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Strong Leader Series Registration Closes September 24!

The Strong Leader Series™ is a three-part professional development experience designed to help leaders at every level increase their influence, think strategically, and bring out the best in others.

Think bigger, test assumptions, and make stronger decisions with clarity.

Move beyond reaction mode to smarter decision making. Unlock potential by coaching, encouraging growth, and developing people through strengths. Help your team feel seen, supported, motivated, and ready to grow. 

What’s Included

• Three interactive half-day workshops
• CliftonStrengths® 34 assessment and personalized report
• Practical leadership tools and templates
• Opportunities for networking and peer learning
• Participants will complete the CliftonStrengths® Assessment before the first session to personalize their learning experience.

Thursdays, Oct. 8, 15, 22, from 8:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 

Lake Michigan College, 125 Veterans Blvd., South Haven

Investment:

$500 for all three sessions.

The deadline to register for the Strong Leader Series is September 24, 2026

Each half-day workshop blends easy-to-apply, real-world leadership tools with the power of personal insights using the lens of CliftonStrengths®, helping participants connect their natural talents to create their unique leadership style. 

Session Breakdown

Session 1: Communication & Influence (October 8)

Learn to adapt your communication style, build credibility, deliver constructive feedback, and turn everyday conversations into collaborative action.

Session 2: Strategic Thinking & Decision Making (October 15)

Shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive leadership by mastering frameworks that balance data, intuition, and priority setting.

Session 3: Motivating & Developing Others (October 22)

Leverage emotional intelligence and strengths-based coaching to foster team engagement, accountability, and long-term professional growth.

Most Asked Questions About the Strong Leader Series

What level of personnel should attend these sessions?

• We believe leadership isn’t defined by a title. The Strong Leader Series is designed for a range of professionals—from emerging and aspiring leaders to experienced managers and leaders who want to continue growing. Everyone begins by understanding their unique strengths, and then applies those strengths to the leadership skills we build throughout the series. So regardless of where someone is in their leadership journey, they can make the learning relevant to their current role and beyond.

Why do you use the CliftonStrengths assessment?

• The instructors have each had experience with a variety of assessment tools, including DiSC. We chose CliftonStrengths because we find it particularly actionable for leadership development. Rather than putting people into a type or category, it helps individuals understand the unique combination of talents they naturally bring to their work. Participants receive insight into all 34 talent themes, which helps them understand not only where they’re strongest, but also where they may need to lean on others. Most importantly, it gives people a common language to talk about how they work, lead and collaborate—which we then build on throughout the entire series.

Who Should Attend and Why

The 2026 Strong Leader Series™ is an opportunity to invest in yourself and your future as a leader. Get ready for a transformative experience that will refine your skills, expand your network, and empower you to lead with greater confidence and impact.

Whether you’re a new leader or scaling a team, these sessions provide usable frameworks for better decision-making.

• Understand and apply your natural strengths to everyday leadership challenges
• Communicate with influence and build trust across your team and organization
• Think strategically to make better, faster, and more aligned decisions
• Inspire and develop others by focusing on what makes each person thrive.

Hub Happenings

Growth Bridge: Ask an Expert

Free 1-on-1 Small Business Support in South Haven

Growth Bridge provides free 25-minute expert sessions for entrepreneurs and small business owners in Southwest Michigan. Get direct, personalized help on a specific operational, financial, or strategic challenge from a specialized Hub Subject Matter Expert.

Open to all local business owners—no previous Hub enrollment required.

Bring a question, challenge, or idea. Leave with practical guidance, useful resources, and clear next steps.



Program Details

• When: October 27, November 10 and December 15
• Where: Lake Michigan College – South Haven Campus (125 Veterans Blvd, South Haven, MI 49090)
• Format: Scheduled 25-minute appointments; 1-on-1 sessions with Subject Matter Experts between 5 & 7 p.m.
• Cost: Free (Pre-registration required)
• If you are not a current client of the Hub, or don’t know if you are a client, please Complete the Hub Client Intake form here or you may complete it at your appointment.

Who Should Participate?

Growth Bridge is open to all small business owners, independent operators, and aspiring entrepreneurs in Southwest Michigan

Book an appointment if you:

• Need specialized feedback on a financial, marketing, or operational question.
• Want an expert second opinion before making a significant business decision.
• Need assistance understanding a business document, software, or workflow.
• Are seeking immediate business support without committing to a multi-week course.
• Have completed prior Hub programs and need targeted follow-up technical assistance.

Schedule Your Free Appointment

Find an upcoming topic that fits your current operational needs and secure your 25-minute slot with a Subject Matter Expert.

• October 27 - Accounting and Bookkeeping
• November 10 - Branding, Marketing and Social Media
• December 15 - Financials and Cash Flow

Hub News 

August Update

As local businesses look for new ways to expand, adapt, and streamline their operations, the South Haven Regional Business Hub’s Growth Series continues to deliver actionable workshops led by regional industry experts. Here is a recap of two key sessions from the series, covering essential strategies in target marketing, digital visibility, and internal process development. 

Special thanks to speakers Jennifer Sistrunk, Executive Director of the Visit South Haven, and Cheri Bales, President of Hannah/Gold Communications, for sharing their expertise during the August sessions.

