Canadian tech entrepreneur Robert Herjavec and marketing expert Amanda Brinkman host “Small Business Revolution — Main Street”, an online series that centers on a selected small town and six of its small businesses, which undergo a $500,000 development program. (Photo courtesy of Deluxe Corporation)

Are successful small businesses the secret to rejuvenation for the type of struggling former factory towns that dot Metro East? Could a half-million-dollar marketing program start such communities on the road to recovery?

An industry-leading, billion-dollar corporation and one of nation’s best-known celebrity entrepreneurs think so. And they are considering bringing a business-oriented reality show to Alton to find out.

The producers of “The Small Business Revolution — Main Street” — soon entering its third season as a streaming series on YouTube and Hulu —were scheduled to scout the Riverbend as a show location on Jan. 18.

Alton Mayor Brant Walker and other community leaders are urging area residents to turn out at a reception for the producers that day at the Old Bakery Beer Company on Main Street. Residents are also urged to post photos and information about the town on the program’s website and social media platforms.

Launched in 2016, “Small Business Revolution — Main Street”, during each eight-episode season, centers on a selected small town and six of its small businesses, which undergo a $500,000 development program overseen by Canadian tech entrepreneur Robert Herjavec, a panelist on ABC TV’s  “Shark Tank,” and marketing expert Amanda Brinkman.

The show’s first season featured the aging railroad town of Wabash, Ind.; its second centered around the historic East Coast river town of Bristol Borough, Pa.

Alton is among 10 small cities that the program’s “Small Business Revolution Team” is touring this month as they search for this season’s subject. The others are Aberdeen, S.D.; Americus, Ga.; Amesbury, Mass.; Bastrop, Tex.; Brainerd, Minn.; Exeter, N.H.; Florence, Ore.; Martinez, Calif.; and Siloam Springs, Ariz. They plan to release a short list of three finalists in the coming weeks. Viewers will then select the location for the show’s third season through online balloting.

Marketing expert Amanda Brinkman

The brainchild of Brinkman, the program is intended to examine the woes and potentials of small businesses and small towns, but also serve as a showcase for the business development services of St. Paul, Minn.-based Deluxe Corporation.

Well known as one of the nation’s largest producers of bank check and related banking industry services, Deluxe has expanded over the past decade to provide marking and financial transaction processing for small companies.

Brinkman is the company’s Chief Brand and Communications Officer; having served in similar positions with Allianz, and UnitedHealth Group.

The Alton Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and Alton Main Street business association hope to have as many local business owners on hand for Thursday’s open-to-the public reception for the producers at the Old Bakery Beer Company. The business leaders also hope to have local artists and exhibits on Alton area attractions on hand.

No Alton business have yet been announced as potential subjects for the show’s redevelopment program; however, CVB leaders plan to shuttle the producers to as many local firms as possible ,including Raining Zen and Grand Piasa Body Art.

The production team plans to be in Alton for about 90 minutes.

Alton area residents are asked to post photos, videos and status in about their city on the social media pages of Small Business Revolution and Deluxe Corporation; tagging them with #myalton.

—- Online business reality show scouting Alton for new season —