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<\/a>Someone once said, \u201cYou don\u2019t build a business, you build people. And the people build the business.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a>Someone once said, \u201cYou don\u2019t build a business, you build people. And the people build the business.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a state like Montana, where we are known around the world for our work ethic and hospitality, building up people and building relationships is the undisputed strength of our businesses.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why, in 2014, when we were asked by Gov. Steve Bullock to help provide our perspective as small-business owners on his Main Street Montana Project, we were excited to help. Between the two of us, we\u2019ve been in the Montana business community for a combined five decades.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>We both feel that the communities where we live and do business are our stakeholders as much as our customers who work hard and play hard outdoors. During the time we\u2019ve both been in business, we\u2019ve seen the global economy change and our local downtowns transform. In the face of these big transitions, we\u2019ve always found it helpful to keep the lines of communication open with our neighbors, our peers, our customers and our elected leaders.<\/p>\n
We appreciated the opportunity to share our ideas, challenges and concerns through the Main Street Montana Project, and also to engage our fellow business owners from every corner of the state. The power of the project comes from proactively engaging in a public-private dialogue. Too often, private business and public officeholders only interact when there\u2019s a crisis.<\/p>\n
The governor\u2019s Main Street Montana Project included 13 industry-specific groups called Key Industry Networks (KINs) to collaborate, discuss and make recommendations that will continue to grow job opportunities in the state, cut red tape, promote our Montana-made products, and research and invest in our shared business future.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also exciting to see our ideas, collectively, as Montana\u2019s small business owners come to life. For example, we recommended that the governor hold an annual small-business symposium that includes discussion forums, training opportunities for employees and managers, networking venues, a dynamic job fair and the opportunity to build an ongoing grassroots alliance among small businesses.<\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/div><\/div>On July 13-14, Gov. Bullock will host the Peer-to-Peer Innovate Montana Symposium in Billings.<\/p>\n