The Carroll Business Network brings small business leaders together, educates on actionable business topics, and builds relationships in the community. The Network promotes community-building by sharing contact information with all speakers and attendees.

Over a relaxed meal, attendees are given the chance to improve their network with fellow business owners. Keynote speakers are featured at each event, focusing on specific business-related topics. The program’s curriculum consists of 12 topics relevant to business development and sustainability. See the full list of speakers and events below.

The Carroll Business Network is an evolution of the Carroll Marketing Group which was started ten years ago by Amy Giannakoulious, co-owner of Trembling Giant Marketing, as a way to connect local small business leaders and expand inter-community business relationships. The core goals of the organization are networking, education, and community. Each lunch event emphasizes an open-door policy and warm atmosphere to bring together businesses in the shared goals of professional excellence.

The Carroll Business Network luncheon event at Tony’s Japanese Restaurant on September 9th, 2024, features speaker Rich Austin (Trembling Giant Marketing) about Advertising for Small Businesses. Pre-purchasing your lunch fee is $22 Purchasing your lunch fee at the door is $25.

Advertising as a component of small business marketing is deceptively simple for its layers of complexity. It’s very easy to make basic assumptions, and be told all manner of information and metrics about performance, that seem to make sense and seem like a smart expense for your business; but what DOES advertising do? How do different advertising channels work? How do they impact your business, and which ones are the right ones for you and your business? Join Rich Austin for a brief presentation on Advertising for Small Business as he reviews all of the ways that different advertising opportunities can impact your business, how to assess which advertising will work the best for you, and what you can do to make sure the advertisements you DO run actually get the job done.

Rich Austin is the Managing Partner at Trembling Giant Marketing, LLC alongside equal owner and partner Amy Giannakoulias. Together, Rich and Amy put on all of the elements of the Carroll Business Network to bring business owners together, provide education and information, and help us all expand our networks. Rich has been actively creating and strategizing for marketing and advertising communications for over 25 years. He has an extensive background ranging from small business marketing to large corporate marketing campaigns, and has worked as a strategist, manager, creative director, and designer within the industry. He has been providing creative and consultative services to the Carroll County and surrounding small business community for over 10 years. He is a Sykesville/Eldersburg local, and involves himself deeply in the local community.