Empowering Local Workshop

In celebration of community spirit and entrepreneurship, East Central economic development partners are collaborating to host a virtual workshop, Empowering Local: A Small Business Saturday Workshop. The event will focus on helping local businesses prepare for the holiday season and working to leverage their social media. The virtual workshop will be held on November 14th from 8:30AM-10:00AM on Zoom.

At the workshop, attendees will hear from Molly Solberg, Marketing Expert with the North Central Small Business Development Center, and Sondra Grandy, owner of Midwest Charm in Pine City. Molly will be sharing tips and tricks for crafting a Small Business Saturday marketing campaign and how to leverage social media and digital marketing to boost business. Sondra will then share holiday marketing best practices she has implemented at her store. The event aims to empower and equip small business owners with the tools needed to thrive in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Small Business Saturday is an annual nationwide event, held on the Saturday following Thanksgiving. It was first observed in 2010 and was initiated by American Express to counter Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which feature big box retail and e-commerce stores respectively. “As we head into the holiday season, Small Business Saturday becomes more relevant than ever,” stated Katie Heppner, Regional Director of the North Central Small Business Development Center. “This event underscores the significance of supporting local businesses, not just on one designated day, but throughout the year. Small businesses are the backbone of our community, and they greatly contribute to the vibrancy and economic vitality of East Central Minnesota.”