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Small Business Saturday

In this week’s Must Know

  • Small Business Saturday
  • The Goodies: This week’s highlight includes two opportunities to learn about the ‘Fiscal Cliff’ and what it means for your clients businesses (they are invited). Scroll down to learn how to register for the webinars on either November 20 or November 27.

Small Business Saturday

  • 103 million people shopped at small businesses on Small Business Saturday® last year.
  • Small businesses experienced a 13% increase in transactions on Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday is November 24, 2012, the Saturday after Thanksgiving. SBS is a day dedicated to local, independently-owned small businesses that create jobs, boost the economy and preserve neighborhoods across the country. Something CAMEO holds dear. Here are ways your business can get involved and help support Small Business Saturday:

  • Shop Small and show your support for small businesses and create goodwill within the communities where you work and live.
  • If you are an independent business owner, make the day your own: Think about having special promotions and join forces with neighboring small businesses to create a block party or holiday event. Don’t forget to leverage Small Business Saturday marketing tools.
  • Spread the word: Sign up for email updates at www.shopsmall.com and make sure to ‘Like’ the Facebook page and tell your family, friends and loyal customers about Small Business Saturday on your social networks.

The Goodies

New opportunities for trainings, conference information, funding, scholarships, and other information that have crossed our desks since the last Must Know: I have posted a running tab of current Goodies on the CAMEO website that lists items that were in past emails. Check it out to make sure you’re not missing anything, like grants whose deadlines are still alive!

Take Action: Please 1) sign the Be Your Own Boss petition to help the unemployed start their own businesses, 2) recruit five colleagues/Facebook friends to sign and 3) if you can, really spread the word by downloading the toolkit.

CAMEO Event: Our Women’s Symposium was held in Los Angeles on November 7, 2012, bringing together CAMEO members and local business owners to confront some critical issues. Get the details on our Think Big! Women Entrepreneurs Symposium recap. Read our veterans day press release about entrepreneurship and veterans.

AEO and FIELD Membership Discount: You save $100 on AEO membership and $100 on a one-year MicroTracker Premium Plan subscription – that’s a total value of $500 for only $300! Learn more about the AEO/FIELD Membership Bundle. This is a must-buy, if you are not already an AEO member!

Free Webinar: AEO hosts The Fiscal Cliff – What You Need to Know on Tuesday, November 20, 2012, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. PST // 2:00-3:00 p.m. EST. Join Martin Feeney, a member of AEO’s Policy Team, for a webinar briefing on the looming “Fiscal Cliff,” and what it means for you. A combination of expiring tax provisions, including the Bush tax cuts, and scheduled across-the-board spending cuts, known as sequestration, is set to take effect if Congress fails to act before the end of the year. Reserve your webinar spot now.

Free Webinar: CAMEO and Small Business Majority co-host a free webinar: The Fiscal Cliff: What it Means for Your Bottom Line on Tuesday, November 27, 2012, 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. PST // 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. EST. We invite you and your clients to attend and learn about the upcoming changes to federal tax policy and how it might affect the small business community. Learn more and register.

CAMEO Speaking Event: Heidi (me) will be on a panel at the CalAsian Chamber of Commerce Annual State of Small Business Lunch on November 28, 2012 at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco. Learn more and register. Also, check out our calendar for more CAMEO and member events.

CAMEO Member Event: Working Solutions and Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center host their fourth Annual Holiday Gift Fair in San Francisco on November 29, 2012 from 5:00-8:00pm at 101 2nd Street. This free event is open to the public. Find out which vendors will be there and stay up to date with details of the Fair. If your organization is hosting a holiday fair, then please let us know.

Online Business Prep class: The Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center starts is next Online Business Prep class on November 28 at 6:30 p.m. for 12 weeks. This live, interactive class is designed to assess the viability of clients’ businesses and ideas for business. There is homework and a presentation at the end, which supports in participants being prepared to write a business plan by learning the fundamentals of marketing, operations, and finance in twelve 3 hour webinars. Download the brochure.

Free Webinar: CFED hosts What Works for Job Creators? Experimenting with Integrated Delivery Systems for Microenterprise Services on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 12:30-1:30 p.m. PST// 3:30-4:30 p.m. EST. Over the past year, CFED has worked with several local partners including CAMEO member, Mission Economic Development Agency, to explore different delivery systems that integrate tax assistance, access to financial services and products and business counseling for greater impact. Learn more and register.

Conference: The Federal Reserve Hosts Paving the Way for Financial Success in California – A statewide symposium to support asset building programs and policies in California. December 4, 2012, Holiday Inn Fresno Downtown, Fresno. Access the agenda and register.

Conference: Beacon Economics host the 2012 Riverside/San Bernardino Economic Forecast Conference on December 6, 2012 in Ontario, California. Learn more and register today!

Resource for veterans: Joining Forces Mentoring Plus, that provides resources, including mentors, subject matter experts, and online connections to women veterans and military and veteran spouses to assist them in obtaining meaningful employment and a successful career of interest to them. CAMEO members can sign up online as mentors and subject matter experts on self employment and entrepreneurship. Please like Joining Forces on Facebook.

Job Opportunities: California Farmlink, Opportunity Fund, MEDA Women’s Economic Ventures, Working Solutions, CDC Small Business Finance, Small Business Majority, Community Financial Resource Center, Renaissance Bayview, Accion San Diego, and Valley Economic Development Center are hiring. Please check CAMEO’s job page for more information and other listings.