OUR FUTURE: Small Business, Big Change and the … FUTURE: Small Business, Big Change and the Next...

OUR FUTURE: Small Business, Big Change and the Next Generation

OUR FUTURE: Small Business, Big Change and the Next Generation 2

Important Information Sponsors

The Illinois Entrepreneurship and Small Business Growth Association would like to thank the 2016

Conference Sponsors: Illinois Department of Commerce / Illinois SBDC, Constant Contact, Small

Business Growth Corporation and GrowthWheel.

Certification Hours

Certification hours will be available for each session. A listing of all participants registered prior to

May 19 will be available in the back of each general session and workshop. To receive credit for

attending the session, please initial next to your name. If your registration was received after May

19, please print your name on a blank line provided at the end of each sheet.

Special Notes

The conference will utilize multiple buildings at ISU. The planning committee encourages partici-

pants to bring umbrellas and jackets in case of cool weather or rain.

NO food and beverages are allowed in classrooms. Bottled water is allowed.

2016 IESBGA Conference Planning Committee

Denise Franta, Chair

Tom Becker

Elizabeth Binning

Frank Brisbois

Melissa Brown

Priscilla Cordero

Kathie Cravens

Ken Crite

Sheri Ericson

Andrew Fogaty

Florence Hardy

Rod Hollenstine

Kevin Lust

Sean Park

Harriet Parker

Mark Petrilli

James Ryan

Chad Stamper

Darryl Thomas

Mary Turner

2016 IESBGA Coordinating Council

Elizabeth Binning, Interim President

Melissa Brown, Vice-President

Priscilla Cordero, Treasurer

Harriet Parker, Secretary

Frank Brisbois

Denise Franta

Ken Crite

Florence Hardy

Kevin Lust

Sean Park

James Ryan

Chad Stamper

Mary Turner


WEDNESDAY, May 25, 2016

9:00 AM–4:00 PM Registration / Check-in

Registration will close for lunch (12-2 PM)

Atrium, State Farm Hall of Business

10:00 AM–11:00 AM Executive Committee Meeting

Room 402, State Farm Hall of Business

10:00 AM–12:00 PM SBDC Advisory Board Meeting


11:00 AM–12:00 PM Professional Development Committee

Room 131, State Farm Hall of Business Denise Franta

11:00 AM–12:00 PM Certification Committee

Room 132, State Farm Hall of Business Priscilla Cordero

11:00 AM–12:00 PM Membership / Communication Committee

Room 133, State Farm Hall of Business Ken Crite

12:15 PM–1:45 PM General Session I

Welcome, New Member Orientation, Annual Meeting of IESBGA and Lunch

Old Main, Bone Student Center

Keynote: Starting up in Illinois: Innovating Mobility and Independence through Entrepreneurship

Marissa Siebel-Siero, Co-Founder of IntelliWheels, Inc.


Over the past few years “entrepreneurship” has become a

popular buzz word in many circles including business,

government, education, and technology. As startup culture,

entrepreneurship, and small business ownership is illustrated in

blogs, commercials, and movies, we have to ask ourselves what

does entrepreneurship really look like? With the current

challenges we are facing in the state of Illinois, what does

entrepreneurship look like in our communities and how do we

foster entrepreneurship and small business development in Illinois? With many organizations

providing resources and opportunities it can be difficult to navigate the entrepreneurial

landscape. This presentation will explore the opportunities, challenges, and benefits of starting a

company in Illinois as seen through the eyes of a graduate student turned entrepreneur starting

up in a very challenging space, wheelchair technology. Focusing on a mission of innovating

mobility for people who use wheelchairs, the founders of IntelliWheels followed their passion,

their vision, and utilized multiple state and national programs and organizations to successfully

make the transition from graduate students to entrepreneurs. The presentation will identify some

of the challenges IntelliWheels; a wheelchair technology company based in Champaign, Illinois

encountered and overcame while creating a successful startup in the durable medical space in

Illinois. Over the past five years IntelliWheels has secured over 2 million dollars in funding

through the Small Business Innovation Research Grants from the National Institutes of Health as


well as a Series A funding round, developed multiple durable medical products, awarded

two utility patents, and is currently exporting products to over thirteen countries.

Marissa Siebel – Siero, a co-founder of IntelliWheels, will speak on her experience

starting a wheelchair technology company in Illinois. Highlighted throughout the

presentation will be information on grant funding opportunities, resources for small

business support, and opportunities for international business development. Importantly,

the presentation will aim to foster discussion between and among entrepreneurs, small

business owners, local and regional organizations with the intent of fostering deeper

connections, discussions, and relationships to build a stronger entrepreneur and small

business network in Illinois. Finally, the presentation will demonstrate how entrepreneurs,

small business owners, educators, and local and state stakeholders stepped out of their

silos to come together to support the development of a small business that has enabled

individuals through mobility technology.

Marissa Siebel—Siero is one of the founders of IntelliWheels,

a wheelchair technology company based in Champaign,

Illinois. Marissa originally came to Illinois to pursue her PhD

in Disability Studies and Community Health at the University

of Illinois Urbana – Champaign. Prior to starting

IntelliWheels Marissa was active in the disability sports

arena as a certified athletic trainer for Paralympic sports

including wheelchair basketball and wheelchair track for the

University of Illinois and the United States Paralympic Track

teams. Marissa was awarded Central Illinois Business

Magazine 40 Under 40 Business Woman of the Year in

2013 and recently was recognized as a top 10 finalist in the national InnovateHER

Business Challenge presented by the Small Business Association in March of 2016. Along

with being the co-founder and Vice President of Marketing for IntelliWheels, Marissa

teaches entrepreneurship in the College of Engineering and disability studies at the

College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois Champaign – Urbana.

Marissa enjoys volunteering her time supporting entrepreneurial events such as the Cozad

Business Competition, working with Community Choices an organization fostering

employment for young adults with disabilities, and playing with her dogs including her

basset hound Daisy who is a wheelchair-using puppy.

