A Note from the Executive Sponsor |
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February is here and Alaskans all over the state are starting to come out of their winter hibernation and think longingly of Spring! Businesses aren't immune to the lure of sunnier days, big fish runs, and a new influx of tourists to show Alaska's beauty to. With Alaska leading the nation in vaccine deployment, and statewide numbers dropping almost everywhere, it's starting to look like we might be in for some good times here in the Great Land.
February is Black History Month and we're celebrating by showcasing black-owned businesses across the state who are making a difference in our communities. If you're looking for a great list of events happening around the state celebrating Black History Month as well as a great list of black-owned businesses, check out the Alaska Black Business Directory on Facebook! They have got a great overview of events for young and old all month!
Of course, February also means Valentine's Day is upon us! Hopefully, you've got something fun planned for your significant other. I recommend ordering a romantic takeout dinner from your favorite restaurant and some locally sourced candy, but whatever you do, make sure to go big this year! They deserve it after 2020. Don't forget that small businesses need love too! This year, BuyAlaska is encouraging you to show your love for local businesses by giving them a valentine shout out online and making sure to shop local.
As always, if you are a business looking to join BuyAlaska as a member, it's free and easy to do! Plus, Edible Alaska has generously added to our list of member benefits by offering all BuyAlaska members a 10% discount on your first ad with them! We're also always looking for more partner organizations to help us get the word out about the importance of buying local and keeping Alaska's dollars in Alaska. If your organization is interested in helping out, just shoot us an email!
In the meantime, thanks for all of your support for BuyAlaska and the work that we're doing. I hope everyone is getting ready for spring, learning about the importance of black history, and showing their special someone some love this year!
Sincerely,
Jon Bittner
Alaska SBDC Executive Director
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Love Local This Valentine's Day |
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BuyAlaska Partner Highlight |
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Anchorage Community Land Trust, Emily Cohn |
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Anchorage Community Land Trust (ACLT) is a proud member and partner of the Alaska SBDC, and BuyAlaska! For those who don’t know us, ACLT is a non-profit that spends every day working with residents and business owners in targeted, economically vulnerable neighborhoods of Anchorage to improve quality of life in their communities. Through our Set Up Shop program, ACLT supports neighborhood entrepreneurs in starting or expanding the business of their dreams. Set Up Shop provides training, business assistance, lending, and real estate support to help entrepreneurs in our neighborhoods take the next steps.
This year has been challenging for every business owner, but in particular for entrepreneurs in our target communities. Like many of you, our team has been working around the clock to ensure businesses in our neighborhoods can keep their lights on and their doors open. Here are a few of the things we’re up to:
- We partnered with AEDC and the Anchorage iTeam to bring you ANC Small Biz Alerts, a texting tool to keep Anchorage business owners informed during the pandemic. We provide up-to-date texts on things like local and federal relief funds, emergency orders, and more. Text STRONG to 907-891-7192 to subscribe!
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Looking to start or expand your business? Set Up Shop applications are OPEN for our upcoming free 6-week training on the ins and outs of owning your own business. Learn more and apply here.
- When the pandemic hit, businesses were forced to move their sales online, and many were left behind. To help bridge the digital divide, we are partnering with the Municipality of Anchorage to offer a new program called Anchorage Online Bootcamp! The program will provide training, one-on-one support, website build out, branding/marketing consultation, and more to help business owners grow their digital literacy and move their businesses online. We are not accepting applications yet, but if you are a professional service provider in these categories and are interested in being involved, we want to hear from you! Business owners, stay tuned for more coming soon.
Throughout it all, one thing has been abundantly clear to us. None of this work is possible, pandemic or otherwise, without strong partnerships across our community. We are grateful every day for the SBDC and BuyAlaska groups, and for all who are coming together to keep their community strong. We encourage you to reach out to us at any time with ideas, suggestions, or anything that strikes you, and we look forward to continuing this work with all of you in 2021!
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Celebrating Black History Month |
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February is Black History Month - a time to recognize important people and events in black history, and to celebrate and support our black neighbors and businesses. We found a few resources to get you started learning more about Black History Month.
The Alaska Black Business Directory is where you need to go to learn about all the events taking place here in Alaska during Black History Month and to find and shop from Black-Owned Businesses.
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In Business for Alaska Businesses |
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Edible Alaska Offers Advertising Discounts to BuyAlaska Members |
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Edible Alaska is pleased to offer a 10% discount on the first ad purchased by BuyAlaska members listed in the business directory. Offer expires August 9, 2021. For more details, and to become an Edible Alaska partner, contact an advertising representative.
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BuyAlaska Directory Growing to be Alaska's Resource for Shopping Small! |
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Over 300 businesses have created a listing for their business and are now searchable to anyone looking to shop Alaskan-owned.
Is your business listed yet?
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Alaska Small Business Development Center Offers a PPP Walkthrough |
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The Alaska Small Business Development Center has put together a step-by-step walkthrough of the PPP application for both the first and second draw opportunities.
