Business Acumen: From Solo to Team – Hiring, HR, and Managing People

This session covers the full arc from identifying when you’re ready to hire to recruiting, onboarding, and managing people effectively on a small business budget, including the strategic use of interns.

Speakers will address how AI is reshaping hiring: from AI-assisted job description writing and candidate screening to onboarding tools that help small businesses deliver a consistent experience without a dedicated HR team.

Learning outcomes:

• Determine whether you are financially and operationally ready to hire
• Draft a job description and simple onboarding checklist for your next hire
• Understand key HR compliance requirements for Illinois small businesses