Launch Loudoun Monthly: Meet the Small Business Summit Featured Speaker, Rohit Bhargava
Join us for this year's Launch Loudoun Small Business Summit on Tuesday, May 6, from 8:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. at The Lodge at Hanson Park in Brambleton. The goal of the summit is to connect with and provide resources for small business from all industries who are looking to start or scale their concept or current plan. One of this year's featured speakers will dive into trends, innovation, marketing, storytelling, and diversity.
Rohit Bhargava is on a mission to inspire more non-obvious thinking in the world. He is a three-time Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of 10 books and is widely considered one of the most entertaining and original speakers on trends, innovation and marketing in the world.
Rohit has been invited to deliver “non-boring” keynotes and workshops in 32 countries around the world to change the way teams and leaders think at the World Bank, NASA, Intel, LinkedIn, MetLife, Under Armour, Univision, Disney, and hundreds of other well-known organizations. Prior to becoming an entrepreneur and founding the Non-Obvious Company and Ideapress Publishing, he spent 15 years leading marketing strategy at Ogilvy and Leo Burnett, where he advised global brands on human behavior, marketing, and storytelling.
Rohit will join Louie Gravance, who will deep into the art and science of creating WOW moments, as the two featured speakers for the Small Business Summit.
Join us on Tuesday, April 8 at the Great Xcape at Dulles Town Center in Leesburg for an informative procurement session tailored for small business owners, where you’ll gain valuable insights into contracting opportunities and how to navigate the procurement process. Representatives from Loudoun County Procurement, LCPS (Loudoun County Public Schools), Loudoun Water, and the Town of Leesburg will share key information on bidding, compliance, and how small businesses can effectively compete for local government contracts. This session is a unique opportunity to connect directly with decision-makers, ask questions, and learn how to grow your business by tapping into public sector opportunities. Don’t miss out on this chance to expand your network and knowledge!
Office hours provide small business owners time to sit down with our team to receive personalized advice on operations, finance, and marketing / sales. If you don’t see a time or location that fits your schedule, please contact Alberto Fernandez.
Apr 9: Venture X
Apr 16: Lucketts Community Center
Apr 23: Dulles Town Center, MyPerks Lounge
Apr 30: Middleburg Town Hall
May 7: Ashburn Library
Lunch and Learn 💬
Meet the Primes hosted by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority
As a small business owner, understanding how money comes into and out of your business is crucial to the long-term success and sustainability of your business. Throughout 2025, Loudoun Economic Development is offering a variety of classes in their Ashburn office, hosted by Cheryl Wiehn, that will walk you through the essential financial concepts every entrepreneur should know, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, e-commerce, financial reports and budgeting. You’ll learn how to interpret and leverage these tools to make informed decisions, avoid common financial pitfalls, and ensure the financial health of your business.
As a tool for tracking your business finances, a high-level overview of QuickBooks will be reviewed at each class.
Meet McKenna Smet, Founder of Elite Wellness Performance and Recovery
Meet McKenna Smet, a recent PhD student and founder of Elite Wellness Performance and Recovery, located in Ashburn. Elite Wellness is transforming the approach to athletic performance and recovery. By utilizing cutting-edge, science-backed methods, athletes of all levels are able to recover safely and efficiently, returning to their sports stronger than before. Their expert team combines the latest sports research with extensive hands-on experience to develop tailored recovery programs that deliver results.
If you wish to meet McKenna and learn about her entrepreneurial journey, you can visit the Elite Wellness website or attend an upcoming 1 Million Cups, and share a coffee with her.
Meet the Team Ready to Help You Start, Scale, and Soar.
Danelle Hayer
Business Development Officer, Small Business and Entrepreneurship
