Microsoft Corp. today announced that it will host its first-ever Small Business Summit,a free four-day, must-attend event for small-business owners and decision-makers. Microsoft will detail its latest small-business innovations while fostering dynamic dialogue among gathered customers and industry luminaries about best practices to help small businesses thrive in today’s economy. This will include discussions about how to get more out of IT investments, save time and money in running a business, and better connect with and market to customers. In addition, customers can take advantage of more than 25 webcasts to help gain a competitive advantage in areas such as financial management, productivity, sales and marketing, and security for their IT investments.

Kevin Turner, chief operating officer at Microsoft, will be at the Small Business Summit discussing how technology can help create opportunities for small businesses and the entrepreneurs who run them. He will also outline Microsoft’s strategy for solutions that support small businesses to help them reach their full potential.

In addition, the Small Business Summit will feature keynote presentations from industry luminaries including Maxine Clark, CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc.; Keith Ferrazzi, founder and CEO of Ferrazzi Greenlight Inc.; and Jeff and Rich Sloan, authors and hosts of the “Startup Nationâ€