Network Kansas

Social Media the Smart Way: Paid Search with Google
2025-10-30 10:00 - 11:30 (America/Chicago) | Online Event
In this 75-minute webinar, designed specifically for small business owners and entrepreneurs, you’ll discover how to effectively use Google Ads to enhance your online presence and attract potential customers. We’ll cover the essentials of setting up and managing paid search campaigns, providing you with the tools and knowledge to create ads that resonate with your target audience and convert clicks into sales.
Key Topics Covered:

Introduction to Google: Understand the fundamentals of Google, including how it works and why it’s crucial for small businesses.

Budgeting and Bidding Strategies: Get tips on how to set a budget that aligns with your business goals and understand the different bidding strategies available.

Monitoring and Optimizing Campaigns: Discover how to track your campaign’s performance using key metrics, and learn techniques to optimize your ads for better results.

By the end of this webinar, you’ll be equipped with practical knowledge and actionable insights to launch and manage successful Google campaigns that can drive measurable growth for your small business. Whether you’re new to paid search or looking to refine your existing strategy, this session will provide valuable guidance to help you maximize your advertising investment.
Faculty: Kim Beer, Midnight Productions. Kim is a national speaker and advocate for entrepreneurship and small business marketing. She has been an entrepreneur for over 25 years, soon to celebrate her 20th year as president of the small business marketing firm Midnight Productions, Inc. Kim’s mission is to inspire and educate entrepreneurs to create results-oriented marketing tactics that will carry their business to the next level. Her seminars on marketing are honest, enlightening and packed with great action steps and technical instruction.
Please connect at least 5 minutes in advance to be sure you have a good connection. The webinar starts promptly at 10:00 AM and concludes by 11:15 AM.

Feeding Ourselves: Networks, Data and Policy for Just and Sustainable Food Systems
2025-10-30 11:00 - 13:00 | Online Event
Who Should Attend?
This session is ideal for anyone interested in social change, equitable wellbeing, and new ways of building stronger communities, grounded in trust, alignment, and distributed action in the service of sustainability, equity, and justice. If you can’t attend live, this session will be recorded.

Why This Matters Now
COVID-19 revealed what many communities had long known: our global food supply chain is fragile, consolidated, and dominated by a precarious concentration of power. At the same time, food insecurity is rising, and more people are asking: how can we create “food solutions” that ensure no one goes hungry?
For over a decade, IISC has supported the launch and growth of local and regional food system networks that build resilience and equity. From the Vermont Farm to Plate Network, credited with strengthening the state’s agricultural economy, to the Rhode Island Food Policy Council, pioneering equitable and inclusive processes to advance food justice, we’ve seen how networks can shift policy, practice, and imagination around what’s possible.
Join us for an interactive webinar with two special guests and partners:

Ellen Kahler, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund
Nessa Richman, Rhode Island Food Policy Council

Together, we will explore strategies to weave diverse cross-sector networks, track and share helpful user-friendly data, and design participatory processes to help people understand and advocate for policy.
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What You’ll Learn

The Power of Networks: What are they, how do they work, and how can we tap their potential?
The Art and Science of Data Capture and Sharing: How can we ensure that the right people have good information to support action and decision-making?
Processes for Creating People-Focused Policy: How can we make policy and policy-making more accessible to more people so they reflect community values and needs?

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Facilitator

Curtis Ogden is a Senior Associate with the Interaction Institute for Social Change (IISC), where he has worked for two decades supporting social change leaders, organizations, and networks as a coach, consultant, facilitator, trainer, and network weaver. He has helped to start the Food Solutions New England Network, Vermont Farm to Plate Network, Cancer Free Economy Network, Digital Navigators Network, Diverse Teacher Workforce Coalition, DC Social Justice Transformations Network, and supported numerous other local, state-wide, regional, national, and international collaborative efforts. In addition to his work at IISC, Curtis is an advisor to The Transformations Community, Rural Communities Rising, FLOW Public Trust for the Great Lakes, and the Connecticut River Watershed Partnership. He also writes regularly on the IISC Blog. He lives in the Connecticut River Watershed in Western Massachusetts with his wife, teenage daughters, and a flock of laying hens.
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Choosing your ticket type

If you are an individual who works in a grassroots organization or is otherwise affiliated with a racial justice group, and you are paying for the workshop yourself, please register as Grassroots*
If you are an individual with a social or public sector organization, please register as Nonprofit.
If you are an individual with a grantmaking or philanthropic organization, please register as a Foundation.
If you are an individual with a social venture organization, please register as a For-Profit/Social Venture.

