COSE Small Business Conference Helps Small Businesses Thrive

CLEVELAND, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Council of Smaller Enterprises' (COSE) Small Business Conference – one of the nation's largest, most comprehensive education and networking events created solely for small business – is scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, October 20 and October 21 at the I-X Center in Cleveland.

This year's Small Business Conference features three energetic and inspiring keynote speakers – Bill Rancic, entrepreneur and winner of the first season of The Apprentice reality TV show on NBC; Warren Brown, founder of CakeLove and Love Cafe and host of Sugar Rush on The Food Network; and Sally Hogshead, national brand innovation consultant.

"Now more than ever, entrepreneurs and small business owners need to work together.  Peer-to-peer interaction, learning and idea sharing are all important and valuable as we look to develop new strategies to make our businesses successful," said Carol Drummond, president of her own small business, Drummond Design and chairperson of the COSE Small Business Conference Committee.  "The content for this Small Business Conference was designed and developed by small business owners who have been in the trenches and understand the challenges of running a small business."

The conference includes 70 breakout workshops in the areas of sales, marketing, HR, money, social media, technology, as well as personal and professional development.  Business owners can also benefit from a 80-exhibit business-to-business trade show, countless networking opportunities, interactive learning labs, and peer-to-peer roundtables on topics pertinent to small businesses.  

Other exciting components of the 2010 Small Business Conference include the COSE Ten Under 10 Awards, recognizing the top ten Northeast Ohio businesses with less than ten employees, and the release of COSE's Energy Efficiency Resource Guide.  The Guide will provide resources, quick tips and case studies to help small businesses become more energy efficient.  

There is still time to register for the Conference. The Conference is free to the first attendee from a COSE member company. Additional representatives from the same company are invited to attend for only $75. Local chamber members may attend the conference for $99.  The non-member price for the Conference is $499. Breakfasts, lunches and parking are free with registration.

For more information or to register, call (216) 592-2222 or visit www.cose.org/sbc.

About COSE

COSE is one of Ohio's largest small business support organizations, striving to help small businesses grow and maintain their independence. Comprised of more than 15,000 member companies, COSE has a long history of fighting for the rights of all small business owners through group purchasing programs for health care, workers' compensation, or energy, advocating for specific changes in legislation or regulation to benefit small business, or providing a forum and resource for small businesses to connect with and learn from each other. (www.cose.org)

SOURCE Council of Smaller Enterprises