A Monthly Update from YCDC: Supporting the Entrepreneurs Among Us

Lisa Hurley, Executive Director York County Development Corporation

Recently, Grace Staehr interviewed me for one of our regular YCDC updates on the 17-County Podcast. During our conversation, she made a comment that stuck with me.

Grace joined the YCDC team about eight months ago and has quickly become an important part of our organization. In addition to bringing bilingual skills that help us better serve Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs and community members, she has had the opportunity to see many aspects of economic development work firsthand.

As we talked through recent projects and activities, she mentioned that one thing that surprised her was the number of entrepreneurs we work with.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized she was probably highlighting something many people in our community may not realize.

When most people hear the words “economic development,” they often think about business recruitment, major employers, housing developments, or large construction projects. Those activities are certainly important. However, a significant portion of our work also involves helping individuals who are exploring a business idea, considering a startup, purchasing an existing business, expanding an operation, or simply trying to determine whether an opportunity is worth pursuing.

Sometimes those conversations begin with a business plan.

Sometimes they begin with a simple question.

“Do you think this could work here?”

That question matters.

Economic development is often most visible when there is a ribbon cutting or public announcement. What people do not always see are the many conversations that happen long before those milestones occur.

Not every idea becomes a business. Not every conversation leads to a public announcement. But every entrepreneur deserves access to information, guidance, and resources that can help them make informed decisions.

One way YCDC supports those efforts is through SizeUp, a free business intelligence and market research platform available to York County entrepreneurs and businesses. The tool provides information about customers, competitors, demographics, market conditions, and business performance. In plain English, it helps people make decisions using real data rather than guesswork.

As of August 25, 2026, 499 users have accessed YCDC’s SizeUp platform over the past year, generating 4,549 reports.

That tells us something important.

Entrepreneurs and business owners want information. They want to understand their market, evaluate opportunities, reduce risk, and make smarter decisions. Access to quality data helps them do exactly that.

Of course, entrepreneurship is about more than data.

It is also about relationships, ideas, mentorship, and community support.

That is one reason YCDC is excited to host the SPARK Small Business Pitch Contest again this year. SPARK gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to share their business ideas, receive feedback from experienced professionals, build connections, and compete for resources that can help move their businesses forward.

The 2026 SPARK contest will be held Thursday, October 8. Applications are due September 4. Participants receive mentoring before the event and then present their ideas to a panel of judges. Two winners will be selected: one in the startup category and one in the existing small business category. Prizes include a $3,000 cash award, a YCDC Stakeholder Investor membership, and a marketing package valued at $1,000 and donated by Nebraska Rural Radio Network's York office.

This year, we are particularly excited to make the SPARK application available in Spanish for the first time. Grace will act as translator if needed during the event.

That matters because as our community continues to grow and diversify, we want entrepreneurial opportunities to be accessible to as many people as possible. Sometimes removing a barrier is all it takes to help someone move an idea forward.

Another thing people may not realize is that SPARK is open to the public.

Even if you are not competing, we encourage community members to attend. It is a chance to hear directly from local entrepreneurs, learn about emerging businesses, meet business owners, and build connections. Many of the most valuable outcomes happen through conversations after the presentations are over.

Entrepreneurship thrives when communities show up.

It thrives when people are willing to encourage an idea, share expertise, become a customer, offer a connection, or simply attend an event and learn more about the people building businesses around them.

The same philosophy of connection and visibility guides our 17-County Podcast.

What started as a way to tell local stories has grown into a platform that highlights businesses, organizations, leaders, entrepreneurs, and residents while helping share York County’s story beyond our local area. As of August 25, 2026, the podcast has reached more than 39,400 listens.

That reach matters because storytelling is part of economic development too. When we tell the stories of our businesses, communities, and people, we help others understand what is happening here and why York County is worth paying attention to.

At the end of the day, economic development is not just about buildings, infrastructure, or recruitment projects.

It is about people.

It is about helping individuals turn ideas into opportunities, helping businesses grow, and creating an environment where entrepreneurship can thrive.

Every startup conversation may not become a headline.

Every business idea may not become a ribbon cutting.

But every successful business started with a conversation, a question, or an opportunity.

Our job is to help create an environment where more of those opportunities have a chance to grow.