Next Savvy Entrepeneur Seminar - Feb. 18 (back) 2/2/2010 Come and join us at the fourth session of the Savvy Entrepreneur Series Thursday, February 18, 2010 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Registration and Networking 5 - 6 p.m. Program 6 - 7:30 p.m. Networking 7:30 - 9 p.m. NEW LOCATION The Factory - Coworking Grand Rapids 38 West Fulton, Suite 320 Grand Rapids MI 49503 Map and Parking Options Co-produced locally by the West Michigan Science & Technology Initiative, Grand Angels, MIT Enterprise Forum and Great Lakes Entrepreneur's Quest. The Savvy Entrepreneur seminar series will provide a highly interactive forum for entrepreneurs and start-up, early- and mid-stage high growth companies to interact with a panel of experts, as well as network with their peers. The series is designed to focus not only on the basic how-to’s of building a successful business, but also cover best practices in intellectual property, team building, initial sales and securing capital. Cost to attend: $30 per session if registered in advance, $40 per session at the door, or series pass (all six sessions) for $100. Students: $5 per session at the door. Click here to register online. The series includes six sessions, from September 2009 to May 2010. Topics include: September 30, 2009 – Anatomy of the First Sale - COMPLETE Learn the anatomy of the first sale, how to think through positioning your service/product, and how to structure your message to maximize value. Sponsor: Reagan Marketing & Design October 15, 2009 – Building Barriers to Market Entry by Competition: Intellectual Property and All That Jazz! - COMPLETE Multiple opportunities and options can be created to build barriers to market entry by competitors to your new enterprise. This session will focus on strategic and tactical use of intellectual property, trade secret, first-to-market positioning, channel blocking, strategic partnership, and other ways to build and keep market dominance! Sponsor: Price, Heneveld, Cooper, DeWitt & Litton, LLP November, 18, 2009 - Building a Great Team - COMPLETE The top five criteria to most investor reviews is management, management, management, management, and management. Designing and building a winning management team (and Board!) is essential to business success and gaining investment. Our panel of experts will address how to recruit and retain key leaders, advisors, and board members for your start-up company. Sponsor: Axios Incorporated February 18, 2010 – The Continuum of Funding Access to capital at any stage of business development is critical. This session will focus on which type of investment is most appropriate, and what investment vehicles are available (especially some you might not know about!) Sponsor: Warner, Norcross & Judd April 13, 2010 – Cash Flow Learn what cash flow is, how it can be maximized and best practices for compensating the executive team while sustaining the business. Sponsor: Lambert, Edwards & Associates May 19, 2010 – Series Wrap-up The 2009-2010 Savvy Entrepreneur seminar series wrap-up and recap. Come network one last time and we will discuss the series as a whole as you provide us with your feedback. Sponsor: Grand Valley State University