SBA South Dakota names 2022 Small Businesses of the Year, to be honored in virtual ceremony
Each year, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) celebrates National Small Business Week (NSBW) by recognizing the achievements of outstanding small business owners and entrepreneurs across the United States. This year, NSBW takes place May 1-7 across
the nation and U.S. territories. The SBA South Dakota District Office is honoring all SBA SD 2022 Small Businesses of the Year and the SBA SD Small Business Person of the Year in a virtual ceremony
May 3, 2022, 2:00 PM CDT. The public is invited to join at
http://ow.ly/iNhZ50IGqMa.
The SBA SD outstanding small business award recipients for 2022 include:
Small Business Person of the Year – Karla Santi, Chief Executive Officer/Founder, Blend Interactive, Inc., Sioux Falls
Small Business Exporter of the Year – Mark Luecke, Prairie AquaTech, Brookings
Family-Owned Small Business of the Year – The Novstrup Family, Wylie Thunder Road, Aberdeen
Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year – Mulugeta and Marta Endayeau, Lalibela Restaurant, Sioux Falls
Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year – Thomas Catron, Dakota Solace Home Care, LLC dba Home Instead, Mitchell
Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year – Tara Pirak, Valley Ag Supply, Inc., Gayville
Young Entrepreneurs of the Year – Robert “Zane” Swan and Stephen Swan, HeSapa Enterprises LLC, Rapid City
Small Business Champion of the Year – Bill Zortman, Radio Host, “It’s Your Business”, KELO AM 1320, Sioux Falls
“National Small Business Week is a pinnacle celebration each year, where we collectively honor and amplify South Dakota’s top business owners,” said Jaime Wood, SBA South Dakota District Director. “This year’s winners are an outstanding representation of the
nearly 90,000 small businesses owners across our state. They work tirelessly to create employment opportunities, provide much needed products and services, and go the extra mile to volunteer time and talent where needed for advisory boards, community projects,
and events.”
About National Small Business Week
For more than 51 years, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, recognizing the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. More than half of Americans either own
or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year. As part of National Small Business Week, the SBA takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners,
and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories. For more information on National Small Business Week, and to register to join the National Virtual Awards Ceremony taking place May 5, visit
www.sba.gov/nsbw.
For a calendar of upcoming small business training and information events and to connect to local small business assistance, visit
www.sba.gov/sd.
SBA Introduces Two New Courses, Partnerships and Entrepreneurial Leadership to the Ascent Online Digital Learning Platform
The digital tool provides women-owned small businesses resources to drive growth through business partnerships, building and refining leadership skills
The U.S.
Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the launch of two new
educational modules.
Ascent is a digital platform comprised of targeted education modules, called Journeys, that gives small business owners 24/7 access to critical information backed by research and addresses the unique needs of women entrepreneurs.
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Partnerships Journey: This module explores the value of business partnerships, why they matter, and how they drive business growth and has four components, including the value of business partnerships, opportunities, and strategic growth.
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Entrepreneurial Leadership Journey: This new module helps position small businesses for growth by building and refining leadership skills and has 11 components designed to build confidence and improve decision management and
leadership style techniques.
“With the strong vision and action of Administrator Guzman, we continue advancing our entrepreneurial education experience through technology forward and timely online learning systems such as Ascent,”
stated SBA
Associate Administrator of the Office for Entrepreneurial Development Mark Madrid. “We look forward to announcing more educational initiatives to position our diverse small business ecosystems to thrive.”
In 2021, the SBA’s Ascent platform launched and has assisted nearly 50,000 businesses, young entrepreneurs in writing business plans, business legal education, access to capital, and moving into the contracting space. Business recovery is also a valuable tool
in the learning platform, which continues to support those impacted by the pandemic. This is part of the overarching support to women-owned businesses, including free business counseling to over 800,000 small business owners, billions of dollars in COVID economic
relief, capital infusion, and government contracting last year.
“We know that women entrepreneurs start and own nearly half of all businesses in the United States and generate $1.8 trillion in revenue. They need a self-paced digital tool like Ascent to help them scale up and thrive,”
stated SBA
Assistant Administrator of the Office for Women’s Business Ownership, Natalie Madeira Cofield. “As Administrator Guzman has reinforced, opportunities for every woman aspiring to lead and grow our economy should
be afforded to the greatest extent of our reach.”
For more information on Ascent, visit
Ascent.SBA.gov and register for your free access today. For additional opportunities on how women entrepreneurs can start, grow and recover, visit
SBA.gov or contact your
local SBA District Office.
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Registration for the 2022 National Small Business Week Virtual Summit, “Building a Better America Through Entrepreneurship,” is now open. This year’s NSBW Virtual Summit will feature access to federal resources, educational workshops, and networking to help
small businesses pivot, grow, and seize new opportunities. The event is free, but registration is required.
Register
SBA Upcoming Events
United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)
Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Dialogue
Empowering Small Business Trade and Investment in North America
You are invited to attend the first USMCA Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Dialogue via online webinar on Friday, April 22, 2022, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (CDT) local time in San Antonio, Texas.
