Collider

09/01/2026

The first session of the Small Business Support Series today showed local business owners that they have many advocates in their corner who are ready, willing and able to provide guidance as they navigate business challenges (like downtown construction).

The series -- held every Tuesday in September at the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce from 2 - 3 pm -- includes guidance and tips from professionals with Collider, Southeast Minnesota Small Business Development Center - SBDC, Rochester Area Economic Development, Inc. (RAEDI), Rochester Downtown Alliance and SCORE Mentors. Virtual attendance is also an option.

Today's session included a presentation on 19 ways to improve your cash flow during construction. The topic on Sept. 8 will be "Marketing That Works When Every Customer Counts" and the topic on Sept. 15 will be "Debts, Dollars & Decisions." The topic for Sept. 22 is TBD based on the requests of attendees.

Register for this series at the link in our comments. We hope to see you there.

08/28/2026

Our "Pitch a Bad Idea" game show today with University of Minnesota Rochester orientation leaders was a winner! Two groups of students faced off to pitch some questionable products -- Scented IV Bags (Lavendar, fresh-cut grass, pumpkin spice, anyone?) and the Whisper Pillow (Reads your lecture notes aloud all night. Loudly.)

The room was full of energy and teamwork as students worked against the buzzer to frame the problem and to tout their solutions. While the team advocating for Scented IV Bags won by a hair, the camaraderie and support touched everyone in the room. Besides introducing students to some entrepreneurial ideas, the session reinforced skills they'll be using in any career, from the importance of being persuasive to how to identify and solve problems.

Special thanks to our game show host, Dr. Shruthi Naik, and our judge, Will Forsman from Café Steam, who starred in their roles! 🌟🌟

08/25/2026

Build a stronger business, one Tuesday at a time.

Whether you're starting a business or preparing for your next stage of growth, this free, five-part Entrepreneur Success Series will help you make confident decisions about structure, cash flow, banking, financing and expansion.

Join First Alliance Credit Union, The Hub Network and Collider for one session -- or all five!

📆Tuesdays in September, Noon - 1 p.m.
📍Rochester Executive Suites, 3265 19th St. NW
💡Free | Limited to 10 participants per workshop

Choose the topics you need or build your skills all month long.

Registration links for each workshop are in the comments.

08/24/2026

What happens when you stop waiting for the "right time" -- and bet on yourself?

For Jean Cabrera Mendoza, it meant turning a lifelong love of bringing people together into PartyGals Rental’s, a growing Rochester, MN business she built from the ground up.

Her entrepreneurial journey hasn't been easy. There are long weeks, unexpected problems and those familiar questions: Am I doing enough? Is this working?

But Jean kept going, and her advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs is just as straightforward: "Do it! Start now. It's never too late."

Jean's story is about what can happen when you trust your instincts, keep showing up and give yourself permission to go for it.

Meet Jean and read how she turned her idea into a growing business at the link in our comments.

08/19/2026

Thank you to Rebecca Sell of Think Mutual Bank for leading a practical, engaging conversation about funding, financing and growing a business yesterday at Collider! 👏

Becca’s expertise -- and willingness to share it -- made an impact on the entrepreneurs who attended. Participants appreciated Becca’s clear, organized approach, the wide range of information she covered and especially the opportunity to ask questions about their own business challenges.

Thanks to Becca and Think Bank for being such a valuable resource for Rochester’s entrepreneurial community! 🧡

08/18/2026

Seize your opportunity to "Build 30 Days of Social Media Content in One Hour" with Eve and Levi! Register for this free September 22 workshop -- in person at Collider -- at the link in comments.

08/12/2026

We’re relaunching our Collider podcast, "Rochester Rising," in video form -- and taped our first two episodes today! 🎥

During Season 1, our new Executive Director Peter Burghardt will interview local entrepreneurs about their journeys and talk to community leaders about the exciting opportunities -- and the real challenges -- of building and growing a successful small business here. We'll be launching in September with lots of smart guests and straight talk.

Special thanks to Mike Kramer at Ambient House Productions for his excellent videography and production work. We can't wait to share the episodes. Be sure to tune in!

08/11/2026

Our free workshop on business funding and financing with Think Mutual Bank's Rebecca Sell is one week away. Reserve your spot at this August 18 event today!

Learn how to navigate financing options and real-world challenges as your business grows.

08/10/2026

A lot is happening at Collider -- and we're just getting started!

From workshops and community events to new ways of connecting with and supporting Rochester entrepreneurs, view some of our Q2 highlights -- and get a peek at what's ahead -- in the link in our comments.

08/07/2026

Are you spending hours on social media content for your business and getting nowhere? Build an entire month of social media content, live, in your voice, on your topics. One hour. Done. You leave ready to post tomorrow morning -- and with a system you can run yourself every month after. Learn more and register at the link in our comments.