Missoula SBDC

03/20/2024

Happy ! It's such a pleasure to work with so many great clients! If you're looking to successfully exit your business, launch a new one, or expand, Missoula SBDC is here to help.

Congrats to Mountain Colors Yarn for moving to their next phase!

"We wish we had found Jennifer 10 years ago. She was knowledgeable, logical, easy to talk to, and encouraging."
Diana McKay and Leslie Taylor, Owners

Diana McKay and Leslie Taylor started Mountain Colors Yarn in 1992. They decided to start with yarn products they thought they could sell while creating flexible hours for other moms and themselves. Their business took off, and they enjoyed building it over the years and participating in the fiber arts community. In 2022, after surviving 2020 and 2021 with COVID-19-related challenges, Diana and Leslie decided to sell their business and the building out of which it operated.

After receiving an email about the SBDC, they reached out to Regional Director Jennifer Stephens at the Missoula SBDC for support. Jennifer gave Diana and Leslie lots of information along with strategies for selling. After connecting routinely for a few weeks, Jennifer provided feedback and suggestions for Diana and Leslie’s “Mountain Colors Sell Packet.” With the packet completed, Jennifer helped them find a professional to appraise the business. She also helped brainstorm ways to get the information to interested people.

With Jennifer's help, Diana and Leslie were able to analyze Mountain Color's financial performance to select an appropriate asking price that was attractive to buyers and beneficial for the seller. Later when the business sold at a price the owners were happy with, Jennifer provided an attorney referral for the transaction paperwork at a reasonable fee. Diana and Leslie said, “Jenn was extremely knowledgeable and helpful to us."

University of Montana Accelerate Montana Montana Small Business Development Centers

03/20/2024

Montana Small Business Development Centers and Zero to Five Montana have a fantastic partnership that helps launch and improve business operations for childcare centers across Montana. Missoula SBDC was fortunate to have Jason Nitschke assist with the launch of plAyBCs childcare center in Missoula. If you're an existing or aspiring childcare professional across Montana, Montana SBDC is here to help you succeed!

“The SBDC has played an integral role in my business from conception to opening. I couldn’t have done it without the business expertise shared through one-on-one sessions with Jason, that led to the creation of a budget and business plan that ultimately has led to a viable business start up in Missoula.”
Amy Paden, Owner

Amy Paden witnessed the need for childcare in the Missoula area and knew she could help. She was ready for a change after 17 years in the public school system. Amy had a passion for working with children in early childhood but had never owned or operated a business. She turned to the SBDC for guidance with budgeting, startup assistance, and business planning.

Amy turned to the Missoula SBDC and was referred to the network’s childcare business specialist, Jason Nitschke, who is embedded at Zero to Five Montana and the Montana Child Care Business Connect program. Jason helped Amy with market research, team-building, project costing, and strategic planning, among other things. Amy was able to obtain $663,000 in financing for start-up costs and officially opened her business, plAyBCs, on August 1, 2023.

plAyBCs is an Early Childhood program based in a safe and comfortable home setting. Children are emotionally supported in social interactions and are provided with a variety of experiences in this sensory-rich environment. plAyBCs is licensed for eight full-time slots and currently serves 13 families. The opening of plAyBCs has increased the amount of high-quality, licensed childcare slots in Missoula. Amy has enabled parents to re-enter the workforce and advance their careers confidently. Her hard work has created economic growth and significantly impacted the Missoula community.

Zero to Five Missoula University of Montana Accelerate Montana

10/12/2023

TODAY: Join our friends at WELL Women's Business Center for a no-cost Mental Fitness workshop on happiness & peak performance

REGISTER NOW: https://mtsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/5641

When you’re not mentally fit, you feel mental stress -- anxiety, frustration, or unhappiness -- as you handle work and relationship challenges. The bad news is that 80% of people score below the minimum level of mental fitness required for peak performance and happiness. The great news? With recent breakthroughs in neuroscience and technology, you can now improve your mental fitness significantly within 6 weeks of practice.

During this session, you'll get a sneak peek at what's standing in your own way of peak performance and happiness and how to begin to move forward.

