SBC Network Luncheons are held the second Thursday of each month at various locations. 

This month's luncheon will be held at the TAU Bearcat Clubroom of the Events Center on the Binghamton University Campus and is sponsored by Empower Federal Credit Union.

Connect with Chamber colleagues at our monthly SBC Network Luncheon.  Don't miss out on the chance to network with 60-70 Chamber members, promote your product/service to a room full of people, and hear more about important chamber programs and upcoming events.  At the luncheons, members are given the opportunity to introduce themselves and tell about their products or services and other events they may be participating in that are of interest to the community. 

Members are urged to bring their brochures, flyers, business cards, etc. 

Registration is Required:  Contact Kathy Murphy at 607-772-8860 or kmurphy@greaterbinghamtonchamber.com

Fee:  Member Advance:  $17.00/Member At Door:  $19.00/Not-For-Profit Advance: $13.60/Not-For-Profit At Door: $15.20

Tioga County Chamber of Commerce offers FREE

 Small Business Counseling

The Chamber is host to both SCORE and the NYS Small Business Development Center (SBDC) advisors. 

SBDC advisors are available BY APPOINTMENT ONLY on the first Thursday of each month. 

*To schedule an appointment with a NYS SBDC advisor, contact the Tioga County Chamber of Commerce at 687-2020

Southern Tier Opportunity Coalition (STOC) Networking Cafe  

"...the Premier Academic/Private Sector Partnership Driving Economic Growth in Greater Binghamton, NY"

Every 2nd Monday of the month.  Hors doeuvres provided with cash bar available. 

Fee:  FREE OF CHARGE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

REGISTRATION REQUIRED:  E-mail Natalia Czabala, STOC Administrative Assistant at nczabala@gmail.com

Program/Speaker:  BlueStorm Technologies - "Taming the I.T. Monster" 

Hey, it's great to know people in the IT business.  It's even better to know they're right around the corner.  Some local businesses, both large and small, that rely on top-flight IT support sometimes overlook that there are outstanding companies in that category right here in our backyard.  BlueStorm Technologies, one of STOC's newer member companies, serves customers across the United States with Systems Integration, Application Development, Collaborative Systems, and Infrastructure Services.  An Enterprise - Class solutions provider, BlueStorm brings to bear the offerings from IBN, Oracle, Microsoft, Dell, Sun, Lenovo, and HP for customers in need of responsive and flexible leading-edge information systems. 

Earlier this year, BlueStorm merged with a long-time STOC member, CyberCity, in order to broaden its range of services and customer base.  Both BlueStorm and CyberCity are located in the City of Binghamton.  Learn about their merger, about how BlueStorm was founded, why it chose Binghamton as home, and the company's plans for the future. 

Meet other business people and students from Greater Binghamton and learn about common problems and opportunities. 

SCORE COUNSELING IN BROOME COUNTY

SCORE offers FREE OF CHARGE small business assistance by appointment only in the Broome County area to those interested in starting a new business, assistance with creating a business and financial plan for new and existing businesses, ongoing assistance to start up businesses, and assistance with businesses concerns for existing businesses or those wishing to expand. 

SCORE Counselors are all experienced, professional business people who volunteer their time, unpaid, to assist the business community of our area.  SCORE has no ties to any banking or educational institution.  All counseling and discussions are strictly confidential per the US Government Small Business Administration (SBA) requirements. 

SCORE has been in existence since 1964 and is a nationwide business help group of 390 Chapters across the US and has about 11,000 unpaid volunteer counselors. 

Counseling Days and Times - Year Round:

• 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th Tuesdays @ 10:00 AM - Call for location
• 1st and 3rd Thursdays @ 6:30 PM - Greater Binghamton Chamber Offices, Metro Center, 2nd Floor, Binghamton
• 2nd Thursdays (starting September 2009) - Broome County Library, Ahearn Center

All SCORE Counseling sessions are BY APPOINTMENT ONLY - Call 607-772-8860 and ask for an appointment w/SCORE.

Broome Community College is hosting a 2-session workshop on

Let's Write Your Business Plan

Thursdays; July 15th and 22nd

If you are planning to become an entrepreneur, you have probably heard bankers, investors, business people, and others say "You need a business plan!"  Begin to put the pieces of your business plan together under the direction a small business expert.  Ginny Robert, author of Let's Write Your Business Plan and Building Your Future in Self-Employment, guides you through the key components of your business plan.  When you finish the course, the marketing analysis, product/service detail, corporate structure, forecasting, financial analysis (and more) portions of the plan are well understood and in progress. 

An optional textbook is available for purchase from the instructor. 

Instructor:  Ginny Robert, author of Let's Write Your Business Plan and Building Your Future in Self-Employment

Fee:  $74.00

Course Number: EX 211

Registration Required:  Register using your VISA or MasterCard by calling 607-778-5012 or visit www.sunybroome.edu/ce

**VENDORS WANTED**

The Southern Tier Small Business Expo

Those who own a microenterprise (businesses with 10 or fewer employees) are encouraged to register as a vendor at The Southern Tier Small Business Expo. 

