Forward Fest 2025

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7:30am CDT

Cut through the noise : accelerate your next quality hire

Tuesday August 19, 2025 7:30am - 8:30am CDT

Cut Through the Noise – Accelerate Your Next Quality Hire
Struggling to find top talent fast?
Discover proven hiring strategies that actually work.
Get tools, insights, and real-world success stories.
Join us – and hire smarter, faster.

Hosted by Source- Right

Event Organizers

Nita Ambedkar

Tuesday August 19, 2025 7:30am - 8:30am CDT
Virtual

Free, Virtual

Host Organization Source- Right
Category Bio / Health, Tech / Software, General
Interaction Type Workshop,

9:00am CDT

AI for Non-Techies: Yes, You Can Use This Too

Tuesday August 19, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT

Virtual

Curious about AI but feeling overwhelmed by the tech lingo? This session is designed for small business owners who want practical, approachable ways to use artificial intelligence—no coding, no jargon, no prior experience needed.

In just 60 minutes, you’ll get a clear understanding of what AI is (and isn’t), how it fits into your day-to-day operations, and how to confidently begin using it. We'll walk through five easy-to-use AI tools that can help with tasks like content creation, scheduling, email writing, customer communication, and more.

You’ll learn:

How AI can work with you (not replace you)

What tools are worth trying first—and why

Live demos of each tool with real-world small business examples

Tips for using AI while keeping your voice authentic and human

By the end of the session, you’ll leave with simple next steps, no stress, and a better understanding of how AI can support your business today—not someday.

Hosted by Golden Innovation Group

Event Organizers

Amy Calder

Principal Owner, Golden Innovation Group

Amy Calder is the founder of Golden Innovation Group and a business optimization consultant who helps small business owners and solopreneurs streamline operations, eliminate inefficiencies, and reclaim their time. Drawing from over two decades of corporate leadership in life sciences... Read More →

Tuesday August 19, 2025 9:00am - 10:00am CDT
Virtual

Free, Virtual

Host Organization Golden Innovation Group
Category Tech / Software
Interaction Type Conference

12:30pm CDT

Leveraging the Library: Valuable Resources for Market Research

Tuesday August 19, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT

Virtual

Check out our Website

When taking your business from idea to reality, you’ll likely have a lot of questions that need answered in order to get your business off to a strong start. For example: What do you need to know about patents for the product you’re trying to create? What legal resources are available? What can local demographics tell you about potential customers? How strong is the industry you’re looking to enter? Who are potential competitors?

Luckily, there are FREE databases, resources, and specialized experts available to help you answer these and many other questions – all found in your local libraries! Want to learn more? Put this session on your Holds List, and “check out” some great resources from your local libraries.

Hosted by Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Madison

Event Organizers

Heather Ferguson

Program Manager, UW-Madison SBDC

Sponsors

WEDC via the Main Street Bounceback Program

Tuesday August 19, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm CDT
Virtual

Free, Virtual

Host Organization Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Madison
Category General, Marketing
Interaction Type Workshop

Forward Fest 2025

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