With the pandemic entering into its seventh month and winter fast approaching, we here at the Alaska SBDC thought it would be nice to focus on some positive news for a change. One of the many amazing things about living here in Alaska is that people have amazing resilience. When things get tough, Alaskans come together and find a way through it. It’s in that spirit of optimism and community that we are proud to finally announce the launch of the BuyAlaska program!
As federal relief funding runs out and the economy continues to be sluggish, it is more important than ever that we all do what we can to help the small businesses that make up the fabric of our communities. By tapping into and supporting buy local initiatives across the state, BuyAlaska will help connect individuals with new and productive ways to support the businesses they love and hopefully find new ones they didn’t know existed.
We are also proud to showcase all of the businesses that we work with who are out there making it work every day in the face of insurmountable odds. The entrepreneurs, the innovators, and the job creators who get up every day to keep their businesses going and their staff employed. Businesses like Red Spruce AK in Juneau or Jellyfish Donuts in Ketchikan featured below give a glimpse to these efforts and the Alaska SBDC is proud to support them.
While it may be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, I assure you that it is there. The Alaska SBDC will continue to do everything we can to not only help you and your business weather this storm, but we will also continue to help you position yourself to take advantage of the eventual economic recovery. Accessing foreign markets where the recovery may happen earlier than the United States, developing a more robust online presence, finding new sources of capital, or rethinking your marketing strategy are just a few
Together, we will do what Alaskans have always done when faced with hardship and adversity: rise to the challenge.
Sincerely,
Jon Bittner
Alaska SBDC Executive Director