
Key Note Speaker
Canty Boots

Nikki Edmundson, creator and owner of Canty Boots®, will be featured as a keynote speaker. Nikki, of disassembles and redesigns standard cowboy boots into short one-of-a-kind ankle boots with pizazz. Nikki, together with her husband, raise their four children on a cattle ranch, continuing to access and disrupt the massive western fashion industry all while living in a town without a stoplight.
Canty Boots® is coming up on 12 years building a brand, 3 years with a full retail location and over 12 retailers nationwide. Canty Boots® have been seen on the feet of reality tv stars, athletes, models and singers maintaining a signature look while also evolving and bringing customers back for more. Join us as Nikki shares her trial and errors, getting comfortable with failure, building a brand through storytelling, and business during and after Covid.
About Our Speakers

Shandy Hanks Moran
Wolf Point Regional SBDC Director
Shandy Hanks is the Small Business Development Center Regional Director assisting entrepreneurs within seven counties of Northeastern Montana. Shandy is an Accredited Small Business Consultant (AASBC), certified Profit Mastery Facilitator, Montana Ambassador, 2020 State Star Recipient, Farmlink Mentor and a Cooperative Development Specialist. She holds a Bachelors of Finance from Montana State University Billings. Shandy also volunteers her time serving on boards and helping with community events. She is instrumental in developing entrepreneurs, and existing business owners as they plan, expand and thrive.
As the Small Business Development Center Regional Director in Wolf Point, Shandy assists entrepreneurs from 7 counties in business planning, financial analysis, market planning, research and management development. She also advises existing businesses on marketing, cash flow analysis, organizational structure and workshops and training. Shandy is a 2014 graduate of Montana State University Billings with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration with a Finance option.
Shandy was the recipient of the 2020 Montana “State Star”, a national award that recognizes outstanding performers from America’s Small Business Development Centers.
Website: GNDC
Emial: sbdc@gndc.org

Wendy Weissman, CPA
Quickbooks Specialist
With over 20 years CPA experience and working with small business of all kinds, I can help you grow your business.
- Help you understand your financial statements and see where your business is doing well and where it isn’t.
- Customize your accounting program (Quickbooks, Peachtree or other program) to meet the needs of your business and be able to make smart business decisions
- Determine the best use of your resources to run the most efficient business that you can
- Help you with your payroll needs so you don’t have to. For a very reasonable price, I can calculate your payroll and complete all necessary government documents related to payroll so that you can spend time growing your business instead
- Help you with your bookkeeping needs so that you can have accurate reports to make smart business decisions to grow your business.
Website: wendyjweissman.com
Email: wendy@weissman.com
Office Number: (406) 454-8988 EXT. 3

Miranda Gilbert
Owner of Girl Geek Communication
Girl Geek Communications was founded in 2015 by local Billings nerd, Miranda Gilbert.
Miranda worked in marketing since somewhere around 2001, when she interned with an online training company while finishing her Bachelors in Mass Communication at Montana State University Billings and editing the student newspaper, The Retort. For more information about our founder-geek, you can see her Linked-In profile.
As a lifelong learner and alumni of the Lambda Pi Eta honor society, communication studies has always been a passion. After 15 years of marketing, advertising, public relations, and technology experience, Miranda jumped off the entrepreneurial cliff.
Girl Geek was born out of a passion and wonder for the evolution of human communication. And while social media and the “digital age” has drastically changed HOW we communicate, the WHEN, WHERE, WHY, and WHO elements of our communication habits are being revolutionized before our very eyes!
Years ago, small businesses may have referred to the phone book as a “necessary evil” – after all, your customers have to find you to buy! Then, everyone needed a website and “magnetic marketing” was the push. (i.e. “If you build it, they will come.”)
While a website is still important today, it’s only one of the spokes on the wheel of your online presence. Online directories, review monitoring, and social media are the new necessity. Consumers no longer have to seek out your business information – they expect you to come to them!
People are talking about your business online – let us help you join the conversation!
Website: girlgeekllc.com

Shayna Blaser
Montana Women’s Business Center Program Director
Out of college, Shayna started her own consulting business where she helped small businesses, nonprofits and national franchises with digital marketing, branding, communications, and event management. After falling in love with nonprofit work, Shayna transitioned to a full-time marketing and events director for a Bozeman area nonprofit where she was able to increase program participation, brand awareness and expanded support through fundraising events.
Shayna is excited to get back to her roots of helping businesses in Southwest Montana reach their fullest potential by providing quality business development programs and counseling through the MTWBC. Shayna received a BA in Communications and Information Sciences from the University of Alabama.
Website: prosperamt.org/womens-business-center/overview
Email: sblaser@prosperamt.org

Kayla Vokral
Big Sky EDA SBDC/Operations Project Support Specialist
Kayla is a Business Advisor for the Small Business Development Center at Big Sky Economic Development. Kayla joined the Big Sky Economic Development team in July 2019. She assists clients with market research, financial projections, and business plan development.
Having previous experience in running a small business helps her understand the obstacles and roadblocks entrepreneur’s face so she can provide support while they are on their journey.
Website: bigskyeconomicdevelopment.org
Phone: 406.254.6014

