The DeKalb Chamber Small Business Committee assists the Chamber with recruiting, educating, and mentoring small businesses. Create and identify opportunities for growth and facilitate partnerships to improve small business programs. Help identify opportunities in the public and private sector.
This committee meets monthly on the 3rd Tuesday of each month from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM. Measure the Effectiveness of Your Website and Your Social Media
Today?s consumers heavily rely on the internet to make their purchase decisions. This makes it critically important to ensure that your business is noticed online.
You cannot afford to leave your digital marketing to chance. You need to conduct a comprehensive audit to determine which of your marketing efforts work and which need to be overhauled or even scrapped.
In this Live Online Workshop, you will be guided through the use of audit tools that evaluate SEO, social media, website content, and promotional efforts.
In addition, you will learn how to:
Track your metrics
Look for gaps in your sales funnel
Assess your workflows and processes
Perform a conversion assessment
And more
You'll leave equipped with the resources and tools to strategize, execute, and adapt your audit to ensure you are hitting your goals. SBDC StartSmart provides the resources, support, and motivation to put your dream within reach.
StartSmart is tailored to be held virtually to facilitate virtual discussion, class engagement, & mastery of content. Participation in StartSmart will also allow access to LivePlan, an online business planning software. The program is facilitated by specially trained SBDC consultants and a long-term relationship with the SBDC and follow-up consulting is available and encouraged following the program.
Whether you are a new business (in business 2 years or less), or are still in the planning phase, building a business takes the right tools?and a lot of hard work. SBDC StartSmart will equip you to be successful!
SBDC StartSmart helps attendees to:
Evaluate & refine your business concept
Improve your knowledge of business concepts
Research markets and competition
Develop a financial forecast to improve chances of success
Develop a thorough, practical business plan
SBDC StartSmart includes 16 hours of instruction delivered over a period of 4 weeks. Sessions will be held twice a week for 2 hours.
LEARN HOW TO:
Evaluate your concept and develop plans to move forward.
Improve knowledge of business fundamentals.
Build an infrastructure for business operations and processes.
SBDC StartSmart graduates acquire:
An actionable business plan and access to business planning software
Access to financial and business resources.
A network of entrepreneurial peers and professionals
Eight modules cover critical issues for new businesses:
MODULE 1: Business Success ? How do we get there?
MODULE 2: Opportunity & Solutions
MODULE 3: Marketing for Success
MODULE 4: Digital Marketing & Online Strategies
MODULE 5: Navigating Human Resources
MODULE 6: Operations & Managing by the Numbers
MODULE 7: Management with a Plan
MODULE 8: Plan, Run, Review, Revise Join the DeKalb Chamber for a full recap of the 2026 Georgia General Assembly legislative session.
The Georgia Chamber of Commerce will share highlights of which pieces of legislation successfully passed both chambers of the legislature as it relates to business, workforce development, and education.
SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE:
Supporting Sponsor ($500)
Includes Verbal Recognition from Podium,
Logo Placement on Registration Page & Event Signage,
Logo Placement on Promotional Materials, and
Four (4) Tickets to the Event Join the DeKalb Chamber for a ribbon cutting at Nothing Bundt Cakes - Decatur. To find the perfect recipe for joy, you need the perfect ingredients. Our Bundt Cakes are handcrafted in a variety of delicious flavors and sizes. Join the DeKalb Chamber for a ribbon cutting at Preventive Measures. Preventive Measures of GA provides outpatient mental health services for children, teens, and adults, offering personalized, compassionate care to support your mental health journey. In this course, you will learn how to effectively position your company to compete in the procurement market.
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This includes creating and executing a strategic growth plan, developing your business's core competencies, building the necessary processes and systems, and ensuring that your business is financially capable of fulfilling contracts.
LEARN HOW TO:
Identify federal contracting opportunities
Position your business as a prime contractor
Maximize your financial readiness
Create and execute a strategic marketing plan
Leverage your socio-economic certification Starting a business can be overwhelming, especially when you don?t know what you don?t know.
Whether you?re just starting to brainstorm your idea or ready to turn your passion into a profitable venture, this class will give you a roadmap to success. You?ll learn what you need to start a business in Georgia, from assessing the feasibility of your idea to marketing, finding financing, building a team, and operating legally. You?ll leave with actionable steps, essential tools, and resources to start your business on a strong foundation. Small businesses are the backbone of America; this class will help you start yours.
LEARN HOW TO:
Determine the feasibility of your business idea using market research and competitive analysis
Estimate start-up expenses for your business and identify requirements for pursuing start-up financing options
Differentiate between different legal structure options for business formation
Identify who you should include on your team when making plans and executing business formation
Navigate the steps to start your business in the State of Georgia Can You Win? Your Marketing Plan Shows You How
This Live Online Workshop teaches how to construct a Marketing Plan that can guide you to be a commercial success. You will be instructed in how to:
identify which customers are the most profitable
attract customers and keep them
learn who your real competition is
differentiate yourself in the market
... and now we have a new tool, Artificial Intelligence, to assist in the task:
Learn how AI can help (and where it can?t)
Step-by-step guide to building your plan
Create your own Smarter Marketing Plan that covers:
Product
Positioning
Pricing
Promotion
Sales Forecasts
Strategies and Tactics
To be successful you not only need a good product idea but a true understanding of the marketplace so that You Can Win!
Still don?t know if this workshop is for you, attend if you are:
Not sure how to price your product/service?
Trying to determine where you fit vs. competition?
Having a problem identifying your target audience?
Questioning how best to reach customers?
Small Business Committee Meeting
Workshop - Measuring the Effectiveness of Your Website & Your Social Media
Workshop - StartSmart (8-class series)
Legislative Debrief Power Lunch 2026
CANCELLED - Ribbon Cutting at Nothing Bundt Cakes - Decatur
Ribbon Cutting at Preventive Measures
Workshop - Doing Business with the Government: Federal
Workshop - How to Start a Business in Georgia
Workshop - How to Build a Smarter Marketing Plan with AI
