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PRODID:-//ChamberMaster//Event Calendar 2.0//EN
METHOD:PUBLISH
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REFRESH-INTERVAL:P3D
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART:20250910T230000Z
DTEND:20250911T010000Z
X-MICROSOFT-CDO-ALLDAYEVENT:FALSE
SUMMARY:CANCELLED- BLEND Program (Cohort 2.1)
DESCRIPTION:**DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES\, THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED**\n\n\n\nThe Oak Park Black & Latine Business Support Network   known as BLEND   is more than a program. It's a movement.\n\nBLEND stands for Black and Latine Entrepreneurship\, Networks\, and Development   a name that reflects our core mission: to support\, connect\, and grow Black and Latine-owned businesses right here in Oak Park.\n\nDesigned to uplift and invest in the brilliance of these entrepreneurs\, BLEND brings together both emerging and established business owners to build a stronger\, more inclusive local economy. Through expert-led sessions\, peer collaboration\, and practical resources\, BLEND delivers the knowledge\, community\, and momentum that drive real business success   now and into the future!\nCohort 2 focuses on Established Businesses. These sessions will be held monthly in the evenings. Below are the dates and times:\n\n\n\n1. Navigating Oak Park's Economic Vitality Infrastructure - 9/10/25\n\n  Advanced insights into how to engage with village government and local\n\ninstitutions for business growth.\n\n\n\n2. Getting Your Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Certification - 10/8/25\n\n  The process and benefits of becoming a certified MBE.\n\n\n\n3. Advanced Marketing Strategies - 11/12/25\n\n  Exploring new platforms and approaches to expand brand reach.\n\n\n\n4. Human Resources: Talent Retention & Leadership - 12/10/25\n\n  Strategies for retaining top talent and fostering a strong workplace culture.\n\n\n\n5. Financial Planning for Growth - 1/14/26\n\n  Advanced financial management\, including securing capital for expansion.\n\n\n\n6. Communications: Managing Business Reputation - 2/11/26\n\n  Strategies for maintaining and enhancing a business's public image.\n\n\n\n7. Operations: Scaling & Expanding Your Business - 3/11/26\n\n  How to scale operations\, increase efficiency\, and enter new markets.
X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:<img height="281" src="https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/1821/CMS/Jordi/BLEND-Landing-Page-Graphics.png" style="height: 281px\; width: 500px\;" width="500" /><br />\n&nbsp\;\n<p data-end="414" data-start="298" helvetica="" style="box-sizing: border-box\; margin: 0px 0px 10px\; font-size: 16px\; line-height: 1.3\; font-family: Arial\, "><strong><span style="font-family:times new roman\;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box\;">**DUE TO UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES\, THIS EVENT IS CANCELLED**</span></span></strong><br />\n<br />\n<span style="font-family:times new roman\;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box\;">The Oak Park Black &amp\; Latine Business Support Network &mdash\; known as&nbsp\;<strong data-end="371" data-start="362" style="box-sizing: border-box\; font-weight: bold\;">BLEND</strong>&nbsp\;&mdash\; is more than a program. It&rsquo\;s a movement.</span></span></p>\n\n<p data-end="626" data-start="416" helvetica="" style="box-sizing: border-box\; margin: 0px 0px 10px\; font-size: 16px\; line-height: 1.3\; font-family: Arial\, "><span style="font-family:times new roman\;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box\;">BLEND stands for&nbsp\;<strong data-end="497" data-start="433" style="box-sizing: border-box\; font-weight: bold\;">Black and Latine Entrepreneurship\, Networks\, and Development</strong>&nbsp\;&mdash\; a name that reflects our core mission: to support\, connect\, and grow Black and Latine-owned businesses right here in Oak Park.</span></span></p>\n\n<p data-end="1006" data-start="628" helvetica="" style="box-sizing: border-box\; margin: 0px 0px 10px\; font-size: 16px\; line-height: 1.3\; font-family: Arial\, "><span style="font-family:times new roman\;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box\;">Designed to uplift and invest in the brilliance of these entrepreneurs\, BLEND brings together both emerging and established business owners to build a stronger\, more inclusive local economy. Through expert-led sessions\, peer collaboration\, and practical resources\, BLEND delivers the knowledge\, community\, and momentum that drive real business success &mdash\; now and into the future!