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X-WR-CALNAME:Women&#039;s Business Development Center
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.wbdc.org/en/
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Women&#039;s Business Development Center
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DTSTART:20260308T080000
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DTSTART:20261101T070000
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20260917
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20260918
DTSTAMP:20260916T051145
CREATED:20260817T221234Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260909T201505Z
UID:37110-1789603200-1789689599@www.wbdc.org
SUMMARY:Emerging & Pre-Venture Bootcamp | Road to Success Peoria | Registration Deadline
DESCRIPTION:Peoria and Central Illinois \nRoad to Success Bootcamp is a 4-week bootcamp that covers introductory concepts necessary for emerging and pre-venture entrepreneurs. This bootcamp is specifically designed for Peoria entrepreneurs and will include three business education workshops and one combined legal clinic and working session. Participants must complete all four sessions\, attend one advising session\, and complete a follow-up survey in order to be considered a graduate. Graduates are then invited to attend the Road to Success cohort.  \nCohort Curriculum\nWeek One: The Proper Mindset\, Approach\, & Preparation \n\nReadiness Assessment\nFive Traits of Successful Entrepreneurs\nFive Steps to Starting a Business\nBusiness Model Canvas\n\nWeek Two: Developing the Business Plan and Business Model Canvas \n\nCraft Your Business Pitch\nMarketing Strategy\nMarketing Process\nSWOT Analysis\n\nWeek Three: Capital Readiness for Start-Ups  \n\nCapital Readiness 101\nCapital Options\nKiva\n\nWeek Four: Working Session  \n\nWorking session\nQ&A\n\nCohort Details\nWhen:  \nEvery Thursday | 9:00 am-10:30 am\, CST \nSeptember 17 – October 8\, 2026 \nWhere:  \nVia Zoom meetings \n \n\n\n\n\nFunded (in part) through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.  All opinions\, conclusions\, and/or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.
URL:https://www.wbdc.org/en/event/emerging-pre-venture-bootcamp-road-to-success-peoria-registration-deadline/
CATEGORIES:Start-Up & Emerging Businesses,Virtual
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.wbdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/R2S-Bootcamp-Peoria-.png
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260929T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260929T130000
DTSTAMP:20260916T051145
CREATED:20260902T222206Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260902T222206Z
UID:37207-1790683200-1790686800@www.wbdc.org
SUMMARY:Starting Your Business in Illinois
DESCRIPTION:Are you considering starting a business in Illinois? During the workshop\, we will take an initial assessment to help you recognize your startup strengths\, introduce you to five basic startup steps\, and review the legal entities recommended for startups. \n \nPresented by the Illinois SBDC at the Women’s Business Development Center.
URL:https://www.wbdc.org/en/event/starting-your-business-in-illinois-69/
CATEGORIES:Start-Up & Emerging Businesses,Virtual
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.wbdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SBDC-WBDC-Events.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261006T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261006T113000
DTSTAMP:20260916T051145
CREATED:20260224T163136Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260911T164322Z
UID:35473-1791277200-1791286200@www.wbdc.org
SUMMARY:Smart Marketing Leveraging: AI for Small Business Marketing
DESCRIPTION:FOR ILLINOIS RESIDENTS ONLY. In this 1.5-hour workshop\, small business owners will explore how to leverage AI—especially tools like ChatGPT\, Gemini\, and CoPilot—to boost marketing effectiveness and productivity. You’ll start by understanding what AI is (and what it isn’t) and how the platforms we hear about fit into the broader picture of artificial intelligence. The session will unpack how AI works in simple\, practical terms\, followed by a discussion of key limitations to be aware of when using it. Participants will then learn five smart\, actionable ways to use AI for small business marketing—from crafting effective social posts to brainstorming ad ideas—and common pitfalls to avoid. Whether you are new to AI or looking to refine your digital strategy\, this session will help you work smarter\, not just harder.
URL:https://www.wbdc.org/en/event/how-to-write-a-business-plan-workshop-2/
CATEGORIES:Start-Up & Emerging Businesses,Virtual
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.wbdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Startup-and-Emerging-Events.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261029T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261029T200000
DTSTAMP:20260916T051145
CREATED:20260902T180403Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260902T185150Z
UID:37201-1793296800-1793304000@www.wbdc.org
SUMMARY:Road to Success in Polish | Kurs na sukces
DESCRIPTION:Kurs na sukces. \nZacznij swój biznes już dziś! \nPierwszy w historii WBDC kurs przedsiębiorczości prowadzony w całości po polsku. \nBezpłatny kurs online dla wszystkich\, którzy chcą założyć własny biznes albo dopiero zaczynają. \nCztery wieczory\, konkretne kroki\, zero kosztów. \nCzwartki\, 29.10\, 5.11\, 12.11\, 19.11.2026\, 18:00-20:00 \nProwadzony przez dr Kingę Kosmalę\, dyrektorkę ds. przedsiębiorczości. \n\nRoad to Success in Polish \nStart your business today!\nFirst cohort in the history of the WBDC taught entirely in Polish. An online course for all who want to start their business. Free of charge. \nFour evenings\, specific advice\, zero cost. \nThursdays\, 10/29\, 11/5\, 11/12\, 11/19/2026\, 6:00-8:00pm \nTaught by Dr\, Kinga Kosmala\, Director of Entrepreneurial Business Program and Services
URL:https://www.wbdc.org/en/event/road-to-success-in-polish-kurs-na-sukces/
CATEGORIES:Start-Up & Emerging Businesses,Virtual
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://www.wbdc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Road-to-Success-Polish-Banner.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20261201T090000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20261201T110000
DTSTAMP:20260916T051145
CREATED:20260224T163817Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260224T163817Z
UID:35475-1796115600-1796122800@www.wbdc.org
SUMMARY:How to Write a Business Plan Workshop
DESCRIPTION:FOR ILLINOIS RESIDENTS ONLY. “How to Write a Business Plan\,” a virtual workshop designed specifically for pre-venture entrepreneurs. In this workshop\, current and future entrepreneurs learn how to turn your business ideas into a structured business plan that sets your venture up for success. Whether you are new to entrepreneurship or refining your concept\, this session will give you the tools and confidence to move forward. 
URL:https://www.wbdc.org/en/event/how-to-write-a-business-plan-workshop-3/
CATEGORIES:Start-Up & Emerging Businesses
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