Tuesday
• "We Mean Business!"Alaska Chamber Fall Conference and Trade Show, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday, Egan Convention Center, 555 W. Fifth Ave. The agenda includes "Health Care Reform Realities for Alaska Businesses," "A Pacific Northwest Roundtable," "Alaska's Gas, What's Next?" "OCS Exploration: Economic Impact on Alaska Businesses," "Emission Control Areas: Increased Costs for Alaskans?" "Alaska's Aquatic Resource: The Seafood Industry: Past, Present, and Future" and "Can You Hear Me Now? Making Alaska's Business Voice Heard." (276-2727, alaskachamber.com)
• National Encore Entrepreneur Mentor Day, 1-3 p.m., Small Business Administration Alaska, 420 L St. The Small Business Administration, SCORE, the Alaska Small Business Development Center, AARP and the YWCA Women's Economic Empowerment Center will host the first National Encore Entrepreneur Mentor Day targeted at entrepreneurs age 50 and older. The goal is to match encore entrepreneurs with experienced business owners and community leaders for advice and assistance and to link them to the resources they need to successfully start and grow businesses and create jobs. (271-4844, aarp.org/startabusiness)
Wednesday
• Business Planning 101, 5 p.m., YWCA's Women's Economic Empowerment Center, 324 E. Fifth Ave. Effective business planning is the key to a successful business. This course takes students through the entire process of conceiving and planning a business start-up. The four-week course will provide the framework for writing a detailed business plan. $350. (644-9611, ywcaak.org/finances.htm)
• Chugiak-Eagle River Chamber of Commerce Lunch Forum, noon-1 p.m., Bear Mountain Grill, 12300 Old Glenn Highway. The guest speaker is Steve Ribuffo with the Port of Anchorage. He'll discuss the remediation of the port project. $3-$16. (694-4702, cer.org)
• Pursuing Government Contracting, 1:30-3 p.m., Alaska Small Business Development Center, 430 W. Seventh Ave., Suite 110. Join Jody King, PTAC Contract Specialist, to discover how the Technical Procurement Assistance Center can assist you in preparing your business to enter the arena of government sales. This workshop will review the preliminary steps of preparing a strategy for government contracting. R.S.V.P online or by calling. (274-7232, aksbdc.org)
• Starting a Business, 10-11:30 a.m., Alaska Small Business Development Center, 430 W. Seventh Ave., Suite 110. Are you thinking about starting your own business? Topics include issues faced when starting a small business such as business licensing, legal forms of business, business record-keeping, hiring employees, business planning and access to financing. Free. (274-7232, aksbdc.ecenterdirect.com)
Thursday
• Resource Development Council breakfast meeting, 7 a.m., Dena'ina Convention Center. James Hemsath, deputy director, project development and asset management, Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, will speak on "AIDEA Projects in Alaska." Register online or R.S.V.P. by calling 276-0700, ext. 6. (akrdc.org)
• Getting Down to Business Sales and Customer Service Conference, a one-day seminar hosted by Weatherholt Business Consulting, is 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m., Dena'ina Center, 600 W. Seventh Ave. Join leading small business experts and fellow entrepreneurs in an intensive one-day conference to focus on issues crucial to your business like sales, marketing, finances and technology. Learn to increase sales and reduce costs. $110. (waconsult.com)
Coming up
• Senate Candidates Forum, hosted by the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, is at noon Oct. 8 at Egan Convention Center. Alaska Senate Candidates from District K (Ocean View/Taku), L (Huffman/Abbott) and M (Basher/Eagle River) have been invited to participate to express their views on key issues. Forum opens with yes/no questions to candidates followed by questions from the audience, allowing each candidate one minute for response. Confirmed are Roselynn Cacy and Lesil McGuire (District K); Kevin Meyer (District L); Bettye Davis and Anna Fairclough (District M). R.S.V.P. by 5 p.m. Friday. (272-2401, anchoragechamber.org)