Inc413

09/22/2025

🚨 From Shark Tank to Holyoke 🚨

Tracey Noonan Wheeler, the co-founder of Wicked Good Cupcakes, went from pitching her business on national TV to building it into a household name. And this October, she’s coming to Western Mass as the keynote speaker at the Ad Club’s Creative Unconference.

Tracey’s story is just as much about growth and grit as it is about staying grounded.

As she told the Jamilia Grier Show recently:

"I'm not ever gonna be the smartest, the most successful, the prettiest, the whatever, name the superlatives, all down the line. But I'm a pretty cool chick, and I'm having a really good place now, and I help people, and I do the things that I love..."

She’ll be joined by a featured panel of powerhouse voices: Jamie McIver, Kamilah A’Vant, Elizabeth Román, and Frank Borrelli, each bringing a different lens on creativity, communication, and community impact.

📅 Creative Unconference
Friday, October 4, 2025
Hosted by Ad Club of Western Massachusetts
🎟 Tickets are on sale now, and thanks to Robyn Lee Miller of MorningBird Media, you can save big. See 35% off discount code in the article.

https://inc413.com/tracey-noonan-wheeler-is-keynote-for-ad-club-unconference-2025/

01/15/2025

🚀 Exciting Opportunity Alert! 🚀

Applications are now open for the 2025 Springfield Leadership Institute! This 12-week program is designed to equip leaders with the skills needed to tackle today’s business challenges. Kicking off on February 20, the program is presented by the Springfield Regional Chamber and Western New England University.

Join the program for innovative sessions on AI, digital media, and business analytics, all led by esteemed WNEU faculty. Classes will be held on Thursdays from 1:00–4:00 p.m. at the TD Bank Conference Center in Springfield.

Don’t miss out! Apply by February 6 to secure your spot and gain access to a complimentary graduate course at WNEU’s College of Business.

Learn more and apply here: https://bit.ly/3BzqjsF

01/15/2025

Hit three birds with one event...
Taxes, Trivia & Tequila hosted by The Sphere [Northampton] at Mulino's restaurant.

Thursday, January 23 · 6 - 8pm EST

Back by popular demand! The Sphere Northampton is bringing you a fun + light-hearted space to talk about all things taxes.

01/15/2025

If you're up at midnight trying to make a deadline, we're not here to encourage you to keep up such unhealthy habits.

But, don't blink. You might fall asleep.
See you at the presentation at 9 😉

Oh, and here's a haiku to inspire you. Sorry, make that an Incku:

Refuse to blink now,
Bold ventures rise in the storm,
Inc sparks lead the way.

12/18/2024

Find loans and grants for your business in Western MA.

Dec 14 2024 Honeycomb Credit Change It Up Fall Grant Business Funding The Honeycomb Credit Change It Up Fall Grant offers $5,000 to small businesses for growth opportunities such as expanding menus, purchasing equipment, or renovating storefronts. Honeycomb Credit Change It Up Fall Grant Read More ....

12/17/2024

Feeling invisible at networking events is common. This one experience taught me how crucial it is to meet people where they are. Here's how chambers and networking organizations can do better...

Feeling invisible at networking events is common. This one experience taught me how crucial it is to meet people where they are.

12/14/2024

A court ruling has thrown the Beneficial Ownership Information reporting question into uncertainty. This timeline will make things clearer…

Updated changes to Beneficial Ownership Information reporting requirements. See how recent court rulings affect small businesses' compliance requireme

12/11/2024

Money for your business.
Find grants & funding opportunities for your Massachusetts business.

12/11/2024

For businesses in Massachusetts: The state government offers support for everything from acquiring premises to construction, scaling your business, and more. This guide breaks it all down and makes it easier than ever to find the support you need.

Learn what resources the state government offers for businesses: from funding & advice to assistance with buying land & office space.

12/11/2024

In just five years, Talyn Rahman-Figueroa has set herself up as one of the leading branding experts in Western MA...

Talyn Rahman-Figueroa is the Fairy Boss Mother of branding. Here is how she makes her clients the center of their brand...

10/30/2024

We launch on Friday!

10/22/2024

October Theory What?

The Wall Street Journal recently wrote about the "October Theory," where people are turning the start of fall into their personal New Year’s reboot.

Instead of waiting until January, they’re setting goals, picking up new habits, and trying to squeeze some productivity into the last few months of the year—pumpkin spice latte in hand, of course.

Sound familiar? That’s because here in Western Mass, we’ve basically been living the “October Theory” for years. The idea of fall as a reset button is practically baked into life around here.

In college towns like Amherst and Northampton, the start of the academic year has always been about reinvention—whether it's students finding themselves or locals setting new goals (like maybe actually going to that cool co-op market more than once a year) 🎓 .

Meanwhile, the Berkshires have been riding the fall reset wave since forever. With all the wellness retreats, yoga classes, and outdoorsy stuff, fall is the perfect time for people to double down on new habits, whether that’s hiking the Appalachian Trail or figuring out how to turn a bunch of apples into a “cleanse.”

Even small business owners are embracing the vibe. Before the holiday madness hits, they’re taking this time to tidy up operations, refocus their goals, and brace themselves for that final quarter push.

So, while the rest of the world is just catching on to this “October Theory” trend, Western Mass has been quietly thriving on it for years. Around here, the leaves change 🍁 🍂 —and so do we 😉.

- Inc413