ThinkTEC Forum - Web 2.0 for Business: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

What does Web 2.0 mean?  What exactly is a Blog, RSS Feed, Facebook, Twitter, Mashable and LinkedIn?  Why are these important to my business?  How can I decide which of the various online social media outlets will work best for me and my customers?

The internet has changed drastically since the burst of the dot-com bubble in 2001.  This was a turning point for the internet and Web 2.0 was born.   In this face-paced information highway, many businesses have adopted these applications in order to stay relevant and successful.  No longer a peer to peer, friend to friend, loved one to loved one experience, social networking is a business occupation, carefully managed like a new relationship.  If you don’t find out where the party is taking place, if you don’t choose to participate, if you fail to miss the opportunity to start a new dialogue with someone who could open up a new door, a new relationship, a new path for you, your brand, your future, there’s no changing your status.

On Thursday, August 21, ThinkTEC will host a Web 2.0 for Business forum in the Chamber Boardroom at 7:30 a.m.  Kira Perdue, Vice President of Trevelino/Keller Communications Group will be present to explain the background of Web 2.0, what the term means and how it was created.  She will also embark on a virtual journey discussing and demonstrating some of the most popular Web 2.0 business applications used on the internet today.  Through this demonstration she will explain why businesses would want to implement certain applications and present examples of companies that have found tremendous success in the Web 2.0 world.

The event will also feature a panel of local companies that have successfully implemented various Web 2.0 applications to their web site and business practices.  They will provide insight as to why they chose specific applications and discuss the impact it’s had on their business.

Registration  (continental breakfast provided):
$20 per person
$15 chamber member discount before August 18

To register visit the Chamber store at www.charlestonchamber.net.

Sponsorship opportunities are available.  To sponsor or for more information contact Jill Galmarini at 805.3015 or jgalmarini@charlestonchamber.org.

Important Private Sector Survey of Preparedness and Continuity Practices

The Riley Institute at the College of Charleston is conducting a Private Sector Survey of Preparedness and Continuity Practices to understand business continuity planning in the region. The survey will provide valuable information in gauging how prepared businesses are to be able to deal with a disaster, including the extent of the plans in place to effectively continue operations. The survey is designed for both private (privately or publicly held) companies as well as nonprofits.

The survey will benefit our Community and Regional Resilience Initiative and will provide the region with additional important data.

To access the survey, click here.

The first page of the survey gives an explanation for its purpose and provides information about confidentiality.

The data collected for the survey will be made available to the business community, and will be compared with other selected regions.  Look for the results to the survey this fall.
 

2008 Chamber Port Briefing and Tour

This year’s Port Briefing and Tour will focus on the expansion of the Port of Charleston and give attendees an insider’s look at the new site by bus and boat. Get a status on the expansion, learn about sustainable practices being used and get a first hand look at port activity and its impact on your daily life.

Thursday, August 14
2 - 6 p.m.
Chamber (briefing and post reception)

The afternoon includes:

• Presentation from Whit Smith, S.C. State Ports Authority Board member
• Trolley tour of the new terminal site  
• Waterside view of all terminals

Cost: $100 per person, $75 Chamber member discount price before August 12. Register on the Chamber Store.

For more information contact Erin Pabst at 805.3040 or epabst@charlestonchamber.org.

Latin American Business Council Fall Expo
Wednesday, September 17
Chamber Boardroom
2 – 6 p.m.

The Chamber’s Latin American Business Council (LABC) is hosting a Fall Expo on Wednesday, September 17, to help promote the importance of cultural understanding and awareness.  The Expo will help identify and define key cultural differences between traditional and Latin American business communities.  This event offers the chance to learn more about the immense and rich multi-cultural community of business owners and entrepreneurs out there looking to do business.

Representatives from the U.S. and S.C. Departments of Commerce will introduce attendees to great new business opportunities like importing and exporting.  Those in attendance will learn how becoming more culturally aware will open doors to new markets.

Agenda:
2 p.m.               Registration & Networking
2:30 p.m.          Welcome
2:45 p.m.          Cross Cultural Panel
3:45 p.m.          Break & Networking
4:15 p.m.          Commerce Panel
5:30 p.m.          Networking / Q & A

Cost: $65 per person, $45 Chamber member discount price before September 15

To learn more about the Expo or the LABC, please contact Emily Brown at 805.3042 or ebrown@charlestonchamber.org.

