Venture Focus

09/08/2017

05/12/2016

Thanks Entrepreneur for this amazing opportunity to be a part of the conference. Very much looking forward to meeting Marcus Lemonis

JOIN ENTREPRENEUR LIVE WITH MARCUS LEMONIS, HOST OF CNBC’S THE PROFIT We invite you to experience a game-changing discussion with the esteemed entrepreneur as he tackles common barriers faced by today’s business owners and provides eye-opening insight and practical solutions to grow your business. P...

05/11/2016

It's that time of year, Bay Area! Come and support the hundreds of local businesses tomorrow in Oakland during the 10th Annual Indie Awards at the Oakland Museum of California! https://youtu.be/3q7aFE4Te2k

oaklandindieawards.com Get ready for delicious food & drink, live music & performance, demos, the Indies Marketplace and more! Come party and show your OAKLA...

05/04/2016

Hone your leadership skills during tomorrow's free webinar, May 5th @ 2pm EST:

Learn the leadership skills of great entrepreneurs

04/21/2016

Bay Area: Support our local young entrepreneurs! Shop local at this family-friendly event and support BUILD youth entrepreneurs! Purchase local, one-of-a-kind products designed and crafted by high school students in your community.

Through entrepreneurship-based, experiential learning, BUILD ignites the potential of youth in under-resourced communities and equips them for high school, college and career success.

Saturday, April 23, 2016 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM (PDT)

Oakland Impact Hub: 2323 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94612

Through entrepreneurship-based, experiential learning, BUILD ignites the potential of youth in under-resourced communities and equips them for high school, college and career success. Shop local at this...

04/14/2016

The thought of marketing your business can be overwhelming, especially when you are a small business with a tight budget. The good news is that marketing doesn’t have to cost thousands or even hundreds of dollars.

On Tuesday April 19th, listen in on this free webinar presented by to learn 10 Ways to Successfully Market Your Business on a Shoestring Budget.

Register today:

Learn how to use low cost marketing to grow your business

04/11/2016

Entrepreneurs! You don't want to miss this webinar: Free Online Tools and Apps You Can Use to Grow Your Business

There are many high quality and useful tools online that will help you run your business efficiently and increase sales. Attend this webinar to discover:

> Tools available free to small businesses and where to find them.
> Cloud based tools you should use.
> Tools small business owners love.
> How you can use these tools to grow your business.
> Which tools are worth purchasing.

Grow your small business by using the right online tools.

Date/Time: Tuesday, April 12 @ 2pm ET
Cost: Free, but you must register:

Learn how to use the latest tools and apps to grow your business

04/07/2016

Entrepreneurs, Marketers & Business Owners: You don't want to miss this free webinar!

SEO in 2016: How Search Has Changed & Why Modern Marketers Must Adapt

It’s important to consider which elements of your SEO campaign will be relevant throughout 2016 and which ones should fall by the wayside. Join us as we explore what we deem to be the three pillars of SEO in 2016: keywords, content, and link building

Presenter: Michael Peggs, Founder of Marccx Media

Tuesday April 12th @ 2pm ET

Register Here: http://buff.ly/21RW2Xa

SEO has changed. It’s less technical and much more closely related to marketing – Content Marketing, in particular. The websites that win create compelling content with their audience in mind. Join...

04/04/2016

I had the incredible opportunity to meet Dennis Xu at San Francisco's Growth Marketing Conference last December. Dennis has unparalleled knowledge about growth marketing and he wants to teach YOU how to be a growth hacker for your business.

Here is your chance to learn his techniques on advanced Facebook growth hacking for your business. Register here for tomorrow's free webinar: http://buff.ly/1Y00n9Q

Date/Time: Tuesday April 5 @ 2:00 pm ET

"Influence the influencers. Identify the authorities for your industry, often those producing the most popular educational content. Reach them on Facebook, boosting posts with workplace and interest targeting, subtley using only a dollar per day."

