The Works and Allamakee County Economic Development to host sixth annual Ideas Week event to be held in Lansing October 5-9
Allamakee County Ideas Week 2026 is happening October 5-9 at The Works Coworking & Coaching in Lansing - and every workshop event is free and designed to educate, connect, and inspire local residents throughout Allamakee County, each one full of ideas for all.
Hosted by The Works, in partnership with Allamakee County Economic Development (ACED), this sixth annual weeklong event will feature dynamic speakers, practical workshops, and 1:1 coaching for those looking to make an impact on their communities throughout the county. Workshops and coaching also include refreshments from area restaurants and food entrepreneurs.
The event line-up includes the following:
• Monday, October 5 at 5:30 p.m. Stephanie Lea Ross, Founder of Sister Circle Small Business will present “The Magic in The Mundane.” Ross brings her superpower to Ideas Week showing how to find magic in the mundane - hidden in everyday moments of life. Those attending will walk away from her talk not just inspired, but ready to activate simple, sacred, and sustainable rituals and rhythms that turn the mundane into momentum to create magic no matter what the season.
• Tuesday, October 6 at 5:30 p.m. Kristy Turner of Turner Mindfulness Solutions and Mediation will present “From Disruption to Resilience: How Communities Move Forward Together.” When disruption hits, communities can either become divided by uncertainty and competing priorities or come together around facts, shared experience, and practical action. This session explores how Appreciative Inquiry can move people beyond blame and gridlock by identifying what has worked, what the data reveals, and which local strengths can support recovery. Turner will provide attendees with tools to navigate tension, build trust, and turn community disruption into greater resilience.
• Wednesday, October 7 at 5:30 p.m. Sarah Arendt-Beyer of Nortek Air, La Crosse, WI will present “Harnessing AI for Marketing.” In this interactive session, attendees will learn how to work with AI tools effectively, see examples of using AI to streamline everyday tasks, spark new ideas, and even pick up new skills. They’ll walk away with techniques to start using right away. Arendt-Beyer will also cover a few key things to consider when deciding when and if to use AI, with time for audience questions.
• Thursday, October 8 will feature a Wow! Who Knew? Summit hosted by Allamakee County Economic Development and Tourism Executive Director Val Reinke from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Further details of that recent addition to the Ideas Week line-up are printed below in a separate article.
• Friday, October 9, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Open Office Hours for Community, Connection and Collaboration. Participants can book 30-45 minute discussion with a county representative to discuss their ideas either sparked by the week’s events or from earlier brainstorms and ideas. Val Reinke of ACED and Maryann Baldwin, owner and operator of The Works, will be available to discuss these ideas and help identify connections and resources to help bring them to life.
All events are held at The Works Coworking & Coaching, located at 274 Main Street in Lansing. Registration is requested at www.theworksconnect.com/event. Whether one is looking for fresh ideas, making new connections within Allamakee County, or just learning something new, all will walk away feeling inspired and supported.
All events are free and open to the public. For more information or to reserve a spot, contact The Works at www.theworksconnect.com/event or Maryann Baldwin at 319-573-1955.
