Hosted by Polsky Center Investor-in-Residence Tim Kelly, MBA ’00, this workshop will introduce you to a multitude of careers that fall within the PE industry and also give you a brief description of the related skills that different roles require, some pros and cons of different career paths, and ways to pursue some of these positions.

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Presented by Dr. Rhonda Henderson, from Olive Harvey College

Learn how to identify and understand your most valuable customer groups in this fast-paced, hands-on workshop designed for busy entrepreneurs. You'll discover simple segmentation methods that work without big budgets or complex tools, and learn how to tailor your marketing to the right customers. Walk away with a practical customer profile template and immediate action steps you can implement this week to drive growth and improve customer retention.

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Presented by Score Chicago

Two experienced SCORE mentors will lead you through this self-assessment to help determine if you are ready to become an entrepreneur. Do you have the qualifications, the temperament and skills needed to succeed?

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In this webinar, you will learn about The MLC's monthly royalty payments. We’ll walk you through each of the royalty statement documents Members receive with their payments. You’ll learn about what those documents include and how you can access additional detailed royalty information in the Member Hub within The MLC Portal, with plenty of time for Q&A.

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Presented by The MLC

Presented by National Association of Women Owners (NAWBO) member Angie Noll, Founder of Reconciled Solutions, and BACP.

Does thinking about your income statement send shivers down your spine? Are you spooked by the thought of updating your balance sheet? Is reviewing your cashflow a nightmare? Many business owners are intimidated by their financial reports--but they don’t have to be scary. Those reports actually have an important story to tell about the business, and understanding that story is crucial to achieving sustainable growth. Walk away from this session with the tools and knowledge you need to make informed financial decisions and drive the success of your small biz.

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Work in Progress (WIP) is a fantastic opportunity for designers to give and receive feedback either on a specific project or a portfolio piece. We welcome high schoolers, college students, recent graduates, young professionals, mid-level, senior, creative directors and retired designers of all ages to join.

Reviews for feedback in each event are limited to the first three (3) people who sign up and attend – so be sure to register while there are still available spots!

You are also welcome to join in to provide feedback or just listen in. No matter how you would like to participate, please click "Register" to receive the Google Meet link information.

Showing your design drafts and hearing opinions is an integral part of the design process. Work In Progress is an opportunity to engage in that collaborative process. Improve your communication skills, learn to receive constructive feedback, get fresh perspectives on your work, and hone your presentations skills in a welcoming environment.

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Presented by AIGA

Are you a songwriter, composer or lyricist streaming your songs on a digital platform? The MLC helps creators like you (and your publishers and administrator partners) collect your streaming royalties. This webinar from The MLC introduces who we are, why self-published writers should become Members of The MLC, and why registering your songs with The MLC is critical to ensuring you receive ALL of the royalties you are entitled to when your songs are streamed in the U.S.

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Presented by The MLC

Presented by Cheryl Hudson-Jackson; Director- Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center, Cheryl Hudson-Jackson; Director- Breedlove Entrepreneurship Center

Whether you're raising your first round or your fifth, your pitch deck is your startup’s first impression—and it needs to be powerful. In this fast-paced, hands-on 90-minute session, you'll learn how to create a pitch deck that grabs attention, tells a compelling story, and gets investors excited. From the must-have slides to pro tips that separate you from the pack, we’ll break down exactly what investors look for and how to deliver it with clarity and confidence. You’ll walk away with the tools, templates, and tactics to make your next pitch your best yet.

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Presented by BACP

Learn how to capture splits at the point of creation, generate split sheet contracts, register with The MLC and PROs, and manage credits with Sound Credit. This webinar for songwriters, composers, and publishers shows how to collaborate with your entire team on the ultimate work-in-progress music space. 

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Presented by The MLC

In the face of stress and adversity, do you find yourself reacting with anger, frustration, or apathy? These counterproductive responses are deeply rooted in our human survival instincts. But what if you could rewire your brain to thrive instead of just survive? 

Join us for an enlightening workshop where we’ll delve into the neuroscience of “Survive vs. Thrive” and equip you with powerful tools to maintain productivity and support your team, even under intense pressure. 

Don’t let your survival instincts limit your potential! Equip yourself with neuroscience insights and practical strategies to unlock your learning brain. This session will empower you to keep a growth mindset, allowing your problem-solving capabilities and professional performance to thrive. 

