About 150 business people and local leaders turned out to hear a panel of experts weigh in on Entrepreneurship and How it Affects Community Growth last week as the La Grange Business Association held its annual State of La Grange lunch Tuesday at Plymouth Place Auditorium.
“We’ve all seen first-hand the impact that local businesses have on our economy, and our community, ” LGBA board President Stephanie Posey said. “Entrepreneurs, I think we would agree, are the lifeblood of La Grange.”
La Grange Village President Mark Kuchler said the 350 businesses in La Grange were predominantly small, independent establishments.
“They’re operated by local entrepreneurs, families that have really risked everything to make a go of it,” he said. “We’ve welcomed over 20 businesses in the past year.”
Among the new businesses were Bellbird Bakeshop, Uni Uni Bubble Tea, White Buffalo Barbershop, and Upper’s Land Inflatable Play and Cafe, and more are on the way, Kuchler said.
“La Grange has been humming with construction activities,” he said. “La Grange has issued permits representing more than $40 million in investments in our community.”
He noted the activity in the downtown area, pointing to the new McDonald’s at La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue, a new Boy Scouts of America facility, and an expansion planned for La Grange Classic Cinemas.
Kuchler also touted the village’s partnership with the La Grange Business Association on events such as the annual craft fair, as well as its collaboration with the Visit Oak Park convention and visitors bureau.
The village also established a partnership with neighboring La Grange Park on a local adjudication system to coordinate prosecution of local nuisance issues, property maintenance, and minor criminal issues.
Among the entrepreneurs on hand to discuss local business growth was Ryan Williamson, founder of Horizon Wealth Management, a 25-year-old investment management firm based in La Grange.
Williamson talked about starting at Edward Jones 25 years ago, covering every household in neighboring Brookfield as the beginning of his career that led to running a company that manages more than $1 billion in trust and finance assets.
The panel also included Lyons Township High School teacher Michael Archbold, who spoke about the school’s incubator for business program; Maria Grillo, head of Crunchy Bread Culture Studio, a workplace and personal development consulting firm; andJoseph Cassidy, assistant provost for Workforce and Economic Development at the College of DuPage.
Among those on hand to hear about the business climate in La Grange was Erin Molek, development manager for BEDS Plus.
“It’s always good being part of the community and finding out what businesses are doing and being part of that support system,” she said. “And also, getting new ideas. “We consider ourselves a business and finding better ways to operate, and being successful and reaching the public.”
Contacted later, Molek was upbeat about the event.
“There’s always a way an organization like ours that has grown so quickly and exponentially can hear new ways to engage with employees, to retain employees,” she said. “Anytime you’re doing something like that you’re trying to be innovative. … We have a lot of burnout with the kind of work we do, a service agency.
“It was kind of nice to hear people talking about how you have to get involved with your community, stay engaged with it and become a part of it, because as an organization like ours, we rely on that,” she said.
Hank Beckman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
