Focus on Calumet
A bi-weekly update on economic development opportunities in Calumet County
and the region for businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities.
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Monday, November 16, 2020 |
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Small Business Saturday: Eight Tips for Small Businesses |
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Small Business Saturday falls on November 28 this year. It’s an international program started by American Express that encourages shopping at small businesses and has been growing since 2010. The importance of supporting small businesses is even more relevant this year. Covid-19 has ravaged the economy and has left the world in a state of crisis. Supporting initiatives like this will be the starting point for rebuilding our economy, on a local, community, and statewide level.
Preparing your company, employees, and your website for Small Business Saturday should be at the forefront of your mind in the coming weeks. You should already be thinking about preparing content to improve your site’s traffic leading up to the day.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some different tips for your small business, to help you increase your exposure, leads, and sales. We’ll also take a look at Covid-19’s impact on small businesses and why it is important to shop small now more than ever.
What is Small Business Saturday?
As alluded to above, Small Business Saturday (SBS) is an initiative created by Amex to help encourage consumers to shop small and help out local businesses. The hashtag #ShopSmall has been growing since the inception of SBS in 2010.
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How COVID-19 is Hitting the Reset Button on the Global Economy and Property
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Recessions create stress. Stress on businesses, households, and entire industries. As demand for goods and services declines, how these businesses, households and industries react can have a direct impact on property across the globe.
If there was ever a recession that could cause stress, it is the COVID-19 Recession of 2020. Not only is it unlike any downturn we have seen before, but it already has the distinction of being the worst contraction in history. The U.S. collapsed at a 31.7 percent annual rate in the second quarter of 2020 and the economy lost more than 20 million jobs in one month as schools, stores, restaurants, hotels, theaters. and other places people congregate were closed. These changes are impacting properties across the globe. Whether they are winners, losers, or somewhere in between, major and/or niche property types are sure to provide opportunities for occupiers and investors during this recession and well into the recovery.
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New North Inc. Announces ‘New North Hires Heroes’ Talent Initiative |
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On Veterans Day, New North Inc., the regional marketing and economic development corporation for the 18 counties of Northeast Wisconsin, announced the advent of a new talent initiative for the region centered around military veterans: New North Hires Heroes.
New North has partnered on the program with Mission Wisconsin, an organization dedicated to helping Wisconsin employers connect with transitioning service members, family members, and veterans through direct interaction with them. A supporter of Mission Wisconsin from its start, New North recently signed a contract with the company to focus specifically on military employment connections with businesses in the New North region and to promote living and working in Northeast Wisconsin.
“We realize that our military men and women are incredibly trained and talented and possess strong technology skills,” says Barb LaMue, president and CEO of New North Inc. “We also know that when they decide to leave the military, the U.S. Government will pay for one last move. We feel that move should be to Northeast Wisconsin.”
“Mission Wisconsin is proud to form a strategic partnership with New North Inc. to provide a talent pipeline to veteran- and military spouse-owned businesses with a focus on employers with less than 50 employees in the New North region,” says Steven Janke, Mission Wisconsin founder. “Over the course of the next year, Mission Wisconsin will provide a source of transitioning service member, military spouse, and veteran talent to those employers by attending career summits hosted by the ‘Hiring Our Heroes’ initiative of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. New North also will be engaged in helping to connect these services with larger employers in the region.
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Energy Innovation Grant Program Can Support Manufacturers |
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The Pubic Service Commission of Wisconsin has made available the Energy Innovation Grant Program to help manufacturers who are planning to deploy technology to reduce their energy consumption, invest in renewable energy related initiatives, or bolster their preparedness and resiliency in energy systems. The application deadline is January 2021. |
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LISC-Lowe’s Offering Rural Relief Small Business Grants |
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As part of their continuing commitment to elevate impact in rural America, LISC is inviting small business owners in rural locations across the country to apply for the LISC-Lowe's Rural Relief Small Business Grants program. The program is currently available only to small businesses located in rural communities defined as having a population of 50,000 or less. A community is defined as the city/town/village where the business address is located. All potential applicants are encouraged to review the LISC FAQ and grant information before applying.
Applications are being accepted in “rounds” with a new application submitted for each round in order to be considered for funding in that round. Below are the dates of upcoming rounds:
- November 26 - December 2, 2020
- December 29, 2020 - January 5, 2021
- January 26 - February 2, 2021
The funds will support small businesses and enterprises affected by Covid-19 across the country, especially those in underserved communities, including entrepreneurs of color, women- and veteran-owned businesses that often lack access to flexible, affordable capital. Applications will be reviewed based on criteria designed to prioritize particularly challenged businesses, and the final grantees will be randomly selected from the top scoring applicants.
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WI Fast Forward Worker Training Grants Available from DWD |
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Grant offerings have been redesigned into a single grant opportunity, "Industry Sectors Worker Training Grants” to help fund the development of innovative and collaborative customized worker training programs that target unemployed, underemployed, and incumbent workers.
Key features of this grant program:
- Grants are available to all industry sectors and companies of any size;
- Grant award amounts may range from $5,000 to $400,000;
- Cash or in-kind match equal to 50% of the grant award amount is required;
- Grantees must complete the training of at least 85% of the contracted number of trainees; and
- At least 65% of trainees must be placed in positions that require the skills taught in the funded training, at the placement partner(s) identified in the grant application.
For more information and to apply, please see the Grant Program Announcement summarizing program requirements. Applications are due Monday, November 30, 2020, by 3:00 pm CST.