1:45 PM-2:00 PM Walking Break

2:00 PM-3:30 PM Session I Workshops

1) Generations in the Workforce

Marc Voegele, Express Employment Professionals


Generations in the Workforce introduces each generation with insights on: historical,

societal, and cultural influences that make each one distinct. It contains a workplace

theme that is very helpful to anyone in a management or supervisory position, but will

also positively impact your personal life as well. In addition, it helps the listener to see


how things that went on during their own development, helped to shape them into whom

they are today. Through interactive contrasts, those who attend gain a greater

appreciation for the other groups and also gain a better understanding of themselves.

This is a lighthearted approach that helps everyone learn while having a good time. The

bottom line is that you walk away; understanding how seemingly obvious things are now

tied together and have a greater willingness to understand others and work with them.

Marc Voegele is Owner/President of Express Employment Professionals in Edwardsville

and Fairview Heights, Illinois. He is also Chairman of the Granite City CEO Program, Vice

Chairman of the Riverbend Area CEO Program and serves on the Board of Directors for

the Edwardsville Rotary Club. He is a 1978 graduate of Aurora University.

2) Online Marketplace Lending: Understanding the Changing Face of Small Business

Financing

Amy Clinton, Accion Chicago


Increasingly, business owners are approaching Accion and our partners

with unmanageable debt from online lenders. We’ve seen a large growth

in the number of “Fintech” companies offering quick cash and easy

approvals to small business owners in need of financing. However many

of these lenders put businesses at risk with unaffordable terms, lack of

transparency, and abusive practices. Many clients are looking for relief

from these products that have put their businesses in danger, and many

of our partners have asked for help in understanding this issue. This presentation will

provide an overview of the new small business financing market, will identify resources

for business owners who have found themselves with unmanageable debt, and will

empower small business advisers to help their clients identify healthy financing.

Amy Clinton joined Accion in 2011 through the AmeriCorps program and became a Loan

Officer at the end of her AmeriCorps tenure. She now manages Accion’s Rescue and

Financial Triage (RAFT) program, leads credit training for new hires, and coordinates

technical assistance for Accion’s lending department. Before coming to Accion, Amy was

a young fellow for Sé Más Microfinanzas in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where she focused

on new product development and social impact monitoring. Amy graduated from Hope

College with a B.A. in International Studies and Business Management and is currently

pursuing a Master of Science in Business Analytics at the University of Notre Dame. Amy

has been published in the journal of Cost Management, is fluent in Spanish, and has

studied and worked in Chile, the Dominican Republic, and India.

3) State International Collaboration for Illinois’ Export Growth

Margo Markopoulos, Deputy Director, Illinois Department of Commerce

Office of Trade and Investment


Round Table Session with the Illinois SBDC International Trade Centers to discuss

resources available through the State’s Office of Trade and Investment.


Margo Markopoulos was named Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce Office

of Trade and Investment in November 2015. As the Office Director, Margo leads the

Department’s strategies to increase exports by Illinois companies and to attract Foreign

Direct Investment to the state. As Export Program Director since 2012, Margo manages

five regional trade specialists based in Chicago and 22 employees located in Illinois’ ten

foreign offices. During her eight years at the Department of Commerce, she has also

managed the Illinois State Trade and Export Promotion (ISTEP) program and has assisted

over 500 Illinois companies with expanding their global footprint through exports. Prior

to joining the Department of Commerce, Margo worked for the Governor’s Office in

Consular Affairs, where she planned numerous gubernatorial trade missions, including

the State of Illinois’ historic humanitarian mission to Cuba in 1999. This mission brought

the first sitting U.S. Governor to the island in over four decades. Margo also previously

worked as an Expatriate-Repatriate Policy Consultant for Fortune 500 corporations, and

she managed foreign business delegations to encourage bilateral trade. Margo received

a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Illinois in Chicago

and is a certified International Protocol consultant. Since 2003, Margo has been a

member of Children’s Service Board of the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital

in Chicago and is active in several international trade organizations. She also currently

serves as coordinator of the Governor’s Export Advisory Council, which is comprised of

business and public leaders from around the state. Margo is a native of Illinois and

resides in Chicago with her husband.

4) The Business Enterprise Program (BEP)

Carlos Gutierrez, Outreach Manager / CMS / BEP, Central Management Services


This presentation is designed to provide information and answer questions on the State

of Illinois Central Management Services (CMS) Business Enterprise Program’s (BEP) and

the Veterans Business Program (VBP), certification program. This is an opportunity to

learn of the requirements and guidelines of the program to help small businesses in

determining possible qualification and to guide them through the process. Carlos will

also discuss any recent or upcoming procedural changes that will affect the application

process.

Carlos Gutierrez is the certification manager for the state of Illinois and the coordinator

for site visit investigations for the CMS/BEP. He has worked for the State of Illinois for

20 years and has held different positions with state government. He has also been an

adjunct faculty teaching course(s) in the area of Strategic Management, Introduction to

Business, Criminal Justices and Political

Science. Also, served as an affirmative

action member for Northeastern Illinois

University.

3:30 PM-4:00 PM Networking Break



4:00 PM-5:30 PM Session II Workshops

1) Developing the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

Paul Callejas, Founder/CEO, GPS Campus

Cheryl Mitchell, Interim Executive Director

Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship

Moderator: Dan Mikilosz, Host/Producer

The Entrepreneurial Report podcast


Future Founders is a non-profit organization that was created in 2011 through the merger

of two programs: one created by the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (CEC) in 2005

and another created by Uptake Co-Founder & CEO Brad Keywell in 2006. We are led by

an all-star team who has launched everything from international companies to local

nonprofits to an annual celebration of ideas. We operate like a startup, work out of a tech

incubator space, and love to pilot new ways of doing things. We are actively involved in

the entrepreneurial community to stay on the pulse of what’s new and how we can

better prepare our students for success. Future Founders Fellowship is part of one of

their pilot programs. The Fellowship is a selective year-long program that accelerates the

success of the nation’s top young entrepreneurs. Fellows have priority access to all

Future Founders Startup services plus benefit from mentoring, entrepreneurial

experiences, a peer community, and volunteer opportunities through other Future

Founders programs. Paul Callejas lives in the Little Village neighborhood in Chicago. He is

an entrepreneur and a future politician. He recently graduated from the University of

Illinois at Chicago (UIC) where he got his bachelor's in Business Administration and minor

in Entrepreneurship; He started a campus dance team – Movimiento Latino -- because he

loves dancing to all the types of cultural music that is a huge part of La Villita; He also

joined Omega Delta Phi Fraternity Inc in 2012 and became the president his last year in

college. He founded GPS Campus in 2014 at UIC. GPS Campus is a free app that helps

students connect to campus life. The app helps students navigate around campus and to

your friends, see events going on around campus, and gives out rewards when students

purchase services/goods from local business. Paul is currently working in After School

Matter as a program specialist where he oversees Pilsen and Back of the yards area.

Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship seeks to prepare people, especially youth, to be

responsible, enterprising individuals who become entrepreneurs or entrepreneurial thinkers

and contribute to economic development and sustainable communities. The CEO

program is much more than a textbook course, rather, students are immersed in real life

learning experiences with the opportunity to take risks, manage the results, and learn

from the outcomes. Cheryl Mitchell has over 20 years of training and development, and

teaching experience. She is known for her dedication and desire to help organizations

reach their full potential and success. Cheryl’s warm personality coupled with her ability

to listen to and understand an organization’s mission and vision, compels her to find

solutions that have resulted in the development of sustainable programs, which have

obtainable objectives, ongoing development and increased value. A self-starter, Cheryl

has not only been a teacher in the public education system for more than 25 years, but

has also helped both students and educators achieve their professional goals through

ongoing coaching and support as she worked with Show and Tell Educational Consulting,


Northwestern Mutual Financial Network and Rockford University. Now as the Interim

Executive Director of the Midland Institute for Entrepreneurship, Cheryl is excited to join

both education and business professionals as partners in giving high school students the

opportunity to realize their potential through Midland’s CEO program. Now in 37

communities nationwide, the Midland CEO program is founded on principles of giving

students hands-on business and networking opportunities where they can not only

obtain skills needed for today’s workplace, but also transform into individuals who are

engaged in, contribute to and create opportunities for their communities to grow and

thrive. While Cheryl has a passion in helping individuals and organizations reach their

goals, her great joy has been in raising her two sons, Doug and Ben, who will both

receive degrees from Eastern Kentucky University and become firefighters.

Dan Miklosz is the founder of two tech startups and the creator/host of the The

Entrepreneurial Report podcast. A show about the stories of entrepreneurs, VC’s,

angels, and anyone else who has a startup story worth telling and sharing.

2) Easy Ways to Make Your Job Posting Come to Life

Abby Cheesman, Co-Founder, Skill Scout


The job market is changing. You struggle to stand out among

other companies competing for top talent. But your job posting

gets lost in a sea of text ads. If you’re open to new approaches

that attract more qualified candidates and help you hire them

faster, join Abby from Skill Scout, for a roundtable talk! In it,

she’ll share examples and practical steps you can take to make

your job posting more visual and tangible.

Abby Cheesman’s childhood curiosity about what people do at work led to an education

in I/O Psychology. Working as a design researcher left her itching to bring innovation to

hiring. She takes an ethnographic approach to understanding people and environments.

As resident data geek, Abby leads research, analytics and operations at Skill Scout.

Abby holds a BA in Psychology and Sociology from Northern Iowa and MA in Industrial /

Organization Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.

3) Get Shelf Made for Food Entrepreneurs

Lauren Young, CEO/Founder, Freshly Baked Communications


Get Shelf Made is a one-of-a-kind national workshop that was launched to help small

food business entrepreneurs understand how to prepare the best presentation to store

buyers and category sales managers of grocery & retail stores in an effort to gain shelf

space. During this preview presentation, the following sample questions will be

answered:

• Why is it worth the effort to get my products in retail stores?

• How can I stand out from my competition in national stores?


• What is the best way to present my new product if I don't have any competition yet?

• How important is it to exhibit at industry trade shows and are they worth the

investment?

• Is a food broker or distributor needed for a better chance at getting shelved?

• How can I make a respectable profit after broker commissions/distribution fees?

• How can my product's shelf life become extended once placed in retail/wholesale

stores?

Lauren Young is a four-time award winning author and the CEO and

Founder of Freshly Baked Communications (FBC). After working at the

headquarters of Kraft Foods in brand management, she started a brand

marketing strategy content writing firm to showcase her ability to create

memorable brands via her passion for creative writing. Her books, “Pour

– Marketing Success Starts with the Right Ingredients” and "Stir -

Achieving the Perfect Marketing Mix", offer substantial and easy-to-

understand advice to consider when promoting a brand to leave a lasting

impression within your industry. Lauren is also a recent recipient of

Chicago's Daily Herald Entrepreneurial Excellence Award.

4) State of Illinois—BidBuy

Amy Adams, State Purchasing Officer, Chief Procurement Office General Services

Craig Williams, Chief Information Officer, Executive Ethics Commission


The State of Illinois is proud to announce the implementation of a web-based

eProcurement system called, BidBuy. State agencies will use BidBuy to advertise

solicitation opportunities, evaluate bids, and publish contract awards. It will become the

State’s primary solution for sourcing and placing orders from vendors for the CPO –

General Services. BidBuy will replace the current Illinois Procurement Bulletin - General

Services (IPB) and link directly with the Illinois Procurement Gateway (IPG).

Implementation will take place in two phases:

Phase 1 (Starting April 6, 2016): Vendor Registration – Registration opens allowing

vendors to create and manage their business’ information in BidBuy.

Phase 2 (August, 2016): Full Procurement – State agencies use BidBuy to complete

small purchases, post solicitations, and award contracts. Vendors view and respond to

solicitations and manage purchase orders and contracts.

In this session, the new process will be discussed in depth so the PTAC’s will be better

positioned to help small business clients navigate the system.

Amy Adams has served in several procurement roles with the Secretary of State and the

Chief Procurement Office. While working for the CPO of General Services, she has been

a Procurement Compliance Monitor and currently serves as a State Purchasing Officer.

She has also been integral in the development of the BidBuy e-procurement system and is

excited to demonstrate how BidBuy will significantly change the way vendors search for

and bid on state contracts.


