Get to know: Dan Brosman
Director, Small Business Development Center at UW Oshkosh
Dan Brosman doesn’t just talk the talk; he walks the walk. And sometimes steers the party bike.
As the owner of Oshkosh Pedal Trolley, Brosman knows both the rewards and challenges of being a business owner. As director of the Small Business Development Center at UW Oshkosh, Brosman assists entrepreneurs like himself as they start and grow businesses.
“For those that are current business owners or even those just looking to get started, know that there is help and you don’t have to go at this alone,” says Brosman, who holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees from UW Oshkosh.
The SBDC at UW Oshkosh, one of 14 in the state, supports entrepreneurs and existing small business owners by providing no-cost consulting, training and specialized services. It serves a six-county region including Fond du Lac, Winnebago, Outagamie, Waushara, Green Lake and Marquette counties.
“We support all types of for-profit businesses — at any stage of development — from new ideas to existing businesses,” Brosman says. “For example, assistance may be requested for support with writing a business plan, developing financial projections for a loan or guidance on strategies to support the growth of a business.”
In 2022, the center served about 450 businesses, helped launch 26 new enterprises and helped clients obtain more than $6.7 million in capital.
Brosman has been in his role for five years and was recently named a 2023 America’s SBDC 40 Under 40 award recipient for his outreach efforts, which have increased the center’s minority and rural clients to record levels. In 2022, 23.7% of SBDC clients were of the minority, up from 17.6% in 2021.
He was also recognized for his efforts in launching a statewide digital marketing clinic in 2021 using CARES Act funding.
“Even pre-pandemic there was a struggle [for business owners] to understand the fast-paced landscape of online marketing. The pandemic escalated that need,” Brosman says. “We want to make sure that there’s plenty of resources business owners can trust and go to for assistance, whether they need them now or in the future.”
— Amelia Compton Wolff
Top flight
Last month Appleton Airport (ATW) marked the 10th anniversary of the Appleton Flight Center, which has been serving private and business aircraft since 2013. It offers maintenance, fueling and hangar leases/rentals for general aviation (private aircraft). General aviation landings at the Appleton center are up 13% year over year — in the first eight months of 2023, nearly 12,000 general aviation planes landed at ATW. According to Airport Director Abe Weber, the facility has grown to average $4 million annually. To serve the increase in private air travel, a fourth hangar will be completed by the end of 2023. The 26,250-square-foot, $7.2 million hangar was funded through the 2022 CARES Act. “We have experienced outstanding growth over the last 10 years,” Weber said. “We attribute our success to a strong focus on the customer experience, which will continue to fuel future growth in private aviation.”
Rise & fall
Early-stage investment in Wisconsin tech companies is down more than $400 million from this time last year, according to Joe Kremer, director of the Wisconsin Tech Council Investor Networks program. A record-breaking 2021 saw $868 million raised by Wisconsin tech companies, followed by $640 million in 2022. Approximately $191 million in investment deals have been tracked as of October 2023, but Kremer expects activity to increase in the fourth quarter. The slowdown in Wisconsin’s tech investment reflects a national trend — venture capital investment in the second quarter of 2023 declined 34% from the first quarter, according to the consulting firm Ernst & Young.
Hiring heroes
New North companies now have the opportunity to build a military-talent pipeline through SkillBridge, a program of the U.S. Department of Defense that offers service members the opportunity to gain civilian work experiences through industry training, apprenticeships or internships during their last 180 days of military service. “The New North region prides itself on helping transitioning service members and their spouses connect with communities and career opportunities throughout their transition,” said Rebecca Deschane, vice president of talent development for New North, Inc. “SkillBridge is a great tool for those service members to find training that fits their interests and goals.” Companies can partner with an existing authorized SkillBridge program such as the Hiring Our Heroes Corporate Fellowship program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Businesses interested in hosting a Hiring Our Heroes fellow can complete an application at hiringourheroes.org or contact New North, Inc.
