Events

The Office of Business Opportunities will be hosting the Negotiating for Growth: Contracts, Sales, and Strategy for Small Business Owners on Tuesday, July 14th at the Virginia Bedford Community Center, 1113 Recreation Drive in Columbia. This in-person workshop will focus on equipping small business owners with practical skills in sales negotiation, contract negotiation, and contract formation.  Our featured speaker, Mr. Richard Waring will focus on: Building small business capacity to compete for municipal contracts. Align local business...

  The Richland Library's Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EiR) presents From Pressure to Power - Building Emotional Resilience Without Burning Out on Monday, July 20th at the Richland Library Main auditorium beginning at 6:00 P.M. Join Richland Library's EiR Donna Davis during this transformational session that will equip entrepreneurs with practical, science-backed tools to manage stress, strengthen emotional resilience, and lead with steadiness, even in uncertainty.  For more information and to register, click HERE to go to Richland Library's Events...

The South Carolina Small Business Development Center (SC SBDC) will be hosting the Build a Business Plan That Works webinar on Tuesday, July 28th beginning at 12:00 P.M. Participants will learn how to create a business plan that supports growth, improves decision making, and strengthens funding readiness. For more information and to register, click HERE to go to the SBDC webpage!

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will host America's Seed Fund Summit: Meet the Program Directors on Wednesday, July 29th beginning at 3:00P.M. This Summit includes a virtual and in-person events connecting entrepreneurs, innovators, and researchers from across the country to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, also known as America's Seed Fund. For more information and to register, click HERE to go to SBA's registration page!

Project OneWay, Inc. in partnership with the City of Columbia's Office of Business Opportunities will be hosting the Emerging Leaders Forum on Thursday, August 6, 2026 at The Mansion on Blanding, 1329 Blanding Street, Columbia, SC 29201. The Emerging Leaders Forum is a Grow Up and Grow Old Columbia initiative that brings together emerging professionals, entrepreneurs, non-profit leaders, students, public officials, and established executives for an evening of meaningful conversation about leadership, workforce development, economic opportunity, and the future of our communities....

  Richland Library's Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EiR) presents Every Business is a Story (The Business of Creativity - Part 1) on Tuesday, August 18th beginning at 6:00PM. EiR Thaddeus Jones will work with participants to identify their ideal customer, define the problems they solve, and craft a compelling business story that resonates with potential clients.  Attendees will leave with a customer profile, revised business messaging, and a polished elevator pitch. For more information and to register, click HERE to...

Richland Library's Business and Careers presents Legal Aspects of Starting a Small Business on Wednesday, September 16th beginning at 6:00 P.M. at the Richland Library Auditorium! USC's School of Law Professor Benjamin Means will equip participants with an understanding of the legal foundations and first steps for starting a small business.  For more information and to register, click HERE to go to the Richland Library webpage!

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is hosting a Lender Matchmaker event in Newberry, SC on Wednesday, September 23rd! Join SBA for this special event to meet one-on-one with multiple SBA lenders and resource partners.  Pitch your request in private in a "speed dating" format.  For more information and to register, click HERE to go to SBA's registration page!

Harlem's Closet, Columbia's Buy • Sell • Trade sneaker and streetwear destination, will celebrate its five-year anniversary on Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at 514 Gervais Street, Suite B, Columbia, SC 29201. The community is invited to come out, pull up, and celebrate five years of Harlem's Closet — five years of sneakers, streetwear, and the culture that built it. “Five years in and we're just getting started,” said Kenneth...

The Richland County Office of Small Business Opportunity (OSBO) will be hosting the 8th Annual THRIVE 10X: Small Business Tradeshow & Forum on Tuesday, September 29th beginning at 8:00am at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center! Experience a high-energy trade show where entrepreneurs, small businesses, workforce partners, corporate partners, government agencies, creative artists, technology innovators, and business resource organizations come together to connect, inspire, collaborate, and propel our economy forward! For more information and to register, click HERE...

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is hosting a Lender Matchmaker event in Greenwood, SC on Wednesday, September 30th! Join SBA for this special event to meet one-on-one with multiple SBA lenders and resource partners.  Pitch your request in private in a "speed dating" format.  For more information and to register, click HERE to go to SBA's registration page!

The Unpacked Leadership Conference returns to Columbia on Friday, October 2nd at the Richland 2 Institute of Innovation (R2i2) beginning at 9:00AM. This year's keynote speaker is Lieutenant General (Retired) Milford H. Beagle, Jr.  Registration is open and early bird registration ends on July 17th!  For more information and to register, click HERE to go to the Unpacked Leadership Conference registration page!