</span></span></p>\nCohort 2 focuses on <strong>Established Businesses</strong>. These sessions will be held monthly in the evenings. Below are the dates and times:<br />\n<br />\n<strong>1. Navigating Oak Park&rsquo\;s Economic Vitality Infrastructure -&nbsp\;<span id="docs-internal-guid-0d161e5e-7fff-fd09-a5f7-66173a899ba9"><span background-color:="" color:="" font-variant-alternates:="" font-variant-east-asian:="" font-variant-emoji:="" font-variant-numeric:="" font-variant-position:="" new="" style="font-size: 12pt\; font-family: " times="" vertical-align:="" white-space-collapse:="">9/10/25</span></span></strong><br />\n&#9675\; Advanced insights into how to engage with village government and local<br />\ninstitutions for business growth.<br />\n<br />\n<strong>2.</strong> <strong>Getting Your Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Certification -&nbsp\;<span id="docs-internal-guid-8db88bd3-7fff-c0e3-67c2-c9f4ee928250"><span background-color:="" color:="" font-variant-alternates:="" font-variant-east-asian:="" font-variant-emoji:="" font-variant-numeric:="" font-variant-position:="" new="" style="font-size: 12pt\; font-family: " times="" vertical-align:="" white-space-collapse:="">10/8/25</span></span></strong><br />\n&#9675\; The process and benefits of becoming a certified MBE.<br />\n<br />\n<strong>3. Advanced Marketing Strategies -&nbsp\;<span id="docs-internal-guid-588592e8-7fff-5858-fc91-da260ba8d12d"><span background-color:="" color:="" font-variant-alternates:="" font-variant-east-asian:="" font-variant-emoji:="" font-variant-numeric:="" font-variant-position:="" new="" style="font-size: 12pt\; font-family: " times="" vertical-align:="" white-space-collapse:="">11/12/25</span></span></strong><br />\n&#9675\; Exploring new platforms and approaches to expand brand reach.<br />\n<br />\n<strong>4. Human Resources: Talent Retention &amp\; Leadership -&nbsp\;<span id="docs-internal-guid-0dd4e903-7fff-a031-1c41-5c78772292a1"><span background-color:="" color:="" font-variant-alternates:="" font-variant-east-asian:="" font-variant-emoji:="" font-variant-numeric:="" font-variant-position:="" new="" style="font-size: 12pt\; font-family: " times="" vertical-align:="" white-space-collapse:="">12/10/25</span></span></strong><br />\n&#9675\; Strategies for retaining top talent and fostering a strong workplace culture.<br />\n<br />\n<strong>5. Financial Planning for Growth -&nbsp\;<span id="docs-internal-guid-3f71e0b9-7fff-dd38-ca6f-90d1b73e1707"><span background-color:="" color:="" font-variant-alternates:="" font-variant-east-asian:="" font-variant-emoji:="" font-variant-numeric:="" font-variant-position:="" new="" style="font-size: 12pt\; font-family: " times="" vertical-align:="" white-space-collapse:="">1/14/26</span></span></strong><br />\n&#9675\; Advanced financial management\, including securing capital for expansion.<br />\n<br />\n<strong>6. Communications: Managing Business Reputation -&nbsp\;<span id="docs-internal-guid-0761a76e-7fff-2fe3-959b-64f2d0c7783c"><span font-variant-alternates:="" font-variant-east-asian:="" font-variant-emoji:="" font-variant-numeric:="" font-variant-position:="" new="" style="font-size: 12pt\; font-family: " times="" vertical-align:="" white-space-collapse:="">2/11/26</span></span></strong><br />\n&#9675\; Strategies for maintaining and enhancing a business&rsquo\;s public image.<br />\n<br />\n<strong>7. Operations: Scaling &amp\; Expanding Your Business -&nbsp\;<span id="docs-internal-guid-fed6a93e-7fff-981c-c551-9c877f7cc7bc"><span font-variant-alternates:="" font-variant-east-asian:="" font-variant-emoji:="" font-variant-numeric:="" font-variant-position:="" new="" style="font-size: 12pt\; font-family: " times="" vertical-align:="" white-space-collapse:="">3/11/26</span></span></strong><br />\n&#9675\; How to scale operations\, increase efficiency\, and enter new markets.
LOCATION:Jeffrey Hines: State Farm (312 Madison Street\, Oak Park\, IL 60302)
UID:e.1821.43147
SEQUENCE:3
DTSTAMP:20260501T071752Z
URL:https://www.oprfchamber.org/events/details/cancelled-blend-program-cohort-2-1-43147
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