We like to hear from communities about their use of business retention and expansion techniques and results. If you have a video or story, please send them to an educator near you.
Passing the torch on a business you’ve built, or stepping into one someone else shaped, is more than a transaction. It is a deeply personal process filled with timing pressures, family dynamics, employee concerns, and the emotional weight of letting go of … or taking on a business.
University of Minnesota Extension interviewed eleven business owners to hear their stories. Concerns expressed by the owners include maintaining a business’s integrity through transition, the role of small business in community, personal relationships, and knowing when the time is right. The following case studies tell their stories.
Case studies
Related case studies
- Growing in the GreenSeam (project year 2024)
- Business retention and expansion visitation program case study (published in 2007 and 2008)
New housing for a small town
Spurred by its business retention and expansion findings, Menahga, Minnesota began a new housing project. The small town of 1,300 people won an award from Business Retention and Expansion International for the outcomes they achieved.
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Reviewed in 2026