By Gina Breslin, Shareholder & Consultant at North Group Consultants

The Chamber’s Small Business Summit offered an energizing day of learning, connection, and inspiration for local business leaders. From candid panel discussions to insightful breakout sessions, the event was filled with practical wisdom and meaningful takeaways for anyone leading or growing a small business.

The Panelists

Hearing directly from owners of locally owned businesses in a Panel Discussion was both refreshing and encouraging. The panelists’ transparency about their challenges and lessons learned created an atmosphere of honesty and community.  Penn Ketchum (Penn Cinema) reminded business leaders to stay the course – to not let the highs take you too high or the lows pull you too low. His grounded approach was a valuable reminder of the resilience required in entrepreneurship. John Smucker (Coffee Co) also offered thoughtful insights on leadership and communication, particularly around the importance of having difficult conversations with respect and integrity. His story of compassion (personally driving an employee home after a tough conversation about their role) illustrated leadership at its best. Both Penn and John emphasized the importance of self-care for leaders. John begins each day by reading, while Penn prioritizes exercise as a key part of his routine. Their examples raised a simple but powerful question for all of us: How do you ensure you’re taking care of yourself so you can lead well?

The Breakouts

In her breakout session on “Momentum Marketing,” Megan Kalbach (K Marketing) shared a wealth of insights on how small businesses can create and maintain marketing momentum. Key takeaways included:

• Define your brand: Be clear about who you are, what you offer, and why it matters.
• Be consistent: From your logo and email signature to your messaging and Google Business Profile, consistency builds trust and recognition.
• Recommended reading: The 1-Page Marketing Plan by Allan Dib.

Leron Lehman (North Group Consultants) spoke on “Building a Transition-Ready Business” and the critical importance of preparing your business for transition whether you plan to sell, pass it on, simply want it to thrive without you, and/or want to ensure you are prepared for the unexpected. Leron reminded us that being ready looks a lot like running a healthy business. His framework for successful exit planning includes:

• Personal Readiness – understanding your own goals, motivations, and emotions.
• Business Readiness – ensuring your organization and people are operating at their highest potential.
• Financial Readiness – knowing your numbers, your business’s true worth, and the things that drive value.
• Recommended reading: Predictable Success by Les McKeown.

Greg Orth’s (Sandler Training) session on “Innovation Without Disruption” encouraged leaders to “Always Be Curious,” continually evaluating how their businesses serve their customers. He left participants with thought-provoking questions, including:

• Is the problem we solve still the problem our customers have?
• What do our customers feel when they interact with us?
• Who else could benefit from what we already do well?

His message underscored that innovation doesn’t always require big change… it starts with being curious and asking questions.

The Small Business Summit was a reminder of the strength and creativity within our local business community. Whether it was the wisdom of seasoned leaders or the energy of entrepreneurs eager to grow, the event reflected what makes our region’s business ecosystem so special: people who care deeply about their work, their teams, and their community.

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