(JACKSON, Miss.) – The Mississippi Gulf Coast/Delta Alliance for Economic Inclusion will hosts its third annual statewide small business conference from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, at the Mississippi e-Center at Jackson State University, located at 1230 Raymond Road in Jackson.
The AEI is an initiative established by the FDIC to foster business growth and development. It is comprised of local and national banks, the U.S. Small Business Administration, small business development organizations other regional public and private entities. The groups work to stimulate economic development through entrepreneurship by addressing key economic issues and challenges facing small, micro, veteran, minority and women-owned businesses in Mississippi. They also work to bring more of the unbanked and underbanked populations into the financial mainstream.
The one-day event, themed “Moving from Obstacles to Opportunities,”, is sponsored by the Jackson State University Center for Business Development and Economic Research, and the Small Business Development Center, along with participating partners the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Comptroller of the Currency, Small Business Administration, BankPlus, BancorpSouth, Mississippi Development Authority, Regions Bank, Trustmark Bank, First Commercial Bank, SBCAP of MS, Hope Credit Union and the City of Jackson.
“This conference is an excellent opportunity for those in the small business community to explore the many resources available to build capacity and gain access to opportunities,” said Lurlene Irvin, director of the Center for Business Development and Economic Research. “Aspiring entrepreneurs should also attend as they will find a network of information, start-up support and professional mentoring.
Topics to be covered during the workshop include:
- Social Media Marketing–Tips And Tools
- Creating and Maintaining Good Business Credit And Improving Your Credit Score
- Driving Prosperity & Growth: Positioning Your Company for a Bank Loan
- Financing Your Small Business – Alternatives to Traditional Banks
- Recordkeeping: The Kiss Method…. Keeping It Simple
- Doing Business With Government And Corporations
- To Catch A Thief: Establishing Controls To Eliminate Theft
- Small Business Expo and Exhibits
- Keynote Luncheon featuring Meredith Anderson, CEO, Can’t Be Beat Fence and Construction, LLC.
Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. The cost to attend is $35. To view a full conference agenda, register online or download a registration form, visit https://msaeismallbusinessconference2012.eventbrite.com/. For more information, call Patricia Chaffin at 601-979-2029.
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Spencer McClenty
spencer.l.mcclenty@jsums.edu