Features

Book of Lists 2025: Last call

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Available year-round, the Book of Lists is published in print and available online, providing a direct connection between you and shoppers as well as critical decision-makers in every industry, enhancing your professional network. The comprehensive data and trends captured in the Book offer insights to make informed decisions. It is designed to be relevant year-round, providing insights into everything from economic data to where to go when you're looking for your next adventure. It highlights our community's successes, trends, and opportunities.

  • July 30, 2024

Starlink revolutionizes land value in North Idaho

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North Idaho is experiencing a significant shift in its real estate landscape, thanks to groundbreaking advancements in technology and changing living preferences. Here is a breakdown of what these changes mean for local landowners.

  • By LINDSAY SUTHERLAND/ NIBJ Contributing Writer
  • July 30, 2024

Idaho's economy: Little, Risch share their perspectives

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The economy is always a hot topic, especially in a growing state. The North Idaho Business Journal contacted Sen. Jim Risch and Gov. Brad Little for their perspectives on how business is going in the Gem State.

  • By DEVIN WEEKS/NIBJ Staff Writer
  • June 25, 2024

North Idaho's industry leaders remain

Government provides most jobs with highest earnings
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In construction, there were 8,622 jobs in 2023 paying on average $67,515. Construction jobs in the area totaled 6,332 in 2018.

  • By BILL BULEY/NIBJ Staff Writer
  • June 25, 2024

Scholarships help drive economy, communities forward

What turns the economic gears of a small community? Many will answer “supporting small businesses” or “attending community events,” however investing in the next generation may be one of the most effective ways to keep money local

  • By EVIE SEABERG/NIBJ Staff Writer
  • June 25, 2024

Labor shortage could constrain growth

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It’s no secret that North Idaho is growing.

  • By KAYE THORNBRUGH/NIBJ Staff Writer
  • June 25, 2024

North Idaho experiencing building boom, seeking workers to keep up

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Dan Olson of Daniel J. Olson Construction has found that many of the construction workforce he knew in the industry decades ago are retiring.

  • By CAROLYN BOSTICK/NIBJ Staff Writer
  • June 25, 2024

Business comings and goings

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With several room categories on four floors, TownPlace Suites by Marriott Hotel will open Thursday, May 30, on Northwest Boulevard just south of Interstate 90.

  • By NILS ROSDAHL/Business Bits
  • June 25, 2024

Bonners Ferry historic downtown sees new booming businesses

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Bonners Ferry’s historic downtown has seen revitalization in the past months as many vacant buildings have been filled with new retail and service-based businesses.

  • By EMILY BONSANT/NIBJ Staff Writer
  • June 25, 2024

SBA is there for North Idaho businesses

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The onset of COVID-19 and the need for many businesses to take out loans brought the Small Business Administration in contact with more entrepreneurs than had previously come their way.

  • By CAROLYN BOSTICK/NIBJ Staff Writer
  • June 25, 2024

The successes and challenges of North Idaho's booming economy

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Drive down any road in North Idaho and it's easy to see the economy is booming. New homes are being built, businesses are undergoing renovation or being built. More people are discovering what a magical, special place North Idaho is.

  • June 25, 2024

Panhandle Timber Defense works to protect against wildfires

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Kyle Wacholz, through his company Panhandle Timber Defense, is working to mitigate the economic risks posed by catastrophic wildfires in the Idaho Panhandle region.

  • By CAROLINE LOBSINGER/NIBJ Staff Writer
  • June 25, 2024

Create your own economic boom with the Book of Lists

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Did you know that the region's workforce was almost 125,000 in December 2022? Or that there are more than 265,000 residents living in North Idaho.

  • June 25, 2024

'Everything begins with an idea'

“Everything begins with an idea.” Earl Nightingale may not have been talking about starting a business when he dropped this pearl in the 1950s, but the wisdom behind it holds to this day. According to the Idaho Department of Labor, 9,212 small businesses opened their doors in 2023 – but the U.S. Bureau of Labor reports that one in four small businesses fail within their first year of operation.

  • By JOSH McDONALD/NIBJ Staff Writer
  • May 28, 2024

Training options abound for small businesses

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While small businesses may not think they have a lot of options when it comes to training, citing either access, time, or cost, there is a lot more to choose from than they might think. "Start with the basics," Brent Baker, executive director of Pend Oreille Economic Partnership and founder of Elevate Now Consulting. "Know what all the bases are, and cover them, and in the right order. It is very common to see entrepreneurs doing a good job of working on the wrong thing."

  • By CAROLINE LOBSINGER/NIBJ Staff Writer
  • May 28, 2024