Profit Mastery
2023-05-09 08:30 - 16:00 (America/Denver) | Untitled
In our hands-on Profit Mastery workshops, you’ll learn to understand your financials, learn how to manage your business to increase profitability, and strengthen your relationship with your lender. Discover how to actively manage YOUR business and accomplish YOUR goals.
Alongside other business owners and managers, you will analyze real-world business problems and uncover how to:

Overcome common business problems
Understand your financial position
Use tools to take active control of your finances
Make effective pricing decisions
Evaluate and manage cost patterns
Make your business bankable
Avoid cash crunches
Plan for transition
Strengthen your lender relationships

We’ve drastically reduced the price of this workshop from $895 to $150 (a $695 savings plus an additional $50 discount over our online course) thanks to our generous sponsors at the Montana Department of Transportation’s DBE program.
This is a 2-day workshop with the first session on May 9th and the second session on May 16th. Lunch will be provided for both days.
Click here for more on the class: http://wwwMa.brs-seattle.com/workshop

BSED May Board Meeting
2023-05-11 07:00 - 09:00 | Untitled
This meeting will be held in-person in the Zoot Training Room on the 2nd floor. Please RSVP to rsvp@bigskyeda.org if you are planning to attend.
BSED Board Packet 05.11.23

Startup Roadmap
2023-05-11 13:30 - 15:00, 2023-06-15 13:30 - 15:00 | Untitled
Designed for individuals who would like to start their own business. This is a great overview of things to know about start-up costs, financing options, and business planning. A wealth of information and resources are provided free of charge.

Take Action! Move Beyond SAM!
2023-05-17 11:30 - 13:00, 2023-06-21 11:30 - 13:00, 2023-07-19 11:30 - 13:00, 2023-08-16 11:30 - 13:00 | Untitled
Please join the Montana PTAC for a high-level VIRTUAL training on how the federal government and State of Montana purchases products and services. Topics include: – Federal and State of MT purchasing thresholds – Conducting market research – Federal purchasing vehicles (methods) – Where to find opportunities and how to get automatic notices – Marketing your business to government agencies – Tips on finding subcontracting opportunities – Q & A session Who should attend? Any business in any industry that is interested in developing a focused market strategy for the government segment. It is not a requirement to already be registered in SAM or eMACS to attend the training. However, we will not be going over the registration process in this training.

MEDA 2023 Spring Conference
2023-05-22 08:00 - 2023-05-24 17:00 | Untitled
MEDA is excited to announce that our Spring 2023 conference will take place in Billings, MT May 22nd – 24th. This conference is hosted by our Eastern Montana Region Economic Developers (Billings and east).

Our conference theme is: What connects us today? What connects us tomorrow?

Topics to include: Entrepreneurship, Community Development, Energy, Tourism, Healthcare, Agriculture, Legislative Recap, What unites us as a region? AND MORE!
Registration and conference agenda details coming soon!

Questions? Email marcell@bigskyeda.org

Rock31 Accelerator Pitch Competition
2023-05-23 15:00 - 17:00 | Untitled
The 2023 Rock31 consumer products accelerator helps founders grow their companies through access to a wealth of resources and expertise. Led by a community of industry leaders and experts, including successful founders, the program offers intensive education, mentorship from hand-selected teams, and connections to retailers and investors.
Join us at the MEDA Spring Conference for the Rock31 consumer products accelerator pitch competition.

This event will be held in conjunction with the spring conference in Billings at the Northern Hotel. All are invited to attend (conference registration is NOT required).

Hear pitches from 5 of the 8 companies that participated in our first SBDC/Rock31 Consumer Packaged Goods Accelerator.

The Accelerator helped founders grow their companies through a 10-week program. We provided intensive education, mentorship from hand-selected teams, connections to retailers and investors and access to a wealth of resources and expertise. These companies spent 4 hours a week for the last 10-weeks working through our curriculum, diving deeper into their companies and getting reconnected to their “why”. We are excited to cap off this amazing accelerator with a pitch competition where these businesses have the opportunity to win cash prizes and have the potential to meet investors.

The Rock31 consumer products accelerator helps founders grow their companies through access to a wealth of resources and expertise. Led by a community of industry leaders and experts, including successful founders, the program offers intensive education, mentorship from hand-selected teams, and connections to retailers and investors.

Program Highlights

10 weeks long
Goes from: March 20th – May 23rd
Class meets on Monday from 10am-12pm and Thursday from 12pm-2pm
Experienced entrepreneur guest speaker every Thursday
Curriculum designed by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs
Pitch Day on May 22nd in-front of a panel of judges and a large audience
Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. In-kind contributions for all participants

Office Closed | Memorial Day
2023-05-29 08:00 - 17:00
The Big Sky Economic Development offices will be closed today in observance of Memorial Day.