*The number of these tickets is limited, so we invite those who are BIPOC, systematically marginalized or excluded, and have the highest level of financial need to register with this ticket type. If this is the only ticket type that works for you and it’s sold out, please sign up for the waitlist, and we’ll contact you if a spot becomes available.
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Have a question? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions and don’t hesitate to reach out!

Social Media the Smart Way: Paid Search with Facebook & Instagram
2025-10-30 11:30 - 13:00 | Online Event
In this 90-minute webinar tailored for small business owners, we’ll dive into the world of paid social media advertising on Facebook and Instagram. These powerful platforms offer unparalleled opportunities to connect with your target audience, boost brand visibility, and drive sales. Whether you’re new to social media advertising or looking to enhance your current efforts, this session will equip you with the tools and strategies you need to succeed.
Key Topics Covered:

Introduction to Paid Social Media Advertising: Understand the basics of paid social media, why it’s crucial for small businesses, and how Facebook and Instagram ads can help you achieve your business goals.

Setting Up Effective Campaigns: Learn how to create and structure ad campaigns that align with your business objectives. We’ll walk you through the process of choosing the right campaign type, setting up ad sets, and crafting compelling ad creatives.

Audience Targeting and Segmentation: Discover how to reach the right people by leveraging Facebook and Instagram’s robust targeting options. We’ll cover audience segmentation, custom audiences, and lookalike audiences to help you maximize your ad spend.

Budgeting and Bidding Techniques: Get insights into setting an appropriate budget and choosing the right bidding strategies to ensure you get the best return on investment (ROI) for your ad spend.

Analyzing and Optimizing Performance: Learn how to monitor your ad performance using Facebook’s Ads Manager and Instagram’s insights. We’ll discuss key metrics, how to interpret them, and actionable tips for optimizing your campaigns to achieve better results.

Best Practices and Tips for Success: Gain practical tips and tricks to avoid common mistakes and enhance the effectiveness of your campaigns. We’ll share examples of successful ads and discuss how you can apply these strategies to your business.

By the end of this webinar, you’ll have a clear understanding of how to create, manage, and optimize paid social media campaigns on Facebook and Instagram. You’ll leave with actionable strategies to attract more customers, increase engagement, and grow your small business through effective social media advertising.
Faculty: Kim Beer, Midnight Productions. Kim is a national speaker and advocate for entrepreneurship and small business marketing. She has been an entrepreneur for over 25 years, soon to celebrate her 20th year as president of the small business marketing firm Midnight Productions, Inc. Kim’s mission is to inspire and educate entrepreneurs to create results-oriented marketing tactics that will carry their business to the next level. Her seminars on marketing are honest, enlightening and packed with great action steps and technical instruction.
Please connect at least 5 minutes in advance to be sure you have a good connection. The webinar starts promptly at 11:30 AM and concludes by 1:00 PM.

Lunch and Learn: 5 Ways to Use ChatGPT (AI) for small business
2025-10-31 12:00 - 13:00 | Online Event
AI (Artificial Intelligence) can make you a more efficient marketer. Learn to use ChatGPT (AI) for marketing your small business, starting with your own information for:
1. Condensing/Expanding Messages: ChatGPT assists in summarizing complex ideas for social media/email, and elaborating on brief concepts for blogs/newsletters/presentations.
2. Understanding Consumer Problems: By analyzing vast online data, ChatGPT aids in consumer research, identifying sentiments/preferences, and simulating customer interactions.
3. Filling Branding Gaps: ChatGPT helps you strengthen your branding by ensuring consistency in tone/messaging, suggesting refinements, and generating ideas for unique selling propositions.
4. Technical Quick Reference: ChatGPT provides step-by-step instructions for technical tasks, eliminating barriers to technical competency.
5. Social Media Post Generation: ChatGPT can automate social media post creation, streamlining marketing efforts for solopreneurs and small businesses.
Faculty: KIm Beer. Kim is a multi-talented Growth Facilitator, national speaker and advocate for small business. She is cohost of the popular podcast “The Business Animal” and the author of “The Little Book of Big Sales Moves.” Her mission is to inspire and educate entrepreneurs to create results-oriented tactics that will carry their business and their creativity to the next level. Kim’s seminars and workshops on entrepreneurial strategy, marketing, and personal development are honest, enlightening and packed with great action steps and technical instruction garnered from over 30 years of entrepreneurial experience. She offers experiential opportunities for personal development and growth through her Synchronicity Sessions. Kim is also an award-winning writer, graphic designer and photographer. She holds a certification as an Equine Gestaltist from Touched by a Horse and is a certified Hypnotist through the International Association of Counselors and Therapists.

