Upcoming Events
Business Ignitor - Spring 2026
This interactive six-week course provides a comprehensive foundation for aspiring entrepreneurs, covering essential topics for success.
Business Ignitor Grad Party
Our Spring Business Ignitor Course is wrapping up, and we hope you'll join us Thursday April 16th as we showcase and celebrate these amazing entrepreneurs!
Food Foundry Sessions - Journey of Women Entrepreneurs - A Panel Discussion
Journey of Women Entrepreneurs - A Panel Discussion
Join us for a panel discussion with 3 dynamic women food entrepreneurs in our latest food foundry session interview. We are joined by Tara Sanders, Owner and Founder - Dále Vino, Michelle Pusateri, Founder - Nana Joes Granola, and Hannah Perry, Owner and Founder - Floof Cotton Candy.
Tuesday, April 21, 2026 - 2:00 PM PST
Food Accelerator 101
This course gives you structure, mentorship, and local connections to turn your food business idea into a sustainable, real-world venture.
Pints for a Purpose - Meet the Board
Get ready for an unforgettable May at BrewHaus in Nevada City! Join us every Sunday for "Pints for a Purpose," where every sip counts!
Pints for a Purpose - Forest Entrepreneur Meet-Up
Get ready for an unforgettable May at BrewHaus in Nevada City! Join us every Sunday for "Pints for a Purpose," where every sip counts!
Pints for a Purpose - Food Accelerator Meet-Up
Get ready for an unforgettable May at BrewHaus in Nevada City! Join us every Sunday for "Pints for a Purpose," where every sip counts!
Food Accelerator 101 Grad Party
Food Entrepreneur Accelerator Graduation Celebration
Come celebrate the success of our Food Entrepreneur Accelerator graduates with good food, drinks, and great company!
🎉 Foodie Graduation Celebration! 🎓🍓 Join us for an evening of flavor, creativity, and community as we celebrate the graduates of the Sierra Commons Food Entrepreneur Accelerator!
Our graduating food entrepreneurs will showcase samples of their delicious creations—from coffee to artisanal bagels to savory bites. Bring your curious palate—and if you’re inspired, bring a favorite dish or drink to share with fellow local food lovers!
Let’s celebrate Nevada County’s next generation of food entrepreneurs and the vibrant local food culture they’re cultivating.
Pints for a Purpose - Sierra Commons Alumni Meet-Up
Get ready for an unforgettable May at BrewHaus in Nevada City! Join us every Sunday for "Pints for a Purpose," where every sip counts!
Pints for a Purpose - Business Ignitor Meet-Up
Get ready for an unforgettable May at BrewHaus in Nevada City! Join us every Sunday for "Pints for a Purpose," where every sip counts!
Food Accelerator 102
Grow and advance your Food Business through interactive online classes, one-on-one advising, and insights from experienced industry leaders and instructors.
Business Ignitor - Fall 2026
This interactive six-week course provides a comprehensive foundation for aspiring entrepreneurs, covering essential topics for success.
Food Foundry Sessions - The Food Science R&D Process with Rachel Zemser
The Food Science R&D Process with Rachel Zemser
Join us as we welcome food scientist Rachel Zemser as she discusses her strategies to make sure artisan foods are packaged safe and stable.
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 - 2:00 PM PST
Food Foundry Sessions - Non-Traditional Lenders w/ Financial Advisor Miguel Barreras
Non-Traditional Lenders w/ Financial Advisor Miguel Barreras
Miguel Barreras - Financial Advisor
Wednesday, February 25, 2026 - 2:00 PM PST
How to navigate small business loans of $5K - $100K. Specializing in micro-loans for start-up and early stage entrepreneurs.
Rescheduled! Food Accelerator 102 Grad Party
Food Entrepreneur Accelerator 102 Graduation Party and Student Showcase
Come celebrate the success of our Food Accelerator 102 graduates with good food, drinks, and great company!
🎉 Foodie Graduation Celebration! 🎓🍓 Join us for an evening of flavor, creativity, and community as we celebrate the graduates of the Sierra Commons Food Entrepreneur Accelerator 102 Course!
Let’s celebrate Nevada County’s next generation of food entrepreneurs and the vibrant local food culture they’re cultivating.
