The Best Secrets and Science Behind Growing Your Business | GROW Nebraska’s FREE Online Training

The Best Secrets and Science Behind Growing Your Business | GROW Nebraska’s FREE Online Training

by | Sep 23, 2021 | Training

GROW Nebraska’s® FREE Online Training

The Best Secrets and Science Behind Growing Your Business

How to Livestream Your Business to New Customers

What would happen if you could gather the most effective intelligence behind growing a wildly successful business alongside the strategies to put them into place and how to maintain them?

Lindsay Thomsen plans to share the most valuable, proven and relevant business insights that can directly impact your business, team and you as a leader. She will share examples of how these insights relate to her as an entrepreneur, her businesses and more than 20 years’ worth of clients.

During this webinar, Lindsay will cover the three things she sees that the best business insights are related to:

-How you perceive and operate your business,

-How you perceive and develop your team,

-How you perceive and conduct yourself as a leader.

WATCH NOW

This webinar is presented by Lindsay Thomsen. A Business Psychologist, her passion in life is inspiring, supporting and teaching others. She shared with GROW Nebraska:

“I love watching people grow; it encourages me to learn from every opportunity as well. This has led to a purpose-filled career journey as a therapist, psychologist, business coach, professor, and entrepreneur. I was inspired by my grandfathers who each pursued entrepreneurial opportunities, encountered and overcame multiple speed bumps, and left legacies that have outlived them both. I credit them for inspiring each of my entrepreneurial journeys and persevering through the challenges along the way. I am proud to have built businesses from the ground-up, resurrected a business in need, contribute to our multi-generational family business, support my husband as an owner and help business owners along the way. Since I love learning and helping others, earning a Master’s degree in Counseling and a PhD in Business Psychology provided additional education to enable the best knowledge I can share.

This training is brought to you in part by the Center for Rural Affairs. Its mission is to “Establish strong rural communities, social and economic justice, environmental stewardship, and genuine opportunity for all while engaging people in decisions that affect the quality of their lives and the future of their communities.”

Women entrepreneurs learn and network at GNWBC Sip & Learn events

Women entrepreneurs learn and network at GNWBC Sip & Learn events

by | Sep 6, 2021 | GROW Blog

Women entrepreneurs learn and network at GNWBC Sip & Learn events

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As an organization, GROW Nebraska strives to be a useful business resource to the entrepreneurs in our state, and the Nebraska Women’s Business Center’s Sip & Learn events have been a fun, accessible addition to these efforts. 

The GROW Nebraska Women’s Business Center (GNWBC) was founded in early 2021, when the U.S. Small Business Administration provided grant funding for the launch of 20 new Women’s Business Centers across the nation. The program was designed to serve rural, urban, and underserved communities. 

The GNWBC has partnered with the Metro Omaha Women’s Business Center (MOWBC) to come up with fresh, helpful events and resources for women entrepreneurs in the Omaha area. According to the organization’s website, the “Metro Omaha Women’s Business Center endeavors to accelerate the success of women in all aspects and at all business and professional levels.” Together, the groups are presenting Sip & Learn events for people in this demographic.

BC Clark, founder of the MOWBC and Program Director of the GNWBC, has been involved with this effort from the start. When asked where the idea came from, she said, “We were looking for signature events for the partnership. You hear about things like ‘Paint & Sip,’ so we thought, ‘Sip & Learn.’ It’s an opportunity to network and get education.” 

With businesses and operations opening up earlier this summer, the partners thought that some in-person networking opportunities would be good for the community. “We’ve been shut in for so long, it’s all about getting the work out for your business. You have to carve your own space out.”

Their last event brought in about 40 attendees. Clark said that while education is an important part of the Sip & Learn events, it’s really about the networking.

“Having some food and beverage while getting and sharing information with other business owners, that’s priceless networking.” 

The Sip & Learn events are held monthly, and feature different speakers for each meeting. These meetings cover topics like financials for women, networking, and investment. The partnership between the two organizations combines the resources, networks, and expertise of a large pool of experts, and will provide a valuable service to the woman entrepreneurs in the Omaha area and beyond. 

On the topic of the partnership, Clark said that, “Collaboration with these two organizations is really going to be able to bring the resources to women business owners, those who want to start a business, or just need a resource as ladies trying to find their way. We are bringing a greater service to a greater number of women. Working with GROW Nebraska is really allowing us to reach more people.” 

GROW NEBRASKA is excited to watch this partnership grow, and to share more about the good work these two organizations are doing for Nebraska’s women-led entrepreneurship community! For more information about the Sip & Learn events, please contact Candice Price at candice@grownebraskawbc.org.

Story by Lauren Bonk, owner of the Curtain and Pen Copywriting Services, a GROW Nebraska member. Lauren hails from Kearney, NE, where she works as a freelance copywriter for small businesses, startups, and even larger corporate entities in need of professionally-written marketing content for their businesses and organizations. 

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Basics of Bookkeeping: Loving Your Balance Sheet | GROW Nebraska’s® FREE Online Training

Basics of Bookkeeping: Loving Your Balance Sheet | GROW Nebraska’s® FREE Online Training

by | Mar 18, 2021 | Training

GROW Nebraska’s® FREE Online Training

Basics of Book Keeping: Loving Your Balance Sheet

Steps to starting a small business
The presentation is about the balance sheet, why it matters, and how to use it.
  • The balance sheet is your scorecard
  • The balance sheet is an early warning system
  • Check your balance sheet regularly
WATCH NOW

DATE: March 18th

TIME: Noon – 1:00 p.m. CST

LOCATION: Live Stream

COST: Free, must register to receive call-in details and recording

Cory Morris has loved budgeting for as long as he can remember, and even convinced several budget-haters to love it too! That passion has grown into loving the numbers of business, and how those numbers tell us the health of the business. From 400 unit apartment complexes to start up vehicle sanitation companies, the books can be a source of fear and frustration, or a source of peace and direction.

