Success Stories
Cedar Hollow Ham’s Awarded the 2023 Russ’s Market Best Local Product
This year another lucky business got to walk away with Russ’s Market Nebraska Best Local Product Award. This award has been going on for seven years now, but this year GROW Nebraska was honored to help present Cedar Hollow Ham’s as the winner. Cedar Hollow Ham’s is based out of Lincoln, Nebraska and was without a doubt the right choice for the award.
Things to do as a first-time attendee at the MarkeTech Conference
Is this your first time attending MarkeTech 2023? Let us help you gear up for the best conference in the midwest!! We’ve compiled some tips so you can be prepared to engage, learn, and network!
Top 3 Reasons to Attend MarkeTech
On the fence about joining us at MarkeTech 2023? This event will be bigger and better than ever and we’ve come up with some pretty good reasons why you should join us!
Convince the Boss – MarkeTech 2023
MarkeTech 2023 is on your agenda, but it may not be on the forefront of your boss’s. Convincing your boss may be easier than you think! We’ve compiled tools and resources to make the sale and convince them to allow you to attend.
Ten Things Your Partner Needs This Valentine’s Day From The Buy Nebraska Store
Every Valentine has a special place in your heart, whether it’s your best friend, your family, a loved one, or maybe even a combination of all of those! We have you covered with some fun Nebraska based business gift ideas!
GROW Nebraska Foundation Welcomes New Board Member Marcia White
GROW Nebraska is excited to announce a new board member inductee Marcia White. Marcia is a native Nebraskan and grew up here most of her life with a couple out of the country exceptions.
GROW Nebraska Member Expands Waffle Business to University of Nebraska Lincoln
GROW Nebraska member, Chef Bob Haney, who you may know from his many trips around the world from his fifteen-year modeling career, maybe as the pan crêpe guy, or maybe even as a husband or a father. However, most know him now as the man who started Heavenly Waffles. Bob has been a GROW Nebraska member since 2020. His line has expanded not only in the last couple of years but also in the last decade.
4 Tracks, 20 sessions – MarkeTech 2023
MarkeTech 2023 will feature four tracks in this year’s conference including: Agritourism + Adventure Travel, Social Media, Marketing, and Business Growth and Resources. Each track is unique and will feature presenters that are experts in the field.
Shop Local: Warm Up with a Cup and Support Nebraska Businesses
GROW Nebraska is excited to announce this month our center display is all about coffee and hot chocolate. The best part is you can drink Nebraska while you stay warm!
Keynote Speaker for MarkeTech + Agritourism & Adventure Travel Workshop
As part of the MarkeTech 2023 conference, keynote speaker Sarah Calhoun of Red Ants Pants will be speaking for the very first time in Nebraska. As an industry leader in both business and functional fashion, Calhoun will bring her passion for rural communities, working family farms and ranches, and advocating for women in leadership.
Registration for the 2023 MarkeTech + Agritourism & Adventure Travel Workshop is Open
Registration for the 2023 MarkeTech + Agritourism & Adventure Travel Workshop is now open. This year, Nebraska Tourism is combining its workshop with GROW Nebraska’s MarkeTech Conference.
GROW Nebraska Continues Free Training Series With Google Partner
GROW Nebraska, in partnership with Google, launched a new training series in February of 2022. This FREE to the public workshop series features different topics each month, with a focus on google tools and boosting online visibility for businesses. There are both English & Spanish versions of these trainings offered every first Wednesday of the month. The English session takes place over zoom at 12pm CST. The Spanish session is done the same day at 6pm CST. All GROW Nebraska trainings are on demand trainings anywhere anytime. If entrepreneurs are unable to join during the live presentation all they need to do is sign up and the recording will be sent to them.
GROW Nebraska Women’s Business Center Awarded Grant by Fund for Omaha with 1:1 Snap and Boost Program
GROW Nebraska Women’s Business Center is honored to announce we were selected as one of the local nonprofits by Fund for Omaha to receive the grant promoting our Snap and Boost Program Spanish.
Member and Husker Alum’s Popcorn Business Continues Gaining Steam, Expanding
You can find the fruits of his labor in movie theaters across America. Depending on the weekend, you might find the man himself in London or Bangkok.
GROW Nebraska Member Clarissa Feldman Goes Full Time with Business Setting D Ranch LLC
GROW Nebraska is excited to announce Clarissa Feldman of Setting D Ranch LLC has made her part time business a full-time job! Clarissa and her husband Dan run a ranch by Litchfield Nebraska, and their company sells all different kinds of cuts of meat, from beef to pork they have a wide range of options. GROW Nebraska partnered with Clarissa Feldman back in 2021. Clarissa started working for GROW Nebraska full time knowing she wanted a place where she was able to grow her business and learn as much as possible.
Every Day is a Gift Box Kind of Day – Support Nebraska Businesses Get Yours for the Holidays!
