Facebook is a business tool? That was the question asked by a business owner in Akeley before she attended MIRC (Minnesota Intelligent Rural Communities) sponsored e-business training by the University of Minnesota Extension. Watch the video below to hear Kristin Fake, owner of Just A Stage/Second Stage answer her own question. The video highlights Kristin’s experience with the class, her post-class business success and the birth of a business club (which turned into the rebirth of the local Chamber of Commerce) in Akeley, Minnesota.

I think it’s important to note that Akeley has been working with Extension as part of the Horizons program. One goal of Horizons was to build rural leadership today to reduce poverty tomorrow. Often the communities chosen were in flux. Akeley moved from the Horizons project to MIRC, which focuses on building strong communities through broadband.

The short story in Akeley is that the e-business workshops have been very successful. One unintended consequence has been the development of weekly meetings, aka the Akeley Area Breakfast Club. As the meetings caught on even people who hadn’t attended the workshops were able to learn what the attendees learned through peer-to-peer sharing and collaborating.

The breakfast club heard that the area Chamber was running into issues and was thinking about closing shop. So they all met, inspired each other and the Chamber is now thriving. It went from 4 members to 30. The businesses are using the skills they learned to grow their own businesses online but also to bring people into the community. An effort that redoubles as the  community promotion brings more people through the doors of the local businesses.

MIRC Coordinator, Susanne Hinrichs spoke about the progress in the community, “The MIRC project has provided knowledge and a place for people to come together. The folks in Akeley are realizing their assets, which includes natural resources and a whole host of artisans. Community-wide change is happening. It’s happening right now and it will be visible to the whole world through the eyes of the internet. Plans are being made to unveil a new website for the chamber soon. The website will include a shopping cart for local businesses and artisans.”

MIRC has contributed to the community wide change happening in Akeley, however it’s the folks in Akeley who are living this and making it happen.

University of Minnesota Extension is offering free sample classes for all communities if you are an interested community leader.