Learn how to find the right influencers to promote your products and brands. This Webinar will also show how to sharpen both occupation and interest targeting with vertical filtering segmented by influencers...

04/02/2016

San Francisco Entrepreneurs! Your ability to take your business to the next level is all in your hands. Join us on April 6 for a workshop on practices that will help you advance your career, diversify, and get paid.

The event is FREE: Register at

Day/Time: April 6 | 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM

There are plenty of reasons why freelancing rocks, & determining your own growth trajectory is one of them! Join Spark to workshop practices that will help you advance your career.

03/28/2016

Interested in learning how to get on the FIRST PAGE of Google? Getting your website on the first page of Google can be tough. In this webinar you’ll learn how to improve your Google ranking and how to get new customers from Google.

During this webinar, you will learn:

> What is SEO and why does it matter?
> How to find the right keywords for your business
> How to do actively improve your SEO
> How to hire the right SEO agency

Date/Time: Tuesday, March 29th @ 2pm EST

Cost: Free, but you must register: http://buff.ly/1pJF69F

How to improve your SEO Ranking

03/21/2016

Women small business owners: learn how you can compete for government contracts → http://owl.li/ZMk7M

03/15/2016

Entrepreneurs: Register for Thursday's Free Webinar, "Facebook 101: How to Master the Most Powerful Advertising Platform the World has Ever See."

One out of every five people in the world uses Facebook. The social giant drives 38.2 percent of all traffic to content sites, eclipsing even Google. And average monthly time spent among millennials almost quadruples the closest social media competitor, Instagram, which is also owned by Facebook. Suffice it to say, Facebook is already a dominant force in the marketing world. But tech analyst Ben Thompson believes that “the age of Facebook has only just begun.”

In this webinar, we’ll take a look at the evolution of Facebook, its role in the marketing universe, how to take advantage of its best features, and conclude with a look at Facebook’s future.

Thursday March 17, 2016 @ 2pm ET

Register here:

One out of every five people in the world uses Facebook. The social giant drives 38.2 percent of all traffic to content sites, eclipsing even Google. And average monthly time spent among millennials almost quadruples the closest social media competitor, Instagram, which is also owned by Facebook. Su…

03/13/2016

LIVE Webinar 3/15: Keep Your Company's Name, Brands and Logos from Being Ripped Off!

In today’s hyper-competitive business world, establishing a strong brand and creative presence is important to any business success. Otherwise known as "intellectual property," brands, names, logos, artwork and designs can become the most important and valuable asset of a business.

Yet many business owners either fail to undertake this consideration or are unsure how to properly protect their IP. This webinar will help you understand:

> The legal aspects of branding;
> The risks in not undertaking proper IP clearances;
> The steps to prepare for licensing of IP; and,
> The benefits derived from registration of IP
> This is a great way for entrepreneurs and small business owners to learn the basics about intellectual property and the reasons they need to invest their time and effort into ensuring they have protected themselves and their brands.

Register Here: http://buff.ly/1RE8epj

Tuesday, March 15, 1pm ET

About Presenter Laurie Marshall, TradeMarksTheSpot: As a trademark attorney with close to 20 years of experience, Laurie currently represents hundreds of small businesses and entrepreneurs in a variety of industries, assisting them with the legal aspects of branding their company at an affordable, flat fee. Many of these clients have come through Shark Tank’s Daymond John Academy. Previously, Laurie handled the trademarks for Major League Baseball for 10 years and continues to represent many MLB clubs and the National Basketball Association. She speaks regularly on the Legal Aspects of Branding a Small Business at events and conferences throughout the country.

SCORE LIVE Webinar on intellectual property and the reasons small businesses need to invest their time and effort into ensuring they have protected themselves and their brands.

03/11/2016

Bay Area Entrepreneurs! March 15th is a cannot-miss Mentorship Series held at Oakland Impact Hub from 6:30pm - 8:30pm.

