Schedule

• Day 1
• Day 2
• Day 3
• October 11, 2022

• 8:45 AM OPENING: Dave Walker, CEO, B2SMB Institute8:45 AM - 9:00 AMJoin us LIVE in Chicago at VenueSix10 as we connect you and your peers in Business-to-Small-Business Leadership. Powerful keynotes, instructive workshops and panels fill our day. And as always we’ll provide lots of opportunities to network! Our Best2SMB Awards Ceremony sits at the heart of our Day 1 agenda as you learn from the best on what it takes to be the best!

• 9:00 AM WORKSHOP: The New Normal9:00 AM - 9:15 AMWe open our conference with a simple "meet & greet," but with a purposeful question: What defines the new normal in the B2SMB marketplace? From changes brought about by Covid to the cause & effect of supply chain disruption, we'll rely on the shared experience and wisdom from our attendees to provide valuable shared insights that set the stage for our day's keynotes.
  
  Leaders' League Facilitators

• 9:15 AM KEYNOTE: Craig Cohen- CRO, WooCommerce/Automattic9:15 AM - 9:35 AMCraig has been helping innovative companies (from Start-Ups to a Fortune 100) grow their revenue through traditional sales channels (direct and indirect) but has also been at the forefront of the "new normal" - the digital transformation that matches how clients buy. Craig says "the key to success is to have your Field/Inside/Digital all working together to get your clients (and prospective clients) such an amazing experience they have no other choice but to buy from you." He shares his people-first Playbook.
  
  Craig Cohen
  CRO, WooCommerce/Automattic
  *Best2SMB Nominee*

• 9:35 AM KEYNOTE: Kate Winkler- CEO, Ruby9:35 AM - 9:55 AMKate has been in the technology sector for over 25 years and has worn just about every C-level hat. A student of successful businesses, she believes that the best businesses are built on a clear vision and mission that delivers real value to customers while inspiring employees to create remarkable experiences with their customers. She talks calculated risks, data junkies and of course, the new normal.
  
  Kate Winkler
  CEO, Ruby
  *Best2SMB Nominee*

• 9:55 AM KEYNOTE: Mark Tina- VP, Verizon Business9:55 AM - 10:15 AMMark is a 20+ year veteran leader in sales and business development across the U.S. He is responsible for an organization of over 1k sales professionals, serving small and medium-size businesses with innovative managed solutions for total connectivity, communications and collaboration. In 2020, Mark co-created LEAD Together, Verizon Business’ mentorship program, helping associates across te enterprise to develop leadership skills. His team is focused on helping accelerate the recovery of SMBs via technology, and he shares his practical vision of "growth in the new normal."
  
  Mark Tina
  VP, Verizon Business
  *Best2SMB Nominee*

• 10:15 AM KEYNOTE Livestream: Raju Vegesna, Chief Evangelist, Zoho10:15 AM - 10:35 AMAs Chief Evangelist at Zoho, Raju Vegesna plays a leading role in presenting Zoho's message to the business market worldwide. He has been with Zoho over two decades, and in that time Vegesna has seen the company grow from being a few-app SaaS vendor to a global technology company, providing more and 55 applications as part of a deep tech stack, built entirely in-house, which serve Zoho's 80 million users across hundreds of thousands of companies around the world.
  Raju Vegesna
  Chief Evangelist, Zoho
  *Best2SMB Nominee*

• 10:35 AM BREAK10:35 AM - 10:50 AMBreak

• 10:50 AM PANEL:
  Louise Barrere- Managing Director- Global Data & AI, Accenture
  Linda Reinhard- CRO, Tarci
  Scott Norwalk- President, Business.com
  Or Tamir, Co-Founder/COO, Explorium10:50 AM - 11:10 AMAs always, we like to embed a "state of SMB" panel early in all of our events. Three SMEs step forward to give us their most current "Top 5 Insights into SMBs" as we all attempt to understand better what our customers need, want and expect of us.
  
  Louise Barrere
  Managing Director- Global Data & AI, Accenture
  
  Linda Reinhard
  CRO, Tarci
  
  Scott Norwalk
  President, Business.com
  
  Or Tamir
  Co-Founder/COO, Explorium

• 11:10 AM KEYNOTE: Sam Levy- SVP, Oracle Netsuite11:10 AM - 11:30 AMSam has more than 20 years of experience in Enterprise Applications Companies building Sales and Service Organizations, developing Product Strategy and executing Sales enablement programs. He brings playbook filled with insights and recommendations on Sales Processes, Leadership and building winning cultures for growth.
  
