The SBSH Scoop | Marketing Double Whammy!
If your marketing feels like a "best guess" effort, it’s time for a reality check with the local pros. Matt Monte of Monte is bringing his UP-based expertise to our business owners in two distinct, high-impact ways this winter and spring.
THE QUICK HIT | SMART Session #5 (Zoom)
Tuesday, Feb 10 | 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM This is a low time-investment, high-intensity hour focused on Branding Inside and Out.
Practical Outcome: You will walk away with a strategic lens to view your business through. No more "shouting into the void"—you'll learn how to align your internal culture with your external message to attract the right customers.
THE DEEP DIVE| SMART Workshop #7 (In-Person)
Wednesday, April 15 | Hands-On Strategy Ready to actually get the work done? This is where strategy meets implementation.
Practical Outcome: This isn't just a lecture; it's a workshop. You will spend the day building a concrete marketing plan that you can put into motion the very next day. (And yes, it's Tax Day—this is the perfect excuse to step away from the spreadsheets and focus on your business's marketing instead.)
Attend one or attend both!
We encourage you to bring a colleague along to help deepen your understanding and ensure your new plans actually get implemented.
Register for SMART Session - 1 hour Zoom
Register for SMART Workshop - 3.5 hours in person
Business Spotlight | HomeBaked is Kickin’ Buns and Taking Names
What this SBSH grant funding truly represents is an opportunity for a more sustainable business.
If you’ve ever been to one of our in-person SMART Workshops, you’ve likely seen the “HomeBaked Effect.” We put Kate’s treats out on the table, and—poof—they vanish faster than a New Year’s resolution. They don't just go like hotcakes; they go like, well, HomeBaked hotcakes!
Kate has been absolutely kickin’ buns in the Soo, and the community can’t get enough. To keep up with the "yeast" of her problems (demand!), she used her SBSH direct grant to move a massive dough mixer and a professional sheeter from her wishlist to her kitchen.
If you’ve ever tried to hand-laminate croissant dough, you know it’s a workout that would make a gym rat cry. By automating the heavy lifting, Kate is reclaiming her production schedule. Starting mid-March, these new tools will allow her to scale up without losing the "heart" that makes HomeBaked special. Less time wrestling with dough means more time dreaming up those "out of this world" flavors we all crave.
While January usually sees a "dip" in bakery visits, HomeBaked has stayed remarkably steady. Why? Because Kate isn't just selling sugar; she’s serving up community. Between locally sourced ingredients and family recipes passed down through generations, every bite feels like home.
If you haven't seen her fabulous ordering site on Hotplate, stop what you are doing and click right now. It is sleek, easy, and dangerously convenient for snagging your regular fix of the best baked goods around.
Support local, eat well, and stay sweet!
HomeBaked by Kate on Hotplate - Order Now!
Your Turn | How Are We Doing?
You’re out there running businesses, juggling everything from inventory to snowbanks — so you know better than anyone what works, what doesn’t, and what you wish we’d do next.
Help us make our programming and communications even better.
Totally anonymous. Zero pressure.
Got a minute? Share what you are thinking.
And yes, we appreciate compliments but would hear criticism with a humble and grateful heart too!
People in the Know | Your Local Economic Development Peeps
Here are more people you can connect with when you are looking for resources and connections.
- Bob Sawruk - Sault Tribe - RSawruk@saulttribe.net
- Chris Olson - Chippewa County - admin@chippewacountyedc.com
- Nikki Radke - City of Sault Ste Marie - nradke@saultcity.com
- Miche Rayment - EUP region at large (and Mackinac County) - Miche@HeadwatersNorth.org
- Tammy Henry - Luce County - director@lucecoedc.com
- Tara Parrish - Bay Mills Indian Community - tparrish@baymills.org