Training & Events

Mar. 10, 10am - 11:30am, VetBizCentral & Wayne State APEX Accelerator Understanding the Government Marketplace & Preliminary Market Research

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1037619471270056539

This APEX Accelerator webinar introduces small businesses to the government marketplace and the basics of preliminary market research. Participants will learn how government agencies buy goods and services, where to find contracting opportunities, and how to identify target customers and competitors to determine if government contracting is the right fit for their business.

Mar. 17, 10am – 11:30am, VetBizCentral Small Business Start-Up Orientation

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3704932426956193885

The VetBizCentral Small Business Start-Up Orientation Webinar introduces veterans, service members, and military-connected entrepreneurs to the essential steps of starting a small business. The webinar covers business planning fundamentals, legal and licensing considerations, preparing for financing, best practices for new business owners, and veteran-specific resources to support long-term success.

Mar. 19, 10am - 11:30am, VetBizCentral & West APEX Accelerator host Government Contracting 101

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4660426722840699742

VetBizCentral and the West Michigan APEX Accelerator host a Government Contracting 101 webinar designed to introduce small and veteran-owned businesses to the fundamentals of selling to government agencies. The session covers the basic steps to becoming contract-ready, key registrations, how to identify opportunities, and the free resources available to help businesses successfully enter the government marketplace.

Mar. 24, 10am - 11:30am, VetBizCentral & Great Lakes Women Business Center Your Next Mission: Building a Business with Structure, Support & Capital

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6587249382263784277

This Webinar has been updated to bring our Military and Family Members New Additional Information.

Veterans and military families bring discipline, resilience, and leadership to everything they do. Entrepreneurship can be the next mission — whether you are exploring an idea, recently launched, or have an established business that is not yet gaining consistent traction.

This session will outline structured nationally recognized business programs, flexible online learning resources, certification education, and capital pathways available through the Women’s Business Center and Veteran Business Outreach Center.

Mar. 25, 10am – 11:30am, VetBizCentral Small Business Start-Up Workshop Pt. 1, Feasibility & Market Research

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2631926725991012181

During this webinar we'll discuss the importance of researching the Feasibility of your business idea and Market/Industry Research before you start to invest your time and money.  We’ll also review additional tools to research your chosen Industry/Market on a National and State level, various programs, and other resource available to assist with navigating your way to your business start. 

 

Mar. 31, 10am – 11:30am, VetBizCentral Small Business Start-Up Workshop Pt. 2, Business Plan Development

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4282203519329324888

A Business Plan is your Blueprint/Road Map to the Creation and Implementation of Your Business which should be taken very seriously.  During this webinar we'll review the various sections of a Business plan and the steps to create a Professionally formatted Business plan.  We'll also review additional information and tools to help to start, manage and grow your Veteran Owned Business. 

April 1, 10am - 11:30am, Michigan Army/Air National Guard Entrepreneurship Training 

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5985826417647014491

VetBizCentral presents a virtual webinar designed specifically for Indiana Army and Air National Guard members interested in entrepreneurship and business ownership. This session introduces the fundamentals of starting and growing a business, shows how military skills translate into entrepreneurial success, and highlights Indiana and veteran-specific resources. Attendees will also learn how to build a basic content strategy to promote their business, access funding and mentorship opportunities, and identify clear next steps toward launching or scaling a business.

April 7, 10am – 11:30am, VetBizCentral Small Business Start-Up Workshop Pt. 3, Preparing for Finance

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/595579514303380572

Veteran Entrepreneurship is on the Rise and more veterans are seeking to start their own business.  Preparing for financing is a critical process for an entrepreneur and existing business owner, it can make the difference in the time it takes submit your application to obtaining a loan. In this webinar we will review the steps to prepare for financing and review what lenders are looking for and the expecting from you.  If you are entrepreneur or and existing business owner considering to apply for financing, then you don't want to miss this webinar.

April 14, 10am – 11:30am, VetBizCentral Small Business Start-Up Workshop Pt. 4, Preparing to Launch Your Business

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2086760273637387871

Launching a Business takes a great deal of planning, and if not done correctly it could yield some very disappointing results.  In this webinar we will review the various methods to launch your business such as Launch Time Line, Budget, Preparing Services/Products, Marketing, and Individuals/organizations Included in the Launch. Whether you're starting a Brick & Mortar or eCommerce business you don't want to miss this webinar. 

Boots to Business/Reboot Courses

Spouses are Encouraged to Attend & Lunch is Provided

Contact mark@vetbizcentral.org for registration assistance

March 12, 2026, Washtenaw Comm. College Michigan

4800 E. Huron

Morris Lawrence Building, Rm 130.

Ann Arbor, MI 48105

Register Here

April 2, 2026

Lansing Community College – West Campus

5708 Cornerstone Dr

Lansing, MI 48917

Register Here

April 16, 2026, Launch Fishers, Coworking Space, IN.