Topic: Disrupting a $9 Billion Industry

About: Diishan Imira had a vision to use technology to change the way hair salons sell to their customers. He created a technology platform enabling stylists to sell hair extensions to their customers without the need to carry and manage inventory. In eighteen months, over 30,000 stylists signed on to the platform, and revenues increased to millions of dollars. His company Mayvenn has raised $13 million of venture capital funding, including investors such as Serena Williams, Andreessen Horowitz and Trinity Ventures.

Come hear the story of how the company developed its strategy, obtained funding and disrupted a major market.

Following Diishan’s talk, there will be a speed-pitch opportunity, refreshments and networking hour. Every attendee will have the opportunity to take the microphone for a 30-second pitch or service description.

Tickets are $15

Register Here:

Diishan Imira, CEO Diishan Imira had a vision to use technology to change the way hair salons sell to their customers. He created a technology platform enabling stylists to sell hair extensions to their...

02/29/2016

Want to start a business?

First you will need to develop a clear business vision, carefully strategize and then grow your business. Sign up for tomorrow's free webinar and learn how to develop a really effective growth strategy. http://buff.ly/1RiYJOv

You’ll learn:

> The importance of defining your vision.
> How to develop a growth strategy that includes:
> Your marketing and sales strategy
> Your financial strategy
> Your employee strategy
> Your technology strategy
> Your exit strategy

With the seven secrets learned at this webinar, you’ll be ready to grow your business.

02/29/2016

Register now for a 3-day seminar on growth marketing starting Tuesday March 1st. The online course is free if you pay with a Tweet!

There’s no denying that growth is hot and here to stay. But despite the buzz, many businesses still don’t have the framework they need to build a successful growth engine. Join a community of data-driven marketers, sales hackers and innovative entrepreneu

02/22/2016

Tax season is coming up. Are you prepared? Register for tomorrow's webinar to learn tax tips for your small business. http://buff.ly/1RiVXJf

Did you know that you have control over how much tax you pay? It's a matter of knowing your deductions and being organized.

At this seminar you'll learn:

> Expenses you can write-off.
> How to keep good books.
> Tax planning tips.
> The benefits of incorporating.
> See how tax can work for you.

Attend this seminar, uncover hidden savings and keep more money in your pocket.

Tax tips for small business owners

02/15/2016

The best advice I ever got while in school was to register for public speaking classes every semester. It is one of those skills that don't always come naturally but gets better with practice. As a business owner, I can now appreciate that advice.

Register for tomorrow's free BizLaunch webinar on "Speaking with Confidence" and you will learn tips on how to present in public and grow your business. This webinar will cover the following:

> How to choose the ideal presentation topic.
> The importance of doing your research and being prepared.
> How to structure your presentation.
> What to put into your presentation.
> How to engage your audience.
> Presentation tips.
> How to evaluate your presentations.

Register for this free webinar here: http://buff.ly/20zBt19

02/05/2016

Bay Area Entrepreneurs! Want to learn more about crowdfunding for your business? Join us at Berkeley Public Library on February 9th at 2pm for a free workshop. Register to save your spot:

02/01/2016

Effectively grow your business through networking! Register for tomorrow's webinar to learn tips and tricks that will help you network like a champ.

Save your spot! Register here: http://buff.ly/1OT0QFH

In this webinar you will learn:

> How to develop a networking strategy.
> Where are the best places to network?
> How to perfect your introduction.
> What to say and do?
> How to follow up effectively.
> How to use online tools to enable you to network more effectively
> How to integrate networking into your overall marketing strategy

How to netowrk and grow your business

01/25/2016

Entrepreneurs & Small Business Owners: Learn tricks on how to grow your online business during tomorrow's FREE webinar presented by BizLaunch.

Reserve your spot! Register here: http://buff.ly/1WKA0ou

You’ll learn how to:

> Rank higher in search engines
> Improve your website performance
> Choose the right keywords
> Improve you search engine optimization
> Get great links
> Use social media to improve SEO rankings
> Use paid search to generate leads

Attend this free small business webinar to learn more about how to accelerate your business growth online.