FastTrac® TechVenture Launches a Third Class in September

While the traditional business venture can typically find funding through local lenders, the assets of a technology based company face a different set of challenges. The road is less traveled for the typical tech start-up so the risk is higher.

The challenges that face tech companies in South Carolina are not new. Fortunately, with the help of the South Carolina Venture Capital Act and SCLaunch!, there is more money available, but tech giant wanna be’s have to do their part. They have to develop the business plan and prepare for investor presentations based on market facts and financial projections.

FastTrac® TechVenture helps entrepreneurs map out their vision and develop a sound plan for their company. It helps create an environment where successful entrepreneurs, launched by both bootstrapping and venture capital share their survival tips.  This class is designed to prepare you for your launch. So if your eyes are filled with the desire to be the next Google, come join us. The classes begin in September and are three hours a week for 10 weeks and will truly make an impact on your business.

For class information, visit www.fasttracsc.org


Mark Your Calendar...

FedEx Hub Could Ship 470 Jobs to Upstate
As reported by SCBIZ Daily on Monday, August 4, 2008

FedEx is considering the Greenville-Spartanburg area for a new ground hub that could have 470 jobs and $110 million in investment, a company spokesman said Friday.

To read more, click here.
 

Upcoming FastTrac® Classes

FastTracSC, with programs all across the state, announces upcoming Entrepreneurial Training Programs. Join the network of hundreds of other South Carolina Entrepreneurs and get your business off the ground or take your existing business to new levels.

FastTrac® GrowthVenture - Orangeburg
Date: 09-08-2008
Time:  6 – 9 p.m.
Meets Mondays for 10 sessions in Orangeburg

FastTrac® GrowthVenture - Rock Hill
Date: 09-08-2008
Time:  6 – 9 p.m.
Meets Mondays for 10 sessions in Rock Hill

FastTrac® GrowthVenture - Bluffton
Date: 09-08-2008
Time:  6 – 9 p.m.
Meets Mondays for 10 sessions in Bluffton

FastTrac® NewVenture - Charleston
Date: 09-09-2008
Time:  6 – 9 p.m.
Meets Tuesdays for 10 sessions in Charleston

FastTrac® GrowthVenture - Georgetown
Date: 09-09-2008
Time:  6 – 9 p.m.
Meets Tuesdays for 10 sessions in Georgetown

FastTrac® TechVenture- Charleston
Date: 09-10-2008
Time: 6 – 9 p.m.
Meets Wednesdays for 10 sessions in Charleston

FastTrac® TechVenture- Greenville
Date: 09-10-2008
Time: 6 – 9 p.m.
Meets Wednesdays for 10 sessions in Greenville

FastTrac® GrowthVenture - Greenville
Date: 09-11-2008
Time:  6 – 9 p.m.
Meets Thursdays for 10 sessions in Greenville

FastTrac® GrowthVenture - Charleston
Date: 09-11-2008
Time:  6 – 9 p.m.
Meets Thursdays for 10 sessions in Charleston

FastTrac® NewVenture - Columbia
Date: 09-11-2008
Time:  6 – 9 p.m.
Meets Thursdays for 10 sessions in Columbia

The FastTrac® Entrepreneurial Training courses, FastTrac® NewVenture, geared toward the budding entrepreneur, and FastTrac® GrowthVenture, geared toward entrepreneurs with existing businesses who want to take it to new levels, led by experienced facilitators in conjunction with mentor workshop leaders who are entrepreneurs with extensive company building, bootstrapping, and fund-raising experience. For more information visit www.fasttracsc.org or send an email to fasttrac@fasttracsc.org.

• August 6 - ThinkTEC Advisory Board (3 p.m.)
• August 8 - Innovation Summit Planning Committee (9 a.m.)
• August 19 - Homeland Security Task Force  (9 a.m.)
• August 28- Business Continuity Planning  (9:30 a.m.)
• August 28 - ThinkTEC Steering Committee  (11:00 a.m.)

For more information contact Jill Galmarini at jgalmarini@charlestonchamber.org.