Join The Launch Pad and Jaime Paredes for this workshop on the emerging world of social media. Paredes is an expert in Web development and design, search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, e-commerce and databases, and Internet video production and streaming. The workshop, scheduled for Saturday, September 11 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Toppel Career Center library, will focus on:

• Twitter: How to get people to follow you on autopilot
• Facebook: Setting up a fan page
• LinkedIn: Finding a job
• YouTube: How to create and upload a video in 20 minutes

The workshop is free to UM students, alumni, faculty, staff, and Launch Pad members. Nonmembers $50. RSVP to PR@thelaunchpad.org.

For more information and to register (nonmembers only), visit Social Media Training at http://www.socialmediatrainingmiami.com.

For directions, click here.

The Launch Pad at UM will present “Recognizing Opportunities for a New Business” on Monday, September 20 from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. at the Toppel Career Center Library. Participants will learn how to assess ideas and opportunities, determine if a bad idea can still make money, learn how to turn a good idea into a great idea, and recognize that when an idea is great, one may not be the best person to implement it. The event is free and open to UM faculty, staff, students, and alumni.

In this fast-pace world, we only have so much time to sell an idea. An elevator pitch is the perfect way to overcome these time constraints. This year The Launch Pad, the University of Miami’s interdisciplinary entrepreneurship resource center, will once again present its Elevator Pitch Contest, which educates and nurtures individuals or groups who want to pitch an idea for a product, service, or company.

Last year, the student grand prizewinner was Sean Goldfaden of www.wayfarerworld.com. In the alumnus category, the grand prizewinner was Matt Rosenberg of GameJuice. Thanks to sponsors, more than $85,000 in prizes was distributed among four winners.

This year the contest begins with workshops in September by Melissa Krinzman, who has a 20-year history of starting, growing, and advising private companies and nonprofit organizations and is a frequent speaker on the topic of business plan development.

Preliminary rounds with judging will then take place in October throughout several locations in South Florida. The finale will take place during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2010 in November.

The Launch Pad, which opened in fall 2008, offers guidance in learning business basics, developing ideas, networking with industry experts, and strategizing to take a venture to the next level. The Launch Pad believes that entrepreneurship training is for everyone, including but not limited to scientists, engineers, and artists.

The events surrounding this contest are open to the public and are sponsored by The Miami Herald. Additional information can be found online at http://www.thelaunchpad.org/.