Illinois Small Business Development Center at Harper College

Cheri can help with digital (email, social media, content) and traditional marketing, viability and commercialization analysis, budgeting, forecasting, P&L management, pricing, packaging and developing a marketing plan. Cheri will assess your current needs through a SWOT analysis, and review of your current branding and positioning. She specializes in consumer products, especially food.

Please note, this session will be conducted over the phone so that we can offer you additional times to fit your schedule. Cheri can help with digital (email, social media, content) and traditional marketing, viability and commercialization analysis, budgeting, forecasting, P&L management, pricing, packaging and developing a marketing plan. Cheri will assess your current needs through a SWOT analysis, and review your branding/positioning.

Tony has been giving great business advice to hundreds of entrepreneurs and small business owners for 25 years. His experience includes a broad range of industries, including: real estate, wholesale distributors, trucking companies, retailers, contractors, education, chemical companies, contract manufacturers, farming, and business services.

Schedule a phone call with Tony Baldassano.

Book an appointment with Jennie Johns if you need assistance with your website, email service, and/or other technology issues. Jennie specializes in web functionality, usability and customer experience. She can assist with your technical questions regarding website creation, deployment, and ongoing maintenance. Jennie has over 20 years experience in developing websites along with 8 years teaching website usability, programming, and Microsoft Office applications.

For clients needing expert help with a restaurant, bar or food service business. Kevin McVearry specializes in the restaurant and hospitality industry at all levels of operations from start-up concepts to existing businesses. He has spent 25 years opening and operating restaurants, bars, and events across the country. Kevin has extensive knowledge in new venues, including design, construction, budgeting, menu development, promotions, and customer acquisition and retention. Startup friendly.

Schedule a phone or Zoom video conference appointment with Kevin. Please indicate if you would like a phone call or video conference with Kevin when you schedule your appointment.

For Elgin and surrounding area. Kevin McVearry has been an SBDC advisor since 2012. He helps both startup and established businesses in any industry. Kevin also specializes in the restaurant and hospitality industry at all levels of operations. He has spent 25 years opening and operating restaurants, bars, and events across the country. Startup friendly.

Not available until February 2020. Tom Cassell has provided one-on-one business advising to over 1,000 small businesses across different industries and issues. Tom specializes in operations, profitability, strategy, SBA lending (7a, 504), and buy/sell. Startup friendly.

Brie A. Crawford focuses on intellectual property and entertainment law, including patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets both domestically and abroad. She can counsel clients as to whether IP protection is appropriate, and if so, what kind and how to secure the appropriate protection. Brie also focuses on drafting IP-related agreements. She is registered to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Founded in 1989, Lavelle Law Ltd. is one of the most respected law firms in the Chicago area. Their expertise includes business and entrepreneurial law, estate planning, divorce and family law, criminal defense, commercial and residential real estate law, banking and securities law, law practice management, bankruptcy and more. The firm generously donates time to clients of the ISBDC.

Attention entrepreneurs, inventors and small business owners! Do you need the space, equipment and tools to develop a design idea, prototype or product? Harper College has launched a DYI prototyping lab and maker space. Training will be provided to use the equipment independently. Equipment will include 3-D printers, laser cutters, 3-D scanners, CNC, electronics wiring stations and more. For more information visit: https://www.harpercollege.edu/maker/index.php

We're all fighting for attention. That's the name of the online game. If you're not visible and relevant, you may miss out on sales. In this training, online marketing expert Vanessa Cabrera, will reveal simple yet incredibly powerful strategies you can do right NOW that will amplify your online visibility and position you as the go-to expert. Wednesday, November 27. 11am - 12:30pm CST

Get your 2020 marketing, visibility and sales plan mapped out! Struggling on where to even start? Are you trying to figure out how to get things out of your head and into something engaging? Still questioning which social media platforms you should focus on? In this impact-full training, marketing expert Vanessa Cabrera will walk you through 5 steps that will help map out your entire 2020 online media strategy. Wednesday, December 18. 11am-12:30pm CST

Get your 2020 marketing, visibility and sales plan mapped out! Struggling on where to even start? Are you trying to figure out how to get things out of your head and into something engaging? Still questioning which social media platforms you should focus on? In this impact-full training, marketing expert Vanessa Cabrera will walk you through 5 steps that will help map out your entire 2020 online media strategy. Thursday, December 12. 8:30am - 10am