Hughes Strives to Make Road to Success Easier For Entrepreneurs

Hughes Strives to Make Road to Success Easier For Entrepreneurs

by | Jan 19, 2021 | GROW Blog

Hughes Strives to Make Road to Success Easier For Entrepreneurs

When Cheryl Hughes began HR Poppin’ Snacks more than 20 years ago, she encountered a steep learning curve. Not only was she learning how to make the best quality popcorn, but she also had to learn all aspects of snack food manufacturing and wholesale.

At about the same time, GROW Nebraska also started with the intent to help educate and promote businesses just like hers. Cheryl joined as one of GROW’s first members.

“There was always a learning experience, good exposure and good advertising,” Cheryl said of GROW. “They have done a great job for me.”

HR Poppin’ Snacks grew into a successful business that now pops more than 20,000 pounds of popcorn seeds annually from its store in Gibbon and sells popcorn in more than 135 flavors in stores around the county.

Cheryl has maintained her GROW membership the entire time, and she continues to give back to GROW through mentoring and giving advice to other members. And her giving doesn’t just stop with members.

Entrepreneurs have traveled to Gibbon from as far away as Brazil, Paris and Nigeria to visit HR Poppin’ Snacks to learn how to produce quality popcorn for their business ventures. Cheryl gladly shares her knowledge with anyone who asks without charging consulting fees.

“If I can help somebody with a leg up, then I do,” she said. “I learned the hard way because I didn’t have someone in the know to mentor me. Now, I have the benefit of the knowledge so I want to share with others to make their road to success a little easier.”

Cheryl and her husband, Gary, are adamant about using their business to help others. That philosophy started with the naming of their business nearly 20 years ago. The HR in the name stands for ‘Heavenly Reason.’

At least 10 percent of their earnings go to charity or someone in need, whether it’s donating popcorn gift baskets to local fundraisers or giving popcorn away to those serving in the military.

“This has happened by the grace of God, and we need to give back,” Cheryl said.

GROW Nebraska CEO Janell Anderson-Ehrke said Cheryl donates all of her mentoring services to pay it forward, which makes a huge difference for many business owners.

“She’s easily touched more than 100 businesses we’ve worked with,” Janell said.

In the early days of GROW, Chery helped set up a retail store in Grand Island and later launched the UPC program to help GROW members sell their products on sites like Amazon. Members who sell just one or two products can save money by buying into GROW’s UPC numbers instead of spending hundreds of dollars to purchase their own UPC number.

When GROW members ask about product labeling, Cheryl is their source for answers.

New GROW Nebraska member Karen Ogelsby, owner of MoKa’s Kitchen, recently relied on help from Cheryl with labeling her popcorn for sale during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Karen thought her business would be “dead in the water” when COVID-19 hit. Her business previously provided artisan and gourmet popcorn for special events. When the special events stopped, so did her business. Chery helped Karen find a distributor to make her popcorn products available in stores, where shoppers were still flocking to buy snacks during the pandemic. MoKa’s Kitchen popcorn is now in 50 locations across the state.

Janell said she is grateful for members like Cheryl who give back and wants to celebrate her and others.

“I don’t want to forget where we came from,” Janell said. “It’s been GROW and a whole bunch of people and members who just kept giving back.”

Cheryl said she’s always lived with the philosophy that there’s always enough business to go around. She’s not worried about helping her potential competitors.

“If I continue to make a quality product and do my business well, I shouldn’t have any problems,” she said.

Cheryl encourages anyone who is considering starting a business or developing a product to contact GROW Nebraska.

“There are lots of ways that GROW Nebraska can help,” she said.

One of the biggest benefits, Cheryl said, is the annual MarkeTech conference, which she has attended every year it has been offered.

“It’s a great benefit, and any member that I work with I encourage them to attend MarkeTech,” she said. “It’s well-organized, provides good networking opportunities and education. I encourage anyone in the state, even if you aren’t a member of GROW Nebraska, to participate in MarkeTech.”

The 2021 MarkeTech conference is scheduled for Thursday, July 15, in Kearney. For more information, visit marketechconference.com. To sign up for the GROW newsletter to stay informed on upcoming trainings, visit here.

With holiday popcorn sales just wrapping up, Cheryl said she is preparing to launch new popcorn flavors soon.

Shop HR Poppin' Snacks HERE

Story by Kristine Jacobson, GROW Nebraska member and owner of KRJ Public Relations, a business that specializes in helping non-profits and other businesses tell their stories and gain momentum through blogs, newsletters, annual reports, social media and other publications.

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Value Added Producers Grant

Value Added Producers Grant

by | Jan 19, 2021 | T3 (Third Thursday Training)

GROW Nebraska’s® FREE Online Training

January 19th – Value Added Producers Grant

Steps to starting a small business
REGISTER and watch HERE!

CALLING ALL AG PRODUCERS!

There is a Value Added Producers Grant available for your business! If you are interested please plan to attend a brief webinar happening January 19 @ 12pm. CST to learn more. 

The grant can pay for:

  • Expansion or start-up costs
  • Preparation for financing
  • Feasibility or business plans
  • Processing, distribution or marketing costs
  • And more!

APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 22, 2021

Here is a past recipient’s video -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ3p4sbibk8
Feel free to share this with anyone who might qualify!

See you on the 19th @ 12pm!

REGISTER

This training is brought to you in part by REAP. The Rural Enterprise Assistance Project (REAP) is committed to strengthening rural communities through small, self-employed business development. We offer four essential services: financing (microloans), business training, technical assistance, and networking.