SHERMAN OAKS— On Tuesday, June 30, the Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce hosted a virtual conference known as SHIFT in order to assist small businesses.

According to the event’s online page, the SHIFT conference would “help small businesses overcome our current economic challenges… small business owners, managers, and their employees will be given the tools to take next steps into the new business terrain.”

A promotional image for the SHIFT Virtual Conference. Taken from the Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce official Facebook page.

The conference itself had many sessions and lasted from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. (with an hour long networking event from 12 to 1 p.m.). SHIFT also had over 15 speakers speaking at the event, many of whom held prominent leadership positions in their own businesses as founders, owners, directors and more. The program also offered musical entertainment at the start and ending of the program, as well as during intermissions between sessions for viewers to be able to relax and enjoy the music provided by Los Angeles based DJ, DJ Complex Lex.

The three aspects that were announced to be focal points on the event’s online page were:

  1. To Inform and Educate: With a keynote speaker providing a look into the new business landscape and break out sessions going into greater detail for specific industries.
  2. To Strategize: The workshop would help each participant make a plan to make their company a success and have a good year
  3. To Network: Networking opportunities would be available to viewers at the beginning of the event and after the event.

Registration was available to the public for a $40 fee, however, members of the Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce could attend for free.