Women Owned Small Business Certification Workshop
2023-06-06 10:00 - 11:30 | Untitled
Are you a Women Owned Small Business? This workshop is for YOU!

Learn more about the Women Owned Small Business (WOSB) certification, designed to help more women-owned small businesses to win federal contracts by providing a level playing field for WOSBs to compete.

Join us and learn:
– WOSB / EDWOSB Overview
– Eligibility requirements
– Importance of Certification
– Certification steps

Registration details coming soon!

QuickBooks: Where's Your Money?
2023-06-06 16:00 - 18:00 | Untitled
Learn how to track your business funds properly. Four weeks of hands on training in YOUR system. This workshop will be interactive and we will have you bring your own laptop to work through your own QuickBooks.
This workshop is $150 and includes all 4 sessions (every Tuesday in June from 4:00-6:00 pm).
Mandy Kleinhands with MicroBooks will be the facilitator.

BSED June Board Meeting/FY '24 Budget Hearing
2023-06-08 07:00 - 09:00 | Untitled
This meeting will be held in-person in the Zoot Training Room on the 2nd floor. Please RSVP to rsvp@bigskyeda.org if you are planning to attend. BSED June Board Packet 06.08.23

Take Simple yet Professional Product Photos
2023-06-14 13:00 - 16:00 | Untitled
If you are a product-based business and you are wanting to learn more about taking product photos that are geared to sell, then this workshop is for you. You will leave with the tangible skills to improve your brand with your photos, learn to take professional photos for your social media and websites, and have self-edited photos to use immediately.
What you will learn:

Why it is important to have good photos of your product
How to take product photos
Easy steps to edit your photos
Tips on Layout, Lighting, Dimensions, and props.

This workshop will be very interactive, you will be taking and editing photos during the workshop and sharing with the group. You will need to bring your phone, products to photograph and any props that would complement your products.
This workshop will be capped at 10 attendees, but we will keep a waitlist in case of cancellations.

2023 Summer Intern Leadership Institute
2023-06-27 10:00 - 12:00
The Summer Intern Leadership Institute offers your interns the opportunity to:

Connect with other interns throughout the community
Explore the community and all it has to offer
Learn from local leaders
Discover the importance of personal branding, knowing your strengths to build confidence and excel in the workplace

SILI 2023 Dates:

Tuesday, June 27th | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Tuesday, July 11th | 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Tuesday, July 25th | 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Tuesday, August 8th | 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

For more information and to enroll an intern, please email karli@bigskyeda.org!

Office Closed | Independence Day
2023-07-04 08:00 - 17:00
The Big Sky Economic Development offices will be closed today in observance of Independence Day.

BSED July Executive Committee
2023-07-06 07:00 - 09:00 | Untitled
This meeting will be held in-person in the lower-level Venture Conference Room. Please RSVP to rsvp@bigskyeda.org if you are planning to attend.
Executive Committee Packet 7.06.23

Rock31 Barista Incubator Grand Opening
2023-07-11 09:00 - 10:30 | Untitled
Big Sky Economic Development & Rock31 are excited to invite you to the grand opening of the Rock31 Barista Incubator. The space is now filled by Sweetwater Coffee House & Eatery! We will celebrate their grand opening in the Rock31 space on Tuesday, July 11th at 9:00 am. Sweetwater is owned and operated by Lisa Burns Rembold.
“My name is Lisa Burns Rembold. I was raised in a small town in Wyoming, educated at Middlesex College in New Jersey, and CIA in New York. I have spent most of the last 40+ years in the restaurant industry, as a server, bartender, line cook, and chef. I have owned several restaurants and have focused mostly on Italian cuisine. I have cooked around the world, and mostly in Italy. I have been a chef at several restaurants in Billings, and I own Seconde Pasta Co., which is my second pasta company, and which will now be based in the barista space at Rock 31. My daughter, Quinn Curry and I have recently become the owners of Sweetwater Coffee, which is also located in the space. Our intent is to provide a bit of an Italian cafe vibe, with coffees, teas and specialty drinks, as well as small plates, pastries, and of course pasta, in all its varieties and forms. We will provide all the cafe products for the members and users of Rock 31, but also for any guests that are looking for a different venue and cuisine from all that downtown Billings currently offers. We will have all the typical coffee and tea drinks, but also focus on some unusual ones…perhaps an Affogato, or a mocktail, or a fresh squeezed lemonade flavored with rose or lavender! Sweetwater Coffee is a small space, but our ideas are endless!”