Craig Williams is a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville (B.S.in

Accountancy, 2007). Craig most recently served as a Procurement Compliance Monitor

for the EEC, and previously worked at Sikich LLP as an auditor. Craig has been

instrumental in the development and implementation of BidBuy. He produced and

recorded the BidBuy vendor instructional videos.

5) The Impact of GATA on Contracts with the State of Illinois

John Rigg, Deputy Chief Information Officer / Technology Directory, Illinois Department

of Human Services / Governor’s Office of Management and Budget


In this session, participants will learn about the state’s implementation of GATA which

includes registration in an online portal under development. The portal’s purpose,

features and benefits will be shared and discussed.

John Rigg has over 30 years’ experience with the State of Illinois through a broad

spectrum of positions, from direct customer services to operations to technology. John

currently serves as the Deputy Chief Information Officer of the Illinois Department of

Human Services and as the Technology Director for the Governor’s Office of

Management and Budget focusing on the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

implementation and the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA)

implementation.

5:30 PM-7:00 PM Networking Reception

Sponsored by Small Business Growth Corporation

Medici, 120 North St., Normal, IL 61761 7:00 PM Dinner on your own THURSDAY, May 26, 2016


Registration will be closed for lunch (12-2 PM)


8:00 AM–9:00 AM Continental Breakfast


8:00 AM–9:00 AM Coordinating Council Meeting



9:00 AM-10:30 AM Session III Workshops

1) Change Management for Small Business

Elizabeth Binning, Director, Illinois Small Business Development Center

at Illinois State University


Change happens – sometimes whether we want it to or not. Regardless of whether your

client company is facing change due to workforce demographics, changes in market

conditions, technology, poor performance, or, hopefully, growth, change can be

disorienting, creating stress & anxiety for many people. In this session we will go over

the ADKAR model of change management and how to apply it to your clients. From

diagnosing gaps, identifying risks, explaining the “burning platform,” and examining the

need for buy-in from sponsors and stakeholders, we will discuss many of the processes

used to create lasting change. In addition, participants will leave with a stakeholder

analysis matrix, client readiness assessment, and communication plan checklist. When

done well, change management accelerates the successful implementation of any change

initiative. This session will introduce you to a structured process and set of tools for

leading the people side of change to achieve a desired outcome.

Elizabeth Binning is a Prosci Certified Change Manager with an undergraduate and

master’s degree in counseling psychology from Illinois State University. In the eleven

years she has been the Director of the Illinois Small Business Development Center at ISU

she has provided change management support to clients through the improvement

process which may be in the functional areas of financial analysis, strategic planning,

marketing strategies, cash flow management, human resources, leadership development,

business plan development, or start-up assistance. During the eight years she worked at

Bradley University, Elizabeth worked with a number of business outreach centers

including the Leadership Development Center, Center for Executive and Professional

Development, Center for Testing, Turner Center for Entrepreneurship, International Trade

Center, as well as the Small Business Development Center. Through her work at Bradley

she provided psychological assessment services as well as 360-degree feedback to

leaders in addition to coaching businesses in more technical areas. Elizabeth is currently

the interim President of the Illinois Entrepreneurship & Small Business Growth Association

as well as a past president (2009-2011). She is a board member of the Economic

Development Council of Bloomington-Normal, Timber Pointe Charitable Foundation, and

past Small Business Day Chair of Leadership McLean County. Elizabeth was nominated

for the 2007 Athena Award and 2007 YWCA Women of Distinction Award and was

selected as one of the 20 most influential community leaders under 40 by The

Pantagraph in 2006.

2) GrowthWheel Enhancements for You and Your Clients

David Madié, GrowthWheel International, Inc.


A presentation on the new enhancements to GrowthWheel tools and expansion of the

GrowthWheel portal. A chance to discuss with the Founder and CEO of GrowthWheel on


how you can get the most out of the newly enhanced GrowthWheel website and tools

for both you and your clients.

David Madié is a life-long serial entrepreneur, the founder and CEO of GrowthWheel

International Inc., and the creator and designer of the GrowthWheel Framework - a

worldwide recognized visual toolbox that is used by business advisors in one-to-one

sessions to help entrepreneurs make decisions and take action. As the creator of

GrowthWheel, since 2008 David has trained and certified more than 1,800 business

advisors, incubator managers, accelerator advisors, venture capitalists, and other

entrepreneurship professionals in 36 US states and 33 countries around the world,

including North America, South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and South East

Asia. With the succes of GrowthWheel around the world - which was first launched in

the US at the NBIA conference in Orlando in 2010 - GrowthWheel International today has

offices in New York City, Copenhagen, and Johannesburg. An office in Toronto is

expected to open in 2016. David has been a keynote speaker on entrepreneurship on

numerous events and industry conferences for the last 10 years. David, originally from

Denmark, has since 2008 lived in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife Sophie and children

Amelié and Léon.

3) ibt partners: Your Resource for Going Global Through Website

Localization and Social Media Marketing

David DeAvila, Chief Operating Officer, Global Envoy, Inc.

on behalf of ibt partners


More frequently than ever, consumers and businesses start their

product searches and procurement processes online. Search engines

have become today’s marketplace, where customer demand meets supply. If you want to

stand out among your competitors, you need to be visible online locally and optimize your

website for search engines. Optimizing your website for Google search engine does not

mean optimizing it solely for google.com. Google.com is a US Google search engine,

targeting American consumers and businesses, featuring offers of local products and

services. Europeans, for example, use their local search engines when searching online,

e.g. google.co.uk in the UK, google.de in Germany and google.fr in France. Search results

and ranking positions are unique on each of these local search engines. In this

presentation David will discuss the international web business environment and how to

maximize your visibility for local search engines, covering:

How do overseas markets stack up against the US? The US is lagging in the use of

the internet for both B2C and B2B.

English – now a minority language on the web

Using country specific websites or at least landing pages for your main export

markets.

Ensuring that the content for each site is optimized for the search engine in that

country.

The need to engage in country specific marketing for your non-US sites. For

example, what you do in US social media does not gain traction overseas.


David DeAvila has over two decades of international experience which includes a two

year assignment responsible for the Mexico operations of Herman Miller Inc. The

operation went from a monthly loss to a 7x EVA during those two years. David was then

asked to head up all of Herman Miller’s international operations. After his departure from

HMI, he led the international sales for the Howard Miller family of four companies. During

this time, he grew their international distribution and was ultimately recruited to lead the

U.S. sales of Howard Miller’s leading competitor based in Germany, Hermle. Not long

thereafter, the U.S. Army re-activated David and he was subsequently deployed for 38

months’ worth of tours including Iraq and Afghanistan, earning him numerous awards

including the Bronze Star for his actions in Iraq from 2008 – 2009. In addition to the

above, David holds a patent for an invention he created for Herman Miller. He was also a

co-owner in www.ceilingscenes.com a company that was sold during his Iraq

deployment. David continued his product development skills by creating products for the

funeral industry that he launched for both Howard Miller and Hermle. David was part of a

start-up company, Eternal Image that licensed products for the funeral industry. If anyone

wanted to be buried in a NY Yankees casket, Eternal Image was the only company where

one could buy such an item. David served as the International Trade Development

Manager for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and had country specific

responsibilities for Mexico and Cuba. He assisted companies with their export programs

and culminated his tenure there with over $65 million in facilitated exports for Michigan

companies in 2015. He is now Founder and COO of Global Envoy, Inc. and VP of

Business Development in the U.S. for ibt Partners, a global Internet marketing firm

located in the U.K. where he helps U.S. companies grow their exports via country-

specific websites and marketing. David’s experience includes having lived, visited or

worked in 75 different countries and is fluent in Spanish. He has been to Cuba and still

has family living there.

4) Elements of a Successful Pitch

Steve Zika, Attollo, LLC


Entrepreneurs always need to be prepared to pitch, and in many

different settings. There are many common pitches that any

entrepreneur should be prepared to give including the elevator pitch,

the business plan competition pitch, and the investor pitch. Learn

about how to prepare each of these pitch types, what they need to

accomplish, and what a potential investor might be looking for in each.

Steve Zika is an experienced entrepreneur and investor. Over the past five years, he has

founded or co-founded four for-profit startups and one non-profit organization. He is

currently Director of Attollo, LLC, an investment firm focused on removing obstacles for

social entrepreneurs by providing mentoring, advising, and access to capital. Steve also

serves part time as Executive Director of KidKnits, an innovative fair-trade and

educational non-profit with partners across four continents. As principal of Attollo LLC,

Steve has led the seed capital round for numerous early stage companies including

http://www.ceilingscenes.com


Alchemy Alternative Energy, an innovative waste to energy project operating in Ghana.

Prior to Steve’s entrepreneurial ventures, he worked at Advanced Micro Devices for 16

years. His various jobs there included Chief of Staff to the President and COO, and

Director of Product Management for Desktop Platforms. In this role, Steve owned the

product roadmap, established pricing for all desktop processors, managed a $2.5B annual

P&L, and was responsible for long term business forecasting. He holds BS and MS

degrees from Stanford University in Materials Science Engineering.

10:30 AM-10:45 AM Networking Break


10:45 AM-12:15 PM Session IV Workshops

1) Grow Your Organization with Email and Social Media

Steve Robinson, Director of National Organizations & Regional Director—Illinois,

Constant Contact


Many small businesses and organizations find themselves seeking the right strategies,

tools and tactics to make their marketing efforts as effective as possible. But between

Facebook and Twitter, email and mobile, deals, and whatever new social network is

rolling out that month—there’s a lot to keep up with. And there are only so many hours in

each day. The number of possibilities can feel overwhelming. This session will help make

sense of the noise. Today we’re going to show you how to make the most of the

combination of email and social media for your organization. When the session is done

you’ll have a greater understanding of marketing basics like goals and objectives. You’ll

learn what a “campaign” is and what to write about and offer in that campaign. You’ll

be given some simple but powerful tips for how to get your messages opened and read,

shared and socially visible. And you’ll see that there are some great tools you can use to

help engage with your existing clients and supporters as well as expand your reach to

new prospects. Throughout the session you’ll be given opportunities to capture your own

ideas and build out the framework of your own “next great campaign.” So join us and

start to build a plan that will help you grow your center by eliciting the responses you

want from your clients and supporters.

Steve Robinson is Constant Contact’s educational marketing expert in Illinois. He has

over 30 years’ experience supporting small business, with a background in small business

marketing, management & development. He helps small businesses, associations, and

nonprofits develop and implement effective email marketing, social media, online survey

and engagement marketing strategies. Steve has twice been named to Crain’s Chicago

Business’ Who’s Who in Non-Profit Management and has written a guest blog for

nbcchicago.com’s Inc.well Blog. Steve draws from this experience to be a valuable

resource to Illinois small business & organizations. He has educated more than 50,000

small businesses on behalf of Constant Contact since joining the team in 2007 and has

presented at @Midwest, Techweek Chicago, & for the City of Chicago Treasurer’s Office

& Department of Community Planning to name just a few. Prior to Constant Contact,

Steve was the President of the Lake County, IL Chamber of Commerce, owned a graphic

design firm (Graphic Bytes for 17 years) and worked in the development field for a variety

of non-profit organizations. Steve holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Purdue

University.


2) Illinois Growth and Innovation Fund

Charise Williams, Deputy Chief of Staff for Civic Engagement

Office of the Illinois State Treasurer


On January 26, 2016, Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs announced the formation of IGIF

with $222,314,058 in committed capital from the State's existing investment portfolio,

which is not part of the State's General Revenue Fund. IGIF will invest in ways that

attract, assist and retain quality technology businesses in Illinois. We will discuss the

status of this program, how it will benefit Illinois residents, and how Illinois businesses

can apply.

Charise Williams, as Deputy Chief of Staff for Civic Engagement,

Charise serves as the direct link with the Illinois State Treasurer’s

Office and multiple external partners and communities across the

state. The mission of the Office is to engage neighborhoods,

elected officials, community leaders, and businesses across the

state to ensure that vital information and State resources are

being connected to the residents it serves. During Senator

Frerichs’ run for State Treasurer, Charise served as his Political

Director during the campaign and managed the relationships in Cook County, which is the

3rd largest county in the country. Simultaneously, she was also the Director of

Community Relations for Oak Street Health, a for profit company that launched

community based doctor’s office for seniors on Medicare. Prior to that, she decided to

take a leap of faith and resign from her role as Senior Program Manager for Link Unlimited

to pursue a Master’s in Public Policy at the University Of Chicago Harris School Of Public

Policy. She graduated in 2013 with a concentration in Economics and Education Policy.

