Supporting rural entrepreneurs across Kansas

Courtland, Kansas — population just under 300 people — will become a hub for Kansas rural entrepreneurship in June.

That's when Kansas State University and partners will host the second Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities conference, an immersive event that supports rural entrepreneurship across Kansas. The conference takes place in communities with populations of fewer than 10,000 people and focuses on engaging with small communities and highlighting businesses and the people who live and work there.

Learn more about the June 24-26 conference, view the schedule and register to attend.

Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities is more than a yearly conference — it's one way that a next-generation land-grant university like K-State becomes a positive force for Kansans and builds economic growth in communities of all sizes.

"This conference itself is economic development — we're embedding entrepreneurial education and economic energy inside smaller communities rather than pulling entrepreneurs away to urban event centers," said Nancy Daniels, K-State Extension community vitality specialist and conference organizer. "When you visit Kansas rural communities like Courtland, you can feel the entrepreneurial energy. Supporting these vibrant communities is exactly what a next-generation land-grant university does."

The collaborative conference involves multiple partners across the state: Network Kansas; the Kansas Department of Commerce Quality Places Division, including the Office of Rural Prosperity and Kansas Main Street; the Kansas Department of Agriculture; multiple organizations in Courtland and many other partners.

"Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities is a powerful affirmation that innovation, resilience and opportunity are alive and thriving in rural Kansas," said Sarah LaRosh, Network Kansas director of community and program engagement for the eCommunity partnership. "When we gather in communities like Courtland, we are not simply discussing entrepreneurship; we are immersed in it, surrounded by the people, businesses and local leadership that are boldly shaping their own future."

The Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities conference breaks the mold of a traditional conference. Embedded sessions will occur in local businesses and venues across Main Street in Courtland, rather than convening in a hotel ballroom or a large event center. Attendees will eat at local restaurants and shop at local businesses. Lodging is also immersive, and attendees can stay in local bed-and-breakfasts, vacation rental homes, and nearby hotels and motels.

Sessions will provide entrepreneurs with real tools and strategies to grow businesses, reach customers, and navigate marketing or legal challenges. Entrepreneurs can also network with industry professionals and resource providers.

Keynote speakers include Robin Carlson, Courtland mayor, and Kate Benz, author of "Nothing But the Dirt: Stories from an American Farm Town." The capnote address includes a Kansas Department of Agriculture speaker panel on turning local strengths into business opportunities, as well as an address from Cami SanRomani, a rural entrepreneur who has built a brand from her small Kansas community.

"This conference showcases exactly what makes rural Kansas special — resilient entrepreneurs, strong local leadership and communities willing to invest in their own future," said Matt Godinez, assistant secretary for the Kansas Department of Commerce. "By bringing people directly into places like Courtland, we are not only highlighting the innovation already happening in small towns, but also creating new opportunities for collaboration, growth and long-term prosperity across rural Kansas."

Last year's inaugural Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities conference was in Kingman and brought together more than 130 people, including entrepreneurs, small business owners, community leaders, support organizations and more. During the conference, more than 35 sessions occurred in eight local businesses and venues across four downtown blocks. Other successes included:

• A local business owner sold a building to a conference participant.
• A downtown shop reported its best sales day ever because of the conference.
• The Kansas Micro-Internship program connected multiple local businesses with student interns as a direct result of conference relationships.
• A couple who attended the conference met a K-State Food Systems Navigator who worked with them to receive a $50,000 USDA grant to start an incubator kitchen in Sharon Springs.

Learn more about the conference and view the agenda and lodging options at bit.ly/KansasCEC. The registration cost is $175 until May 31. On June 1, registration increases to $200. Entrepreneurs can get $75 off registration by using the code CECENT75 when they register.