Here’s the SBSH Scoop | SMART Workshops starting
Simple. Measurable. Actionable. Real. Tangible.
These aren’t “sit-and-listen” training sessions. They’re get-it-done-together workshops for small business owners in the Eastern Upper Peninsula.
What makes them different?
You don’t just learn about systems — you build them.
You’ll leave with real tools and documents ready to use in your business tomorrow.
Expert guides (local and approachable) walk you step-by-step through the stuff you usually put off.
We keep it fun, plainspoken, and useful — no jargon, no boring slides.
Who it’s for:
Any EUP business with 1–200 employees that wants to keep taking a step ahead rather than bogged down in the day-to-day details. Whether you’re brand new to “getting expert help” or you’ve just never had time to set up good systems, these workshops are designed with you in mind.
What you get:
A finished system or document (not just notes).
Hands-on help from experts who speak human, not textbook.
Connections to other small business folks doing the same thing.
Business Spotlight | Sumbera Broadcasting in Newberry
What this SBSH grant funding truly represents is an opportunity for a more sustainable business.
We all have memories of tuning into the radio and hearing those familiar voices that shaped our mornings, made us laugh on the drive home, and introduced us to both new hits and old favorites. For Travis Sumbera of 96.7 Flash FM, that magic never wore off — in fact, it’s what set him on the path to build his own station.
Flash FM brings a unique mix of rock and outlaw country, along with timely public service updates that keep the community informed. Behind the scenes, it’s “a ton of fun and a ton of work,” Travis admits. Long hours, constant creativity, and a steady flow of new ideas keep the station humming. From the sound of the station to the way commercials are produced, everything is designed around one simple question: What really grabs people’s attention?
Travis’s journey into broadcasting was anything but ordinary. His first job interview? A surprise, live on-air audition. He choked a little, but the experience sparked the determination to develop his own style and voice. “Training was mostly self-driven,” he shares, shaped by listening to the hosts he grew up with. Over time, experience helped him find his own voice and, eventually, led him to managing a station in Sault Ste. Marie before building Flash FM.
Thanks to a recent direct grant, Sumbera Broadcasting was able to invest in new equipment — taking away extra expenses and giving the station a more solid, reliable system. That stability not only helps the business but also strengthens the quality of what listeners hear every day.
Looking ahead, Travis is paying it forward by mentoring a local Newberry High School student who wants to break into the broadcasting industry. “How much do you want the opportunity?” he says — and he’s eager to help the next generation find their voice, just like others once helped him.
You can catch Travis and the Flash FM team on 96.7, or reach him at Travis@SumberaBroadcasting.com.
Tune in! You’ll be grateful you did!
People in the Know | Your Local Economic Development Peeps
These people you can connect with when you are looking for resources and connections.
Tammy Henry - Luce County - director@lucecoedc.com
Chris Olson - Chippewa County - admin@chippewacountyedc.com
Tara Parrish - Bay Mills Indian Community - tparrish@baymills.org
Nikki Radke - City Sault Ste Marie - nradke@saultcity.com
Bob Sawruk - Sault Tribe - RSawruk@saulttribe.net
Miche Rayment - EUP region at large (Mackinac County) - Miche@HeadwatersNorth.org
###
The HUBbub is published by Headwaters North (Sault Ste. Marie 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, Chippewa County, Luce County, and Mackinac County EDCs. Both EUP Regional Planning and Development Commission and Headwaters North support the initiative as well.