Two Rivers Entrepreneur Kinnection
Entrepreneurship is a journey. #TREKon
TREK is a monthly gathering of entrepreneurs, mentors, advisors, and others to inspire, educate, and support area entrepreneurs.
Two Rivers Entrepreneur Kinnection
Partners on your entrepreneurial journey. #TrekOn
Get “Kinnected”
Two Rivers Entrepreneur Kinnection (TREK) is a monthly gathering of entrepreneurs, mentors, advisors, and others to educate, engage, and “kinnect” entrepreneurs. It is modeled after the 1 Million Cups initiative founded by the Kauffman Foundation. Entrepreneur leaders in the Thief River Falls area have decided to build on the 1 Million Cups format but make it their own by catering to the uniqueness of this Northern Minnesota region.
Meeting Basics
Everyone is welcome! Meetings are generally the first Tuesday of each month, 9:00 am to 9:50 am. They are open to anyone interested in hearing, supporting, and connecting with the area’s entrepreneurs. There are no attendance requirements or membership fees.
The gatherings are run by entrepreneurs and for entrepreneurs. Our typical monthly meeting features a guest speaker, someone who is in startup mode or who recently started their business. Q&A is an important part of each meeting. Occasionally, we will change things up with an outside presenter, panel presentation, or topic discussion. The one thing that will not change is our focus on entrepreneurship and desire to support area entrepreneurs.
Learn. Be inspired. Support area entrepreneurs. Strengthen our culture of entrepreneurship!
A Leather Jacket – An Entrepreneur’s Story
Jana Martin’s entrepreneurial journey started when she was thirteen years old. “I wanted a leather jacket, and my mother said, ‘well, you better get a job.’” There weren’t too many jobs for thirteen-year-olds in Middle River, but Jana saw a sign on the school billboard that offered $35 for mowing Woodman Cemetery.
View our TREK playlist on YouTube! During our first year, all 26 of our presenters were recorded so more people could view the presentations during the worst of the pandemic. We also encourage you to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don’t miss any of our new videos!
Small Business Help From SCORE
SCORE has the largest network of free volunteer small business mentors in the nation. No matter what stage your business is at SCORE has a mentor for you. Easily request a mentor to help you start, grow, or transition your business today!
Money Smart Training for Small Business
Sharpen your business management skills with Money Smart for Small Businesses training. This curriculum is designed for new or existing small business owners, and provides a practical introduction to many of the most important aspects of managing a business. There are 13 one-hour sessions in all. Each is a stand alone course, so businesses can register for individual topics.
Financial Resources
There are several financial resources to help you along your entrepreneurial journey, including a variety of loans and grants, as well as angel investment. Each business is different, so there is no one size fits all approach to financing. Entrepreneurs needing financing are encouraged to contact Michelle Landsverk, Advance Thief River Director to discuss their project needs. More information about various resources may be found on the Resources page.
#TRFStrong Facebook Group
The #TRFStrong Facebook group was created at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s not about the virus. It’s about business owners supporting and learning from each other. It provides a venue to communicate, ask questions, and float ideas with your peers. It is a “closed” group, meaning that anything shared on the page is only seen by other members. If you would like to join the group, click the button below and request membership.
Our Partners
218-280-1755
Michelle Landsverk
Economic Development
Advance Thief River
PO Box 773
Thief River Falls, MN 56701
Contact Us
Drop us an email to let us know what you need and we'll get back to you as soon as we can!