FOLLOW SWEETWATER COFFEEHOUSE & EATERY

BSED July Board Meeting
2023-07-13 07:00 - 09:00 | Untitled
This meeting will be held in-person in the Zoot Training Room on the 2nd floor. Please RSVP to rsvp@bigskyeda.org if you are planning to attend.
BSED Board Packet 7.13.23

Utah Boots-to-Business Reboot (Virtual) Three-Part Series
2023-07-26 17:00 - 19:00 | Untitled
ABOUT BOOTS TO BUSINESS REBOOT
Boots to Business Reboot is a two-step training program that provides participants an overview of business ownership as a career vocation, an outline and knowledge on the components of a business plan, a practical exercise in opportunity recognition, and an introduction to available public and private sector resources.
Step one is the Introduction to Entrepreneurship course eligible to Veterans of all eras, service members (including members of the National Guard and Reserve) and their spouses. This course is instructed by SBA and its partners, who are skilled business advisors.
Step two is one of the online follow-on courses instructed by a consortium of professors and skilled business advisors from the SBA Network. If you’ve already attended an in-person Boots to Business or Reboot class, visit https://sbavets.force.com/ to sign up for one of the online B2B follow-on courses.

AGENDA:

Class 1 on July 26 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Class 2 on August 2 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Class 3 on August 9 | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

BSED August Executive Committee
2023-08-02 07:00 - 09:00 | Untitled
This meeting will be held in-person in the Montana Room, Second Floor of Stockman Bank at 402 N. Broadway, Billings, MT 59101. Please RSVP to rsvp@bigskyeda.org if you are planning to attend.
Executive Committee Packet 8.2.23

UTAH BOOTS-TO-BUSINESS REBOOT (VIRTUAL) THREE-PART SERIES | Class 2
2023-08-02 17:00 - 19:00 | Untitled

Navy Week - Doing Business with the Department of Navy & GovMatch Event
2023-08-09 08:00 - 17:00 | Untitled
Navy Week Billings MT_flyer
Join the Montana APEX Accelerator (formerly known as Procurement Technical Assistance Center – PTAC) as they welcome Mr. Dave Walz, Deputy Small Business Program, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport, to the
Billings area. During this event, small businesses will receive information on the following topics:

Department of the Navy Office of Small Business
Programs’ Achievements and Goals
The DON OSBP Mentor-Protégé Program
Preparing for the DON procurement process
Resources and assistance to help small businesses

View full agenda HERE!

UTAH BOOTS-TO-BUSINESS REBOOT (VIRTUAL) THREE-PART SERIES | Class 3
2023-08-09 17:00 - 21:00 | Untitled

Cybersecurity
2023-08-15 10:00 - 11:00 | Untitled
Your business has a cybersecurity issue. As technology evolves, so does the threat of a breach or a hack impacting your operation.
Join us to learn about the below topics and more:
– The importance of cybersecurity and what resources are needed
– Employee training on avoiding attacks and putting processes in place for remote workers
– Define business email compromise and how to train your staff
This workshop is presented by Logan Hickle with the Better Business Bureau.
Logan graduated with a degree in Marketing from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX. He has held various marketing and communications related positions at companies from large higher education dining programs to technology startups, partnering with large corporations such as Microsoft, Best Buy, and Disney.
Logan Hickle specializes in public relations, marketing, event execution, customer support, and relationship building. New with the Better Business Bureau, Logan is excited to establish and strengthen partnerships with media outlets, Chambers, and Associations across Montana and Washington.
Register Here: https://mtsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/events/5581

Managing Cash Flow
2023-08-22 10:00 - 23:00 | Untitled
In today’s competitive landscape, maintaining a healthy cash flow is crucial for the success and sustainability of any enterprise.

This workshop is designed to equip business owners with essential strategies and practical tools to effectively handle their cash flow challenges and ensure financial stability.

Facilitated by Kyle Jordan | US Bank

Global Sourcing & Supply Chain: Understanding Costs of Procurement from Overseas & in the USA
2023-08-29 10:00 - 11:30 | Untitled
This training will help businesses understand important cost and legal compliance considerations for sourcing products and materials.
The training will cover:

Import costs and compliance: Understand total cost and compliance considerations before purchasing product from overseas. This includes import duties (tariffs) and the legal responsibilities of every company purchasing from overseas.
Global freight costs: Learn how to determine freight costs and factor the costs into your product or material landing cost.
Overseas vs. local suppliers: Gain tools to determine if an overseas supplier or domestic product or material supplier makes sense for your business.

The goal of the training is to arm businesses with a checklist to review to help avoid unexpected costs and legal compliance risks.

Office Closed | Labor Day
2023-09-04 08:00 - 17:00
The Big Sky Economic Development offices will be closed today in observance of Labor Day.

BSED September Executive Committee Meeting
2023-09-06 07:00 - 09:00 | Untitled
This meeting will be held in-person in the lower-level Venture Conference Room. Please RSVP to rsvp@bigskyeda.org if you are planning to attend.
Executive Committee Packet 9.6.23
