Saturday, April 5th marked the first Athens Farmers Market vendor appearance for ACEnet Food Ventures tenants, Hei Hei and Flour & Thyme!

Based in Athens, Hei Hei, pronounced like Hey Hey, makes delicious (frozen) dumplings with the finest ingredients in the ACEnet Food Ventures kitchen. The brand was founded by Irene Kim Chin Vincent and her husband Kurt Vincent, and they've been making dumplings at ACEnet since March 2024. They debuted their handmade dumplings with a variety of fillings: Veggie, Pork & Veggie, Ramp & Pork (seasonal), and Ramp & Veggie (seasonal). Make sure you visit Hei Hei early, most of their dumplings sold out last weekend!

Not sure how to prepare your dumplings when you get home? Check out Hei Hei Time, an instructional video on their website! You can find them at the Athens Farmers Market on Wednesdays & Saturdays, and Hei Hei will be also be doing local delivery and adding local retailers in the near future.

Flour & Thyme is an Athens micro bakery specializing in custom cakes and pastries featuring local, seasonal & floral flavors. Just a few of the items on Flour & Thyme's first Athens Farmers Market menu included Danishes (Ricotta Ramp & Strawberry Rhubarb Oat Crumble), Blackberry Apple Galettes, Bacon Jalapeno Cheddar Buns, and slices of Passionfruit Guava Funfetti Cake!

Along with at the Athens Farmers Market, you can also find their mini cakes at Kindred Market, and ACEnet is excited to announce that Flour & Thyme will be providing a variety of breakfast pastries for our upcoming Women in Business Conference!

Some more exciting news from the ACEnet Food Ventures world: A big congratulations to Dr. May's Thai Kitchen!

This Friday (4/12) will be the DMTK Storefront & Food Truck Park Grand Opening from 5-8pm at 333 E State Street in Athens (official ribbon cutting with the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce starts at 4pm).

Welcome drink and free samples while supplies last, with door prizes for those wearing Thailand-inspired costumes!

Already have plans for Friday evening? Fortunately, you can stop by on Saturday (4/13) from 12pm-8pm!

Cameron Shasteen joined the ACEnet staff in 2023 as Business Counseling Specialist. Cameron meets with ACEnet clients in small groups, or 1–on–1, to discuss their business and identify areas for support. He works 1–on–1 with clients to assist them with the development of feasibility studies, market research, financial management plans, and all related business plan needs for regulatory, legal and employer compliances.

Cameron delivers workshops and webinars to increase knowledge of effective business practices, and also is the lead in ACEnet's IDA Program mentioned in this newsletter.

Cameron moved to Athens in 2021. He is knowledgeable in mushroom farming and foraging, values sustainability, and loves to bike around the area and take in all the beauty. Cameron is actively pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, and is looking forward to applying his growing expertise in helping clients achieve success with their businesses.

ACEnet tenant, Athens Ki-Aikido is offering a special intro class on Sunday, April 21st from 5pm - 7:30pm so people can experience the Ki-Aikido approach to Defending yourself without falling into fighting mind.

Ki-Aikido is built on a foundation of Ki/MBO (Energy/Mind-Body Oneness) so that will be covered as well.

Come yourself and bring a friend! Wear clothes you can move easily in; be ready to be barefoot.

Athens Ki-Aikido is not for profit, so the class fee will go to pay rent. In fact, all the income goes to the rent and such operating costs. If you can't afford it, reach out to Stan Haehl Sensei at KiAikidoAthensOH@gmail.com or 740-590-7392.

If you can't make this intro class, you're invited to go to any regularly scheduled class. The dojo is located on ACEnet's campus at 94 Columbus Road, inside Building A. You can view the schedule here: Athens Ki-Aikido Schedule

Developing partnerships across the supply chain and between urban and rural communities leads to more resilient food systems.

At the U.S. Department of Agriculture 100th Annual Agricultural Outlook Forum Program in February, ACEnet’s Director of Programs, Leslie Schaller, had the honor of presenting Technical Assistance for Improving Rural Market Access during the Building Collaborative Urban-Rural Networks for Market Access session.

This session highlighted how small-scale rural and urban producers and food businesses are working together to build capacity for innovation and increase market opportunities.

You can view slides from Leslie’s presentation (2/16 10am-11:30am) and other presentations from that day here: https://www.usda.gov/oce/ag-outlook-forum/2024-aof-program.

Locally owned & operated, full-service events management experience A-Roc Entertainment is opening a creative space with a podcast studio for rent soon! If you ever wanted to create a podcast telling your story, interviewing your friends, or promoting your business this is your opportunity. 

