Three businesses in the KRBD listening area were selected as finalists in Spruce Root’s Path to Prosperity 2019 business development competition. At the end of this month, owners will be heading to Juneau to attend an intensive business boot camp run by the Spruce Root nonprofit.
Path to Prosperity, or P2P, is an annual competition for small businesses and start-ups with a positive economic, environmental and community impact on Southeast Alaska. Thirteen businesses were selected to advance to the second round of the competition, among those are businesses in Ketchikan, Saxman and Craig.
Jellyfish Donuts opened in Ketchikan in July. Jellyfish-themed decorations hang from the ceiling and the store displays and sells local jellyfish jewelry and art.
“We do a brioche dough that takes at least 12 hours to sit and proof overnight.
Owner Brianna Krantz says they use whole foods and natural products in their recipes.
“It is an airy dough that we use different types of toppings (on) and we do some filled and it’s a rotating menu. We have a little jellyfish vibe in here and it’s kind of funky and fun.”
At boot camp, Krantz says she’s hoping to get more advice on how to do accounting and payroll, and how to market her business in a way that’s good for both locals and tourists.
Kooteeyaa Koffee House is owned by the Organized Village of Saxman. Tribal Administrator Winona Wallace says they opened the business to provide jobs and a service that wasn’t available in their community of around 400 people. And they want to cater to the community’s unique needs.
“I think our business plan is really general. It was done by somebody outside of the community.
The head barista was trained on how to make espressos at an academy in Seattle. At the P2P training, she says she hopes to get help updating the business model.
“And now we can go attend the Path to Prosperity and work at developing a realistic picture of making sure the ends meet in the end.”
In Craig on Prince of Wales Island, Gale Force Gardens has been up and running for several years. Owner Stephanie Jurries sells garden plants to local lodges and residents across the island. But Jurries says she’s more botanist than businesswoman.
“So I’m starting to see the places where my skills are lacking in terms of certain business knowledge. So I’m hoping to gain some things from this program that can help me move forward and be successful.”
Owners of all three businesses will head to Juneau at the end of the month for a three-day intensive training workshop – the Path to Prosperity Business Boot Camp. They’re among 13 participants who will have three months to apply the skills they’ve learned to create fully-developed business plans.
Judges will review those plans, and two business will each be awarded up to $25,000 in further consulting and technical assistance. Winners will be announced next February.
This post has been updated to correct an error.
