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Upcoming Business Development Workshops

caution sign The information on this page may be outdated as it was published 3 years ago.

The Economic Development Division works with the Cambridge Community Television (CCTV), Center for Women & Enterprise, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, SCORE Boston, and local organizations to provide business development programs and services to Cambridge residents, entrepreneurs, and businesses. 

Some workshops this fall are offering a bonus to eligible workshop participants of an additional 2 FREE HOURS of one-to-one advising with the instructor after the workshop to help you finish your project. Limited spaces. First come, first served.  See below.

Click here for a list of previously recorded workshops that are now available for viewing.  

Please note - classes may be cancelled or postponed due to lack of registration. Please call the Division at 617/349-4637 day-of to check the status of a workshop. 

September 2020

Steps to Starting Your Own Business! - Live streaming online workshop

  • Date:  Monday, September 14, 2020 
  • Time:  5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
  • Location:  Online
  • Presenter:  Pardis Saffari.  Free to all.
  • Description: This workshop will outline the various steps necessary to start your own business in Cambridge. As part of this workshop, you will: explore the process and learn about the risks and rewards of starting your own business; find out first steps to start a business; and get an overview of resources available to help you move forward with your business idea.  This workshop is a prerequisite for the 10-week Cambridge Business Planning Program.
  • To register, contact Rona Abrahams at rabrahams@cambridgema.gov  or at 617-349-4637.

E-commerce: Understanding Shopify

  • Date:  Wednesday, September 16, 2020
  • Time:  6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • Location: On-line
  • Presenter:  Andy Pyman. Free to Cambridge residents and business owners. $10 for non-Cambridge participants.
  • Description:  Shopify is an e-commerce platform that has everything you need to sell online, on social media, or in person. In this workshop you’ll learn how to set up an online store and create and edit product information.
  • BONUS:  Eligible participants will be offered an additional 2 FREE HOURS of one-to-one advising with the instructor after the workshop to help you finish your project. Limited spaces. First come, first served.
  • To register and confirm your eligibility for the bonus, contact Rona Abrahams at rabrahams@cambridgema.gov or at 617-349-4637.

Social Media Strategy for Small Businesses

  • Date:  Wednesday, September 23, 2020
  • Time:  10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Location:  On-line
  • Presenter:  Maritza Grooms. Free to Cambridge residents and business owners. $10 for non-Cambridge participants.
  • Description:  Figuring out how to make your business stand out on social media can be overwhelming. In this workshop you'll be creating and executing an effective social media strategy that works for you. We'll review best practices in social media, determine the goals for your business and brainstorm creative content ideas that will maximize your message. You'll leave with a draft of a social media plan that you can start using immediately!
  • To register, contact Rona Abrahams at rabrahams@cambridgema.gov or at 617-349-4637.

Making the Transition to Effective Online Communication & Marketing in COVID times

  • Date:  Tuesday, September 29, 2020
  • Time:  6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • Location:  On-line
  • Presenter:  Moira Studios. Free to Cambridge residents and business owners. $10 for non-Cambridge participants.
  • Description:  As social media and other digital channels become a major source of communication for businesses, it may be difficult to navigate which channels will be the most effective to interact with audiences. In this interactive workshop learn how to find the one that fits your business (e.g. Twitter, Facebook, Google+, What’s App. Instagram etc.). In this workshop, we will cover how to map your customer journey through COVID times, provide an overview of the different online channels and help you build a content schedule and create a plan.
  • BONUS: Eligible participants will be offered an additional 2 FREE HOURS of one-to-one advising with the instructor after the workshop to help you finish your plan. Limited spaces. First come, first served.
  • To register and confirm your eligibility for the bonus, contact Rona Abrahams at rabrahams@cambridgema.gov or at 617-349-4637.

 

October 2020

Professional Website Design with E-commerce: Intro to Wix

  • Date:  Thursday, October 1, 2020
  • Time:  6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • Location:  On-line
  • Presenter:  Patricia Egessa. Free to Cambridge residents and business owners. $10 for non-Cambridge participants.
  • Description:  Can’t code HTML? Don’t have thousands to shell out for a beautiful web design? Guess what? You can build your own interactive website using Wix.This two hour workshop will walk you through the web development program including how to pick a template, how to create and add multimedia content to multiple web pages, and how to enable e-commerce and blogs. Think of it as a Beginner’s Guide to Wix.
  • To register, contact Rona Abrahams at rabrahams@cambridgema.gov or at 617-349-4637.

Managing Business Reserves and Debts in a Pandemic

  • Date:  Wednesday, October 7, 2020
  • Time:  10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Location:  On-line
  • Presenter:  Revolution Capital. Free to Cambridge residents and business owners. $10 for non-Cambridge participants.
  • Description:  This workshop will guide sole proprietors and small business owners through the basics of how much you need in reserve as business returns to a “new normal” and the best strategy for managing debts during this period. We also look specifically at loan and funding types you might not have worked with before like PPP loans, community grants, SBA loans.
  • BONUS:  Eligible participants will be offered an additional 2 FREE HOURS of one-to-one advising with the instructor after the workshop to help you with your financial planning. Limited spaces. First come, first served.
  • To register and confirm your eligibility for the bonus, contact Rona Abrahams at rabrahams@cambridgema.gov or at 617-349-4637.