Attendees of the August sessions gained practical marketing strategies to optimize their reach, build brand awareness, and access South Haven Regional Business Hub advisory support for website design and digital media implementation. Additionally, participants learned how to leverage free Google tools—including Google Business Profiles and foundational search concepts like SEO, ROI, and KPIs—to effectively reach online customers even with limited budgets.

The South Haven Regional Business Hub’s Growth Series is a cohort program designed for small business owners who have been operating for over three years and are committed to scaling their operations. By offering high-impact workshops at Lake Michigan College, tailored mentorship, and one-on-one business coaching, the program engages entrepreneurs early and supports them through critical development stages while fostering a strong peer-learning network.

Thank you to our guest speakers and all who participated!

Save the Date

The PITCH will take place Wednesday, December 2,

at Lake Michigan College South Haven from 5:45 to 9 p.m.

Become a Sponsor of The PITCH

Small Business Support Hubs 2.0 Grant

Supporting Small Business Growth

Entrepreneurs and small businesses across Southwest Michigan will soon have greater access to the resources they need to launch, grow or scale thanks to a $930,000 Small Business Support Hubs 2.0 grant awarded to Southwest Michigan First through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s (MEDC) Michigan Strategic Fund.  

Pictured from left:

• Ambie Bell, Emerge Innovation Hub
• Carl Brown, Startup Zoo
• Michael Seelye, Liminal Group
• Elizabeth Bernhard, South Haven Regional Business Hub
• Brandy Jaquez, Cornerstone Alliance
• Joshua Gray, Room 35
• Gabriela Perez-Hernandez, Battle Creek Unlimited

As a regional convener, Southwest Michigan First will distribute the funding among its regional Entrepreneur Support Organizations (ESOs), expanding each partner’s capacity to deliver high-quality business support throughout the seven-counties in Southwest Michigan. Together, these organizations will provide greater access to business coaching, technical assistance, mentorship, capital readiness, AI-powered tools and specialized programming designed to help entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey launch, grow or scale their businesses.

Regional Entrepreneur Support Organization partners include Albion Economic Development Corporation, Battle Creek Unlimited, Can-Do Kalamazoo, Cornerstone Alliance, Emerge Innovation Hub, Liminal Group, Michigan Small Business Development Center Southwest Region, Room 35, South Haven Regional Business Hub, and Startup Zoo.

Founders Circle Hosts Third Entrepreneur Meeting

Heather Schaefer

Heather Schaefer, Branding and Marketing Subject Matter Expert Heather Schaefer is a the founder of Branding You Big, LLC,, with over 30 years of experience building more than 100 brands nationwide. She created the Million Dollar Brand Strategy using her proprietary MVP Essentials™ framework (Mission, Values, Vision, Voice, and Purpose), which has driven client revenue increases between 50% and 77% while helping authors achieve bestseller status.

A University of Kansas journalism and art and design graduate, Heather serves as Managing Director of eWomenNetwork Southwest Michigan. She actively coaches and mentors women business owners within the regional ecosystem, speaking frequently on the critical business differences between long-term strategic market positioning and a basic logo design. 

Learn more about Growth Bridge Subject Matter Experts and schedule a one-on-one appointment with Heather.

Sharpening Your Business Edge 



Tuesday, Sept. 15, 8:30 a.m. to noon. Kalamazoo

Focus on Sharpening Your Business Edge, with conversations around knowing your numbers, access to capital, selling, and scaling. We have a great group of people leading the discussion, but I think the connections and conversations in the room will be just as valuable.

Join three members of the Hub team - Michele Coy, Dan Cubr, and Julie Callaway  - and feel free to bring someone else who you think would benefit from being in the room. Sign up in advance.

Do you (or someone you love) have AI anxiety?

You're not alone — and you're not behind. On September 17, Mighty Humans will host a free, human-first AI session at the Saugatuck-Douglas Library from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

No jargon, no tech-bro energy, just real answers to real questions. Bring your worries. Leave with some confidence.

Contact Matthew Saleski to be on the list! Msaleski@gmail.com

Session Highlights:

Discover how the SBDC Tech Team’s specialized consultants provide no-cost, high-level support for technology commercialization.

• Emerging Technology Fund (ETF): An overview of matching fund opportunities for companies pursuing federal SBIR/STTR grants.
• Business Accelerator Fund (BAF): A look at how this fund supports specific, highimpact services for companies within Michigan’s SmartZone network.

2025 Impact Report Online

The South Haven Regional Business Hub 2025 Impact Report highlights significant achievements in supporting Southwest Michigan's entrepreneurial ecosystem, achieving a 92% business retention rate for its clients. This substantially outpaces the national average, where nearly half of new businesses fail within five years.

Check out the full 2025 Impact Report Here to see how we’re helping small businesses grow and why our regional partnerships have never been stronger! 

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Empowering Entrepreneurs, Elevating Southwest Michigan

The Hub’s mission is to drive regional economic prosperity by growing and sustaining successful small businesses through innovative education and critical connections to capital, mentorship, and community for entrepreneurs across Southwest Michigan. 

Our target audience includes aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners in the startup and early growth stages.

The Hub works with small businesses throughout the region with support from the City of South Haven, Lake Michigan College, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, the South Haven Area Community Foundation, and individual investors like you.

Share this news by clicking one of the social links below and using the hashtag #smallbizsupport

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