Article by: Courtney Bergey
As a participant in the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation’s (SMIF) inaugural Rural Entrepreneurial Ventures (REV) program, Spring Grove is gaining critical momentum for the future of local entrepreneurship. As part of a comprehensive asset mapping process, a series of meetings, community events, and business surveys have been completed. The REV team is using this information to identify challenges and opportunities, with certain threads already appearing:
- Succession planning and business growth planning
- Networking and sharing resources
- Access to capital for small business start-up
The REV Spring Grove team will host an Entrepreneur Happy Hour on Tuesday, July 10 from 4:30-6:30pm at Norski’s Saloon in downtown Spring Grove. This event aims to continue the asset mapping process while creating space for local entrepreneurs to connect with one another.
“Entrepreneurs are an essential part of our community and our economy,” said CEDA team member Courtney Bergey who serves as the Spring Grove EDA co-director. “They are innovative, creative, and incredibly hard-working, and we want to create more opportunities for them to come together, make connections and share resources.”
About REV: In late 2017 Spring Grove was selected as one of six communities in the region to participate in the Rural Entrepreneurial Ventures program, which is administered and funded by the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation with support from the Blandin Foundation. The program will help identify and develop sustainable systems for growing the entrepreneurial culture of Spring Grove. The community will work to implement lasting changes and develop new resources to help existing, budding, and future entrepreneurs.
