FUTURE READY: Tech Tools to Power Your Small Business

Name: FUTURE READY: Tech Tools to Power Your Small Business
Start: 2026-04-10T09:30:00-05:00
End: 2026-04-10T14:00:00-05:00
Location: Lake County Public Library Central Library

Schedule

Fri Apr 10 2026 at 09:30 am to 02:00 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

Lake County Public Library Central Library | Merrillville, IN

Technology is reshaping how small businesses market, operate, and grow.
Join us for a free half-day summit designed to help small business owners harness today’s most powerful technology tools to market smarter, work more efficiently, grow stronger, and stay secure. Through practical, real-world insights, this summit demonstrates how technology can power smarter marketing, simplify workflow, and help your business stay competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Whether you're looking to elevate your marketing strategy, streamline internal systems, or sharpen your digital edge, you'll leave with actionable insights you can implement immediately.
Lunch provided.
Featuring 6 interactive workshops!
𝙊𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙆𝙚𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚:
START SMALL, WIN BIG: YOUR AI STARTING POINT | Sandra Mosley, First Choice Together, LLC
AI is already changing how small businesses compete, but most owners are not behind. They are overwhelmed. In this keynote, Sandra Mosley helps small business owners cut through the noise, identify the one problem worth solving first, and take a smart, low-risk first step toward using AI with confidence.
𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙎𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨:
DESIGN SMARTER: AI-POWERED CANVA | Tavetta Patterson, Abundant Life Publications
AI Powered Features in Canva provides entrepreneurs with practical tools to communicate with clarity and confidence. You will have an opportunity to learn how to master the practical application of AI-driven design tools that streamline repetitive tasks. You will have access to strategies that equip you to shift from idea to implementation in less than five minutes with Canva and access to key words that help you improve your visual communication without increasing your budget or staff. Think of this session as an opportunity to design on a dime, while reclaiming your time!
AUTOMATION IN ACTION: BUILDING SMART WORKFLOWS | Eric Beschinski, Northwest ISBDC
Automation isn’t just for big companies. It’s one of the most practical ways small business owners can save time, respond faster, and stay consistent. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll see real examples and live demonstrations of simple workflows that handle everyday tasks.
You’ll also learn how AI can enhance these automations, helping you move beyond basic task management into systems that support decision-making and communication. You’ll leave with clear, practical ideas you can implement immediately using tools with free or low-cost entry points and no technical background required.
OPERATIONAL UPGRADE: TOOLS & TECH FOR GROWTH | Joe Markovich, JCMA, Inc.
It’s time to get out of Spreadsheet Hell. “Future ready” really means “growth ready.” Come to this session to get practical tips on how to use tech to help you conquer your organizational challenges. From automation to systems to phones, you’ll take back real-world solutions that just work.
HOW TO BOLSTER YOUR WEB PRESENCE | Carlton Bishop, BCA Marketing
This hands-on session breaks down what actually drives results in today’s search landscape. From mastering on-page fundamentals like H1 tags and user experience to understanding how search engines and AI interpret your website, attendees will walk away with practical skills—including how to inspect their own site and implement strategies like backlinking—to improve visibility and compete more effectively online.
𝘾𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣:
NEXT-GEN DEFENSE: SECURING YOUR BUSINESS | Rami Salahieh, Ivy Tech Community College
AI is transforming how businesses operate—but it’s also changing how they’re targeted. This session dives into the new wave of cyber threats powered by AI and what you can do to stay protected. Discover practical tools, smart safeguards, and easy-to-implement strategies to secure your business, protect your data, and move forward with confidence in an AI-driven world.
This event is ideal for small business owners, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and anyone looking to strengthen their brand visibility and leverage technology to grow more efficiently.