Drop by to connect with RISE Navigator Marilynn Cabiness, ask questions, and plug into the ecosystem of resources and partnerships that can move your business forward. All stages welcome – from idea to established business.

Date: Friday, February 27, 2026

Time: 10:00am to 2:00pm

Location: The Story Cafe  |  121 N. Hicks Street, Lawrenceville, VA 

Enjoy a complimentary beverage on us! RISE provides a $4 drink voucher for each Office Hours participant.

QuickBooks Online doesn’t have to be intimidating.

This beginner-friendly workshop is designed to help you understand how
QuickBooks works, where your money lives, and what actually matters.

You’ll leave feeling calmer, more confident, and ready to take your next step

Date: Monday, March 2, 2026

Time: 9:30am to 12:00pm

Location: SOVA Innovation Hub |  715 Wilborn Avenue, South Boston, VA

Enjoy a complimentary snacks and beverage on us! The SOVA Innovation Hub provides a free coworking space day pass to RISE workshop participants.

Need help branding your business with advertising and simple graphic designs? In this advertising course, you will learn how to create a basic logo and digital flyers for social media using Canva.

Please bring your laptop. 

Ready to go beyond the basics? This hands-on Advanced Excel Training is perfect for anyone who already feels comfortable in Excel and wants to unlock its full potential. Whether you’re managing data, building reports, or streamlining tasks, you’ll leave this session with powerful new tools and time-saving tricks.

In this workshop, you’ll learn how to:

• Master advanced formulas and functions (like IFs, INDEX-MATCH, VLOOKUP/XLOOKUP, and data splitting)

• Use Flash Fill and the Splicer Tool to work smarter

• Clean and organize messy data with ease

• Analyze information using PivotTables

• Explore bonus features to boost your productivity

Bring your laptop and get ready to take control of your spreadsheets like a pro!

The RISE Grapevine Monthly Virtual Meetup brings together diverse, creative, and inclusive entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders from across Southern Virginia. Each month, the virtual meetup features updates from local and regional entrepreneur support organizations and creates space for learning and connection. Entrepreneurs at all stages are welcome to attend.

Free workshop with Margaret Edmond of Virginia Apex! Open to all entrepreneurs and businesses.

The Commonwealth of Virginia spends BILLIONS of dollars on goods and services each year. At this FREE workshop you will learn how to become an eVA registered vendor and how to get SWaM certified.

Contracting 101 with the Commonwealth of Virginia workshop takes you step-by-step on how to register your firm to do business with Virginia state agencies, find out who’s buying what you sell, and research commodity spend for your product/service.

The Commonwealth of Virginia has a set-aside program – Small, Women, and Minority Owned Business (SWAM) certification – that encourages state agencies to purchase goods and services from SWaM certified businesses. The Commonwealth’s goal is to spend 42% of its discretionary funding with SWaM certified vendors.

This is an information-packed 1 ½ hour in-person class you will NOT want to miss!

Agenda Items:

•         eVA Registration
•         SWaM Certification
•         Who’s Buying What I Sell?
•         Commodity Spend (for your product or service)
•         Utilize Tools in eVA to Market Your Business

Bring your laptop to get registered today!

Date:  Friday, October 16, 2026
Location:  The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research – Danville, VA
Time:  8:00am – 5:30pm

Level up your business at the third annual RISE Summit—a favorite event packed with inspiration, skill-building workshops, and high-impact networking. This year, we are leveling up the experience even more! The focus is Innovation in Business, Manufacturing, and Agriculture. Whether you’re in manufacturing, agriculture, or any type of entrepreneur, this is THE EVENT for YOU!

Super Early Bird Rate ($45) – Available now through July 16, 2026
Early Bird Rate ($55) – Available July 17 through September 30, 2026
Regular Rate ($65) – Available October 1 through October 16, 2026

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. Entrepreneurs of all types are welcome to attend! Learn more about the RISE Grapevine Entrepreneur Network HERE.

Topic: New Year, New Goals

Wanting to get your business seen? Join Chad Thompson from Letterpress Communications for a marketing kickstart webinar!

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>