ANNOUNCEMENT

Small Business Resource Fair 2026

Rooted in Resilience: Building Futures, Breaking Barriers

Join us for our third annual Immigrant Small Business Resource Fair to connect to resources, network with other entrepreneurs, and hear inspiring stories.

Date: Friday, September 25

Time: 9a.m. – 2:30p.m.

Location: International Institute of Minnesota: 1694 Como Ave, St. Paul

Come join us at the Institute for a day filled with valuable resources and networking opportunities for those curious or interested in starting a business. Whether you’re just starting out, looking to grow your existing business, or simply wanting to learn more about what it takes to run a business, this event is perfect for you. Connect with local resources, attend informative workshops, and gain insights from industry experts. Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity!

Registration is required!

Register

Agenda

Doors Open

Find your name tag, enjoy some coffee, tea and light breakfast, connect with organizations that are tabling. Tablers include: ConnectUP, Execelant Consultant L.L.C., IFRI-TRYV (I-Free Thrive), Reliable billing, HAP: Hmong American Partnership, JBL Media, Community CPA, NDC: Neighborhood Development Center, Elevate Hennepin, MN Cup, IIMN Entrepreneurship graduate businesses

 

 – Immigrant Entrepreneur Panel

Listen to successful immigrant entrepreneurs tell their story of how they created their businesses, achieved their goals and overcame obstacles.

 

 – Break out session #1

Ying Sa, CEO of Community CPS & Associates, Christopher Wicker, Deputy District Director, U.S. SBA

Choose between 2 engaging topics: Option 1: “Breaking Financial Barriers: Credit Building, Banking Access, and Financial Literacy” Tackling the structural financial challenges many immigrants face. Led by Ying Sa, the founder and Principal Certified Public Accountant at Community CPA & Associates, Inc. Option 2: “Resilience as a Business Strategy: Navigating Uncertainty with Confidence” Practical tools for managing risk, adapting to change, and staying grounded during instability. Led by Christopher Wicker, Deputy District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration.

 

 – Breakout Session #2

Juan Llerna

Choose between 2 topics led by expert instructors. Option 1: Juan Llerna of JLB Media will present on “The AI-Powered Entrepreneur: Smart Tools for Lean Business Growth” during this session immigrant founders can actively leverage AI tools to streamline business formation, lower technical barriers, and master ongoing workflow management. Or option 2: “Navigating Systems: Legal, Licensing, and Regulatory Basics for Immigrant-Owned Businesses” Demystifying the rules so entrepreneurs can move with clarity and confidence. Salma Ahmadyar from Traut Law, will share valuable insights to help you business succeed.

 

 – Networking

Elevate Hennepin, ConnectUP, Excellent Consultant, LLC, IFRI-TRYV (I-Free Thrive)

Connect with organizations, business owners and IIMN staff that help you make the next steps in your entrepreneurship journey. ConnectUP, Execelant Consultant L.L.C., IFRI-TRYV (I-Free Thrive), Reliable billing, HAP: Hmong American Partnership, JBL Media, Community CPA, NDC: Neighborhood Development Center, Elevate Hennepin, MN Cup, IIMN Entrepreneurship graduate businesses

Panelists

Hear successful immigrant entrepreneurs tell their story of how they created their businesses, achieved their goals and overcame obstacles.

  • Yubi Hassan

    Yubi Hassan is a Somali-American entrepreneur and Founder & CEO of BlueHorn Tea, a Minnesota-based consumer packaged goods company bringing authentic Somali and East African tea traditions to the broader market. He has grown BlueHorn Tea from an early-stage startup into an emerging brand sold through retail stores, e-commerce, and events nationwide. Before BlueHorn Tea, Yubi co-founded Yedi Detailing Services, an automotive detailing company that is based in Bloomington and a clothing brand in High School. A graduate of the University of St. Thomas in Entrepreneurship, Yubi is passionate about building businesses that create economic opportunity, and lasting community impact.

  • Peg Kinda

    Peg Kinda is the CEO and founder of Reliable Billing and brings over 12 years of hands-on experience in the healthcare revenue cycle management industry. Through her leadership, Reliable Billing is backed by a team with more than three decades of combined experience, delivering high-quality medical billing services to healthcare providers nationwide. Peg has overseen successful billing operations for a wide range of healthcare organizations, including private practices, specialty clinics, and multi-provider groups. Her expertise includes navigating evolving payer regulations, optimizing revenue cycle efficiency, and implementing best practices in claims management, denial resolution, and coding accuracy. She has completed extensive training in HIPAA compliance, CPT and ICD-10 coding standards, and payer-specific billing guidelines. Under Peg’s leadership, Reliable Billing has earned a reputation for reducing reimbursement delays and improving practice profitability across multiple specialties. Peg works closely with medical professionals and administrative teams to provide guidance on effective billing procedures, regulatory updates, and audit readiness. Her practical experience as a billing firm founder—combined with the deep collective expertise of her team—positions her as a trusted resource in medical billing and healthcare administration.

