Koochiching Economic Development Authority

10/08/2026

𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝: 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐀 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐨.!

For this week's Business Spotlight, we spoke with Ashley Moisio to talk about her journey, finding a better work-life balance, and the sweet story behind her growing business: A Little Sweet Treat Co.! Here is what Ashley had to share about turning a passion for baking into a local favorite:

𝑹𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑰𝒓𝒐𝒏 𝑹𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 & 𝑨 𝑷𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒐 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑭𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒔
Grown up in Hoyt Lakes on the Iron Range, Ashley pursued her education at St. Scholastica in Duluth, where she graduated with degrees in Accounting, Finance, and Management. It was right next door in college where the seed for her future was first planted.
"My college next door neighbors were actually from the Falls! After college, I moved to the Twin Cities, got my CPA license, and started doing taxes at a large public accounting firm. About eight years in, I reacquainted with one of my old college neighbors. We began dating and eventually moved back to his hometown of International Falls."

𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒖𝒔𝒚 𝑺𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝑩𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑩𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆
Before launching her bakery, Ashley spent nearly a decade navigating the intense world of public accounting.
"After spending three to five months a year working 55 to 80 hour weeks in tax busy seasons, my work-life balance was struggling. I came to the decision that I didn’t want to do this for the rest of my life. Moving to International Falls felt like the perfect opportunity to alter my career path."

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝑨 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝑪𝒐.
Being new to the area, Ashley was eager to get involved and make local connections. While figuring out her next career steps, she turned to her favorite hobby.
"I began sharing my gourmet cookies around town and started getting feedback like, 'We need something like this around here!' and 'This is so niche, we don’t have anything like this!' Based on that feedback and my desire for a better work-life balance, I was inspired to open A Little Sweet Treat Co., and it has been a fantastic way to meet people in town."

𝑮𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑴𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒖𝒎 & 𝑳𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆
The business took off almost instantly, taking Ashley on a whirlwind journey of recipe development, mastering cottage food laws, and building her brand as a sole proprietor working from home.
"The cookies took off before I even had the chance to decide on a business name, logo, or menu design! I am still in my first year of operations, but I have learned so much about small business ownership, marketing, baking, and packaging."

🚨 𝐁𝐈𝐆 𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐎𝐎𝐍! 🚨
"Stay tuned, because I have a very exciting announcement coming soon about a physical location where you will be able to get my cookies and baked goods on demand! Be sure to follow along on Facebook so you don't miss it!"

𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕 𝑨 𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝑺𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝑻𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝑪𝒐.
• 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐝: Made-to-order gourmet cookies with a rotating menu of 12 flavors, custom cakes, specialty holiday cookie packs, and event orders featuring bulk pricing, customized labels, and themed sleeves.
• 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Pickups are located on County Rd 2 S in International Falls, MN (Follow online for upcoming pop-up events and vendor appearances!).
• 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬: Made to order by request, with flash sales and pop-up events announced regularly online.
• 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭: Call or text 218-780-5098, email [email protected], or send a message directly to the A Little Sweet Treat Co. page to place an order or check out current menu flavors.

09/29/2026

NEW - KEDA Newsletter
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Email from Koochiching County Economic Development Authority Discover How We're Empowering Local Entrepreneurs This Quarter!     Koochiching County Economic Development Authority Meet the Director Thi

09/07/2026

𝐀 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫: 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐆&𝐒 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩!
For this week’s Business Spotlight, we spoke with Hector Jaksa and Stacy Solyst to talk about family roots, precision craftsmanship, and the story behind one of the region’s premier marine repair destinations: G&S Prop Shop! Here is what Hector had to share about taking a local chance and building a nationwide reputation.

𝑹𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝑲𝒐𝒐𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒚 & 𝑻𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒏𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒔𝒆
Born and raised right here in International Falls, Hector’s foundation was built on local roots and specialized trade skills. "I attended Indus High School, studied welding at Eveleth Technical College, and earned my marine technician credentials at Northwoods Technical College."

