A Note from the Executive Sponsor |
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Summers in Alaska always seem to go so fast but this summer seemed like it was over particularly quick! As we head into the fall season (my favorite time of year!) I want to take a minute to encourage all of you to make one last stop at your local farmer's market, take one more trip somewhere in the state to explore your backyard, catch one more fish or plan your fall hunt! Had enough of the great outdoors? Try a new restaurant or retail shop near you, buy some "Alaska-made" treats for your family in the Lower 48, or head out for a night on the town!
However you do it, I hope that all of you find a way to support local businesses and enjoy getting out and about after a long year of quarantines and lockdowns. Speaking of lockdowns, the Delta variant has arrived in Alaska and is hitting our communities hard. Several towns have reinstituted lockdowns similar to what was in place last winter and healthcare professionals are sounding the alarm statewide about capacity issues in our hospitals. The CDC also revised its guidance on masks to include vaccinated individuals. If we want to avoid more restrictions and shutdowns that would cripple our businesses right when they are starting to recover, we need everyone who is able to get the vaccine, wear your masks, and limit the risk of exposure to you and those around you. It's going to take all of us working together to get this new variant under control, but the sooner we do the sooner we get through this!
I hope that all of you have gotten to enjoy the sunshine, the amazing natural bounty, and the reopening businesses in your communities. I also hope that you have even more exciting adventures planned for the fall and winter. The tourists may not have figured it out yet, but Alaska is at its best when things get cold. From skiing to dogsledding, aurora borealis watching to ice fishing, I hope that all of you get the chance to explore this amazing state and the businesses that make our communities so special all year round.
Sincerely,
Jon Bittner
Alaska SBDC Executive Director
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Thinking Local this August |
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Alaska businesses are conscious of serving our great state, and even more in line with values of sustainability, keeping a small footprint, and promoting self-sustaining products and services that serve Alaskans. This month we're putting the spotlight on these superstar Alaska businesses that are thriving with sustainability. Follow along with us on social media as we highlight our green retail, food and beverage, agriculture/forestry/fishing/hunting, eco-tourism, and waste management businesses throughout Alaska, and visit the page below to explore more. |
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August Local First Tip of the Month |
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Plan to eat Alaska foods that are in season.
Buying foods produced in Alaska means you drive more money to Alaska farmers and boost our state's economy. 95% of the food we purchase is imported, and Alaskans spend more than $1.9 billion every year on food sourced from out of state. Through both individual and collective action, we can put more of those dollars into the pockets of Alaskans.
Plan to eat Alaska foods that are in season this August, and you are supporting Alaska farmers, Alaska's economy, and food security in Alaska.
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Find Exclusive Discounts on our Locals Page |
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Anchorage Downtown Partnership Ltd. (ADP), brings you the ANC Market Social – a weekly outdoor market/street fair “By Locals, For Locals.”
The market will be located in beautiful downtown Anchorage on E Street between 5th and 6th Avenue and Town Square Park weekly on Sundays, 11:00 am to 5:00 pm from July 18th through September 26th.
ANC Market Social is a unique collaboration with local makers, artisans, growers, and downtown vendors curated to boost the local economy and bring folks back to our city center. Enjoy live music, local vendor booths, and much more!
Vendors that sell Alaskan hand-made, locally hand-crafted, or homegrown produce can apply
for a space in the market here.
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Spruce Root Path to Prosperity Regenerative Business Finalists Announced |
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Path to Prosperity is an annual business development competition for businesses with a positive economic, environmental, and community impact on Southeast Alaska. Businesses are judged based on their feasibility and their contributions to community development.
This year’s competition cycle has prioritized 'Regenerative Businesses' that uplift their environments and communities by modeling their business operations in a way that benefits people, planet, and place.
Each of these businesses will be advancing to Round 2 of the competition and attending Spruce Root's Business Boot Camp from September 24-26th, 2021.
If you haven’t heard about these businesses yet, check them out!
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Learn IT skills with gener8tor Upskilling Anchorage |
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gener8tor, in partnership with the Municipality of Anchorage and the 49th State Angel Fund, is rolling out a new, FREE program, gener8tor Upskilling. Gener8tor Upskilling is a virtual program for Anchorage residents that will allow you to learn skills for and access in-demand job opportunities like a role in IT Help Desk!
As part of the program, you’ll learn about how to build a better resume or create one from scratch and prep for interviews while learning career-specific skills relating to IT Help Desk. You’ll also receive expert mentorship and job coaching, and participate in a job fair that will allow you to get back into the workforce or get a better-paying job.
The program lasts from August 30-October 22, 2021, and anyone can apply! Apply before August 22, 2021.
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Discover more than 600
Alaskan-owned businesses on the
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Fly Local to Remote Alaska this Summer |
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Rediscover Alaska and tour remote Alaskan restaurants, lodges, shops, galleries, and more - all open for business!
To help connect you to our remote communities, we have partnered with FlyLocal. FlyLocal allows you to explore & book flights to unique Alaskan destinations aboard local air carriers.
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The mission of BuyAlaska is to promote and elevate local businesses to better Alaska’s economy. We do that with YOU.
Please like, follow, share, and most importantly, interact with us.
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Programs for BuyAlaska Business Members |
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'Shoulder Season Steal' offers for BuyAlaska Members and Followers |
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This September, we will feature 'Shoulder Season Steals' for BuyAlaska members and our followers on social media.
If you would like to provide us with a discount to share for this 'Shoulder Season' campaign, please let us know by completing the form below!
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You can easily make an edit to your BuyAlaska Business Directory listing?
Editing your business listing is easy. If you would like to make an edit to your business listing at any time, follow these steps:
- Make sure you are logged in to the website (login through the Member's Page) using the login information that was used to create your Business Listing.
- Once logged in, use the BuyAlaska business directory to navigate to your Business Listing
- Scroll to the bottom of your listing profile and click the 'Edit Listing' button. (This option is unique to the user once they are logged in)
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Help Spruce Root Develop a Free Marketing Tool for SE Businesses |
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Do you or anyone you know own a Southeast Alaska-based business that serves tourists? Take a 10-minute Marketing Needs survey before Thursday, August 5th at 11:59 PM. Those who complete the survey will be entered into a drawing to win one of five $100 gift cards to local Southeast Alaskan businesses. Gift cards will be redeemable online or in person in the selected winners' community.
The responses collected will be used to build a FREE online marketing toolkit for small businesses in Southeast Alaska looking to improve their advertising strategies to attract travelers who are interested in meaningful and responsible visitor experiences.
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Promotional items are available for FREE!
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Do you know of an organization, event, or initiative worth mentioning in the 'BuyAlaska' Buzz? |
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We welcome all ideas for supporting Alaskan-owned businesses.
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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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