Group of Four Local Businesses Attends Destination Business Training
Over the last two years, 19 Atchison business owners and community leaders have graduated from the Destination BootCamp program in Longmont, CO. Businesses leave the workshop armed with new strategies and inspired about their business and their community.
Business expert Jon Schallert holds seven Destination BootCamps each year in Longmont, training businesses and communities how to become consumer destinations.
Recently, four local Destination BootCamp alumni returned to Longmont, CO for Jon's two-day Graduate BootCamp, which is a deeper dive into the strategies and techniques that can build a small business into a consumer destination.
Benefits of Attending
Jon's message focuses on challenging entrepreneurs and/or small business owners to carve out a unique position in their market and then teaches them how to draw customers from longer distances. The group that attended included Atchison retailers and service providers.
"(We) were surrounded by other business owners who are making all efforts to continue building and growing their businesses," said Sandra Healy of Sunsetters Salon."Destination BootCamp has strengthened my relationship with so many other small businesses in Atchison. I came back motivated, inspired and ready to put some new things into action."
"The problem solving and networking opportunities at Destination BootCamp allow small businesses to get ahead in the race to become a retail destination," said Angela Harris-Spurlock of Backroad Atlas.
“I feel confident that the tools Jon gave me will help me bring people from further away to my businesses and help us continue to be successful even as brick and mortar sees a decline in sales,” said Scott Weinmann of Muddy River Guitars, 5th Street Mercantile, and Amazing Deals.
Building the Culture of Entrepreneurship
“There’s a really robust small business community here,” said Justin Pregont, Assistant City Manager. “We want our E-Community Program to help build relationships, connect small business owners to capital, provide professional development opportunities, and collectively build the confidence of entrepeneurs in this community. That’s what the E-Community Program and our participation in Destination BootCamp programming is all about.”
The Destination BootCamp experience is yet another success story for the Atchison E-Community Program. Local businesses can inquire about another Destination BootCamp opportunity by contacting Justin Pregont at justinp@cityofatchison.com.
Atchison businesses and organizations that have attended some version of the Destination BootCamp program:
- Extreme Value Matress & Furniture / 5th Street Mercantile
- Muddy River Guitars
- Daylight Donuts of Atchison
- Theatre Atchison / Fox Theatre
- True Roots Massage
- Webcom Resources
- Gateway to Kansas
- Sunsetters Salon
- The Sunflower
- Jerry’s Again
- Trusted Care Chiropractic
- Atchison Farmer’s Market
- Long View Farm
- Harvest Video
- Northeast Kansas Enterprise Facilitation
- Chamber of Commerce (x2)
- City of Atchison (x2)
- The Hardware Store / Napa Auto Parts
- United Country Real Estate
Photo (left to right): Jon Schallert, Angela Harris-Spurlock, Scott Weinmann, Sandy Barber, and Susan Turnbull