Piedmont Ascent Business Conference

Join us for a dynamic business conference for small business owners and entrepreneurs at every stage!

With a focus on marketing and sales, this event will equip you with the insights and strategies you need to thrive, regardless of your industry or experience level. Our expert-led sessions will cover essential topics like customer discovery, paid ad campaigns, social media algorithms, AI and marketing automation, and how to market on a budget.

Beyond the training, you'll have the opportunity to network with like-minded business owners, exchange ideas, and build valuable connections that can help propel your business forward. Don't miss this chance to gain actionable knowledge and expand your network—register today!

Following the Piedmont Ascent Business Conference will be the Piedmont Pitch Competition. Conference attendees are encouraged to stay for the Pitch Competition to support six entrepreneurs as they pitch their business plan in front of judges for an opportunity to win prize money.

Conference Agenda

9:45 AM – Doors Open

10:00 AM - Welcome

10:30 - 11:30 AM - Breakout Sessions - Running Ad Campaigns on Meta and Google, Discovering Your Brand and Customer Base, or Proven Marketing Tactics for Food and Beverage Brands

11:45 AM - 12:45 PM - Lunch and Keynote Panel: Marketing on a Small Budget: Where to Spend Your First (or Next) Dollar

1:00 - 2:00 PM - Breakout Sessions - Converting Web Traffic into Sales, How Small Businesses Can Actually Grow on Social Media, or Using AI & Automation to Scale Your Marketing

2:00 - 3:00 - Networking

3:00 - 5:00 PM Piedmont Pitch Competition

Early Bird Tickets until April 30th - $20

Ticket price goes up May 1st - $25

Co Sponsors - City of Charlottesville Office of Economic Development and Albemarle County Economic Development