Events

The City of Columbia's Office of Business Opportunities will be hosting the City of Columbia's 13th Annual Small Business Week Conference on Wednesday, May 6, 2026 at the Pastides (USC) Alumni Center, 900 Senate Street, Columbia, SC 29201.  The conference will begin at 9:00AM, registration will start at 8:00AM. This year's keynote speaker will be Dr. Macie P. Smith, Owner and CEO of Diversified Training Consultants Group, LLC.  Dr. Ashlye V. Wilkerson will serve as our Mistress...

The South Carolina Small Business Development Center (SC SBDC) will be hosting Money Matters for Small Business: Funding Contract and Stability on Thursday, May 14th beginning at 12:00PM. During this online event, participants will learn important information and tools on funding options and building a strong financial foundation for long-term success.  For more information and to register, click HERE to go to the SC SBDC Events page!

Join VentureX for its Speed Networking event on Friday, May 15rh beginning at 10:00AM! Participants will have the opportunity to expand their professional network and connect with fellow leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators!  For more information and to register, click HERE to go to VentureX's webpage!

The U.S. Small Business Administration - SC District Office (SBA) will be hosting the SBA Lender Matchmaking Event on Tuesday, May 26th beginning at 10:00AM at the Busby Street Community Center. Participants will have the opportunity to connect with over 30 bankers and resource partners.  For more information and to register, click here to go to the Eventbrite page!

The Richland County Office of Small Business Opportunity (OSBO) will be hosting the Moving from Registration to Revenue: Doing Business with Richland County workshop on Thursday, June 4th beginning at 10:00AM! Hear from various Richland County departments, Richland County Procurement, and the Richland County OSBO team on the goods and services Richland County is procuring, vendor contracting best practices & tips, and more!  For more information and to register, click HERE to go to Richland County OSBO's...

The Richland Library Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EiR) will present The Entrepreneur's Inner Battlefield-Breaking the Mental Patterns That Keep You Stuck on Monday, June 15th beginning at 6:00PM at the Richland Library Main Campus auditorium! Richland Library's Entrepreneur-in-Residence Donna Davis will help business owners uncover the invisible mental patterns driving overwork, perfectionism, self-doubt, and burnout.  For more information and to register, click HERE to go to the Richland Library Events page!

The Benedict College Women's Business Center will be hosting the Understanding Federal Tax Responsibilities for Small Business Owners workshop on Wednesday, June 17th beginning at 12:00 P.M. This in-person and virtual event focuses on aspiring entrepreneurs, gig workers, side hustlers, and small business owners who want to better understand important federal tax topics that can impact their businesses.  Participants will receive practical information related to federal tax responsibilities, gig economy considerations, and tools and resources available to...

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 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!