Northwest MN Small Business Development Center

09/25/2026

🤖 A great opportunity for small business owners!

SWSBDC is offering a free four-part webinar series: AI for Small Business. Learn practical ways to use AI to save time, improve your business, and work smarter.

Check it out and register if you’re interested! https://sbdc.vimm.com/

We’re kicking off a free 4-part AI for Small Business series in October. We’ll talk AI search, how to build your own “business brain,” ways leaders can move beyond the basics, and then wrap up with an open forum for your questions.

Register once and join us when you can!

09/23/2026

The U.S. Small Business Administration is encouraging partners, stakeholders, and local officials to help share information about available disaster assistance for eligible small businesses and private nonprofit organizations including faith-based impacted by drought beginning June 16.

Eligible businesses and nonprofits in the Minnesota counties of Beltrami, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, and St. Louis, may apply for low-interest federal disaster loans for economic injury.

09/14/2026

Join us this Wednesday at 11 AM for the Creativity & Innovation Lab! 💡

A hands-on session designed to help entrepreneurs work through real business challenges and explore new ideas.

Register here: https://mnsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/11658

💡 Creativity & Innovation Lab: Human-Centered Design for Entrepreneurs

Starting next week! Join us for a hands-on, one-hour working lab designed to help entrepreneurs and organizational leaders tackle real-world challenges—from marketing and customer engagement to process improvement and new product ideas.

Each session introduces practical creativity and human-centered design tools to help you generate ideas, test assumptions, and develop actionable solutions.

📅 Monthly | 11 a.m.–12 p.m.
💰 $10 per session
✨ Each session stands alone, so attend when your schedule allows!

Come bring a challenge and leave with new ideas and practical next steps.
Register here: https://mnsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/11663

09/10/2026

🎙️ Check out this month’s radio segment! We’re talking about a great partnership between BSU professors and local entrepreneurs, and how they’re working together to support and strengthen our local business community. 🤝💡

Give it a listen!

What happens when local academic powerhouses team up with community...

09/09/2026

💡 Creativity & Innovation Lab: Human-Centered Design for Entrepreneurs

Starting next week! Join us for a hands-on, one-hour working lab designed to help entrepreneurs and organizational leaders tackle real-world challenges—from marketing and customer engagement to process improvement and new product ideas.

Each session introduces practical creativity and human-centered design tools to help you generate ideas, test assumptions, and develop actionable solutions.

📅 Monthly | 11 a.m.–12 p.m.
💰 $10 per session
✨ Each session stands alone, so attend when your schedule allows!

Come bring a challenge and leave with new ideas and practical next steps.
Register here: https://mnsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/11663

09/03/2026

Join our monthly Small Business Call to learn about the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) programs, services, and resources designed to help small businesses start, grow, and expand. Discover how the SBA supports businesses through access to capital, counseling and training, government contracting opportunities, disaster assistance, and specialized resources for manufacturers.

Register for the call: https://bit.ly/3UDRvQ9

09/02/2026

A big thank you to Dr. Shawn Schooley for kicking off our Flourishing Leadership for Entrepreneurs series at this month’s LaunchPad Meet-Up! And thank you to everyone who joined us! 👏

We’re excited for the remaining five leadership workshops, as well as our new Creativity & Innovation Lab beginning September 16. We hope to see you there! 🚀