Wednesday, March 14
Massachusetts Office of International Trade & Investment Briefing, 8:30 to 10 a.m., Enterprise Center, Salem State University, 121 Loring Ave., Salem. Informational session about the availability of grant money for small businesses seeking to increase their exports. Small businesses can apply for up to $10,000 in State Trade and Export Promotion grants to grow their exports. Session led by representatives from the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center and the Massachusetts Export Center. www.EnterpriseCtr.org.
Thursday, March 15
Cloud Computing: What's It All About?, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Enterprise Center, Salem State University, 121 Loring Ave., Salem. Get a firsthand look inside "the cloud," and learn what it is, its advantages and disadvantages, providers, and other information about the next big information technology trend. Speaker: Lowell Gray, CEO of Shore.Net. Free. www.EnterpriseCtr.org.
Tuesday, March 20
Web Design 2012: Customer-Focused Websites, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Enterprise Center, Salem State University, 121 Loring Ave., Salem. Learn how a company's brand messaging, target audience and calls to action can define the website design if done properly, or be used for a quick fix if a full redesign isn't possible. Free. Speaker: Michael Flint, owner and principal of Metropolis Creative. www.EnterpriseCtr.org.
Friday, March 23
North Shore Chamber of Commerce: North Shore Business Leads Group, 8 to 9:30 a.m., North Shore Chamber office, 5 Cherry Hill Drive, Suite 100, Danvers. Group is composed of many types of businesses that are intently focused on being a marketing force for each other; networking environment where one can build relationships with other professionals. Members will become familiar with each others' businesses and learn how they can create referrals. $25/members. Register at www.northshorechamber.org or 978-774-8565.
Saturday, March 24
2012 Essex County Institute for Trustees Board Training, all day, Pingree School, 537 Highland St., Hamilton. All-day training and workshops for nonprofit board members and executive directors, offered by the Essex County Community Foundation's Institute for Trustees. Opportunity for nonprofits to engage their boards and for board members to understand the roles and responsibilities of being an effective nonprofit leader. Speakers: Karen Ansara, co-founder of the Haiti Fund at the Boston Foundation, and Donald J. Greene, national strategy and product executive, Bank of America Merrill Lynch Philanthropic Management Services Group. $65/person until March 15; $85/person after. Registration includes breakfast, lunch, and post-conference wine and cheese social. Register at www.eccf.org/institute-for-trustees-215.html.
Tuesday, March 27
New Technologies to Boost Your Business, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Enterprise Center, Salem State University, 121 Loring Ave., Salem. New platforms and technologies are always emerging; learn how leveraging them can provide new tools for reaching customers and running a business. Find out if a different website is needed for smartphones, how the appliances and social media can connect with clients, and how to save money with smartphones and tablets. Speaker: Jane Bright, CEO of Brightwork. Free. www.EnterpriseCtr.org.
Wednesday, March 28
Trends With Benefits: Social Media Must Do's for 2012, 7 to 9 a.m., Danversport Yacht Club, 161 Elliott St., Danvers. North Shore Technology Council breakfast will feature session leaders Ed Alexander of FanFoundry and David Cutler of Creative Business Development, who will share demonstrations of successful projects and lessons learned, and will also address attendees' questions while connecting the dots between social media and professional and business success. 7 a.m., networking and continental breakfast; 7:45 a.m., program. $25/NSTC members, $50/nonmembers. www.nstc.org or events@nstc.org.
Green Salem Business Challenge: Greater Shade of Green Information Session, 8 to 10 a.m., 120 Washington St., third floor, Salem. The challenge, open April 1 through 30, has an updated survey and new Web resources. GSBC is an opportunity for Salem businesses to initiate green practices and measure and assess their current green status through the GSBC survey and Greater Shades of Green scale; preview and learn about this year's updated survey. Free; open to all Salem businesses. Light refreshments served. Register at 978-619-5479 or jrose@salem.com.
Tuesday, April 3
The Business Of Consulting, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Enterprise Center, Salem State University, 121 Loring Ave., Salem. Listen to seasoned practitioners talk about the pros and cons of a consulting business, and what it takes to get started and to succeed. Get a better idea of whether consulting is a possibility. Speakers: Ruth Gerath, founder and consultant, Consultants Business Academy; Richard Langevin, president and consultant, Langevin Management Advisors; and Jeff Bard, owner, Bard Direct Marketing. Free. www.enterprisectr.org.
Wednesday, April 4
North Shore Chamber of Commerce: Executive Breakfast Forum, 7:15 to 9 a.m., CoCo Key Hotel, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers. Breakfast will feature Energy Forum moderated by William Penney, Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline, and includes a talk by Marci Reed, National Grid; Tom Kiley, Northeast Gas Association; Rep. John Keenan; and Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll. Networking, 7:15 a.m.; program, 8 to 9 a.m. $35/North Shore Chamber of Commerce members, $55/nonmembers. Register at www.northshorechamber.org or 978-774-8565.
Agganis Forum Series, Salem State University's Bertolon School of Business, 6 p.m., 71 Loring Ave., Salem, in the university recital hall on Central Campus. Karen Kaplan of Marblehead, president of advertising firm Hill Holliday, will kick off 2012 Agganis Forum. Free, but seating is limited and reservations are required at mrodriguez@salemstate.edu or 978-542-2426 by March 23.
