NEWS -

(March 26, 2013) At the request of the Murray County EDA, University of Minnesota Extension staff conducted a Lodging Study for Murray County.  Results were presented to the Murray County EDA and other potential stakeholders on March 26.  Click here for a link to the handout from the presentation.

(January 14, 2013)  LegalCORPS, the Southwest Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Marshall Area Chamber of Commerce have partnered to provide free 30-minute legal consultations to Southwest Minnesota business owners.  Monthly free "virtual clinics" will connect clients at the SBDC office at Southwest Minnesota State University via video conference with business lawyers located at Target Corporation headquarters in Minneapolis. To participate, register for a 30-minute session. To register and to get details about time and schedule, contact Patt Pardell at the SBDC:  507-537-7386 or  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

(November 1, 2012) The University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Bureau of Business Research recently released its annual entrepreneurship rankings for states and Minnesota was ranked 5th best of all states.  Read more from the Mankato Free Press and CNBC.

(October 2012 - Minnesota Business) What Small Businesses Need to Know about Obamacare

(September 2012 - Minnesota Business) Experience Counts:  Consider grooming current staff for higher level roles.  Read article.

(September 2012)  Faculty of the University of Minnesota, Crookston recently issued a report examining contributing factors in new small business success.  Click HERE to view the report.

(September 12, 2012) Demographic Profile of Murray County Presented - Cameron Macht, Regional Analyst from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) presented a demographic profile of Murray County at a special meeting of the Murray County Economic Development Authority (EDA) on September 12. Some interesting facts were revealed about Murray County:

- In 2011, Murray County had 328 employer establishments and 2,909 covered (“payroll”) jobs.
- In 2011, Murray County was the 14th smallest county in Minnesota (8,640 people).
- In 2010, Murray County had a much older population than the state with 22.4% 65 years & over compared to 12.9% statewide.
- Murray County has enjoyed the same “Brain Gain” in 35 – 54 year olds that other rural counties have experienced.
- Murray County has consistently had low unemployment rates.
- Murray County is a net labor exporter. 62% of Murray County’s workers are Murray County residents. 44.61% of Murray County’s residents work in Murray County. The net outflow is 1,164 (however, 48.4% of those had commutes under 15 minutes).
- Murray County had 699 non-employers (self-employed people, excluding farmers) in 2010.
- Murray County was the 4th fastest growing county (based on the net change in covered jobs) in the state from 2007 – 2010 and the 6th fastest growing from 2000 – 2010.
- Even though Murray County is the 14th smallest in the state, its market value of agricultural sales is 22nd in the state.
- In 2011, Murray County had the highest percentage of total jobs in the utilities (electric power generation, transmission and distribution) industry in the state.

Macht’s presentation included recommendations on how to incorporate the data into economic development planning. Click HERE for a link to a handout from the presentation.

(August 10, 2012) A link to a survey was sent to 125 business owners/managers in June 2012.  29 responded.  Survey results are here...

(July 14, 2012 - Marshall Independent) Expert says rural America thriving - The Southwest Regional Development Commission welcomed rural optimist Ben Winchester as a special guest speaker at its annual meeting on Thursday night in Lamberton.  Winchester is a research fellow at the University of Minnesota Extension Center for Community Vitality and was invited to speak to the nine-county regional association about the "brain gain" in rural Minnesota.  Read more...

(May 16, 2012 - Worthington Daily Globe) A Rural Brain Gain - A University of Minnesota Extension study released Wednesday shows rural Minnesota is continuing to attract residents in the 30 to 49 age group, according to a study of the U.S. Census data. Read more...

(May 2012) From the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), 9 Tips for Preparing Your Small Business for the Tourist Season - How can small business owners put the 2012 tourist and vacation season to profitable use? Here are some operational and marketing tips to help you start planning a successful season today. Read more...

EVENTS -

2013 Invention & Idea Show
The Minnesota Investors Congress will host their 2013 Invention & Idea Show on April 19 and 20, 2013 in Redwood Falls.  Click here and/or download this flyer for more information.

CLASSES -

Minnesota Center of Rural Entrepreneurship (CORE)
Business planning is critical to successfully starting and building a business. CORE provides the direction, tools and resources needed to write a winning business plan that validates your ideas and helps you focus on each aspect of the plan.  Click here to begin viewing these free online classes.

FREE online courses from SCORE (Counselors to America's Small Business) to help your business get started and grow
Click here for more information.