TED-Style Talks
Join us for five impactful, tac(tical)-talks to inspire and educate. During these talks you will hear from small business community leaders who have a unique insight on what it takes to run a successful small business through personal struggles and triumphs. Each 90 minute session will showcase 5, hand selected, unique speakers.
CSR design, Local Manufacturing
Jen Bennett Schwab, Designer & Founder, Jendarling, Twitter: @jendarling_bags
Description: The idea of why local manufacturing matters and how it can keep costs down and your eyes on quality control saving money in the long run. Serving your audience, why buy local? The educated consumer appreciates and buys Made in USA quality and likes to be a responsible citizen supporting “local.”
Biography: Jen started designing garment bags in 2008 with a passion to create something stylish, yet reusable. Jendarling’s collection encompasses garment bags, shoe bags, totes and pouches and have been featured in numerous press outlets including Treehugger, Entrepreneur, San Francisco Chronicle, Marie Claire, and NBC among others, toting its eco chic qualities. The line of eco-travel bags is sold at Gump’s and specialty boutiques nationwide. Jen holds a master’s from the University of San Francisco Masagung School of Management and a bachelor's in communications.
Mental and Logistical Challenges of Running a Small Business
Helen Todd, Co-founder & CEO, Sociality Squared
Description: The road to success can be bumpy when it comes to running and growing a business. These are six mistakes to avoid to help make your journey a little smoother.
Biography: Helen Todd is a social media marketer and CEO of Sociality Squared, a full service social media agency based in New York City since 2010. Having a WOMMY award and Integrated Marketing Communication Master’s degree under her belt, Helen understands how powerful the social web can be for brands. As a leading Facebook marketing expert, Helen has spoken on the subject across the country including Social Media Week NYC, SXSW V2V, and BlogWorld.
Praying for Competition
Nenna Joiner, Owner, Feelmore Adult Boutique, @Feelmore510 on Twitter/Facebook
Description: A unique understanding on how to embrace competition and turn your business into a preference. By changing your perspective you will decrease any misconceptions about starting your own business in the face of others.
Biography: Nenna used Dreaming, Work, Drive, Focus, and Dedication to start her business, Feelmore Adult Boutique. The Feelmore brand has appeared in over 45+ magazines, periodicals and globally. She is still working towards the original vision by using her film business (2 Feminist Porn Awards), Novelties, and now her first book: ‘Faith, Flesh and Finance’; and soon to come 2nd book, ‘Praying for Competition’, to help secure her future.
Financial Fundamentals for Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners
Amy Vetter, Global VP of Education & Enablement, Xero
Description: You may be great at what you do, but does that mean you know how to run a business? Learn about Amy’s journey as a Yoga Studio Owner and how it can help you focus on the right things in your business so you can get back to what you love!
Biography: Amy is accountable for developing and executing the education strategy for Xero worldwide, such as Xero University (XeroU). Her role includes creating global consistency for the creation and management of training programs for Xero’s accounting partners, implementation partners and customers. Prior to Xero, she was the CPA Programs Leader for Intacct Corporation and performed many roles in the accountant professional division with Intuit, Inc. Additionally, Amy has experience running client accounting services practices, whether it be her own company or as a Partner in a CPA firm. She has authored a number of accounting technology reference materials and has been a contributor and a national speaker on financial and technology topics at conferences and universities throughout the United States.
Using Modern Technology to Run Your Small Business
Joshua Reeves, CEO and co-founder of ZenPayroll, @ZenPayroll on Twitter/Facebook
Description: Gone are the days of filling out paper forms by hand, manually transferring data from one system to another, and needing a training manual to understand how software works. Joshua Reeves, CEO and co-founder of ZenPayroll, will explain how small business owners like you can embrace modern, easy-to-use tools to take care of critical tasks — so you can get back to doing what you love.
Biography: Joshua Reeves is the CEO and co-founder of ZenPayroll, a Silicon Valley startup on a mission to deliver delightful, modern payroll to businesses everywhere. Joshua was selected to the 2012 Forbes 30 Under 30 list and is a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Entrepreneur and Business Insider. Joshua holds a BS & MS in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, where he was a Mayfield Fellow and a recipient of the Terman Engineering award.
The Nexus of Small Business and Crowd Funding
Premal Shah, President and Co-Founder, Kiva, zip.kiva.org
Description: Access to capital was once one of small businesses biggest hurdles. Now there are many alternatives to funding your business as a whole, a project within your existing business, or opportunities for growth.
Biography: Premal first began dreaming of “internet microfinance” while working at PayPal, the online payments company. In late 2004, Premal took a 3 month leave from PayPal to develop and test the internet microfinance concept in India. When he returned to Silicon Valley, he met other like-minded dreamers and quit his job at PayPal to help bring the Kiva concept to life and eventually to scale. Kiva today raises over $1 million each week for the working poor in +60 countries and was named a Top 50 Website by TIME Magazine. For his work as a social entrepreneur, Premal was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and selected to FORTUNE magazine's "Top 40 under 40" list. Premal began his career as a management consultant and graduated from Stanford University.
Small Business Conference
Holiday Inn Golden Gateway
1500 Van Ness Ave
San Francisco, CA 94109
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Session 2, 1:00 - 2:30 PM
Emerald Conference Room
All programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Reasonable arrangements for persons with disabilities will be made, if requested at least 2 weeks in advance. For more information, contact info@sfsmallbusinessweek.com.