GROW Nebraska is excited for gift box season being right around the corner! There are so many great things to promote and put out there from all the Nebraska businesses who participate! Every box is customized and made with the person in mind. We ask a variety of questions when you order, either in person, email, or phone, making it the perfect gift from you to anyone you want to gift it to!
GROW Nebraska Member Niobrara Valley Vineyards Breaks Ground on Expansion
Lt. Gov. Foley, local leaders celebrate Niobrara Valley Vineyards’ expansion project, which will be assisted by funding from the Community Development Block Grant program for Tourism Development.
State Fair 2022 Proves to be Success for GROW Nebraska Members
As 2022’s state fair has come to an end, GROW Nebraska wants to thank all the members for making it possible for this year’s outcome to be so great! We were up over all in sales and had our second largest state fair outcome. GROW Nebraska had about 54 businesses participate, and some of those were service businesses who came and promoted their products!
GROW Nebraska Women’s Business Center Welcome’s Lydia Okuku
This Summer, the GROW Nebraska Women’s Business Center (GNWBC) was offered an opportunity to partner with Step Up! Omaha – a nonprofit organization that assist youths in resume and interview preparation and first job placements. Step Up! Omaha was able to pair us with an amazing intern named Lydia Okuku. Lydia came to us as a 2022 graduate from Millard North who was excited to learn more about marketing and business management.
Bianchi Candles Expands in New Nebraska Game and Parks Candle Line
Not many success stories start at twelve years old, but for Nic Bianchi that’s exactly when it all began. He got a candle making kit for his birthday and only grew from there. He started a couple of lines of candles, Bianchi Candle Company, and Yes You Candle.
GROW Nebraska Women’s Business Center helps bring digital transformation to diverse small businesses in Nebraska with Verizon Small Business Digital Ready
Today, Grow Nebraska Women’s Business Center announced its plan to help bring a new online curriculum to small businesses across Nebraska: Verizon Small Business Digital Ready.
GROW Nebraska is Back for 2022 State Fair
Deep fat fried food, animals all around, carnival rides, sweet tooth cravings to fill up on! What could all of this mean except Nebraska State Fair is getting ready to roll into town again! GROW Nebraska is happy to be a vendor there again this year with a store front booth inside the Pinnacle building!
GROW Nebraska Welcomes New Board Member
GROW Nebraska is excited to announce a new board member, Gary Peterson! Although he may be new to the board, Gary has been a part of the GROW Nebraska foundation since the very beginning. He was an early adviser when the foundation started in 1998.
Scholarship Program Holds Success for GROW Nebraska Women’s Business Center Client Chelsea Hawkins
Back in the Fall of 2022, Chelsea came to the GROW Nebraska Women’s Business Center to help officially launch her hair care company called Simply Soul. Simply Soul is known for selling hair masks right now however, they plan to grow and sell more products outside of just hair masks. Chelsea started this business hoping to help other people and give back knowing that the hair masks helped her with her overall scalp health.
MarkeTech of Kearney to Teach Cottage Industries to Sell Like Fortune 500 Companies
Maria Elena Duron of Houston will kick off the June 21-22 event at the Younes Conference Center South. The annual conference was created to help Nebraska’s cottage industries learn effective ways to market their wares. However, MarkeTech now is attracting larger businesses — a testament to the effectiveness of what they’ve learned at the conference put on by GROW Nebraska.
Small Town Famous Expands to Grand Island
Cranson states her advice for anyone wanting to grow or open a business, is to go for it! “We enjoy growing and setting goals and meeting those goals. It’s fun to keep challenging ourselves.”
What to expect at MarkeTech 2022
MarkeTech 2022 is happening June 21-22 in Kearney at the Younes Conference Center South. This conference meshes marketing and technology into two days of engaging educational training, presentations, and networking opportunities for small and large businesses.
Marketing Local Companies Through Technology
To kick off MarkeTech, Maria Elena Duron will return to Nebraska for the first time since 2018 to bring her wealth of knowledge in all aspects of digital initiatives for any sized business.
GROW Nebraska Member Margie Trembley Chapeaux Makes Vogue
GROW Nebraska member Margie Trembly was featured on Vogue website with her business Margie Trembley Chapeaux and her hand made custom derby hats.
GROW Nebraska Members Welcomed into 2022 Nebraska Passport Program
GROW Nebraska is happy to announce that among the 70 attractions in 10 themes who made the 2022 Nebraska Passport Pro. so did several members

GROW Nebraska® Foundation Headquarters Marketing & Innovation Center
Younes Campus
421 W Talmadge Street Suite #1 | Kearney, NE 68845
308.962.6767 | info@grownebraska.org
Buy Nebraska Gift Store
Younes Campus
421 W Talmadge Street Suite #1 | Kearney, NE 68845
308.338.3520| info@grownebraska.org