Registrations accepted now - September for the upcoming October 9th event.  For details and the registration form, visit www.successnetworkbc.com

Alternatives Federal Credit Union Business CENTS (Community Enterprise Networking and Training Services) is hosting a one-session workshop on

"The 10 Commandments of Networking"

Friday, July 16th, from 2:00 - 4:00 PM

If your business depends on building relationships that lead to customer referrals, then your major marketing activity is most likely networking.  But do you feel that many networking events have been a waste of your time?  Do you want to have simple steps to make more productive use of your networking time? 

Join us for this interactive and collaborative class, presented by Dave Makar of Referral Institute Ithaca.  We'll cover the "10 Commandments of a Networking Mixer", providing you tips, tools, techniques, and tasks that you can apply to every networking event you attend to make your networking more effective.  The session will include how to network effectively to build positive word-of-mouth, who you want to meet and how you can find them at a mixer, and much more!

Fee:  $15.00 - $30.00; based on a sliding scale

REGISTRATION REQUIRED:  Contact Alison at alison@alternatives.org to register.

Alternatives Federal Credit Union Business CENTS (Community Enterprise Networking and Training Services) is hosting a 2-session workshop on

"Getting Found Online"

Tuesday, July 13th, and Thursday, July 15th

6:00 - 9:00 PM

Are people easily finding your business on the Internet when they search?  Did you know there are many proven and simple techniques for transforming your search engine placement and visibility?  If not, then this two-session workshop is for you!

Internet technologies and applications change so rapidly, that what worked in "search engine optimization" techniques a few years ago may be obsolete now.  Join Business CENTS and IT consultant and trainer, Matteo Wyllyamz, to learn proven and simple techniques for transforming your search engine placement and website visibility.  This beginner's workshop is optimized for business owners, marketers, web designers, and anyone else who wants to see their website traffic climb!

Fee:  $30.00 - $60.00; based on a sliding scale

REGISTRATION REQUIRED:  Contact Alison at alison@alternatives.org to register. 

TC3.biz is hosting a 3-workshop series on

How to Create a Small Business Website

October - December 2010

If you're not sure how to find a host and launch your small business website, these three workshops are for you!

SAVE and take all three workshops for $325.00

Did you know?

• 53% of small businesses say their website is used primarily to increase company credibility
• 49% use it to generate sales
• 38% use it to create brand awareness
• 29% beieve it acts as a critical building block for product and service development

Workshop 1

Business Photography:  Success through Visual Marketing

October 2nd & October 9th - 10:00 a.m. - NOON

**For a full description of this workshop, see the calendar posting on October 2nd**

Workshop 2

Introduction to Building & Maintaining a Website with HTML

10/16, 10/23, 10/30, 11/6 - 9:00 a.m.  - NOON

**For a full description of this workshop, see the calendar posting on October 16th**

Workshop 3

Web Wizard: Launch Your Own Website!

11/13, 11/20, 12/4, 12/11 - 10:00 a.m. - NOON

**For a full description of this workshop, see the calendar posting on November 13th**

The Binghamton IEEE, ASQ, and Chapter 217 of SCORE are proud to present

Entrepreneur's Day

Targeting Innovative Startups and Existing Businesses

A day filled with presentations by prominent area entrepreneurs as well as professionals in law, insurance and finance.  These topics include:

• Broome County Business Environment

• What Does it Take to Start a New Business

• Financing Your New Business

• The Law Regarding Your Business

• Taking Charge of Your Career/Entrepreneurship

• Buying a Franchise

• How to be a Consultant

• Patents (Intellectual Property)

• Business Planning

Significant information will be offered in the following areas:

• Business Capital and how to raise it
• Human Resources Accounting and Tax Issues
• Buying a New or Established Franchise
• Insurance Needs
• Legal Issues
• Marketing and Demographics
• Taking charge of your career
• Establishing or Starting a Business
• Business Financing
• Being a consultant

We are please to have a distinguished slate of speakers to present these topics.  The speakers include:

• Darci M. Fauci, Deputy County Executive
• Don Herres, Career and Employment Activities, IEEE
• Scott Hotalen, CPA, Viera & Associates
• Don Patterson, The Partners Insurance
• JoAnn Rheinhiemer, SEFCU

Also presenting are our distinguished volunteers:

SCORE:

• Jon Ward, Retired School Superintendent
• Jack Vail, Former Binghamton Business Owner

IEEE:

• Vince Socci, Chief Engineer, On Target Technology Development
• Daniel Labzentis, Applications Engineer, VMR Electronics, LLC

**Speakers are subject to change

Fee:  $20.00 (Lunch provided).  Make checks payable to SCORE Chapter 217.  Mail checks to SCORE Chapter 217, c/o Greater Binghamton Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 995, Binghamton, NY

PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED: E-mail chapter0217@stny.rr.com or call 607-347-4012 or SCORE Offices at 607-778-6922

**REGISTRATION BEGINS AUGUST 1st**

"Getting Down to Business"

Nine-week course starting September 8th - November 3rd

Registration:  Contact Alison @ alison@alternatives.org

Registration will close @ 5PM on Friday, September 3rd (or sooner, if class becomes full)

For a full course description, click calendar event on September 8th