April brings a variety of exciting opportunities for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and innovators throughout Southern Virginia.

1-on-1 Consulting on Government Contracting

Wednesday, April 9, 2025 | SOVA Innovation Hub

Southern Virginia businesses interested in government contracting have a new opportunity close to home. Virginia APEX Accelerator is offering free, 1-on-1 consulting sessions at the SOVA Innovation Hub, located at 715 Wilborn Avenue, South Boston, VA. The goal of this service is to make it easier than ever for Southern Virginia businesses to access expert guidance on navigating the government contracting process. Learn More >

PUMP: Pull Up Mentoring Program

• Friday, April 4, 2025 | 9am – 1pm | SOVA Innovation Hub (South Boston, VA)

• Saturday, April 12, 2025 | 9am – 1pm | Halifax Farmers Market & Market Place (Halifax, VA)

• Wednesday, April 16, 2025 | 9am – 1pm | P&HCC Patrick County Fab Lab  (Staurt, VA)

Hosted by the RISE Navigators, PUMP (Pull Up Mentor Program) is a free, drop-in event designed to connect entrepreneurs with valuable resources to support your business journey. 

Whether you’re a business owner looking to grow, an aspiring entrepreneur with a new idea, or an innovator with a fresh product or service, PUMP (Pull Up Mentor Program) offers a chance to discuss your ideas with a member of the RISE Navigator team. The RISE Navigators are knowledgeable about local, regional, and national resources to support your business journey.

Don’t miss this chance to strengthen your entrepreneurial journey with personalized support.

RISE Grapevine Monthly Virtual Meetup

Thursday, April 17, 2025 |   12pm – 1pm   |   Zoom

The RISE Grapevine Monthly Virtual Meetup is a virtual gathering of diverse, creative, and inclusive entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders from across Southern Virginia. During each monthly meeting, we share updates from local and regional entrepreneurs support organizations.

Entrepreneur Spotlight: Wayne Draper, Tad Space
Resource Feature: Community Investement Collaborative

Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) & EDWOSB Certification Workshop with Virginia APEX Accelerator

Thursday, April 23, 2024| 12pm – 1:30pm | SOVA Innovation Hub

The federal government awards at least 5% of contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) each year, creating valuable opportunities for women entrepreneurs. This workshop covers WOSB and EDWOSB certification, federal contract opportunities, and key resources from the SBA and APEX Accelerator Program. Learn about eligibility, application steps, and recertification to position your business for success in government contracting.

Upcoming Events Hosted by State Agencies

Intro to Selling to Virginia – Workshop #1

Wednesday, April 9, 2025  |   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.

Generating Leads Using eVA – Workshop #2

Tuesday, April 15 & Wednesday, April 30, 2025 |   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.

IRS Filing Season: 

Tuesday, April 1, 2025  |   10am – 11am   |   Online

The Empower Your Business: 2025 Tax Strategies & Security Workshop is designed to help entrepreneurs and small business owners simplify tax compliance and strengthen financial security. This session covers 2025 tax updates, smart filing strategies, record-keeping best practices, and tools to protect sensitive data. You’ll also get expert guidance on IRS accounts, free filing options, and business financial management tools. Walk away with practical strategies to streamline your taxes and safeguard your business in the year ahead.

Upcoming Events Hosted by the Longwood Small Business Development Center &  Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) 

Building the Foundation for Your New Business

Thursday, April 17, 2025  |  10:30am – 12pm   |   Online

Starting a new business can be daunting, but with the right foundation, you can set yourself up for success. This seminar covers essential steps to establish a strong business foundation, including business planning, financial management, and legal considerations. Ideal for aspiring entrepreneurs and new business owners.

Hosted by the Longwood SBDC

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 Noon Knowledge Events

Noon Knowledge – Developing an Annual Marketing Calendar

Wednesday, April 2, 2025 I 12pm – 1pm I Zoom

A well-planned marketing calendar keeps your business organized, strategic, and ahead of the game. In this session, we’ll break down how to create a structured yet flexible marketing plan, ensuring your promotions, contect, and campaigns align with key goals throughout the year. Whether you’re planning social media, advertising, or events, you’ll walk away with practical steps to streamline your marketing efforts.

Presented by Chad Thompson, Town of Abingdon

Noon Knowledge – Time Management – Strategies for Success

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 I 12:00-1:00pm I Zoom

The reality of today’s world is that we have to achieve great results with less time. We are constantly juggling time with quality and cost, and trying to do so in an ever changing environment. With the goal of positive results and high impact, it is critical that we plan, set priorities and act quickly and decisively, all of which require unparalleled time management. During this workshop, participants will be exposed to multiple time management principles and strategies for actual implementation.

Presented By: Allison Mays, SW Center Virginia Tech

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.