ND Small Business Development Centers

DL’s Strawberry Kooler – Bismarck 2023 VELVA – DL’s Strawberry Kooler is a popular bar and grill that holds a special significance for its current owner, Donna Lynn Knutson. Donna had previously worked at the establishment when it was known as the Strawberry Kooler under her mother’s ownership. After ten years, Donna’s mother made the […]

By: Matt Ellerkamp, Dickinson Business Advisor Business can be exciting and edifying but often challenging when getting into the details of starting, maintaining, and expanding. That’s why, in business, asking the right questions is paramount. Business owners are often so close to their ideas and passions that they lose focus on what drives their success. […]

Welcome to Cybersecurity Month! While you might think of pumpkin spice, what your kids want to be for Halloween, or “sweater-weather” during the month of October, we like to focus on raising awareness with our clients of the one thing typically not on their radar, but it should be! Cyberattacks against small businesses have been […]

ASR Brands – Grand Forks 2023 Paul Carlson, founder of ASR Brands, had always admired individuals who turned their ideas into thriving businesses. With a passion for creating something out of nothing, Paul embarked on his entrepreneurial journey to design and sell aftermarket roofs and sound systems for Polaris Rangers and golf carts. The idea […]

Welcome back! We took a break over the summer and hope you did too! We’re back to our regularly scheduled programming, and the students are back on campuses which is always exciting and brings a renewed energy to our very quiet halls (in case it slipped your mind, we’re hosted by UND, and the Lead […]

By: Laura Weber, Bowman Business Advisor “How will I make my business operate if I can’t find employees?” is a challenge small business owners and entrepreneurs face as they build and sustain their businesses. In addition, how will they compete as small or new businesses in a very tight labor market? The United States had […]

Salon Montage Studios – Fargo 2023 After dedicating 33 years of her career to a chain salon, Sue Cote found herself facing a setback when her position as General Manager was unexpectedly eliminated in early 2021. Initially contemplating a career shift outside the beauty industry, Sue’s former staff members reached out to her with a […]

By: Keith Olson, Williston Center Director As we talk about business succession, there is, more often than not, a bank involved and is typically working with the buyer to obtain financing. We often hear about the 5 C’s of credit and how that impacts the buyer’s ability to obtain funding. However, there is also 4’C […]

By: Paul Smith, Fargo Center Director No matter how much you enjoy working in your business, inevitably, there will come a time when you want to retire and/or sell your business. With baby boomers marching into retirement by the thousands, up to 70% of small businesses in ND are expected to change hands during the […]

Welcome Summer! Today, this newsletter might find you sitting at your desk dreaming of summer vacation, or we might get your out-of-office auto-reply because you’re already there! We’re going to be taking a little vacay from the stakeholder’s newsletter too. Don’t worry, those of us in the Lead Center and your local ND SBDC staff are […]