01/25/2016

Hey Entrepreneurs! You don't want to miss this weeks Growth Marketing Tactics for 2016 webinar!
Mark your calendars: Thursday, January 28th @ 2PM ET
Price: FREE, but you must register.
Register here:http://buff.ly/1N3F0xa

Topics include:

Communities: Creating your own communities around your product, culture, or business mantra.
Facebook: Yes, Growth Hackers need to know more about Facebook. As Facebook moves to consume more and more of the internet, much like Mr. Smith in The Matrix, we need to understand the new tools they have opened up for marketers. Including: Notes, Live Video, and Groups.
Content: What does it mean to produce great content and how will you make sure you’re business is doing a Grade A job.
Testing: This will be the year where you run over 1,000 growth tests.
Customer: As the customer gains more power, it will be our job to appease them in every way possible. Your growth hack of the year might be as “simple” as providing stellar customer service.

As Growth Marketing becomes a movement onto itself, we, as marketers, have to stay on top of industry trends and direction. In this talk, Derric will cover the 5 most important tactics that your business...

01/19/2016

East Bay Entrepreneurs! Sign up today for SBA's Mentorship Event: "Building a Social Enterprise" and receive the early bird discount!

Come learn about some of the most exciting enterprises in our area and network with other owners and executives.

Date: Wednesday, January 27, 2016
Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM (PST)
Location: Impact Hub Oakland - 2323 Broadway Oakland, CA 94612
Price: $10 until January 20th (early bird discount), $15
Register Here: http://buff.ly/1JMSx1e

The Alameda County Small Business Development Center Presents: Small Business Mentorship Series CORE Foods - Building a Social Enterprise Kai Itameri is a pioneer of new business models in the food industry. ...

01/18/2016

Free Webinar: Low Cost and No Cost Marketing Tools You Can Use to Grow Your Business
Mark your calendars: Tomorrow (Tuesday), January 19th @ 2PM ET
Price: FREE, but you must register.
Register here: http://buff.ly/1JXQXEt

Increase your sales with targeted, low cost/no cost marketing tools. You will learn how to develop simple and inexpensive marketing strategies for your business. We will discuss:

1. Basic marketing rules you need to know.
2. How to identify your ideal target market and ways to engage them.
3. How to understand your market and know your customer.
4. How to identify your key differentiators.
5. How to develop a simple marketing plan.
5. Effective online and offline marketing tools you can start using today.

Attend this webinar to learn how to get big results from a small budget.

Attend this free small business webinar to learn more about how to accelerate your business growth using low cost marketing tools to grow your business.

01/18/2016

Close the deal! Learn techniques to grow your business from sales strategist Alice Heiman in this free webinar: http://buff.ly/1WcKqNb

Topic: Sales Hacks to Close the Deal
Date: Wednesday January 20, 2016
Time: 2:00 pm-3:00 pm ET
Location: Online
Price: Free
Register Here: http://buff.ly/1WcKqNb

You will learn:

> What it takes to close more deals
> How to plan to close the deal
> The 10 tough questions to ask
> How to move the sale forward

Closing the deal doesn’t have to be hard. It starts with building a solid relationship with the people who will make the decisions, clearly understanding their needs, offering ideas, matching your offering...

01/11/2016

Free Webinar on How to Get Free Publicity for Your Small Business
Mark your calendars: Tomorrow (Tuesday), January 12th @ 2PM ET
Price: FREE, but you must register.
Register here: http://buff.ly/1RsFPWu

Publicity is a low cost way to get your business name out there. Public relations has often far more impact than any paid adverting. Attend this webinar to learn:

> The power of no cost publicity and how to get it.

> What stories the media want to cover.

> How to target the right media.

> How to write a media release.

> Media interview tips.

> How to use free publicity to grow your small business.

> Learn how to get free publicity for your small business at this webinar.

