Because Rhode Island is a veritable hive of cool people doing cool things and hiring personal assistants is expensive, we at Rhode Island Inno have established a curated calendar of statewide goings-on we think readers will enjoy — alllll in one spot. Look for new events listings every month, and don’t hesitate to let us know if there’s more (or less) of a type of event you’d like to hear more of.
And! Don’t forget to check out our Events Directory for even more Ocean State happenings.
Week One
Thursday, Jan. 7
RI Business Competition's Workshop Business Plan Development: Hosted virtually by Venture Café, this interactive workshop will detail all the different aspects of a business plan, including background and financial information, business goals of the business and roadmaps for success. The presenter is Dr. Ezenwayi Amaechi, an assistant professor of entrepreneurship in the management department at Johnson & Wales University. Event begins online at 5 p.m. More information here.
Workplace Mindfulness: An informal conversation led by Tuni Schartner, executive director of Venture Café Providence and Rhode Island's economic gardener. Schartner will lead the conversation to make it relevant for innovators, entrepreneurs and small businesses in Rhode Island. Event begins online at 11:30 a.m. More information here.
First Thursday: The East Bay Chamber presents East Bay Community First Thursdays. On the first Thursday of every month from 5 to 7 p.m., come participate in an informal, walkabout-style event, sampling local stores and restaurants in the East Bay. Visit the gallery and coworking space at Sprout CoWorking Warren, see what’s new or stop in a new business you haven’t been to in the community. Event begins at Sprout CoWorking Warren at 5 p.m. More information here.
Friday, Jan. 8
What Now? Small Business Planning In 2021: What is the news telling us, today, about what to expect in regard to economic recovery? Join GrowthLab Financial and District Hall Providence as the two organizations discuss what your business will look like in the next six months. Event begins online at noon. More information here.
Week Two
Tuesday, Jan. 12
Little States, Big Innovation: Israel x Rhode Island: Join the Rhode Island-Israel Collaborative, District Hall Providence and RIHub each month as the organizations bring you the best Israel has to offer to Rhode Island’s innovation community. Each month, you’ll be introduced to some of Israel’s most exciting entrepreneurs who are looking to expand to the U.S. and collaborate in business, academia and research in Rhode Island. Don’t miss the opportunity to join interactive sessions and connect with the “Startup Nation’s Best and Brightest.” Event begins at noon online. More information here.
The Power of Microsoft Teams and Secure Collaboration: Come to an interactive demo where you will learn about Microsoft Teams. Learn how to collaborate more effectively and how your whole day, including telephony, can be incorporated into one platform. The second session will go over the new features of Microsoft Teams and integrated applications. Event begins at 11 a.m. online. More information here.
Wednesday, Jan. 13
Go With The Flow: In this introductory session, explore the benefits of no-code automation using Microsoft’s Power Automate. Power Automate is an Office 365 tool that permits business users to create no-code workflows called flows, which automate repetitive tasks and processes, resulting in efficiencies and standardization. Event begins at noon online. More information here.
Thursday, Jan. 14
Offshore Wind: Funding Opportunities for Blue Innovation: An innovative look at funding opportunities for offshore wind and bluetech beyond capital investment. Learn more about grant opportunities from the National Offshore Wind Research and Development Consortium, the defense industry and more. Event begins at 11:30 a.m. online. More information here.
Getting Started With AI: Looking to get started with AI and not sure how? Dial into this talk to learn how you can start leveraging AI and machine learning in your organization, including common use cases, approaches, who and what you will need, best practices and more. Event begins at 3 p.m. online. More information here.
Week Three
Wednesday, Jan. 20
Israeli Gamechangers: Revolutionizing the World: Join the Rhode Island-Israel Collaborative and District Hall Providence for a discussion with Kira Radinsky, chairperson and CTO of Diagnostic Robotics. The Israeli startup, which does business with the Rhode Island government, aims to apply AI to make health care better, cheaper and more widely available. Event begins at 1 p.m. online. More information here.
Thursday, Jan. 21
Small Business Support: Email Marketing: A new quarterly series by Venture Café and District Hall Providence on small business support. This month, the series welcomes Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses and Newport Interactive Marketing. Event begins online at 11:30 a.m. More information here.
Book of Lists Premier Event: Providence Business News’ best networking event is going virtual for 2021, and there are some fun things planned for attendees this year. When you register, you will hear from a few of PBN’s 10 most influential people of the year, mix and mingle at a virtual networking event and receive the 2021 Book of Lists. Event begins online at 4 p.m. More information here.
Week Four
Monday, Jan. 25
Providence Toastmasters Club: Providence Toastmasters have monthly meetings at Sprout CoWorking Providence from 7 to 9 p.m. The club welcomes new visitors to come work on their public speaking skills in a supportive environment. There’s no need to feel pressure at your first meeting; you can simply observe. You are allowed to visit up to three times before deciding whether to join. No RSVP needed. Event begins at 7 p.m. online. More information here.
Wednesday, Jan. 27
Accelerate Impact: Aim Your Strengths Towards Your Goals: As you look ahead to 2021, what matters most to you? What are your professional aspirations? The career gains you most want to achieve? According to global analytics firm Gallup, each of us possesses unique strengths and talents that, when strategically applied, allow us to transform our potential into winning outcomes. This two-part workshop is with Cindy Scibetta-Butts, the founder of Grow With Strengths and a Gallup-certified strengths coach. Event begins at 10 a.m. online. More information here.
Thursday, Jan. 28
Innovation Is For Everyone: Rhode Island's Creative Economy: The United Nations has declared that 2021 is the year of the "creative economy." Join for a conversation on how local innovators are building creative economies here in Rhode Island that can be replicated around the world. Event begins online at 11:30 a.m. More information here.
Customer Service: During this session, students will explore best practices in customer service to strengthen customer relationships and generate organic growth. You will learn theory and practice strategies, tactics and soft skills that empower you and build customer loyalty. The primary focus is experiential learning activities such as case studies and role playing. Sean Trainor of NEIT has provided this highly rated interactive training for the Tech Collective on several occasions. Event begins at 10 a.m. online. More information here.
Bram Berkowitz is a contributing writer for Rhode Island Inno.
