November brings fresh energy and new opportunities for Southern Virginia’s entrepreneurs, small business owners, and innovators. As the season of gratitude unfolds, it’s the perfect time to reflect, connect, and prepare for growth. This month also marks Global Entrepreneurship Week (November 17–23)—a worldwide celebration of innovators and dreamers who are driving change and turning ideas into action. Join us throughout November for workshops, events, and networking opportunities that empower you to strengthen your business, spark new ideas, and be part of the global movement celebrating entrepreneurship.
CIC Entrepreneur Workshop Information Session
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 | 12pm-1pm | SOVA Innovation Hub
Are you thinking about joining the Spring 2026 CIC Southern Virginia Entrepreneur Workshop? Come to the in-person information session on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, at 12:00 PM at the SOVA Innovation Hub to learn more. Laura will walk you through the 16-week program, what to expect, and how to apply, plus share details about available scholarships. Whether you’re just starting your business or ready to grow, this session is the perfect chance to get your questions answered and see how CIC can help you take the next step.
1-on-1 Consulting on Government Contracting
Wednesday, November 12, 2025 | SOVA Innovation Hub
Government contracting opportunities are closer than you think. Southern Virginia businesses can get personalized, one-on-one support from Margaret Edmond of Virginia APEX Accelerator right here at the SOVA Innovation Hub in South Boston. Whether you’re just starting to explore government contracts or looking to strengthen your strategy, these free consulting sessions give you direct access to expert guidance without having to travel far. It’s a practical, accessible way to position your business for growth through state and federal contracting opportunities. Learn More >
Excel Deep Dive: Advanced Features Unlocked
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 | 9:00am – 11:00am | SOVA Innovation Hub
Take your Excel skills to the next level with this hands-on Advanced Excel Training designed for those who already know the basics and are ready to dive deeper. This session will cover advanced formulas and functions like IFs, INDEX-MATCH, and XLOOKUP, as well as powerful tools such as Flash Fill, Splicer, and PivotTables. You’ll also learn practical techniques to clean and analyze data efficiently, making your spreadsheets more powerful and easier to use. Whether you’re managing large datasets or creating reports, this training will help you work smarter and get more done in less time.
PUMP: Pull Up Mentoring Program
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 | 9am-1pm | P&HCC Dalton Idea Center (Martinsville, 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.
Mastering Proposal Submission – Tips for Crafting Winning Responses
Wednesday, November 19, 2025 | 12pm – 1:30pm | SOVA Innovation Hub
Writing government proposals doesn’t have to be intimidating—especially when you have expert guidance. Join Margaret Edmond with Virginia APEX Accelerator for a practical, hands-on session that demystifies the proposal process and gives you tools to respond with confidence. You’ll learn how to review solicitation opportunities, determine if a bid is right for your business, and develop strong, persuasive responses that stand out. This session will walk you through each step of preparing and submitting proposals, helping you move from uncertainty to readiness in pursuing government contracting opportunities.
RISE Grapevine Monthly Virtual Meetup
Thursday, November 20, 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.
Upcoming Events Hosted by State Agencies
Intro to Selling to Virginia – Workshop #1
Wednesday, November 5, 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
Wednesday, November 12, 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.
Upcoming Events Hosted by the Longwood Small Business Development Center & Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC)
Building the Foundation for Your New Business
Tuesday, October 20, 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 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.