Business Plans in the Works in Northeast Nebraska

Five communities in Northeast Nebraska co-sponsored a Business Plan Training with the REAP Women’s Business Center this fall. Representatives of 16 businesses or potential businesses participated in the five-week course. Each community offered to host one night of the trainings. Sessions were held in Oakland, Lyons, Tekamah and Bancroft. Businesses or organizations from each of these communities participated as well as from Decatur and Wisner.

Facilitator Russ Wilcox provided information and led discussions on marketing/advertising, pricing, financial statements, goal setting and customer relations. Discussions around the current financial environment and the potential impact on the local businesses proved interesting. One conclusion of the discussions was the importance of “above and beyond” customer service. It’s very important to identify and know your target market and how to reach it.

Participating members shared experiences, brainstormed marketing tactics and techniques, and offered networking opportunities to each other. This is what the REAP program is all about – training, sharing, encouraging, networking and supporting small business owners in rural Nebraska.

Thank you to the Burt County Economic Development Corporation and the community leaders in Bancroft, Decatur, Lyons, Oakland and Tekamah for assisting with recruitment and sponsorship.