November WIBA Women Luncheon 2025
2025-11-04 11:00 - 13:00 | The Ninth Floor Club + Venue, 100 North Broadway, Suite 900, Wichita, KS, 67202, United States
Our WIBA Women’s Luncheon is a great time to network with other like-minded women and leaders.

Hear from WIBA member, Anita Greenwood, Founder, CEO & Executive Coach at Powerhouse Leaders.
Anita will tell her story, talk about her career journey and share what she learned on a month-long business trip that she took to Africa. She will also talk about how to leverage partnerships and relationships to generate business.
Anita Greenwood is a British-born CEO and Executive Coach who’s lived in three countries and led teams across many more. After a 20+ year global career growing billion-dollar brands, she founded Powerhouse Leaders, her Wichita-based company that helps game-changing leaders elevate their executive presence and influence in today’s complex world.
A master of turning discomfort into growth, Anita has built relationships that landed multimillion-dollar deals, unforgettable adventures, and—no joke—saved her own life.
Known for her straight talk, wit, and fearless approach to growth, fresh back from a solo trip to Africa practicing what she teaches, Anita aspires to inspire leaders to challenge norms, lead bolder, create impact, and have fun doing it—because serious impact doesn’t have to mean taking yourself seriously too.

Location
The Ninth Floor Club + Venue

Parking is available on the upper levels of the parking garage located west of Broadway.
Any space not marked RESERVED is available for your use.
Access the building through the covered walkway on the 3rd level of the garage.
There is a $1.00 parking fee (cash only) when exiting the parking garage.

Pricing
$25 Members
$50 Non members
*Tickets are non-refundable or transferrable

Contact Information
Wichita Independent Business Association
Name: Jennifer Willits
Phone: (316) 201-3264
Email: jennifer@wiba.org

eMail Marketing
2025-11-07 10:00 - 12:00 | Online Event
eMail marketing, driven by your CRM (customer relationship management) software is the most cost-effective tool in your marketing kit. In this class we will cover how to utilize email to turn prospects into customers and how to utilize your CRM to tailor the customer journey from inquiry to sale.
Faculty: Kim Beer. Kim is a national speaker and advocate for entrepreneurship and small business marketing. She has been an entrepreneur for over 25 years, soon to celebrate her 20th year as president of the small business marketing firm Midnight Productions, Inc. Kim’s mission is to inspire and educate entrepreneurs to create results-oriented marketing tactics that will carry their business to the next level. Her seminars on marketing are honest, enlightening and packed with great action steps and technical instruction. Kim is a Certified Authorized Local Expert and Platinum Solution Provider with the online marketing software company Constant Contact.

Small Business Success: Mastering the Essentials
2025-11-10 18:00 - 20:00 | Online Event
Running a business requires more than just a great idea—it takes strategy, financial literacy, and operational know-how. This workshop will provide new and existing entrepreneurs with an understanding of what is needed to build a sustainable business. We’ll cover essential topics such as business planning, marketing, and financial management to ensure long-term success.
Key Takeaways:

Learn how to create a business model that works
Understand branding and marketing fundamentals
Discover key financial tools for profitability
Identify common challenges and how to navigate them
Understand how to develop a strategy for long-term business growth

This is the first Workshop in the three part series Small Business Success: Mastering the Essentials. Session 2 – Polishing Your Business Idea, Marketing Strategy & Social Media Marketing and Session 3 – Demystifying Financial Foundations, Funding Your Businesss Dream & Creating Realistic Financial Projections.

Content that Connects: Planning for Performance & Success in 2026 Workshop
2025-11-17 13:00 - 14:30 | WSU Woosley Hall, 2060 N Mid-Campus Drive, Wichita, KS, 67208
Learn tactics that help you thoughtfully execute on your 2026 social media vision!

Join Wichita State University and NXTUS for a FREE workshop on “Content that Connects: Planning for Performance & Success in 2026″, led by Angela Breer with Dot Strategies.
In this interactive session, learn tactics that help you thoughtfully execute on your 2026 social media vision from generating ideas and planning content to analyzing performance with data metrics and refining your approach. This workshop will help you structure your social media to fit what you can realistically manage for your startup.
Free parking is available in the lot outside of Woolsey Hall.