Thursday, April 5
Leadership: Focus on Developing Talent, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Enterprise Center, Salem State University, 121 Loring Ave., Salem. Learn why leaders need to create active awareness of how they can better understand and address employees' needs, achievements and developmental gaps; doing so translates into more productive and satisfied employees, and generates a pipeline of leadership talent and accelerated results for one's company. Speaker: Deirdre Sartorelli, president of Rogue Wave Advisors. $10/person. www.enterprisectr.org.
Monday, April 9
North of Boston Business Plan Competition Finale, 3 to 6 p.m., Recital Hall, Bertolon School of Business, Salem State University, 71 Loring Ave., Salem. See the best emerging companies of the region. The competition concludes when the three finalists present their business plans before the expert panel of judges, investors and guests. Meet the competitors, judges and investors, and network with other companies. Free. www.enterprisectr.org.
Wednesday, April 11
Business of the Arts: Successful Entrepreneurship for Artists, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Enterprise Center, Salem State University, 121 Loring Ave., Salem. Workshop will offer advice on how to get started in business and some important factors to consider; discussion will cover strategies for maintaining a successful venture for the long haul and effective low-budget methods of marketing and branding. Get insights, tips and tools specifically for artist entrepreneurs. Speaker: Andy Bablo, founder and consultant at Consultants Business Academy. Free. www.enterprisectr.org.
Thursday, April 12
Negotiating Skills for Success, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Enterprise Center, Salem State University, 121 Loring Ave., Salem. Introduction to the core factors in all kinds of negotiation will address how to prepare, understand what's really being negotiated and develop the confidence to negotiate. Speaker: Steve Cohen, president of The Negotiation Skills Company. Free. www.enterprisectr.org.
2012 Taste of Success, 6 to 9 p.m., Willowdale Estate, 24 Asbury St., Topsfield. North Shore Women in Business presents annual fundraiser, featuring networking, socializing, food tastings from North Shore's restaurants, wine tasting led by experts from The Wine Cellar in Danvers, raffle baskets and silent auctions. Proceeds support The Sue DeVries Cancer Foundation of North Shore and the Lesley Fox Denney Memorial Scholarship Fund, dedicated to the longtime member who lost her battle with breast cancer last year. $49/person. Register at Info@NSWIB.org.
Tuesday, April 24
Retirement Plan Secrets for Small Business Owners, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Enterprise Center, Salem State University, 121 Loring Ave., Salem. Explore retirement options available to a small-business owner and learn the pros and cons of each. Greg Stevens, certified financial planner and chartered retirement plan specialist at Cabot Money Management. Free. www.enterprisectr.org.
Thursday, April 26
Pricing Your Products and Services, 8:30 to 10:30 a.m., Enterprise Center, Salem State University, 121 Loring Ave., Salem. Learn about pricing concepts; the role of pricing in a company's strategy; and an easy four-step process to determine pricing for services or products on the basis of costs, customer goals, trends and competition. Speaker: Jane Johnson, certified business exit consultant, partner B2B CFO Inc. Free. www.enterprisectr.org.
Thursday, April 28
North Shore Chamber of Commerce: Human Resource Professionals Meeting, 7:45 to 9 a.m., North Shore Chamber office, 5 Cherry Hill Drive, Suite 100, Danvers. H. Cliff Watkin, partner at Ipswich Bay Advisors, speaks on the new 401(k) legislation taking effect Aug. 31. Register at www.northshorechamber.org or 978-774-8565.
Wednesday, May 9
North Shore Chamber of Commerce: Professional Networking Reception, 5 to 7 p.m., 300 Jubilee Drive, Peabody. Preview the Montserrat College of Art Artrageous!26 auction items. Network and meet with other leading firms' professionals. Hors d'oeuvres, drinks and music. Register at www.northshorechamber.org or 978-774-8565.
Boeing, Airbus Battle for Sales Supremacy
US Employers Add 175K Jobs, Rate Up to 7.6 Pct.
Rihanna Hits Fan With Microphone During UK Concert
Obama Renews Call for Nuclear Reductions
Miami Heat Wins in Overtime
Raw: Arizona Wildfire Scorches 8 Square Miles
Fists, chairs fly in restaurant brawl
Journalist Michael Hastings Dies in Fiery Hollywood Crash
Hairy Leg Stockings Aim to Deflect Male Attention
Inside Kim Kardashian's Premature Labor
Three Charged for Enslaving Mother and Daughter
Raw: Huge Fire Near Yosemite National Park
Spurs' Popovich has no problem with Spurs' intensity
RAW: NSA Director Says 50 Plots Foiled
Paige Butcher Scorches on Hawaii Beach
Video: worst way to load cargo onto a plane
Never-before-seen footage of '08 Times Square bomber
Obama: NSA Secret Data Gathering 'Transparent'
WATCH IT: Lil Wayne tramples American flag
Mariah Carey Looks Beautiful in a Tiny Cut-Out Swimsuit
Out of Control Boat Throws Passengers Overboard
See Lindsay Lohan in Rehab
