Rural Entrepreneur Venture (REV)

As a community, we recognize that our history and future are inexorably tied to our entrepreneurial spirit.  As a city, we are committed to cultivating a new wave of innovation and entrepreneurship similar that which first built our community.

Our preceding entrepreneurs have assured our sense of community, challenged us, and empowered us to dream beyond ourselves.  Therefore, we've partnered with the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) who've named the City of Le Sueur as one of their inaugural five Rural Entrepreneurial Venture (REV) cities.

The REV initiative is focused on recruiting and engaging the entrepreneurs in our community who will serve as they lead, build, and implement an entrepreneurial ecosystem that will:

  • Encourage organic economic growth
  • Nurture and multiply innovation
  • Embrace creativity and new ideas
  • Leverage our existing wealth of community assets
  • Engage local entrepreneurs to see Le Sueur as a place to grow their dreams

Through this initiative, the City of Le Sueur will build economic growth and prosperity by:

  • Increasing the diversity of our business industry
  • Filling vacancies
  • Creating new and diverse employment opportunities

Sustainability Plan

The City of Le Sueur will conclude it's three-year participation in the REV Program at the end of 2020. The public can access our Sustainability Plan which details what we've accomplished and our plans to continue the REV journey into the future. 

Succession Planning

It’s never too late (or too early) to plan for the future of your business. Click to view a video from BizLink North about the importance of succession planning and solutions for your organization or business.

Ripple Mapping

The City of Le Sueur Economic Development Authority (EDA) and the Chamber of Commerce partnered with SMIF and Scott Chazdon, Evaluation and Research Specialist, from the University of Minnesota Extension Services. Scott and his team developed a REV Ripple Effect Map and collaborating One-year Ripple Effect Mapping Analysis which compared the positive effects and challenges the program has identified within our community. 

Opportunity Profiles

The e2 Entrepreneurial Ecosystems, along with SMIF, believes in empowering research – making data-driven decisions about economic development to be more strategic and, ultimately, create the kinds of economic development outcomes and long-term community or regional prosperity you desire. They've worked to build tools and resources that communities can use to access and understand data and turn that raw information into knowledge can be applied to our community. These tools include the Strategic Development Considerations and Development Opportunity Profile.

Strategic Development Considerations

The Strategic Development Considerations is meant to be used as a conversation starter in our community and region. The best development decisions are made after a thorough assessment of assets and opportunities. These perspectives will provide better understanding of our starting point and create space for you to dream about what might be possible in the City of Le Sueur and Le Sueur County going forward.

Development Opportunity Profiles

This Development Opportunity Profile is a start on a pathway to prosperity. But, it is only a start. It reflects one view of our region based on secondary data. We hope this Development Opportunity Profile is helpful and contributes to your future development success in the City of Le Sueur and our region.