  • Abdirahman Kahin

    Founder & CEO, Afro Deli & Grill, and CEO, Martisoor Hospitality Group. 2023 U.S. Small Business Administration National Small Business Person of the Year. Abdirahman Kahin is an entrepreneur, restaurateur, and community-focused business leader based in Minnesota. He is the Founder and CEO of Afro Deli & Grill, a pioneering restaurant and catering company that brings African, Mediterranean, and American flavors together while creating economic opportunities and building connections across communities. Since founding Afro Deli in 2010, Kahin has grown the company into a recognized Minnesota brand serving customers, corporations, government agencies, universities, and community organizations.
    In 2023, Kahin was named the U.S. Small Business Administration’s National Small Business Person of the Year, one of the nation’s highest recognitions for small-business leadership and entrepreneurship. Kahin is also CEO of Martisoor Hospitality Group, through which he is expanding his work in hospitality, real estate, and community-centered economic development. His newest hospitality project, Martiya, is an upscale dining concept in Minneapolis designed to elevate African and Somali-inspired cuisine through food, hospitality, design, and cultural storytelling. Martiya also includes a modern event space with the latest amenities for conferences, professional training, business gatherings, birthdays, graduations, and celebrations of all kinds, with a focus on providing a high-quality experience at an accessible price. Beyond building restaurants, Kahin is passionate about entrepreneurship, creating opportunities for emerging business owners, and demonstrating how immigrant- and minority-owned businesses can grow into sustainable institutions that contribute to the broader economy. His story reflects persistence, innovation, community investment, and the belief that food and entrepreneurship can bring people from different backgrounds together.

  • Yana Tomashevska

    Yana Tomashevska is a Ukrainian entrepreneur, business strategist, and founder of The Shawarma Co. and The Table Corp. in Minnesota. Before moving to the United States, Yana spent more than 10 years building her career in marketing strategy, branding, and business development — helping companies better understand their customers, create stronger brands, and turn ideas into successful projects. Then life decided to add a new challenge: moving to a new country and starting over. Instead of waiting for the “perfect moment,” Yana stepped into entrepreneurship.
     
    Her first U.S. business adventure began with The Shawarma Co., a Ukrainian-inspired food truck that grew through partnerships, community connections, and a tremendous amount of behind-the-scenes work that customers usually never see. Yana later founded The Table Corp., expanding her journey from a food truck into a catering and corporate meal company that creates memorable food experiences for businesses, organizations, and private events.

    Along the way, Yana learned one simple truth: entrepreneurship rarely comes with a perfect roadmap. It is much more about solving problems, adapting quickly, asking “what’s next?”, and sometimes figuring things out with a coffee in one hand and a never-ending to-do list in the other.

    Yana enjoys sharing the real side of entrepreneurship: the unexpected turns, lessons learned through experience, creative problem-solving, and the resilience required to build something new in a different country. She believes every business starts with an idea — but the real journey begins when you decide not only to dream about it, but to take the first step.

Sponsorships

Please join us as a sponsor of the International Institute of Minnesota’s Annual Small Business Resource Fair for Immigrants.

This free event is for New Americans interested in starting their own business. The event gathers small business experts and community resources to offer a unique learning and networking opportunity for aspiring small business owners.

Make an Impact

By sponsoring the Small Business Resource Fair for Immigrants, your company 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.

As a sponsor of the Small Business Resource Fair for Immigrants, you will partner with a nonprofit organization that has a longstanding reputation as a leader in refugee services, education, career training and placement services, and immigration services.

Become a Sponsor 

Please contact Lynn Thompson at [email protected] or 651-377-8626 to secure your sponsorship.

  • Please send your company logo files
  • Sponsorships accepted through September 1, 2026
  • Deadline to receive all other benefits: September 1, 2026

Our Results

  • 17

    new businesses

    started by our Entrepreneurship Class graduates

  • 91

    students graduated

    from Entrepreneurship Class since January 2024

  • 98%

    of graduates

    have passed the U.S. Entrepreneurship Certification exam.

  • 150+

    attendees

    at the Institute’s 2024 and 2025 Small Business Resource Fairs

2025 Small Business Resource Fair Gallery