August is a busy time for many business owners, but it’s also important to make time to work on your business, not just in it. Investing a few hours in learning, networking, and planning can spark new ideas, strengthen your strategy, and open doors to new opportunities.
This month, RISE is bringing entrepreneurs together through workshops, networking events, and the annual RISE Summit. We hope you’ll join us to gain practical insights, make valuable connections, and take the next step in growing your business.
Small Business Administration (SBA) Small Business Search (SBS)
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | 12:00pm – 61:30pm | SOVA Innovation Hub
Want to increase your visibility with federal buyers? Join Margaret Edmond of Virginia APEX Accelerator for this free workshop to learn how to create and optimize your SBA Small Business Search (SBS) profile. You’ll discover how an accurate, complete profile can help position your business for federal contracting opportunities and make it easier for government agencies and prime contractors to find your business.
RISE Summit
Thursday, August 27, 2026 | 9:00am – 4:30pm | The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research
Join entrepreneurs, business owners, innovators, manufacturers, farmers, and community leaders from across Southern Virginia for the 3rd Annual RISE Summit. Centered on the theme Innovation in Business, Manufacturing, and Agriculture, the Summit features inspiring keynote speakers, interactive breakout sessions, and valuable networking opportunities. Whether you’re launching a business, growing an existing one, or exploring new ideas, you’ll leave with practical strategies, meaningful connections, and resources to help move your business forward.
Upcoming Events Hosted by State Agencies
Generating Leads Using eVA – Workshop #2
Wednesday, August 15, 2026 and August 19, 2026| 10am – 12pm | Online
This advanced workshop is the 2nd in the eVA series & focuses on lead generation. This hands-on session explores the public transparency tools available on the eVA website, including the Report & Resource Center and the new “power” search. You’ll learn how to identify buyers who are buying what you sell, determine prices being paid for goods/services, identify who’s getting business (is it you or your competition). We’ll also walk through the Virginia Business Opportunities public posting page – featuring collaboration tools like B2B Connect & VIBE – as we discuss how & when eVA builds a lead list for you and why rating your leads is important.
Hosted by the eVA outreach team with the Virginia Division Small Business & Supplier Diversity.
Intro to Selling to Virginia – Workshop #1
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 and August 26, 2026| 10am – 11:30am | Online
This session will provide a high level overview of the Commonwealth’s purchasing process, including purchasing policies that affect how buyers use the eVA system to “shop” and the eVA tools used by our buying community. You’ll also get a guided tour of the eVA website as we discuss the publicly accessible tools & resources every business should know about if they’re interested in selling to Virginia. And if you’re not already an eVA registered Vendor, you’ll learn how to get signed-up, as well as where to go for help at any time!
Hosted by the eVA outreach team with the Virginia Division Small Business & Supplier Diversity.
Upcoming Events Hosted by the Longwood Small Business Development Center & Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
You’ve Got The Business- Now Let’s Organize the Finances
Thursday, August 13, 2026 | 12:00pm – 1:30pm | Online
Strong financial records are the foundation of a successful business. This workshop will cover practical strategies for organizing your finances, tracking income and expenses, understanding basic financial reports, and preparing for future growth or funding opportunities. Ideal for entrepreneurs who want to build confidence in managing their business finances before investing in accounting software.
Mobile Apps: How to Plan, Execute & Launch
Tuesday, August 25, 2026 | 12pm – 1:30pm | Online
Wondering if a mobile app is right for your business? This webinar will help you determine whether an app makes sense for your goals and walk you through the process of planning, developing, launching, and marketing a successful mobile app. Led by technology entrepreneur Cameron Nelson, participants will gain practical insights to help turn an app idea into reality.
Live and On-Demand Webinars
Multiple Dates | Online
No matter where you are in the state of Virginia, you can access virtual training programs and seminars on a variety of topics including business planning, marketing, management, legal considerations, accounting and bookkeeping, financial analysis, technology, access to capital, and business basics.
Hosted by the Virginia SBDCs (Small Business Development Centers)
Upcoming Chamber of Commerce Events
Chamber of Commerce Events
Multiple Dates | Various Locations
Many of Chamber of Commerce organizations host monthly networking events and ongoing training opportunities for businesses of all sizes and types.
Stay up to date on RISE Events
Find out what’s happening in the RISE Southern Virginia ecosystem on the RISE Meetups page.