When I began as Executive Director of the Development Corporation in the fall of 2019, the board and I discussed the need for an additional staff member. At the time, our work was focused on launching new programs and building a network of local, regional, and state resources to better support businesses in Seward County. It wasn't clear what role this additional staff member would take, so we decided to wait until a true need presented itself. Shortly after this discussion, the pandemic shut down the economy and work for everyone in the community changed. While we are still experiencing both physical and economic effects of COVID, the Development Corporation two years later has solidified its vision, and it's obvious now what role needs to be added. 

During the November board meeting, we unanimously approved the creation of a new position for the Seward County Development Corporation: the Spanish Business Outreach and Main Street Coordinator. While this name might sound like two jobs, it will be one person.

Currently, we are an Affiliate Community with the Kansas and National Main Street Programs. However, in order to apply to be an official Main Street Community, we must have a coordinator/director for the program--other than the executive director of the development corporation. The National Program requires this to ensure that communities recognize the importance of the role and the time necessary to do it justice. 

The second emphasis of the new position will be as the Spanish Business Outreach Coordinator. Our most recent Census has Seward County's population at 65% Hispanic. We are blessed to have a growing community, especially in rural America which has been losing population for years. While my knowledge of Spanish allows me to understand much of what I hear, I am not fluent and cannot provide the guidance and communication that local business owners deserve. Furthermore, nearly all of the business support programs available through organizations across the region are only in English. Those organizations recognize the value of providing their services in Spanish, but they don't have the capacity to translate and/or present them as such. 

The new coordinator will maximize our ability to support local businesses by communicating with owners and translating/providing business growth tools in Spanish. This will not only improve the success rate of many of our small businesses, but it will also attract other businesses to our community. In many cases, we will be the first and only community equipped to offer these tools in Spanish. 

It is exciting to see our work at the Development Corporation grow, and we're thrilled to be able to offer this new set of tools and resources to a large population of business owners and entrepreneurs in our community. We are currently reviewing applications and hope to have the new person hired by January 1. 

Wichita, KS – NetWork Kansas’ Entrepreneurship (E-) Community Partnership announces the 2021-2022 Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (YEC) Series. The YEC Series consists of local-level youth entrepreneurship competitions hosted by volunteers. The goal of the competition is to expose Kansas middle school and high school students to entrepreneurship. Fifty-three local events in Kansas cities and counties will culminate in a state championship hosted at Kansas State University on April 28, 2022. 

“The Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge is an exciting and fun experience for students. It allows students the opportunity to show off their business ideas in front of judges and their peers while competing for a cash prize. We’ve had winners use the cash prize to make their business plan come to fruition, whereas without the competition, these students wouldn’t have ever considered starting a business,” says Mollea Wainscott, Assistant Director of Economic Development at Dodge City/Ford County Development Corporation.

Local YEC Series events require students to prepare an executive summary and four-minute presentation, and often feature interactive tradeshows or elevator pitches. Students compete for awards and prizes. Students’ work is judged by local entrepreneurs, public sector partners, teachers, and other community members. The first place business idea at each local YEC Series competition qualifies to compete at the state championship. Up to fifteen additional business ideas can earn the right to participate at the state championship through a wildcard application process.   

The Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge allows students to gain hands-on entrepreneurship experience. Students are empowered to solve everyday problems in their own community, which helps them to see that entrepreneurship is a viable career option. The exponential growth of YEC has reiterated that there is a hunger for youth entrepreneurship in Kansas. This year we expect the YEC Series to involve over 1,000 students and be the biggest year for YEC yet!” says Bailee Henry, Product Manager of E-Community Programs. 

Competitions in the 2021-2022 YEC Series will be hosted in: Anderson County, Barton County, Bourbon County, Chase County, Chautauqua County, Cherokee County, Cheyenne County, Clay County, Cloud County, Cowley County, Crawford County, Douglas County, Edwards County, Ellis County, Ellsworth County, Ford County, Greeley County, Hodgeman County, Kiowa County, Labette County, Leavenworth County, Lincoln County, Linn County, Marion County, McPherson County, Montgomery County, Morris County, Morton County, Neosho County, Norton County, Osborne County, Pawnee County, Phillips County, Pottawatomie County, Rawlins County, Reno County, Republic County, Rice County, Riley County, Rooks County, Russell County, Saline County Scott County, Sedgwick County, Seward County, Shawnee County, Sherman County, Smith County, Stafford County, Thomas County, Wabaunsee County, Wichita County, Wyandotte County.

During 2020-2021, 898 students from more than seventy Kansas schools participated in forty-four local entrepreneurship competitions as part of the YEC series. The 2021-2022 academic year marks the ninth annual YEC series coordinated by NetWork Kansas and the E-Community Partnership. 

Stay tuned for more information about the 2021-2022 YEC Series!

5 Small Business Tips to Ace Your Holiday Sales

There's no question that sales will be a big deal in the 2021/22 holiday season. Over the past two years, many businesses across the United States have suffered declining customer numbers, stock delays, and declining sales. But the tide may be turning. According to Mastercard, Deloitte, and Bain's forecasts, holiday sales this year will grow at least 7% on last year's sales to roughly $800 billion. 

