For the November 2026 edition of Rochester Voices, City of Rochester Mayor Kim Norton sits down with Irene Woodward, Community Development Director for the City of Rochester, and Shawn Fagan, Executive Director of the Rochester Downtown Alliance, to discuss Rochester's participation in the Regulatory Justice Initiative. Rochester is one of six cities nationwide selected to participate in the initiative, which focuses on making it cheaper, faster and simpler to start and grow a small business. They discuss what the City and its partners learned from examining the process of starting a business in Rochester, challenges entrepreneurs face when navigating requirements and opportunities to make the process easier to understand. They also highlight next steps to better support local entrepreneurs and small businesses. Learn more about Rochester's Regulatory Justice Initiative: https://www.rochestermn.gov/council-a... Video filmed in partnership with Rochester Community & Technical College.