Only one could win the IGNITE prize, but all are worthy
The American spirit of entrepreneurship was on full display recently in Fort Dodge.
Four small business owners laid out their plans for growth during the IGNITE Vendor Fair and Spark Your Business Pitch Contest in the Opera House at the Fort Museum and Frontier Village. They were Valerie Walburn, owner of Wild Spirit Design LLC; Rebecca McCrady, owner of Boss Bombs and More; Kyrie Borsay, owner of KD’s Over the Moon; and Sheila Roberts, owner of Sheila’z Sweetz Treatz.
Roberts’ plan to buy a new double oven so that she can bake more cookies, cakes and buns won her a $1,000 prize. That prize money was generously donated by First Interstate Bank, which is a new presence in the community.
While only one of those businesswomen could win the prize, all of their business ventures were worthy of it. They are all also worthy of support by local residents. We encourage people to do business with Wild Spirit Design LLC, Boss Bombs and More, KD’s Over the Moon, and Sheila’z Sweetz Treatz. The owners of those businesses are striving to achieve their version of the American dream, and the rest of us ought to be cheering them on.
We encourage the owners of those businesses, and all other local businesses, to keep going even as fears of a recession lurk. Talk of a recession can become self-fulfilling, so perhaps now is the time to plunge ahead rather than cut back.
The IGNITE Vendor Fair concluded a months-long effort in Fort Dodge to call attention to local entrepreneurs and to nurture the growth of their business enterprises. It was a joint effort of Main Street Fort Dodge and the Fort Dodge Small Business Task Force. A $2,000 grant from US Bank funded the effort. Kris Patrick, the former executive director of Main Street Fort Dodge, played a key role in setting up the program.
It was a worthwhile endeavor that should be attempted again in the future.
