Business Chitchat

Writing A Business Plan The New Way: A Conversation with Headwaters SBDC Business Advisor, Fionn Zarubica

Ready to take your business plan to the next level with ease? In this episode, Fionn Zarubica, Business Advisor at Headwaters SBDC, reveals how entrepreneurs are streamlining their planning process using the cutting-edge LivePlan software. Discover how this tool empowers users to craft impressive, professional-grade business plans with comprehensive financial projections – all made even simpler with AI-powered features. Whether you're launching a startup or refining your current strategy, tune in to learn how LivePlan could be the game-changer you've been searching for!*
Register for SBDC services here: https://mtsbdc.ecenterdirect.com/
About Fionn:
Fionn Zarubica is a versatile professional with over two decades of experience inentrepreneurship, organizational consultation and the cultural sector. Currently, shebrings her expertise to the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) of Montana,where she helps business owners navigate the challenges of starting and growing theirventures. She provides personalized consulting services tailored to the unique needs ofeach client, specializing in budgeting and finance, business planning and start-upconsulting.
Fionn pursued her education at the University of California, Santa Barbara and theUniversity of California, Los Angeles. Before moving into business consulting, she hada distinguished career as a costume designer, working in theater, film, ballet, opera andtelevision across the United States, Canada and Europe. In the museum sector, Fionnheld key roles managing the renowned costume and textile collections at the LosAngeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). She contributed to several prominentexhibitions, including California Design, 1930-1965: Living in a Modern Way (2011),Fashioning Fashion: European Dress in Detail, 1700-1915 (2010) and Breaking theMode: Contemporary Fashion from the Permanent Collection (2006).
From 2010 to 2021, Fionn served as an instructor of museology at California StateUniversity Long Beach, College of Professional and International Education. She laterworked as a museum consultant and educator in Europe, where she developed culturalprograms supported by U.S. State Department grants. Additionally, Fionn is anexperienced grant writer and the founder of Fionn Zarubica Creative Partnerships,which provides multidisciplinary support to the creative industries. Her internationalexperience lends a global perspective to her work at SBDC, where she continues toempower entrepreneurs with the tools and strategies they need to succeed.

All About Montana Growth Through Agriculture (GTA) Grants & Loans

Is your ag business ready for growth? Would grant funding or a low-interest loan help your business? Are you located in rural Montana? In this episode, we explore Montana's Growth Through Agriculture (GTA) grant and loan program with Hailey Vine, Food & Agriculture Development Officer for the Montana Department of Agriculture, as well as Headwater's RC&D's very own Food and Ag Development Center Director, Brennan Hammer. You'll learn about the application process as well as some key steps. 
The Growth Through Agriculture (GTA) program is a grant and loan program established by the Montana Legislature to strengthen and diversify Montana's agricultural industry through the development of new agricultural products and processes. Examples of eligible project activities involve equipment purchases, construction costs, advertising and promotion, and consultant services for engineering. The GTA program is administered by the Agriculture Development Council (Council) which is attached to the Department of Agriculture.
About Hailey:
Hailey Vine joined the Montana Department of Agriculture in November 2023 as the Food & Ag Development Officer. Prior to her position with the Department, she worked very closely with the organization as the Food & Ag Development Center Director of eastern Montana for over two years assisting producers in business planning, grant applications, financial projections, and more. She brings a unique perspective and knowledge of the agriculture industry and value-added business world with her background in economic development, federal programs, and business administration. Hailey has a passion to meet people where they are at, assisting them to achieve those next steps to success, both professionally and personally. Growing up as a South Dakota farm girl, she's truly enjoyed working in the Montana agriculture scene along with its great producers and supporters. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in animal science and minor in business administration from Montana State University. Hailey is encouraged daily by her husband, Tyler, as they continue to build their new life and community in the Flathead Valley. 
 
Links:
More about GTA: https://agr.mt.gov/GTA
GTA Guidelines for 2024: https://agr.mt.gov/_docs/GTA-docs/GTAGuidelines.pdf 

Reimagining Uptown Butte: A Conversation with Shanna Adams about a Business Improvement District (BID)

How can creating a Business Improvement District (BID) in Uptown Butte move the needle on the Uptown Butte Master Plan? Shanna Adams, civil engineer, co-owner of the Finlen Hotel, and champion of the Uptown Butte Master Plan Association, speaks to how the creation of BID in Uptown Butte can create a steady source of funding that can be leveraged to bring the vision of the Uptown Butte Master Plan to reality. 
 
About Shanna: 
Licensed professional civil engineer with 22+ years' experience leading teams, managing complex infrastructure projects, and advocating for projects that create lasting improvements in our communities. 
 
My career has provided me with a broad range of experiences including working in environmental restoration, community planning and community engagement, pedestrian facilities, and creating successful funding strategies. I have specific expertise in drinking water and water resource (stormwater and river systems) projects. I value operational knowledge and love elegant solutions that are easy to maintain. I've worked in the public and private sectors and on both coasts of the United States, but I've been lucky enough to spend most of my career in Montana.
Links: 
https://www.uptownbuttemt.com/
https://www.instagram.com/uptownbuttebid/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559847306163 
https://uptownbuttemasterplan.com/
 
 

The Path from Blight to Community Asset: All About EPA Brownfields Cleanup

Ever thought of turning an old abandoned building into a thriving cornerstone of your community? Headwaters RC&D Brownfield Program Manager, Melissa Wanamaker can help you make this dream a reality. Learn about Headwaters RC&D's Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund and how Brownfield Clean Up's are rippling across the United States!
Melissa WanamakerBrownfield Program Managermwanamaker@headwatersrcd.org(406) 533-6781https://www.headwatersrcd.org/brownfields

Hiring Solutions with Tabatha Hyatt at Express Employment

What's the best way to hire? How can employees and employers poise themselves for a smooth hiring practice? What's the best way to deal with a shortage of employees? Tabatha Hyatt, Co-Owner of Express Employment in Butte and owner of Express Employment in Helena breaks down for us all the best practices for hiring and workforce needs. 
About Tabatha: 
Tabatha began her journey with Express Employment in 2017 in a usual and unusual way. Usual in that she lost a job in a unique field and didn’t know where to turn. She went to her local Express Employment office for help! Unusual in the fact that she landed AT Express working as a Business Developer partnering with businesses on their job needs. She loved it so much she became partner and she loved that so much that she recently purchased the Helena Express Employment also!
Originally, Tabatha earned her degree in Health Promotion and ran corporate wellness programs for 20 years. She added her MBA with marketing around the time she started at Express to expand her skills and be able to step out of wellness. Little did she know she was stepping into the most ‘well’ thing she’s done!  Helping people on both sides of the coin with employers and employees is the ultimate rewarding position to be in. We help problem-solve all day everyday and find solutions every day! Whether you’re looking to hire or be hired, seeking help for a day or a decade, you can find it with Tabatha and Express!
Find Express Employment Online:
expresspros.com/buttemt

Starting a Business from Scratch with Jen & Lisa at Recreate Climbing + Fitness

Jen DeLong and Lisa Howell, owners of Recreate Climbing + Fitness in Butte, Montana talk to us about what it takes to bring to life a dream. Their story is one of grit, determination, aligned timing, and lots of trust. In this episode, you'll hear about their do's and don'ts, and their wins and failures. They share their best tips for entrepreneurship and scaling the walls of what is possible for your business. 
 
Visit Their Website:
https://recreateclimb.com/ 
 
About Jen & Lisa:
Lisa Howell
CO-FOUNDER
For fifteen years, I worked as a dental hygienist and loved the relationship aspect of working in direct patient care. Prior to dental hygiene, I worked as a human resource specialist for Montana State after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from MSU-Bozeman. Go Cats! I have a wonderful husband, Ryan, and two beautiful children, Sawyer and Sadie. We live in Butte and also run an electrical contracting business, Wired Electric.I have always made fitness a priority in my life, and have found group fitness training to be the most effective way to stay committed to a workout routine. Prior to group training, I trained for long distance running events and ran outdoors. Throughout my life, I struggled with various injuries brought on by my career and also years of running. I spent many years in physical therapy to correct these injuries. Through these trials, I have gained a passion for mobility training and injury prevention. I am certified in Functional Range Conditioning and am also certified as a Healthy Steps Nutrition (HSN) Coach. The foundation for fitness is nutrition, and I truly believe in a holistic lifestyle. Coaching with HSN makes this endeavor simple, but, not easy. We’re so stoked to be partnered with such an amazing company.Recreate is truly my dream gym – which is why you’ll see Jen and I, and our families, working out and climbing right along side you. We created the gym we wanted to belong to – we hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Jen DeLong
CO-FOUNDER
Hello, my name is Jen DeLong. I graduated from the University of Montana in 2003 with a degree in History and Communications. While I was at the U of M, I competed on the University Track Team for four years.  On the side, I got a minor in Contemporary Dance and went on the study dance for the next decade.
After completing my studies I was a college pastor and spent several of my summers as a tour director in Europe and Central America working with high school students. Both of these jobs fueled my love for faith, personal growth and leadership development.
In 2012 with a curiosity for business, I launched a wedding and portrait photography business that I’ve done over the last decade. In 2014, my husband and I relocated to Butte, where we began investing in real estate, revitalizing old buildings into vibrant living spaces.
Presently, I am the co-founder of Recreate Climbing and Fitness Gym with Lisa Howell, embracing the opportunity to inspire others to reach new heights in their health and wellness. As I grow in experience, I believe strength training and functional fitness are foundational to living a vibrant and active life. In 2020, I completed a certification as a Health and Life Coach from the Health Coach Institute. I love running Spartan races and exploring my potential.I’m a mom of three beautiful kids, Ava, Jude, and Adele and I have an amazing husband, Matt DeLong.

Value Added Producer Grants (VAPG) with Marlee Johnston at USDA Rural Development

How can you make the most of the USDA Value Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program? Marlee Johnston of USDA and Headwaters Food and Ag Development (FADC) Director, Karley Carter share with us how Headwaters and USDA can help you be a successful grant applicant for this critical food and ag grant program!
 
More on Value Added Producer Grants: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/business-programs/value-added-producer-grants/mt#overview
Book a consult with Headwaters FADC Director: https://www.headwatersrcd.org/food-and-agriculture-1
About Marlee
Marlee Johnston, Ag Producer State Specialist, has been with USDA Rural Development since July, 2019. Marlee’s primary role is assisting producers across MT in accessing grant and loan funding. Montana has seen great success in the Value-Added Producer Grant, bringing over $7.0 million dollars to over 45 receipts in the last 3 cycles. 

How Farmer Boy Eggs Leveraged Grants to Grow their Business

How can you use USDA's Value Added Producer Grants (VAPG) or Montana's Growth Through Agriculture Program (GTA) to grow your ag business? Cari Verlanic of Farmer Boy Eggs in Drummond shares with us how they have used grants to grow! 
About Cari 
My name is Cari Verlanic and I’ve been married to a rancher for 39 years. I’m the mom to three grown boys who are the owners of Farmer Boy Eggs. I was a school teacher for Drummond Public Schools for 27 years and am now the manager of our boys egg business. When I’m not at the chicken coop or delivering eggs, I am busy on the ranch helping to manage the day to day schedules, bookkeeping and field work.
More About Farmer Boy Eggs:
https://www.farmerboyeggs.com/

Community Land Trust as an Affordable Housing Solution with Dawn Conklin of Trust Montana

Dawn Conklin, Executive Director of Trust Montana, shares with us the community land trust model and how Trust Montana is working to bring affordable housing solutions to Montana. How can we make housing affordable for teachers, farmers, ranchers, nurses, and emergency responders? How can we keep Montana's rural cities affordable? Learn about this and more!
About Dawn Conklin
Dawn brings years of nonprofit experience to lead the mission of Trust Montana.  Her career has led her to work with NGO’s, the US government and mission organizations in Bangladesh, Ukraine, South Africa, Uganda and Ghana. She is skilled at working in cross-cultural settings and has served as a bridge builder through her work in economic and community development.  
Dawn is acutely aware of the housing affordability challenges and began her advocacy early in her career in her home state of Pennsylvania. Her first nonprofit job was managing a transitional shelter for homeless families.  Dawn had the privilege of marching side by side with her clients in the Housing Now! March in Washington D.C.  
Dawn holds a Master of Science degree in Economic and Community Development and a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Business.  Her passion for attainable housing, stewarding resources and compassion for vulnerable populations are sure to make it an exciting journey as she sets off to lead Trust Montana.
Email: dawn@trustmontana.orgPhone: (406)-898-7636
 
Learn More about Trust Montana
https://trustmontana.org/about/ 
 

Inside our Loan Department and How to Prepare for a Loan

When should your business consider a loan? How much do you need for a downpayment? What can you get ready for the loan process? How can you work with a bank? Learn from Jess Pendleton, Our Director of Loan Services, Kerry Taylor our loan assistant, and Courtney Loeffler, the Regional Director of our Small Business Development Center (SBDC) on how to prepare for a loan and all things getting your business ready for a loan.