The Shakopee Chamber has two tables reserved for this event. If you are interested in attending, please contact Tim Zunker, Chamber President, at 952-445-1660 or tzunker@shakopee.org.

January 12 - Is Owning a Business a Good Fit for You? Register

January 19 - Planning for a Healthy Business Register

January 26 - Banking Services Register

February 2 - Organizational Types Register

February 9 - Time Management Register

February 16 - Financial Management Register

February 23 - Record Keeping Register

Additional sessions are scheduled for March and April. Watch for more info.

The City of Shakopee is proud of its historic downtown and other commercial areas and would like to encourage property owners to maintain and invest in their properties to preserve them as profitable businesses and attractive destinations for years to come. The Façade Improvement Loan Program allows businesses to apply for a forgivable loan from the city for exterior building improvements. Awarding of loans is dependent upon availability of funding. Click here for the application.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is offering Environmental Assistance grants for projects working to expand waste reduction and reuse, rental, and repair efforts around the state. These strategies have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants, reduce the demand for resource extraction, and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. By extending the useful life of existing materials and strengthening trained skillsets in repair, reuse also supports the local economy and increases access to products and services. Approximately $119,000 is available to Minnesota not-for-profit organizations, businesses, institutions, political subdivisions of the state, state agencies, and tribal governments. Click here for information on eligibility, grant match amounts, and details for applying. The application deadline is January 5, 2022.

Explore Minnesota partnered with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and Hospitality Minnesota to conduct a fall 2021 Minnesota tourism business conditions survey. It was conducted November 29 – December 7 and received 255 responses. To summarize, travel activity and recovery continued in fall 2021 but the industry has not achieved 2019 business stability or level. The survey found that the trend of positive financial health continues at a slower pace, business sectors are recovering at different rates, and regions of Minnesota are at different levels of recovery. Read the report in its entirety.

DECA is an international association of students preparing for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, merchandising, management, and entrepreneurship. The organization strives to provide its students with opportunities to develop college and career readiness tools through its program of competitive events. DECA District III is comprised of 9 schools and over 400 student competitors; the Shakopee DECA chapter is in its 5th year and currently has 100 members, making it one of the larger chapters in the district! Shakopee DECA needs to provide judges for the District III Career Development Conference on January 9, 2022. Click here for more information or email Callon Siebenahler, Shakopee High School Business Teacher and DECA Advisor.

The Shakopee CAPS Internship Program provides students with the opportunity to gain real world, hands-on work experience in a professional work environment related to their academic and career interests. The program also provides employers an opportunity to guide and evaluate future talent. Is your business able to provide an internship opportunity? Here is a video to give you an overview of the CAPS Internship experience, or take a look at the Shakopee CAPS Internship Guide for more detailed information.

Memorial Blood Centers has a dangerously low blood supply, especially type O negative and type B negative. Help ensure blood is available for patients in need and schedule your donation now.

Get visibility for your business, support the Chamber, and help us kick-off a year of great events and programming! Check out the variety of sponsorships available.

This special luncheon will include a recap of our past year and accomplishments. We will also announce two 2021 Member Business of the Year award winners!

This month's luncheon will feature guest speaker Alex Mueller, an attorney with Hellmuth & Johnson who makes legal subjects tangible for businesses.