Wisconsin SBDC at UW-Madison

09/05/2026

Did you know that in 2025, 77.3% of Wisconsin’s small business establishments are micro-businesses with fewer than 10 employees?

A new report from Wisconsin Policy Forum, commissioned by the Universities of Wisconsin Office of Business & Entrepreneurship and supported by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, highlights the massive impact and unique challenges facing small businesses across our state.

Navigating the first 5 years is critical for building management skills and preparing for capital growth—foundational work the SBDC network has delivered to Wisconsin entrepreneurs for 46 years.

📖 Read the full report and insights: https://wispolicyforum.org/research/small-businesses-big-stakes-the-state-of-wisconsins-small-businesses/

09/01/2026

Talk about small business grit! 🍻 Opening Garth's Brew Bar in late 2019 meant that owner Garth Beyer faced a global shutdown just three months after launch.

Our team at the SBDC at UW-Madison was privileged to work alongside Garth during those critical early months to help navigate relief funding, pivot operations, and chart a path forward.

Today, we’re thrilled to congratulate Garth’s Brew Bar on hitting a massive milestone: over 200,000 craft beers poured for the Madison community! 🎉

08/26/2026

🎓 Prepare for SHRM Certification with the SBDC and the Wisconsin School of Business!

Ready to earn your SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®? Increase your chances of exam success with the SHRM Certification Prep+ Course, hosted through UW–Madison.

Participants in our course consistently complete their exams at an 80–90% pass rate, with experienced SHRM-certified instructors, comprehensive SHRM study materials, practice quizzes, class recordings, and a flexible hybrid format.

📅 Sept. 21–Dec. 2, 2026
📍 Hybrid: UW–Madison + live online sessions
⏰ This is the ONLY time this course will be offered this academic year.
💰 Hurry! Early-bird pricing ends Aug. 29!

Take the next step toward your SHRM certification—and your HR career.

08/25/2026

Developing top-tier leadership to support local entrepreneurs! 💼✨

Congratulations to Amy Bruner Zimmerman and Athena Agoudemos on joining the America's SBDC Rising Leadership program!

Kicked off at the national conference, this full-year initiative pairs SBDC leaders across the country into small groups for regular coaching, mentorship, and peer collaboration. We're proud to have them representing our team on the national stage!

🔗 Learn more: https://americassbdc.org/rising-leadership/

08/19/2026

Happy to announce our Fall 2026 class catalog! Join us for everything from our Entrepreneurial Training Program to financial management, HR Basics, Digital Marketing & Social Media Conference, leadership classes, and much more. You can also find registration links and a full class listing here:https://sbdc.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/309/2026/07/2026-Fall-Class-Catalog.pdf

Upcoming Classes at UW Madison SBDC

08/18/2026

Join us for our FOUR The Forward Festival sessions! Forward Fest takes place from August 18-22, and you can attend all of the SBDC sessions for FREE!

Considering taking your side hustle full time? 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗛𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 introduces the Business Model Canvas—a visual tool that helps you map out key areas of your business and decide if you're ready to go full-time. You'll also get valuable resources and guidance for your next steps.

Register today at

08/15/2026

Join us for our FOUR The Forward Festival sessions! Forward Fest takes place from August 18-22, and you can attend all of the SBDC sessions for FREE!

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝟭𝟬𝟭 will familiarize you with the basics of commercial real estate leasing. Understanding the flow, what you need to know, and how to best prepare. No two deals are the same although there are fundamentals that are important to be aware of as well as expectations from both tenant and landlord.

Register today at

08/12/2026

Join us for our FOUR The Forward Festival sessions! Forward Fest takes place from August 18-22, and you can attend all of the SBDC sessions for FREE!

Need to better articulate your service? 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗞𝗶𝗰𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗚𝗼-𝘁𝗼-𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 (𝗚𝗧𝗠) is a founder-focused guide to building and testing sales and marketing motions. The session breaks down core GTM concepts, introduces proven sales methodologies, and gives early-stage teams a clear framework for communicating value. Through real examples and interactive discussion, participants learn how to understand customer pain, articulate differentiated outcomes, and build the foundation for strong product-market fit.

Register today at

08/10/2026

Are you registered for The Forward Festival? You should be! 😄 Our team is offering FOUR sessions this year - join us at no cost for one, or all four! We will be hosting:

▪️Demystifying the Pro Forma: Building Financial Projections - 8/19/2026 with Anne Sorensen Inman
(live virtual)
▪️Practical Tools for Kickstarting Your Go-to-Market (GTM) with Joshua Steinberg
▪️From Side Hustle to Small Business with Heather Ferguson
▪️Commercial Real Estate Leasing 101 with Heather Ewing

Register for Forward Fest by signing up for a pass at https://forwardfest2026.sched.com/, then add the sessions you want to join to your schedule!

Check out the schedule for Forward Fest 2026

08/08/2026

Join us for our FOUR The Forward Festival sessions! Forward Fest takes place from August 18-22, and you can attend all of the SBDC sessions for FREE!

First up? 𝗗𝗲𝗺𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮: 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. In 40+ years of working with entrepreneurs, we have regularly observed that “the money part” of business planning is often what causes many business owners and would-be business owners alike the most anxiety and confusion. Yet the numbers don’t have to intimidate you. Instead, understanding a clear financial plan for your business will give you the confidence to make educated decisions about the viability of your business idea, access needed capital and actively manage cash flow as your business grows.

Register today at forwardfest.org/events.