Conference activities include presentations by:

o Chris Holman, publisher of the Greater Lansing Business Monthly and Small Business Advocate for the state of Michigan, who will offer tips on starting a business.
o Tom Root, managing partner of Zingerman’s, on customer-focused success.
o David Merritt, owner of IMU T-Shirts, an apparel brand that plans to innovatively change the face of fashion by building its foundation on a socially conscious platform.
o Katherine Hilboldt Farrell of Katherine’s Catering will discuss how she “Catered her Way to Success.”
o Nick Pagano, director with YTB and co-author of “The Morality of Money” will discuss “Multiple Streams of Revenue.”
o Joe Venuto, a recent EMU graduate, will discuss “Entrepreneurship: Going into Business for Yourself.”

The Sesi Conference, in conjunction with the American Chinese Students Association and Chinese Week, is proud to present a two-part series focusing on international business. Dr. Jamie Hsu of Lawrence Tech University will host “East Meets West Business,” followed by a panel discussion “Doing Business in China,” featuring panelists John S. Wilson, attorney at law and Mr. Wei Wang, president of Atra Plastics, Inc.

Networking along with a continental breakfast starts at 8:30 a.m. followed by opening remarks. A sit-down lunch follows and the conference concludes with the keynote speaker. After the conference is the Skandalaris Business Plan Competition as high school and university/community college students compete for cash prizes totaling more than $5,000.

The event is free but registration is required. Visit the Center For Entrepreneurship website or call Paul A. Nucci at (734) 487-0902 for details.
Sesi Entrepreneurship Conference

…Goldschmidt is one of the nearly 70 new startups that have begun working with Ann Arbor Spark this year, a roughly 25 percent increase from the same period in 2008, according to Skip Simms, director of business acceleration services at Spark.

Much of the spike is driven by an increased awareness of the resources available to Ann Arbor’s entrepreneurial community and an increase in those resources, Simms said.

For example, Spark has about $1.5 million in micro-loan funds available for startups that the agency lacked last year. The funds pay for things like company prototype completion, pre-revenue stage ramp-up costs, market research, marketing efforts and other early stage needs.

Spark’s new cash is available through three separate funds. The state of Michigan allocated about $1 million to Spark from its 21st Century Jobs Fund for the Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund.

Another $275,000 is available from the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti SmartZone through the Local Development Finance Authority and Spark, as well as about $225,000 for startups in Eastern Washtenaw County through the Eastern Washtenaw County micro-loan fund, according to Simms. …

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This month’s moderator is Jim Hume, Principal of Phire Branding Company, a marketing communications strategy, design and interactive firm specializing in creating strong and memorable brands that resonate in the marketplace.

This program is for business owners and managers, marketing and communications staff, current and potential entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in taking their company to the next level.

Join us virtually or in person. The meeting will be held at SPARK Central, 330 E Liberty, Lower Level, Ann Arbor, MI.