HispanicBusiness

As President Obama signed a bill Thursday to encourage start-ups, there are several events planned for South Florida geared at starting businesses and creating jobs.

The bill, dubbed the JOBS Act, is meant to reduce regulatory barriers to raising capital. The events will address how to finance, market and manage a startup business.

On April 12, the Downtown Council of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce is hosting a workshop for aspiring area entrepreneurs. The keynote speaker will be is U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation.

An "Up and Coming Entrepreneur" panel will include top executives from local companies including Todd Billings, U.S. Debt Ventures; Douglas Feirstein, uSell.com; Sean Guerin, U.S. Imaging Solutions; Nzingah Oniwoson, Sankofa's Child jewelry business; and Brett Rose, United National Consumer Suppliers.

Local entrepreneurs Steve Halmos from the Reunion Group and Keith Koenig from City Furniture also will speak at the event.

The Chamber workshop is from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Florida Atlantic University's Fort Lauderdale campus, 111 E. Las Olas Blvd. Registration is required: visit http://www.ftlchamber.com or contact Sandra Huffman at Broward Bank of Commerce: 954-761-4922 or shuffman@browardbankofcommerce.com.

On April 21, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, sponsors a small business workshop at the Broward County Convention Center. Registration for the workshop is from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. or pre-register online at: http://wassermanschultz.house.gov/smallbizevent.

On June 26, the Business Development Board of Palm Beach County has scheduled an entrepreneurial event at the Palm Beach County Convention Center. Registration begins at 11 a.m. or pre-register online at http://www.bdb.org.

Kelly Smallridge, president of the BDB, said the event will highlight entrepreneurs who have started a business in South Florida and raised money here. Potential investors also will be invited, she said.