The USMCA SME Dialogue will highlight the benefits of the USMCA trade agreement for small businesses and explore ways that SMEs can better take advantage of increased trade and investment between the three countries. The event will bring together
small businesses, government officials, and trade experts to identify new USMCA business opportunities and areas of collaboration between Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
The USMCA SME Dialogue is convened by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), together with Global Affairs Canada and Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service,
and the Development Productive Unit and the Vice Ministry of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Economy of Mexico.
Register
Resources for Small Businesses
Monday, May 2, 2022 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CDT
Whether you need to create a successful business plan, get expert advice on expanding your business, marketing, understand the government market and requirements to do business with the government, or training your team, there are many resource partners to
help you.
Hear from resource partners on how they can help you start, grow and expand your business! Information will be shared covering all three states.
Register
SBA Federal Certification – 8(a) Business Development Program Information
Tuesday, May 3, 2022 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CDT
The 8(a) Business Development Program helps small, disadvantaged businesses compete in the federal marketplace. The Program offers contractual assistance, financial assistance and management and technical assistance to firms that are owned and controlled at
least 51% by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals. Under this program, the federal government limits competition for certain contracts to participating businesses to help provide a level playing field for small disadvantaged owned businesses.
The federal government’s goal is to award at least eleven percent of all federal contracting dollars to small, disadvantaged businesses each year. This workshop is for small businesses who have been in business for at least two years and have goods or services
to sell to the federal government. (Occasional exceptions are made to the two-year rule on an individual basis.)
Register
SBA Federal Certification – Introduction to the HUBZone Program
Wednesday, May 4, 2022 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CDT
The HUBZone program fuels small business growth in historically underutilized business zones with a goal of awarding at least 3% of federal contract dollars to HUBZone-certified companies each year. Joining the HUBZone program makes your business eligible to
compete for the program’s set-aside contracts and HUBZone-certified businesses also get a 10% price evaluation preference in full and open contract competitions. During this workshop, you’ll learn about the program’s eligibility requirements, the application
process and tips for completing your application. You’ll also learn about recent program improvements and how to maintain certification.
Register
 
Looking to Start a Business – Boots to Business Reboot Training
Wednesday, May 4, 2022 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM CDT
Zeal Center for Entrepreneurship/Start Up Sioux Falls
2329 N. Career Ave., Suite 1, Sioux Falls
Starting a business can be overwhelming! Where does one even begin? From start to finish, our SBA resource team is here to help. This training will give you a glimpse into starting your own business including:
•How to get your business idea financed
•How to write a business plan bankers will love
•How to register your business
•How to find your target market
•How to know if your idea will make you money
•AND MORE!
Register
SBA Federal Certification – WOSB/EDWOSB
Thursday, May 5, 2022 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CDT
To level the playing field in the federal contracting marketplace, the federal government’s goal is to award at least 5% of all federal contracting dollars to women-owned small businesses each year. Why should women take advantage of this unique opportunity?
Join us for an informational webinar to learn more about SBA’s federal contracting program and highlights on the NEW Woman Owned Small Business Federal Contracting Certification Program and navigating recent program changes?
Register
Veteran Certification
Friday, May 6, 2022 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM CDT
The federal government aims to award at least 3% of all federal contracting dollars to Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB) each year. Competition is limited for certain federal contract opportunities to businesses that participate in the
SDVOSB program. Joining the SDVOSB program makes your business eligible to compete for the program’s set-aside contracts. Small businesses owned by veterans can compete for set-aside contracts at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Until January of 2023,
SDVOSBs may self-certify their status to compete for set-aside contracts at most federal agencies. However, the VA does not recognize SDVOSB self-certification. VA SDVOSB contractors must be verified by the Center for Verification and Evaluation. As required
by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2021, VA’s Center for Verification and Evaluation will be transferred to SBA effective January 1, 2023.
Register
Save the Date!
A free, open house-style gathering will bring representatives of businesses and federal agencies together to discuss contracting opportunities. The “Selling to the Government: Getting Down to Business” event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (CDT)
on May 12, 2022, at the Morningside Community Center, Harvey Dunn Elementary School, 2400 S. Bahnson in Sioux Falls. No registration is required. Business guests who attend may come and go as they please.
The South Dakota Procurement Technical Assistance Center and the U.S. Small Business Administration are jointly hosting the event. Agencies expected to have representatives at the gathering include Ellsworth Air Force Base, Offutt Airforce Base, Warren Airforce
Base, Western Area Power Administration, National Park Service, State of South Dakota, South Dakota Board of Regents, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, General Services Administration,
City of Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls Housing & Redevelopment Commission & Affordable Housing and other invited agencies.
For more information contact:
Lisa Claassen
lisa.claassen@sba.gov – 605-330-4243 x 28
Marcella Hurley
Marcella.hurley@usd.edu – 605-367-5252
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