During her time at the Harris School, Charise was selected to be an Education Pioneers

Fellow and served on a design team for a new CPS charter school, The Montessori

School of Englewood. She was also selected to be part of the inaugural class of Cook

County Fellows, where she worked in President Toni Preckwinkle’s Office on multiple

policy issues. Currently, Charise serves on the Board of Directors for The Renaissance

Collaborative Senior Village, BAPS Charm School, and is a mentor for high school

students in the Chicago Scholars program. Charise is the proud parent of a fourteen year

old boy and is inspired every day to be a voice for those who do not have a seat at the

table.

3) Levaraging FTAs to Help Grow Your Exports and Increase Profits

Lowell DeFrance, CHB, JD, Trade Regulatory Attorney and Branch Manager

Russell A. Farrow (U.S.A.) Inc.,

Christos Linardakis, JD, LL.M, Executive Vice President and General Counsel

Global Trade and Supply Chain Institute


Demonstrate how Free and Preferential Trade Agreements (FTAs/PTAs) can help grow

your exports, increase profits, and lead to a competitive edge for your company. Areas

that will be discussed:

Are you taking advantage of all available FTAs & PTAs?

Are you communicating to Sales the ability to sell this feature to your customers?

http://www.ilgif.com/treasurer


Where do you source and procure components and finished goods from?

Do you know where to go to find out what the qualifications are and how to

execute FTAs/PTAs?

Identifying which agreements will benefit you.

Overview and update on TTIP/TPP

Lowell DeFrance is a licensed customs house broker with over 20 years’

experience (since 1994) and international trade attorney (since 2009).

Admitted to Practice before the U.S. Court of International Trade. He is

an experienced branch manager and mentor, sales/marketing

representative and client consultant. Highly knowledgeable in

international trade law, international law, customs law and

transportation law. Leading-edge knowledge on regulations and

international trade compliance issues including but not limited to C-

TPAT, AES, USDA, F&W, ACE, ACH, RFL, FDA, ITAR and broker self-assessment audits.

He has in-depth knowledge with hands on experience in classification, valuation, entry

process, Foreign Trade Zones, prior disclosures, ruling requests, seizures, petitions,

protests, post entries, C-TPAT validations, and Free Trade Agreements (NAFTA, SG, US/

Korea).

Christos Linardakis is an attorney with the Braumiller Law Group and Partner in the Global

Trade & Supply Chain Institute. Mr. Linardakis holds two advanced law degrees (LL.M.) in

International Trade Law & International Corporate Law. He has served at several

multibillion dollar publically traded companies, as well as in small-to-medium size export

trading companies, as a Global Trade Compliance & regulatory

attorney, ITAR Empowered Official, and V.P. & General Counsel for

a German Export Trade Company. His ability to identify operational

weaknesses and risks associated with lack of proper global controls

and oversight of trade benefits, along with compliance issues, has

made him a regular speaker for both private and government

entities. His experience in various Export Enforcement

investigations and FBI cases has provided him with the skills and

insight on the risks of global trade.

4) Planning for Disaster

Barney Brumfiel, BF Brumfiel Company


The risk and uncertainty of business is daunting enough considering the normal business

life cycles and external influence factors. Yet, when you consider the threats of disaster

through natural or man-made causes the risk increases exponentially. The loss of

property, capital, data and even life can bring an end to even the most seasoned

businesses. Although we may not be able to alter the path of disaster, we can minimize

our losses by taking steps to prepare. This program will point out areas of vulnerability

and ways to protect you and your businesses in order to survive. The program includes a

video and workbook that you can share with your clients and assist them assessing their

risks and ways to mitigate devastating consequences.


Barney Brumfiel is owner of BF Brumfiel Company and specializes in offering temporary

business services to other business owners that assist in navigating the maze of business

life. Recognizing the need of business for professional services that assist in transitioning

through occasional events, Barney has modeled his business to provide those temporary

services that enable other owners to accomplish their desired objectives with the least

amount of disruption to the business possible; a “Business Mercenary” concept. Current

projects range from business relocation, hotel feasibility, business exit and acquisition as

well as business planning and modeling and capital formation. Clients include Freight

Logistics, Jewelry Store, Municipality, Custom Hunting Footwear, Podiatry Practice, Fire

Equipment Sales and Service to Women’s Boutique. Barney draws on a lifetime of

experience ranging from Agri-Business Sales and Service Management, Commercial Real

Estate Services as well as 19 years service to the Illinois Small Business Development

Network.

12:30 PM-1:45 PM General Session II

Keynote & Lunch


Keynote: Agile Small Business Development —The Horizon Beyond the Lean Startup and

the Business Model Canvas

David Madié, GrowthWheel International, Inc.

Tools and practices from the Lean Startup, Business Model Canvas

are part of a the paradigm shift that over the last 5 years have

changed the way SBDCs are helping client companies to develop

their business models through creative exploring and systematic

experimentation. But what if the next horizon for this paradigm

shift is about how companies are built and run? In this talk we will

look at how the agile approach to defining a business model might

also be used after the business model is selected and the company

is in operational mode. The key question we will explore is

whether the agile principles and practices that have shown to be

effective software development can also be applied to businesses.

After all, both a complex software development process and a

business development process have this in common that the end product cannot always

be predicted, and an attempt to do it might result in vast waste of resources.

