Tell Your Story — Collaborative 523, Inc.

Collaborative 523 Workshop Series

Tell Your Story:
Personal Branding for Small Businesses

Every great business has a story worth telling. This workshop helps you find yours — and gives you the tools to use it everywhere that matters.

Date March 18, 2026

Location Galleria 214 (214 W Main St)

Facilitator Shauna Thayer, Bloom Creative

Spots Available 20 Only

Registration $20 (refunded at door)

About This Workshop

Do you feel unsure how to talk about what you do or who you are in your marketing? You're not alone — and this workshop is your starting point.

Led by Shauna Thayer of Bloom Creative, this hands-on session walks you through a simple personal brand framework to help you clarify your story and your messaging. You'll begin drafting your personal brand story right in the room, and leave with practical guidance on how to apply it across your website, social media, and client experience.

What You'll Walk Away With

Clarity on your business origin, values, and what genuinely sets you apart
A personal brand story you've started drafting — in the workshop
A framework for using your story consistently across every platform
Confidence in how to talk about your business

Who Should Attend

Small business owners, makers, vendors, and entrepreneurs in the Cambridge area
Anyone who struggles to explain what makes their business different
Business owners ready to show up more consistently in their marketing

No marketing experience required. If you have a business and a story, you belong here.

Your Facilitator: Shauna Thayer, Bloom Creative

Shauna Thayer is the founder of Bloom Creative and a marketing strategist with 20 years of experience helping business leaders clarify their messaging through strategic, story-driven branding. Her approachable style helps businesses cut through marketing overwhelm and communicate their value with clarity. She's worked with business owners at all stages — from just starting out to well-established brands looking to sharpen their voice.

Complete the Work. Earn a Bonus Opportunity.

Participants who complete the work from Workshop 1 will be invited to schedule a professional business branding consultation with Kim Welsh of K. Welsh Photography — a local photographer and the talent behind many of the images you've seen shared of Main Street Cambridge and its annual events. She knows this community and how to capture it beautifully.

This isn't just a photo shoot. Kim will work with you one-on-one to help you identify the key shots that tell your business story — teaching you what to look for, how to frame your space and your work, and how to think visually about your brand. You'll leave the session understanding how to capture your story on an ongoing basis, not just in a single sitting.

As a bonus, Kim will provide a small portfolio of professional images you can use immediately across your website and social media — so you walk away with something tangible and ready to go from day one.

Collaborative 523 is proud to cover a portion of the consultation cost through our Advance program, making this professional resource accessible to participating businesses. Learn more about the Advance program →

The Full Storytelling Series

This is Workshop 1 of a four-part program. Each session builds on the last — giving you the skills, confidence, and tools to tell your story in a way that attracts customers, earns media attention, and helps put Cambridge on the map as a destination worth visiting.

Workshop 1 — Now Open

Personal Branding for Small Businesses

📅 March 18, 2026 🎤 Shauna Thayer, Bloom Creative 📍Galleria 214 (214 W Main Street)

Discover and articulate your unique business story — your origin, your values, and what makes you different. Walk away with a personal brand framework and the beginning of your own brand story.

Workshop 2

Pitching Your Story to the Media

📅 April 2026 (date TBD) 🎤 Hometown News Group

Once you have your story, learn how to get it covered. This session focuses on the difference between a newsworthy story and an advertisement — and how to pitch yours for real editorial coverage. Participants will also learn how to leverage high-visibility events like Art on Main to get their business in front of a regional audience.

Workshop 3

Using AI to Adapt Your Story

📅 May 2026 (date TBD)

Your story doesn't change — but the way you tell it should shift depending on where and who you're talking to. This session teaches you how to use AI tools to repurpose your core story for different platforms, audiences, and purposes. Work smarter, not harder, and get more mileage out of the story you've already built.

Workshop 4

Telling Your Story Through Your Website and Social Media

📅 June 2026 (date TBD)

The final workshop focuses on discoverability — how visitors research and plan trips, what makes a business compelling online before someone ever walks through the door, and how to create content that helps people envision their experience before they arrive. By this point you'll have the story. This workshop makes sure the right people can find it.

What Completing the Series Unlocks

Businesses that engage with the full series become part of something larger — coordinated regional marketing initiatives that no single business could pull off alone. Collaborative 523 provides the strategy and coordination. You bring your story and your participation.

