Twin Cities business owners are battling obstacles these days.
A survey from the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce shows 96% of businesses reported increased operating costs and 42% said those increases are significant. Add that to the $700 million Operation Metro Surge cost the local economy, according to the City of Minneapolis.
“Following a challenging year for many small businesses across Minnesota, including the economic pressures and disruptions that have affected entrepreneurs throughout our state, we recognize the importance of creating spaces where business owners can reconnect, gain practical knowledge, and position themselves for what comes next,” said Yolanda Pierson, president and CEO of the Minnesota Black Chamber.
Giving small business owners tools to overcome these challenges is why the Minnesota Black Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Strengthen The Strong to host the Black Entrepreneurs Summit & Expo 2026 on Nov. 6 and 7.
The two-day event features expert-led workshops on four distinct areas: entrepreneurship, technology, systems/operations, and finance. Attendees will be able to level up their marketing know-how, financial literacy and AI knowledge, among other skills. It’s also an opportunity for business owners to network and get the tools necessary to build sustainable, long-term wealth in an uncertain and at times, scary business landscape.
“I hope this workshop will not only enhance their brand but expand their brand,” said Sheletta Brundidge, founder of ShelettaMakesMeLaugh.com, a multimedia marketing, production and podcasting company. Brundidge’s entrepreneurship workshop on Nov. 7 is titled: “3P’s: From Pitch to Promotion.”
“I'm excited to be helping business owners learn how to market their companies to a wider audience and promote online through not just social media, but get into the AI algorithms, getting booked on TV shows and be guests on podcasts,” said Brundidge.
The program Friday night, Nov. 6, at Park Square Theatre in St. Paul is titled: “The Next Play: Reinvention, Leadership, and Legacy, A Conversation with Tyrre Burks, Martin Nance, and PJ Hill.” The discussion brings together three high-profile Minnesota leaders who transitioned from professional or collegiate athletics into executive leadership.
Aside from workshops, the schedule on Saturday, Nov. 7 at the Minneapolis Convention Center also features an Expo for shopping from 50 local businesses showcasing Minnesota-made products and services. “The Expo is especially meaningful because small businesses need more than education,” Pierson explained. “They need customers, contracts, relationships, and opportunities to generate revenue.”
Expo vendors including, Drez's Kitchen, Junk N My Trunk LLC, Charismas Creations Hair Salon Inc, Sanctuary 44, Rooted Creative, The Hair Jurniee Beauty Academy, Kenneth Allen Photography, SecurePath Financial Solutions, and Minuteman Press Uptown.
“We want every entrepreneur who walks through our doors to leave with something tangible: new knowledge, a meaningful relationship, a potential customer, access to resources, or a clearer understanding of how to take their business to the next level,” Pierson said.
Pierson added that the Summit & Expo provides an opportunity to introduce more entrepreneurs to necessary resources while expanding access to business education, mentorship, technical assistance, and relationships with corporate and community partners.
Put plainly, the goal is to help business owners find success in Minnesota and beyond. “There is a big giant world out there of customers they haven't tapped into yet that's beyond the Twin Cities and Minnesota,” Brundidge said. “I want them to reach New York and New Mexico and all points in-between.”
To learn more and register for the Black Entrepreneurs Summit & Expo 2026 on Nov. 6 and 7, go here.
