THE WESTIN BOSTON SEAPORT DISTRICT
FEATURED SHOW AREAS
Exhibitor Hall
Meet great vendors with unique services to help your business grow.
Workshops
30 minute sessions led by Industry Experts in various fields.
Keynote Theatre
Learn from iconic Business Leaders on The Main Stage.
Speed Networking
Meet 1-on-1 with other Businesses in these quick & efficient mini 2-minute networking sessions.
(Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badges)
OUR SPONSORS
Get Dotted®
Each colored dot represents a different group of industries. When you arrive, we encourage you to “GET DOTTED®.” We’ve created this fun and easy color-coded system to help you network.
Industry Meet-Ups
Meet & Network with Business Professionals in your Industry or other Industries of interest.
Gold,
& VIP Badges)
Business Card Exchange
Market yourself & your business to other SBE attendees by displaying your business card.
Photo Opps
Capture memorable moments at our designated Photo Opp Backdrops and share them on social media tagging #smallbusinessexpo
10:30AM - 11:00AM
W Level Up Your Business: AI Strategies for Small Business Growth
Sharon Lee Thony, Verizon
Learn practical AI strategies to help your small business compete with industry giants. This hands-on workshop covers AI chatbots for customer support, workflow automation for efficiency, and predictive insights to drive smarter, growth-focused decisions.
Workshop Room 1 (Lobby Level, Upstairs)
W Tax Tips for Entrepreneurs Starting and Operating a Business
Carol Xie, Internal Revenue Service
Take control of your small business taxes. Whether you are just starting out or looking to improve your tax strategy, the webinar will provide essential tax tips. Join us and learn how to navigate your business taxes with confidence.
W Practical AI for Visibility, Engagement, and Customer Connection
A practical workshop for SMBs, entrepreneurs, and solopreneurs to strengthen brand voice, improve customer engagement, and build AI-based sales and marketing workflows for revenue growth with confidence.
10:40AM - 11:00AM Franchises
M
Industry Meet-Up
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
11:00AM - 11:20AM
Banking, Insurance, Real Estate, Finance, Investors Industry Meet-Up
M Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
11:00AM - 11:45AM
S Speed Networking Session
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders Sponsored by Comcast Business
11:15AM - 12:00PM
FEATURED KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
K
Earn Free Media Attention & Build Buzz Without Hiring a PR Firm
Workshop Room 2
(Lobby Level, Upstairs)
11:40AM - 12:00PM
Web Services, Apps, IT, Software, Technology Industry Meet-Up
M Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
12:00PM - 12:45PM
S Speed Networking Session
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders Sponsored by Comcast Business
12:15PM - 12:45PM
W The Small Business AI Playbook: Put AI to Work This Week
Natalie Hirsch, AWS
AI works best solving real problems, not invented ones. This session is practical: automate weekly time-wasters, get instant insights from existing data, and make faster, confident decisions—plus live demos and a clear framework to start now.
Concourse Level, Pavilion, Downstairs
Workshop Room 1
(Lobby Level, Upstairs)
(Lobby Level, Upstairs)
Concourse Level, Pavilion, Downstairs
Concourse Level, Pavilion, Downstairs
W The Ultimate Guide To Digital Marketing
Riley Hoogendoorn, Hoagy Marketing
Learn how to grow your rankings on Google so your potential customers can find you. We’ll cover all five aspects of search engine optimization (SEO) and we’ll even tell you our secrets for ranking quickly.
W Tools You Didn’t Know You Had: How Smart Business Owners Buy Better
Andrew Turner, Amazon Business
You started your business to do what you love—not chase receipts, manage approvals, or figure out who ordered what on the company card. In this workshop, Andrew Turner from Amazon Business shares tools, habits, and systems that help small businesses buy smarter and waste less.
Workshop Room 2
(Lobby Level, Upstairs)
Workshop Room 3
(Lobby Level, Upstairs)
Concourse Level, Pavilion, Downstairs
Concourse Level, Commonwealth Ballroom, Downstairs
Mark Albert, Emmy-Award Winner & Former CBS News Correspondent
John Bates, Leadership Communication Expert & TED Talk Coach Workshop Room 3
Most business owners struggle to get noticed— but the smartest entrepreneurs know how to put themselves and their brand in the spotlight. In this high-impact, interactive keynote, you’ll discover how to earn free media coverage, attract paid speaking opportunities, and create real buzz around your business without spending thousands on a PR firm. Learn the attention-grabbing strategies successful brands and entrepreneurs use to stand out, gain credibility fast, and turn visibility into new customers, partnerships, and growth.
11:20AM - 11:40AM
Social Media, Marketing, Advertising, PR
Meet-Up
Gold, Platinum & VIP
Holders
Concourse Level, Pavilion, Downstairs
1:00PM - 1:45PM FEATURED KEYNOTE PRESENTATION K
Shark Tank Success Stories: Behind the Pitch — A Candid Conversation With Successful Founders
Dahlia Rizk, CEO of Buckle Me Baby & Shark Tank Success Story
Nicole Denise, Brand Intelligence Strategist & CEO, CoAgency Vlad Smolyanskyy, Founder & CEO of PINBLOCK & Shark Tank Success Story
Dive “behind the tank” with entrepreneurs who landed deals on ABC’s hit show Shark Tank as they share how they turned bold ideas into booming businesses. Discover their inspiring journeys, key lessons, and powerful strategies for overcoming challenges and scaling success. Moderated by Nicole Denise, an Entrepreneurial Powerhouse and Brand Strategist.
