Session Priorities In Action: Meet With Lawmakers To Share What’s Important To Your Business

Make your voice heard! Each year, real business people like you – who create jobs and economic prosperity across Minnesota – descend on St. Paul to rally for pro-growth policies. It’s especially vital for lawmakers to hear from the business community this year, as they make critical decisions on helping or hindering our economy’s recovery from COVID-19. This year is a completely virtual, multi-day event to fit your schedule. You are welcome to join any or all of the programming during the week of March 1 – 4. Join to hear a priority topic or favorite speaker. Click here to register.

Action Alert: Contact Legislators To Urge PPP Tax Fix For Small Businesses

The federal CARES Act established the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for small businesses suffering losses from the COVID-19 pandemic. If PPP loan proceeds are used for qualifying costs and 60% of the loan proceeds are used for payroll costs, then the federal government will forgive the loan. Unless Minnesota conforms to federal tax law, these forgivable loans will be taxed in Minnesota. Contact your legislators and Governor Walz to urge them to conform to federal PPP tax loan forgiveness and allow deductibility of expenses on Minnesota income tax returns. 

Learn about Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline and how it can help your company meet its workforce needs. Workforce Community Conversation attendees are invited to share their unique workforce challenges and successes, network with other business leaders, and learn about the Minnesota Dual-Training Pipeline, an innovative approach to address current and future workforce needs through employment-based dual training.

View the program flyer.

Register for the event.

Join the SBA Minnesota District Office to get up-to-date information on the Paycheck Protection Program forgiveness application and process. During this webinar, they will walk you through the forgiveness application process and give you tips on how to work more successfully with your SBA lender to maximize PPP loan forgiveness for your business. A Q&A session will follow the presentation. Click here to register.

Take a look at training opportunities and business resources available through the SBA's Minnesota District Office and their partners.

The Shakopee Chamber and Visitors Bureau has purchased the Smith Travel Research (STR) report on hotel consumption trends for Shakopee. This report will help show past and current trends of the hotel performance in Shakopee. We will share this report monthly once we receive it. View the December 2020 report here.

There have been discussions taking place all around the Twin Cities about capping the fees that third-party food delivery services such as DoorDash, BiteSquad, and GrubHub are charging restaurants. Those fees can climb well into the double-digits, taking restaurants by surprise at a time when providing take-out may be their only option. Member restaurants, what do you think about this? Please email Tim Zunker at the Chamber to share any thoughts, ideas, or concerns.

Setting and accomplishing goals can be tougher than it sounds, whether you work with your significant other or not. Listen to this recent podcast with Erik and Gina Therwanger, owners of Think GREAT, as they share tips on how to grow in love and business and how goal setting has always been at the core of what they do. Featured on “Mixing Business with Pleasure,” Erik and Gina share personal insights into their inspiring journey through challenging times and how together they created a worldwide people movement by helping others think and act like leaders. Click here for the podcast.

Rahr Malting, a long-standing pillar of the Shakopee community (and longtime member and supporter of the Shakopee Chamber), was recently featured in the Shakopee Valley News. Not only is Rahr a world-wide leader in malt creation and innovation, it is also a staunch supporter of Shakopee's growth and development.

Read the article to learn more about Rahr and why it's a Shakopee icon.

That's right! O'Brien's Public House is celebrating FIVE YEARS of being open in Downtown Shakopee this February! $5 drink specials ALL MONTH! $5 food specials ALL MONTH! And our BIGGEST BASH yet on February 20, 2021, to say thank you to all our loyal customers. We can't wait to celebrate with you!

Miss the Chamber's Annual Meeting last week? Click here to watch it on YouTube. Hear from Congresswoman Angie Craig, learn what's going on at Xcel Energy, listen to messages from both the Chamber's outgoing Chair, Shane Hofmann, and our new Chair for 2021, Chad Peterson, and find out what exciting initiatives the Chamber has planned for the new year.

Leadership 2.0 is a customized program built on investing in leaders with a leadership curriculum rooted in application and results. We all know the stronger our leaders in times of plenty and in times of want, the stronger our businesses and organizations. This program promises to equip leaders in a meaningful way. Click here to register. All sessions will be facilitated by Scott Morell, EdD – President and & Consultant with Rebar Leadership.

While Southern Valley Alliance assists all victims of domestic abuse in Scott and Carver counties, it is important to highlight the prevalence and impact of dating violence on teens during the month of February. Nationally, February is acknowledged as Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. According to the organization Love Is Respect, 1 in 10 high school students has experienced physical abuse from a dating partner. We would like to think it doesn’t happen in our community, but the truth is that domestic violence happens everywhere. Last year, Southern Valley Alliance assisted 1,587 victim-survivors within our community. Click here to learn more about Southern Valley Alliance and the services they provide.

For more information about the Diaper Drive, contact the Shakopee Police Department at 952-233-9400. Click here to find out more about Shakopee Community Assistance.

Discount Cards are now just $10 each, feature over $100 in savings, and can be used over and over again - through 5/31/21!