  Sam Levy
  SVP, Oracle Netsuite

• 11:30 AM KEYNOTE: Nikki Newsome- Chief Culture Officer, Meta/Facebook11:30 AM - 11:50 PMRecently named one of Crain's Chicago Business 40 Under 40 and a Chicago Urban League IMPACT Fellow, Nikki is a prolific speaker, teacher and motivator. She works to manifest her strategic vision by implementing key principles that guide Meta Chicago’s time, talent and resources through maintaining the essential Meta culture, named Chicago Tribune’s #1 place to work in November 2021.
  
  Nikki Newsome
  Chief Culture Officer, Meta/Facebook SVP, Oracle Netsuite

• 11:50 PM KEYNOTE: Nicole Wood- CEO, Ama La Vida; Foram Sheth- COO, Ama La Vida11:50 PM - 12:10 PMAma La Vida is an innovative leadership and career coaching company that believes that there doesn't need to be a tradeoff between success and happiness (now more than ever.) "We help people stop dreading the alarm clock and start making an impact. We are transforming the industry, making coaching more results-oriented, process-driven, scalable and flexible." Based on rich data and insights, ALV ensures coaching isn't just about being inspired. Nicole and Foram talk the mechanics of growing people for enterprise growth.
  
  Nicole Wood
  CEO, Ama La Vida
  
  Foram Sheth
  COO, Ama La Vida

• 12:10 PM KEYNOTE: Brian Bar- Founder/CEO, Victory Lap12:10 PM - 12:30 PMBrian Bar joined a fast growing start up called Groupon as employee ~500. Two years later Groupon's team had swelled to 13,000. Brian created a new way to onboard 30-50 new sales talent hires each month. His method led to rapid revenue, ramp, and retention increases. In the midst of his success, he realized that "sales" is a very teachable skill. And he also learned that when someone has the tools and confidence to perform in their job, it's life changing. In 2016, Victory Lap was born. And if you asked his thousands of students what Victory lap delivers, the most consistent answer is confidence. He shares his approach to "Growth in the New Normal."
  
  Brian Bar
  Founder/CEO, Victory Lap
  

• 12:30 PM BEST2SMB AWARDS CEREMONY / LUNCH12:30 PM - 1:30 PMBEST2SMB AWARDS CEREMONY / LUNCH

• 1:30 PM KEYNOTE: Natalie Franke- Chief Evangelist, HoneyBook1:30 PM - 1:50 PMNatalie Franke is the Chief Evangelist at HoneyBook and author of Built to Belong. She is also the cofounder of the Rising Tide—a community of 75,000 independent business owners who gather in hundreds of local chapters around the world. Put simply: Natalie is a mama bear for small business. She is a fierce advocate and enthusiastic champion of anyone declaring their independence from the traditional workforce. She brings her unique perspective on the "New Normal" for SMBs, and how we who serve them must respond.
  
  Natalie Franke
  Chief Evangelist, HoneyBook
  *Best2SMB Nominee*

• 1:50 PM KEYNOTE: Tim Metzner- Co-Founder & Chief Growth Officer, Coterie1:50 PM - 2:10 PMTim Metzner has been in and around startups his entire career. "As an early employee, founder, angel investor, and mentor, I've been blessed to get to do work that I love with people who make me better." Coterie - nominated for a Best2SMB Award for Innovation - is driven to bring speed, simplicity, and service to commercial insurance for SMBs, with a special emphasis on the VSB that have emerged in the last 2 years. Tim talks invention, disruption and radically new and different customers.
  
  Tim Metzner
  Co-Founder & Chief Growth Officer, Coterie
  *Best2SMB Nominee*

• 2:10 PM KEYNOTE: Kelly O'Connell- Senior Vice President of Product and Design, ActiveCampaign2:10 PM - 2:30 PMWhat motivates Kelly as an SMB Product Developer? Reducing customer churn through product/market fit; solution based selling, quick product adoption and education, and customer success programs; and building repeatable processes that drive operational efficiency. She'll talk day-to-day application these principles for our 2022 Best2SMB Award nominee for Brand of the Year.
  
