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EDC APRIL AND MAY EVENT AND WEBINAR SCHEDULE
The Economic Development Collaborative encourages you to sign up for our no-cost events and webinars. Space is limited. Register today!
Plan ahead! Our full EDC and partner event schedule is updated at the start of each month.
HOW TO IMPORT COFFEE INTO THE UNITED STATES
May 1 @ 9:00 am
This session focuses on the operational and regulatory aspects of starting a coffee business that sources and imports its own coffee. Participants will learn how coffee moves from origin to the U.S., what is required to import legally, and how to structure their supply chain efficiently. Price: FREE.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
STEP BY STEP – HOW TO OPEN A RESTAURANT
May 7 @12:00 pm
“Step by Step – How to Open a Restaurant” gives an overview of opening a restaurant. Starting with the menu, a plan, and profitability, you can explore your dream before spending money. This webinar is for anyone who is interested in exploring the feasibility of opening a full-service, quick-service, or other brick-and-mortar location. Price: FREE.
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IN-PERSON: FROM SYMPTOMS TO SOLUTIONS: PRACTICAL ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS
May 13 @ 8:30 am
Stop solving the same problem over and over. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to identify the real drivers behind operational challenges using practical root cause analysis tools, including the Three-Legged Five-Why method and mind mapping. Designed for leaders and teams who want more than theory, this session helps participants move beyond surface-level fixes and uncover issues related to process, people, and systems. Attendees will leave with a clear framework they can immediately apply to improve workflows, reduce recurring problems, and drive stronger results in their organizations. Check-in: 8:00 am. Address: Workforce Development Board of Ventura County Office, 3rd Floor, 2901 North Ventura Road, Oxnard. Price: FREE. An in-person Workforce Development Board of Ventura County and EDC Small Business Development Center workshop.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
BUILDING YOUR COFFEE BRAND & CHOOSING THE RIGHT PRODUCT
May 18 @ 9:00 am
This session focuses on the commercial side of launching a coffee business. Participants will learn how to choose the right coffee for their target market, build a compelling brand, and create a simple go-to-market strategy. Price: FREE.
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AI 101 FOR SMALL BUSINESSES: WHAT IT IS, HOW IT WORKS, AND HOW TO USE IT TO SAVE TIME AND MAKE MONEY
May 21 @ 10:00 am
Artificial Intelligence is quickly becoming one of the most powerful tools for small business owners to increase productivity, improve marketing, and streamline daily operations. But many entrepreneurs feel overwhelmed by all the new terminology and tools. In this beginner-friendly webinar, you’ll learn the key terminology, how large language models and chatbots work, and real-world business use cases that can save you time and help you grow faster. We’ll also cover important topics that responsible business owners need to understand, including cultural bias in AI, ethical and legal considerations, and how to implement AI to protect your brand and your customers. This session is designed to give you a clear, practical foundation so you can start using AI in your business immediately and confidently. Price: FREE.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
GOOGLE AI TOOLS FOR GROWTH AND SCALE: THE SMALL BUSINESS AI TOOLKIT
May 26 @ 10:00 am
There are powerful Google AI tools available right now that can help you research faster, create content, analyze your market, and scale your business without adding more staff. In this webinar, you’ll be introduced to tools like Gemini with Deep Research, NotebookLM, Flow, Nano Banana, Pomeli, and how each tool fits into your business workflow. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by too many AI platforms, you’ll learn how to build your own AI toolkit, knowing which tools to use for marketing, research, content creation, strategy, and automation. This session is perfect for small business owners who want to work smarter, make better decisions, and grow efficiently using AI. Price: FREE.
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IN-PERSON: STOP THE SCRAMBLE: MAPPING WORK AND CLEARING THE PATH FORWARD
May 27 @ 8:30 am
When work stalls, the culprit is rarely effort. It is usually sequencing. In this hands-on workshop, participants will learn how to map workflows visually using physical and digital dependency mapping methods that surface blockers, hand-off gaps, and hidden bottlenecks hiding in plain sight. Designed for leaders and teams managing multiple moving parts, this session helps participants build a shared picture of how work actually flows, not just how it is supposed to flow. Attendees will leave with a working workflow map and a clear picture of who owns each hand-off, so they can return to their team with a plan to remove friction, improve coordination, and move work forward with fewer surprises. Check-in: 8:00 am. Address: Workforce Development Board of Ventura County Office, 3rd Floor, 2901 North Ventura Road, Oxnard. Price: FREE. An in-person Workforce Development Board of Ventura County and EDC Small Business Development Center workshop.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
EMPLOYEE RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND CULTURE
May 28 @ 12:00 pm
As employers nationwide continue to struggle to find quality employees, employers must focus on their current staff and company culture to attract the best candidates for new available positions. This webinar will touch on ways to improve your current staff morale, offer tips for recruiting the best available candidates, and focus on your overall company culture. This webinar is for all industries which rely on employees. Price: FREE.
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EDC PARTNER SCHEDULE
SCORE: INCREASE SALES AND PROFITS WITH PRICING AND DISTRIBUTION STRATEGIES
April 28 @ 1:00 pm
You’ve developed a wonderful new product or service and understand the costs, but how should you price it? This workshop is part of SCORE’s Small Business Essentials series. They will start by reviewing different distribution and channel strategies and help you choose the method that best gets your product or service in front of your satisfied customers. The rest of the workshop focuses on pricing, and SCORE will start by covering some basics. Then they will review a detailed process for determining the price of your product. Since pricing a service is very different from pricing a product, SCORE will have a special section that covers the separate process for pricing your services. Price: $10.00.
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SCORE: 10 FREE MARKETING TOOLS EVERY SMALL BUSINESS SHOULD BE USING
May 1 @ 10:00 am
10 Free Marketing Tools Every Small Business Should Be Using: You don’t need a big budget to market like a pro. In this practical, fast-paced workshop, SCORE will walk through 10 powerful (and free) marketing tools you can start using immediately to grow your business. You’ll learn how to improve your visibility, attract more leads, create better content, and track what’s working all without spending a dollar on software. Bring your questions and leave with a curated toolkit you can implement right away. Price: $10.00.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
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