This is an essential professional development opportunity for anyone looking to thrive in today’s fast-paced business world. 

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Presented by Lawyers for the Creative Arts

Financial planning can be difficult for independent musicians. The economic norms in the industry (fluctuating monthly income, freelance/gig work, low pay, and other forms of financial precarity) can make it hard to know where to start when managing debt and saving for the future.

Join Lawyers for the Creative Arts, Golden Egg Chicago and the Illinois Treasurer’s office for a program covering free resources to help you plan for the future. We’ll introduce you to financial planning tools, educational resources, retirement fund options, legal support and more.

This program is ideal for musicians and other artists in Illinois who are managing student loans, medical or other debt; planning for a child’s future education costs; planning for retirement or emergency funds; or looking to create better budgeting habits, all while navigating the creative economy.

Join us in-person at Chicago Public Library – Harold Washington Library (400 S. State Street, Chicago) or on Zoom.

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Presented by Lawyers for the Creative Arts

Presented by Sarah Wilson, Uptown United & Uptown Chamber of Commerce

Considering taking your business from home to a storefront? Join us and learn how to determine if you're ready for brick and mortar, what you need before signing a lease, and how to avoid common pitfalls as best you can. 

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Our Nonprofit Start-up Workshop is designed to help you through the legalities and business issues you’ll face in launching your new organization. We help you to complete the necessary state and federal forms and provide a wealth of practical advice including business, governance, and financial matters for nonprofit start-ups.

Few attorneys have LCA’s years of experience in these important topics. Our Workshops give you the ability to do everything you would otherwise have to retain a private attorney to do for you. We cover:

• Incorporate?

  • Reasons to incorporate, reasons not to.

  • Alternatives that can work for you.

  • Completing necessary forms, bylaws, articles of incorporation, and more.

• Best Practices for Nonprofit Start-ups.

  • Basics of budgeting, projecting revenues and costs.

  • Strategies for nonprofit fundraising.

  • Holding directors’ meetings, filling necessary officers’ positions.

  • Key issues in governance for nonprofits.

• Tax Exempt Status — Do You Need It?

  • The reasons to obtain federal tax exempt status, reasons why you might not need to, and some alternatives that may work for you.

  • How to maintain your tax exemption

  • Other operating issues.

• How to File for 501(c)(3) Status.

  • Line-by-line instructions for completing the tax exemption applications

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Presented by Lawyers for the Creative Arts

Discover the power of AI in developing diverse content designed for a range of platforms including social media, email marketing, blogging, your website, and more. Learn how to use AI to streamline content creation, aiding you in delivering a consistent and engaging brand narrative across different channels.

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Presented by Women’s Business Development Center in collaboration with the Naperville Public Library

Are you a self-administered songwriter (also known as independent songwriter) with questions about The MLC and your digital audio mechanical royalties? We invite you to join experts from The MLC for this interactive webinar to get answers to any questions you have about membership, The MLC Portal, and all of the tools and resources available to help you register your musical works data with The MLC and get the mechanical royalties you're owed.

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Presented by The MLC

Presented by the Donald Pritzker Entrepreneurship Law Center, Northwestern Pritzker School of Law

The purpose of the workshop will be to explore trademark law and help founders both analyze the risks of potential trademark infringement suits by third parties as well as how to best protect their company's own trademark rights in its brand names. We will discuss the process to conduct a preliminary trademark search to identify other companies’ existing trademark rights in a proposed trademark, and we will also explore how to determine the strength of a proposed trademark.

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Join us to learn about the benefits of having a music lawyer rather than AI to help with your music industry business!

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Presented by The MLC

Join us for a program designed to empower nonprofit leaders with the knowledge and skills necessary to develop and implement effective strategic plans. Participants will gain an understanding of the importance of strategic planning for nonprofit organizations, learn about the essential elements of a strategic plan, and explore the step-by-step process of creating one. The program will also clarify the crucial role of the board in the strategic planning process and provide guidance on how to keep the plan dynamic and relevant through regular updates. 

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This program is presented by Cris Beilstein, founder of Elevation Collaborative LLC. and Lawyers for the Creative Arts

Presented by Shelby Parchman, InUrban Strategies, LLC

This session will help small business owners discover how affordable technology tools can streamline operations and support growth. From point-of-sale systems and cloud storage to simple apps that improve scheduling, accounting, and customer engagement, participants will leave with a clear understanding of what tools to adopt, how to implement them, and how technology can free up time to focus on running and scaling their businesses.

