Small Business Resource Fair 2025
Small Business Resource Fair for Immigrants
Friday, October 3 | 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
International Institute of Minnesota
St. Paul, MN
Are you an immigrant with entrepreneurial dreams or already running your own business? Please join the International Institute of Minnesota at our upcoming Immigrant Small Business Resource Fair, a FREE event designed to support immigrant entrepreneurs like you.
This event gathers small business experts and resources to offer a unique learning and networking opportunity. Please join us on Friday, October 3! Registration is free, but required for this event.
Schedule will be updated as our featured speakers and breakout session presenters are confirmed. Check back soon!
Event Schedule
9 a.m. | Doors Open
Find your name tag, enjoy some coffee, tea and light breakfast, connect with organizations that are tabling. Tablers include: Minneapolis College; LegalCorps; Elevate Hennepin; Sunrise Banks; MN Cup; Biel Wiel, small business consultant; Sam’s Club, Tashie George, small business accounting; NDC
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. | Immigrant Entrepreneur Panel
Listen to successful immigrant entrepreneurs tell their story of how they created their businesses, achieved their goals and overcame obstacles. Panelists: Antonelli Lindsay, Juan Llerena, Tashie George.
11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m | Breakout Sessions #1
Choose between 2 great presenters: Perla Mayo, Senior Director of Lending, NDC; Tashie George, founder and CEO, IFRI and IFRI-TRYV.
12:40 – 2:00 p.m. | Breakout Sessions #2
Choose between 2 great presenters: Pete Guidera, Commercial Realtor, Coldwell Banker; Tashie George, founder and CEO, IFRI and IFRI-TRYV.
2:00 – 3:00 p.m. | Networking
Connect with organizations, business owners and Institute staff that help you make the next steps in your entrepreneurship journey: Elevate Hennepin, Minneapolis College, Legal Corps.
Join us Friday, October 3!
Immigrant Entrepreneur Panelists
Tashie George
Tashie George is the Founder and CEO of IFRI and IFRI-TRYV, a Liberian-American entrepreneur, economic development leader, and advocate for BIPOC and diaspora communities. With a background that includes serving on the State of Minnesota Emerging Entrepreneur Board and as Senior Economic Development Analyst at Hennepin County, Tashie has dedicated her career to building inclusive ecosystems for underserved entrepreneurs. Her ventures span product import/export, diaspora food delivery, and nonprofit initiatives, including supporting young women in Liberia and BIPOC business owners in Minnesota. She is the creator of Manbo Ginger Beer, winner of the 2019 DDEA Humanitarian Award, and a 2023 Better Business Bureau Spark Award finalist. Through it all, she champions her core belief: “Changing the Mindset for Prosperity.
Juan Llerena
Founder & President, JLLB Media | Entrepreneur | Speaker | Author of Elev@teJuan Llerena is a Peruvian-born entrepreneur and founder of JLLB Media, a Minnesota-based marketing agency and consulting firm. As a creative strategist and business leader, he helps small businesses, nonprofits, and agencies grow through branding, digital marketing, and storytelling. Juan is also a dynamic speaker and the author of Elev@te: Lessons to Master the Balance of Entrepreneurship, Personal Growth, and Self-Care, a book focused on balancing personal growth with entrepreneurial success. He also leads VamosEntrepreneur, a platform empowering Latino entrepreneurs through training, mentorship, and community support.
Antonelli Lindsay
Antonelli Lindsay, originally from Africa, has lived and worked around the globe and is fluent in multiple languages. She began learning international business at a young age and brings over 30 years of global experience. She has held leadership roles at several Fortune 500 companies. Her academic journey spans Africa, Europe, and the United States, earning her a diverse array of qualifications, including three bachelor’s degrees, a Master of Arts in Leadership, an MBA. She also holds specialized credentials in Mergers & Acquisitions, Import/Export, and other numerous certifications.
Currently, she is the owner of Antonelli & Associates, LLC, where she has made a significant impact in the business consulting sector. Since 2013, Antonelli has played a pivotal role in creating and developing successful businesses across a wide range of industries. She has successfully completed over 3,000 consulting projects, helping to launch and grow successful businesses across a wide range of industries, and has helped many small businesses win government contracts. She specializes in empowering immigrants and BIPOC small businesses to develop effective strategies, increase profitability, and overcome operational challenges.
Antonelli’s approach combines global insight with deep local knowledge. She evaluates businesses to identify risks and growth opportunities, coaches executives, and helps organizations transform for success in both the public and private sectors.
A passionate advocate for underserved entrepreneurs, Antonelli dedicates portion of her time and revenue annually to support small business owners from immigrant and BIPOC communities who cannot afford consulting services. She partners with mane Twin Cities nonprofits to provide free workshops and training, helping thousands of diverse entrepreneurs build sustainable and competitive businesses.
Thank you to our sponsor!
Become a Sponsor
Would you like to join as an event sponsor? Your sponsorship will directly fund opportunities for aspiring immigrant entrepreneurs by connecting their ideas with reputable resources and fostering a strong professional network, keys for business success.