Are you thinking about starting a new business or just have a great idea? Are you trying to write a business plan, but don’t know where to start? Do the ideas of marketing and financing your business give you cold sweats? How about hiring your first employee?

Starting a new business can be intimidating, with lots of complications and moving pieces, but P.J. Burns and Jeff Engell with the Small Business Development Center are here to help. They will lead the return of the Entrepreneurial Track at the Chamber’s 11^th annual Ignite Conference, May 19.

Burns, the Northeast Regional Director for the SBDC, will kick off the track with “Start Your Own Business” at 8:30 a.m. Burns will help answer the initial questions every entrepreneur has in this overview of how to start your business, including “Are you ready to be an entrepreneur?”; “Is my idea feasible?”; and “What will I be selling?” Attendees will learn the answers to these questions and more while learning more about free resources to help your business succeed.

Next, Burns will lead “How to Write a Business Plan” at 9:45 a.m. Business planning is important when you are starting a business. It is required if you are seeking funding through a lender or investor, and even if you don’t need outside funding, a fully developed business plan is your roadmap for business success. Burns will show attendees how to write a comprehensive business plan and discuss the free and low-cost resources available to help.

At 11 a.m., Burns will lead “Marketing: Know Your Customer.” Identifying your customer base will help you refine your products and services and is crucial for building targeted, effective marketing strategies that boost conversions, improve retention and differentiate your brand. Learning how to “know your customer” focuses on moving beyond basic data to build genuine human connections and long-term loyalty. Burns will cover key aspects of knowing your customer, how to gather customer insights and benefits of deep customer knowledge.

Engell, the South Central Regional Director for the SBDC, will lead “Financing your Start-up or Expansion,” an in-depth session on funding options for small business startups, at 1:45 p.m. Engell will provide attendees with actionable insights on exploring funding services, what it takes to be lender-ready and understanding your financial needs. Whether you’re seeking initial startup funds or capital for expansion, this session will equip you with the knowledge and tools to secure the right financial support and make informed decisions.

Burns will wrap up the track with “Hiring Your First Employee” at 3 p.m. Hiring your first employee in Wyoming involves specific state-level registrations alongside standard federal requirements. Beyond the operational and regulatory requirements, hiring that first employee involves finding the candidate that is right for the position and your organization. In this session, Burns will answer a variety of questions including how much you can afford to pay an employee, how to write job ads and job descriptions and how interview questions can help you hire the right person, among other topics.

Burns serves as the Northeast Regional Director for the Wyoming Small Business Development Center Network, where she champions entrepreneurs and fuels small business growth across the region. Burns is a graduate of the University of Wyoming and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organization Management. A proud Wyoming native, Burns brings deep-rooted passion and firsthand understanding of the state’s business landscape to her work.

Engell launched his entrepreneurial career overseas, spending more than a decade building a consultancy that supported small and mid-sized businesses across diverse industries and countries. He is deeply passionate about the economic potential small business brings to rural areas and the meaningful, lasting impact they have on local communities. Outside of work, Engell enjoys fishing, hiking and exploring new places whenever time allows.

The 2026 Ignite Conference will be held Tuesday, May 19, 2026, at the Ramada Plaza. For more information on these sessions and others, visit https://sheridanwyomingchamber.org/programs-events/ignite-conference/.

Registration costs $175 for chamber members and $210 for non-chamber members. Additional registrations from the same company will receive a $10 discount per registration. Your registration includes five breakout sessions, morning and breaktime refreshments, lunch and bonus keynote and wrap-up sessions.

For any questions, contact the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce at 307-672-2485 or email info@sheridanwyomingchamber.org.