During this workshop, you will gain insight on:
* The 10 most common ways we self-sabotage and which way is yours.
* The neuroscience of happiness & peak performance and 10-second techniques to activate your “right” mind.
* How you generate your own stress, and how you can generate peace of mind instead (even in the midst of great challenges).
* The "Three Gifts Technique" and how to use it to convert failures and setbacks into gifts and opportunities.
* The mental muscle that gives top performers their edge, and how you can grow it with a few minutes of daily practice.
* This session is based on the Positive Intelligence work of Shirzad Chamine, a New York Times Bestselling author, Stanford lecturer, and coach to hundreds of CEOs and executive teams.

Prior to the session, each attendee should take the free 5-minute Saboteur Assessment (results will not be shared with anyone else).

Previous participants have enjoyed discovering which Saboteurs present the greatest internal obstacles to their optimal achievement and well-being. And they are thrilled to learn simple science-based tools to remove these obstacles.
Instructions:
Please join us at 12pm on Thursday, October 12th!
Zoom link: https://umontana.zoom.us/j/99843191472

10/04/2023

TOMORROW: How to Hire Your First Employee in Montana

Deborah Derrick Gass of the Missoula Job Service presents How to hire your first employee in Montana: Practical steps and resources for a successful start to becoming an Employer. Learn essentials from filing for an FEIN to resources for Employee Tax Credits and training opportunities.

https://mtsbdc.neoserra.com/conferences/5658

08/16/2023

Register today! Coming up: Introduction to OSHA and Workplace Safety with Aaron Mugaas. Workplace safety helps keep people at work by preventing injuries and deaths. OSHA has played a vital role in keeping workers safe and, in this webinar, we will cover the history and intent of OSHA. We will also summarize workers' rights under OSHA, employer responsibilities, how employees file complaints and summarize
OSHA's prevention programs.
Register: https://mtsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/5619

07/21/2023

Join Montana Small Business Development Centers and MoFi for our August 3 webinar! Register here: https://lnkd.in/gwf5euUz

How to Land a Loan: Understanding Lender Priorities When Applying for Debt Financing with Mofi Business Development Manager, Alyssa Peterman

"Start ups and newer small businesses may find financing a confusing process. Join us to gain confidence around submitting a loan application to launch or grow your business as well as some of the unique lending situations where MoFi, a non-profit Montana lender and CDFI, can assist true business start ups. Learn about products and support for business available through business loans and new market tax credits."

How to Land a Loan: Understanding Lender Priorities When Applying for Debt Financing Start ups and newer small businesses may find financing a confusing process. Join us to gain confidence around submitting a loan application to launch or grow your business as well as some of the unique lending situ

06/23/2023

Congratulations to Pearl Boba Tea owners and team for earning the Montana SBA Young Entrepreneur of Year Award! Head over to the downtown Pearl Boba Tea tonight from 5-9 p.m. for their birthday bash!

10/20/2022

SAVE THE DATE - NEXT WEEK: WEDNESDAY, 10/26 - 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. MT

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) hosts a free, virtual National Cyber Summit. This half-day cybersecurity forum introduces tools, tips, and resources to bolster small business cybersecurity infrastructure. It also explores new trends and challenges faced by entrepreneurs.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sba-cyber-summit-tickets-399876570587

"America's small businesses are pivoting to digital technologies and online strategies at historic rates to reach new customers and improve operational efficiencies, but that pivot has also exposed them to significant new threats from cyber attacks,” said SBA Administrator Guzman.

AGENDA (all times EDT and tentative)
Noon - Welcome
12:15 PM - Small Business Roundtable
12:35 PM - SBA Administrator and Microsoft President Executive Exchange
12:55 PM - Small Business Development Center Directors
1:20 PM - Cyber Attack! What Now?
1:50 PM - Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency
2:20 PM - State Government Champions
2:50 PM - SBA Digital Alliance technologist panel
3:20 PM - Regional Cyber Hub profile: Georgia Cyber Center
3:40 PM - Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Updates
3:50 PM - National Cybersecurity Priorities
4:05 PM - SBA Leadership Roundtable
4:45 PM - Resource Sharing and Closing Session

SPEAKERS from government, higher education, and the private sector.

SBA will convene Experts from the Cybersecurity and Business Worlds to Share Best Practices and Practical Tools to Help Small Businesses.

09/29/2022

Celebrate Manufacturing Day 2022 with a free webinar focused on supporting U.S. manufacturers as they export their goods and services.

09/13/2022

Is your business looking for staffing? Want to retain staffing?

Check out these tips for retention!

Looking To Attract and Retain the Top Talent in Your Industry? Click Here To Learn the Top 4 Ways To Attract and Retain Employees in Montana in 2022!