Advertising and new media marketing executive David Saunders has a phrase to describe social media Web sites LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. He calls them “The Holy Trinity of Social Media.“ LinkedIn, the oldest, and Facebook are the father/son, said Saunders, president of Madison + Main Advertising & New Media. Twitter is the Holy Ghost, because “people are still mystified by it,“ he said.

Bill Rancic, the first candidate to hear the words “You’re Hired” on Donald Trump’s “The Apprentice” reality show, said the key to winning in business is to “adjust, adapt and seize opportunities.“ “It’s critical now more than ever because the world has changed significantly,“ Rancic said. “If you’re doing the same thing you were doing a year and a half ago, you’re probably doing things wrong.“

Time to get out the flak jacket, the Charlottesville Venture Group said of its signature angel investor event, Live Fire!, coming to Richmond on Wednesday. For 15 minutes each, in front of a live audience, five regional companies will stand at the podium with PowerPoint presentations and try to get money from a panel of angel investors to help fund their ventures.

Think you’ll make it out of this recession alive financially? The “Surviving the Economy” seminar aims to help. The free session is Thursday at the Hull Street branch of the Richmond Public Library, 1400 Hull St. in South Richmond. Glenn Birch, public and media-relations director for the Virginia Credit Union, will be the seminar presenter.

Cybersecurity isn’t only about protecting computers from viruses anymore. It’s about protecting countries from cyber attacks and readying the nation for cyberwarfare. Shane Harris, a top cybersecurity reporter with the National Journal, will discuss that topic Wednesday at Maggiano’s Little Italy Restaurant in the Short Pump Town Center.

How do you set yourself apart from the pack and clearly communicate your value? By telling a remarkable story that makes you memorable, says Casey Quinlan, CEO of Mighty Casey Media in Henrico County. Quinlan, the self-described “Mighty Mouth of Mighty Casey Media,“ a consulting firm that helps individuals communicate their value, is the keynote speaker Thursday at the Richmond chapter of the American Marketing Association’s summer networking event.

The business counseling group SCORE will hold a workshop Friday for people who want to start a business or operate an existing one better. So often, people have a wonderful idea and they want to begin a business immediately without the proper planning, said Fred Eyerman, chairman of local SCORE chapter. “Everything should start with a great plan,“ he said.

Get out your business cards and company brochures—and get ready to do some fast talking. The River City Express Network, a local chapter of the American Business Women’s Association, will hold a high-energy power networking event for 60 women Wednesday. The event, “SpeedNetworking!“ will be a fast-paced, timed networking program.

How can your business get the biggest bang for its marketing buck? That’s the focus of the Retail Merchants Association’s small-group brainstorming session on Wednesday. “Smart Marketing to Make Money” is part of the association’s new Executive Dialogue series. Tom Blue of Accelerated Growth Partners, a specialist in effective marketing, will moderate a discussion with business owners and marketing decision makers and help them consider how to market efficiently in a troubled economy.

If you want to keep and enhance your job as a public administrator or educator, you may want to circle Friday on your calendar. The National Forum for Black Public Administrators’ central Virginia chapter will hold a professional development and health symposium at the Greater Richmond Convention Center from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The topic is “Staying Ahead of the Curve: Improve Your Marketability.“

If your company isn’t getting noticed, maybe its trademark doesn’t sizzle. Maybe you haven’t even registered a trademark and don’t know why you should - or where to begin. A trademark is a word, words or symbol that uniquely identifies your company with the products or services that it provides. The Women’s Business Center at New Visions, New Ventures in downtown Richmond is conducting a seminar Thursday on understanding the power of a trademark.

How can your business get a piece of the economic stimulus pie? Find out Wednesday when the Virginia Asian Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the U.S. Small Business Administration, hosts “Unlocking America’s Economy.“ The free networking event will be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Tuckahoe Public Library at 1901 Starling Drive in Henrico County.

Overall sales may be tanking, but not all retailers are doing poorly. The big winners last year were McDonald’s and Wal-Mart, said Susan Jones, a senior vice president at Grubb & Ellis/Harrison & Bates. Jones will talk about the retail sector at the seventh annual Commercial Market Review presented by Greater Richmond Association for Commercial Real Estate.