Food Accelerator 102 Course
Online & In-Person
Grow and Advance Your Food Business
Food Accelerator 102 builds on the foundation established in the Food Accelerator 101 course by addressing the real-world challenges food businesses often face after launch. Through interactive online classes, one-on-one advising, and insights from experienced industry leaders, participants receive practical guidance for navigating growth, finances, branding, and compliance in a competitive marketplace.
Food Foundry Sessions - Kara Nielsen - How Food Trends Impact Product Innovation
Food Trends 101 - How Food Trends Impact Product Innovation
Kara Nielsen - Trendologist & Sweets Professor
Tuesday, January 13, 2026 - 2:00 PM PST
Kara is an expert in food and beverage trends and the consumer values that drive trend growth and adoption. For nearly twenty years, she has translated trends for strategic brand growth and product development for food manufacturers, foodservice operators and other firms. Kara will be joining us for Live Q&A during the interview premiere.
Food Foundry Session with Reem Hassani - Co-Founder of Numi Tea
Numi Tea's Reem Hassani
Chief Branding Officer and Co-Founder
Food Packaging that resonates. From nutrition to aesthetics, allergens and claims, UPC and design. The package is the path to your consumer's mind, heart, and taste buds.
At Numi, Reem oversees brand identity, including all packaging design, brand voice, and experience. An artist by trade (including a Diploma d’Arte from Lorenzo de Medici Art Institute in Florence, Italy and an M.F.A. in Arts & Consciousness Studies from JFK University), Reem’s original artwork has been a source of inspiration for Numi’s brand vision and packaging. In 2019, she was honored as one of Progressive Grocer’s Top Women in Business.
Forestry Entrepreneurship: Building and Scaling your Business (Virtual Event)
🔥 Ready to turn your forestry skills into a business?
🧩 Join us for Forestry Entrepreneurship: Building & Scaling your Business—a second workshop from FireUp + Sierra Commons, led by FireUp Coach Robert X Trent M.Ed
👩🚒 This workshop is for crew leads, operators, and anyone ready to level-up their impact in fire and forestry work.
What you’ll get in 90 minutes:
🌲 Deep dive into successful business models in fire & forestry work
🌲 Real talk on what it takes to start & sustain a local business
🌲 Advice on next steps and a roadmap for starting your business
Advanced Forest Entrepreneurship - Arcata, CA (2 Day Bootcamp)
Live In Person - Arcata, CA
Are you ready to launch or expand your forest-based business?
Join Sierra Business Council and Sierra Commons for tuition-free bootcamps designed to help entrepreneurs build sustainable forest-based businesses and wood product enterprises.
Food Accelerator Grad Party
Food Entrepreneur Accelerator Graduation Celebration
Come celebrate the success of our Food Entrepreneur Accelerator graduates with good food, drinks, and great company!
🎉 Foodie Graduation Celebration! 🎓🍓 Join us for an evening of flavor, creativity, and community as we celebrate the graduates of the Sierra Commons Food Entrepreneur Accelerator!
Our graduating food entrepreneurs will showcase samples of their delicious creations—from coffee to artisanal bagels to savory bites. Bring your curious palate—and if you’re inspired, bring a favorite dish or drink to share with fellow local food lovers!
Let’s celebrate Nevada County’s next generation of food entrepreneurs and the vibrant local food culture they’re cultivating. RSVP Today >>>
LIVESTREAM: Resilience Through Rural Entrepreneurship
LIVESTREAM: Resilience Through Rural Entrepreneurship
A Gathering for Change-Makers and Cross-Pollinators is a working summit where entrepreneurs, community leaders, government agencies, and nonprofits come together to shape the future of rural resilience. Participants will roll up their sleeves in dynamic talks, focused sector discussions, and hands-on collaborative exercises to tackle challenges, share solutions, and design actionable strategies.
Advanced Forest Entrepreneurship - Auburn, CA (2 Day Bootcamp)
Live In Person - Auburn, CA
Are you ready to launch or expand your forest-based business?
Join Sierra Business Council and Sierra Commons for tuition-free bootcamps designed to help entrepreneurs build sustainable forest-based businesses and wood product enterprises.
Food Speaker Series: Tim Yamauchi
Food Speaker Series
Tim Yamauchi
Creative Cost Controls - Bookkeeping for a small food business
Food Accelerator Part 1
Online & In-Person
Start a Food Business That’s Built to Last
This course gives you structure, mentorship, and local connections to turn your food business idea into a sustainable, real-world venture.