SAN DIEGO
SEPTEMBER 18, 2026 SHERATON SAN DIEGO RESORT
NO PITCHING OR SELLING TO BOOTHS. Violators will be asked to leave.
FEATURED SHOW AREAS
Exhibitor Hall
Get Dotted®
Meet great vendors with unique services to help your business grow.
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.
Workshops
Industry Meet-Ups
30 minute sessions led by Industry Experts in various fields.
Meet & Network with Business Professionals in your Industry or other Industries of interest.
(Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badges)
Keynote Theatre
Business Card Exchange
Learn from iconic Business Leaders on The Main Stage.
Market yourself & your business to other SBE attendees by displaying your business card.
Speed Networking
Photo Opps
Meet 1-on-1 with other Businesses in these quick & efficient mini 2-minute networking sessions.
Capture memorable moments at our designated Photo Opp Backdrops and share them on social media tagging #smallbusinessexpo
(Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badges)
OUR SPONSORS GOLD
SILVER
2026
PARTNERS
EXHIBIT AT SMALL BUSINESS EXPO
TOUR
PHILADELPHIA
ORLANDO
WASHINGTON D.C. CHICAGO
3/3/2026
MIAMI
3/10/2026
3/25/2026
BOSTON 5/27/2026
LAS VEGAS
NYC (FALL)
SAN DIEGO
AUSTIN
9/10/2026
4/8/2026
6/10/2026
9/18/2026
5/7/2026
6/25/2026
9/30/2026
NYC (SPRING)
SAN FRANCISCO LOS ANGELES
TheSmallBusinessExpo.com
PHOENIX
10/15/2026
11/18/2026
10/29/2026
12/2/2026
DALLAS 11/4/2026
HOUSTON ATLANTA 12/16/2026
TODAY’S AGENDA
AGENDA KEY
10:30AM - 11:00AM The Small Business AI Playbook: W How to Put AI to Work This Week
Greg Schwartz, Amazon Web Services 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.
W
Common Forms of Business Ownership in California
Lucius C. Davis III, Franchise Tax Board This presentation is a discussion of the most common forms of business ownership that are available to business owners. Information is presented about Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships, Corporations, and LLCs.
W
10:40AM - 11:00AM M
Franchises
Industry Meet-Up
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
M
Workshop Room 1
Banking, Insurance, Real Estate, Finance, Investors Industry Meet-Up
S
Speed Networking Session
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
S
Nadia Hansen, AI Strategist, CLV Enterprise Inc.
Workshop Room 2
(Lower Level)
(Lower Level)
Industry Meet-Ups
W
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
Web Services, Apps, IT, Software, Technology
Industry Meet-Ups
(Lower Level)
Speed Networking Session
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
Industry Meet-Ups
(Lower Level)
Speed Networking
(Lower Level)
Workshop Room 1
(Lower Level)
From Big Idea to the Big Screen: Local Advertising Made Easy
The Purchasing Playbook Every Small Business Owner Needs
Pablo Silva Torres, Amazon Business When you’re doing what you love, it’s hard to work on the business. In this workshop, Pablo Silva Torres from Amazon Business shares tools, habits and simple systems he’s learned from thousands of small businesses to help you buy smart and save.
(Lower Level)
Workshop Room 2
(Lower Level)
Workshop Room 3
(Lower Level)
1:00PM - 1:45PM
AI isn’t coming — it’s already here. In this high-impactKeynote Theatre Thrive, Don’t Just Survive: (1st Floor, keynote, Darren Kimura shows Silver Pearl The Entrepreneur’s Blueprint to Ballroom) Sustainable Successhow small businesses are using AI to work smarter, move fastNicole Denise, Brand Intelligence Strategist & CEO, CoAgency er, and outpace larger competitors. From operational efficienLearn how to build a Business, Branding & Well-Being plan to launch and grow. cy to game-changing growth This session offers a practical roadmap to avoid strategies, you’ll learn how to pitfalls, keep cash flowing, and scale faster and help you move from idea to thrive profit with expert guidance. in the new AI-powered
FEATURED KEYNOTE PRESENTATION K
Speed Networking
(Lower Level)
Keynote Theatre (1st Floor, Silver Pearl Ballroom)
1:00PM - 1:20PM M
eCommerce, Manufacturers, Retail, Distributors Industry Meet-Up
Industry Meet-Ups
(Lower Level)
Industry Meet-Ups
(Lower Level)
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
1:00PM - 1:45PM S
Speed Networking Session
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
1:20PM - 1:40PM
11:20AM - 11:40AM
Industry Meet-Up
INDUSTRY MEET-UP
Robin Wong, Locality Michelle Sawyer, Mediability Locality shows small business owners how to get on premium TV and streaming screens without a huge budget, turn existing assets into TV-ready creative with AI, and build a media plan.
