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The model for Tilted is built around participants engaged in small-group discussions about topics they choose. (Photo by Caroline Moyer-Kardos)
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The 2014 Tilted RVA "unconference" kicked off with an icebreaker event to allow the 100-plus small-business participants to get to know one another. (Photo by Caroline Moyer-Kardos)
Small businesses and social entrepreneurs interested in an unconventional arena for sharing their craft will gather during a daylong event Saturday, Feb. 24, in South Richmond for "Tilted: An RVA Small Business Unconference."
The event at Clopton Siteworks, organized by more than a dozen small businesses, will feature presenters selected by their peers in a setting designed to engage participants with small-group discussions rather than PowerPoints and sales-oriented networking.
John Sarvay, the creator of Tilted and owner of the consulting firm Floricane, says participants will decide the topics on the day of the event.
“The conference is literally designed in the moment, by the participants, based on the expertise that’s in the room and what the participants in the room want to learn about,” he says.
This is the fourth event since Tilted began in 2013. Some of this year’s partners include Floricane, Startup Virginia, Zuula, Lighthouse Labs and 804RVA.
“If you’re an employee of a small business or if you’re interested in starting a small business — it’s a pretty wide range, a diverse range of people. And that’s the design,” Sarvay says. “We’ve discovered that the more diverse the crowd is, the more interesting the conversations are.”

The Tilted RVA crowd takes a pause to grab a beverage and check social media feeds during the 2014 event. (Photo by Caroline Moyer-Kardos)
Sarah Choi runs her own local marketing firm called MoveDoConnect, but four and a half years ago, she was new to Richmond and new to the idea of owning a small business.
A professional contact suggested Choi attend Titled, and she was able to meet people who helped to catapult her career. She attended the next year and has plans to attend this weekend's "unconference," this time with expertise to share with young small business owners or dreamers, like herself.
“I think small businesses face really unique challenges because they have very limited resources and we have to wear like 20 different hats,” Choi says. “So I think finding the balance between what the industry best practices are and then scaling back to what you can do as a small shop — I think that’s something that I would like to share.”
Tickets are $40 and include breakfast, lunch and snacks. Scholarships are also available. Proceeds will be donated to Richmond organizations supporting minority entrepreneurship. For ticket information, see tiltedrva.com

Larkin Garbee of 804RVA and Tiffany Jana of TMI Consulting lead the Tilted crowd in a post-event dance party at the 2014 Tilted RVA event. (Photo by Caroline Moyer-Kardos)