Posts by Andrea Van Essen
Shining a light on mentoring opportunities in Sioux Falls
Year after year, January 1 acts as a refresh—a chance to begin with a clean slate, to set new goals. As you move into the new year with intentions of progress and positive growth, it might be the perfect time to find a mentor. January is Mentorship Month, a time to lift up mentorship opportunities…
Read MoreSBA Update: Paycheck Protection Program returns today
Starting today, small businesses facing economic hardship due to COVID-19 are again eligible to apply for forgivable loans through a new extension of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). In March 2020, President Donald Trump signed the $2 trillion CARES Act into law which contained a variety of emergency relief resources for businesses, including the PPP.…
Read MoreCelebrating Zeal’s Top 20 of 2020
2020 was a year like no other, and business owners and entrepreneurs continue to experience its effects. Through it all, we’ve been encouraged by the stories of resilience, grit and spirit that continue to rise up out of our community. At Zeal, we had to adapt quickly in order to continue engaging and supporting the…
Read MoreA very merry Christmas Q&A from the Zeal team
Christmas is finally here, after what has felt like the longest year of all time—2020. Holiday celebrations might look different this year, but there are still ways to find joy and merriment. To put us in the festive spirit, we asked our team to share some of their favorite holiday traditions and treats. Keep scrolling…
Read MoreSara Lum joins the Zeal team full-time as program and marketing manager
Back in September, we introduced you to Sara Lum as she joined our team as an operations intern. We’re thrilled to announce that we recently hired her to stay on full-time as our program and marketing manager. Sara Lum “Resumes like Sara’s don’t come past your desk often, but when they do, you seize the…
Read MoreMeet your Co.Starters facilitator, Eric Weisser
Eric Weisser is the CEO of Weisser Distributing, and the facilitator of Co.Starters’ inaugural cohort. We asked him a few questions about what he’s learned from building a business and why he thinks Co.Starters would be a valuable experience for early-stage entrepreneurs. Keep reading to hear what he had to say! The following Q&A has…
Read MoreZeal invites applications for inaugural CO.STARTERS accelerator program
Applications are now open for the first cohort of Zeal’s CO.STARTERS accelerator program. CO.STARTERS is a ten-week experience that walks a small group—typically 10-16 participants—through an effective program designed to provide structure, support and resources for entrepreneurs to execute on their business ideas. The program is also suitable for more established, growth-stage startups who are…
Read MoreSouth Dakota biopharma startup acquired by Gamma Biosciences
Nanopareil LLC, a biopharma startup based in South Dakota, was recently acquired by Gamma Biosciences, a life sciences tools platform. The acquisition will accelerate Nanopareil in the development and marketing of their product—an advanced purification method for monoclonal antibodies and other next-generation biopharmaceuticals. Nanopareil has patented a nanofiber-based purification membrane for use in biopharmaceutical processing.…
Read MoreHeadlights Theater gave performing artists a stage during the pandemic
As COVID-19 shuttered live events and left many artists’ careers hanging, Madeleine Scott and Madison Elliott saw an opportunity to breathe life back into the performing arts scene here in Sioux Falls. Scott and Elliott are childhood friends who grew up dancing in South Dakota, and both moved away in their early teenage years to…
Read MoreGet to know local, veteran-owned businesses
Today kicks off National Veterans Small Business Week (NVSBW), a celebration hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) from November 2-6. Held in advance of Veterans Day on November 11, NVSBW is an opportunity to lift up service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members and military spouses, with a focus on small business…
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