Take away from this talk which participants can implement in their program is:

A language to speak about agile principles to be used in business Inspiration to use ‘sprints’ as a tool for client company growth Specific ideas for applying agile practices in one-to-one sessions

David Madié is a life-long serial entrepreneur, the founder and CEO of GrowthWheel

International Inc., and the creator and designer of the GrowthWheel Framework - a

worldwide recognized visual toolbox that is used by business advisors in one-to-one

sessions to help entrepreneurs make decisions and take action. As the creator of

GrowthWheel, since 2008 David has trained and certified more than 1,800 business


advisors, incubator managers, accelerator advisors, venture capitalists, and other

entrepreneurship professionals in 36 US states and 33 countries around the world,

including North America, South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and South East

Asia. With the success of GrowthWheel around the world - which was first launched in

the US at the NBIA conference in Orlando in 2010 - GrowthWheel International today has

offices in New York City, Copenhagen, and Johannesburg. An office in Toronto is

expected to open in 2016. David has been a keynote speaker on entrepreneurship on

numerous events and industry conferences for the last 10 years. David, originally from

Denmark, has since 2008 lived in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife Sophie and children

Amelié and Léon.

1:45 PM-2:00 PM Walking Break

2:00 PM-3:30 PM Session V Workshops

1) Capitalizing on Free PR

Carol L. Nichols, Center Director, Illinois SBDC at Danville Area Community College


With budget challenges, it is more important than ever to let people know about the good

work your center is doing without significant expense. Join us to review:

Maximizing the impact of press releases and knowing who should receive them.

What are news organizations looking for when planning their content?

News and advertising, what’s the difference?

When can advertising be news or news be advertising?

Maximizing in-kind dollars.

Creating your own news medium.

Carol Nichols has been the center director at the Illinois SBDC at DACC for 3 years.

Carol holds an AS in business administration from DACC and a BS in journalism from St.

Mary of the Woods College. Carol was in the news business for 35 years with Gannett

and CNHI newspapers in Illinois, Indiana and New York. She has 25 years of experience

in advertising and marketing and 10 years as publisher, responsible for the news,

advertising, marketing, production, distribution and business office operations of the

papers she ran. Through the years, Carol has owned three small businesses giving her an

opportunity to understand working with media from the other side as well. She writes a

weekly column for the News-Gazette, Rediscover Danville.


2) Funding Your Business with Intrastate Crowdfunding

Anthony Zeoli, Partner, Freeborn and Peters


Learn how Illinois entrepreneurs can benefit from the about newly passed intrastate

equity crowdfunding legislation, which allows Illinois businesses to raise capital from

Illinois residents for a small equity interest in the enterprise. There will be an initial

presentation of 20-30 minutes, with an additional amount of time allotted for Q and A.

Anthony Zeoli has particular expertise in the negotiation and documentation of real estate

transactions involving the acquisition, sale, construction, development, leasing and/or

financing of real estate and has represented parties on both sides of such transactions.

He is also an industry leader in the area of crowdfunding, in particular with respect to real

estate crowdfunding, peer-to-peer (P2P) lending, and Regulation A+ offerings. He has

most recently drafted a bill to allow for an intrastate crowdfunding exemption in Illinois

which was unanimously passed by the Illinois House of Representatives and the Illinois

Senate.

3) International Trade Resources—Panel

Elizabeth Ahern, Director, U.S. Commercial Service

Dennis Foldenauer, Regional Manager—SBA Export Solutions Group

Jacqueline Grahn, Principal, Trade Acceptance Group, Ltd.

Mike Howard, Managing Director Central Region, The Export Import Bank of the US

Paul Jarzombek, Chief Operating Officer, LR International Inc.


Elizabeth Ahern is the Director of the Peoria U.S. Export Assistance Center, Elizabeth is

the primary point of contact for implementing the programs and policies of the U.S.

Commercial Service for Central and Southern Illinois. The Commercial Service, as part of

the International Trade Administration and the U.S. Department of Commerce, offers

export help through trade counseling, business matchmaking, market intelligence and

trade advocacy. Previously, Elizabeth worked with the Illinois Small Business

Development Center (SBDC) in the International Trade Center in Central IL where she

worked with companies advancing international business from 2011-2015. Elizabeth has

over 20 years of international experience, spanning the private sector, academia, and

public service. She has extensive private sector experience working as an international

sales development manager, account executive, and international credit manager. She

certainly understands the challenges that all businesses face in exporting. Besides her

experience in the corporate world with large, medium and small enterprises, Elizabeth is

also an entrepreneur. She started her own consulting firm in 2011 focusing on

international business operations. Elizabeth also has extensive experience in academia as

the Director of Cross-Cultural and International Programs and Professor of Business. She

and her husband, Eric, have a son and a daughter.

Dennis Foldenauer is the Illinois and Wisconsin Regional Manager for SBA’s Export

Solutions Group at the U.S. Export Assistance Center in Chicago. In this role he reviews

SBA export loan applications and provides technical assistance to exporters and export


lenders on SBA’s International Trade, Export Express and Export Working Capital

Products. Previously, Dennis served as a Supervisory Economic Development Specialist

in SBA’s Illinois District Office and an Economic Development Representative for the U.S.

Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration.

Jacqueline Grahn is a principal with Trade Acceptance Group, Ltd. (TAG), a leading

specialty trade credit insurance brokerage representing the world’s largest trade credit

insurers and the U.S. government’s export credit agency, Ex-Im Bank. She has over 20

years of banking and international trade finance experience helping companies in the

Midwest safely expand both their international and domestic sales by mitigating the risk

of non-payment when offering financing to their clients. Prior to joining TAG, she held

positions at U.S. Bank, The Export-Import Bank of the U.S., Northern Trust and served as

a U.S. Peace Corps volunteer in Eastern Europe after the fall of communism. She is a

graduate of the University of Michigan and earned her MBA from Northwestern

University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Mike Howard is the Managing Director of the Central Region of Export-Import Bank of the

United States. Since 1988, Mr. Howard has been engaged in promoting exports of US

goods and services through a variety of programs including Export Credit Insurance,

Loans and Guarantees and Working Capital Guarantees. Mr. Howard manages the Central

States of the country.

Paul Jarzombek is the Chief Operating Officer and Director of LRI Projects. He began his

logistics career over two decades ago working for European and Japanese based freight

forwarding companies. Trained in Operations Management with a specialization in Ocean

freight project management, he has been a partner with LRI for 21 years. Mr. Jarzombek

is responsible for LRI’s overall operations performance including quality standards,

International agent and vendor relations as well as worldwide customer service and

satisfaction. With the C.E.O. and C.F.O., Mr. Jarzombek is charged with shaping the

direction and culture at LRI as we look forward to future growth and development. Paul

was awarded the Certified Global Business Professional certification in 2014 from Nasbite

International, one of only 1,500 recipients worldwide. Mr. Jarzombek holds a Bachelor of

Science Degree in Management from North Central College. Mr. Jarzombek is certified to

process dangerous goods by the International Maritime Organization. Mr. Jarzombek is a

member of the LRI Senior Management Team and teaches and lectures on several

International business topics.

