Blog
The 2024 Start Your Own Business Class
We are getting ready to gear up for the eighteenth year of the Start Your Own Business Class! The class starts each October, and features nine class segments designed to...
Tools, techniques, and strategies to prepare for the school year!
As we gear up for another academic year, Emporia Main Street is excited to share some effective back-to-school strategies to help our entrepreneurial businesses and area non-profits thrive. With new...
Grant Opportunities – Financing Available for Special Projects
Grants are relatively rare and require a well thought out plan, the ability to execute, matching funding, and adherence to grant parameters. Dollars invested through grant platforms are generally designed...
The Placemaking to the 10th Power. New insights in making spaces, businesses, and communities great places for consumers and citizens.
One of the most complex functions of Main Street programs and economic/community development groups is that of "Placemaker". Great places that are businesses, individual public spaces, or areas (like a...
How are metrics looking half way through 2024?
Can you believe we are half way through 2024? As we gear up for an August through December run that is chalk full of initiatives, let's take a moment to...
Business & Organizational Evolution- How Are You Changing to Meet Different Needs?
It's interesting how seemingly unrelated fields can help us improve entrepreneurship. Small businesses are often cited as part of an "ecosystem" by modern business experts, and the reference to a...
Consumer Surveys: Determining your business strengths and weaknesses from the perspective of your customersConsumer Surveys:
Obtaining quality customer feedback can be difficult for businesses. Some customers will be less than honest in face to face feedback with businesses because they don't want to hurt someone's...
Summer Reset: Staff Training Focus for the Summer Months
The Emporia calendar is a little weird this year. We pushed through to May, and then saw a huge Cinco de Mayo/Dynamic Discs Open/La Grind event, followed by graduations, the...
Unbound Gravel Week
Unbound Gravel week is here, and both businesses and regional citizens are busy helping our guests get acclimated to our area. Below is the quick guide to what you need...
The Charge: Community Connectivity.
Main Street programs impact several elements of the community. We train and finance entrepreneurs, help develop the physical spaces of communities, develop and execute promotional activities, enhance volunteer efforts to...
New Incentives to Aid in Building Development
New incentives to aid in redevelopment, and strategies to "right size" buildings Development opportunities are important to the future of the community. Ensuring that existing buildings are utilized can assist...
Spring Flowers: A Touch of Color Can Catch the Customer’s Eye!
Customer attraction is complex in a lot of ways. Identifying a target market and finding effective strategies to reach consumers predisposed to your product or service is tough. However, some...
Event Season is HERE!
It is April, which means event season is HERE. Below, we will cover some of the upcoming events and what you need to know to correctly position your business.April 8- The...
Emporia Main Street Nominated for Best main Street in the Nation-Cast YOUR Vote Today!
A panel of industry experts and editors at USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards has chosen Emporia, KS as a nominee for Best Main Street. The intention of this award is to celebrate...
Vacancy Issues- What Causes Them and What Can We Do About It.
Across the nation we have an issue that impacts our communities: vacancies. Vacant homes, vacant commercial properties, vacant sections of buildings, and areas that aren't utilized in our communities. Vacancies...
Zig When They Zag. As big companies push automated customer experience, small businesses must embrace the personal touch
Automation and Artificial Intelligence (AI) were the dominant business stories in 2023. AI will develop an entirely upgraded skill set this year (and for the next several years), and large...
Show of Hands! The third year of the business pitch event will feature a new location, new concepts, and some new support elements!
Four years ago, Emporia Main Street had an opportunity to participate in a study by the Brookings Institute. The study focused on the practices of three Main Street programs in...
2024 Annual Public Improvement Auction – this Saturday
Emporia Main Street is a local non-profit organization (501C 6) that focuses on both economic vitality and community development to Emporia and the surrounding area. Proceeds from the evening will...
New Year, New Business Opportunities
A calendar change often presents the opportunity for a symbolic shift in attitude. A reset button that corresponds with a clock striking midnight can be a great thing for business...
So WHO are we Marketing to? A new tool to drill down on your exact consumer mix through Emporia Main Street.
We are always looking for new ways to add value to local businesses and give them a competitive edge. Large corporations have extensive marketing departments that study every element of...
December – It’s Fine, I’m Fine, We’re Fine!
I don’t know about everyone else, but those ten plus inches of snow on Small Business Saturday really put a damper on the launch of the Holly Jolly season. Casey...
Keep things going during the last month of the year!
December is upon us, and it is a critical month for many businesses. Keeping your attitude positive and your energy level up is important for customer interactions and your sanity....
