Thursday October 1

The Berks Family Business Alliance, a signature program of the Greater Reading Chamber Alliance hosts “Under Pressure: How Berks Fire Water Built a Business Ready for Anything,” 8 to 10 a.m., Berks Fire Water, 1145 Commons Blvd., Muhlenberg Twp. Join the FBA for a conversation with the Berks Fire Water team — including Ted Lavender, president; Lisa Lavender, COO; and Jack Lavender, Customer Success. The candid discussion will explore the decisions, values and relationships that have shaped the company’s success. Registration: greaterreading.org. Cost: $35 for members; $50 for non-members.

Friday October 2

The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA) hosts “AI that Delivers: Insights from Berks Business Leaders,” 7:30 to 10 a.m., Redners Event Center, 2024 Centre Ave., Reading. This session will feature a practical and candid conversation by local business leaders who are navigating AI implementation, workforce development, and the opportunities and challenges that come with this technology. The morning will feature two panel discussions, followed by a Q&A with panelists.  Registration: greaterreading.org. Cost: $45 for members, $60 for non-members.

Wednesday October 7

The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA) hosts “Breakfast4Success — Behind the Leadership: The East Penn Story,” 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., DoubleTree Reading, 701 Penn St., Reading. Hear from the leaders of East Penn Manufacturing as they share insights on leadership, navigating change, building strong teams and creating a culture where people can succeed. The conversation will offer practical takeaways for professionals at every stage of their careers. Speakers include Chris Pruitt, executive chairman of the board; Pete Stanislawczyk, CEO; and Christy Weeber, president. Registration: greaterreading.org. Cost: $50 for members. This is a member exclusive event.

Wednesday October 14

The Chester County Economic Development Council hosts, “TECH360 — AI Beyond the Hype,” 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Desmond Hotel, One Liberty Blvd., Malvern. This half-day workshop explores what AI in real life looks like and focuses on how organizations can adopt AI responsibly while keeping people, purpose, and culture at the center. Attendees will also discover what’s next in AI, and how to put it into action.  Registration: https://tech360pa.com/. Cost: $150

Wednesday October 14

The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA) hosts its 2026 Women2Women — Evening of Empowerment, “Unscripted Impact: Shaping Success in the Absence of a Blueprint,” 5:30 to 8 p.m., Redner’s Event Center, 2024 Centre Ave., Reading. Keynote speaker Shavonnia Corbin-Johnson will share insights on what it means to lead, grow and make an impact without having all the answers mapped out ahead. She’ll share insights on navigating uncertainty, embracing resilience and creating opportunities even when the path forward feels unclear. Registration: greaterreading.org. Cost: $75 for members; $95 for non-members.

Tuesday October 20

Berks LaunchBox presents “More Customers, Less Guesswork: Marketing and Sales for Early-Stage Businesses,” 6 to 8 p.m., at the Berks LaunchBox, GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, Suite 105, 201 Washington St., Reading. In this practical workshop, Adrian Heredia of KimonoMono will help entrepreneurs understand how marketing and sales work together as one connected growth system. Rather than overwhelming participants with dozens of tactics, the session will focus on a manageable set of actions that early-stage businesses can apply immediately and maintain consistently. Registration: https://sites.psu.edu/berkslaunchbox/updates/. Cost: Free to the public.

Friday October 30

The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA) will host its “12th Annual Manufacturing Summit,” 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Miller Center of the Arts at RACC, 4 N. 2nd St., Reading. A keynote presentation – “Built to Stay: How Great Leaders Keep Great People,” will be led by Lisa Ryan, founder of Grategy, specializing in the human side of manufacturing. The program will give attendees practical strategies for strengthening engagement and retention in manufacturing. A Presentation follows — “Beyond Traditional Training: What Actually Changes Behavior on the Manufacturing Floor,” led by Kryn McClain, founder and CEO of CatapalloVR. She will share how VR simulation and scenario-based training are being used. Registration: greaterreading.org. Cost: $40 for members, $55 for non-members.

Monday November 9

Berks LaunchBox hosts “Business 101 – A Six-Week Course for Entrepreneurs,” 6 to 9 p.m., each Monday through Dec. 14 at the Berks LaunchBox, GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, Suite 105, 201 Washington St., Reading. This six week series is designed for aspiring entrepreneurs and businesses less than two-years old. Over the six-weeks, attendees will build a foundation to launch or grow their business while developing a business plan. Registration: https://sites.psu.edu/berkslaunchbox/updates/. Cost: Free to the public.

Thursday November 12

Berks LaunchBox hosts “10th Anniversary Networking Event,” 5 to 8 p.m., at the Berks LaunchBox, GoggleWorks Center for the Arts, Suite 105, 201 Washington St., Reading. Everyone who has been part of the Berks LaunchBox journey is invited to drop in for refreshments, networking, memories, and a chance to reconnect. Throughout the evening, Berks LaunchBox will take a few minutes to share where the Berks LaunchBox started, how it has grown over the past 10 years, and where it’s headed next. Registration: https://sites.psu.edu/berkslaunchbox/updates/. Cost: Free to the public.

Email your news to drovins@pottsmerc.com