Forums in Ashland to focus on 'slow money' concept
ASHLAND — Two public programs this month will focus on local entrepreneurship development and how it benefits the local economy and community while exploring the concept of “slow money.”
“Slow the Money: Invigorate the Economy” will be at 7 p.m. Feb. 19 in the Ridenour Room of Ashland University’s Dauch College of Business and Economics. Leslie Schaller, director of programming for the Food Ventures program of the Athens-area Appalachian Center for Economic Networks, will use her work with specialty food firms as an example of local business development.
Schaller provides assistance for start-up assessments and the start-up process. She also provides technical assistance and coordinates the expertise of the Food Ventures team to provide innovative product ideas, marketing strategies, business plans and financial management systems to businesses already in existence.
She will share replicable “Slow Food, Slow Money” strategies from southeast Ohio and other national innovators who are reinventing approaches to community investing in local food enterprises.
The second program, set for 7 p.m. Feb. 27 in the Ridenour Room, will feature a panel of local entrepreneurs led by Sandra Tunnell, executive director of Ashland Main Street, who will discuss “The Ashland Project: How Local Merchants Can Work Together to Slow the Money in Ashland.”
Local business owners will talk about what it takes to develop a successful local business in Ashland and how the community provides support for their efforts.
Tunnell has been involved in downtown revitalization in Ashland since it was a task force objective in the 2010 countywide strategic plan. When that group decided to join the national Main Street organization in 2011, Tunnell became director of Ashland Main Street.
Both forums are sponsored by The Ashland Center for Nonviolence. For details, call 419-289-5313.
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