If you’re already investing in content marketing but haven’t seen real results from SEO—or haven’t tried it at all—this talk is for you. SEO today isn’t about gaming the algorithm or writing dry, keyword-stuffed blog posts. It’s about making sure your best content gets discovered by the right people, at the exact moment they’re searching for solutions like yours.
In this session, content strategist and SEO consultant Olivia Barrow will show you how to integrate modern SEO best practices into your existing content workflows—even if you only publish one article a month. You’ll learn how to validate your content ideas with keyword research, create articles that match search intent, and optimize posts so they rank better in search without sacrificing clarity or credibility.
This is not a technical SEO workshop—it’s a practical, approachable framework for small marketing teams that want to get more ROI from content they’re already creating. Whether you’ve had disappointing SEO results in the past or have never touched it, you’ll leave with a clear, actionable process for increasing your visibility and establishing your brand as a trusted authority in your industry.
Key Takeaways:
Why traditional “SEO content” no longer works—and what to do instead
How to layer SEO onto a content strategy focused on thought leadership and trust
A simple keyword research method for validating blog topics
How to structure and optimize articles to match search intent & reader knowledge level
How to tap into internal expertise to add original insights to your content
When and how to use GenAI to enhance your content
How to get started even if your site has technical issues or past content that’s not optimized
Social Media Breakfast Madison is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization with a focus on social media education and professional industry networking. Our monthly events are FREE, and engage an ever-growing group of diverse professionals from a variety of industries including: academic... Read More →
Experienced Store Manager and Store Social Media Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit industry. Skilled in Grassroots Marketing, Operations Management, Coaching, Retail, and Sales. Strong sales professional with a Associate’s Degree focused in Electron... Read More →
Join Flexion, a Madison leader in system modernization and human-centered design, for a live, interactive build where you don’t just watch innovation, you help create it. In this hands-on session, Flexion’s engineers, designers, and product experts will guide this session as we: 1. Decide, Collaborate, Kick off • Cast an up-front vote to choose our community-submitted product idea • Collaboratively refine scope using Liberating Structures for truly inclusive design 2. Build Together • Apply Ensemble Coding (driver-navigator) enhanced by GenAI assistance • Deploy a working minimum viable product (MVP) to the cloud by lunchtime under a strict Definition of Done 3. Architect for Adaptation • Reveal Option-Enabling Architecture (OEA) principles that let us refactor live safely • Blend Lean UX discovery with agile delivery for always-deployable quality
Who Should Attend? • Product and Technical Leaders (entrepreneurs, decision makers, product managers) eager to see human-centered, high-velocity development in action • Hands-On Teams and Coders ready to master AI-augmented ensemble and cloud-first workflows • Anyone passionate about innovation and modern software development practices
What You’ll Gain • Practical workflows for live ensemble and AI-powered coding • Hands-on experience with adaptive architecture • Techniques to bake quality and continuous deployment into every sprint • New connections across Madison’s innovation community • Entry into our hourly attendee list and a final drawing: one lucky winner receives free Flexion software consulting services to fuel rapid, effective innovation
This participatory showcase reflects Forward Fest’s spirit of entrepreneurial collaboration and technical creativity. Be part of the action, help build the future of software live at Forward Fest 2025!
Leaders and entrepreneurs are under constant pressure and stress - especially, when meeting deadlines, making high-stakes decisions and adapting to continuous change and uncertainty. The demands of scaling a business, managing a team, securing funding, while also juggling multiple personal and family priorities can take its toll.
Chronic stress doesn't just live in the background - it directly affects performance. It shows up as poor decision-making, creative fatigue, strained relationships, and low morale that can lead to mental exhaustion and physical breakdown. We know this terrain because we’ve lived it too.
In this short workshop, we’ll explore the hidden impact of stress and trauma on leaders, teams, and organizations. We’ll share the basics to help you understand how the human nervous system works, how it adapts to stress and why chronic dysregulation can silently sabotage even the most ambitious goals.
