Ely Outperforms Other Iron Range Communities thanks to Northland’s Small Business Development Support

Ely businesses raised $1.853 million in capital, had three new business start-ups, and created and retained 61 jobs, outperforming ten other communities on the Iron Range. The Timberjay observed a connection between the number of jobs created or retained and the number of Northland consulting hours and clients served. This suggests that utilizing Northland’s business services can lead to local small business growth.

The Northland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provided this data during a presentation to the Ely Economic Development Authority (EEDA) on Jan. 30. In response, Adam Bisbee requested a report on the impact of Northland’s services on Iron Range communities. The SBDC provided the requested report, revealing that Ely businesses outperformed ten other communities in terms of capital raising, job creation and retention, and business growth thanks to Northland’s support.

The Northland SBDC is a part of the U.S. Small Business Administration that offers free consulting and business training to small businesses, start-ups, and aspiring entrepreneurs. The program is funded by federal, state, and local governments with Ely Economic Development Authority contributing $4,000 annually to support Northland SBDC services in Range communities.

During the discussion of the Northland data at EEDA President Paul Kess expressed his belief that the investment in Northland’s services was worthwhile for Ely as it highlighted the vibrancy of