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SUPERCHARGE YOUR WORK!

The 2024 Rural Ideas Summit is packed full of opportunities to learn, get inspired, and make connections that will help you leverage digital tools and strategies to work smarter, not harder.

2024 SUMMIT

The 2024 summit took place in September and brought together rural entrepreneurs, community development champions, and economic development agencies.

We're currently producing an on-demand version of all the summit - presentations, panel discussions, and group discussions - which we'll make available for anyone who missed the live event.

HOW IT WORKS

The 2024 Rural Ideas Summit is a digital-first conference. That means you'll participate in the summit from the comfort of your own space, using a computer and webcam.

The focus of the 2024 summit is leveraging digital strategies to supercharge your work. The summit will feature both group sessions and tailored breakout sessions. The breakout session topics fall into two main tracks.

ENTREPRENEUR TRACK

Sessions to help rural entrepreneurs launch and/or grow businesses.

AGENCY TRACK

Sessions to help rural economic & community development agencies get better at supporting new and existing businesses.

THANK YOU!

We'd like to thank the US Economic Development Administration for their support of the 2024 Rural Ideas Summit.

THE SCHEDULE

9:00-9:15

WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS

Join us as we welcome summit participants and provide useful tips for getting the most out of your digital conference experience!

9:15-9:45

INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKER - REBECCA UNDEM

Places We Love to Call Home

Places shape us—but, we also shape places. Learn proven "love of place" principles to help you make meaningful change, creating more connection with and love for your community.

Rebecca is a rural advocate, published author, podcaster, motivational speaker, former economic development director, and founder/director of a rural-focused nonprofit coworking space in Oakes, North Dakota (pop. 1,800). Rebecca will share her inspirational message for the future of rural entrepreneurship in America.

9:45-10:00

REFLECT & RECHARGE

A short break to reflect on what you've heard & learned so far, grab a snack, refill your drink, or use the restroom!

10:00-10:45

BREAKOUT SESSION 1

Choose the Entrepreneur or Agency track tabs below to view the amazing breakout sessions available.

USING AI IN RURAL BUSINESS

This presentation explores the application of AI in rural business settings. It introduces basic AI concepts and demonstrates how the technology can enhance efficiency, productivity, and decision-making across various aspects of rural enterprise.

Presenter: Scott Meyer, CEO, Chipp

STOREFRONT MASTERY FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

In this session, local business owners will be guided through a transformation in the way they see their business and their place, to get a renewed, fresh perspective on how they operate, how they serve their customers, and how to become hosts of their downtown.

Presenter: Jaime Izurieta, Chief Creative Officer, Storefront Mastery

COLLABORATION TO SUPERCHARGE ENTREPRENEURSHIP

In this session, we'll explore the power of community collaboration in revitalizing rural economies. This workshop focuses on how businesses can thrive through strong, supportive networks and local engagement.

Presenter: Melissa Nelson, Hungry Canyon, Chief Wearer of Hats

PANEL DISCUSSION: RURAL COWORKING SPACES

We'll dig into why these 5 panelists started coworking spaces in small rural communities. They'll each share their motivations, what they think they did right, what they would have done differently, and advice for anyone thinking about rural coworking spaces.

Panelists: Robert Abbott (Innovate 120), Rebecca Undem (Growing Small Towns), Brian Engle (Elizabeth Business Hub).

Moderator: Eric Dregne, Director, The Innovation Lab

10:45-11:00

REFLECT & RECHARGE

A short break to reflect on what you've heard & learned so far, grab a snack, refill your drink, or use the restroom!

11:00-11:45

BREAKOUT SESSION 2

Choose the Entrepreneur or Agency track tabs below to view the amazing breakout sessions available.

CASH FLOW PLANNING TO VALUE OUR TIME

Valuing our time, ourselves and our money is non-negotiable. It’s easy to say. To do it? That requires a plan. A DAMN Plan.

Your plan starts with telling the truth about what you want and need. From there, Kim will show you how to use cash flow planning to achieve your mission AND make money.

Presenter: Kim Nagle, Author and Owner, DAMN Plan Coaching

HOW TO DEVELOP A DIGITAL STRATEGY

In this session, Tiffanie will share a few of her favorite digital solutions for advancing rural businesses. She'll draw on her experience in the marketing world to provide tips and tricks that will help you maximize your efforts and grow your business.

Presenter: Tiffanie Honeyman, Founder & CEO, OpGo Marketing

STOREFRONT MASTERY FOR COMMUNITY AGENCIES

In this session, local leaders and district managers will learn about their organization's role in shaping the local offer, marketing the local brand, and leveraging the contributions of local businesses to create a spectacular place that offers outstanding hospitality.

Presenter: Jaime Izurieta, Chief Creative Officer, Storefront Mastery

PARTNERING WITH THE RURAL IDEAS NETWORK

Join the Rural Ideas Network executive director Jordan DeGree in this informal opportunity for economic development agencies to learn how the Rural Ideas Network supports entrepreneurial ecosystems in small communities across the midwest, plus how we can partner to help your community too.

