In the KNOW!

November 25 | 2025

A Season of Gratitude and Growth


As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, it’s the perfect time to pause and reflect on the many reasons we have to be thankful, as individuals, as businesses, and as a community.

At Shawnee Forward, we’re grateful for the partnerships, progress, and people who make our community thrive. Every ribbon cutting, event, and collaboration this year has been a reminder of what’s possible when businesses, organizations, and leaders come together with a shared purpose.

We’re thankful for our members, for your investment, your leadership, and the ways you give back. Whether you’re mentoring a young professional, hiring local talent, volunteering your time, or opening your doors to new opportunities, you’re helping build a stronger Shawnee and a brighter future for Pottawatomie County.

As we look toward the year ahead, we’ll continue focusing on what matters most: supporting business growth, fostering connections, and advancing the initiatives that move our community forward.

From all of us at Shawnee Forward, thank you for the role you play in making this a place we’re proud to call home. Wishing you and your family a safe, restful, and meaningful Thanksgiving.



-Daniel

Director of Operations

QUICK CLICK QUESTION

How does your business give back to the community?

HOST A BEFORE OR AFTER HOURS IN 2026

Host a 2026 Social Exchange


We’re building out our 2026 Social Exchange calendar, and this is your chance to put your business in the spotlight. These Business Before and After Hours events bring members together for real conversations, new relationships, and a look inside the businesses that make our community work.

As a host, you get to show off your space, highlight what you do, and connect with dozens of local professionals who may never have stepped through your doors otherwise. There’s no cost to host. Just provide light snacks, drinks, and a fun giveaway for the raffle at your event, and we’ll take care of the promotion to Shawnee Forward members.

If you’re ready to bring the business community to your business in 2026, reach out to Daniel at the office or send an email to get on the schedule.

SAVE THE DATE

BUSINESS RESOURCES

Adapt These Big Business Strategies to Score on Small Business Saturday


Big retailers spent a lot of time, money, data, and manpower creating their holiday game plans. Here are five of their 2025 strategies small businesses can use to their advantage.

MEMBER EVENTS

Click on each image to learn more.

Want Your Event in Our Newsletter?

If you're a Shawnee Forward member and have an upcoming event you'd like to share, we’d love to help spread the word! Please email your flyer to Daniel or Crystal at least two weeks before the event, and we’ll include it in the two newsletters leading up to your big day. It’s a great way to get your event in front of the community. Don’t miss out on this member benefit!



Miss a Newsletter?

If you missed a recent newsletter, you can catch up anytime by viewing the archives on our website here.

Sponsorship Opportunity


For the first time in a long while, Shawnee Forward has an opening for the exclusive sponsorship of In the Know.

This weekly e-newsletter reaches more than 2,900 local professionals, business owners, and community leaders who are actively shaping the future of Shawnee and Pottawatomie County. It is one of our highest-engagement communications and a trusted source for regional updates.


As the newsletter sponsor, your business will receive:

• Banner ad included in every issue

• Hyperlinked logo on our archived newsletter webpage

• One featured article per quarter to highlight your business

• First right of refusal to renew the sponsorship annually


If your organization wants consistent visibility with key decision makers, this is a smart place to be. It may be a while before this opportunity opens again.


Reach out to me directly if you’d like to claim it.


daniel@shawneeforward.com | 405-273-6092

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