Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Milwaukee

10/14/2026

Ozaukee County, this one's for you!

Wednesday, October 21st from 11:30 AM- 1 PM

REGISTER HERE- https://businessentrepreneurship.zohobackstage.com/OzaukeeCounty #/

Join Ozaukee Economic Development, the SBDC, and guest speaker Kelly Brown of Cavelier W**e Bar and Locally Inspired to learn the best practices for how to access financing and grow your business. Enjoy lunch on the water and gain valuable business insights.

10/13/2026

Action packed session last Friday at the Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Milwaukee Business Lab. Desiree Cocroft guided small business owners through the process of having tough conversations to lead to their next opportunity. We’re excited to see all the positive outcomes from this session, generously supported by Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation !

10/11/2026

Last call, makers. Market Ready: Holiday Sales Strategies for Makers is this Monday. It’s free, and a few seats are still open.
In two hours, you’ll get practical guidance on market booths, pricing, email marketing, and wholesale partnerships from people who know Milwaukee’s maker scene firsthand, including Ryan Laessig of the Milwaukee Makers Market.
📅 Monday, October 12 | 5 to 7 PM
📍 Milwaukee Central Library, Business Commons

Save your seat: https://businessentrepreneurship.zohobackstage.com/MarketReadyHolidaySalesStrategiesforMakers #/

The Wisconsin SBDC is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Wisconsin SBDC Network
UWM School of Continuing Education

10/11/2026

Thank you for another impactful session!

10/10/2026

RESISTER HERE: https://businessentrepreneurship.zohobackstage.com/TheLinkedinGLOWUPHowToMarketYourBusinessonLinkedIn #/

Date/time Wednesday, 10/14 8:30-10:30 AM

LinkedIn has over 1 billion users, and nearly 65 million of them are key decision-makers actively looking for products and services like yours. If your profile isn't positioned to capture their attention, you're leaving money on the table. This in-person training gives product and service business owners the exact strategy to turn LinkedIn into a client-generating machine, so your profile makes people say, "Take my money now!"
What you'll learn:
Design a cover photo that instantly signals your industry, your offer, and your personality
Craft a Headline that lands you in search results and stops decision-makers mid-scroll
Write an About section that positions your products or services as the obvious choice
Draft an advice post that showcases your expertise and builds trust with potential clients
Turn profile views into conversations by pairing a client-ready presence with content that invites decision-makers to reach out.

10/09/2026

Thank you to Kenosha Innovation Neighborhood and Community State Bank for co-hosting our event on financing your business.

10/08/2026

Market Ready: Holiday Sales Strategies for Makers
Monday, October 12, 2026 | 5:00 to 7:00 PM | Free
Milwaukee Central Library, Business Commons

REGISTER HERE: https://lnkd.in/gbN3J2Ri

The holiday season is when makers can have their biggest months of the year. This free, hands-on workshop is designed for artisans, makers, and small business owners who want to make the most of it, with a special focus on holiday markets.
Hear directly from a market organizer, a maker who built a recognized brand, and the Milwaukee Central Library’s business resource team. You’ll leave with practical strategies you can put to work before the busiest weeks begin.

By the end of this workshop, you’ll be able to:
• Prepare for makers’ markets, including booth applications, fees, licenses, paperwork, and what market organizers expect from vendors
• Use email marketing and analytics to see what’s working and sharpen your holiday campaigns
• Price handmade and small-batch products for healthy profit margins
• Apply basic accounting and budgeting practices to run more efficiently
• Engage your local community and grow your customer base through Giving Tuesday and other seasonal opportunities
• Build a clear value proposition, and know how, when, and why to adjust pricing as market conditions change
• Identify the right customer segments and approach wholesale and retail partners
Speakers
Ryan Laessig is the founder and owner of the Milwaukee Makers Market, the largest and longest-running monthly market in Milwaukee. The Market’s mission is to create a fun and safe one-stop shopping experience that connects artisans with current and future fans and celebrates Milwaukee’s incredible makers community.
Jamie Andrzejewski is the founder of Nourish Natural Products, a handcrafted wellness brand known for its personal care products and heart-centered mission. Named one of Milwaukee’s Top Women in Wellness and recognized by BizTimes as a changemaker shaping the region’s future, Jamie brings soulful storytelling, entrepreneurial spirit, and a deep commitment to women’s wellness to everything she does.
Kristina Gómez is the Library Services Manager at the Milwaukee Central Library, where she oversees the Business Library Commons along with other departments. She is passionate about creating connections, centering joy and creativity, and people-centered service.
Location
Milwaukee Central Library, Business Commons
814 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53233
Parking and Transportation
Metered parking is available around the library. The library is also on the Connect 1 bus line.

Milwaukee Public Library

10/05/2026

⏳ Last chance to register!
Say It Anyway: Turning Courageous Conversations into Clients, Partnerships & Opportunities is this Friday, October 9 at 9:30 AM.
If you've been meaning to make the ask, send the email, or start the conversation — this is the workshop that helps you actually do it.
Register now:
https://businessentrepreneurship.zohobackstage.com/SayItAnywayTurningCourageousConversationsintoClientsPartnershipsOpportunities #/

10/02/2026

Running a business is a balancing act — but your finances don't have to be. Only a few days away — have you registered yet

A Strategic Approach to Financing Your Business is happening Tuesday, October 6th at KIN in Kenosha.

Come learn how to get financially ready to grow, access funding, and build the kind of banking relationships that actually work for your business — straight from people who help entrepreneurs do it every day.

🗓 October 6 | 5–7:30 PM | Kenosha Innovation Center

🎟 Free to attend — networking + light refreshments included

👉 Grab your spot:

A Strategic Approach to Financing Your Business- focused on Kenosha County business owners.

09/29/2026

Ever have that conversation you keep putting off? The ask, the intro, the follow-up email sitting in your drafts? 👀
Join us Friday, October 9 for Say It Anyway: Turning Courageous Conversations into Clients, Partnerships & Opportunities — a hands-on workshop with executive coach and author Desiree Cocroft.
You'll learn how to reach out with confidence, craft messages that actually sound like you, and start real conversations with the people who can help grow your business — partners, referral sources, potential clients, you name it. And you won't just learn it, you'll practice it live in the room.
🗓️ Friday, October 9, 2026
⏰ 9:30–11:30 AM
📍 161 W. Wisconsin Ave. SBDC Business Lab, 6th Floor
👉 Register here: https://businessentrepreneurship.zohobackstage.com/SayItAnywayTurningCourageousConversationsintoClientsPartnershipsOpportunities #/
Come ready to make a few brave asks. We'll help you find the words. 💬