February 2018

Upcoming Events
FEBRUARY 21 LUNCH & LEARN
February 13 Lunch & Learn 11:30am-1pm
Creating Your Value Statement/Elevator Pitch
Playing to Win: Starting and Managing a Non-
Be Prepared for Opportunity!

Profit in the State of Illinois
Join Valerie F. Leonard, a noted non-profit
consultant, for this launch of our quarterly non-
profit series. Learn how to start a 501c3, and
maintain compliance going forward.
FEBRUARY 19 LUNCH & LEARN 11:30-1P,
How to Choose and Buy the Right Franchise
Join SCORE member Bob Strauss to learn what
you need to know! Bob is a long-time franchisee
and franchisee consultant for 7-Eleven.
FEBRUARY 20 LUNCH & LEARN 11:30-1PM
Cybersecurity for the Small Business
Join Tony Almaraz, Business Expert, for a
discussion of the Cybersecurity needs of the small
business and entrepreneur.
Free Workshops
Join IT consultant and business owner John
Fisher to learn how to craft this important pitch.
You will be working on your speech in class and
delivering it for feedback, so be prepared! This
popular class fills up fast, so register today! February is Entrepreneurship
Month at Microsoft Store/Woodfield
FEBRUARY 22 LUNCH & LEARN
OfficeHeads: 4-Gear Financial Management
Are you creating predictable financial reports, and
do you know how to use them to grow your
business? Do you know if you can afford to
implement a project? Is cashflow and payroll a
stress point? Are you paying yourself? Join
Rebecca Bernecke, creator of OfficeHeads, to
learn her 4-Gear Financial Management system
that can answer these questions for you and put
you in control of your finances.
February 23 Lunch & Learn 11:30-1pm
Email Marketing to Grow Your Business

Solutions for Small Business

February 12 6-8pm Conceptual Art and Matte Painting for Game Design with Tribeca
Flashpoint College Instructor Christopher Tedin. Kids middle school age and up will
learn the techniques used to create art for video games, and about the Game Design
Industry. Join us for this special event!
Find out what Microsoft 365 can do for your small business. It’s the solution that provides you
with enterprise grade security, always on, works across devices anywhere you go, helps you
manage your employees from a central admin tool, and simplifies customer management.
Learn more at our Lunch & Learn February 14 from 11:30-1pm. Email pabrkich@microsoft.com
to register, or call 630-881-0907.

Microsoft Store Woodfield Saturday Morning Workshops 8-10 am

5 Woodfield Mall Drive, J-106
At the Red Robin Entrance , To Register, 630-881-0907
Schaumburg, IL 60173
Or Email pabrkich@microsoft.com
Or Register through our Website
www.microsoftstore.com/Woodfield
February 3-Budgeting and Invoicing
February 10 – Pitching & Presentations
in PowerPoint
February 17-Enhancing your Social
Media Brand with LinkedIn
Tony Almaraz, Business Expert
joalmara@microsoft.com
Paula Brkich, Community
Development Specialist
pabrkich@microsoft.com
TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION FOR KIDS
Microsoft Store is the place for kids and technology! No matter
the skill level, kids learn while having fun in our free workshops
and STEM Saturday drop-in classes. This Month:
STEM Saturday- Drop in between 10am and 10m to
experience Feel the Love with Paint 3D-kids will create their
own 3D artwork using Paint. No registration necessary.
District 54 Conferences-Kids are Welcome here!
February 15- Code & Create with CollageMe 1-3pm
Get Creative with 3D in Windows 10 3-5pm
February 16- Play and MakeCode with Minecraft 10am-12pm
Get Creative with 3D in Windows 10 12-2pm
Cybersecurity for Kids & Parents 2-4pm
Minecraft Build Challenge 4-6pm
Register on our website, or email pabrkich@microsoft.com
You can also call 630-881-0907
Just for Kids During Entrepreneurship Month!
SparkShop February 19, 2-5pm
SparkShop is a non-profit started by two women engineers who
saw the need to get kids interested in manufacturing
technology early. SparkShop will be bringing hands-on
experiments to our theater that kids will make and take home
with them. Learn how you can bring SparkShop to your school,
homeschool, Scout troop or 4H club!
Robotics! February 19, 5-7pm
The award-winning Blue Box Bots, a First Illinois Team, will be
demonstrating their 2017 robot, and talking to kids about why a
robotics team is so awesome! Find out how you can get
involved with robotics, a fun way for kids to learn not only
robotics and STEM, but group problem solving, presentation
skills, self-confidence and creativity! Register today!
www.microsoftstore.com/woodfield or pabrkich@microsoft.com
Microsoft’s Mission:
Empowering Every Person and Organization on
the Planet to Achieve More
TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS FOR
NON-PROFITS
Are you still on the Windows 7 platform, or even XP? Do all
your staff know how to use Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint
or Publisher? Are you spending a fortune on IT support, or
trying to DIY? Do you know if your cybersecurity is adequate?
Microsoft Store offers a lot of support for Non-Profits. We can
consult with you to help you determine how to improve your
technology while saving money, how to apply for donated
Cloud storage from Microsoft, show you the options that may
eliminate your need for outside IT support, analyze whether
your security is adequate and what to do to upgrade it, and
train your staff on using Office efficiently. Community
Development Specialist Paula Brkich, a non-profit veteran, can
help you on your path. Email her at pabrkich@microsoft.com
This Month’s Q&A Technology Tips
Q: Cybersecurity is really in the news now. Is it a concern for
small businesses?
A: Small Businesses are increasingly interesting to
cybercriminals because they are a gateway to a larger target.
Adequate cybersecurity ensures that your business will be
much less vulnerable to attack.
Q: What do I need to put in place to adequately protect my
business?
A: You should look at your security from four aspects:
Protect, Detect, Defend, and Respond. Analyze your
company to devise a plan that covers you, plus include
regular training and education for your employees. One of our
Cybersecurity workshops will help you begin this process by
giving you an initial vulnerability checklist and information
about where to get the support you need for a complete
cybersecurity system and plan.
Q: I am putting a new cybersecurity plan in place, but what
about my vendors? Do they create a vulnerability for me?
A: Most definitely. Many companies are now undertaking an
interview process with potential vendors to determine that
they have adequate security in place, so that they are not a
gateway to you. As cybersecurity becomes more and more an
industry concern, with industry standards that are ever
changing, an ongoing review of your systems and processes,
as well as your vendors’, will help you stay in business, doing
what you do best!