FARGO — The head of the U.S. Small Business Administration made a tour of Fargo on Tuesday, July 2.
SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman stopped by Grand Farm, met with small businesses, and walked through Brewhalla.
“We’re starting here at Brewhalla because as you can see there’s a lot of small businesses in here, and they all reinforce each other, so such a cool concept,” said U.S. Senator from North Dakota John Hoeven (R), who was a part of the tour.
It started with a stop at Thunder Coffee, picking up a drink to go, and talking with the owners. For Guzman, stopping in Fargo is a way to see how their programs are working.
“These entrepreneurs, these are the people who jumped in, took the risk, and are brave in their everyday work, really with grit and determination delivering the products and services we depend on. And that we love, and get addicted to like this incredible coffee at Thunder Coffee, or I’m about to shop at Unglued. I mean, these are incredible small business ideas that have translated into businesses that really define our neighborhoods,” Guzman said.
Last year, she says the SBA gave $90 million in loans and investments to businesses in North Dakota.
“North Dakota has this incredible small business boom happening right now, 28,000 new business applications, we’re seeing trends and innovation, Ag tech really advancing the state’s growth and food production, but as well our small businesses that are our mainstay,” Guzman said.
For the small business owners whose shops they stopped by like Ashley Morken, the owner and founder of Unglued, it was an honor getting to meet the person in charge of the administration that’s helped them get to where they are today.
“We’ve utilized a lot of their programs like emerging leaders which is now called THRIVE, and SCORE, and even PPP during Covid that they enabled for us to basically survive. And so it’s really unique to be able to actually meet the person in charge of it all,” Morken said.
Guzman and others on the tour didn’t leave empty handed, buying things like candles and a miniature version of the Fargo Theatre sign.
“I did not expect them to shop, and they definitely did which is really cool. They bought things that were specifically made in Fargo by local makers and featuring Fargo, so that was just cool that they were interested in it,” Morken said.
Morken also said it was a surreal experience to have Guzman come into her store and ask her questions about her experiences.
“And they also were curious about what’s been hardest for us as a small business. And so it’s just really, really cool to have somebody’s ear that is actually listening that is in charge of it. It’s really kind of wild,” Morken said.