As Montana’s State Auditor, I have a remarkably multifaceted and interesting job. In addition to regulating Montana’s insurance and bail bonds industries, I am also tasked with promoting capital formation in order to foster business growth and free enterprise. As a fourth-generation Montanan, this is a duty I both enjoy and value. That’s why I will be hosting the Investing in Montana Summit on June 25th in Bozeman.
By every measure, startups and small businesses are the backbone of Montana communities. According to the Small Business Administration, Montana is home to over 130,000 small businesses, accounting for 99.3% of all businesses in the state. These small firms employ over 252,000 workers, making up approximately two-thirds of the state’s total workforce
Established companies from around the country have also identified Montana as a great place to set up shop due to our pro-business regulatory climate and educated workforce. For big and small businesses alike, capital investment is a critical tool for their success. The fact is, when businesses prosper in Montana, all of us who live and work here benefit.
The upcoming Investing in Montana Summit, which is open to the public, is designed to connect local business owners and entrepreneurs with investors and regulators to further job growth in the Treasure State. The Summit features great sessions on small business and startup experiences, the capital formation process, and turning a vision into a successful business venture.
Among the great speakers featured are Chef Eduardo Garcia, Duckworth founder John Helle, and Dean Folkvord, formerly of Wheat Montana. Each of these speakers will discuss their respective amazing journey in promoting small business innovation and growth in Montana.
If you are interested in learning about capital investment in the Treasure State, ensuring compliance with the Montana Securities Act, and receiving guidance on drafting disclosures and designing offerings, the Investing in Montana Summit is the event for you. Best of all, for entrepreneurs, this Summit provides the single greatest business networking opportunity anywhere in the state.
For more information, including a full agenda and registration details, visit my agency’s webpage at csimt.gov/events. While there, you can also find more helpful information on options for raising capital and capital formation.
As your State Auditor and a former small business owner, I look forward to personally seeing you at the AC Hotel by Marriott Downtown at 10:00 AM on June 25th.
James Brown is Montana’s State Auditor and Commissioner of Securities and Insurance.