Small businesses are the lifeblood of communities like Merrill. Not only do they provide the community with goods and services, they also create jobs and demonstrate to everyone that their community is alive and well.
If you’ve ever been interested in starting a small business, or are interested in Merrill’s small business climate and want to hear from the trenches, come to “Merrill Open For Business” in T. B. Scott Free Library’s Community Room on Monday, May 8, starting at 6:30 p.m.
Art Lersch, Community Resource Development Educator for UW-Extension Lincoln County, will moderate a panel discussion of small business experts and local business owners. There will be plenty of opportunity for discussion and interaction.
Panelists include:
•Joe Fritz, representing the Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) and SCORE, a mentoring program of retired business owners
•Noel Bushor, Co-owner of Courtside Furniture in Merrill
•Ken Maule: Director of the Lincoln County Development Corporation
•Trina & Robbie Johnson: Co-owners of Johnson Gifts & Home Décor
The panel and audience will be invited to discuss their experiences of starting and operating a small business, what help is available to would-be business owners as they get started, what advice small business owners would offer to new entrepreneurs, and particular advantages and challenges to running a small business in the Merrill area.
The discussion will also get into what’s being done locally to foster business growth and job creation through small business, and what can be done to build on the current small business climate in Merrill.
This session is part of the Building Merrill Together initiative, which aims to stir government, business and the general public to positively change Merrill through information and discussion, and by creating an open and transparent environment for change.
Refreshments will be provided, compliments of First Street Coffee Station and The Checkered Churn.
Find out more about what’s happening at your library at www.tbscottlibrary.org or call 715-536-7191.