Join the City of Cambridge in celebrating National Small Business Week, May 5-11, 2019! Throughout the week, events, workshops, and information sessions will be held to provide resources to local small businesses and entrepreneurs, and to celebrate the importance of small businesses to Cambridge’s vibrant community.
Events are open to Cambridge business owners, entrepreneurs and residents.
Thank you to partners Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, Cambridge Local First, Central Square Business Association, East Cambridge Business Association, Harvard Square Business Association, and The Capital Network.
National Small Business Week Events
Note: Event details are subject to change
Sunday, May 5
Harvard Square May Fair, 12:00-6:00 p.m.
Location:Harvard Square
Join us in Harvard Square to kick off National Small Business Week and the new Harvard Square Small Business Loyalty Program! The Community Development Department will provide information related to small business assistance and Loyalty Program participation.
Monday, May 6
Small Business Licensing and Permitting Resources Fair, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Location: Cambridge City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd floor
Looking to start a business and don’t know where to start? Wondering how to host a small event at your business? Have questions about the new permitting system? Bring these questions and more to the City’s first ever Small Business Licensing and Permitting Resource Fair. Join staff from the Cambridge License Commission, Department of Public Works, Inspectional Services, and Community Development Department to learn about business licensing and permitting, zoning, events, and the City’s small business programs. Refreshments will be provided. Free to all. Register online here.
Talking Tourism – How to Reach the Cambridge Tourist Market, 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Location: Cambridge Public Library Main Branch, 449 Broadway, Community Room (Level L2)
Tourists are a growing part of the Cambridge economy, whether they are local tourists looking to enjoy something new or world travelers coming to Cambridge for the first time. Attend this workshop to learn more about the Cambridge tourism industry and opportunities for your business to market to tourists. Presenter: Robyn Culbertson, Executive Director of Cambridge Office of Tourism. Free to all, but priority will be given to Cambridge business owners. Register online here.
Tuesday, May 7
Local Vendor Fair, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Location:Cambridge City Hall Annex, 344 Broadway, 2nd floor Conference Room
Looking to do business with Cambridge’s top employers? Interested in learning more about the purchasing practices and contract opportunities at the City of Cambridge, Harvard, Lesley, MIT and other organizations? Save the date and bring your business cards for the City’s Local Vendor’s Fair. Learn how to do business with these large organizations and connect with purchasing agents interested in learning more about your products and services. Free to all. Refreshments will be provided. Register online here.
Google Analytics for Small Businesses Workshop, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Location:CCTV, 438 Massachusetts Ave.
Learn the basics of Google Analytics in this two hour workshop. We will discuss how to measure your website’s performance and interpret analytics data. You’ll leave with a framework for developing, understanding, and measuring web performance goals for your business. Free to Cambridge residents and business owners. Register online here or contact Rona Abrahams at 617/349-4637.
Chamber After Hours: Celebrating National Small Business Week, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Location:East Cambridge Savings Bank, 292 Cambridge Street.
The Cambridge Chamber of Commerce is proud to celebrate Small Business Week with this event hosted by East Cambridge Savings Bank. Join us for a night full of fun networking, special raffles, delicious food, and drinks. Don’t forget your business cards! Admission: Member Rate – $25. Non Member Rate – $40. Register online here.
Wednesday, May 8
Cambridge Legacy Business Luncheon, 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Location: Cambridge City Hall, 795 Massachusetts Ave.
Details to come.
Worker Co-ops and Employee-Owned Business Models, 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Location: The Alley, 10 Ware Street
Join us for a panel discussion about worker-owned cooperatives and employee-owned business models. Panelists from local independent businesses will share their stories about how they launched or transitioned to these business models and will offer guidance for those considering these models. This event is open to everyone, but may be of particular interest to business owners thinking about succession planning or selling their business. Refreshments will be provided. Admission: Free (space is limited – Cambridge business owners will be given priority). Register online here.
Thursday, May 9
Coaching Your Team for Enhanced Performance & Satisfaction Workshop, 9:30-11:30a.m.
Could your team improve their problem solving techniques? Are you frustrated and overwhelmed with all the hands-on work you are doing? Are you looking for ways to enhance everyone’s performance and satisfaction? If so, this workshop is for you. A major challenge faced by many organizational leaders is their own tendency to be hands-on problem solvers. This skill may have contributed to their promotion to management, but it can easily become a limitation. Effective leaders know that their primary role is not to solve problems but to unleash the problem-solving capacity of those around them. Navigational Conversations provides organizational leaders with the skills to unlock the talents and problem-solving abilities of others. Join FocalPoint Coach & Trainer Marc Cote for this Navigational Conversations workshop. Admission: Free to all; priority will be given to Cambridge business owners. Register online here.
Start It Up! Build, Learn & Connect to Grow Your Startup, 4:30-8:15 p.m.
Location:Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC), 245 Main Street
The Cambridge Community Development Department is partnering with The Capital Network to bring you “Start It Up!,” an afternoon full of free events to help support founders from Cambridge (and beyond) in their early stages. At Start It Up! we will help you build, learn and connect – three things every founder needs. You will learn how to build the perfect pitch, options for funding, and what types of funding could be a good fit for your business, and you will connect with mentors, entrepreneurs, resources and services that can help you along your startup’s journey. Refreshments will be served. Admission: Free to all. Register online here.
Second Thursdays in Inman Square, 6:00 p.m.
Location: Inman Square
Attend the kick off of the East Cambridge Business Association’s new monthly event series. Explore Inman Square and enjoy specials and delights offered by local restaurants and businesses. Free to all.
Friday, May 10
Observatory Hill / Huron Village Small Business Open House, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Location:Sarah’s Market and Cafe, 200 Concord Avenue
The Community Development Department hosts Small Business Open Houses in commercial districts and neighborhoods throughout the city to bring small business assistance and resources directly to local business owners and entrepreneurs. Stop by to meet with CDD’s Economic Development staff, learn about small business resources, and more! Admission: Free to all.
Saturday, May 11
Pedestrian Committee Walk
Join Community Development staff for a “Walk along the Avenue,” to learn about current and historic businesses along Massachusetts Ave. There are two options:
- Walk 1 – Cambridge Common to Porter Square
- Walk 2 – Trolley Square to Porter Square
Admission: Free to all.
Additional Events
In addition to National Small Business Week, there are opportunities to celebrate Cambridge’s commercial districts and small businesses throughout the month of May:
April 28 – Central Square Mexican Street Food Festival – 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
May 1 – Supplier and Diversity Office Pre-Certification Workshop – 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
May 15 – Cambridge Chamber of Commerce Inspire Awards – 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
May 16 – Kendall Square Challenge – time TBA
May 18 – Cambridge Community Bike Ride – 9:00 a.m.
May 19 – Inman Eats & Crafts – 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
May 22 – Spring Cruise on the Charles – 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
May 31 – Patios in Bloom Kick Off in Harvard Square
For More Information
If you have questions about Cambridge National Small Business Week, please contact Christina DiLisio at cdilisio@cambridgema.gov or 617/349-4601 or Pardis Saffari at psaffari@cambridgema.gov or 617/349-4654.