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SBA PPP Loan Forgiveness Update |
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Businesses that applied for a small loan through the Paycheck Protection Program take note. The SBA has created a fact sheet with updated information on PPP Loan Forgiveness to simplify the application process. Recently, the SBA introduced a simplified PPP Forgiveness application, the 3508S, for those small businesses that have a PPP of $50,000 or less. This new form requires less calculations than the other two forms, the 3508EZ and 3508.
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Calumet County Business Assistance |
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Ray York of the Small Business Development Center serves Calumet County with business assistance to existing and start-up businesses throughout the county. Small Business Development Center services are available at no cost to businesses. Ray’s goal is to provide opportunity to clients by guiding them to make informed decisions to start, expand, or transition their business. He can be reached by phone at 920-946-9379 or email. |
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Department of Natural Resources Sustainability and Business Support |
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The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) Sustainability and Business Support Program released its 2020 report highlighting the DNR’s free, non-regulatory services that support Wisconsin’s business community in enhancing sustainable environmental practices that support the state’s economic engine while ensuring a healthy and robust environment.
The report explains the tools available to Wisconsin’s business community no matter where they are on their environmental path. Readers will learn about DNR’s non-regulatory Small Business Environmental Assistance staff and how they help businesses start-up and expand. Within the report, business experts speak on how the revamped Enviro-Check program helps customers evaluate their operations to manage compliance risks.
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Amid all the conjecture about how holiday shoppers will and won't behave this year, Nielsen is out with its take on the situation and five key shopper segments that will impact results.
The USDA is giving holiday food shoppers a different sort of gift by expanding its online SNAP pilot program to increase access to a growing number of independent grocers.
Casey's General Stores was already among the nation's fastest growing convenience retailers and now it has acquired a company that operates nearly 100 stores throughout the Midwest.
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Cottages at High Cliff One Step Closer to Construction |
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The Cottages at High Cliff development has received final approval from the Sherwood Plan Commission and the Sherwood Village Board, so this development now moves to the construction stages. The first step will be to construct the proposed private road on the property.
The Cottages at High Cliff is a division of Drive Fore Success, LLC. The development is anticipated to include 22 duplexes on High Cliff Golf Course in Sherwood as an age 55 and over, Private Unit Development. |
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Renn Farm Development Moving Ahead in Harrison |
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Development of the Renn Farm can move forward after the Harrison Village Board accepted a municipal agreement with Appleton, transferring from the City of Appleton to Harrison the applicable roads in the Renn Farm area. Appleton had annexed the roads, along with adjacent properties from 1993 to 2009, and installed sewer and water service along the roads. In a negotiated agreement, the two municipalities agreed to have Appleton provide sewer and water service through the existing infrastructure to the property. The village will pay half of the city’s infrastructure costs, or $684,591, in six installments.
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Life Coach Opens Business in New Holstein |
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Connie Krupp has opened a new business
in New Holstein—Wellness4life— located in The Refinery Wellness Center above Lilybee Flowers.
Krupp worked at the Department of Human Services of Calumet County as a social worker and access supervisor. She also taught both face-to-face and online courses at Moraine Park Technical College in the social work and business areas.
She has a Bachelor’s in Social Work
degree from Lakeland College and a
Master’s of Business Administration
from Marian University.
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Connie Krupp (front, center) and her new business—Wellness4life Coaching—was welcomed to the New Holstein business
community by New Holstein Area Chamber of Commerce board members Phil Kubichka (front, left) and Sonny Schaar (front, right); and (back, from left) Mark Sherry, Dave Amel, Deneen Mueller, Brandon Schrage, and Madelyn Process.
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She owned KT&C where she wrote courses and curriculum for colleges and businesses
around the U.S. Recently, Krupp became a licensed health and life coach. She is offering online courses, providing individual coaching via phone or Zoom, and in partnership with The Refinery Wellness Center in New Holstein is offering workshops on health and wellness.
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NH Economic Development Corporation Seeks Board Members |
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The New Holstein Economic Development Corporation currently has two openings on its Board of Directors. Directors are elected from the membership of the local Economic Development Corporation. Any individual or business can belong to the EDC for a $50 membership fee and new members are welcome. Meetings usually take place on the 4th Wednesday of each month. For more information contact Jon Weir at 920-286-3300 or visit www.nhedc.com.
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Export Pro Series Session 2 – Global Business Opportunities Abound for Wisconsin Companies – December 1
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Attend this no-cost webinar to learn how to:
- Obtain customized country and industry-specific market intelligence for your company
- Develop an export growth plan for your product/s in target markets
- Identify and connect with new prospective partners overseas
- Tap into grant funds to help your company grow and expand internationally
- Access Wisconsin’s export ecosystem
Join Chad Hoffman, the SBDC’s lead international trade consultant for the Go Global Initiative and Brad E. Schneider CGBP, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation's Market Development Director for Americas & Australia to help you become an Export Pro!
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Fox Cities Operational Excellence Presents ... Virtual Lean Coffee |
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Virtual Lean Coffee is a structured, but agenda-less complimentary meeting. This virtual session will focus on the real-time interests and questions around Lean and Continuous Improvement.
December 9, 2020 | 8:30-10:00 am
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Explore Starting a Business
December 9, 2020
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Work for Yourself at 50+
December 10, 2020
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Join us virtually every Wednesday!
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Calumet County Community Economic Development contact information:
Mary Kohrell, Community Economic Development Director
Connie Leonhard, Program Assistant
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