Vanessa Wagner
Small Business and Entrepreneurship Manager
The week of May 15-21, 2017 is when Loudoun’s business community comes together to highlight the importance of small business in Loudoun. While we celebrate during Small Business Week, these partners work tirelessly year-round to continue growing the opportunities for small businesses in Loudoun.
Tina Johnson, chair of the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, has committed to focusing her 2017 leadership year on small business. “I believe that the small business is the heart and soul of our community,” Tina said. “I believe that we, as part of the community, have a responsibility to help support the local small business.” The Loudoun Chamber will host three events during Small Business Week, and also serve as volunteers and attendees at many of the other activities.
Another pillar of Loudoun’s small business community, the Small Business Development Center at the Mason Enterprise Center in Leesburg, is organizing a full-day conference with workshops tailored for those of you who are starting a business, as well as you who already have a business you’d like to grow. Following Monday’s conference, you can engage with the team at workshops hosted at the Mason Enterprise Center incubator or at Meetup they sponsor, Loudoun Tech Startups.
Loudoun Small Business Week is designed to celebrate the 10,000+ small businesses that call Loudoun home. To do this, our Board of Supervisors is working with Loudoun Economic Development to organize meetings with companies in each board member’s district. The goal is to celebrate your success and find out how we can make opening a small business in Loudoun even easier in the future.
The Town of Leesburg will also recognize the achievements in their community with the Leesburg Business Awards. Other opportunities for members of Loudoun’s craft beverage industry, drone industry and international businesses to engage with stakeholders include events such as the CRAFT Beer Movie Screening, Unmanned and Ready for Business, and the Loudoun International Business Luncheon.
After a full week of workshops and networking events, Loudoun’s farm-based businesses invite you to learn more about our agricultural economy during the Spring Farm Tour. Here’s your chance to enjoy farm-fresh food and toast your businesses success at one of our farm wineries or breweries.
I can’t wait to greet you at one, or all, of this year’s events during Loudoun Small Business Week!