4) Illinois PTAC Roundtable

Moderator: Sheri Ericson, Illinois PTAC Program Manager,

Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity


This is an opportunity being provided to all network PTAC staff to discuss important

issues that are currently affecting the Illinois PTAC Program. Come prepared with

questions for the PTAC Program Manager and other PTAC directors. Take advantage of

the chance to learn, teach and vent. An agenda will be provided at the start of the

session.


3:30 PM- 4:00 PM Networking Break


4:00 PM - 5:30 PM Session VI Workshops

1) Overview of U.S. and Foreign Intellectual Property for Small Business

J. Peter Paredes, Partner/Patent Attorney, Rosenbaum IP, PC


Small business owners often think Intellectual Property is too costly or too complex to

undertake any possible protection. However, forgoing Intellectual Property rights or

counsel may lose value for the company or expose the company to unintentional legal

risk. All businesses create and own intellectual property. Intellectual Property supports all

facets of your business-innovation, marketing, business planning. Intellectual Property is

critical to show ownership of your business. And Intellectual Property enables emphasis

on unique aspects of your business and protects these aspects and your business.

Peter Paredes’ practice involves developing patent portfolios for early stage companies,

conducting due diligence investigations, conducting analysis and rendering clearance and

freedom-to-operate opinions, rendering patentability opinions and conducting general

intellectual property litigation. Peter advises clients regarding intellectual property

protection and enforcement strategies to develop comprehensive and cost-effective

market-competitive strategies for clients. His patent practice entails drafting and

prosecuting domestic and international patent applications in the fields of biotechnology,

nanotechnology medical devices and mechanical arts, including genomics, peptides,

cardiovascular stents, vascular grafts, diagnostic systems and methods, drug delivery

systems, optical imaging systems, ultrasound imaging systems, catheter based imaging

systems, vacuum deposition processes, nanoparticles, nanocomposites, MEMS,

polymers, oxygenator systems, RFID systems, e-commerce, composite materials, and

blanket technologies.

2) Pitfalls and Possibilities of Non-Traditional, Non-Dilutive Funding

John McKee, Founder/CEO, Finger Guard LLC dba Cosmo Finger Guard


He will talk about the challenges he faced bringing his patented product, Cosmo Finger

Guard, to market. He will discuss the strategies and lessons learned of doing a

crowdfunding campaign and engaging strategic partners to help fund development

without diluting equity in his business.

John McKee is a lifetime Entrepreneur with 26 years years experience with several

Startups and Fortune 500 companies such as Sprint, Mortorola and Pitney Bowes. I am

currently 7 years operating as "Buisness453" a contractor & Business Development

Specialist with Prairie Technology Alliance and Founder and CEO of Finger Guard LLC dba

Cosmo Finger Guard the 1st patented cut resistant finger glove a Strategic Partner w/

Shark Tank Kevin Harrington and AsSeenOnTV.Pro and future Author of "Connecting

People, Business & Product" and KPI in the making (Key Person of Influence) in arranging

paid client meetings.

Twitter: @JohnMcKee453 / Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnmckee212


3) Coaching Entrepreneurial Talents

Denise Franta, Director, Illinois SBDC at University of Illinois Chicago


The most successful people start with talent, but talent is only potential. In order to achieve

excellence, one must discover, develop and direct one’s talent. Typical entrepreneurship

workshops focus on the process of starting or building a business. In this workshop the

focus will be on developing people. How can we as coaches and advisors facilitate and

direct people’s personal capacity to handle the demands of entrepreneurship?

Denise Franta is a creative and innovative thinker with a combined 15 years of professional

experience in sales, management, economic development and business education. She is a

developing academic professional having worked at Illinois SBDC at UIC in the College of

Business Administration since 2012. Passionate about creating opportunities for young

people through education and entrepreneurship, she recently earned a MEd. in Educational

Psychology-Measurement, Evaluation, Statistics and Assessment with the College of

Education at UIC. She also holds a BS in Marketing from UIC.

4) Illinois PTAC Roundtable

Moderator: Sheri Ericson, Illinois PTAC Program Manager



This is an opportunity being provided to all network PTAC staff to discuss important issues

that are currently affecting the Illinois PTAC Program. Come prepared with questions for

the PTAC Program Manager and other PTAC directors. Take advantage of the chance to

learn, teach and vent. An agenda will be provided at the start of the session.

5:30 PM Dinner on your own

Friday, May 27, 2016



8:00 AM–9:00 AM Continental Breakfast / New Member Follow Up



9:00 AM–10:00 AM General Session III

Cybersecurity - From Practice to Policy

Jacob Nussbaum, Manager,

College of Business Network Operations

Illinois State University


With the accessibility and interconnectedness of the internet today some of the most

prevalent crimes being committed are being perpetrated anonymously over the wire.

In-person crimes involving things like theft, and corporate espionage are becoming a thing

of the past when an individual can perform these tasks from the comfort of their own

home or local coffee house. This paradigm shift has caused corporations to continue

investing heavily in their security personnel, equipment, and training. In this session we

will discuss the growing need for cybersecurity practitioners and general cybersecurity

awareness along with best practices and policies for defense and resilience.

Jacob Nussbaum is the Manager of Network Operations for the College of Business and an

Instructional Assistant Professor at Illinois State University. Before coming to Illinois State

Jacob served 9 years in the United States Navy as an enlisted Information Systems

Technician. He holds a Bachelors and a Master’s Degree in Information Technology:

Information Assurance and Security from Illinois State University.

10:00 AM–10:15 AM Networking Break


10:15 AM–11:00 AM General Session IV

Certificate Presentation & Program Excellence Award


11:00 AM–11:30 AM General Session V



11:30 AM–12:00 PM General Session VI

Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Updates



Conference Notes


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