Workshop Room 3
You’ll see what an AI-augmented org chart looks like, where agents fit alongside your team, and leave with a practical framework for identifying the highest-ROI roles in your business to automate first.
Social Media, Marketing, Advertising, PR
M
John Lawson, Verizon John Lawson breaks down how to stop treating AI like a magic button and start treating it like staff. You will see the specific places money is walking out of a small business every week, the calls nobody answers,
W
AI agents are changing what small businesses can build without big budgets or big teams. In this session, Nadia Hansen — founder of CLV Enterprise & Professor at UNLV — shows how to create AI coworkers that handle email, marketing, social media, prospecting, and more.
M
KEYNOTE
12:15PM - 12:45PM The Small Business Advantage: W Getting Real Work Out of AI
FEATURED KEYNOTE PRESENTATION
Your Next Hire Is an AI Agent
K
12:00PM - 12:45PM
11:15AM - 12:00PM K
SPEED NETWORKING
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
(Lower Level)
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
11:00AM - 11:45AM
S
Industry Meet-Up
11:00AM - 11:20AM M
WORKSHOP
11:40AM - 12:00PM
Always On: Protecting Your Business From Cyber Threats 24/7 Ted Gallagher, ESET Cyber threats can impact businesses of any size. Join this workshop to discover why small businesses need cybersecurity and how ESET MDR delivers 24/7 threat monitoring, rapid response, and proactive protection to reduce risk and downtime.
W
M
Professional Services Industry Meet-Up
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
Speed Networking
(Lower Level)
Industry Meet-Ups
(Lower Level)
TODAY’S AGENDA
AGENDA KEY
1:40PM - 2:00PM M
Healthcare, HR, Employee Services Industry Meet-Up
Industry Meet-Ups
(Lower Level)
W
WORKSHOP
S
SPEED NETWORKING
K
KEYNOTE
M
INDUSTRY MEET-UP
3:00PM - 3:45PM S
Speed Networking Session
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
Speed Networking
(Lower Level)
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
2:00PM - 2:30PM AI That Drives Revenue: A Scalable W Roadmap for SMBs
Ritu Arora Thakur, Smart Tech Inc 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.
W
W
3:20PM - 3:40PM M
3:30PM - 4:00PM Navigating Remote Staff That’s Built to Scale W Pranav Dalal, Office Beacon A borderless, unified culture means standardizing processes with local flexibility and using tech for seamless collaboration, giving small businesses a 24/7 operational edge.
Workshop Room 2
S
Speed Networking Session
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
W
(Lower Level)
Speed Networking
W
S-Corp Election: What It Means, Requires and Unlocks
Industry Meet-Up
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
M
(Lower Level)
Art, Entertainment, Creative, Designer Industry Meet-Up
Industry Meet-Ups
(Lower Level)
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
Yusef Muhammad, SCORE Workshop Room 1 This seminar is designed to help real estate investors (Lower Level) navigate the diverse funding options available to finance their investment projects. From traditional loans to creative financing methods, learn keys to scaling a successful real estate portfolio.
(Lower Level)
W
Workshop Room 3
3:00PM - 3:20PM
Hospitality, Travel, Transportation, Recreation
Workshop Room 3
3:40PM - 4:00PM
Workshop Room 2
Izzy Rogner-Hall, Gusto (Lower Level) Electing S-corp is a tax choice that makes you the employer and the employee. What it means for your taxes, what it requires of you in payroll and compliance, and what it unlocks — including retirement benefits you can set up for yourself.
M
(Lower Level)
4:15PM - 4:45PM Unlock Powerful Funding Strategies W
Disconnected Tech Is Costing You More Than You Think
Michelle Serna, TruNorth Dynamics Disconnected systems are costing you time, revenue, and growth. See how Microsoft tools like Dynamics, Power Platform, and Copilot turn the chaos into one seamless engine...and make your technology work as hard as you do.
