Concept to Launch - Online

06:00 PM - 08:00 PM
"Concept to Launch" is a 6-week entrepreneurial training program for entrepreneurs in the early stages of starting a business.

Dates: Six Wednesday evenings from 6-8 PM starting on September 25 and ending on October 30.

The Fall program will be offered Online Only and offered at a reduced rate of $65. The program is capped at 30 participants.

Current CWE Members can take the class for the further reduced price of $20. Email womens-entrepreneurship@chatham.edu for the coupon code.
Required: Zoom capable device and internet access to participate for all classes.

Certificate of Completion will be awarded to participants who complete four or more classes live.

Classes focus on:

Facilitator: Lillian Rafson, Founder and CEO of Pack Up + Go

To view the syllabus for the Concept to Launch program: Click here

The current cohort is full, please add your name to the waitlist for the next cohort in Spring 2025, CLICK HERE!

Digital Service Training Series: Websites that Work - Turning Visits into Value - HYBRID

12:00 PM - 02:00 PM
This five-part training series is designed for small business owners interested in understanding the essence of creating effective websites. The series not only covers the foundational aspects of website strategy but also dives deep into advanced strategies that make websites stand out. Through a blend of lectures, collaborative discussions, and real-world applications, business owners will gain comprehensive insights into website creation, ensuring their digital presence aligns with their business goals. The goal of this series is for business owners to leave with a website they’ve built that brings value to their business.

The training series will run on Mondays from 12:00PM-2:00PM on October 21, October 28, November 4, November 11 and November 18. The program will consist of TWO in-person sessions and THREE online sessions via Zoom. In-person sessions will be held on October 21 and November 18 at Chatham University Eastside Building. This is a hands-on, interactive training series and participants are expected to attend all five sessions. After each training session participants will be asked to complete an assignment before the next session.

To participate in this training series, you must have access to a laptop and have a website domain established. The training series is limited to 20 participants. Any size business is welcome and is beneficial for new and existing websites.

- Session 1 - October 21: Introduction to Visual Design and Goal Setting (Basics of Visual Design, Platform Analysis, and Establishing Goals)
- Session 2 - October 28: Website Structure (Information Architecture, User Flows, and Navigation)
- Session 3 - November 4: Website Experience Design (Content Strategy, User Experience (UX) Best Practices, and Helpful Tools)
- Session 4 - November 11: Website Tools and Beyond (Cybersecurity, SEO, and Analytics)
- Session 5 - November 18: Website Review & Feedback (Present and Review each participant's website and provide feedback on improving website strategy, website design and optimization).

Facilitator:
Auldyn Matthews-McGee, Founder, Auldyn Matthews Consulting, LLC


To Register for Training Series, CLICK HERE!

Workshop: Learn how Creative Businesses Get their Products to Market

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
The SBA Pittsburgh District Office is teaming with CWE to offer an in-person workshop on how to go from Maker to Marketplace. Join us for a panel discussion with existing businesses from 7 years to 2 years in business on how they reach their customers. Between the panel they have a variety of outlets to sell from market places, websites, and Amazon, and more!

Diane Danforth, Americat Company
Casey Kilroy, Pittsburgh Worsh Company
Lizzee Solomon, Lizzee Solomon Studios
Hanna Dausch, Han Studio

SBA Lender Relations Specialist Lynn Ann Vozniak will speak on the SBA’s three traditional lending programs and how to effectively articulate your funding needs to any lender by using the different elements in the SBA’s Lender Match Program. SBA Micro-lenders from the region also will be present to meet with attendees.

Voices Of Business Speaker Series

09:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Join the Center for Women’s Entrepreneurship and Ascender for a panel discussion on Scaling Up: Innovative Strategies to Accelerate Business Growth where women entrepreneurs will share on the good, the bad, and the “I can’t believe that just happened” moments of scaling their businesses.
The panel will discuss strategies for managing growth, securing funding, and sustaining a profitable business to attract investors or to sell their business. Panelist will be announced soon.