Events

  The City of Columbia's Office of Business Opportunities and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) will be hosting the Understanding Labor & FMLA Requirements workshop on Thursday, March 30th.  Participants will learn about the rules of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the rules of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).  This will be an in-person event held at the Busby Street Community Center, 1735 Busby Street, Columbia, SC 29203.  For more information...

  The SC SBDC contracted with Dr. Joey Van Nessen to conduct a statewide survey of small businesses to identify the ongoing impact of COVID-19 including current and emerging challenges they face. Not only long-term impact of shutdowns and loss of clients, but also supply chain disruptions, difficulties in hiring and retaining employees, inflation and other factors that are hurting their revenues and resiliency to stay afloat. The study explains the largest concerns of business...

Are you interested in learning more about grants, loans, mentoring, and business planning?  Local support agencies will share information on resources available to assist small businesses and startups with growth opportunities. Panelists include: Allen Brown - South Carolina Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Ayesha Driggers - City of Columbia's Office of Business Opportunities (OBO) Mel Flaming - SCORE Midlands Pam Green - Richland County Office of Small Business Opportunity (OSBO) For more information and to...

The Richland County Office of Small Business Opportunity will host its 2023 Business Workshop Academy - Growing Outside of Your Comfort Zone on Saturday, April 29th beginning at 10:00AM.  The Profit vs. Cash Flow: What's The Difference? course will evaluate the decisions that can affect the growth and expansion of YOUR business. Space is limited and this course is intended for business owners that have been in business at least three (3) years. To register,...

The Benedict College Women's Business Center will host Legally Launch Your Dream: The Roadmap to Establishing Your Business in South Carolina on Thursday, May 4th at 11:00AM.  Participants will learn how to legally establish your business in South Carolina!  For more information and to register, click on the link to Benedict College WBC's Eventbrite page!

The City of Columbia's Office of Business Opportunities will be hosting its 10th Annual Small Business Week Conference on Friday, May 5, 2023 at the Medallion Conference Center, 7309 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, SC! This year, our keynote speaker is motivational speaker and author, Chris Singleton!  Also, the U.S. Small Business Administration will be hosting their awards ceremony and matchmaking session beginning at 12:30PM!  We will also have breakout sessions to discuss various topics for...

  If you are a small business owner expanding, working on day-to-day operations, or simply starting out, learn the importance of cash flow and building credit. The South Carolina Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will have representatives from SBDC and First Citizens Bank to discuss important topics relating to business credit and cash flow!  For more information and to register for this virtual event, click on SBDC's Events calendar! 

The City of Columbia's Office of Business Opportunities will host the Winning From Within workshop on Thursday, May 11th beginning at 9:00 A.M. Join OBO and Dr. Ashlye Wilkerson as we share techniques to increase productivity, develop a high performing team, and have happy customers.  Dr. Ashlye will bring her wealth of knowledge and experience, along with her commitment for service as she provides relevant services to further preopare and develop your board, team, and/or staff! For...

SC APEX Accelerator will be hosting How to Market Your Business to Prime Contractors on Wednesday, May 17th!  During this online event participants will learn: How to research and gain access to subcontract opportunities. Background information on subcontracting plan requirements and compliance. Different avenues you can use to match with prime contractors. To register for this event, click here to go to SC APEX Accelerator's webpage!

The South Carolina Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will be hosting Is Your Business Prepared For a Disaster? on Thursday, May 18th at 10:00AM.  Presenters from SBDC and State Farm will provide participants with information on preparing your business for any natural disaster or worldwide pandemic.  For more information and to register, click here to go to SBDC's training calendar page!