October News from UW-River Falls SBDC

SBDC at UW-River Falls | October 2026

Events

The LAST Online Marketing Bootcamp EVER starts THIS MONTH! Join us virtually at 5:00pm on October 21st to learn how to make the most of your online presence. You'll not only optimize your marketing, but also gain valuable tools and strategies to help grow your business. This 5-week course takes what you already know about marketing and digs deeper to help your business succeed in today's ever-changing digital world. Register today before the final bootcamp fills up!

What Is The Online Marketing Bootcamp About?

Being found online is critical for businesses with or without a physical location. But having a digital footprint is not enough – to remain competitive, a business needs a highly leveraged, optimized digital presence supported by a strategic, targeted plan and SEO. The Online Marketing Boot Camp can help.

There are 5 weekly consecutive sessions: 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11 and 11/18 from 5:00pm-6:30pm.

You will learn how to make the most of your online presence, leverage social platforms and sales funnels to get people into your business or online store ready to do business with you.

Project Outcome: strategic, comprehensive, and professional online presence resulting in YOUR business standing out online, leading to increased revenue and business stability.

Designed for adult learners, each section is supported and enhanced by bite size video instruction, student handbook with exercises; presentation slide deck; additional supporting resources.

***Please only register if you are available and plan to attend, so the provided funding can assist as many small business owners as possible.***

Fee: No cost! *WEDC will cover registration cost of the class*

Course is taught by Kelly Berry, expert in online marketing, business building and effective/efficient sales techniques. Kelly will be available for small group and limited one to one support during this course.

I can't recommend this boot camp highly enough. Make time for it – it's truly worth it. The sections on online marketing, SEO, social media, and website design are particularly valuable, especially the insights on colors, calls to action, and lead magnets. The presenter is effective, thorough and engaging. Presentations are easy to follow, with high-quality slides presented in a logical order. - Robin M.

Want to know more about the Online Marketing Bootcamp? Check out our posts on Facebook and LinkedIn for commonly asked questions and program highlights!

Have a question about the Online Marketing Bootcamp? Email kimberly.benoy@uwrf.edu to get the answer to any question you may have!

Grant Opportunity

If 2026 is your year to start your next big idea, apply for a $2,000 grant with Red Letter Grant. Women-owned businesses 3 years or younger are invited to apply for this grant starting September 8th. Apply by October 12th to have a chance to win!

Learn More and Register!

Economic Development Corporation Corner

Cybersecurity Wake-Up Call

In today's world, cybersecurity is more important than ever. The UWRF SBDC has partnered with the SCVBIC and St. Croix EDC for the Cybersecurity Wake-Up Call event happening on October 7th at 8am. This event will go over real-world cyber security incidents, cybersecurity gaps, and ways to protect your business online. Learn more and register for this event today!

Polk County

Pierce County

St. Croix County

St. Croix Valley Business Innovation Center

Big news! The St. Croix Valley Business Innovation Center (SCVBIC) will be expanding to offer more space to help businesses grow. The SCVBIC currently offers industrial space, private office space, co-working space, designated workspaces, and food ready space; most of these spaces are full and with waiting lists. With the help of a $2.2 million grant, the SCVBIC will be adding 18,000 sq ft of space. This additional space will include industrial space, office space, and more. Read more about this expansion below!

Learn More!

Looking to hear from the UW- River Falls Small Business Development Center more often? Check out our Facebook and LinkedIn Pages!

Helpful links, new events, and more. Learn about new events quicker, interact with posts, and check out resources that are only posted on Facebook and LinkedIn.

Thinking about a business loan in 2026?

We have the experts to help you with financial projections and more! Contact us to get the conversation started - katherine.fossler@uwrf.edu

Contact the SBDC at UW-River Falls

The Small Business Development Center at UW-River Falls helps entrepreneurs succeed at any stage. We offer no-cost, confidential consulting and business education across a wide region, primarily serving Pierce, Polk and St. Croix counties.

Request SBDC Consulting

The Wisconsin SBDC Network is a proud part of the Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship in the Universities of Wisconsin System. It is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Call 715-425-3472 or e-mail katherine.fossler@uwrf.edu

The SBDC at UW-River Falls offers no-cost, confidential business consulting and education. Visit our website: wisconsinsbdc.org/riverfalls