THIS THURSDAY, 7/16: Intuit QuickBooks Takes Over Chicago to Inspire, Educate and Connect Small Businesses

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Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU):

This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150713005474/en/

WHAT:

This Thursday, QuickBooks Connect Chicago is bringing together hundreds of Chicago’s diverse businesses under one roof, from small businesses and entrepreneurs to self-employed workers, developers and accountants.

This audience will come together to obtain the tools and resources they need to succeed from Intuit QuickBooks and partners Square and Bigcommerce, while also getting unique opportunities to network with each other. Attendees will potentially have the opportunity to hear from a surprise local celebrity who can speak directly to the Chicago small business landscape and its opportunity for growth.

In addition to a comprehensive line-up of content and activities targeted at small businesses and entrepreneurs, there are also special events planned for accountants and the self-employed and developer communities:

  • QuickBooks Online Certification Training for accountants: This free one-day course, taking place the day after QuickBooks Connect Chicago on July 17, will help prepare Chicago accountants for the QuickBooks Online Certification exam and has been designed, and will be taught, by QuickBooks Online Advanced Certified ProAdvisors. The course earns up to 5 CPE credits, and accountants who pass the exam onsite will receive a $30 Amazon gift card.
  • How to be Successful Working in Today’s On-Demand Economy: QuickBooks will be hosting an afternoon session on July 16 alongside Lyft and Work Market, with a panel discussion on how to be successful working in today’s on-demand economy, self-employment tax tips and networking opportunities with fellow self-employed professionals.
  • Intuit Developer #UnicornLibations Drinkup: With 600 million small businesses worldwide, the opportunity to drive their success is huge. Reach millions of small businesses by developing for Intuit’s QuickBooks Online, an open platform for developers that taps into the power of QuickBooks and the cloud. All developers are welcome to swing by the evening of July 16 and talk to members of Intuit Developer as well as other Chicago developers.

Big Opportunities to Win

As part of the event, Chicago attendees have two opportunities to win big and boost their businesses as a result. Small businesses will be able to enter QuickBooks’ Small Business Big Game, a contest where one lucky winner will receive an expenses-paid, 30-second television commercial during professional football’s biggest game. Attendees will also have the chance to win an expenses-paid trip to attend the annual QuickBooks Connect national event in San Jose, Calif., on Nov. 3, 2015. Confirmed speakers for the event currently include The Honest Company’s Jessica Alba, founder and chief creative officer, and Brian Lee, co-founder and chief executive officer.

Access to Successful Entrepreneurs and Experts

The first winner of ‘The Apprentice’ Bill Rancic, USA Today columnist Rhonda Abrams, Chicago small business advocates and experts from Intuit, Square and Bigcommerce will be at QuickBooks Connect Chicago to help attendees take their businesses to the next level.

QuickBooks is also putting Chicago’s own successful small business owners in the spotlight during an inspiring panel, where ABC ‘Shark Tank’ contestant and founder of LuminAID and founder of Lyteshot will share their lessons learned and successes specific to the Chicago community.

To view the full schedule and register for #QBConnect Chicago, visit http://www.quickbookslocal.com/chicago. Use the discount code “QBCHI” to register for free today.

WHEN:

Thursday, July 16

  • QuickBooks Connect Chicago conference: 9:00am – 2:30pm CT
  • Self-Employed event: 2:30pm – 4:30pm CT
  • Developer event: 4:30pm – 6:30pm CT
    • Offsite at The Monarch, 1745 W North Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622

Friday, July 17

  • QuickBooks Online Certification Training (accountants only): 9:00am – 5:00pm CT

WHERE:

The Geraghty
2520 S Hoyne Avenue
Chicago, IL 60608

AVAILABLE FOR PRESS INTERVIEWS:

Resourceful small business experts

  • Al Ko: vice president of product management at Intuit, has built products that facilitate business management and adapt small businesses to the digital age
  • Bill Rancic: first winner of ‘The Apprentice’, co–owner of four successful restaurants and Xo, G Wine, New York Times best-selling author and real estate developer
  • Rhonda Abrams: best-selling author, entrepreneur and USA Today small business columnist
  • Jewel Burks: an Atlanta local, Google’s entrepreneur in residence and founder and CEO of PartPic
  • Melinda Kelly: executive director of Chatham Business Association and appointed small business committee member by Mayor Rahm Emanuel

Successful Chicago small business owners

  • Mark Ladd: CEO and founder of LyteShot, a cloud-based mobile gaming platform for alternate reality gaming in the real world with sensor-based game play connected through the internet
  • Andrea Sreshta: co-founder of LuminAID, a clean energy startup that produces solar powered, rechargeable, inflatable and lightweight lamps

Intuit Inc.
Sarah Voros, 650-944-4385
sarah_voros@intuit.com
or
Access Communications
Jen Garcia, 415-828-2514
jgarcia@accesspr.com

Source: Intuit Inc.

Released July 13, 2015