Cooperative Extension Service to host Business Navigator events

For business owners, it’s important to take advantage of marketing opportunities and to make informed decisions when hiring employees. The Cooperative Extension Service will host two Arkansas Business Navigator events on these topics Oct. 25 and Nov. 7.

The Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will collaborate with the Arkansas Department of Agriculture for a virtual event focusing on the

Arkansas Grown, Arkansas Made and Homegrown by Heroes branding programs.

Karen Reynolds, grants and program manager for the Department of Agriculture, will discuss how these programs promote Arkansas farmers, ranchers, producers and their products to consumers.

The webinar will take place via Zoom from 12:30-1 p.m. on Oct. 25. Participants can register at bit.ly/argrownabn.

Brandon L. Mathews, extension program associate for economic development for the Division of Agriculture, said it’s important for Arkansas producers to take advantage of these branding programs.

“These programs provide the infrastructure and marketing channels to connect business owners’ brands to consumers, without needing to know how all of the back-end processes work,” Mathews said. “These programs are free, and leveraging the branding from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture helps boost consumer confidence in the brands and products showcased. This gives you more legitimacy, which is often difficult to establish on your own.”

On Nov. 7, the Cooperative Extension Service will host a hybrid event focusing on employee hiring information. Glenda Caton, owner of Caton Consulting, LLC, will discuss contract workers versus employees, employee compensation and benefits, disciplinary action and more.

The event will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Little Rock State Office at 2301 S. University Ave. or via Zoom. In-person attendees must register by Oct. 30 to ensure their lunch. Register for the event at bit.ly/ hr101abn.

Mathews said Caton’s workshops will help attendees make smart choices when scaling up their businesses.

The Cooperative Extension Service is the outreach arm of the Division of Agriculture. Arkansas Business Navigator is a program of the

Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, hosted by the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, and is funded in part through a grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact a local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow the agency on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension.