Faces of
Fargo Business
KURT MCSPARRON Founder
the 100, inc.
F
or Kurt McSparron, there are two things that set apart self-made, successful people:
1) Who they know 2) Their ability to maximize the value of those relationships "Networking is vital to success and practiced daily in every business circle," explains McSparron, the founder of the100, inc., a local business, leadership and growth initiative founded in 2016 for the sole purpose of helping alleviate the pressures of life at the top, "but relatively few executives are actually good at it. Too many people mistake activity for productivity." This networking gap is one of the main reasons McSparron thought the Fargo metro needed a group like the100 and says that if you're an FMWF executive, everything and everyone you need comprises the100's membership. It's a true
the100, inc. the100.online
62
APRIL 2018
executive's resource network, as he puts it. And who better to lead such a diverse network of presidents, CEOs and executive directors than a self-described "vocational nomad" who's held more than 25 jobs over the course of his life, ranging from agriculture to manufacturing and seemingly everything in between? "From the menial to management and ownership, from Fortune 500 companies and national nonprofits to the largest privately held and smallest startups, it has all led to this culmination of my career and the founding of the100," McSparron says. McSparron spends the majority of his days meeting with area business leaders, listening to issues and ideas, and making referrals and introductions — all for the purpose of trying to making someone’s day easier
and more profitable, he says. "Our wealth as a nation begins on Main Street, USA, in the hands of nearly 30 million private business owners," he says. "Anything I can do to contribute to their success and play a small role in, I will." Inspired by the success of the group's inaugural flagship event, Executive Expo, this past January, McSparron is setting his sights toward continuing to expand the100's influence locally and facilitating more of the connections he's so passionate about. "We would like to see a broader scale and new ideas for collaboration between area businesses, business organizations, business-related nonprofits and educational communities," he says. "Locally, we do a good job, but we can always do better. We can consistently do a great job!"