Meet Jeff Wig

Heritage Road Consulting, LLC - Founder

• What is your current role?  I have been in a long-term consulting role helping to manage the FASTLANE 94 initiatives and events.  It has been a blast getting to be a part of the exciting work of building up Central and West Central Minnesota’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. 
• How long have you been in your current role? I have been supporting FASTLANE 94 since the day I retired from the Initiative Foundation in the summer of 2021.  It’s hard to believe it has been three and a half years!
• What is something people may not know about you? Because of an earlier role as executive director of Brainerd Lakes Regional Airport, I trained to become a Certified Airport Firefighter and got to wear the silver suit.  Happily, I never needed to put those skills to the test. 
• What is your favorite part of your position? Meeting 1-on-1 with entrepreneurs and learning about their dreams and their aspirations is pretty darn cool!  It’s especially meaningful when I can make a difference by helping them think through an opportunity or by connecting them to resources.  
• What is a hope or dream for growth within your position/company? We already had some great resources in our region to support entrepreneurs, and newer additions like ILT Academy and our FASTLANE 94 collaborations have enriched the ecosystem even further.  I hope to see that momentum continue to build!

Upcoming Events & Cohort Information

Start.up Connect Kick Off for the New Year!

Join us! January 15th I   8:00 - 9:30am

This free meetup is for entrepreneurs, innovators, creatives, and community members to come together and share their startup story with founders from central MN and beyond. (We invite one person from Greater St Cloud and one person not from Greater St Cloud.) At the core, this event will place an emphasis on creating connections and sharing stories. Check out the details for our 1/15 event here.

Upcoming LaunchMN Events

Launch Minnesota’s calendar contains events from organizations across the state. This is your place to find networking groups, pitch competitions, coffee clubs, learning opportunities and more, both in your region and throughout Minnesota.

She Leads 2025  I  4/25  I  Brainerd

Keynote Speaker Selected

She Leads International fosters an empowering community where women leaders can connect, develop, and thrive.

About the Key Note Speaker:

• Lucie Amundsen
• Owner and Operator of Locally Laid
• Speaking at both Brainerd and Rochester

AI for Small Business

Workshop for Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs who want to demystify artificial intelligence and learn its transformative power. It will cover practical applications that drive growth, efficiency, and customer engagement. Participants will learn how to use AI to streamline key business areas such as customer service, marketing, operations and management. This workshop is designed to empower attendees from all levels of technical backgrounds to implement AI solutions tailored to their business needs.

AI to Drive Nonprofit Success

Small Non-Profit Training Option

The goals of this training are to:

• Highlight multiple AI tools that can help your organization increase efficiency and impact.
• Discuss ways to embrace AI without creating risk for your organization.
• Practice using the various AI tools as a group with time for hands-on help and group discussion about what worked and what did not.
• Provide time for you and anyone else from your organization to work on a project together using AI tools. There will be time for questions, feedback, and suggestions as you work on your own project.

Buy a Business Basics

For First Time Business Buyers

In partnership with the North Central Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the Buying a Business Basics workshop will provide a comprehensive introduction to the essential steps, considerations, and strategies involved in buying a business. It covers everything from evaluating potential business opportunities to understanding financing options, due diligence, and negotiating terms. 

Back By Popular Demand

Nonprofit Training Opportunity

Unlike typical businesses, nonprofits are not owned. They are overseen by boards of directors who represent the best interests of an organization and its mission. Building an effective board can be one of the trickiest jobs for a nonprofit executive director. To help them work effectively, nonprofit board members need ongoing information, direction, and a deep understanding of the organization’s mission, vision and values.

February 27th

1:30-4:30pm

Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity - Brainerd

Come Support Student Entrepreneurs

Audience Members Needed

College of St. Benedict and St. John's University is looking for in-person audience judges for their Big Idea Competition on March 5th from 6:00-8:00pm at the Gorecki Family Theatre on the College of St. Benedict Campus.

Who Competes?

• Students must submit a 30-second video pitching their venture. Once the deadline closes for submissions, a group of Bennie and Johnnie Entrepreneur Scholar alums select the top 10 pitches to compete as finalists. 
• Those finalists will give a 90-second pitch to a live audience at the Big Idea event on March 5, 2025. 
• Judges will select the top three for a Q + A session and a chance to win one of the top three cash prizes!

If interested in being an in-person audience judge, please contact Becca Brzezinski at rbrzezins001@csbsju.edu.

Are you hosting an entrepreneur-focused event that is open to all?

Please submit information for the event here!

Have questions? Either respond to this email or contact the sender on jweber@greaterstcloud.com