The CollabSouth event will take place at the Country Club of Jackson on August 26.
A small business conference hosted by CollabSouth and organized by Southern Business Institute aimed at connecting business owners and the community is coming to Jackson in August.
The annual event is geared toward founders and employees of small businesses. At the conference, attendees will hear from experts within the community and in state government.
This year’s keynote speaker for the event is Secretary of State Michael Watson. Since taking office in 2020, Watson and his staff have been working to cut regulations and provide a more inviting business climate for those seeking to locate or expand in Mississippi. His “Tackle the Tape” initiative and the recent “29×29″ campaign are just two examples of how Watson hopes to ease burdens on businesses imposed by the state government.
“These events are invaluable to our Mississippi business community. As elected officials, it’s important for us to have opportunities like these to hear from business leaders and learn how we can better support them and/or get out of the way. More importantly, it fosters a collaborative environment to strengthen relationships and expand available resources,” said Watson.
Several other speakers and panelists will discuss topics such as business growth and development, marketing, accounting, human resources, and more.
The event is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 26th. It will be followed by a cocktail hour for networking.
The Southern Business Institute was founded by Susan Woods, Allison Muirhead and Mary Margaret Gay during the height of the 2020 pandemic. The institute was designed as a collaborative membership group for small businesses in the South to help align business interests, empower owners, and share resources.
This is the first community-wide event that will include breakout groups and panel discussions to help entrepreneurs grow.
“During the pandemic, we saw that small businesses took a big hit. We founded the Institute to empower small businesses and provide them with the resources and community necessary to thrive,” said Woods, Co-Founder of Southern Business Institute. “We’re very excited to connect business owners and cultivate this community in Jackson.”
Tickets can be purchased on Southern Business Institute’s website here.
Sarah Ulmer