Julie Jaksha
Market President for Ascent Bank in Butte
Julie Jaksha has recently been named Market President for Ascent Bank in Butte.
She has a robust background with over 32 years of experience in leadership, financing, and bank operations.
Before joining the Ascent team, Julie worked for Wells Fargo and then First Montana Bank. She left banking in 2009 to serve as the Small Business Development Center Regional Director for Headwaters RC&D.
In 2018, she was promoted to the Regional Director position for the Butte Local Development Corp and Headwaters. Julie was responsible for overseeing the SBDC, the Brownfields Program and the Headwaters RC&D/BLDC lending team.
She was awarded the ASBDC National State Star Award in 2014 and became the first SBDC Regional Director in Montana to receive the award twice when she won it again in 2019.
Julie prides herself on working with diverse user groups to find solutions that work for everyone. She can get the right people to the table to help small business owners and entrepreneurs achieve success. Julie has an extensive background in public/private partnerships project execution and can manage complex projects that help clients elevate and accelerate their successful path to launching, managing, or growing their business.
Julie is an Accredited Small Business Consultant (AASBC), a certified Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP), a certified Edward Lowe Perspectives Facilitator, certified Profit Mastery Trainer, certified Core Four Trainer, certified Facilitative Leadership for Social Change Facilitator.
In 2017 Governor Bullock appointed her as a Montana Ambassador. She is an active member of the Montana Economic Development Association (MEDA) and Leadership Montana.
In addition, she serves on local and state boards, including the Montana Youth Soccer Association, Montana Cooperative Development Center, Lady of the Rockies, Butte Food Co-Op, Center for Advanced Mineral, Metallurgical, and Materials Processing Advisory Board at Montana Tech and the City of Butte Silver-Bow Planning Board. Julie founded the Headwaters Women of Business networking group and launched the first Local Crowd, crowd-funding site for the Butte Community.
Julie resides in Butte with her husband Steve, their two daughters, Hailey and Kenzie, and their springer spaniel, Timber. Their son Seth is currently enrolled at the University of Oregon, earning his J.D. Law Degree.

Tori Matejovsky
GNDC's Executive Director
Tori Matejovsky is the Executive Director for Great Northern Development Corporation (GNDC), a non-profit community and economic development organization serving six counties in northeast Montana.
Tori began her career in rural economic development in 2006 with the Fort Peck Community College Agriculture/Extension Department in Poplar, MT, where she provided technical assistance to Native American agriculture producers. In 2009, she completed the Leadership Montana program and LEAD21, a leadership training program for Land Grant University professionals. In 2012, Tori took a position with GNDC as a Resource Coordinator for the Eastern Montana Impact Coalition (EMIC), a 16-county coalition formed to document the impacts and opportunities energy development has on the communities of eastern Montana.
Although born in Glasgow, MT, Tori grew up in Bellingham, Washington. Tori has family roots in Wolf Point and Butte, MT, and returned to northeast Montana soon after graduating from Willamette University in 2004. She is married to Dana Matejovsky, a fourth-generation farmer/rancher from north of Wolf Point. Tori and Dana have three children – Annaleigh, Cash & Addison. Tori serves on several local and statewide boards of directors, including Northeast Montana Health Services, Montana Economic Developer’s Association, and NeighborWorks Montana.
Website: GNDC

Shannon Hahn
MDT Small Business Specialist
Shannon was born and raised in Great Falls Montana, until her Mom and Dad got a wild hair and decided an adventure overseas would be a great learning experience for the family. So, right after she graduated from kindergarten her father (an Agricultural Engineer and retire Lt Colonel) accepted a job with US Aid and the entire family was moved to Izmir Turkey where her Dad taught the Turks how to irrigate their land. Shannon spent the next 4 years going to school in an old tobacco warehouse, learning the language and traveling all over Turkey, Greece, and the surrounding Mediterranean islands.
In July 2021 Shannon returned to Turkey after 40 years with her oldest sister and revisited all the places she had seen when she was young, boy have times changed. Shannon loves adventure and lives to travel so stay tuned for her next adventure.
Shannon has spent the last 30 years working with the public in one way or another; from being a Loan Officer at a Bank to running a Noxious Weed Program, then to the Department of Transportation as an Accountant (which did not match well with her personality). Shannon has been working in the Office of Civil Rights since 2002 working with Small Businesses all across our beautiful state plus the 7 reservations trying to help them promote their business with a variety of certifications, trainings, networking, marketing and strategic planning. She is involved with numerous Economic Development agencies and owns her own non-profit doing medical benefits for people in need.
Shannon has seen numerous success stories in the Small Business arena and looks forward to helping many more Small Business owners in Montana.
Website: MDT Disadvantaged Business Enterprise
Emial: shahn@mt.gov

