City of Columbia OBO

Doing Business With GSA - Accessing Procurement Opportunities: The Tools Available For You!
2022-12-06 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
The U.S. Small Business Administration’s General Services Administration (GSA) advocates, within each Federal Executive Agency, for the maximum practicable opportunities for designated small business categories within the Federal Acquisition process. This webinar will cover an over of Federal Procurement Data System FPDS, USAspending.gov, and more!
This webinar is open to all small businesses looking for additional information and guidance on GSA contracting opportunities. To register for this event, click here to go to the SBA’s Zoom webinar webpage!

Ask the South Carolina District Office
2022-12-14 10:00 - 11:00 | Virtual Event
Have questions about starting, growing, expanding, or recovering your small business? Join the South Carolina District of the U.S. Small Business Administration on this weekly call to hear answers to commonly asked questions about federal contracting, SBA loans, counseling and disaster preparedness and other small business resources! For more information, click here to go to the SBA registration webpage!

SBDC Presents Small Business Energy Grants and Incentives
2023-01-11 15:00 - 16:00 | Online Webinar
The USC Region Small Business Development Center (SBDC) presents a webinar on savings on energy costs for your small business and funding opportunities for energy-related projects. Representatives from Dominion Energy and the USDA Office of Rural Development will be in attendance to provide information on energy incentive programs and other resources for your small business. To register for this event, go to the SBDC events page!

EiR Presents: Taking Action, Part 2: Implementation and Systems
2023-01-12 18:00 - 19:30 | Richland Library Main – Auditorium, 1431 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC, 29201, United States
Richland Library’s EiR (Entrepreneur In Residence) presents Taking Action, Part 2: Implementation and Systems on Thursday, January 12th at the Richland Library Auditorium. This event is about execution in the New Year. Participants will work through implementation and systems that can take your 2023 goals from your to-do list to accomplishments! For more information and to register, go to the Richland Library webpage!

Workforce Reimagine: Creative Ways to Staff Your Small Business
2023-01-17 12:00 - 13:00 | Benedict College Women’s Business Center Training Room, 2601 Read Street, Training Room 3, Columbia, SC, 29201, United States
The Benedict College Women’s Business Center will host a one-hour, in-person workshop on workforce development and local resources to meet the employment and outsourcing needs of small businesses. Guest speakers will include staff from the South Carolina Department of Vocal Rehabilitation.
For more information and to register, go to the Benedict College Women’s Business Center Eventbrite page!

Marketing - Show Me The Money! Simple Steps Growing Your Business 2023
2023-01-19 12:00 - 13:00 | Online Webinar
Join SCORE SC Lowcountry on Thursday, January 19th to learn more on how to reinvest back into your business and learning on where to start. Special guest speaker Atimese Nichole, CEO and Founder of The Ezer Agency, will be joining this event to discuss the best areas to spend your dollars for your marketing efforts! For more information and to register, go to the SBA Events webpage!

City of Columbia Community Development to host Contractor Workshops
2023-01-25 12:30 - 14:30 | Eau Claire Town Hall, 3905 Ensor Avenue, Suite 113, Columbia, SC, 29203, United States
The City of Columbia Community Development department is seeking contractors for their new housing rehabilitation program, SHINE (Single Family Housing Improvement for Neighborhood Enhancement). This program includes projects ranging from weatherization up to home replacement for houses located in the City of Columbia.
There are three (3) remaining classes with the next one on Wednesday, January 25th! If you would like to register, click here to go to the City of Columbia Community Development registration page!

The Development of North Columbia - Where Do We Go From Here?
2023-02-02 18:00 - 19:30 | Eau Claire Print Building, 3907 Ensor Avenue, Columbia, SC, 29203, United States
Join District One Councilwoman, Tina Herbert on Thursday, February 2nd to discuss the implementation of the Master Plan for the Villages of North Columbia. Citizens will hear from Councilwoman Herbert, City of Columbia Planning, and local developers who have invested in North Columbia, and more!
If you would like to submit an idea or proposal for a development project in North Columbia, please send the information to District1@columbiasc.gov by Thursday, January 26th.