Workshop Room 2
Protect Your Profit Line: Keeping Companies Out of Trouble
Helena Ferrari, The HRRX I share real stories of leaders whose words said without thinking cost their companies trust, credibility, and sometimes six figures. This talk helps leaders spot the accidental words that create real risk, before HR, legal, or PR has to clean it up.
(Lower Level)
Workshop Chris Burns, 2Point Room 1 Haydn Fleming, 2Point (Lower Level) AI is shaping how customers choose businesses. Why do some get recommended while others don’t? Learn how visibility, trust, and content influence AI-driven answers and how to position your brand to show up.
Why Prospects Say “I’ll Think About It”: 5 Mistakes Costing You a Yes Bridgett McGowen, Press 49 Your business solves real problems. So why don’t more prospects say yes? Discover 5 costly communication mistakes that weaken your message, drain momentum, and lose opportunities. Learn how to turn attention, understanding, and interest into action.
Workshop Room 3
2:45PM - 3:15PM AI Visibility: Why Some Businesses W Get Recommended (and Others Don’t)
W
Workshop Room 1
(Lower Level)
(Lower Level)
W
2:00PM - 2:45PM
(Lower Level)
(Lower Level)
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.
Industry Meet-Up
Silver, Gold, Platinum & VIP Badge Holders
Workshop Room 1
How To Make Your Business More Valuable Jay Goth, Redtail Capital Working harder rarely makes a business more valuable. Using real companies and current research, discover how value quietly leaks, and four simple habits that help companies work smarter, not harder, to build lasting business value.
Industry Meet-Ups
Gov’t, Non-Profit, Associations, Education
Industry Meet-Ups
(Lower Level)
Behind the Post: Content that Converts Nicole Denise Phillip, CoAgency 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 2
(Lower Level)
Use the map to locate all of our show areas
612 510
507
710 611
607
809
807
233 231
314 312 308
414 313 412 311 410 309
221
217
211
205
226 224 222 220 218 214 210 206
306
317
416 315
307
319
420 321
416 412 410 408 406
409
512 413
514 415
516 417
518 419
520 421
432 430 428 426 424 422 420 418
614 515
712 613
810 709
811
616 517
714 615
814 711
618 519
716 617
813
620 521
720 621
Sheraton San Diego Resort
SEPTEMBER 18, 2026
Ciudad Maderas (416) LNL 3D Solutions (419) McGee Strategic (720) Neutral Ground Partners (308) True Insight Bookkeeping (621) Vensure Employer Solutions (421)
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) (712)
DON’T MISS THESE BOOTHS Amazon Business (307)
FEATURED EXHIBITORS
NO PITCHING OR SELLING TO BOOTHS. Violators will be asked to leave.
Prints so good, you might take a bite. High-quality printing. Low prices.
20
ITE % SWIDE
Use Code:
oo
on already low prices!
GPSD26
Terms Enter applicable code upon checkout at GotPrint.com. Discount applies to printing cost only. OOer valid for a limited time. 1x/use. Cannot be combined with other ooers. Not applicable on tax, shipping & handling, or for custom quotes, mailing, marketing, or design services. Valid only in Continental US; void where restricted/prohibited, may exclude rural areas. Max discount: $50 - Expires 10/19/2026
GET THE SBE EVENT APP Learn business-critical skills and strategies anywhere you are!
• TODAY’S AGENDA • EXHIBITOR LIST • FLOOR PLAN • SOCIAL FEED • BADGE UPGRADES
• • • •
Sales & Marketing Finance Management SEO Strategies Social Media Marketing
• • • •
Business Planning & Growth Legal Tips & Pitfalls to Avoid Human Resources guidance Employee Incentives
OVER 1300 WEBINARS BUSINESS WEBINARS FOR ENTREPRENEURS AT ALL LEVELS
Exhibit at America’s Largest B2B Trade Show
The Best of Small Business Awards ™ is America’s most prestigious business award for small and mid-sized businesses. We’re proud to recognize and celebrate business visionaries across the Nation.
• Over 5,000 Businesses Register for Each Expo • 82% of Attendees Have Intent to Purchase within 1 Year • Sell Your B2B Service to Real Buyers
NOMINATE YOUR BUSINESS
GET EXHIBITOR RATES
We’ve Produced Events Since 2008. Your Competition Is Exhibiting. Why Aren’t You?