Unfamiliar with patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets? Learn about intellectual property (IP) basics and potential ways to protect your innovations as you transition from idea to product. The session covers:

• What is the USPTO?
• An overview of intellectual property types: patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets
• Why innovators and entrepreneurs should consider protecting their IP
• How to get started in protecting your intellectual property.

Webinar presented in collaboration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Speaker: Elizabeth Dougherty – Eastern Regional Outreach Director for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office 

Each year, the State buys goods and services totaling more than $7 billion – learn how your company can be a part of that!

This webinar educates small business owners about opportunities to sell their goods and services to the Commonwealth of Virginia and many local governments.

The workshop provides information about the Virginia procurement process (the eVA system) and the benefits of SWaM certification.

Speaker: Chris Ley, Business Service Manager, Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, Northern Virginia Region

Getting a small business loan can feel confusing—but it doesn’t have to be. In this session, hear directly from a banking expert about what lenders really look for when reviewing loan applications.

Learn:

• What banks consider when deciding on a loan
• What makes a strong application
• How to improve your chances of getting approved

Brought to you by Capital Pathways, a no-cost program from the Virginia SBDC that helps small businesses get the funding they need to grow. The program is designed for very small (fewer than 10 employees), emerging, and growth-ready businesses that face challenges accessing traditional financing. It offers hands-on group learning, guided implementation, and extended one-on-one support focused on strengthening your finances, loan applications, and legal setup.

Unlike many of their manufacturing peers, craft beverage producers need physical plants that not only meet their technical needs – e.g., utilities, loading docks, zoning – but also serve as inviting venues for public visitation. It can be hard to get this balance right, especially at a reasonable price.

In this webinar, Craft Beverage Assistance Manager Chris Van Orden asks Tom Hudock of Craft Buildings about how craft beverage producers can create compelling, functional spaces from which to run their business.

Understanding your tax and compliance obligations is essential for protecting your business and avoiding costly surprises.

In this session, we break down the core filings every small business owner should know—local, state, and federal—so you can stay compliant and confidently manage your responsibilities throughout the year.

Learn:

• What local taxes and licenses your business may need
• How county-level business property tax and meals tax may apply to you
• Which businesses must collect and remit state sales and use tax
• What state unemployment tax means for employers
• Industry-specific taxes (fuel, tobacco, and others) you may encounter
• When and why your business needs an EIN
• The difference between W-2 and 1099 income—and how self-employment tax works
• Federal unemployment requirements and filing expectations

This session is ideal for business owners who want to clearly understand their tax landscape before tax season arrives.   

Brought to you by Capital Pathways – Southwest Virginia, a no-cost program from the Virginia SBDC that helps small businesses get the funding they need to grow. The program is designed for very small (fewer than 10 employees), emerging, and growth-ready businesses that face challenges accessing traditional financing. It offers hands-on group learning, guided implementation, and extended one-on-one support focused on strengthening your finances, loan applications, and legal setup.

There are dozens of hurdles that wineries have to clear to maintain strong and profitable operations, from pests and fungus — to weather-related damage — to key personnel departure and beyond. Thankfully, there are a myriad of insurance tools to minimize these risks and dampen the impact of adverse events.

In this webinar, Craft Beverage Assistance Manager Chris Van Orden asks Kristen Stahl of HUB International about how wineries can insure against threats – new and old.