Collaborative Marketing Opportunities Include

Print Cambridge Travel Guide — curated business stories distributed regionally to attract visitors
Regional Print Advertising — coordinated campaigns in regional publications telling Cambridge's story through business voices
Pitching Stories to Travel Publications — editorial pitches for travel writers, bloggers, and regional magazines
Influencer Marketing — invite travel and lifestyle influencers to experience Cambridge businesses
Event-Aligned Storytelling — Memorial Day Parade, Art on Main, Fire Fest, Holiday Art in the Village, Pink Out/Girls Night Out, and more
And more — We are constantly on the lookout for opportunities to tell Cambridge's story. Come be a part of it!

The more Cambridge businesses that engage, the more powerful our collective voice becomes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is this workshop for?

This series is designed for small business owners, makers, vendors, and entrepreneurs in the Cambridge area who want to get better at talking about their business — in their marketing, on social media, with customers, and with the media. You don't need any marketing experience. If you have a business and a story, you belong here.

Do I have to attend all four workshops?

You're encouraged to commit to the full series — each workshop builds on the one before it. However, Workshop 1 is the essential foundation. Completing Workshop 1 and its associated work is what unlocks additional opportunities, including the professional photography consultation with Kim Welsh.

What do I need to bring or prepare for Workshop 1?

Just yourself and an open mind. No prep work is required beforehand. You'll be doing real work during the session — Shauna guides you through a personal brand framework and you'll begin drafting your story right in the room.

What does the $20 registration fee cover?

The $20 is simply a commitment deposit to hold your spot. It is fully refunded at the door when you arrive. We ask for it because space is capped at 20 participants and we want to make sure every seat is filled by someone who plans to show up.

What happens if I register but can't make it?

Please cancel as soon as you know so someone else can take your spot. Because space is limited, a no-show means another business owner loses their opportunity. The $20 deposit is refunded only at the door upon attendance.

What is the photography consultation and how do I qualify?

Participants who complete the work from Workshop 1 will be invited to schedule a professional business branding consultation with Kim Welsh of K. Welsh Photography. Kim is a local photographer and the talent behind many of the images you've seen shared of Main Street Cambridge and its annual events. She'll work with you one-on-one to identify the key shots that tell your business story, teach you how to think visually about your brand, and provide a small portfolio of professional images you can use immediately. Collaborative 523 covers a portion of the consultation cost through our Advance program.

Who is Shauna Thayer?

Who is running this series and why?

This series is organized by Collaborative 523, a nonprofit organization based in Cambridge, WI dedicated to supporting local makers and entrepreneurs. Collaborative 523 provides the structure, strategy, and resources. Individual busiensses bring the desire to learn, grow and work together to support a strong small business community in the 53523 area.

What happens after I complete the series?

Completing the series positions you to participate in larger collaborative marketing initiatives coordinated by Collaborative 523 — including a Cambridge Travel Guide, regional advertising campaigns, media and influencer pitching, and event-aligned storytelling. These are opportunities no single business could access alone. The more Cambridge businesses that engage, the more powerful our collective voice becomes.

Will there be future workshops if I miss this one?

Collaborative 523 is committed to bringing a new workshop to the Cambridge community every month, covering topics relevant to local business owners and entrepreneurs. Future offerings of this particular storytelling series will depend on the participation level and success of this inaugural program — your engagement directly shapes what comes next. We strongly recommend starting with Workshop 1 rather than waiting, both because the series builds progressively and because your participation helps us continue investing in programming like this for Cambridge.

I'm not sure I'm a good writer or marketer — is this still for me?

Absolutely. The workshop is designed specifically for business owners who feel unsure about their marketing and messaging. Shauna's approach is practical and approachable — you'll be guided through the process step by step. You don't need to arrive with anything figured out.

Ready to Tell Your Story?

Workshop 1 is March 18. There are only 20 spots and they will fill. Register today — your $20 deposit is fully refunded at the door.

Questions? Contact Cathy Yerges | collaborative523@gmail.com | Book an appointment

About Collaborative 523
Collaborative 523, Inc. is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting entrepreneurs and strengthening the business community in Cambridge, Wisconsin. Through education, coaching, and funding opportunities, we help businesses launch, grow, and thrive in our community. These programs are made possible through support from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), community partners, and local fundraising.

Tell Your Story:Personal Branding for Small Businesses