This session includes mix of information and experience, including:
- The basics of how stress and trauma impact the body and mind - How to recognize signs of nervous system dysregulation in yourself and others - Simple, accessible practices to help you create a more balanced state and optimize nervous system - Why self-awareness is your greatest leadership asset and how to strengthen it - The power of micro and macro approaches to fostering adaptability and resilience
You’ll leave with practical tools to better manage your energy, stay focused and grounded under pressure, and lead with more clarity and purpose.
In 40+ years of working with entrepreneurs, we have regularly observed that “the money part” of business planning is often what causes many business owners and would-be business owners alike the most anxiety and confusion. Yet the numbers don’t have to intimidate you. Instead, understanding a clear financial plan for your business will give you the confidence to make educated decisions about the viability of your business idea, access needed capital and actively manage cash flow as your business grows.
This live-virtual introductory session – designed for new and prospective business owners in any industry – will help you understand:
• The purpose (and power!) of a pro forma in business planning, management and in accessing capital • The fundamental “inputs” to building solid projections, including: • Identification of your business models key revenue streams, and how to translate to your projections • Synthesis of customer, competitive and industry knowledge into reasoned market size and share estimates • The impact of pricing decisions, buyer behavior and capacity on projected revenue • Types of key cost estimates needed for your projections • Resources for pulling it all together!
By joining us for this overview session, you will build a solid foundation of concepts that can help you understand how to put real numbers to your dreams and learn the path to projections. Whether you plan to seek funding from a bank, determine the feasibility of your business idea, or explore new directions for your business, following the ideas we’ll cover in this session will help you build success based on knowledge.
Ever had a product idea but didn’t know how to begin building it?
This live, collaborative session is designed for startup founders, creatives, and curious minds who want to explore physical prototyping without needing deep technical experience or a big budget.
Using AI tools and off-the-shelf components—like sensors, LEDs, or displays—we’ll brainstorm simple ideas as a group, generate code together using AI (like ChatGPT or Claude), and test the results live on real hardware.
We’ll wire things up, upload code, and troubleshoot in real time. Some builds may work on the first try, others may need iteration—or we may pivot quickly to keep things moving.
The goal isn’t polished engineering—it’s about making prototyping feel possible. You’ll see how even non-technical founders can take the first hands-on step toward proving an idea, testing feasibility, or creating a rough proof of concept—before investing in custom design or outsourced development.
You’ll walk away with:
A clear example of how AI and modular hardware can help test real ideas
Insight into how to build early proof points—without upfront design costs
Tools to begin your own shoestring prototyping journey
Inspiration to turn sweat equity and creativity into real momentum
From zero to prototype—experience it live with AI and real hardware.
In today's dynamic marketplace, standing out is essential for success. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned business owner, or a creative professional, a branding can be powerful in your organization. Join us for an immersive and interactive workshop designed to equip you with the tools and strategies to build a strong and compelling brand identity.
Led by Ibrahim Harun of IH Concepts with 16 years of experience in branding and marketing, this workshop will delve deep into the core elements of effective branding. Through a combination of an insightful presentations and collaborative discussions, you'll learn how what goes into a brand so you can hit the ground running.
Whether you're looking to launch a new venture, bring more life into your business, or simply refine your marketing strategy, this workshop will provide you with the knowledge and insights you need to elevate your business and drive meaningful connections with your audience. Don't miss this opportunity to take your business to new heights!
Join us for an engaging gathering of EdTech entrepreneurs, product leaders, researchers, funders, and policy advocates. The EdTech Entrepreneur Exchange is a unique opportunity to network, collaborate, and share insights on the future of education technology. Whether you're building tools for K-12, higher ed, workforce development, or lifelong learning, this event offers space to exchange ideas, find partners, and uncover new opportunities. The program includes open networking and small-group discussions focused on building solutions that are inclusive, scalable, and research-informed. Appetizers and drinks will be available.
Jennifer Javornik is an international speaker and thought leader on the topics of game-based learning and games for positive impact. As a video game executive specializing in partnerships, revenue growth, and entrepreneurship, Ms. Javornik is currently the Chief Partnerships Officer... Read More →