Access To Business Capital: Secure The Bag & Entrepreneurial Resources
2023-02-08 18:30 - 19:30 | Richland Library Main, Meeting Room M, 1431 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC, 29201, United States
The City of Columbia’s Office of Business Opportunities will be speaking as part of the Columbia Urban League’s JOIN Week! This event will be held on Wednesday, February 8th at the Richland Library, Meeting Room M, 1431 Assembly Street. To register for this event, go to the Columbia Urban League’s Eventbrite page!

Creating the Magical Customer Experience
2023-02-09 12:30 - 13:30 | Online Webinar
Join the Benedict College Women’s Business Center on Thursday, February 9th on how to give your customers/clients the “magic customer experience.” Guest speaker, Sarina Freincle, will discuss key strategies to delight your customers that will keep them coming back for more! For more information and to register, go to BC WBC’s Eventbrite page!

New Year, New Taxes: Preparing Your Business for 2023
2023-02-15 11:00 - 12:30 | Online Webinar
The City of Columbia’s Office of Business Opportunities will be hosting “New Year, New Taxes: Preparing Your Business for 2023” webinar on Wednesday, February 15th at 11:00AM. The featured presenter for this webinar, Shelia K. Tutwieler-Dawkins, Financial Strategist/Tax Accountant, will discuss topics relating to preparing small businesses for the 2023 income tax season! To register for this FREE webinar, go to OBO’s Eventbrite page!

Federal Contracting: Veteran Small Business Certification Program
2023-02-15 13:00 - 14:30 | Online Webinar
On Wednesday, February 15th, the U.S. Small Business Administration will hold a training session as the VA’s Veterans First Program transitions to the SBA’s Veteran Small Business Certification program. During this session, SBA will discuss the changes, eligibility criteria and differences between the VA and SBA programs. For more information and to register, click on the following link to SBA’s registration page!

SCDOT 3 Year Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Goal Setting Public Participation Meeting
2023-02-15 15:00 - 18:00 | Brookland Banquet and Conference Center, 1066 Sunset Boulevard, West Columbia, SC, 29169, United States
The South Carolina Department of Transportation (SCDOT) will host three (3) public participation meetings to discuss and provide feedback on the establishment of the Federal Fiscal Years 2024-2026 Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) goals for both Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration projects. These meetings are held to obtain information that may affect SCDOT’s DBE goal on federal contract awards between October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2026. The public participation meeting for the Columbia, SC area will be held at the Brookland Banquet and Conference Center on Wednesday, February 15, 2023 from 3:00 – 6:00 PM. For more information and to register, click here to go to SCDOT’s Eventbrite page! If you have any questions regarding this meeting, send an email to scdbegoals@thinkfsc.com.

Law Talk: Starting a Business
2023-02-16 18:00 - 19:00 | Richland Library – Wheatley Meeting Room, 931 Woodrow Street, Columbia, SC, 29205, United States
The Richland Library will be hosting a FREE legal series in partnership with the South Carolina Bar. Law Talks will take place every third Thursday at Richland Library Wheatley. During these sessions, a licensed attorney or judge will give a 30 – 45 minute presentation and a brief Q&A session to discuss the legal aspects of starting a business! For more information, click on the following link to Richland Library’s webpage!

Equality of Opportunity In Action: Black Innovation and Entrepreneurship
2023-02-22 13:00 - 14:00 | Online Webinar
Join the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on February 22nd for their Equality In Action: Black Innovation and Entrepreneurship as they reflect on the historical contributions of Black entrepreneurs and discuss the challenges and opportunities they face today. For more information and to register, click on the following registration link to the U.S. Chamber’s webpage!

2023 Business Academy: Growing Outside of Your Comfort Zone
2023-02-23 10:00 - 12:00 | Richland County Administration Building, 2020 Hampton Street (4th Floor Conference Room), Columbia, SC, 29204, United States
The Richland County Office of Small Business Opportunity (OSBO) will be hosting the 2023 Business Academy: Growing Outside of Your Comfort Zone on Thursday, February 23rd beginning at 10:00AM. Guest speaker, John Gethers, SC State University Regional Director for SBDC and creator of Business for Breakfast will discuss how business owners can assess what is GOOD about their business, probe for what can be done BETTER, and pivot to what can be done DIFFERENTLY. To register for this event, go to Richland County OSBO’s Eventbrite page!

