Intuit, LinkedIn Host Hire Smart Small Business Event

If small businesses are the engines of the economy, they need all the help they can get.

Intuit and LinkedIn joined forces to host the free "Hire Smart Small Business Event" at Intuit's Mountain View headquarters on Saturday, April 27th, aimed to help small business owners and prospective entrepreneurs thrive. The event offered workshops, one-on-one consultation, a resource center and several exhibits.

"Today’s event is designed to give you access to expertise, the tools, the services, so that you can learn and hopefully make a big step forward in that process," Intuit's President and CEO Brad Smith said to a Conference Center room filled with attendees.

Smith referenced the kitchen table located in the lobby, which originally belonged in Intuit’s founder Scott Cook thirty years ago. Cook used to watch his wife, Signe, struggle to balance the family checkbook as she sat at the table. Now 60 million consumers utilize Intuit and the kitchen table remains in the lobby in pristine condition.

"We’ve become a bigger company now, but we still have never lost sight of that kitchen table or that mission: to simplify the business of life," said Smith.

"In the communities that we live in, you’re the ones that keep the engine moving forward," Smith said. "In the United States, 99 percent of all employers are small businesses. Half of all the private sector jobs are working for small business owners like you."

The jobs that small businesses create and the talent they attract became the focus of LinkedIn's CEO Jeff Weiner's talk to attendees.

"Whether you have ten people at your company, or 10,000 at your company, I think most business leaders would agree that there is no more important dynamic than ensuring you have access to world class talent, in terms of maximizing long term value for one of your companies," said Weiner.

Attendees, who received a canvas bag embellished with a radiant light bulb and the words "Hire Smart," also spent time in the Innovation Gallery, which boasted several exhibits and displayed many of Intuit's resources such as Intuit Payroll, Intuit 1099 Manager, Employer Essentials, Intuit Payments, Intuit Demandforce, Intuit QuickBooks, Intuit Applications and Intuit Healthcare.

Intuit’s "Love Our Local Business" table gave small business owners the opportunity to sign up for a chance to win one of fifteen $5000 grants toward their small business wish. The program has been in effect for almost four years, priding itself on over $1.2 million in small business grants.

"It was built on the insight that small businesses know what they need, but they don't necessarily have the resources to grow and get to the next level," said Betsy Eshoei, manager of the program. "This program was a way for us to help show small businesses that you have a lot of fans that love you, and can get behind you."

One of the winners of Intuit’s last campaign, Debra Elizabeth Baretta, owner of Mama Baretta, used the grant to create packaging for her gluten-free cookies.

"I entered...I’m big on contests: all of my customers, friends and family supported and voted for me, and low and behold I won, one of fifteen!" said Baretta. "Intuit has been so good to me, they have been wonderful."

An assortment of Baretta’s cookies was displayed in the refreshment area for attendees eager for a sweet treat.

"We’re hoping that small business owners that are in the process of going through major things such as hiring their first employees, can come here, get great resources, get the help they need, and feel more empowered to take this big step," said Sylvia Dizon, an Intuit employee overseeing Consultation Cove.

Consultation Cove, located next to Innovation Gallery, served as a refuge for attendees eager to comprehend the legal and accounting aspects of managing a small business. Accounting and legal professionals provided one-on-one chats and human resource specialists answered questions as well. Rhonda Abrams, a USA Today columnist and small business owner also offered her expert advice in the alcove for those in need of mentoring.

The small business event’s keynote speaker Bill Rancic discussed his journey from selling monthly cigar subscriptions to winning the first season of "The Apprentice." Rancic declared the importance of being a conductor in regards to managing a small business, likening it to conducting an orchestra.

During his time shadowing a Brooklyn native who owned a major construction company in New York, Rancic was told that he must be a conductor in terms of business ownership and hiring the right people.

"You see, the conductor has all these expert musicians of his or her pick, and all of those expert musicians play their instruments to absolute perfection. The conductor, the small business owner, is not an expert at playing every one of those instruments, but he gets them to play in harmony with one another," said Rancic. "And as a small business owner you’ve got to learn how to conduct. You’ve got to hire smart, you’ve got to bring the right people on."

According to a representative from Intuit’s health care initiative for small business, Anu Sanghvi, 500 people attended the conference throughout the day, in addition to more than 2000 who attended "virtually" from across the country.

The sessions, workshops and exhibits remain available by mobile device and can be downloaded by texting "INXPO Universal Online Event," to number 13010. Virtual content can found at www.hiresmartnow.com.

Small business owners are encouraged to download to continue their learning.

"You are the backbone to the economy. It’s your passion, it’s your discipline, it’s your persistence that keeps everything moving forward," said the Intuit CEO. "And if we're going to get healthier as a country, and healthier as a global economy, we need you to succeed." 

This article was produced through a collaboration of PatchU and the School of Journalism & Mass Communication at San Jose State University. PatchU is a Patch Media initiative to build strong relationships with colleges and universities across the country. The mission of PatchU is to connect students and faculty to opportunities at Patch.  

For more information, email PatchU@patch.com or follow us on Facebook.

More on Mountain View Patch:

• Suspicious Two-Alarm Fire in Vacant Mountain View Hotel
• One-Alarm Fire in Mountain View Sunday Morning
• Escaped Domestic Violence Suspect Captured in Mountain View
• Police Blotter: Check Forgery and Vienna Sausage Theft
• Is There Really Such a Thing as a Secret Menu?

Don't miss a thing in Mountain View!

Follow on Twitter |  Like us on Facebook  |  Get the daily newsletter | Post to our calendar  | Share an announcement