A great brand requires a good business. A good business demands a reason why. Business Over Brand improves access to actionable information, education and support for the District’s creatives to better understand their why, build their business, and grow their brand.
Business Over Brand: Create to Generate Week
is brought to you by your DC Creative Affairs Office and national creative economy incubator platform, gener8tor.
Join Maryann Lombardi (DC Creative Affairs Office), Dr. Mary DeRaedt, PhD, LPC (The George Washington University) and Lanada Williams, NCC, LCC, LCPC (Alliance Family Solutions) in an in depth conversation about how to navigate uncertainty, approaches for managing stress and anxiety, and how to prioritize your mental health. We will also discuss CAO and GWU's new Care for Creatives program in detail. The session will conclude with a Q&A.
11:00AM - 11:45PM
Join us for a conversation between Maryann Lombardi (DC Creative Affairs Office), Jeff Scott, PhD (DC Commission on Arts and Humanities) and Claudia Herrera (DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs) to learn about the resources and support that is available through DC and other local and national sources. This conversation will conclude with a Q&A.
111:45AM - 12:30PM
at 11:45AM we will continue the conversation with Kennisha Rainge (DC Office of Creative Affairs) and Andre Chisolm (DC Department of Employment Services) to hear about the trainings and support DOES provide and to answer any questions you may still have about unemployment insurance and the pandemic unemployment assistance.
Meet Enrique “Mag” Rodriguez the Director of gener8tor's Music Incubator, Backline - named a top ten music tech company by Fast Company, Maureen Ragalie who runs gener8tor's Fellowship Art program and Kimberley Bush, Interim Executive Director/Director of Arts and Cultural Programs of The DC Center. Learn how to get the most out of your e-commerce business, best practices to monetize your virtual events, and learn actionable steps you can take to get online now and make the most out of the opportunity. The session will conclude with a Q&A.
Join Professor Sandra Sellers to learn best practices in how to renegotiate more favorable terms with your providers (i.e. your landlord, credit cards, bank) and your clients. We will have a little fun and practice with a role playing scenario to help you get more comfortable. During the session you will be provided with clear take aways, along with sample scripts of your own to practice with. The session will conclude with a Q&A.
Programming Partner: Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts
gener8tor Co-founder Joe Kirgues will moderate a conversation with record producer, entrepreneur Fernando Garibay (Lady Gaga, Interscope Records) and documentary filmmaker Dana Flor (Check It, The Nine Lives of Marion Barry) on creating during times of crisis, what keeps them inspired, and how to encourage creatives to be the thought leaders of the future. The session will conclude with a Q&A.
Mona Wilcox, S&T Law Group
Strategic legal advice for creative entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofits. Legal advice on business formation, nonprofit law, corporate law, business transactions, and special projects. Click here to confirm office hours
Keila Hill-Trawick, Little Fish Accounting
A boutique accounting and tax firm dedicated to preparing freelancers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners for their financial futures. Click here to confirm office hours.
Natalie Madeira Cofield, Entrepreneur-in-Residence, 202Creates
One-on-One sessions on business, scaling and growing your small business with Entrepreneur-in-Residence, Natalie Madeira Cofield. Click here to confirm office hours.
Do you have a business idea but don't know where to start with e-commerce? Are you currently operating and thinking about expanding an online business? This session is to provide you with one-on-one advice and training from an LEDC small business coach to help you manage and grow your e-commerce business.
Please fill out appropriate client in-take forms before the session.
Click here to confirm office hours.
DC Creative Affairs Office
The Creative Affairs Office (CAO) showcases and preserves the District of Columbia’s rich creative communities throughout all 8 Wards. CAO builds sustainability in the creative community through policy, programming, and education which further expands the pathway to the middle class for the creative workforce. CAO coordinates public, private, and community partners to accomplish all goals and create equitable and inclusive opportunities for the District’s creatives.
gener8tor
gener8tor’s turnkey platform for the creative economy connects startup founders, musicians, artists, investors, universities and corporations. The gener8tor platform includes pre-accelerators, accelerators, corporate programming, conferences and fellowships.