Nikki Edmundson
Creator and Owner of Canty Boots®
Nikki Edmundson, creator and owner of Canty Boots®, will be featured as keynote speaker. Nikki, of (cantyboots.com) disassembles and redesigns standard cowboy boots into short one of a kind ankle boots with pizazz. Nikki, together with her husband, raise their four children on a cattle ranch, continuing to access and disrupt the massive western fashion industry all while living in a town without a stoplight.
Canty Boots® is coming up on 12 years building a brand, 3 years with a full retail location and over 12 retailers nationwide. Canty Boots® have been seen on the feet of reality tv stars, athletes, models and singers maintaining a signature look while also evolving and bringing customers back for more. Join us as Nikki shares her trial and errors, getting comfortable with failure, building a brand through storytelling, and business during and after Covid.
Website: cantyboots.com

Chantel Schieffer
President & CEO Leadership Montana
As President & CEO, Chantel Schieffer is the chief strategist and creator of connection for Leadership Montana. “Work hard, do good, and be kind” has been her motto over the past twenty-five years while making a career of building better communities through public service, private industry, and non-profit organizations.
A lifelong Montanan, Chantel knows the power of bringing people together in collaboration to advance our treasured state. Chantel’s passion for community extends to her volunteer work as she has served too many statewide and local organizations to name. Chantel currently serves as International Vice President for Alpha Omicron Pi women’s fraternity.
A student of leadership, Chantel is a graduate of Leadership Montana’s Class of 2010 and the inaugural Masters Class of 2019. She was honored internationally with the Alpha Omicron Pi Woman of Leadership Award in 2017 and in 2018 received the prestigious ATHENA Leadership Award. Chantel is a Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator, trained by Dr. Brené Brown in 2019, and also a certified Gracious Space facilitator.
For Chantel, her husband Dax, and their son Dax Michael, adventure is a family value. The trio can often be found playing outside, especially along the trails in their hometown of Helena.
Website: leadershipmontana.org/

Dax Schieffer
Director of Voices of Montana Tourism
Dax Schieffer is the Director of Voices of Montana Tourism with a mission to serve as a united voice to communicate the immense value a sustainably-grown tourism industry provides for all Montanans . Schieffer also provides contract, non-profit management and marketing support for organizations with a focus on economic education and financial literacy. Prior to his work at Voices, he served on the executive leadership team for Big Sky Resort serving as the Human Resources Director following 10 years of marketing and public relations for the company. Schieffer grew up in Sidney, is a graduate of Montana State University-Bozeman and lives in Helena with his wife, Chantel, and nine year old son, lil’ Dax.
Website: voicesoftourism.com/
Email: dax@voicesoftourism.com

Jackie Swiesz
HR Business Partner
Jackie assists AE members with Human Resource needs through responding to hotline calls; conducting HR Needs Assessments; reviewing, developing and implementing Employee Handbooks; performing on-site HR services through AE’s HR Partnering program; conducting training; assisting members with recruiting; and, developing policies and programs including wellness programs.
Website: associatedemployers.org

Lorene Hintz
Big Sky EDA SBDC Regional Director
Lorene Hintz, Regional Director for the Small Business Development Center at Big Sky Economic Development, manages the Big Sky Trust Fund Job Creation grant program. As an Accredited Business Consultant, Lorene is a passionate advocate and champion for small business owners and entrepreneurs. She provides business technical assistance, marketing research, financial analysis/projections, loan packaging, and one-on-one consulting.
Her experience includes 16 years of retail business ownership, co-owner of Hintz Trucking, and eighteen years as a Small Business Development Center Regional Director. Lorene strives to recognize business owners’ needs, promote opportunities, and inspire growth in start-up and existing businesses. She is a volunteer mentor for entrepreneurial development programs across the state, including Early-Stage Montana, Rock31, Veteran’s Business Outreach Centers, and the Women’s Business Center.
Lorene was named America’s SBDC State Star in 2010, is a member of Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA), Accredited Small Business Consultant (ASBD), Certified Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP), certified NxLevel trainer, Profit Mastery consultant, and a certified Core Four Trainer.
Website: bigskyeconomicdevelopment.org
Phone: 406.254.6014
Rise and Restore - Expert Tabling List
This ever-growing list of state, local, and experts will be attending the conference. These individuals will be available all day to answer any specific technical assistance questions, including available grant opportunities, online presence management, or accounting needs.
- Export Montana Montana Department Of Commerce
- Small Business Association – Brent Donnelly, District Director, Montana District Office of Field Operations
- Quickbooks Specialist – Wendy Weissman, CPA
- Voices of Montana Tourism – Dax Schieffer
- Girl Geek Communication & Grow With Google – Miranda Gilbert, Owner
- Human Resources – Jackie Swiesz, Associated Employers
- Leadership Montana – Shayna Blaser
- Montana Women’s Business Center – Shayna Blaser, Program Director
- Great Northern Development Cooperation – Tori Matejovsky, Executive Director
- Food & Ag Development Center – Hailey Vine, FADC Director
- Canty Boots – Nikki Edmundson, Owner
- Small Business Development Center – Tracy Baker, Miles City Regional SBDC Center Director
- Sidney Chamber of Commerce – Kali Godfrey
- Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund and ARPA Workforce Training Grant Program – Annmarie Robinson
- USDA – Rural Development – Kasey Watson
- Richland Economic Development Corp – Leslie Messer, Executive Director
Rise & Restore Small Business Summit and Minnow Tank is brought to you by:


