Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities Conference

The optional Burt County Tour offers conference attendees a curated, guided exploration of the people, businesses, and places shaping Burt County's local economy. Participants will travel throughout Burt County to visit revitalized Main Street spaces, entrepreneurial ventures, agricultural operations, and community-led development projects. This is not a bus tour of buildings—it’s a behind-the-scenes look at how rural communities collaborate, adapt, and lead.

Stops may include:

• Historic downtown redevelopment projects
• Local manufacturing and ag-based businesses
• Entrepreneurial startups
• Community gathering spaces
• Rural housing and revitalization initiatives

Attendees will meet the local leaders, risk-takers, and doers who are building the future right here.

Capacity is limited. Pre-registration required.

Join us for an intimate, locally-sourced dining experience that celebrates the flavors—and the philosophy—of rural Nebraska.

This optional farm-to-table dinner highlights ingredients grown, raised, and crafted in Burt County and the surrounding region. The evening will feature a thoughtfully prepared multi-course meal, storytelling from local producers, and a conversation about how food, agriculture, and hospitality can anchor rural tourism and economic development.

Chatterbox’s scratch kitchen and farm partnerships demonstrate how local supply chains can strengthen both community and economy—one plate at a time.

Come hungry. Leave inspired.

Limited seating. Advance reservation required.

TBA

Graham Christensen
Christensen Farms, GC Resolve, GC REVOLT

Becky Boesen
Nebraska Community Foundation

Economic development in the 21st century is not just about jobs. It is about place. People can choose where to live, work, and play, so why would they choose anywhere but here? Nebraska is bursting with abundance! For more than 30 years, Nebraska Community Foundation has helped communities uncover and unleash that abundance through asset-based community development. We believe the future of our hometowns begins by seeing what is strong, celebrating what is working, and investing in the goodness that has been there all along. In this session, you will experience a fresh approach to asset mapping that is helping communities across Nebraska discover their strengths, connect their people, reflect the light, and build the hometowns of their dreams.

Britanie Brewster
Lower Niobrara Natural Resources District

What Is rural resilience? Standing up for what is right. Fighting for what you believe in. Having the determination to solve a problem. This presentation explores how a rural community can come together with county, regional, and state partners to address regulatory, financial, and market forces that challenge rural sustainability.

Charlotte Narjes
Nebraska Extension

Learn from each other in this interactive session that explores community supported enterprises. Community supported enterprises may be a nonprofit, LLC, cooperative, or another type of organization that was formed to invest in business ventures. The motivation for formation is often the potential loss of a grocery store, restaurant, childcare facility or other establishment considered vital to quality of life in the community.

Rachel Morgan
Nebraska Arts Council & Certified Creative Districts

Learn from districts that have gone through the certification process. What benefits have they seen? From the economic benefits to tourism to community engagement — how are communities using the creative district program?  

Adam Kroft
Red Thread

Dustin Marvel & John Kelly
Omaha Public Power District

Reliable, forward-thinking energy infrastructure is essential for rural communities to grow, attract new businesses, and support sustainable housing development. Without stable and innovative energy solutions, local economies struggle to thrive, limiting opportunities and quality of life. This session will explore how rural communities can actively influence their energy future by supporting diverse energy development initiatives and embracing local public power models. We will discuss strategies to enhance resilience, drive economic growth, and ensure long-term electrical availability tailored to the unique needs of rural areas. Attendees will gain insights into how community-led energy planning fosters sustainable progress and empowers rural regions to build a vibrant and self-sufficient future.

Kirstin Bailey
Center for Rural Affairs

AI is quickly becoming a practical tool for small businesses, even in rural communities. This interactive session explores simple ways entrepreneurs can use AI for everyday tasks like marketing, brainstorming, drafting emails, and planning events. The focus is on practical examples and ready-to-use prompts, not technical details. Attendees will leave with a clear sense of how AI can act as a helpful assistant that saves time and sparks new ideas.

Doris Lux

Rachel Morgan
Nebraska Arts Council & Certified Creative Districts

Learn about the Creative District program managed by the Nebraska Arts Council. We’ll talk through the process to become certified and the grant programs associated with the program, and learn about real life examples from other creative districts across the state.

Kristin Malek
Nebraska Extension

Events can do more than bring people together — they can fuel rural economies. This session explores how communities can strategically use events to attract visitors, support local businesses and initiatives, and strengthen community identity. Learn practical approaches for designing events that generate economic impact, create memorable experiences, and encourage visitors to return again and again.

Benjamin Benton
Small Business Development Center

AI isn’t just for big cities or tech companies. In this hands-on session, you’ll see simple, practical ways AI can support local businesses, save time, and spark new ideas. Walk away with tools you can start using right away to strengthen your business and community.

Elijah Landell

Jason Tuller
Nebraska Extension

Business transition is vital to a community. Come learn about business transition strategies and why they are so important to communities. Hear explanations about why the business transition process can take years and how you can work with business owners to explain the importance of business transition planning.

Michael Anderson

The Burt County Block Party transforms downtown Tekamah into a vibrant showcase of local talent, flavor, and creativity. Conference attendees and community members alike are invited to gather for an evening of live music, regional food, and local vendors from across the county.

The evening will feature:

• Live music on Main Street
• Food vendors representing communities throughout Burt County
• Craft makers and artisan vendors
• Local breweries and beverage partners
• Family-friendly activities and open storefronts

This is rural collaboration in action—where small towns come together to celebrate what makes them strong.

The Block Party isn’t just entertainment. It’s a living example of what happens when communities invest in connection, culture, and shared momentum.

If you want cool things to happen in your small town, you have to do cool things. This workshop is all about bringing people together in rural communities to make cool things happen. We’ll dive into ways to plan events that inspire connection, build collaboration, and strengthen small-town ties. You’ll leave with practical tips, fresh ideas, and the confidence to create events that truly make an impact in your community. 

Kristin Malek
Nebraska Extension

Discover how communities and businesses can leverage the Nebraska Passport to drive tourism, increase visibility, and encourage visitor engagement. Attendees will gain insights and practical strategies on how to attract travelers, cross-promote across the destination, create memorable visitor experiences, and turn passport participants into loyal customers who continue exploring long after their stop.

Marci Goodwin
SmartStart

Most entrepreneurs don’t start with a storefront, a loan, or a formal business plan. They start at their kitchen table, in their garage, at a pop-up, or with a single service offered on the side. These very small businesses provide essential local goods and services, keep dollars circulating locally, fill Main Street storefronts, create jobs, and contribute to a strong sense of place. Yet, most small business support systems were never designed with these businesses in mind. In this interactive workshop, we explore the smallest and most common type of business in our communities — microbusinesses — and why they play such a critical role in the local economy. Through guided discussion and practical examples, we’ll examine how communities can better align their support systems to meet entrepreneurs where they actually start.

Hands-on workshop activity: participants will work through a guided exercise to identify realistic, low-barrier actions they can take in their own communities to better support these businesses.

Katie Walmsley
Valley County Economic Development

Chambers of Commerce are often known for hosting events — but their impact goes far beyond ribbon cuttings and banquets. More Than Events: The Modern Chamber at Work explores how today’s chambers serve as catalysts for economic growth, business support, and community connection. This presentation highlights how chambers can move beyond event planning to become strategic partners in economic development, workforce engagement, and collaborative community leadership.

Hayley Jackson Perez

Heather Akin
University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Blake Martin
Frannet of the Heartland

Marci Goodwin
SmartStart

Before launching any new entrepreneur or small business support program, it’s essential to understand the resources your community already has to build from. Many communities focus on creating new programs, spaces, or initiatives without first identifying the people, businesses, and organizations that are already supporting entrepreneurs in informal but meaningful ways and where real gaps in support exist. This interactive workshop focuses on uncovering those hidden assets from local business owners and service providers to community spaces, mentors, and trusted connectors and exploring how intentionally connecting them to entrepreneurs can create a stronger, more visible entrepreneurship ecosystem. The mapping process also helps communities clearly see where support is missing, allowing them to prioritize gaps that can be addressed through coordination, partnerships, or small, strategic efforts.

Hands-on workshop activity: participants will map their own local entrepreneurship support ecosystem and identify two to three high-impact opportunities to improve coordination, visibility, or access — as well as key gaps they can begin addressing right away.

Brett Stohs & Kelsey Van Patten
University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Law

All businesses and charities face legal risks and opportunities. But organizations based in rural communities face some unique challenges, including a lack of access to specialized and affordable legal support. This event will explore those unique challenges and provide attendees with a roadmap for shoring up their own legal risks, whether they relate to obtaining the limited liability shield, shoring up their intellectual property, or protecting their interests by contract. Speakers will also explore how the Weibling Entrepreneurship Clinic at the University of Nebraska College of Law supports rural organizations with free legal support, particularly during their early years of operation.

Shawn Kaskie
Nebraska Extension

This hands-on session introduces rural economic development professionals to practical AI applications that save time and increase stakeholder engagement. Participants will explore and combine three commonly used AI platforms (offering a free basic subscription) and learn a streamlined workflow: starting with meeting notes or survey data, refining content for specific audiences (business owners, chambers, community leaders), and producing professional one-page infographics that summarize key information and drive participation in future initiatives. Whether you're promoting business support programs, sharing economic impact data, or rallying community stakeholders, you'll leave with concrete strategies to create more compelling communications with less effort.

Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel
Nebraska Extension

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