This summer, the BCS team traded conference rooms for community spaces, gathering on Prince of Wales Island for our annual team retreat. While retreats provide valuable time for planning and professional development, they also offer the opportunity to step away from our desks and reconnect with the entrepreneurs, businesses, and communities at the heart of our work.
As a Native Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), we know that meaningful business support is built on relationships. Spending time in the places our clients live and work gives us a deeper understanding of the realities of rural entrepreneurship, the challenges business owners navigate every day, and the opportunities that exist within Southeast Alaska’s communities.
Throughout the week, we visited several Spruce Root clients, including Strictly Local and Auntie Betty’s Bakery Cafe in Craig, and Betty’s Hair & Nails in Klawock. We had the privilege of hearing directly from Kerin Crews, Tina Steffen, and Betty Kubik about their entrepreneurial journeys and the vision they continue to hold for their communities.
Each business reflected a different story, but all shared a common thread: local entrepreneurs investing in the places they call home.
Kerin worked with Spruce Root to purchase Strictly Local, developing a business plan, securing financing, and continuing to receive one-on-one coaching as she grows the business. Today, the shop features a curated collection of local art, jewelry, and consignment clothing that expands retail options in Craig.
Tina has engaged with Spruce Root through Business & Balance, Resilience Circles, business advising, and lending services, using those resources to grow multiple businesses while staying grounded in her Indigenous values and community. During our visit, she was operating her newest venture at the cruise ship port in Klawock.
Betty, who has owned Betty’s Hair & Nails for more than 20 years, has used Resilience Circles, financial wellness programming, business advising, and lending services to strengthen both her business and her long-term financial goals.
These visits reminded us that our work extends far beyond workshops, coaching sessions, loan closings, or technical assistance. Every conversation, resource, and connection is ultimately about helping entrepreneurs build businesses that create opportunity, preserve culture, and strengthen local economies throughout rural Southeast Alaska.
The retreat also allowed our team to reflect on our own work together. Between client visits, shared meals, and collaborative planning sessions, we reviewed participant feedback, evaluated our current programs and workshop materials, discussed the progress of ongoing initiatives, and explored where we can improve. Together, we asked ourselves what should continue, what needs to be refined, and what new ideas are worth pursuing to better meet entrepreneurs wherever they are in their business journey.
Leaving Prince of Wales, we carried home more than notes and action items. We returned with renewed relationships, fresh perspective, and a deeper appreciation for the resilience, creativity, and generosity of the business owners we are honored to serve. Experiences like these remind us why relationship-centered development matters and reinforce our commitment to continually adapting our services to support the evolving needs of rural and Indigenous entrepreneurs across Southeast Alaska.