{"podcast":{"title":"Living in McKenzie County","slug":"living-in-mckenzie-county-7072430","podcast_index_feed_id":7072430,"rss_url":"https://feeds.libsyn.com/551497/rss","website_url":"https://sites.libsyn.com/551497","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/d/2/a/9/d2a964325a802082e55e3c100dce7605/LMC_Title_Graphic__1400_x_1400_px.png","author":"The City of Watford City, North Dakota","episode_count":45,"summary":"Welcome to \"Living in McKenzie County\", an original content series brought to you by the City of Watford City and McKenzie County Economic Development. In this series, join hosts Vawnita Best and Daniel Stenberg as we introduce you to those shaping our community through innovation, decision-making, and events. We'll explore the stories behind the people who are driving the growth in one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States during the 2010s. McKenzie County, North Dakota, has been transformed by a revolutionary energy boom, but its roots run deep in agriculture and conservation. Today, it's a place where young families, longtime residents, and businesses can thrive, embracing the opportunities that this dynamic region has to offer.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-21T14:21:36.677206+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/living-in-mckenzie-county-7072430"},"episode":{"title":"Helping Your Business Thrive During Small Business Month","slug":"helping-your-business-thrive-during-small-business-month","published_at":"2026-05-05T05:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/living-in-mckenzie-county-7072430/helping-your-business-thrive-during-small-business-month","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/living-in-mckenzie-county-7072430","url":"https://f1723f1f-6ae3-4dff-bd34-5c48f3860d90.libsyn.com/helping-your-business-thrive-during-small-business-month","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/f1723f1f-6ae3-4dff-bd34-5c48f3860d90/LMC_S2_E18_mixdown.mp3?dest-id=4760392","summary":"In this episode of the Living in McKenzie County podcast, host Meghan Taunton, McKenzie County Economic Development Director, welcomes Cyrena Weeks (Tri-County Regional Development Council), Keith Olson (Small Business Development Center), and Susan Granrud (Job Service Workforce Center) to preview Small Business Month and explain regional resources for entrepreneurs and employers. They discuss western North Dakota's dynamic business culture, business startup challenges, and how SBDC provides no-cost advising on plans, cash flow, and lender readiness. The group also explores practical uses and cautions around AI in small business, highlights workforce support, and reviews financing options such as revolving loan funds and Bank of North Dakota's Flex PACE interest buydown. Tri-County Regional Development Council: https://tricountyrdc.com Small Business Development Center: https://willistonstate.edu/about/Community/Small-Business-Development-Center Job Service Workforce Center: https://www.jobsnd.com/job-seeker/workforce-centers/williston 00:00 Welcome 00:46 Introductions 02:37 Business Culture Today 04:15 Where to Start 05:24 Small Business Development Center 08:57 AI in Small Business 13:39 Practical uses of AI 18:01 Beyond Oil and Gas 20:12 Outsourcing 22:50 Training and Funding Programs 25:39 Gap Financing Options 26:09 Flex PACE Interest Buydown 27:23 Grant Myths and Reality 28:43 Personal vs Business Credit 29:51 Bank of North Dakota 32:20 What Regional Councils Do 34:28 Grants and Programs 38:55 SBDC Funding and Structure 40:02 Business Needs 43:05 Bowling Alley in McKenzie County 46:51 Workforce Center Services 49:53 Rural Health Transformation Program 51:50 Wrap-Up","meta_description":"In this episode of the Living in McKenzie County podcast, host Meghan Taunton, McKenzie County Economic Development Director, welcomes Cyrena Weeks (Tri-C…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3188,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/living-in-mckenzie-county-7072430/episodes/helping-your-business-thrive-during-small-business-month/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/living-in-mckenzie-county-7072430/helping-your-business-thrive-during-small-business-month.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}