May is a time to celebrate the entrepreneurs and small business owners who keep Southern Virginia growing. In honor of National Small Business Month, we’re recognizing the creativity, resilience, and hard work of those building businesses across our region. It’s also a reminder that growth requires balance. Taking time for self-care, reflection, and working on your business, not just in it, can be just as important as the day-to-day hustle. This month’s programs and events are designed to help you strengthen your skills, expand your network, and move forward with confidence.
RISE Office Hours
Multiple Dates
Have an idea or working to grow your business but not sure what the next step should be? Stop by to connect with a RISE Navigator, ask questions, and get linked to resources and partners that can help move your business forward. All stages are welcome, from early ideas to established businesses.
Friday, May 8, 2026 | 8am-12pm | P&HCC Dalton IDEA Center
Thursday, May 21, 2026 | 9am-12pm | P&HCC Stuart Site
Thursday, May 28, 2026 | 4pm-8pm | SOVA Innovation Hub
From Pilot to Progress: EVOLVE Networking Event
Thursday, May 7, 2026 | 5:30pm-7pm | SOVA Innovation Hub
Join the River District Consulting Group, Dan River Nonprofit Network, and SOVA Innovation Hub as they celebrate the successful pilot of the EVOLVE Nonprofit Networking + Training Series. Connect with nonprofit leaders from across the region, reflect on the program’s journey from pilot to progress, and enjoy an evening of networking, light refreshments, and community building.
Let’s Talk Business – Brunswick County
Thursday, May 14, 2026 | 5:30pm-7:30pm | Brunswick County Conference Center
Join Brunswick County Economic Development and RISE for a conversation about the entrepreneurial ecosystem and supporting business growth. Free to attend. Light refreshments provided.
Smartphone Video Advertising Part 2
Tuesday, May 19, 2026 | 11:00am – 1:00pm | SOVA Innovation Hub
Take your video marketing skills to the next level in Smartphone Video Advertisement Part 2, a hands-on class for those ready to refine storytelling, improve production quality, and create ads that drive results. Led by Le’Bryan Patterson, this session covers advanced editing, captions, stronger visuals and audio, and persuasive calls-to-action to help your brand stand out.
RISE Grapevine Virtual Meetup for Entrepreneurs
Thursday, May 21, 2026 | 12pm-1pm | SOVA Innovation Hub
The RISE Grapevine Monthly Virtual Meetup brings together entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders from across Southern Virginia for connection and resource sharing. The May session will focus on self-care.
RISE Summit
Thursday, August 27, 2026 | 8am-5:30pm | The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research
The third annual RISE Summit brings together entrepreneurs for a full day of inspiration, skill-building workshops, and high-impact networking. This year’s focus is Innovation in Business, Manufacturing, and Agriculture, making it a must-attend event for entrepreneurs across industries. Super Early Bird tickets are available now for $45 through June 30, with Early Bird and Regular rates available as the event approaches.
Upcoming Events Hosted by State Agencies
Generating Leads Using eVA – Workshop #2
Wednesday, May 6 and May 20, 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, May 13 and May 27, 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)
Keeping up with Digital Marketing – A’s for Your Q’s – ChatGPT
Tuesday, May 5, 2026 | 12pm – 1:30pm | Online
Curious about AI and ChatGPT? Join Cameron Nelson for an updated session exploring practical AI tools and how small businesses can use them to streamline customer service and marketing, with the first half focused on key insights and the second half dedicated to Q&A.
Startup Strategies
Thursday, May 21, 2026 | 10:30am – 12pm | Online
This session explores key motivations for entrepreneurship while helping participants assess their readiness to start or grow a business. Topics include evaluating entrepreneurial strengths, marketing strategies, financial resources, legal structures, business planning tips, and basic cybersecurity considerations. Participants will leave with a clearer strategy for building a strong foundation for long-term entrepreneurial success.
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 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.