The Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference kicks off tomorrow, May 23rd in Chicago with panels, networking events and information sharing for entrepreneurs who mean serious business. An all-star lineup of entrepreneurs like Daymond John, Beverly Johnson, Marcus Samuelsson and Tavis Smiley will be on hand to share their lessons on success. It’s an event you don’t want to miss. And even if you can’t make it to Chicago this year, it’s an event you don’t have to miss!
Log on to BlackEnterprise.com/events to see the live stream of the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference.  We’ll bring you select sessions from the conference and interviews with panelist, attendees and your fellow entrepreneurs.
See our schedule below and be sure to tune in!
Thursday, May 24, 2012
8:15 am — 8:30 am: Opening Remarks with Black Enterprise President and CEO Earl “Butch†Graves Jr.
8:30 am — 9:15 am: One on One Conversation with Tavis Smiley
9:30 am — 10:45 am:Â Social Media X Factor: Take Your Business Marketing Strategy to the Next Level
With strategies and best practices you need to optimize your business development, this session will ensure that your social media strategy is about to get an upgrade!
12:30 pm — 2:00 pm: Small Business Awards Luncheon featuring a one-on—one conversation with world renowned chef, Marcus Samuelsson
7:30 pm — 9:00 pm:Â Going Up! The Elevator Pitch Competition is Back (Hosted by PepsiCo)
Entrepreneurs bring their best 60-second business pitch and go head-to-head with fellow attendees to compete for a $10,000 grand prize, plus an 8-week mentoring workshop with The CASHFLOW!
Friday, May 25, 2012
9:15 am — 10:30 am: Sourcing Capital for Your Tech Startup
Amazon and Facebook are online institutions, but they began as startups. This session, led by tech experts and entrepreneurs, will tell how to raise money from venture capitalists, angel investors, and other funders to get your company where it needs to be.
1:45 p.m. — 3:00 p.m: BEÂ Small Business Successâ„¢ Boot Camp—Mastering the Search Engine for $$$ (Facilitated by Google)
When customers Google the service or product you offer, will they see the name of your business pop up? If not, you’re losing potential sales by the thousands.
3:15 pm — 4:15 pm: BEÂ Small Business Successâ„¢ Boot Camp E – Mobile Marketing
It’s time to make mobile work for your business!
8:00 pm — 10:00 pm: BE 100s Anniversary Celebration & Awards Dinner (Hosted by Dell)