About the Speaker: Angela Breer
Angela Breer is a strategic communications and marketing professional. As the Founder and Chief Dot Connector for Dot Strategies, she helps clients connect the dots with a strategic and creative focus in the areas of marketing and communications. She applies her empathy and organizational skills to the many community causes she is involved with. She graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in journalism with an emphasis in strategic communications. She enjoys reading, finding the perfect treasure, time in nature and binging a good show!

Grant Writing Basics
2025-11-17 13:30 - 16:30 | Online Event
The Grant Writing Basics course is suitable for people who have never written a grant (more than 50% of our students), and those who have a lot of experience and want to take a fresh look at their current practices.
More than 3,400 Kansans have been trained and found confidence and writing skills, resulting in more than $100 million of successful grants written in the first 18 months after they took this class. They wrote grants to support park improvements, walking trails, building restoration, leadership programs, arts, programming, festivals, and other community infrastructure.
Consisting of two (3-hour) online live sessions with many additional resources, this format allows writers to formulate their grant ideas into a grant proposal. Participants are encouraged to bring their grants or grant ideas to share. Time for interaction with other participants is an important aspect of the class; even experienced grant writers pick up tips and are reenergized after consulting with peers.
You will learn:

Sources of data for community needs
Where to find grants
Elements of a great grant proposal
Practicing the grant elements: Problem, Outcome, Activity, Evaluation, Budget

Additional information:

This online course has two synchronous classes. The class resource materials are available the week before and several weeks afterwards.
Enrollment is limited for each class, but we want to meet all needs; if the class is filled, please register on the waiting list.
Classes are recorded for later reference or classes missed.

For more information, please contact:
Nancy Daniels
nkdaniels@ksu.edu

Webinar-Food Security, Access, and Health Outcomes in Rural America: Challenges and Policy Pathways
2025-11-19 13:00 - 15:00 | Online Event
This webinar will focus on the everyday challenges rural communities face in accessing healthy and affordable food, and how these challenges affect health and well-being. We will discuss the impact of policy reforms, unique challenges such as food deserts, and strategies to strengthen rural food systems through partnerships, education, and innovation. Presenters: Bhagyashree Katare, Berdine Martin Food Economics Associate Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics, Purdue University Krystal Hodge, Assistant Professor, Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign NCRCRD webinars are open to all participants. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate or need an interpreter or translator, please contact Mary Breidenbach (mabreide@purdue.edu) no later than 5 days prior to the event. Purdue University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access University.

Accessing Capital for Small Business
2025-12-16 10:00 - 12:00 | Online Event
Join Brande Stitt, Program Director for the Women’s Business Center, as she walks us through where entrepreneurs get their money. Learn what types of businesses are launched, and how they were funded.
You will learn to ask yourself these important questions:
How much money do I need?
What type of business do I have?
What type of capital is most appropriate?
You will learn how to prepare to raise debt (borrow money) or equity capital (give up a share of your business.)
Brande Stitt currently serves as Program Director for the Women’s Business Center in Fairway, Kansas. The WBC helps develop, mentor and fund women led businesses. She previously served as the Network Builder for KCSourceLink and Director of Small Business & Entrepreneurship for the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Brande received her Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Drury University in Springfield, Mo., and a Masters of Education in community/agency counseling from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Please connect at least 5 minutes in advance to be sure you have a good connection. The webinar begins promptly at 10:00 AM CT/ 9AM MT/ 8AM PT and concludes by 12:00 PM CT/ 11AM MT/ 10AM PT.

Rural Grocery Specialist
2026-01-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Online Event
Supporting rural grocers in business transition planning is essential to keeping the benefits of hometown grocery stores in rural communities. The Rural Grocery Transition Specialist program trains and deploys resource professionals across the country to better serve rural grocers through business transitions.

Who: This course is designed for Extension professionals, economic developers and other resource providers who support rural grocers and rural community vitality across the country.
Participants will gain: Strategies for building relationships with grocery store owners and managers, understanding of transition planning and business valuation concepts, and tools to support grocery store transitions. In addition, participants will join a national network of professionals dedicated to supporting rural communities.
Format: This course contains seven online modules that include homework assignments and interactive discussion boards, paired with guided learning through four required 1.5 to 2-hour synchronous virtual meetings.
Taught by: Composed of 18 professionals from across the country, the teaching team has a wide a range of expertise related to business transition planning and rural grocery.
