January 2024

Happy New Year to you! We hope you welcomed in 2024 surrounded by family and friends!

Given the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and trying to get back into the swing of things in these first few weeks of January, we are going to keep this month’s message simple. Here are a few things to keep a pulse on, but don’t worry about remembering them, we’ll be sure to get things in front of you again!

Our 2023 Annual Report will be going to print in the coming days. If you typically receive one either through the mail or dropped off by your local ND SBDC staff, you are good to go, and you can expect a hard copy again this year. If you are new to this and would like to receive a print copy (or more than one), please email the Lead Center with your contact info and mailing address. It will also be available in digital format on our website.

Last January, our Stakeholders blog revisited our vast service offerings for entrepreneurs starting a business and for existing businesses. This was a great refresher and I would encourage you to take another peek at that post to get acquainted with the ND SBDC again. If you were considering referring a business or entrepreneur for assistance but do not see the specific need listed there, it was not intended to be a comprehensive list of all we do, but merely the highlights. The ND SBDC locations around the state can help with anything small business related, and if we know a better expert, we’ll be sure to make that connection for the client. Our end goal is to ensure that our state’s small businesses thrive, no matter where that advice might come from!

Referrals to the ND SBDC are best done online, so send your client/friend/business to our website to register for an appointment. If you have a connection with your local ND SBDC staff member, send them an email, and we’ll make sure to get things moving. The increased volume of clients over the last few years have made it nearly impossible for our centers to accommodate walk-ins, so planning sufficient time to work with a client is in our best interests and theirs, it also ensures that the quality of our work remains top-notch.

We had an incredible year in 2023. The first full year on this side of the pandemic relief programs proved to still be remarkable for business starts and expansions. Despite many economic factors that would have predicted a slow-down of activity, we managed to stay very busy and end the year with higher than expected impacts in client counts, reported starts, and capital infusion! We’re excited to share the details with you soon enough in our annual report!

2024 is slated to be another great year. We’ll be working on some important initiatives and priorities, including further innovation and growth in our program through the implementation of our 2023-25 network strategic plan. We are ideating new collaborations with some partners, and it is exciting to see what that will bring for our clients. And, SBA has an increased interest in rural entrepreneurship and building up ecosystems (our hearts have always been soft for rural, so we’re happy it is getting some national attention).  Stay tuned to the happenings by following our socials (click on the icons below). We would also love it if you would forward this e-newsletter to one person who might benefit from being connected to us.

We look forward to staying engaged with you and are so grateful for the support of our investors and partners. Don’t be a stranger!

Powering the creation, growth, and success of small business in North Dakota… because when small businesses thrive, communities thrive. North Dakota thrives.

Tiffany Ford, State Director
And all the Staff of the ND Small Business Development Network