Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


The community is invited to a big Ribbon Cutting Extravaganza Tuesday to celebrate and elevate the local small business community.

The Howell Area Chamber of Commerce is hosting the Ribbon Cutting Extravaganza from 11:30am to 1pm tomorrow at the Livingston Business HUB located in the Chamber office at 123 E. Washington Street.

The high-energy event is part of the Chamber’s month-long celebration of Small Business Month, “honoring the entrepreneurs and innovators who are the backbone of Livingston County’s economy”.

The Ribbon Cutting Extravaganza will showcase a variety of small businesses, home-based businesses, and start-ups from across the county. Each participating business will enjoy their own personalized ribbon cutting ceremony, complete with professional photos, live social media coverage, and special shoutouts highlighting their unique story and contributions to the community.

Chamber Membership Director Jennifer Nielsen said "Small businesses are the heart of our community, creating jobs, innovation, and the special character that makes Livingston County thrive. We are thrilled to provide an opportunity for these businesses to shine and share their stories during Small Business Month."

This event is free for Chamber members and serves as a dynamic platform to increase business visibility and foster deeper community connections. It is especially geared toward solo entrepreneurs, home-based businesses, and businesses without a traditional brick-and-mortar footprint who might not otherwise have had the opportunity for a traditional ribbon-cutting celebration.

Guests can enjoy local flavors during the event, with Slappin' Meats BBQ and Wildflower Mobile Bar on-site serving up food and beverages as part of the celebration.

Banks Lilly, owner of Slappin’ Meats, said “We’re excited to be a part of the Ribbon Cutting Extravaganza. As a local food truck small business, we’ve relied heavily on the Chamber for networking opportunities, new client referrals, booking events and business advice. They’ve been there for us every step of the way! We look forward to serving the community delicious barbecue cuisine and celebrating with other small businesses!”

Nielsen told WHMI this is a unique event and basically a marathon of ribbon cuttings to spotlight each business – stressing small businesses are the “backbone of America’s economy –driving innovation, job creation, community engagement, and development”. She noted that small businesses represent 99.9% of businesses in the U.S. and it’s important to recognize that they are essential.

Nielsen said the Chamber has worked very hard and diligently to provide businesses and solopreneurs resources and support - and created the Livingston Business Hub for that purpose. She said efforts include mentoring, coaching, resource expos and workshops to support these individuals and small businesses as a whole.

Nielsen encouraged small businesses and solopreneurs to reach out to her if interested in participating. She said they would also love for the public to attend and “support these businesses and show appreciation for the impact that they have on the county and community”.


A few of the businesses that will be part of the celebration are:

Beth Smith Couture
Jason Tracey - Roar Consulting
Kristie Risner - Regal Processing
Banks & Brad Lilly - Slappin' Meats BBQ
Michael & Lauren Bondy - Wildflower Mobile Events
The Patzch Team with ReMax Platinum
Brenda Lindsay - Mind Transformations LLC
Richard Lim Photography


To learn more about the Ribbon Cutting Extravaganza or to get involved with the Chamber, contact Nielsen at jnielsn@howell.org or the Chamber office (517) 546-3920.

An event flyer is attached.