AI isn’t coming — it’s already here. In this high-impact keynote, Darren Kimura shows how small businesses are using AI to work smarter, move faster, and outpace larger competitors. From operational efficiency to game-changing growth strategies, you’ll learn how to thrive in the new AI-powered
Shark Tank is a registered trademark of Sony Pictures Television Inc. and ABC. This event is not affiliated with or endorsed by Shark Tank, Sony Pictures, or ABC.
1:00PM - 1:20PM M eCommerce, Manufacturers, Retail, Distributors Industry Meet-Up Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
Concourse Level, Pavilion, Downstairs
Concourse Level, Pavilion, Downstairs
Ritu Thakur, Smart Tech Inc
TODAY’S AGENDA
1:00PM - 1:45PM
S Speed Networking Session
Sponsored by Comcast Business
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
1:20PM - 1:40PM
Professional Services Industry Meet-Up
M Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
1:40PM - 2:00PM
Healthcare, HR, Employee Services Industry Meet-Up
M Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
2:00PM - 2:30PM
W
Your Sales Team Isn’t Undertrained-They’re Underconfident!
Fred Joyal, The Fred Joyal Company
Your team knows the pitch, the CRM, and how to handle objections. Yet follow-up slips, discounts are offered too soon, and too many deals don’t close. Confidence unlocks their full potential. This session shows how that can be learned, and quickly!
W AI Without the Hype: Why Most SMBs Are Using AI Wrong
Khan Inthirath, AI Advisor Guy
Tired of AI hype? Learn why many SMBs are using AI wrong and where it actually fits to save time, improve follow-up, protect margin, and uncover your next best use cases. Leave with an SMB AI Action Kit.
Concourse Level, Pavilion, Downstairs
Concourse Level, Pavilion, Downstairs
3:00PM - 3:20PM
M
Concourse Level, Pavilion, Downstairs
Workshop Room 1 (Lobby Level, Upstairs)
Hospitality, Travel, Transportation, Recreation
Industry Meet-Up
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
3:00PM - 3:45PM
S Speed Networking Session
Sponsored by Comcast Business
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
3:20PM - 3:40PM
M Gov’t, Non-Profit, Associations, Education Industry Meet-Up
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
3:30PM - 4:00PM
W
Workshop Room 2 (Lobby Level, Upstairs)
W From 5 to 50 Employees: Building a Scalable People Strategy
Heather Gould, OneDigital
Scaling from 5 to 50 employees can quickly create hiring, culture, and operational challenges. Learn how to avoid common growth mistakes, build scalable systems, and create a people strategy that supports long-term success.
2:00PM - 2:45PM
S Speed Networking Session
Sponsored by Comcast Business
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
2:45PM - 3:15PM
W Everyday AI: Simple Ways to Run Your Business More Efficiently
Hanzala Inayat, TDcommerce.com
A practical guide for small businesses to use AI and modern technology to automate tasks, improve sales, streamline operations, and make smarter decisions using simple, cost-effective tools for faster growth.
W How to Reduce Labor Costs by 60%
Zach Pratico, SmartScale360
SmartScale360 helps entrepreneurs and businesses of all sizes leverage offshore talent pool by making it easy to find and hire the best college-educated English speaking talent for 1/3 of the cost of hiring locally.
Workshop Room 3 (Lobby Level, Upstairs)
W
Strategic Growth: Six Strategies to Successfully Scale
VR Small, Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center (VWEC)
Join VR Small for a high-impact business session focused on building a foundation to scale with precision. This isn’t theory. It’s real strategies you can immediately apply. Ready? Stop Spinning & Start Scaling!
AI Is Now Answering Business Calls — Here’s How You Can Use It Today
Michael Nguyen, Teleiq
See how AI can answer calls, schedule appointments, and respond to customer questions in real time. This workshop demonstrates how businesses can automate phone interactions and improve efficiency.
3:40PM - 4:00PM
M
Concourse Level, Pavilion, Downstairs
Workshop Room 1
(Lobby Level, Upstairs)
Concourse Level, Pavilion, Downstairs
Concourse Level, Pavilion, Downstairs
Concourse Level, Pavilion, Downstairs
Workshop Room 1 (Lobby Level, Upstairs)
Workshop Room 2
(Lobby Level, Upstairs)
Art, Entertainment, Creative, Designer Industry Meet-Up
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
4:15PM - 4:45PM
Concourse Level, Pavilion, Downstairs
Your Brand, Your Business: Creating a Personal Brand That Connects
Jackie Boucher, Better Business Bureau
Learn how to define your unique brand, communicate your value with confidence, and build trust as an entrepreneur. Discover how BBB helps businesses strengthen credibility and create a personal brand that truly connects.
Behind the Post: Content that Converts
Nicole Denise Phillip, CoAgency
Workshop Room 2 (Lobby Level, Upstairs)
W Scaling Small: Big Business Power for Growing Teams
Kyle Green, RingCentral
Small businesses must operate with enterprise-level pace while staying agile. This session explores how RingCentral helps growing companies scale smarter with unified communications, AI tools, and integrated customer engagement.
Workshop Room 3 (Lobby Level, Upstairs)
Behind the Post is not about content. It’s about conversion. In this session, you’ll learn how to align your messaging, turn visibility into qualified leads, and install simple automation that follows up for you.
Workshop Room 1
(Lobby Level, Upstairs)
Workshop Room 2
(Lobby Level, Upstairs)
