Entrepreneurship Support Grant The City of Evanston is providing financial relief for income-eligible micro-enterprises and local businesses hiring low-mod income employees, that were impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. More info here.	"Going Digital" Webinar Series From getting started online to digital marketing, this webinar series will help take your business to the next level online! Join industry experts as they provide tips for creating or enhancing your online presence.	Mentorship Get the tools you need to help your business thrive. Choose from a wide range of mentors offering free strategic consulting support to Evanston's small businesses.

 "Going Digital" Webinar Series
In collaboration with local digital experts, the City of Evanston is launching a series of weekly webinars to provide local businesses with insights on how to use digital tools to help boost their online presence. These sessions will provide an opportunity to learn about various digital topics, ask questions to industry experts, and network with other local businesses. The webinars are free, however registration is required.

Getting Started Online 101 

View Recorded Webinar
Looking to get your business online? Or maybe your website needs an update so you can more effectively communicate your message and your brand. Industry experts (Keith Glantz of Glantz Design and Marc Zarefsky) will go over the basics of setting up your website including choosing a platform, visual design, and content strategy.

Social Media Strategy
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Do you ever stare at your computer and wonder what to write about on your social media pages? Or do you write one post and share it across all of your pages without considering the unique audience on each page? Jen Peterson of JPeterson Marketing (https://www.jpetersonmarketing.com/) will show you how to develop a content calendar and how to customize your content for your social media pages so that they engage your online audiences.

Digital Marketing: Paid Media 101

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Should I run ads? Where? What’ll it cost? Come learn the basics of digital marketing for small businesses with Spencer Bryson, brand manager for Funyuns and Rold Gold and Kellogg MBA. Understand what digital marketing is, talk through if it would work for you, get perspective on what good/better/best looks like, and plan out practical details of how to get started.

Using Data to Target Your Audience
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This webinar hosted by Kelly Cutler, instructor of Digital Strategy in the Medill IMC Master's Program, will provide an overview of how to leverage data to better understand your audience and how to target your customers. It will cover Search Engine Optimization (SEO) basics and using Google Analytics to understand how your customers interact with your website.

E-Commerce Unleashed: The 3 Critical Things to Know if You Want to Win in the World of E-commerce
View Recorded Webinar
Selling online isn't the same as having a great website. It's an entirely different world. E-commerce is about much more, it's about creating a great shopping and buying experience. Join Sarah Bruns, founder of Gray Otter and MBA, for an overview of the three most critical elements you need to know to win at the game of e-commerce: technology, customer service, and operations & order fulfillment. In this webinar, learn about how to choose the right e-commerce platform, the differences in online customer support, and how to prepare for the back-end operations.

Small Business Mentoring Program
Northwestern and its Kellogg School of Management have partnered with the City of Evanston to provide strategic consulting support to local business owners. Kellogg alumni and students are offering pro bono consulting to Evanston business owners in high-demand areas, including digital marketing and social media, public relations, financial planning and analysis, and human resources management. Reach out to skilled mentors via the StartUpTree platform to help you see new opportunities, find ways to strengthen your online presence, or find efficiencies to weather the COVID-19 crisis. Don't miss out on this opportunity to get some free, additional support from experts! 

Digital Marketing and Strategy Mentors
In conjunction with our Going Digital webinar series, please see a list of mentors specializing in digital marketing and online tools. They are all available on the StartUpTree platform along with many others.

Kelly Cutler - Northwestern University | Medill

 Looking to provide consultation to assist local businesses during this uncertain time. I teach Digital Strategy in the Medill IMC Master's Program.

Kerri Schoonyoung - Dept. 11

 We are a local Women Owned certified digital marketing consultancy. Kerri specializes in brand strategy/development, digital strategy, and marketing communications.

Spencer Bryson - Northwestern University | Kellogg School of Management

 Brand Manager of Funyuns and Rold Gold, experienced small business digital marketer, Kellogg MBA

Sam Weyrauch - Northwestern University | Kellogg School of Management

Proud Kellogg MBA, class of 2020. I'm a strategy consultant turned brand manager, eager to help organizations catalyze their growth. With client-side experience in countless industries, work as a nonprofit board member, and exposure to both startup and venture capital worlds, I'm eager to help out!

Samantha Chan - Northwestern University | Kellogg School of Management

Hello! Kellogg MBA + MS in Design Innovation alumna, class of 2020. I have experience in product management and marketing, specifically for digital products. Most recently, I was a founding member of a wellness startup at Kellogg. Would love to partner with local Evanston businesses to help in whatever capacity during this time!

Marc Zarefsky

As a writer and editor, I work with C-suite executives, top-ranked universities, nonprofits, small businesses and associations to share their stories as articles, whitepapers, e-books, and blog posts that inspire action — especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and current economic uncertainty. I'm also an Evanston native and proud alum of D65 and ETHS.

Sarah Bruns

I’m an entrepreneur who has spent the last 10 years starting and growing businesses. With an MBA and a nearly completed MS in Data Science, my passion is the point where data, technology, and online consumer behavior meet. I love ecommerce and the opportunities it creates for small businesses to carve out a niche and compete in a world typically dominated by big business.

Please see steps below to sign on to the StartupTree platform, create a profile, and get started!

Find detailed instructions in the Guide for Local Businesses