Business Development

Free monthly Lunch + Learn for Columbus business owners. Practical local marketing strategies and real connections. Space is limited so RSVP Marketing Monday Lunch + Learn is a free monthly event for local business owners in Columbus who want practical marketing strategies and real connections with other business owners in their market. Each month covers one actionable local marketing topic. You will leave with one thing you can put to work the same week. This is not a pitch fest. It is a focused conversation with people who are serious about building their local visibility and growing their business. Register here: [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/marketing-monday-lunch-learn-tickets-1988509765237](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/marketing-monday-lunch-learn-tickets-1988509765237)

No appointment needed - just support from a real, live person. Access services offered through the Ohio Department of Development The Department of Development Minority Business Development Division supports the growth and sustainability of small, minority-owned, and disadvantaged businesses in Ohio. Supporting these businesses means providing them with resources that include technical and professional assistance, access to capital, surety bonding, and connection to business opportunities through the assistance of the Minority Business Assistance Centers (MBAC). The Division leverages these resources to support the achievement of the state's 15% Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) set-aside requirement. The Division works with entrepreneurs and emerging business enterprises to help them achieve scale and market success. The overarching goal is to help small, minority-owned, and disadvantaged businesses contribute to job creation and economic growth in Ohio. The Centers provide the following services: * Accounting assistance * Business management counseling * Completing federal, state, and local certification applications * Contract procurement assistance * Estimating/bidding assistance * Identifying local resources * Loan packaging assistance * Marketing plan development * Referrals to financial assistance program *

Bring your business cards and network in person with other business professionals! Gold Star Referral Clubs is one of the most established professional networking organizations in the country, with multiple groups in central Ohio. Join us!

**Building a great product is one thing—building momentum behind it is another.** Join **Senior Product Manager Adam Solaiman** and **User Experience Manager Tyson Smith** for a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to turn complex ideas into scalable products inside large organizations. In this session, they’ll share how teams move from ambiguity to execution—navigating organizational complexity, aligning stakeholders, and continuously evolving products after launch. You’ll walk away with insights on how to: * Build and sustain momentum across teams * Adapt to changing priorities without losing direction * Scale products thoughtfully in complex environments Whether you're driving a new initiative or growing an existing product, this conversation will give you practical strategies to keep things moving forward. Come connect, learn, and swap stories with fellow product professionals. \-\-\- Food and drinks will be provided by Switchbox, our generous host. Free parking will be available at the front and back sides of the Switchbox Office.

Get ready to connect, collaborate, and grow your community at the ***Smashing Your Sales Goals (SYSG) Spring Meet-N-Greet!*** *Smash Nation*— a vibrant and welcoming community for creative consultants, social innovators, professional service providers, entrepreneur support professionals, and the small business ecosystem builders —invites you to join in welcoming the Spring 2026 Cohort of dedicated business owners ready to take their venture to the next level. Join ***SYSG*** cohort members, trainers, sponsors, and partners for an engaging and interactive networking experience. This isn't just another meet-and-greet; it's a dynamic opportunity to gather, strengthen relationships, and actively brainstorm business development opportunities in a relaxed and supportive environment. Come ready to: * ***Connect*** with key players and potential collaborators in the small business community. * ***Share*** your successes, challenges, and insights with peers. * ***Brainstorm*** innovative strategies for sales and business growth. * ***Discover*** new partnerships and future partners. Let's amplify our collective impact and smash those sales goals together! **Who Should Attend:** Spring, Summer, and Fall 2025 Cohort Members, Spring 2026 Cohort members, Trainers, Facilitators, Program Sponsors, Future Sponsors, Velocity Applicants, and Program Partners. **When**: Tuesday, May 26, 2926 **Where**: Warner Wood Park and Pavilion [4747 Central College Road, Columbus, OH 43081](https://www.google.com/maps/place/Warner+Woods+Park+%26+Pavilion/@40.0999435,-82.8601323,839m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x88385f0025d4381b:0xc15eb51285691f4f!8m2!3d40.1002108!4d-82.8612015!16s%2Fg%2F11wb2pg50g?authuser=0&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAwNS4yIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D) **Time**: 4pm-6pm [To Officially Register Go To --> https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/W0CGLL8jvz4EkLNK5jav?notrack=true](https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/W0CGLL8jvz4EkLNK5jav?notrack=true) Meet ***Smashing Your Sales Goals*** expert trainers, sales coaches, community supporters and partners. Learn more about upcoming SYSG events, trainings coaching opportunities to help take your business from surviving to thriving today! This event is FREE and OPEN to the PUBLIC!

[ECDI Pop-Up Market Official Registration Site --> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ecdi-pop-up-market-tickets-1986071755083](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ecdi-pop-up-market-tickets-1986071755083) Celebrate Small Business Month by shopping local for food, drinks, and handcrafted gifts! Join us for the ECDI Pop‑Up Market, a celebration of local entrepreneurs during Small Business Month. Explore delicious food and drinks, discover handcrafted goods, and shop unique items from small businesses in your community. Whether you’re looking to support local makers, discover new favorites, or pick up a thoughtful gift, this market has something for everyone. **What you’ll find at the market:** * Local food and beverage vendors * Handcrafted goods and unique gifts * A chance to meet and support small business owners in your community * An easy, fun way to discover new local favorites [SCORE Central Ohio](https://www.score.org/ "https://www.score.org/") will also be on site to talk about their small business mentorship program. **Market Vendors:** Baked Goods * Shante Makes Body Care * [Bellas Natural Beauty Products](https://www.facebook.com/Bellasnaturalbeautyprod/ "https://www.facebook.com/Bellasnaturalbeautyprod/") Clothing & Accessories * [The Krafted Kollection](https://www.thekraftedkollection.com/ "https://www.thekraftedkollection.com") * [Loayza Elegant Jewelry](https://www.loayzaelegantjewelry.com/ "https://www.loayzaelegantjewelry.com/") * [Swahili House 254](https://www.swahilihouse254.com/ "https://www.swahilihouse254.com") Food/Beverage * [Aqua Pure Central Ohio](https://aquapurecentralohio.com/ "https://aquapurecentralohio.com") * [Better Beverage](https://betterbevshop.com/ "https://betterbevshop.com") * [Cherays Banana Pudding](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567527322952 "https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61567527322952") * [Dr. May's Thai Kitchen](https://www.drmaysthaikitchen.com/menu "https://www.drmaysthaikitchen.com/menu") * [Kronchy LLC](https://www.kronchys.com/ "https://www.kronchys.com") * [Terra Mezcal Mexican Grill](https://terra%20mezcal%20mexican%20grill/ "https://Terra Mezcal Mexican Grill") Packaged Food * [Grow to Eat, Eat to Live](https://growtoeattolive.com/ "https://growtoeattolive.com/") * [Underworld Feast](https://underworldfeast.com/ "https://underworldfeast.com/")  Since 2004, ECDI has assisted Ohio’s entrepreneurs through their one-stop-shop business services model, suited to meet the needs of all entrepreneurs, regardless of what business stage they’re in. From providing capital to entrepreneurs looking to expand their businesses, to providing focused, business-specific educational opportunities to enhance entrepreneurial skill sets, ECDI works with their clients to meet their specific needs. Whether you merely have a business idea or are opening up your fifth location, we have helped more than 15,000 entrepreneurs to take advantage of the services we provide.