GROWing One Nebraska Business at a Time
Sara Stehl and Heidi High of Bertrand work for the GROW Nebraska Partnership an organization that provides assistance to individuals or small companies needing help marketing a product or products they have developed for sale.
According to the women, GROW Nebraska is a non-profit organization whose mission is focused on maximizing Nebraska’s entrepreneurial spirit and on building Nebraska businesses globally by providing sustainable business environments through marketing, education, business building services and access to markets.
The program focuses on helping microenterprises gain access to the market place, increasing awareness and sales of their products.
GROW is headquartered in the Central Plains Development Center in Holbrook (the old Holbrook school) which is set up as a small business incubator. GROW became a part of the center in 1996.
After hosting a showcase event at the Center in November that year, it became obvious that small businesses had no way to market their products. 1998 the GROW begin accepting members and created the first annual GROW Nebraska market. The initial membership was 61, it offered five services.
The program ten years later touts a membership of 252 business subscribers and retailers and now offers 19 services.
Sara was hired in 2005 as the special projects coordinator. She does grant writing and maintains a data base for reporting to funders.
Heidi serves as the organization’s development coordinator. She oversees retail stores, helps with product evaluation, helps with promotion and awareness, works with recruiting and maintains a membership data base. She also oversees the Kearney store.
The women are two of ten employed by the organization.
An accounting firm keeps track of the day to day transactions.
Currently GROW is helping individuals and businesses merchandise their products in the following categories: gourmet foods and beverages, essential scentuals, paper and stationery, music and books, fine art, jewelry and wearables, home and garden, gifts and collectibles, retail stores and galleries, service and tourism, economic development and media partners.
A yearly membership fee with GROW allows its members, made up of some of Nebraska’s finest craftsmen, artisans and entrepreneurs, to receive education and training, which in turn helps them increase their markets, sales volume and knowledge of successful business practices. That education includes product evaluation, marketing outlets in retail and holiday stores, newsletters, phone training, and training seminars and workshops, access to funding, business plans, and electronic opportunities including e-mail networking, website development, an e-Commerce website, and an eBay initiative.
Sara said, “GROW is about helping people evaluate their products and making sure their products are ready to be sold…so they are as good as they can be. It’s about helping them get in touch with people who will buy their product. It is about knowing how to market correctly” She said poor marketing of products and services is one of the top four reasons for business failure.
“Product evaluation is very important service offered by GROW,” said Heidi. “Members can have their products juried by industry experts such as retail story owners, food experts, shoppers and graphic designers.
Through GROW, products are eligible for inclusion in GROW’s retail outlets, including the year-round store in Kearney (products sold for 132 GROW members), the Archway Gallery, holiday stores and participation in events throughout the year such as the Nebraska State Fair Store where $35,000 was sold in just 10 days in 2007.
Although loans and business plan classes are not available through GROW, members can be guided in the right direction. Information is also available about the food processing seminars offered at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and business help opportunities through the University of Nebraska at Kearney.
According to the women, one of the most important aspects of GROW is the networking done between members. Members learn from each other what works in the wholesaling and retailing world.
“We are about teaching people to fish rather than fishing for them,” said Sara.
The first Friday of each month, a phone training session is offered. This service also provides a forum for answering question members may have about their business. The only expense to the member is the cost of the phone call.
Several members only have one product they offer. One member has over 20 products. Products ranging from foods to fine art sell from $1.98 to over $2,500. Many of the items are patented, copyrighted or have a trademark.
The organization is funded by membership fees, grants and donations.
Major donors include the Nebraska Microenterprise Partnership (State funds available to be distributed to businesses with five employees or less). the Department of Economic Development and the National Endowment for the Arts. Local contributors include the Bertrand, First State Bank of Loomis and First State Bank of Elwood.
Funds from the Nebraska Microenterprise Partnership helps to pay the administrative costs of the organization.
Other funding is used to provide such services as—the product evaluation, learning store in the mall in Kearney, the website critique, the State Fair Store and the Holiday Store.
“Janell Anderson Ehrke of Orleans is the driving force behind the development of GROW. She is its CEO,” said Heidi.
Local members of GROW are the following: Those Blasted Signs, DeDe’s Photos and The Studio of Writing and Design of Bertrand; Holen One Farms, IBBZ Inc. and Prairie Wood Shop, Loomis; Prairie Pillows of Elwood; and Bits and Pieces and Lucy’s Crochet of Overton.
Story by: Bertrand Herald
