How the Minnesota State Fair can help grow a small business [Video]

Tameka Jones always wanted to own a lipstick company, she just didn’t know how much the Minnesota State Fair could help in running one. 

Hard work, planning, and grit aside, the world of small business can often be complex with unforeseen obstacles and unavoidable challenges. Two years after opening her first brick-and-mortar shop, Jones and her lip care company, Lip Esteem, have learned the value of a quick pivot. 

Growings pains

“There’s not a lot of brick-and-mortar stores on Selby; it’s been hard to get foot traffic into the store. So we’ve had to pivot,” said Jones.

The pivot that Jones made would require changing much of the business plan that created Lip Esteem, switching from a business-to-customer setting to a business-to-business model. 

“I became a certified women business owner, so now we can do more federal and state contracts. And …