Thank you Sponsors! MarkeTech has a NEW Virtual Pass Option!

The annual MarkeTech Conference is still happening, and there is a NEW Virtual Pass option! The virtual pass is perfect for those who are still quarantining or who are far away. With the pass, you will receive access to the keynote presentations from the conference. 

“This virtual pass is a great option for those who can’t make the trip to Kearney. It allows us to expand our reach to a much greater audience than just the midwest,” said Jessie Harris, Director of Marketing and Business Development at GROW Nebraska®. “Our keynotes are extraordinary and we really wanted to be able to share their knowledge with many more small businesses. It will be exciting to see the analytics of attendees and how it differs from years prior as far as reach goes, and how many people this conference is impacting.”

GROW Nebraska would like to say a big thank you to our 2020 MarkeTech sponsors. These sponsors make it possible to offer high-quality professional training that is affordable and accessible to business owners and marketers across Nebraska and beyond.

A special thanks to lead sponsor, the Small Business Administration, and to Gold sponsors: the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (NIFA), the Nebraska Lottery, the Nebraska Enterprise Fund, and Wells Fargo; and to Silver sponsors are Eagle Communications, Huskeradio, and the Rural Enterprise Assistance Project.

Jill Marshall, marketing manager for the Nebraska Lottery, said MarkeTech allows the Nebraska Lottery to support Nebraska businesses in addition to its beneficiaries.

“It gives us a chance to get our name and message out to a diverse group of entrepreneurs who are also making a difference for Nebraska,” Marshall said. “Plus, we like to attend.”

The Nebraska Lottery has raised more than $759 million to support its beneficiaries. All 93 counties have had projects funded by beneficiary funds.

REAP (Rural Enterprise Assistance Project), another MarkeTech sponsor, provides free services to all Nebraskans to help entrepreneurs and small business owners start and grow successful businesses.

“Our goal is to secure a bright future for communities across the state,” said REAP Director Kim Preston.

REAP, a program of the Center for Rural Affairs, presents free business development and management training, including but not limited to Quick Books, business plan development and online marketing. They also provide personal, one-on-one assistance to entrepreneurs and business owners, and business loans up to $150,000 for working capital, equipment, inventory and more.

“MarkeTech offers an opportunity for REAP staff to connect with entrepreneurs that might not otherwise hear about our services,” Preston said. “MarkeTech also offers staff the chance to network with like-minded partners and providers to offer the best assistance to all Nebraska business owners.”

Preston said the REAP staff also attend MarkeTech and enjoy learning from the many professionals speaking on the “latest and greatest strategies for small business owners and entrepreneurs.”

Elizabeth Fimbres, communication and outreach manager for the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, said sponsoring MarkeTech creates brand awareness for NIFA and creates an opportunity for NIFA to connect with those who may benefit from NIFA’s services.

“Our biggest goal is to create new and stronger relationships with rural communities throughout the State of Nebraska,” Elizabeth said. “Being involved at the MarkeTech event will assist in connecting with a broad range of companies, employees and their customers who may benefit from NIFA programs.”

NIFA provides Nebraskans a broad range of financial resources for homeownership, rental housing, agriculture, manufacturing, medical and community development endeavors. NIFA also provides technical assistance for activities related to these areas, while preserving and growing the asset base used to provide these resources.

Jim Reiff, Executive Director of the Nebraska Enterprise Fund, said sponsoring MarkeTech allows his organization to be part of bringing a high-quality training opportunity to central Nebraska.

“Market Tech brings in cutting-edge speakers that can pass their knowledge onto attendees,” Reiff said. “The location adds value and brings in a new population that typically doesn’t have access to these types of trainings.”

The Nebraska Enterprise Fund is a private, non-profit organization that was formed in 1994 to support small and micro-business development. Microbusinesses include self-employed, start-up, home-based or other small businesses with ten or fewer employees.

Reiff said NEF has three main services: providing loans and capital to small businesses who may not yet qualify for a full bank loan, training (annually, NEF trains more than 1,300 business owners or potential business owners on everything from Quick Books to sales acceleration), and one-on-one coaching (2,500 sessions per year).

MarkeTech is an opportunity for NEF to reach potential clients, but more importantly, it’s an opportunity to learn.

“We believe in making training accessible to our small businesses across the state, and MarkeTech is a great way for people to receive training and coaching that is highly informative and dynamic,” Reiff said. “People leave the conference with something they can take home to their business and apply immediately, especially for the small business owners who can’t afford hundreds of dollars for trainings.”

Reiff said he and his staff are always impressed with what they learn at MarkeTech.

“We enjoy seeing what’s possible and seeing the new ideas,” Reiff said. “The keynote speakers are almost always at the top of their game and can bring a perspective that you don’t always get unless you come to MarkeTech. We are just proud to be part of the MarkeTech experience.”

Reiff said the conference is so valuable that NEF is organizing a bus trip to bring small business owners from Omaha and Lincoln to Kearney for the conference.

“The bus holds 40, and we are hoping to pack the bus,” Reiff said. “This is a chance for small business owners to see something new and different. If we can get 30-40 on a bus, that’s cheaper than driving 30 cars out to Kearney.”

There is still time to help Nebraska business owners GROW by becoming a sponsor for the 2020 MarkeTech Conference. For more information, visit https://marketechconference.com/sponsor/

Early bird registration for the conference ends on March 20. The price is $99 for a half-day and $199 for the entire day for non-GROW members and $59 for GROW Nebraska members. The registration fee includes breakfast and lunch and full conference registration, including two breakout sessions, the keynote speaker, chances to network, conference swag and the VIP After Party at McCue’s Nebraska Taproom in Kearney. To register, visit marketechconference.com/registration