Attend this free small business webinar to learn more about how to accelerate your business growth using free publicity

01/01/2016

A fresh start: Get your mind in the game for the new year! Great article by Dixie Gillaspie http://buff.ly/1JOxw10

Growing your sense of what's possible has a profound effect on the goals you're willing to set.

12/18/2015

12/14/2015

Free Webinar for Entrepreneurs Looking to Improve their Website Effectiveness:
Mark your calendars: Dec 15th @ 2pm ET
What: Convert Like a Boss: How to Achieve 30% Gains in Conversion Rates in 7 Days
Price: FREE, but you must register.
Register here: http://buff.ly/1LPf5IJ

Key Takeaways

> Why most copy sucks and how to un-suck yours
> The most important job your home page must perform
> 5-point conversion checklist for every web page you create
> How to improve conversions on your site in just 7 days
> LIVE website teardowns and feedback for attendees

Ever wonder why some websites are the only foundational to a business and others….

12/07/2015

A Webinar for the Intrapreneurs: Sales and Marketing Alignment: 7 Steps To Implement Effective Sales Enablement
Mark your calendars: Dec 10th @ 2pmET
Price: FREE, but you must register.
Register here: http://buff.ly/1LPdtPb

You’ll learn how to:

> Determine an initiative leader—critical to overall success
> Build a culture of alignment starting at the top
> Define the respective roles and responsibilities of sales and marketing and agree on incentives
> Build operating processes and establish regular measurement cadences
> Implement effective sales enablement technology

When it comes to sales and marketing roles, it’s no secret that the relationship can be strained, no matter the industry or organization size.

11/20/2015

Free Webinar for Entrepreneurs and Leaders!
Mark your calendars: Nov 23rd @ 2pmET
What: Growth Through Mindfulness: How to Become a Great Leader Hosted by: Aaron Kahlow
Price: FREE, but you must register.
Register here: http://buff.ly/1SFJ23u

More about your Instructor: Aaron Kahlow

Aaron is one of the most dynamic and emerging figures in the massive shift toward mindful living. As a syndicated columnist, globally renown speaker and long standing personal practice of Zen Buddhism, Aaron brings a wealth of knowledge to the mindfulness movement. Most notable is his 15 years in corporate leadership as both a CEO and Founder leader of 3 prolific education companies creating his real world approach to modern day mindfulness.

As a speaker, his inspirational style, and plain-spoken nature has audiences always walking away feeling both motivated and educated on how to live and work better. More recently, Aaron has launched a membership based organization, the Mindful Living Institute, built to help everyone learn a sustainable practice of mindfulness and connect through global community committed to the values of Presence, Compassion and Acceptance.

11/20/2015

San Francisco Entrepreneurs and StartUp Junkies: The Growth Marketing Conference is happening December 2-4!
Register here: http://buff.ly/1Lp0O5m
Discounts: Get $100 off with code MEETUP100

We're excited to announce the final agenda for the Growth Marketing Conference, taking place in San Francisco Dec 2-4, 2015! If you haven’t checked the lineup in a while, you might notice we’ve added...

11/04/2015

Hey, ! Here's a fantastic workshop tonight:
Topic: SF Women Entrepreneur Guest Speakers & Networking Event
When: Tonight! November 4th
Where: Capital One Cafe: 101 Post Street, San Francisco, CA
Time: 6:30 - 8:30pm
Cost: $10
Register Here:

Come join us for a fun evening of storytelling and networking with inspiring women business owners and share your story!

10/26/2015

Free Live Webinar Nov. 3rd @ 1PM EST: 10 Ways to Maximize Your Holiday Sales

Register Here: http://buff.ly/1OSSRgi

Learn ten steps you can take right now to maximize you sales during the holiday shopping season. From marketing to operations, you'll learn strategies that you can use to simplify your efforts, increase satisfaction, drive sales, and spread goodwill. The same principles are applicable throughout the year!

Join this workshop to learn five steps you can take now to prepare your business for the holidays.