Once you register, the link will take you to the COVID-19 Information Channel where you will find this video. Topics included being:
- A brief overview of the changes to the PPP
- Eligibility requirements
- The difference between the 1st and 2nd draws
- A walkthrough of each application
- Helpful hints and term definitions
- An overview on calculating payroll costs and determining gross receipts
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"ISO": What and How with the Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership |
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The Alaska MEP will be offering a free webinar on ISO this month, Feb. 11 from 11-12.
The host, Melodi Nelson, a management system consultant, trainer, and registered IRCA ISO auditor with Cavendish Scott will be presenting an overview of all essential aspects of the subject of ISO (International Organization for Standardization). The webinar will cover the different types of ISO and their typical reasons for adoption as well as the benefits and the different approaches to achieving certification and the certification process. It additionally includes an overview of costs and options and presents common errors. Attendees should expect to understand everything they need to be able to make decisions regarding ISO. There will be a thirty-minute Q&A held after the presentation. Register online at, alaska-mep.com/webinars.
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Be a Part of the BuyAlaska Discount Club |
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Interested in providing discounts to other BuyAlaska members?
Give us the details and let's work together!
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Join the Seward Chamber of Commerce for their Shop Seward promotion. Spend $200 throughout any participating Seward Chamber of Commerce businesses from February 11 to February 16, 2021, and you’ll receive four $25 (totaling $100) vouchers to participating businesses or nonprofits of your choice.
Submit $200 of receipts for non-essential, or discretionary, items, like a new piece of art or dinner downtown, and tell us where you’d like your four vouchers to be made out to.
You can submit as many receipts as necessary to reach the $200.
Not in town President’s Day weekend? Make your purchases and submit your receipts online, we’ll mail your vouchers.
Businesses wishing to participate can find more information and sign-up forms at seward.com/shopseward. For shoppers, a full list of participating businesses will be updated as the event approaches.
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Fairbanks First: Think Local Program Gearing Up to Support Small |
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2010: Simon Cowell is leaving American Idol, Apple is releasing the first iPad, and Fairbanks Economic Development Corporation is performing an economic analysis on shopping local. This analysis found that shifting 10% of household expenditures from outside the Fairbanks North Star Borough to within would inject $376 Million into the local economy.
Fairbanks First: Think Local is a program inspired by this analysis and encourages those in the FNSB to buy local and support local businesses. Fairbanks First maintains relationships with local businesses and assists them with information and resources as needed. Its largest event is Moose on the Loose; a scavenger hunt with Mortimer, the Fairbanks First mascot, throughout the town. Its newest project addition is a weekly spotlight called the Fairbanks Northern Light, highlighting great local venues and experiences.
Check out what Fairbanks First is doing now on their Facebook page, and don’t forget to Think Local.
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Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition Creating a Path Forward for Alaska |
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The Fairbanks Climate Action Coalition (FCAC), organizes Fairbanks & Interior Alaska communities toward action to mitigate and adapt to climate change. We elevate climate solutions and foster a fair, equitable, & just transition to sustainable communities. FCAC creates space for the many types of change we need to shift our communities away from an old paradigm of pollution, extraction, colonialism, and inequality. As we transition, we center values of community resilience, justice, and democracy calling on Indigenous knowledge and innovation to move forward. With these as guiding principles, we create a path forward for Alaska, building a more sustainable economy and society.
The FCAC Regenerative Economies Working Group is (one of five FCAC working groups) keen to spotlight businesses in the BuyAlaska Network that are putting theory into practice across the state by operating in alignment with ecological systems and social values. We are Alaskans creating long-term, meaningful jobs for Alaskans that sustain our communities, lands, and ways of life. We capitalize on our strengths to diversify our economy and leverage our resourcefulness to grow resilient Alaskan-owned businesses.
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1 Million Cups: Lean Alaska with Phil Ranck CEO/Founder/Instructor |
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Phil Ranck, CEO, Founder, and Instructor of Lean Alaska will be presenting at One Million Cups, February 24. Lean Alaska is a process improvement training/consulting company located in Wasilla. Lean Alaska has developed a fused methodology with Lean Six Sigma as the core and it is combined with design thinking and change management.
Lean Alaska provides training and consulting for process improvement. Reducing waste and variation in processes and maximizing efficiency and profit margins. Lean Alaska provides assistance for professional development to businesses (both small and large) looking to improve culture, the efficiency of the team, and the effectiveness of the organization. Learn more about Lean Alaska online, leanalaska.com.
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Where to Shop Local This Valentine's Day |
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How to Get Involved with BuyAlaska
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BuyAlaska is a multi-stakeholder initiative housed by the Alaska Small Business Development Center. We welcome all input in finding ways to elevate our economy.
Sign up as a member on www.buyalaska.com and we’ll email you when we have news, updates, and opportunities to support local businesses. Share the link with your networks and help us get ‘The Buzz’ out about the benefits of buying local!
Alaska’s small businesses deserve a lot of love and we want to share with the world how great they are. Follow us on BuyAlaska social media channels and get in on the conversation.
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The BuyAlaska Program is a multi-stakeholder and statewide initiative housed by the Alaska Small Business Development Center (Alaska SBDC) under the UAA Business Enterprise Institute (BEI) and partially funded by the Small Business Administration (SBA) |
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