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Anyone who knows me, understands my passion for live music. I also happen to have a very impressive collection of ticket stubs. This pair of amazing speakers touches on both topics big time.

Kevin Lyman is best known as the founder and creative driving force behind the Vans Warped Tour, which made a triumphant return in 2025. He is also Associate Professor of Practice in the USC Thornton Music Industry program, which allows him to combine his three passions in one initiative- music, education, and philanthropy. He's seen and done a lot and we can't wait to learn more about what he's up to and has planned for Warped Tour in 2026 and beyond.

 Matt Wolff is the founder and CEO of Ticket Time Machine. TTM specializes in creating souvenir tickets/credentials for events, which enhances the fan experience by giving them something to commemorate their memories. And as an avid stub collector, I LOVE what he's doing!

I am so thrilled to present these two rockstar guests. Please join us for what will be the best hour of your whole week!

Thursday, October 1, 2025 at 2:00 pm ET / 11:00 am PT / 7:00 pm GMT

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Presented by WHO KNEW

NSF and DoD run some of the strongest non-dilutive grant funding programs for hardtech founders, but the process often seems anything but founder-friendly. Between dense applications, shifting administration priorities, and competitive proposal reviews, it's hard to know where to start. This comprehensive workshop cuts through the noise to give you a clear path to securing federal funding for your innovation.

SBIR and STTR programs represent billions in annual funding specifically designated for small businesses developing cutting-edge technologies. For hardware startups, these grants can provide crucial runway without diluting equity—funding that can mean the difference between a prototype gathering dust and a product reaching market. Yet many founders either don't know these opportunities exist or find the application process too daunting to pursue.

We'll decode the federal funding landscape, breaking down the differences between Phase I, Phase II, and Phase III opportunities, explaining the nuances between SBIR and STTR structures, and highlighting lesser-known programs that may be perfect fits for your technology. You'll learn how to translate complex technical innovations into compelling narratives that resonate with review panels, structure budgets that pass scrutiny, and avoid common pitfalls that sink otherwise strong proposals.

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Presented by mHUB

Elevate your scripts with Chicago Screenwriters Network!

Don't miss out on our monthly Chicago Screenwriters Network events! Collaborate with local talent and crew to make your scripts a reality.

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As CPG brands scale, operational load grows—processing POs, scheduling deliveries, and updating suppliers can pull founders away from growth. This session shows how JP automates the most time-consuming workflows and how founders can identify what to automate first. We’ll also leave time for live Q&A focused on attendees’ specific workflow challenges.

Workflow Demos

• Multi-Customer PO Processing: Auto-retrieve POs from SPS, populate sheets (warehouse, products, quantities), and send daily confirmations to Ops Lead.

• PO Acknowledgments to Buyers: Apply correct acknowledgment types, shipping details, and discount flags with automated confirmations.

• Shipment & Delivery Scheduling: Create matching orders across NetSuite and other platforms, set carrier rules/tax status, bulk-add SKUs, and align pickup/delivery dates and reference numbers.

• Auto-Fill Supplier Shipping Info: Parse booking confirmation PDFs and write reference numbers, ship/arrival/pick-up dates, quantities, port load, vessel, and supplier into the correct Google Sheet row.

Who It’s For
Established CPG brands with defined processes looking to reduce manual work, cut errors, and scale ops efficiently.

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Presented by FoodBevy

Presented by National Association of Women Owners (NAWBO) member Lindsey Evans, Fractional CFO and founder of Liberty Pointe Consulting

Business Owners & Entrepreneurs often juggle it all — clients, finances, teams, and personal commitments — while working harder than ever yet still feeling like the business is running them. It doesn’t have to be that way. This session will share how to turn your business into a sustainable, profitable venture that actually supports your life. You’ll learn how to pay yourself first, protect your profit, simplify your finances, and set up systems that prevent burnout. Walk away with actionable steps to make your business work for you — financially and personally — so you can finally grow without running yourself into the ground.

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Join the ISA and the Writers Guild Initiative as we dive into cultivating a compelling personal and professional story and give you the tools needed to effectively brand yourself and your projects.

This is an interactive session - be prepared to work and share and make some meaningful breakthroughs for your career.

