Business Fundamentals Bootcamp

Acceleration Partners and Supporting Strategies are hosting a Business Fundamentals Bootcamp designed especially for CEOs and CXO’s of early and growth stage companies.  More than 20 speakers and panelists will lend their expertise on tactical issues and opportunities for growing businesses focused on topics in  marketing, finance, law, and human resources. This is your chance to learn from and ask questions of some of the most experienced early and growth stage service providers in the Boston area.

The curriculum for the Business Fundamentals Boot camp is very tactical in nature, providing expert guidance; tools and takeaways that business leaders need to address core growth and risk areas. For each of the four breakout sessions, participants will have the opportunity to select from 3-4 targeted  sessions that they find most relevant and each segment will have ample time for direct Q&A. However, all participants will also receive speaker information and takeaways from every segment presented. The event will conclude with a networking reception for participants and presenters.

The Business Fundamentals Bootcamp will be held at the Cambridge Innovation Center (www.cictr.com) on October 22, 2010 from 12-6pm.

EVENT SCHEDULE

• Networking & Registration:                     12:00pm - 12:30pm
• Lunch & Introduction:                               12:30pm -1:00pm
• Breakout 1: Finance & Administration          1:00pm -1:40pm
• Breakout 2: Strategy & Marketing               1:45pm - 2:25pm
• Breakout 3: Legal & Risk Management       2:30pm - 3:10pm
• Breakout 4: Management & HR                  3:15pm - 3:55pm
• Panel Discussion:                                       4:00pm - 5:00pm
  • Meeting Capital Needs at Any Stage
• Cocktail Hour Networking:                        5:00pm - 6:00pm

Breakout 1: Finance & Administration (1:00pm - 1:40pm)

1. Is Growth Killing Your Company? The Importance of Cash Conversion in the Growing Enterprise.
   Jonathan Iannacone, Evan Cassidy,  Verge Advisors
   
   
2. Building the Ideal Finance Team: The fundamentals of a solid finance function, choosing the team and more.
   Bob Dudley, Venture Advisors
   
   
3. Business Plan versus Executive Summary: How to clearly present your business opportunity to investors in a concise manner.
   Robert Glazer, Acceleration Partners
   
   
4. Business Growth & Risk Management:  Proactive Steps and Pitfalls to Avoid:  Time and resource saving steps to avoid common oversights and minimize unnecessary risk as your business grows. Charlie Popkin, Longwood Associates

Breakout 2: Strategy & Marketing  (1:45pm - 2:25pm)         

1. How Great Web Design Influences the Bottom Line: Tactics and case studies for getting results from your website.
   Richard Banfield,  Fresh Tilled Soil
   
   Going Social -Employing Social Media in Your Networking: Maximize your time spent and deciphering the opportunities that are out there.
   Victoria Nessen Kohlasch, Nessen Kohlasch & Associates, Inc.
   
   
2. Getting Your Business Found in Google: What is Search Engine Optomization (SEO), how does it work for your business and how do you best measure your return on investment.
   Robert Glazer,  Acceleration Partners
   
   
3. PR: Money-Pit or Brand-Builder: Seven questions to ask before taking the plunge.     
   Amy Bermar, Corporate Ink

Breakout 3: Legal & Risk Management   (2:30pm - 3:10pm)

1. Choice of Entity: Positioning Your Company for Success: Key factors include avoiding liability, attracting and incentivizing team members, and raising funds from investors, at all stages of growth. Larry Gennari, Gennari Aronson
   
   
2. Top 10 Things Every Business Should Know About Intellectual Property:
   Erik Heels, Clocktower Law Group
   
   
3. Privacy Law Compliance - Blunders, Bungles and Bloopers: Review real life privacy disasters. Learn how to not end up like these guys.
   Colin Coleman, Innovative Business Law Group
   
   
4. Angels, Venture and Alternative Funding Sources For Your Business: Learn about types of capital, fundamental of a term sheet and how to be ready to accept it when offered.
   Karin Gregory, Furman Gregory Deptula
   
   

Breakout 4: Management & HR   (3:15pm - 3:55pm)

1. Managing a Virtual Team: The Trials and Tribulations of managing a virtual team - How to build a cohesive organization without boundaries. 
   Steve Schultz,  Supporting Strategies
   
   
2. Dotting the I’s & Crossing the T’s: The Nuts and Bolts of HR for the small company. 
   Amy Scannell, Insight Performance
   
   
3. Hiring Amazing Talent: Learn how to attract the best talent to your organization refinine your interview process, and closing your top prospects. 
   David Hayes, Hire Minds
   
   
4. Employee Benefits and Payroll Compliance for Startups. What every company needs to know to recruit and retain talent and keep up with the changing state and federal laws.
   Bruce Crohn & Rich Testa, ADP
   
   
5. An Entrepreneur's Advice for Success - 10 Lessons Learned: Sit with an entrepreneur who has built tech companies and will offer valuable advice from real-life failures and successes. 
   Steve Snyder, Gesmer Updegrove
   
   

Panel Discussion:  (4:00pm - 5:00pm)
Meeting Capital Needs at Any Stage: Hear from representatives of the early stage venture, private equity and small business lending communities about what they look for at each stage and what can make a business stand out or get shut out at each level. Open Q&A.

Moderator: Larry Gennari: Partner, Gennari Aronson

Panelists:
James Rich: Partner, Gemini Investors
Jim Brown: Exec Vice President, Boston Private Bank & Trust
Jason Henrichs: COO, PerkStreet.
Matthew Witheileir: Principal, Flybridge Capital Partners 
 

Transportation & Parking Information
Cambridge Innovation Center is located on at One Broadway, just across the street from the Cambridge Marriott Hotel and the Kendall Square MBTA subway station. Garage Parking is available underneath the building on the Third Street side. (http://www.cictr.com/#/contact/)

*Limited space available.