One of the best things about National Small Business Week is the events that celebrate it – along with, of course, all the other events and conferences you’ll attend as a business owner in 2024.
Conferences are a great place to network and meet other small business owners. They also allow you to showcase different products and gather feedback from experts with relevant experience.
If you don’t have any conferences on your schedule for 2024, don’t worry — we’ve got you covered. Here’s a list of 10 events that you should consider this year. We’ve included their dates, prices, and the benefits of each one.
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1. National Small Business Week Virtual Summit
Date: April 30th – May 1st
Location: Online
Price: Free to Attend
Each year, the U.S. Small Business Administration holds a virtual summit for small business owners during National Small Business Week. Registration is free, and attendees can browse a catalog of presentations and exhibits. Some sessions are even led by SCORE mentors who are experts trained to provide actionable insights to small business owners. This is an ideal event if you’re looking to brush up on business management skills and network with other leaders in your industry.
2. Small Business Expo (NYC)
Date: May 2nd
Location: New York, New York
Price: Free to Attend; $25 for Gold Package, $50 for Platinum, $100 for VIP, $300 for Elite
The Small Business Expo is a conference that tours around the U.S. It caters to B2B business owners who want to showcase products and learn about emerging marketing trends in their industries.
One event is held in New York City and is one of the largest conferences on the tour. It’s a perfect opportunity for small business owners to meet, discover new technology, and adopt marketing strategies to manage their business’s growth in the coming year.
Thryv is even hosting a speed-networking event where you can meet with other business owners, exchange information and talk about the latest trends in your industry.
3. CommBank SmallBiz Week
Date: May 28th – May 30th
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Price: Free to Attend; $410 for an All-Event Pass
CommBank SmallBiz Week connects B2B suppliers with small business owners. It’s a great event if you’re looking to expand your professional network and meet new partners or customers. This year’s lineup features over 120 exhibits and speakers from businesses of all shapes and sizes. It’s an excellent opportunity to grow your network and learn about some of the latest technology that small businesses are using in 2024.
4. Startup Grind Tech Summit
Date: May 29th – May 30th
Location: Mataró, Spain
Price: €54 for Early Bird Pass, €107 for Regular Pass, €128 at the door
If you manage a business in Europe, you may want to consider attending the Startup Grind Tech Summit in May. This event will focus on “Humanizing Artificial Intelligence” and feature speakers highlighting how entrepreneurs can utilize this technology to grow their businesses. There will also be fireside chats, group discussions, and a pitch competition where attendees present ideas to a panel of judges.
5. Annual America’s SBDC Conference
Date: Sept 9th – Sept 13th
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Price: $1,125
This conference is hosted by America’s SBDC or America’s Small Business Development Center. As you might have guessed, it focuses on business development, providing small business leaders with the information and skills needed to train new employees. You must be a SBDC member to join as an attendee, or you can sponsor the event and host your own exhibit. Over 200 workshops are available, and this year’s keynote speakers are Chanda Bell and Christa Pitts, founders of Elf on a Shelf.
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6. World Business Forum
Date: Oct 23rd – Oct 24th
Location: New York, New York
Price: $1790 for Digital Learning; $2790 for Gold Pass, $3990 for Platinum
The World Business Forum hosts some of the most notable entrepreneurs and business leaders within their industries. This year’s keynote speaker is Francis Ford Coppola, a famous Hollywood director who has won five Academy Awards.
This is an excellent event if you’re looking to learn from the best, but it might be more challenging to network if you only attend the speaking sessions. If you want to create partnerships and share products with potential customers, you might want to consider another event on this list.
7. The Business Show
Date: Oct 9th – Oct 10th
Location: Los Angeles
Price: Free to Attend
For over 20 years, The Business Show has helped entrepreneurs and small business owners build their dream businesses from the ground up. There are masterclasses hosted by industry experts, speed networking events, and speakers from companies like Uber, Microsoft, and Spotify.
8. Global Entrepreneurship Week
Date: Nov 18th – Nov 24th
Location: Multiple Cities
Price: Varies by Event
Global Entrepreneurship Week, or GEW, is celebrated in over 180 countries. It’s not a singular event, but rather a series of activities that small business owners can participate in to network and grow their businesses.
Any person or business can participate in Global Entrepreneurship Week. We recommend checking out the website for new updates and bookmarking events like Impact Week and the National Finals Competition.
9. Brandweek
Date: Sept 23rd – Sept 26th
Location: Phoenix, Arizona
Price: $2600 for Single In-Person Pass, $454 for Virtual Pass
Brandweek is hosted by Adweek, an online publication that covers marketing topics for small- and medium-sized businesses. This event brings business leaders together and inspires creativity by sharing ideas from experts in different industries. Over 100 speakers from companies like Toast, Mastercard, and the NAACP will be present, and there will be events like dinners and parties where business owners can network.
10. SXSW
Date: Mar 7th – Mar 15th, 2025
Location: Austin, Texas
Price: TBD
While South by Southwest (SXSW) has already occurred this year, you’ll want to put it on your radar for 2025. It’s an annual event that attracts world-famous entrepreneurs across several industries and is renowned for its speakers, sessions, and festivals. This year’s conference featured speeches from Megan Markle, Katie Couric, and Tracy Chou.
Learn, Network, Grow
There are three reasons to attend a business conference: to learn, to network, and to grow. You’ll gain valuable insights from business leaders, network with other small business owners, and obtain the tools and knowledge needed to take your company to the next level.
Bookmark this list so you know when each event is this year and use the information above to choose the right conferences for your business.
Modern Small
Business Playbook
Find expert tips and tools to help you streamline communications, automate your marketing efforts, improve your business operations, and more in this free guide.
