Mall Of America Community Commons Entrepreneurs Shine At Women In Business
July 29, 2021
At the Minnesota Chamber's recent Women in Business Conference: Changemakers from challenges, a group of four women entrepreneurs who took part in the Mall of America’s Community Commons program shared their inspirational stories. Community Commons is a space within Mall of America that offers a temporary home for 17 businesses impacted by the unrest in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
"Community Commons is a project that was developed in response of the community unrest last spring," said Jill Renslow, Executive Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, Mall of America who moderated the conversation. "Just over a year ago as we watched the trauma that Minneapolis and St. Paul encountered; the arson, the looting, the destruction of a lot of businesses in our downtowns. It was heartbreaking. In early June, I reached out to many community leaders and organizations. My first call was the Minnesota Chamber. I had a conversation with Jennifer Byers to say, help me get connected with these community leaders that are working directly with these businesses to see what can we do at Mall of America to help them."
Here's what these business owners had to say about the events of 2020, the inspiration behind their business and the impact Community Commons has made for them.