Wyoming SBDC Hosts Small Business Showcase in Cheyenne January 29

The Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network will host a Small Business Showcase on Thursday, Jan. 29, in the Cottonwood Room at the Laramie County Public Library B in Cheyenne. Small-business owners may sign up to deliver five-minute pitches and will have the chance to network with local presenters and SBDC staff. Registration is free; presenters must register by Jan. 15.

The event is being organized by regional SBDC staff and local library leadership. Kenny Overby, regional director covering Goshen and Laramie counties, and Rachael Svoboda, business librarian for the Laramie County Library System, are listed as event leads. The SBDC network is hosted by the University of Wyoming and receives state funding from the Wyoming Business Council alongside partial federal support from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

For Albany County business owners, the showcase represents a practical opportunity to test a concise sales pitch, make contacts beyond Laramie, and learn directly from SBDC advisors who deliver statewide services. Five-minute pitches are designed to force clarity and focus, a useful exercise for businesses preparing for investor meetings, grant applications, or procurement opportunities. The networking component can bridge Albany County firms to resources administered at the state level, including counseling on financing, business planning, and federal small-business programs supported by the SBA.

The event fits into a broader state strategy of channeling university-hosted advisory capacity into local economic development. By combining UW-hosted technical assistance with Wyoming Business Council funding and SBA backing, the SBDC network aims to expand access to capital and managerial support—two factors that statistical research links to higher small-business survival and growth rates in rural regions. For individual firms, exposure at a showcase can translate into new customers, partnerships, or referrals to loan and grant programs.

Logistics are straightforward: the showcase will take place in the Cottonwood Room at the Laramie County Public Library B; presenters must register by Jan. 15 to claim a five-minute slot. Interested business owners should contact event leads Kenny Overby or Rachael Svoboda for registration details and further information. The showcase offers Albany County entrepreneurs a low-cost, high-impact venue to sharpen pitches, expand networks, and connect with state and federal small-business support resources.