Here’s the Scoop | SBSH Direct Grant Application Opens
The last round of direct grants from the Small Business Support Hub (SBSH) grant program opens up on June 15 and will remain open until August 16.
To be eligible for this direct grant you:
- Cannot have received a Small Business Support Hub direct grant in the 1st round
- Need to meet eligibility criteria as listed in the SBSH grant guidelines
- Must participate in one of the following:
- Receive a recorded SMART Session from the winter
- Attend one of the upcoming SMART Sessions in the summer
OR - Attended the UP Exchange Networking event (21 May)
The link for the application will be posted here on June 15.
Business Spotlight | Velvet Green Creations
Gina was a 1st round direct grant recipient for the Small Business Support Hub grant program. We hope you get a chance to visit her studio or online website. Go team Gina!
“For the 1st time, Superior Web and Velvet Green Creations are turning down work. Covid was rough for us and we are finally making up for it.
We are currently kicking into high gear with an Upper Peninsula Tourism and Commerce website. The equipment that I invested in with the first round SBSH Grant has given my company the ability to really showcase the beauty of the UP. The camera, the equipment, the microphone, and the protective carrying case have all been actively used on our trips throughout the UP. Plus, I have a new venue to showcase my work, The Newberry Coffee Co (see video). They are selling my photo prints on canvas and showcasing my work.”
- Owner, Gina Harman
Summer Series SMART Session #1
SMART Session #1 | Branding Inside and Out
Marketing Expert - Matt Monte
June 11, 2025 9-10 a.m. (Zoom)
Topics will include a brief recap of Winter Series SMART Session #8 | Marketing: Exploiting Your Truth, how to get perspective on your brand, build your messaging around this brand, considerations for place/placement, and defining and monitoring your key performance indicators.
People in the Know | Your Local Economic Development Peeps
These people will be on call for you to ask questions about your application.
- Tammy Henry - Luce County - director@lucecoedc.com
- Chris Olson - Chippewa County - admin@chippewacountyedc.com
- Tara Parrish - Bay Mills Indian Community - tparrish@baymills.org
- Dean Reid - Mackinac County - reiddi46@sault.com
- Nikki Radke - City Sault Ste Marie - nradke@saultcity.com
- Miche Rayment - Sault Tribe - miche@headwatersnorth.org (interim)
Business Expert Spotlight | Robin Chapekis of Svelte HR
Robin Chapekis, SHRM-SCP, is the founder of Svelte HR, a strategic HR consultancy rooted in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Based in the E.U.P., Robin partners with small businesses and mission-driven organizations to transform human resources from a transactional burden into a competitive advantage. With a background in coaching, leadership development, and HR infrastructure design, she helps teams increase efficiency, retain top talent, and reduce operational costs—often saving businesses tens of thousands annually. Robin specializes in working with organizations that want to level up their employees’ experience without taking on the expense of a full-time HR department.
Robin’s approach is built around the SVELTE HR framework—Strategic, Value-add, Effective, Lean, Transformational, and Engaged. Whether she’s coaching leaders to improve performance or guiding a business through compliant, customized HR systems, Robin brings a blend of practical insight and big-picture thinking. Her ideal clients include small businesses and HR teams spending more than 30% of their time on repetitive tasks—those ready to reclaim time, boost productivity, and lead with intention. A trusted local expert, Robin is committed to helping Upper Peninsula businesses grow stronger from the inside out.
Reach out to Robin: Robin@SvelteHR.com || SvelteHR.com
Robin is leading SMART Session #2 on June 18 from 9-10 a.m.
Remember, if you need some HR help and you haven’t already had a 1on1 with Robin, just email Miche Rayment to arrange a time to meet Robin to get help sooner rather than later.
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The HUBbub is published by Headwaters North (EUP SmartZone) as part of the Eastern UP Small Business Support Hub, a program made possible in whole or in part by federal award number SLFRP0127, granted to the State of Michigan by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. This hub’s operating partners include Bay Mills Indian Community, Sault Tribe as well as Chippewa, Luce and Mackinac Counties.