A recap of the Roosevelt Incubator for Schaumburg Enterprises Mini-Conference & Symposium, and what our CEO shared about marketing in the age of AI.

On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, the entrepreneurial community gathered at Roosevelt University’s Schaumburg campus for the official ribbon cutting of RISE, the Roosevelt Incubator for Schaumburg Enterprises. Proceed Innovative was proud to be a premier sponsor of the event, and our President and CEO, Patrick Panayotov, joined the lineup of featured speakers for a session on money and marketing.

The day ran from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM and was free and open to the public. It brought together local business owners, university leadership, elected officials, and a roster of speakers from across the Schaumburg business ecosystem. If you missed it, here’s what happened and why it matters for local businesses.

What is the RISE Lecture Series?

RISE stands for the Roosevelt Incubator for Schaumburg Enterprises. The program is built to support local entrepreneurs through mentorship, education, and access to university and business resources they might not otherwise reach on their own. The tagline says it plainly: empowering entrepreneurs, building community, driving growth.

The mini-conference and symposium was the program’s public kickoff. It opened with an official ribbon cutting that included the presentation of a $10,000 check, with the Mayor of Schaumburg, the Village Board, and Roosevelt leadership on hand. RISE Director Brian Margulis welcomed attendees, and the morning keynote centered on a theme every business owner in the room could relate to; what it really takes to grow a business in Schaumburg.

From there, the day moved through microenterprise grant presentations from the Schaumburg Economic Development Department and the Small Business Development Center at Harper College, a lunch session with State Representative Michelle Mussman, and afternoon panels on growth, marketing, AI, operations, and talent. The closing happy hour wrapped things up with drinks, appetizers, and plenty of networking.

Why did Proceed Innovative sponsor and speak at RISE?

Proceed Innovative is a Schaumburg-based digital marketing agency, so supporting a program that helps local entrepreneurs grow is a natural fit for us. We spend our days helping businesses get found online and turn that visibility into leads and revenue, and RISE is working toward the same outcome from a different angle; education, mentorship, and community.

Ahead of the event, Patrick shared a question on LinkedIn that framed his whole session:

“How many businesses will look dramatically different five years from now because of technology, AI, and changing customer expectations?

I am excited to support the mission of RISE and its commitment to helping entrepreneurs and business leaders grow, innovate, and build the next generation of businesses here in Schaumburg and beyond.

Join us to learn practical strategies around growth, marketing, and AI that your business can apply immediately to stay competitive and continue scaling in a changing market.”

That question set the tone. The pace of change in marketing is not slowing down, and the businesses that adapt tend to be the ones still standing in five years.

What did Patrick Panayotov cover in his talk?

Patrick spoke during the afternoon session on growth, entrepreneurship, money, and marketing, sharing the stage with David Johnson of the ABRAXAS Group. His portion focused on the “money and marketing” side of building a business, and it came down to three connected ideas.

• Digital marketing is where your customers already are: Most buying decisions now start with a search. If a potential customer looks for what you sell and finds a competitor instead of you, that lost visibility has a real cost. Being present online is no longer optional for a local business trying to compete.
• Marketing is a long-term investment, not a one-time expense: Strong online visibility comes from consistent effort that includes researching your market, optimizing your website, running campaigns, measuring results, and refining as you go. There’s no shortcut, but the compounding return is worth it.
• AI is changing how people search and how businesses market: Customers are increasingly getting answers from AI-driven search and assistants, which changes what it takes to get found. At the same time, AI gives small businesses tools to work faster and smarter, from content and campaign management to analytics. Patrick’s advice leaned practical; understand where AI fits into your marketing, and use it to stay competitive rather than getting left behind.

The through-line was that these strategies are meant to be applied now, not filed away for later.

What can local businesses take away from RISE?

A few practical points came out of the day for owners thinking about their own growth:

• Treat your online presence as a core business asset, not an afterthought.
• Pay attention to how AI is reshaping search, because it affects how customers find you.
• Learn from local resources like RISE, the Harper College SBDC, and the Schaumburg Economic Development Department, they exist to help you grow.
• Marketing works best when it’s consistent and measured, so you can see what’s driving results and adjust.

Events like RISE are a reminder that Schaumburg has a strong network of people invested in helping small businesses succeed. We were glad to be part of it.

Ready to grow your business online?

The strategies Patrick shared at RISE are the same ones we put to work for our clients every day. If you want help getting found online, generating qualified leads, and adapting your marketing for an AI-driven search landscape, our team is here for you.

Learn more about our digital marketing services, or contact us for a free proposal. Proceed Innovative has been helping businesses in Schaumburg, Chicago, and nationwide grow online since 2008.