Presenter: Jordan DeGree, Executive Director, Rural Ideas Network

11:45-1:15

LUNCH BREAK

A longer break to reflect on what you've heard & learned so far, grab some lunch*, check your emails, etc!

*Summit guests who register to attend in-person at one of our regional partner sites will get free lunch and have a discussion about the state of rural entrepreneurship in their region.

1:15-1:30

AFTERNOON KICKOFF - JORDAN DEGREE

Jordan DeGree is the founder and executive director of the Rural Ideas Network. Join him as he kicks off the afternoon session of the summit.

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ENTREPENEUR TRACK SPONSOR

Dupaco Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial cooperative helping rural entrepreneurs achieve their business and financial goals. They offer a range of services that can help you thrive. Learn more >

1:30-2:15

BREAKOUT SESSION 3

Choose the Entrepreneur or Agency track tabs below to view the amazing breakout sessions available.

PANEL: THE DIGITAL TOOLS I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

What's a digital tool you can't live without? You'll get to hear from some of the favs (and not so favs) that our panel of rural entrepreneurs are using right now, and why they chose those tools.

Panelists: Brodie Mueller, Jasmin Fosheim, Cassidy Johnston, Jake Kubela

Moderator: Rebecca Undem

HOW TO BE AN AMAZON RESELLER

Want a more accessible entry point into entrepreneurship? In this session I'll share what I learned becoming an Amazon reseller and why it inspired me to develop an "e-accelerator" program to help others leverage Amazon and build a business with reach beyond Main Street.

Presenter: Robert Abbott, Founder and Executive Director, Innovate 120

PANEL: SUPERCHARGING RURAL CHAMBERS

Join us for a discussion with some pretty amazing chamber directors on how they see the state of rural chambers of commerce, the digital tools and strategies they're using to create value for members, and other useful topics of interest.

Moderator: Nichole Heinz, Peer Learning Coordinator, Rural Ideas Network

IN-PERSON SITE SHAREOUT

A mini-mastermind session for everyone who participated in a lunchtime discussion at one of our in-person partner sites. See how what you discussed overlays what's happening in rural communities across the midwest, and how people are building local ecosystems in their regions.

Moderator: Eric Dregne, Director, The Innovation Lab

2:15-2:30

REFLECT & RECHARGE

A short break to reflect on what you've heard & learned so far, grab a snack, refill your drink, or use the restroom!

2:30-3:15

BREAKOUT SESSION 4

Choose the Entrepreneur or Agency track tabs below to view the amazing breakout sessions available.

STOREFRONT STARTUP CHALLENGES + IDEAS

In this session, we will discuss the ins and outs of starting a brick and mortar store front. From planning the customer experience, to the logistics of running the store, to the community aspects - we will talk best practices and things to consider as you work to create YOUR space.

Presenter: Nichole Pond, Founder + CEO, The Soap Bar

GROUP DISCUSSION: 40 IDEAS IN 40 MINUTES

In this fun, fast-paced participatory session anyone who wants to share will have up to 1 minute to share something cool, exciting, meaningful, or useful that they're doing at their business to help it grow, or how they're using digital tools and strategies to maximize their time, energy, and resources. By the end of the session you'll have heard dozens of ways business owners across the country are working smarter, not harder.

Moderator: Jessica Paisley, Community Program Specialist, Rural Ideas Network

WHY CARE ABOUT ENTREPRENEURSHIP

In this session, we'll explore how entrepreneurship, caring about it and cultivating a culture of it, is an important addition to a modern economic development strategy; one that bridges the gap between small and big business and elevates local culture.

Presenter: Charlie Birch, Creative Director & Owner, Humaniz Collective

GROUP DISCUSSION: 40 IDEAS IN 40 MINUTES

In this fun, fast-paced participatory session anyone who wants to share will have up to 1 minute to share something cool, exciting, meaningful, or useful that they're doing to support the growth of businesses in their community, or how they're using digital tools and strategies to maximize their time, energy, and resources. By the end of the session, you'll have heard dozens of ways agencies across the country are working smarter, not harder.

Moderator: Nichole Heinz, Peer Learning Coordinator, Rural Ideas Network

3:15-3:30

CLOSING & SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Join us as we wrap up the summit and make a VERY SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT you won't want to miss!

3:30-4:30

IN-PERSON SITE SOCIAL

Summit guests who register to attend at one of our in-person partner sites will have the opportunity to enjoy snacks and beverages during a fun social hour at their selected site.

IN-PERSON PARTNER SITES

We've partnered with some cool coworking and community spaces across the midwest to host summit attendees in-person and provide special perks as well, including complimentary breakfast snacks, lunch, an in-person discussion about your local entrepreneurial ecosystem, and a fun social hour after the conference ends. You can select an in-person site during registration.