After spending years working in the welding industry on various jobs across the country, Hector and Stacy decided it was time for a change. "We started this business so I wouldn't have to travel for work. Keeping family and personal time close was our top priority."

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒊𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝑮&𝑺 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒑 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒑
In 2018, Hector and Stacy officially opened their doors—naming the business after the very reason they built it. "The 'G' and 'S' come from our kids, Gavin and Shae. We saw a real opportunity to open a local prop shop due to a complete lack of those specialized services in the area, so we took a chance on Koochiching County."

𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂 𝑶𝒏𝒆-𝑴𝒂𝒏 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝑶𝒇𝒇𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝑹𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 & 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒅 𝑻𝒆𝒄𝒉
What started as a single-person operation in a small 20'x30' shed with minimal specialty tools has transformed into a high-tech marine hub. By 2023, the family built a spacious 40'x64' facility, expanded to a three-person team, including their son, Gavin, and brought in state-of-the-art repair tools.

"In 2025, G&S took on a sponsorship, and I became the crew chief and propeller specialist for 'Mom Aint Happy,' a professional offshore boat racing team. We now service commercial customers all over Minnesota and Wisconsin and handle race boats across the entire country! Looking ahead to 2027, we're expanding to service the Yacht and Cruiser industry on the Great Lakes with modern computerized technology capable of tuning propellers up to 36 inches and beyond."

𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕 𝑮&𝑺 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒑 𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒑
• Services Offered: New propeller sales, precision prop and skeg repair, custom welding, and top-to-bottom boat repair.
• Location: 4154 Highway 11, International Falls, MN 56649
• Hours: Monday–Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM | Saturday: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• How to Connect: Call or text 218-417-0292 (leave a message!), Email [email protected], or send a message directly to the G&S PROP SHOP page.

09/02/2026

𝐄𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐔 𝐅𝐢𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 & 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 — 𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 & 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫!

This week, we’re shining the spotlight on Ashley and Erin Hall to share the story behind one of our area’s fitness destinations: Evolve U Fitness & Wellness! Here is what they had to share about their journey to helping our community live well:

𝑹𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒔 & 𝑭𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒚 𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆
Ashley and Erin bring a great blend of backgrounds to the team. Ashley grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina, while Erin is a true native of International Falls. When they aren't helping our community stay healthy and strong, they are busy being moms to two children each, with their youngest two currently attending Falls High School!

𝑩𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 & 𝑩𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑨𝒄𝒕
Ashley has been in the fitness industry since 2004, working in gyms all over the country, while Erin has been coaching at Falls High for the last twenty years. The early years of Evolve U were a balancing act. As they explained, "The times when most people want to workout often coincided with our kid's athletics and extracurricular activities." Through hard work and intentional growth, they’ve been able to create a community that supports putting family first—just as they encourage their members to do. "We have always taken time to enjoy the great place we live, which has been what's so great about owning your own business."

𝑰𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑶𝒖𝒓 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒖𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚
Evolve U started in 2013 with a simple goal: to inspire people to live well. "We both loved fitness, we loved this community and we wanted to inspire people to live well." At the time, there were no other group-fitness-focused businesses in town, so they created a welcoming space for people of all ages and fitness levels. Their mission is clear: "It's not about losing weight or being faster or stronger than someone else; Evolve U is about living well and enjoying the people around you while building a workout routine that's sustainable."

𝑮𝒓𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 & 𝑬𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑻𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓
Evolve U has come a long way since their start at Meyers Glass! They are now in their third location, the lower level of Border Bank. The team is currently in the middle of an exciting strategic shift to bring fresh energy and new instructors into the mix. Whether it's their 12-week programs, Senior Fitness, or the functional gym space, they are constantly evaluating what the community needs to thrive.

𝑽𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕 𝑬𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒗𝒆 𝑼 𝑭𝒊𝒕𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔
• Services: 12-week programs (including the 5:30 Club), Senior Fitness, a variety of group fitness classes, and a fully equipped functional gym space.
• Location: Lower level of Border Bank, 1414 Hwy 71 (Tour by appointment).
• Hours: Fully equipped gym space is accessible to members daily from 5:00 AM–11:00 PM.
• How to Connect: Text or call Ashley at 404-435-4794, check out [link removed], or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.

