From Staff Reports
COCHRAN — Middle Georgia State University’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the School of Business will host a three-part Lunch and Learn series this fall focused on practical ways businesses can innovate.
The Fall 2026 series, themed “Innovation in Action,” will be held at noon on the second Wednesday of September, October and November.
The first session is scheduled for Sept. 9 at Alderman Hall on the Cochran campus. James Blackburn will present “Innovation Without a Big Budget: Small Changes That Make a Big Difference.”
The session will focus on ways businesses can innovate without major investments in technology or research and development. Topics will include customer service, business processes, products, pricing, marketing and employee ideas. Participants will also be encouraged to identify one recurring frustration in their business and consider a low-cost way to address it.
On Oct. 14, Catherine Whelan will present “AI for the Small Business: Five Things You Can Do Right Now” at Alderman Hall.
Rather than focusing on how artificial intelligence works, the session will look at practical ways small businesses can use AI for marketing content, customer communications, brainstorming, research and analyzing information.
The final session will be held Nov. 11 at The Commons in downtown Cochran. Amy Tarpley will present “Find the Friction: Turning Customer Problems into Business Opportunities.”
That session will focus on identifying customer “pain points” and turning frustrations into opportunities for new products, services or process improvements.
The Lunch and Learn series is designed to provide business owners and professionals with practical ideas they can take back to their organizations and put into use.
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