A-Roc also provides DJ services, Photo Booth rental, Audio Visual Production services, and even Trivia Night opportunities! Want your next live event to be virtual, or a hybrid of in-person & virtual? A-Roc has you covered.

ACEnet's 2024 IDA Program is supported by the Ohio CDC Association and Merchants National Bank Cares JumpStart Program. We are currently seeking additional financial institutions to partner with so we can expand this program into additional counties.

IDAs are matched savings accounts established in qualified financial institutions. Participants who make the required total in deposits by 9/30/2024 and complete the program steps below will receive $2,000.00, plus an additional $1,000 from Merchants National Bank (total: $3,000) to be deposited into their IDA accounts to use for their businesses.

In order to qualify, participants must meet the following requirements:

• Be a resident of & have their business located in Athens County
• Be an ACEnet client
• Have a relationship with ACEnet
• Income must be 200% or below federal poverty guidelines (see chart)
• Have a net worth less than $10,000
• One house and one vehicle may be deducted from total net worth
• Have proof of earned income

Accounts must be opened by June 30th, 2024, and we only have room in the program for 5 participants. Contact ACEnet Business Counseling Specialist, Cameron Shasteen at CameronS@acenetworks.org to see if you qualify. Please feel free to share this with an entrepreneur you think may be interested.

You can find a recap of our 2023 IDA program here: https://acenetworks.org/community-updates/entrepreneurs-build-assets/

ACEnet’s free Women in Business Conference, with Merchants National Bank, is returning on Friday, May 17th from 8am-3pm at The Lodge at Hocking College in Nelsonville! This event will unite women entrepreneurs in all stages of business development for a one day conference that will focus on professional development, personal development, networking with other women who own and operate small businesses, and connecting to small business resources. This conference is an asset to any woman, in any stage of business development.

Sneak peek at this year’s conference:

Andrea Wilkes, Regional Director of MBAC & Shaundretta Boykins, Ohio Department of Development's Manager of Business Development and Entrepreneurship, Minority Business Development Division (MBDD) will be joining us!

The “We Did It, So Can You” panel returns! This an opportunity to hear from some remarkable women business owners in our community and learn how they came to be where they are today. Stay tuned for more details!

Our Women in Business Trade Show will also be returning to offer resources to your small business! Representatives from Merchants National Bank, MBAC & MBDD, Unified Bank, and more will be joining us.

Conference registration opens Monday, April 15th, stay tuned for details!

ACEnet attended the "Going Up" Ground Breaking Celebration at Tecumseh Theater in Shawnee, Ohio on Thursday, March 28th. The ceremony kicked off the start of renovations on the 2nd floor of the theater, including a new elevator column, restrooms, HVAC, and sprinklers. An opening ceremony recognized and honored those who have kept the Theater, and its ongoing programs, alive and thriving.

Representatives from Sunday Creek Associates, Buckeye Trail, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources spoke. Refreshments and desserts were provided by Will's Diner, a new restaurant opening soon in Corning. The ceremony concluded with the raising of a "Going Up" sign on the outside of the Theater, a tour of the 2nd-floor Theater, and a guided hike around Tecumseh Lake. To learn more about the history of Tecumseh Theater, its current programs, and ongoing renovations, visit www.tecumsehtheater.org. 

Looking to make new connections in the Athens business community while having fun? This is your event! Exclusive to members of the Athens Chamber, April Business After Hours will feature both regular networking as well as a structured speed networking activity for those who register to participate.

The speed networking will be a fun, quick activity that will last approximately 30 minutes and have you meeting at least 7 new people. And don’t worry if you never know what to say or how to end a conversation – the AACC will provide participants with a cheat sheet filled with questions and a basic outline for how each conversation should flow, and each conversation will last just a few short minutes!

Due to space limitations, they request that you register to participate in the speed networking activity. Get your business cards ready and register here! Walk-ins will only be able to participate if space allows. Event takes place April 18th, 5pm - 7pm at West End Cider House.

Your support helps us provide 1-1 training and assistance to entrepreneurs, in all sectors, on a daily basis on everything from business planning & financial management to brand development and marketing. Your support also helps us provide our Food & Farm entrepreneurs with the space and equipment they need to grow their businesses.

You can support us when you shop at Kroger by participating in the Kroger Community Rewards program! By designating “ACE NET” (the space in the middle is necessary) as the recipient of your Community Rewards points, Kroger will contribute a portion of the proceeds to ACEnet.

More info & sign up here: https://www.kroger.com/i/community/community-rewards