Marketing with Capability Statements
2023-03-07 13:00 - 14:00 | Virtual Event
Join the U.S. Small Business Administration on Tuesday, March 7th to learn about the Five Core Elements of a Strong Capabilities Statement! This is a virtual event and to register, click on the link to SBA’s website!

Ask the SBA South Carolina District Office
2023-03-08 10:00 - 11:00 | Online Webinar
Join the South Carolina District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration on Wednesday, March 8th to hear answers to commonly asked questions about business start-up, federal contracting, SBA loans and more! To register, click here to go to SBA’s Events webpage!

Applying Specific Intellectual Property to Your Invention
2023-03-16 10:00 - 11:30 | Virtual Event
Join South Carolina SBDC on Thursday, March 16th on Applying Specific Intellectual Property to Your Invention! This webinar will review some of the typical intellectual property questions raised by entrepreneurs and small businesses. For more information and to register, click on the following link to SBDC’s events page!

Be Business Smart: Steps to Building a Sustainable Business
2023-03-20 18:00 - 19:30 | Richland Library Main, Meeting Room M, 1431 Assembly Street, Columbia, SC, 29201, United States
A sustainable business can support itself and offer a profit to both its owners and shareholders. For a company to develop real sustainability, it must meet its consumers’ demands while at the same time balance the needs of its employees. Unsustainable businesses tend to be a drain on resources and sustainability is crucial to longevity in any business. Join Allen Brown, Midlands Coordinator & Business Consultant, SC SBDC, and John Gether, Region Director, SC State University, for this in-person session to gain insight into how a business can achieve sustainability and explain what key factors are crucial to this goal. For more information and to register, click here to go to Richland Library’s webpage!

Women in Government Contracting: Becoming a Certified Women-Owned Small Business
2023-03-29 10:00 - 11:30 | Virtual Event
Join the SC Small Business Resource Partners on Wednesday, March 29th as they discuss becoming a certified woman-owned business in South Carolina. Participants will hear from speakers who are in the process or already have gone through the process of being a certified woman-owned business. For more information and to register, click here to go to SBA’s Events page!

Let's Talk Labor and FMLA Requirements for Small Businesses
2023-03-30 11:00 - 12:00 | Busby Street Community Center, 1735 Busby Street, Columbia, SC, 29203, United States
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 and to register, click on the link to OBO’s Eventbrite page!

Resilience & Resurgence Tour, COVID's 2nd Wave of Business Challenges
2023-04-21 08:30 - 10:00 | Columbia – Girl Scouts of South Carolina – Mountains to Midlands, 1107 Williams Street, Columbia, SC, 29201, United States
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 owners and what assistance they need to sustain and grow their enterprises.
Five sessions will be held between late February and April to describe the results, share the key needs of small and medium-sized businesses, and to hear directly from business owners on how we can help them overcome these challenges and succeed.
For more information and to register, click here to go to SBA’s Events page!

Columbia Chamber Small Business Breakout - April 2023
2023-04-25 08:30 - 09:30 | Segra Park – Columbia Fireflies Stadium, 1640 Freed Street, Columbia, SC, 29201, United States
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 register, click here to go to the Columbia Chamber webpage!

Richland County Office of Small Business Opportunity 2023 Business Workshop Academy - Growing Outside of Your Comfort Zone
2023-04-29 10:00 - 15:00 | Richland County Decker Center, 2500 Decker Boulevard, Columbia, SC, 29206, United States
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, you can click on the link to Richland County OSBO’s Eventbrite page!

Legally Launch Your Dream: The Roadmap to Establishing Your Business in SC
2023-05-04 11:00 - 12:00 | Online Webinar
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!

City of Columbia's 10th Annual Small Business Week Conference
2023-05-05 09:00 - 15:30 | The Medallion Conference Center, 7309 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, SC, 29209, United States
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 small business owners. The cost to attend is $25.00 and lunch is included.
For more information and to purchase a ticket, click on the link to go to OBO’s Eventbrite webpage!

Cash Flow and Credit Webinar
2023-05-10 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Event
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!

Winning From Within
2023-05-11 09:00 - 12:00 | Earlewood Park Community Center, 1113 Recreation Drive, Columbia, SC, 29203, United States
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 more information and to register, click here to go to OBO’s Eventbrite webpage!

How to Market Your Business to Prime Contractors
2023-05-17 11:30 - 12:30 | Online Webinar
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!
