The end of the year is coming up quick! You would think that meant things were slowing down for the holidays, but since you’re a small business owner or supporter, you know that this is the time of year when things start to really heat up! Well, economically, anyway. If it gets much colder, I’m opening a satellite office at my buddy Tim’s tiki bar in Kona for the winter.
Our advisors are working hard to ensure you’re supported during these busy weeks! If you haven’t talked to one of them lately, you should reach out. They have a ton of new SBDC programs and resources to tell you about. A big one right now is the State and Tribal Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) programs, which are busy helping all the small businesses that put “money” down on their holiday wish list, have a happy holiday.
For those of you who can never figure out what to buy anyone for the holidays, BuyAlaska has you covered! The BuyAlaska Holiday Gift Guide is out again, and it is jam-packed with awesome Alaskan businesses that can help you find that perfect gift for mom so you can finally beat your sibling this year!
Last but not least, after you come out of your turkey coma, make sure to get out on Saturday, November 30th, for Shop Small Saturday and support our local businesses! It’s a great way to build community, help out your local entrepreneurs, and get a bunch of great stuff. I will be strolling around downtown Anchorage with a few VIPs, checking out shops, and watching the tree lighting. I’d tell you who the VIPs are, but if they find out I’m coming, they might cancel, so you’ll just have to wait and see.
You don’t have to wait and see when it comes to reaching out to us, though! The Alaska SBDC has been working hard to grow our organization’s resources, staff, and programs so that we can offer you more support than ever before. I’ve told my staff that 2025’s theme will be “New Year, New SBDC!”
I know I say this every time, but you really should reach out to us. I truly believe that the best gift you can give yourself and your business this year is to take advantage of the dozens of new programs, resources, and funding assistance we have to offer. If that’s not enough, I’ll even share my secret recipes for smoked turkey and French onion dip, but keep those between us, okay?