So how can you take advantage of the 2021/22 holiday season boom as a small business owner or employee? We'll share five strategies to help you maximize your sales revenue this holiday season. 

1. Leverage BOGO sales

2. Encourage loyalty discounts 

3. Offer Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) 

4. Create holiday cheer with a marketing campaign

5. Plan ahead for your inventory

If you plan your sales well, you can maximize your marketing, draw in loyal customers, and ultimately boost your revenue. Read more from our friends at SCORE here.

On October 21, the Seward County Development Corporation hosted the first business networking event at the Baker Kitchen. We had a good mix of students and business representatives at the event. Everyone who attended agreed that that more events like this need to happen. The networking provided priceless training for the students, and it was great for different business owners to mingle as well. A special thank you to Billy's for catering the event. 

Don't miss out on these upcoming events. 

• Local Angel Investment Group
• December 9, 2021 5:30-7:30pm
• Trish Brasted of Network Kansas and Accelerate Venture Partners will be joining us to share her more than twenty years of experience with Angel Investment Groups. We will discuss opportunities for local investment in Seward County and how to build a team of active investors to support local innovation and start-ups. If you'd like to be a part of this group--seeking financial returns through your investments in local business ventures--please contact Eli. The list of attendees is growing, and spots are limited. 
• Invitation Required. Contact Eli if you're interested in attending (eli@swks.org)
• Tech Innovation in Rural Kansas
• The Center of Rural Innovation will begin its work in Liberal in early 2022. This Rural Innovation Initiative has the potential to add new opportunities in our local economy and support the tech needs of our existing businesses. We need your input as business owners and community members. This evening will be an opportunity for you to share the needs that your business currently faces, brainstorm ways that we can expand tech jobs in the community, and engage with the CORI team as we work to diversity our local economy. 
• Home Business Expansion
• Even before the pandemic, people were building and making products in their homes and selling them both locally and nationally. As a community and economic development organization, we love these entrepreneurs and want to ensure that they know about the resources available to them both through our office and through our network partners. This evening will highlight financing options, labeling support, and home business needs. Anyone who has a home business should attend this event. 

Specific dates and times for these events will be shared closer to the event. If you know you are interested in attending one of these topics, or you know someone who would be, please contact Eli at the Seward County Development Corporation. Your name will be added to the attendee list, as some of these events will be invitation only. 

Neighborhood Revitalization Area

Cindy Wallace, City of Liberal Economic Development Director
 

The City of Liberal adopted a Neighborhood Revitalization Plan in 2014 intended to promote the revitalization and development of certain areas with the City of Liberal in order to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, and improve economic conditions which impair and arrest the sound growth of the community. What this program does is the City offers property tax rebates for certain improvements or renovation of the property within the designated areas in accordance with the provisions of K.S. A. 12-17, 114 et seq. In accordance with K.S.A. 12-17, 118 a tax rebate incentive will be available to property owners for certain improvements that raise the appraised value of residential property 10% and commercial property 20%. 

Eligibility requirements for a tax rebate are as follows:

Residential New Construction/Rehabilitation – All residential improvements legally permitted by applicable zoning regulations and building codes with the Neighborhood Revitalization area are eligible for the specified tax rebate provided the new appraised valuation is increased by a minimum of 10%.

Commercial New Construction/Rehabilitation – Commercial, office and institutional, and industrial projects legally permitted by application zoning regulations and building codes within the Neighborhood Revitalization area are eligible for the specified tax rebate provided the new appraised valuation is increased by a minimum of 20%.

Rebate period: Ten (10) years new construction and five (5) years for rehabilitations, alterations, additions.
Rebate Amount: 95% of the tax corresponding to the increase in appraised value (on building only, not land) resulting from the specific improvements identified on the application on rehabilitations, alterations, or additions to residential and commercial projects. Valuation eligible for the rebate shall be capped at $400,000 on residential projects and $800,000 on commercial projects.

The rebate amount shall remain constant for the duration of the rebate period (i.e. changes in value due to market factors shall not affect the amount of the rebate).

For complete information and a map of the areas designated go to www.chooseliberal.com and click on Business Assistance along the top column. In the dropdown menu click on State and Local Programs. You may also contact Cindy Wallace, Economic Development Director for further information at 626-2256 or cindywallace@cityofliberal.org.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from the City of Liberal Economic Development Department!

The majority of our work at the development corporation consists of supporting local entrepreneurs and businesses as they start or expand their operations. Through our partners, we can provide the expertise and the funding that these ventures need in order to be successful. These same partners and networks also connect us to resources outside of Seward County. This month will bring new opportunities for learning and networking that can help the businesses and communities here at home. 

• December 3: Development Corporation Monthly Board Meeting
• December 8-9: WKREDA Quarterly Conference
• December 9: Angel Investor Baker Business Social
• December 13: Statewide Housing Needs Assessment Results Tour
• December 16: Ice House Entrepreneurship Facilitator Summit