ISA's Creative Executive, Shayna Weber, and VP of Development, Felicity Wren, will lead us through:

• Why knowing your personal brand matters.

• Identify words to describe your portfolio of projects and the feelings you aim to evoke in your work.

• Cultivate a Writers Statement from these words.

• Private breakout rooms to talk through your new writers statement and get feedback.

• Talk about your origin story and connect it to you professionally.

• Individual Reflection: Think about your journey as a writer and your unique life experiences that have shaped your voice.

• Write Your Mini-Story Draft 2-3 concise and impactful sentences about what makes you, as a writer, uniquely qualified or compelled to tell the stories you tell.

• Learn how to apply your writers statement to your bio, website, general meetings, pitch meetings.

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Do you have dreams of calling to a national brand? Come learn how.

Join David Segal, President of Highbeam and founder of DAVIDsTEA, for a live session where he’ll share the hard-won lessons from scaling a high-growth brand all the way to going public.

You’ll discover:

• The toughest money challenges food & beverage founders face—and how to plan ahead

• Proven strategies for breaking into and thriving in retail

• Real stories of what worked (and what didn’t) while scaling DAVIDsTEA

• Practical financial tips to avoid costly mistakes and improve cash flow

This is your chance to get candid, unfiltered advice from someone who has been in your shoes. Ask David your own questions about scaling, retail, and financing growth.

If you’re building a food or beverage brand and want to scale smarter, this session is a must-attend.

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Presented by FoodBevy

Before you write a single word of your screenplay, there are 12 essential story elements you must explore. Too often, writers rush into pages without fully shaping their characters, themes, hooks, or story engines, only to stall out halfway through. Get a powerful brainstorming framework that unlocks fresh ideas and ensures your next draft is stronger, more marketable, and truly unforgettable. Join this webinar and learn how to unlock originality, depth, and momentum before you even write page one.

This session will transform your writing process, discussing 12 essential story elements including:

• Concept –  Nail down a strong, original idea before typing FADE IN.

• Character Flaws – Build depth by giving your protagonist real weaknesses .

• Archetypes – Use timeless character types to shape compelling roles .

• Plot Goals – Differentiate between your story’s external drive and your hero’s personal journey.

• Hooks – Create a concept or image that makes your story impossible to ignore.

• Conceits – Add a unique spin that sets your script apart from others.

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When we decided to name this platform "The Smartest People In The Room", it was with this type of pairing of experts in mind. These two guys are the literal definition of what the title infers. And I could not be more excited to present them to you!

Chris Dalla Riva is Senior Product Manager, Data & Personalization at Audiomack. In short he is a data expert who leads a team (of data experts) that helps artists expand their audiences. He is getting ready to release a book entitled, Uncharted Territory What Numbers Tell Us about the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves. This is a fascinating look at every number one song from the 1950's to present day and what the data behind them says about our society.

Will Page is one of the music industry's most widely followed experts on data and economics. As the former Chief Economist of Spotify and PRS for Music, Will pioneered the concepts of Rockonomics and Glocalisation. He also publishes his ongoing and widely anticipated annual report on the global value of music copyright. His critically acclaimed book Tarzan Economics, has been translated into five languages and published in paperback under the title Pivot.

Please join us for what will be the best hour of your week. I promise you will leave smarter and more inspired than you arrived. 

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If you follow music history or even keep up with current events, you may know that 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN. To offer our own celebration of this historic milestone, I am pleased to present two authorities on the subject. And I can assure you that you will learn several things you've never heard about the institution and its impact on the overall music business.

Eric Marcum is General Manager and Content Director of WSM Radio, the most famed country music station in the world. WSM has broadcast the Grand Ole Opry radio how and related programming since 1925. He oversees all WSM business operations, content and programming, advertising, sponsorship, production, streaming and syndication. In short, he runs the show at this bedrock of country music history and programming. 

Craig Havighurst is my favorite music journalist and music history expert. His knowledge runs deep and wide on just about any topic involving music, and in particular Nashville and roots/country/Americana music. He is the author of Air Castle of the South: WSM and the Making of Music City, which documented for the first time how Nashville was transformed by one of the nation’s greatest radio stations.

Please join us for what will be the best hour of your week. I promise you will leave smarter and more inspired than you arrived.  

Thursday, September 4, 2025 at 2:00 pm ET / 11:00 am PT / 7:00 pm GMT

FREE, but you must register below.

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