  Kelly O'Connell
  Senior Vice President of Product and Design, ActiveCampaign
  *Best2SMB Nominee*

• 2:30 PM KEYNOTE: Stephanie Gorski Managing Director- Software & Platforms, Accenture Strategy2:30 PM - 2:50 PMAs a partner in Accenture Strategy and Co-Leader of Accenture’s Grow SMB solution, Stephanie is a forward-thinking strategic advisor with expertise in B2SMB companies that are driving industry transforming innovation. She is focused on helping B2SMB clients understand market dynamics, target SMB customers, and effectively use innovation approaches to stay relevant and drive growth. She has deep expertise in growth strategy, go-to-market strategies, SMB sales and service, mergers and acquisitions, digital transformation, and operating model redesign. She is passionate about helping companies and business units decide if it is best to Build, Buy or Partner.
  
  Stephanie Gorski
  Managing Director- Software & Platforms, Accenture Strategy

• 2:50 PM BREAK2:50 PM - 3:10 PMBreak

• 3:10 PM WORKSHOP: A Breakout for B2SMB Sales & Marketing Pros OR A Breakout for B2SMB Strategy & Dev Leads3:10 PM - 3:30 PMA Breakout for B2SMB Sales & Marketing Pros: The demands of the “New Normal” on those charged with winning new Small Business Customers are legion. How do you organize your efforts to reach and engage prospects amidst their many challenges? How do you qualify and close them? Joel Rackham has thoughts. As SVP of Global Sales for MarketStar, Joel brings to us years of doing the hard work of winning new business for B2SMB Enterprises. If your job success depends on growing, this session is for you.
  
  Sales & Marketing Council Chair:
  Brian Bar
  Founder/CEO, Victory Lap
  
  Joel Rackham
  SVP, Global Head of Direct Sales, MarketStar
  
  OR
  
  A Breakout for B2SMB Strategy & Dev Leads:
  Leaders need sounding boards, and if our event has one thing, it’s sounding boards! Sean Cohen, COO of AWeber, along with Dave Walker of B2SMBI, will help to set up mini-breakouts for those in our audience whose often lonely jobs require an occasional outside perspective. After a brief intro, we’ll break into very small groups of 2-4 attendees to spend some time helping others as we help ourselves to the collective savvy of our peer leaders.
  
  Strategy & Development Council:
  Sean Cohen
  COO, AWeber

• 3:30 PM PANEL: Principles & Practices of Innovation for B2SMB Growth
  Gib Olander- CPO, Vendasta
  Josh May- Founder, POWr.io
  Chris Vasquez- CPO, AWeber3:30 PM - 3:50 PMGib Olander
  CPO, Vendasta
  
  Josh May
  Founder, POWr.io
  
  Chris Vasquez
  CPO, AWeber

• 3:50 PM KEYNOTE: Bob Marshall, Business Growth & Strategy Executive - Small Business, Wells Fargo3:50 PM - 4:10 PM Bob Marshall is a service-driven Leader. He frequently writes and speaks about "#kudos, #thankyou, #leadership, #makinganimpact, and #goingaboveandbeyond." His banking experience in service of Small Business is deep: he has lead Wachovia & Wells Fargo SMB teams for 30+ years. He also has served for 7 years on the Board of the Urban League in Washington DC, as well as Livingstone College and The DC Jazz Festival. He'll offer his perspective on growing ALL Small Business.

• 4:10 PM PANEL: Principles & Practices of Inclusion for B2SMB Growth:
  Connie Evans- CEO, AEO
  Derek Peebles, Director of Inclusive Economy, ASBN 4:10 PM - 4:30 PM

• 4:30 PM KEYNOTE: John Busby- CMO, Centerfield4:30 PM - 4:50 PMCredit John Busby for the theme of our conference: Growth in the New Normal. As CMO of Centerfield, John's teams deliver performance marketing solutions and personalized experiences for many of the world’s leading brands. As leader of the Digital Brands division - which reaches more than 150 million consumers on sites like BroadbandNow.com, Business.com, Security.org and AutoInsurance.com - he brings deep expertise in video, SEO, product, comms and marketing to the growth challenge we face.
  
  John Busby
  CMO, Centerfield

• 4:50 PM WORKSHOP: The "Growth in the New Normal" Lab4:50 PM - 5:30 PMWe end the day where we began: what must be done to grow in the new normal? All perspectives are welcome as we memorialize our shared ideas on doing our jobs better once we leave this event.
  
  Leaders' League Facilitators

• 5:30 PM RECEPTION5:30 PM - 7:00 PMReception

• October 12, 2022

• 9:00 AM OPENING: Dave Walker- CEO, B2SMB Institute9:00 AM - 9:05 AMWe’ll meet LIVE at VenueSix10 once again, with an intense focus on Partnerships. Our format will encourage one-on-one and small group connections. We’ll foster co-marketing, co-development and co-growth opportunities - from meet & greet to opportunity sharing to deal making. Join a wide variety of enterprises & offerings that make up the Institute’s 5000+ Member-base.

