The idea for BizNews began during the pandemic when, while leading the La Crosse Area Chamber of Commerce, my journalism training while also understanding business needs filled a critical role – providing information that gave businesses new strategies. This information doesn’t stop with a pandemic. Grants become available. Tax laws change. Interest rates changing the ease of financing growth. A major employer closes. A leap of faith happens, and an individual creates a product we can’t live without. All impact our ability to thrive. 

My first work as a self-funded “bootstrap” startup was with a client – the North La Crosse Business Association – who wanted to tell the stories of local companies owned by and employing friends and neighbors that struggling. The goal: to encourage buying local. Engage Greater La Crosse told those stories through a campaign called Get on Living Safer (renamed Get on Living Stronger as the pandemic’s grip on businesses loosened).

Using my 20+ years of experience leading nonprofits, Engage Greater La Crosse took on other projects with nonprofits – creating a newsletter marketing plan, recruiting a new head of an arts organization, and a nonprofit self-assessment tool, as well as others. The realization that helping others is my passion had created a blurring of Engage Greater La Crosse. I realized I had two products – service consulting and business news.

During lulls in the community servant work, I created BizNews as a stand-alone business news platform.

I hope you find the product delivers on our promise – business news that helps you thrive.

Vicki Markussen