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via Epic Montana: Montana Rooted A Fine Line

(Washington, DC) – Sarah Calhoun, owner of Red Ants Pants in White Sulphur Springs, spent the day at the White House for a national small business summit hosted by the non-partisan Small Business Majority.As one of only 100 businesses invited nationally and the only Montana business owner in attendance, Calhoun penned a guest column inviting other Montana business owners to share their ideas with her prior to the trip. From infrastructure to workforce training, she received dozens of emails and calls from fellow Montana businesses. Calhoun also personally delivered a pair of Red Ants Pants to the White House for the First Lady in hopes that they might be useful in the White House garden.“This has been an honor and a terrific platform to emphasize Montana’s unique opportunities at the national level. I’m thankful to all of my fellow small business owners in Montana who shared their insights and ideas with me prior to the summit. My hope is that by sharing my perspective and the ideas of my fellow business owners in Montana, we can help move the needle in favor of rural economic development,” said Sarah Calhoun, owner and founder of Red Ants Pants.On Tuesday, May 12th, Calhoun spent the day at the National Press Club participating in panel discussions including topics such as women’s entrepreneurship, economic development and access to capital. Today, Calhoun participated in additional small business summit discussions at the White House, where she pressed policymakers on leveling the playing field to encourage manufacturing in the U.S.Red Ants Pants have always been and will always be Made in the USA.The Small Business Majority national summit concluded this afternoon with a Google technology workshop.  Small Business Majority is a national non-partisan small business advocacy organization, founded and run by small business owners. It also conducts research and economic analysis to determine how policies impact small business.Following the Summit, policy recommendations identified will be incorporated into Small Business Majority’s policy platform—the Small Business Economic Agenda for 2015-16—released to the media and shared with decision makers to elevate issues of importance to small business owners. Sarah Calhoun has nearly two decades of leadership experience in both the non-profit and small business sectors, working in the outdoor education industry before founding Red Ants Pants in 2006.Calhoun’s hard work has brought her national recognition as the 2012 National Women in Business Champion for the Small Business Administration.In 2011 she was invited by President Obama to attend a White House forum on jobs and economic development. Closer to home, she was honored when Governor Schweitzer named her the 2011 Entrepreneur of the Year for the State of Montana. Calhoun and her company have been featured in many national publications including Entrepreneur, National Geographic, Delta Sky, Country Woman, Sunset, and Airstream Life. Calhoun’s dynamic style and inspiring experiences as an entrepreneur make her a highly sought after keynote speaker. She has given two TEDx talks, dozens of keynote addresses, and has been featured on national television programs such as CNBC, CNN, and Bloomberg.In 2011, Calhoun’s creative mind needed more exercise and thus was born the first annual Red Ants Pants Music Festival, where 6,000 fans came to celebrate rural Montana in a cow pasture. Over the years, their ears have enjoyed headliners including Merle Haggard, Emmylou Harris, and Charley Pride. This year, the festival will host the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Keb’ Mo’, Lee Ann Womack, Ryan Bingham and more. The Red Ants Pants Foundation was formed as the non-profit branch of the project, in support of women’s leadership, working family farms and ranches, and rural communities. The festival continues its success into its fifth year this July 23-26, 2015 with hopes to exceed the record-setting 11,000 attendees of 2014.While Calhoun has risen to the top echelons of success as a rural entrepreneur, she is paying it forward by actively encouraging and mentoring other women starting their own businesses.Calhoun spends her free time enjoying Montana’s great outdoors, cutting firewood, hunting, and camping. She lives in White Sulphur with her dog Nellie and cat Magpie. -Red Ants Pants 

Montana Ambassadors 2014 Entrepreneur of the Year - Renelle Bratten, Enell Sports Bra

via Montana High Tech Alliance ‘Why Montana is the Best Place for Tech Jobs’

-SBA Montana

TEDx Bozeman, Branching Out - March 27, 2015 

Bozeman's Salient Technologies - David Yakos and the Story Behind Makers Studio #mtbiz #mtcreative #mttalent 

A Hi-Line Films event