• 9:05 AM KEYNOTE: Problem Solving for SMBs
  Dan Slagen, CMO,Tomorrow.io9:05 AM - 9:25 AMDan Slagen has spent his career focused on scaling Go-to-Market functions across marketing, sales, customer success, business development and growth. He is the Author of Understanding Start-Up CEOs. He is currently CMO for Tomorrow.io, the "World’s Weather and Climate Security Platform." He'll bring years of problem-solving for SMBs into a playbook driven by innovation.
  
  Dan Slagen
  CMO, Tomorrow.io

• 9:25 AM KEYNOTE: Problem Solving for SMBs
  Reid Jackson, VP Corporate Development, GS19:25 AM - 9:45 AMReid Jackson will speak to "Powerful Supply Chain Partnerships" that can solve a multitude of problems for SMBs. He'll first offer an overview of how GS1 standards (including identification numbers, barcodes, QR codes, etc.) work to power the supply chain. Then he'll speak to how Partnerships help to bring processes like product fulfillment and returns management to life. GS1 US’ work conducting pilots with cutting edge technology companies in areas like the metaverse and AI will also be covered.
  
  Reid Jackson
  VP Innovation & Partnerships, GS1

• 9:45 AM PANEL: Lessons in Partnership9:45 AM - 10:15 AMWhat makes for a great B2SMB Partnership? We'll get the answers from multiple perspectives - but all from execs whose job function revolves around successfully working with others in the B2SMB space.
  
  Dip Ghuman
  Indeed
  
  Kate Daniels
  Oracle Netsuite
  
  Richard McLaughlin
  HoneyBook
  
  Kelly Benish
  Uberall

• 10:15 AM WORKSHOP: Pitch for Partners10:15 AM - 11:30 AMWe're inviting B2SMB Enterprises to make a pitch for partnership - from co-marketing and co-selling to co-development and growth collaboration. Each pitch is just 5 minutes long, so come meet your next great Partner!
  
  Tim Metzner
  Co-Founder, Coterie
  
  Greg Coonley
  VP Sales, Business.com
  
  Carissa Reiniger
  CEO, Small Biz Silver Lining
  
  Missy Lacher
  Director of Partnerships, SmallBizLady Enterprises
  
  Justin Stowers
  Director Business Development, MarketStar

• October 13, 2022

• 9:00 AM OPENING:
  Dave Walker- CEO, B2SMB Institute &
  Carissa Reiniger- CEO, Small Business Silver Lining9:00 AM - 9:10 AMWe'll meet at ActiveCampaign' headquarters in downtown Chicago for our SmallBizAid Leaders’ Forum, an event connecting B2SMB Leaders with the country’s largest, most influential Small Business Advocacy Organizations. We’ll focus on our ongoing campaign to help America’s Entrepreneurs. Join panel-workshops on partnerships that go beyond the transactional, with an intense focus on building our powerful network of SMB supporters.

• 9:10 AM INTROS with a POV 9:10 AM - 9:40 AMWe'll go around the room making brief intros one by one - but we'll also ask each attendee to state simply what they believe to be the single greatest challenge now facing America's Small Businesses. The digital white board will be at the ready!

• 9:40 AM TANDEM: Working Better Together: A Brand's POV
  Maria Pergolino- CMO, ActiveCampaign
  Steve Abbott- Policy Lead, Gusto9:40 AM - 9:55 AM

• 9:55 AM TANDEM: Working Better Together: An Advocate's POV
  Connie Evans- CEO, AEO
  Derek Peebles- Director of Inclusive Economy, ASBN9:55 AM - 10:10 AM

• 10:10 AM PANEL: Partnership Playbook
  Steven Shaw- Community Engagement Director, Verizon Business
  Joan Spirytus- Director, Next Street
  Caroline Tipton Rendon- Program Officer , LISC10:10 AM - 10:30 AM Steven Shaw
  Community Engagement Director,
  Verizon Business
  
  Joan Spirytus
  Director,
  Next Street
  
  Caroline Tipton Rendon
  Program Officer,
  LISC

• 10:30 AM BREAK10:30 AM - 10:45 AMBreak

• 10:45 AM WORKSHOP & REPORT OUTS10:45 AM - 11:30 AMA Roadmap for Working Better Together