Bank, 85 Main St. Florence, MA. Free Parking is along Keyes Street or in the bank visitor parking lot off of Keyes Street. The entrance is under a blue awning stating “Florence Bank” in the middle of the building on Keyes Street.
Fee: $25
Robb Morton has more than 30 years’ experience in public and management accounting. His over seven years’ experience as a controller has given him a unique perspective that serves as a tremendous benefit when dealing with the challenges faced by his small business clients. He also has extensive experience working with family owned businesses both as advisor and as a member of their management team.

Holyoke Medical Center's Annual Gala 2019
2019-11-23 17:30 - 23:00 | The Log Cabin
Please join us at the 2019 Holyoke Medical Center Annual Gala at The Log Cabin in Holyoke, MA on Saturday, November 23, 2019.
This year we’re featuring ACE Awards at the event for Best Caregiver, Best Supporting Employee, Best Leader, and Best Physician, along with a Lifetime Achievement Award of M. Saleem Bajwa, MD.
The evening’s event will begin at 5:30pm and will include:
· Complimentary cocktail reception
· Silent auction
· Seven-course chef’s dinner with wine pairings
· Award presentations
· Dancing to The O-Tones
Also, discounted hotel rooms are available at the D. Hotel Suites & Spa by calling 413-533-2100 and mentioning code HMC126 before October 23, 2019.
For more information email the Development Office at development@holyokehealth.com or call 413-534-2579.

STEM Vendor and Craft Fair
2019-11-30 09:00 - 15:00 | STEM Middle Academy, 60 Alton St, Springfield, 01104, United States
Fundraising event for student going to Florida in June for a STEM based trip to NASA and Universal Studios. Student will be taking classes to learn about the science and technology behind the rides and space. We will have 25+ vendors who are selling all different type of items. Their will also be raffle baskets.

Sibling Connections Celebration of Western Mass Office
2019-12-04 17:30 - 19:30 | Student Prince & The Fort
Sibling Connections’ mission is to support the creation of enduring family relationships and community connections for sisters and brothers separated by the foster care system in Massachusetts. This effort is important in order to maintain their familial relationship and bond.
Founded thirteen years ago, Sibling Connections is headquartered in Boston but has run programs in Western Massachusetts for several years. The purpose of the new office is to extend its presence to better serve the increasing need of siblings in foster care.
The event will take place on Wednesday, December 4, 2019 at The Fort/Student Prince in Springfield from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. RSVP sboniface@siblingconnections.org

2019 Women of Impact
2019-12-05 11:00 - 13:45 | Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel
BusinessWest has consistently recognized the contributions of women within the business community and has created the Women of Impact awards to honor women who have the authority and power to move the needle in their bu

siness; are respected for accomplishments within their industries; give back to the community; and are sought out as respected advisors and mentors within the field of influence. Nominees can be high-level executives, entrepreneurs, leaders of a non-profit organization, business owners, volunteers, or mentors: any inspirational woman, at any level in her career, who is doing remarkable things.
Nominations for 2020 consideration can be submitted via this link https://businesswest.com/women-of-impact-nomination-information-criteria/
Winners will be profiled in the Oct. 28 issue of BusinessWest and will also available online at www.businesswest.com. Winners will be honored at the Women of Impact Luncheon Awards on Thursday, December 5 at the Sheraton Springfield.
The event is sponsored by Country Bank (presenting), TommyCar Auto Group (presenting), Comcast Business, Granite State Development Corp. (supporting), New Valley Bank & Trust (speaker), and WWLP 22 News/CW Springfield (media sponsor).

Smith Executive Education Online Course: Women on Boards
2020-01-10 08:00 - 2020-02-14 17:00 | Online at Smith College Executive Education, 42 Green Street, Smith College Executive Education, Northampton, MA, 01063, United States
One of the best ways to build your network and career is through board service.
Join a cohort of women leaders who want to give back and grow through board service. This four-week online course takes a deep dive into all you need to know to thrive on a corporate or nonprofit board.
You will learn strategies and work through exercises that help you prepare for service. An ongoing discussion board and live session on February 11 add to this lively, interactive learning environment.
Key Takeaways
After completing the course, you should be able to:
Make an affirmative statement, “Yes, I could serve on a board.”
Recognize the importance of serving on a board.
Enhance professional development skills by setting up new strategies for board engagement.
Begin developing a personal roadmap for future growth with board service.
Build and expand your network of women professionals.

FREE Vision pre-screening for children and adults
2020-01-25 09:00 - 14:00 | Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel
The Western MA Lions Clubs will offer a free vision pre-screening for ages 2 through adult. This SPOT vision screening technology screens for 7 different vision problems and is non-invasive and simple to use. Requires only seconds to complete.

Apple Hill String Quartet Concert
2020-01-26 14:00 - 16:00 | Community Music School of Springfield, 127 State Street, Springfield, MA, 01109, United States
Called “dashing and extraordinary” by The Strad Magazine, the Apple Hill String Quartet is the resident ensemble of the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music. They serve as the organization’s artistic directors as well as the coaches, mentors, and music directors for Apple Hill’s Summer Chamber Music Workshop, which welcomes 300 students and 45 faculty to its 100 acre campus each summer to study and perform chamber music. During the regular concert season, the Quartet performs for and teaches thousands more throughout the world while serving as the representatives of Playing for Peace, Apple Hill’s guiding philosophy of creating community and fostering artistic growth through chamber music. The CMSS concert features the String Quartet #1 by French composer Charles Koechlin, Strum by Jesse Montgomery, and the beautiful String Quartet #1 by Tchaikovsky.

Board Development: Bored to Brilliant – Better Meetings
2020-01-29 08:30 - 12:00 | Valley Venture Mentors
According to a recent Avast survey, the US professional spends an average of 61 hours per month in meetings and considers more than 50% of them to have been a waste of time (that’s 15 wasted days per year.) There are a number of simple and easily implemented tactics your organization can employ so that your board will consider yours among the BEST meetings they participate in.
In this workshop we will examine the conditions that work against effective board meetings. We will provide practical tools that you and your colleagues can put to use immediately. We will help you get you from “having a quorum” to hosting dynamic and effective meetings.
This workshop is designed for organizational senior leadership and those responsible for the coordination of meetings and events
$150 – 1 person $100 – 2 people* With 2 people attending, it breaks down to $50 per person. $75 – 3-5 people* (must include one board member) With 5 people attending, that breaks down to just $15 per person! *Additional individuals must be from the same organization! We recommend executive leadership, development and program staff and board members attend. YES, you read that right. Three to five people from your organization would only cost your agency $75 to attend a half day workshop!!!
