Conference to offer insights, advice on business growth
New Hampshire Business Review and CEI Community Ventures Inc. are joining together to present “The Agenda for Growth,” a first-of-its-kind collaborative conference on planning, growing and financing your New Hampshire business.
To be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 4, at the Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, the all-inclusive conference is designed for business owners and operators. “The Agenda for Growth” will cover nine growth-related topics, featuring presentations and panel discussions showcasing the insights and expertise of many of the state’s most respected experts on venture capital, angel financing, near equity financing, business valuation, marketing and more.
Jay Borden, founder and former CEO of Granite Systems, a communications software company acquired in May by Telecordia Technologies, will be the keynote speaker. Granite was among the most successful growth stories in its industry, both pre- and post-crash, winning Inc. 500 recognition for four years and gaining for Borden recognition in 2000 as the New Hampshire High Tech Council’s Entrepreneur of the Year and in 2002 as Ernst & Young New England Entrepreneur of the Year.
The event also will feature ample networking opportunities at breakfast, lunch and a post-session get-together, giving participants a chance to meet one-on-one with participating angels, venture capitalists and grant sources.
Among the nine scheduled tracks are:
• “Spectrum of Financing from Grants to Venture Capital”: Presentations on the venture capital financing process, federal technology grant programs and a near-equity debt/royalty finance program.
• “Low- and No-Cost Resources in New Hampshire to Help You Develop and Grow Your Business”: A comprehensive look at services that aid in business plan development as well as state and local debt financing sources, location services and more.
• “Marketing as a Strategic Tool for Growth”: Marketing experts share their perspectives on using marketing as a tool for growth.
• “Business Planning for Venture Capital”: Learn which planning traps to avoid and what elements are critical to getting that first VC meeting.
• “Angel Financing”: Hear from a range of angel investors and angel advisers who will offer insights into this rich source of early stage growth capital.
• “Alternatives to Venture Capital: Near Equity and Debt to Support Your Growth”: This session will describe programs that allow you to grow your business without giving up equity/ownership.
• “Asking ‘What If’ — Financial Planning/Modeling to Expand Your Options”: Learn financial modeling techniques that enable you to test different growth options without spending a dime, help you determine whether to raise venture capital (and how much you’ll need) and assess risks in your business plan/model.
• “Strategy that Optimizes Growth: Insights from a Former Top 3 Consultant”: Learn a process to identify and assess growth opportunities for your business so you can best prioritize scarce capital resources.
• ”What’s My Company Worth? An Introduction to Valuing Your Business for Growth and Capital”: Learn some basic techniques that enable you to understand the valuation process, whether you are seeking capital, looking to sell your business or just curious to see what your business might be worth.
Fee for the full-day, all-inclusive event is $125 per person. Participation is limited to the first 150 registrants.
For more information or to register, call New Hampshire Business Review at 624-1442, ext. 25 or visit http://www.nh.com/growth.
