Last year we launched the very first Small Business Summit, which was a four day event focused on providing information to Small Businesses across the country.  Now, we are proud to announce Small Business Summit 2007 which will be a five day event (March 19 – 23) once again focused on providing information to Small Businesses across the country.  This year’s Summit will include:

5 days of FREE online and in-person sessions:

• Learn from leading small business and technology experts in finance, marketing, productivity, security and more.

• See demos of the latest releases of Windows Vista, Microsoft Office Small Business 2007 and more.

• Enjoy the flexibility of attending online from your desk or join peers for a live broadcast of the event at a location near you.

Some of the featured speakers this year to kick the Summit off will be:

• Kevin Turner, COO of Microsoft - Microsoft COO Kevin Turner discusses how technology can make a big difference for entrepreneurs.
• Julie Clark, Founder of Baby Einstein - Baby Einstein founder Julie Clark explains why and how to create a powerful brand.
• Guy Kawasaki, Author and Venture Capitalist - Venture capitalist and author Guy Kawasaki talks about why every business should be run like a startup.
• The Sloan Brothers, Radio hosts of StartupNation - The Sloan Brothers, hosts of radio's StartUp-Nation, kick off a day devoted entirely to the budding entrepreneur.
• Wayne Best, Chief Economist Visa USA - Unless your business exists in a vacuum, you can't afford to ignore the overall economy. Discussion on economic trends and their impact on small business. Don't miss this opportunity to learn how macro-economics can affect your business.
• Cindy Bates, General Manager for US Small Business @ Microsoft - Tips and inspiration from battle-tested small businesses that are doing what they love and making it pay. This panel discussion, led by Cindy Bates, will provide insights into how to succeed in small business. From pointers on technology to advice on strategic planning, this discussion will raise your business acumen.

You’ll also be able to register for and view 5 days worth of content focused on Small Businesses, broken into different tracks:

1)       Security and Support

2)       Productivity and Mobility

3)       Financial Management

4)       Sales and Marketing

5)       Start-Up Day

And don’t forget your chance to win some amazing prizes, including:

• Office Small Business 2007
• 10 hours on a private jet
• A $100,000 Total Tech Makeover

So what are you waiting for?  Head over to http://www.sbsummit.com right now to register for the Summit and check out all of the great sessions and content.  Then be sure to tell all of the Small Businesses you know about the FREE Small Business Summit 2007 and to register today!

For those of you attending the kick-off day of the Summit live here on the Microsoft Campus in Redmond, I’ll see you there.  If you won’t be here in person, maybe I’ll see you online for this session on the 4^th day…  

Thank you and have a wonderful day,

Eric Ligman
Microsoft US Senior Manager
Small Business Community Engagement
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights