September is a great time for a Fall Reset: Refocus, Realign, and Finish Strong. As we head into the final months of the year, take time to focus on your business, revisit your goals, and identify the next steps that can help you finish the year with momentum.
This month, RISE offers workshops, networking opportunities, and business resources to help entrepreneurs across Southern Virginia learn, connect, and grow.
RISE Grapevine Virtual Meetup for Entrepreneurs
Thursday, September 17 , 2026 | 12pm-1pm | Zoom
The RISE Grapevine Monthly Virtual Meetup brings together entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders from across Southern Virginia for connection and resource sharing.
Startup Playbook: Idea to Income
Thursday, September 24 , 2026 | 5:00pm – 6:30pm | R.T. Arnold Public Library
Have a business idea but aren’t sure what comes next? This beginner-friendly workshop will help you refine your idea, understand your customer, explore costs and revenue, and identify practical next steps.
Participants can also schedule a free one-on-one follow-up with a RISE Business Navigator for personalized guidance, resource connections, and support turning their idea into action.
Upcoming Events Hosted by State Agencies
Generating Leads Using eVA – Workshop #2
Wednesday, September 2, 2026, September 16, 2026, and September 30, 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, September 9, 2026 and September 23, 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)
Cybersecurity on a Budget
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 | 12:30pm – 1:30pm | Online
Join Quiana Gainey, Virginia SBDC Cyber Industry Expert, to learn the Top 10 Security Controls every small business should put in place to better protect its data and operations. Quiana will share practical, affordable tools and best practices that can make a meaningful difference in reducing cyber risk without stretching your budget.
Startup Strategies
Thursday, September 17, 2026 | 9am – 10am | Online
Learn the essentials of starting and building a successful business with Lin Hite, Longwood SBDC Western Region Director. This session will cover evaluating your entrepreneurial readiness, marketing, financial resources, business structure, business planning, and cybersecurity to help you build a strong foundation for your new venture.
Success Through e-Commerce
Tuesday, September 22, 2026 | 12:0pm – 1:30pm | Online
Interested in growing your online sales? Join Cameron Nelson, CEO of Tenzing Startup Consultants, to explore website and e-commerce options, how to choose the right platform for your business, and what to consider when upgrading your online presence. You’ll also learn how to set up and manage an online storefront or service portal and use marketing and data to help increase sales.
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.