12175 Visionary Way

Fishers, IN 46038

Register Here

To Register for Boots to Business/Reboot Courses please follow this two step process: 

1.Create an Account To join the B2B community:

https://sba.my.site.com

2.Register for the class you want (Boots to Business or Boots to Business Reboot)

  New Govology Trainings Webinar Schedule

Contact VetBizCentral for Access Code to Webinars

Mar 19, 1pm – 2:30pm, Step-by-Step GSA: From Readiness to Award

https://govology.com/product/step-by-step-gsa-from-readiness-to-award/

You’ve already decided a GSA Multiple Award Schedule is the right move.

Now it’s time to move from decision to contract award.

This 3-day webinar series, led by Brittany Opoku, gives you a clear, real-world roadmap for getting your GSA Schedule awarded — without the guesswork, false starts, or costly delays.

Each session builds on the last and follows the actual phases successful contractors go through.

Day 1: Readiness & Strategy

Day 2: Offer Development & Submission

Day 3: Negotiation, Award & Activation

 

Mar. 17, 1pm – 2:30pm, Winning Strategies and Proven Best Practices for Government Prospecting

https://govology.com/product/winning-strategies-proven-best-practices-government-prospecting/

This fast-paced, high-energy session cuts through the noise and shows you where real government sales success actually starts: pre-acquisition prospecting.

Designed for small businesses operating (or planning to operate) in the federal space, this webinar delivers practical, real-world tactics you can apply immediately.

What You’ll Learn:

The Prospecting Shift That Changes Everything

  • The difference between acquisition and pre-acquisition

  • Where successful contractors spend most of their time

  • Why waiting for posted opportunities limits growth

Finding Agencies That Actually Buy What You Sell

The 20 Most Common Prospecting Methods 

 

Mar. 19, 1pm – 2:30pm, Unlocking DoD Industrial Base Opportunities: Navigating IBAS, OTAs, and the Cornerstone Consortium

https://govology.com/product/unlocking-dod-industrial-base-opportunities-navigating-ibas-otas-and-the-cornerstone-consortium/

This training provides a practical roadmap to understanding and engaging directly with the Department of Defense through the Cornerstone Consortium in support of the Department’s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) program.

We will cover:

  • What the IBAS program is and how it strengthens the defense industrial base

  • What the DoD is seeking from innovative businesses across manufacturing, workforce development, supply chain modernization, automation, cybersecurity, advanced technologies, and critical infrastructure

  • How the Cornerstone Consortium functions as a gateway into DoD industrial base initiatives

  • How to identify and respond to opportunities posted as Special Notices on SAM.gov

  • How to submit white papers and unsolicited proposals

  • How Other Transaction (OT) agreements under 10 U.S.C. 4022 (DoD

  • Prototype OT Authority) enable flexible prototype and expansion projects

  • How to identify and engage other contractors strategically

  • Key compliance considerations

 

 

Mar. 26, 1pm – 2:30pm, Defense Production Act Title III 

https://govology.com/product/the-ins-and-outs-of-defense-production-act-title-iii-agreements/

Title III of the Defense Production Act (DPA) gives the federal government a powerful–and often overlooked–way to strengthen the U.S. industrial base.

Instead of competing for a traditional contract, eligible companies may receive:

  • Direct investments

  • Loans and loan guarantees

  • Purchase commitments

  • Equipment and capacity expansion support

  • Other financial assistance

All aimed at addressing shortfalls in critical technologies, materials, and industrial capabilities.

 

 

Mar. 31, 1pm – 2:30pm, Foreign Ownership, Control or Influence (FOCI) Rules for Federal Contractors

https://govology.com/product/foreign-ownership-control-or-influence-foci-rules-for-federal-contractors/

In this webinar, Govology Legal Analyst Steven Koprince breaks down FOCI in clear, practical terms, including:

  • Which federal contracts are subject to FOCI rules?

  • How will Section 847 apply FOCI principles to unclassified DoW contracts and subcontracts?

  • How does the government evaluate whether a contractor is operating under foreign ownership, influence, or control?

  • What responsibilities does a contractor or potential contractor have to identify and report FOCI concerns?

  • How can a contractor mitigate an actual or potential FOCI problem?

  • What are some common misconceptions about the FOCI rules?

  • How do FOCI concepts apply to the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs?

contact: abron@vetbizcentral.org for additional information

Website: www.vetbizcentral.org

VetBizCentral | 1401 E. Court St RTC Building Rm. 3116 8107678387 | Flint, MI 48503 US

Unsubscribe | Update Profile | Constant Contact Data Notice

Boots to Business

Boots to Business is the entrepreneurship track of the Department of Defense’s Transitions Assistance Program offered on military installations worldwide. Program includes:

• Identifying business opportunities

• Drafting a business plan

• Connecting with local small business resources

• Launching your small business

• Learning marketing basics

Boots to Business Reboot

Boots to Business Reboot is an extension of Boots to Business, delivering the same information and benefits to veterans, members of the National Guard and Reserves, and military spouses in a more accessible format. Program includes:

• Identifying business opportunities

• Drafting a business plan

• Connecting with local small business resources

• Launching your small business

• Learning marketing basics