East Bay SBDC and the City of Oakland present
2026 city of Oakland
Small Business Week Workshops
TO ASSIST oakland businesses
start, grow, and access capital
2026 CITY OF OAKLAND SMALL BUSINESS WEEK WORKSHOPS
Funded by the City of Oakland, East Bay SBDC offers a series of 7 Small Business Workshops designed to assist entrepreneurs and small businesses to learn AI for business, AI for Marketing, Start a Business, Business Planning, Financing your Business and Marketing your Business.
Classes will be held on zoom during the National Small Business Week.
Check out the workshops below and register for the ones you are interested in separately. Click here to download the program flyer.
| Date | Time | Workshop | Speaker |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/4/26 | 10:00 am – 11:30 am | Business Planning & Start-Up | Blair Abee |
| 5/4/26 | 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm | Is Your Business AI Ready | Cathy Balach |
| 5/5/26 | 10:00 am – 11:30 am | Starting Your Business II | Alan Gohary |
| 5/5/26 | 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm | How to Get Funding to Start, Grow, and Expand Your Business | |
| 5/7/26 | 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm | Funding Your Restaurant Dream: Exploring Financing Options | Blair Abee |
| 5/7/26 | 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm | Marketing Your Restaurant Using Social Media | Sneha Lundia |
| 5/8/26 | 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm | AI for Marketing | Cathy Balach |
1. Business Planning & Start-Up
Monday, May 4, 2026 | 10:00 pm – 11:30 pm
Blair Abee, East Bay SBDC Advisor
This workshop provides existing and emerging businesses with guidance and instruction for conceptualizing, writing, focusing, and revising a business plan that makes your business stronger and more profitable.
2. Is Your Business AI Ready?
Monday, May 4, 2026 | 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Cathy Balach, East Bay SBDC Advisor
In this workshop, you will learn how to:
• Spot AI opportunities inside your own operations—from marketing to back-office workflows.
• Choose beginner-friendly tools that fit tight budgets (many start free).
• Evaluate risks & ethics quickly so you can move forward with confidence.
• Draft an “AI-next-steps checklist” tailored to your business in under ten minutes.
• Measure ROI so you know what’s working—and what isn’t—without guesswork.
3. Staring Your Business II
Tuesday, May 5, 2026 | 10:00 am – 11:30 am
Alan Gohary, East Bay SBDC Advisor
This workshop assists an entrepreneur to learn how to start a business.
The permits and licenses you might need.
How to take your idea all the way to reality
What business structures are available and which one might be best for you.
4. How to Get Funding to Start, Grow, and Expand Your Business
Tuesday, May 5, 2026 | 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
East Bay SBDC Advisor
Accessing funding can be critical to successfully start, grow, and expand a small business, and getting approved for business loans is challenging in the current lending climate. This workshop provides step-by-step information on funding opportunities available for business owners and entrepreneurs. You will be guided through the process of pursuing business financing including what to consider before applying for a loan, the factors of evaluation that all lenders use when reviewing your loan requests and tips on how to prepare based on your strengths and weaknesses. Topics include: SBA Loan requirements & application, traditional bank loans, lines of credit, and alternative lending programs.
5. Funding Your Restaurant Dream: Exploring Financing Options
Thursday, May 7, 2026 | 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Blair Abee, East Bay SBDC Advisor
Funding is often a key part of launching or growing your food business. This workshop will cover financing alternatives, the funding process, and how to get yourself ready to seek and receive the money you need.
6. Marketing Your Restaurant Using Social Media
Thursday, May 7, 2026 | 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm
Sneha Lundia, East Bay SBDC Advisor
This session will focus on actionable steps to execute your restaurant’s marketing strategy. You’ll gain insights on campaign management, content creation, and digital tools that will help you seamlessly execute your plan and grow your customer base.
7. AI for Marketing
Friday, May 8, 2026 | 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Cathy Balach, East Bay SBDC Advisor
Discover how Generative AI can transform your marketing strategy. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll explore a range of Gen AI tools designed to supercharge the creation of high-quality digital marketing content—customized for specific audience segments, from blog posts to advertisements. You’ll also learn how to harness AI to synthesize and interpret complex data sets, empowering more informed and effective marketing decisions.
OUR PARTNER