08/25/2026

Welcome to our brand-new Local Business Spotlight series! 🎉

We are so excited to launch this new series where we sit down for face-to-face chats with the incredible neighbors, entrepreneurs, and dreamers who make our community so special.

To kick things off, we caught up with Holly Hoy to talk about family, community roots, and the story behind one of Littlefork’s favorite sweet spots: Scoops & Sprinkles! 🍦✨

Here is what Holly had to share about bringing this neighborhood favorite to life:

Roots in Littlefork & Family Life

Littlefork has always held a special place in Holly’s heart.

"My family moved to Littlefork when I was nine months old... I went to Littlefork-Big Falls school from preschool through kindergarten, then Big Falls elementary for 1st and 2nd grade. Littlefork has always felt like home for us, and after a brief few years away for work, we sure are glad to be back!"

Holly and her husband, Preston, have been together for 17 years and share three children—Savannah (27), Madelin (23), and Noah (13)—along with two grandkids, Grayson and Harper, and four "grand kitties"!

Balancing Act & The Birth of Scoops & Sprinkles

Alongside serving as Littlefork’s City Administrator and co-founding The Viking Heart Alliance (a local non-profit focused on community involvement and anti-bullying), Holly launched the Scoops & Sprinkles ice cream trailer this summer with a very special co-owner in mind.

"Our son Noah wanted a summer job, and being 13 years old did not provide a lot of options for him. Noah and I run the ice cream trailer every day of the week from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. unless it rains. When we aren't serving customers with sprinkles and a smile, we experiment with flavor combinations for new menu items and do a lot of taste testing!"

Built for the Littlefork Community

While offered spots in nearby towns, Holly stayed firm on keeping the trailer focused right at home.

"I specifically wanted to operate this business in Littlefork. My family and I enjoyed coming to the ice cream stand last year after mowing the lawn or baseball games, so I wanted to provide a special spot for people to gather and enjoy ice cream treats. We run the trailer out of our driveway with plenty of seating on the side lawn."

Growing Together

Working side-by-side with Noah has given him a great sense of responsibility, budgeting, and work ethic. The trailer has also seen some fantastic updates thanks to Preston, including new tires, a larger stainless-steel countertop, and expanded menu options—like shaved ice and even "Frosty Paws" treats for four-legged visitors!

"I enjoy visiting with customers and getting to know their families. We have made several new friends this summer and we enjoy visiting with people."

Visit Scoops & Sprinkles

Menu Highlights: Shakes, malts, sundaes, banana splits, ice cream cones, shaved ice (Lime, Blue Raspberry, Cherry, Grape), and dog treats!

Location: 833 McPherson Street, Littlefork, MN (Stop by the driveway and enjoy the lawn seating!)

Hours: Daily from 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Weather permitting)

How to Connect: Stop by in person or send Holly Hoy a message directly on Facebook.

08/06/2026

Visiting the Koochiching County Fair in Northome this weekend?

Be sure to stop by the Koochiching Economic Development Authority (KEDA) information booth! While the booth won’t be staffed, we’ve stocked it with brochures and information about the programs, services, and resources available to support businesses, entrepreneurs, and communities throughout Koochiching County.

Take a look, grab what interests you, and if you have questions afterward, we’d love to hear from you.

Enjoy the fair, and thanks for supporting our local communities!

07/13/2026

North Koochiching Area Sanitary District is hiring for an Executive Director. Please contact them to apply or for more information. Their contact information is listed on the flyer.

07/09/2026

We’re all set up at the Northern Minnesota District Fair in Littlefork!

Be sure to stop by our booth to pick up information on:
• Starting a business
• Loan and grant opportunities
• Our Area Resource Guide
• Business resources and support
• General information about economic development in our region

Feel free to browse the materials and take anything that may be helpful. We hope you enjoy the fair!

05/14/2026