Elegant Website Design: Getting Started with SquareSpace

  • Date:  Wednesday, October 14, 2020
  • Time:  10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Location:  On-line
  • Presenter:  Andy Pyman. Free to Cambridge residents and business owners. $10 for non-Cambridge participants.
  • Description: This workshop will walk you through building your own website with SquareSpace.You’ll learn step-by-step how to pick out a template, build out your pages, and add text, photos and videos to your site. This class is a great introduction to getting your website started with SquareSpace!
  • BONUS:  Eligible participants will be offered an additional 2 FREE HOURS of one-to-one advising with the instructor after the workshop to help you finish your project. Limited spaces. First come, first served.
  • To register and confirm your eligibility for the bonus, contact Rona Abrahams at rabrahams@cambridgema.gov or at 617-349-4637.

Gearing up Legally for E-commerce in a COVID-19 World

  • Date:  Thursday, October 15, 2020
  • Time:  10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Location:  On-line
  • Presenter:  New Leaf Legal. Free to Cambridge residents and business owners. $10 for non-Cambridge participants.
  • Description:  With COVID-19 changing the brick and mortar landscape, small businesses are transitioning to more internet based business models. This can be a great way to expand your business and customer base at very little operational costs, but just like a brick and mortar space, it comes with its own set of rules and regulations. In this webinar, we will discuss the legal basics of running your business online, including Terms of Service, Privacy Policies, data privacy laws, copyright concerns and customer/web user communications.
  • BONUS:  Eligible participants will be offered an additional 2 FREE HOURS of one-to-one advising with the instructor after the workshop. Limited spaces. First come, first served.
  • To register and confirm your eligibility for the bonus, contact Rona Abrahams at rabrahams@cambridgema.gov or at 617-349-4637.

Easy Website Design: Getting Started with Weebly

  • Date:  Wednesday, October 21, 2020
  • Time:  6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • Location:  On-line
  • Presenter:  Andy Pyman. Free to Cambridge residents and business owners. $10 for non-Cambridge participants.
  • Description:  Looking for a no-nonsense way to build your own website? Weebly is a dynamic website creator that allows you to drag and drop components to create your own website. This introductory workshop will walk you through creating your own Weebly account and will show you the beginning steps in building your own website.
  • BONUS:  Eligible participants will be offered an additional 2 FREE HOURS of one-to-one advising with the instructor after the workshop to help you finish your project. Limited spaces. First come, first served.
  • To register and confirm your eligibility for the bonus, contact Rona Abrahams at rabrahams@cambridgema.gov or at 617-349-4637.

Making Awesome Videos for Social Media

  • Date:  Thursday, October 29, 2020
  • Time:  10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
  • Location:  On-line
  • Presenter:  Metter Media. Free to Cambridge residents and business owners. $10 for non-Cambridge participants.
  • Description:  Looking to maximize the impact of your business? Video is a key way to engage current and prospective customers. In the workshop you’ll be learning easy and time efficient ways to create branded video content that will build your audience and drive your business forward.
  • To register, contact Rona Abrahams at rabrahams@cambridgema.gov or at 617-349-4637.

 

November 2020

Build Your Customer Audience: Instagram Stories with Zing

  • Date:  Wednesday, November 4, 2020
  • Time:  6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • Location: On-line
  • Presenter:  Caitlin Archand. Free to Cambridge residents and business owners. $10 for non-Cambridge participants.
  • Description:  Looking to have a broader impact and reach new customers in a digital world?As technology rapidly changes, so does the way businesses promote and market themselves. In this workshop, you will learn how to create exciting content using Instagram Stories, along with tips and tricks to help you stand out and grab your followers' attention.
  • To register, contact Rona Abrahams at rabrahams@cambridgema.gov or at 617-349-4637.

Fabulous Facebook for Businesses

  • Date:  Thursday, November 19, 2020
  • Time:  6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • Location:  On-line
  • Presenter:  Patricia Egessa. Free to Cambridge residents and business owners. $10 for non-Cambridge participants.
  • Description:  Many businesses across the globe use Facebook to connect with their clients. It is a key component of any company's marketing strategy. In this class, you will learn how to set up a Facebook business page, use it to tell your fantastic brand story, and optimize its different features to reach your target audience. You will also find out how to create a fabulous Facebook strategy for your business.
  • To register, contact Rona Abrahams at rabrahams@cambridgema.gov or at 617-349-4637.

 

December 2020

Build Your Online Presence: SEO & Google Analytics

  • Date:  Thursday, December 3, 2020
  • Time:  6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • Location:  On-line
  • Presenter:  TBC. Free to Cambridge residents and business owners. $10 for non-Cambridge participants.
  • Description:  If you want to grow your advertising reach, this workshop is for you! This workshop will help participants learn about the benefits of SEO and Google Analytics. Participants will learn what keywords they should use on their website, how to get their rank higher on popular search engines, and understand key indicators to track traffic to their business website.
  • To register, contact Rona Abrahams at rabrahams@cambridgema.gov or at 617-349-4637.
Page was posted on 8/28/2020 3:56 PM
Page was last modified on 7/24/2023 9:58 PM
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