Norton’s Small Business Fair to Help Businesses Benefit from D.C.’s Growing Private Economy and Compete for Government Contracts, Wednesday
Small Business of the Year Winner to be Announced
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) will announce the winner of this year's D.C. Small Business of the Year award at her 2015 Small Business Fair on Wednesday, June 10, 2015 from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center (801 Mount Vernon Place NW). Registration for the event begins at 8:00 a.m. The Small Business Fair, which is free of charge and for D.C. residents and business only, helps small businesses and residents start, develop and grow small businesses here in the nation's capital. The Small Business of the Year is always a D.C. business that has succeeded and acts as a model for other businesses that work under similar conditions here in the District.
Norton, who has brought major economic development projects to the District, said this year's Fair continues her efforts to diversify the District's economy by nurturing not only small businesses that look to the D.C. or federal governments for contracts, but also small businesses that should be more closely linked to the city's growing private economy, independent of the government. This year's Fair will feature a new workshop hosted by Reingold LINK on best practices for utilizing social media branding and how to develop a strong tech presence.
"This year, our Small Businesses Fair is seeking to help small businesses in one of the most competitive markets in the country with the innovative technological tools and marketing strategies they need to succeed," Norton said. "My congressional economic development work is helping to diversify the District's economy in Southwest and Southeast waterfronts and in NOMA, and I want to ensure that small businesses benefit from those new opportunities."
The Fair begins at 9:00 a.m. with a one-hour plenary session featuring Norton's announcement of the 2015 D.C. Small Business of the Year. D.C. Chamber of Commerce President Harry Wingo will provide remarks during the opening session.
From 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., workshops will provide guidance on writing a small business plan, starting a small business, marketing and branding a small business, financing a small business, insuring a small business, winning a federal contract, social media best practices, cloud computing, government procurement, becoming eligible for the D.C. Certified Business Enterprise Program and understanding the E-Verify program.
From 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., participants will also have the opportunity to receive one-on-one advice and counseling from bank loan officers, government small business procurement specialists, Small Business Administration specialists, and business experts on initiating the loan application process, writing a winning business plan, optimizing marketing strategies, and hiring practices.
Throughout the entire day, a networking lounge will be open for all participants. HIV testing will also be available from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.