2026 Small Business Marketing Meetup
The world of modern marketing is a fast-paced digital jungle, but you don't have to navigate it alone. Join the Kansas SBDC, local entrepreneurs and fellow small business leaders for a day of discovery at the 2026 Marketing Meetup and equip yourself with the tools to bravely venture (and adventure) forward!
What You’ll Experience:
• Interactive Learning: Deepen your marketing understanding and strategies with expert guidance from seasoned
professionals.
• Skill Sharpening: Evaluate and strengthen your current promotional instincts and abilities.
• Discovering Your True Stripes: Learn why dropping the digital camouflage builds real trust in a crowded wilderness.
• Real Stories: Gain genuine insights from local business leaders who survived the highs and lows
of business—and lived to tell the tale.
• Strategic Networking: Connect and collaborate with a community of like-minded entrepreneurs, owners and
business leaders.
• Local Flavor: Enjoy great bites and beverages from local food trucks available throughout the day!
Expedition Details
Date: Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. (Come early for 1 Million Cups!)
Cost: $20.00 to Attend. Sponsorship Levels Vary.
Location: WSU Hughes Metropolitan Complex, 5015 E. 29th Street N.
Cost to attend includes Canteen Credits that can be used for food trucks and afternoon
bites and beverages.
Don't get left behind!
★ A special thank you to our sponsors! ★
★ Itinerary ★
| Time | Activity/Presenter | Room |
|---|---|---|
| 8:30 am | Early Check-in, Networking & Coffee | 180 |
| 9:00 am | 1 Million Cups | 180 |
| 10:00 am | Final Check-in and Welcome | 180 |
| 10:15 am | Do The Free Stuff First: Navigating the Digital Ecosystem – Sean Buchanan, Berry Companies, Inc. | |
| 11:15 am | Break to Network & Visit Sponsors | 180 |
| 11:25 am | First Round of Breakout Sessions | |
| Build Your Brand With Six Timeless Marketing Principles – Delane Butler, Delane Butler Creative | 137 | |
| Make it About You! – Carolina Freeman, Argentina’s Empanadas | 138 | |
| Beyond Translation: Engaging the Local Hispanic Market – Araceli Amador, Las Aventuras de Araceli, & Pablo Estrada Cruz, KHEDF | 180 | |
| Film Like a Storyteller: Creating Better Marketing Content with B-Roll – Caitlin Slemp | 185 | |
| 12:25 pm | Lunch - Argentina's Empandas & Let Him Cook International Eatery | |
| 1:00 pm | Second Round of Breakout Sessions | |
| How AI/AEO Is Changing Google (And How Your Business Can Stay Visible) – Thomas Kane, KANETECH & Whitefish Media | 137 | |
| Design in the AI Age – Joshua A. Smith, School of Art, Design & Creative Industries at Wichita State University | 138 | |
| Your Authentic Voice – Bethany Zarinelli, Intrust Bank | 185 | |
| 2:00 pm | Afternoon Provisions Break – XO Desserts | |
| 2:15 pm | 45 Million Views and Counting: How a Stubborn Baby Hippo Taught Us Everything About Viral Marketing – LynnLee Schmidt, Tanganyika Wildlife Park | 180 |
| 3:15 pm | Closing Comments & Final Networking | 180 |
| 3:45 pm | End of 2026 Small Business Marketing Meetup | 180 |
Notices
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact us at 316-978-3193, ksbdc@wichita.edu or 5015 E. 29th St. N., Wichita, KS 67220.
Participants in Kansas SBDC trainings and events agree to allow the Kansas SBDC staff and official photographers to photograph and record them in the context of the event. Images captured may be used on Kansas SBDC websites, posted on social media, shared with media outlets, and/or used in future print and electronic promotional materials.
The Kansas Small Business Development Center at Wichita State University is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Kansas Department of Commerce.
Connect with Us
Office Location:
Hughes Metropolitan Complex
5015 East 29th Street North
Wichita, Kansas 67220
Mailing Address:
1845 Fairmount Street
Box 148
Wichita, Kansas 67260