Powered by Small Businesses Need Us and Verizon Small Business Digital Ready, the curriculum is designed to give businesses the tools needed to thrive in today’s digital economy.

In a continuing effort to assist small businesses in the aftermath of the pandemic, the Institute For Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL) is hosting Ask the Expert events designed to help struggling small businesses succeed in today’s fast-paced digital economy. The program is made possible by a generous grant from the Verizon Foundation, which contributed to the expansion of the Small Businesses Need Us (SBNU) program started by IFEL in May of 2020 to support small businesses impacted by COVID-19.

More than 100,000 small businesses closed due to the pandemic, with a disproportionate impact on Black and Latinx-owned businesses. Many businesses are still struggling today due to the major disruptions they experienced and are left feeling more uncertain about their future than ever.

On Wednesday, September 21, IFEL will host Ask the Expert - Social Media Marketing at 5-6:30 p.m. ET. The seminar is designed to help attendees sharpen their social media skills and learn the differences between personal and business social media accounts and profiles. Topics to be discussed include goal-setting, objectives, tone and content for business accounts. Professional tips for converting followers into customers will be provided in addition to discussion of common mistakes and items to avoid. Christie Bayer, a marketing consultant who focuses on helping business owners align their personal and business needs into winning strategies, is the featured expert. There is no charge for the seminar. Registration is available here.

In conjunction with the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready platform, IFEL is hosting Ask the Expert events to connect small business owners with industry leaders on a wide range of key business topics including digital and social media marketing, capital access, understanding financial statements, and more. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is an online curriculum designed to give small businesses the tools they need to thrive in today’s digital economy, including access to personalized learning plans, coaching from experts and networking opportunities with diverse, industry-specific businesses. The weekly online sessions are interactive through video-conferencing and provide a deep dive into specific business topics, giving participants the opportunity to get answers to their questions and most pressing business issues.

To register and access the Verizon Small Business Ready platform, visit verizon.com/smallbusinessdigitalready. To learn more about Small Businesses Need Us, visit www.smallbusinessesneedus.org.

ABOUT THE INSTITUTE FOR ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP

The Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership (IFEL) is an independent, nonprofit organization that leverages the power of relationship capital to create pathways to success for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs and small business owners. Founded in 2002, IFEL’s mission is to eradicate the systemic barriers that prevent people from historically excluded populations from being able to access the knowledge, networks, and capital required for entrepreneurial success and wealth creation. Learn more at www.weareifel.org.