Fargo INC! July 2020

Plus: Energy in the State Meet The New Owner of Boppa's Bagels Black-Owned Businesses

KEEPING UP WITH

michelle Kommer

HER JOURNEY TO COMMISSIONER OF COMMERCE

// JULY 2020

FEATURES

68 28 22 Sponsored Content: Advancing Future Energy Opportunities

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28 Keeping up With Michelle Kommer 48 Meet The Fargo INC! Editorial Board 68 Black-Owned Businesses 82 The Unexpected Path to Entrepreneurship of Mr. Frank Darko 95 Energy In The State

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98 Ladyboss of the Month: Angelina Sam Teewon 100 Academic Insight 103 What Does Tech Have to do With it?: Everything. The case for Diversity of Thoughts 106 10 Questions With John Machacek

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113 The 4A Project 116 You're in Good Company in Downtown Fargo 118 Taking Hold of What You Can Control 123 Events Calendar

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E d i t o r ’s n o t e

Meet The Editorial Board

I

have been working with Fargo INC! since October 20 of 2019 and have had the ability to work with many great people along the way. However, I would be remiss if I didn't highlight our editorial board as some of the most helpful, generous and insightful people that I have ever come across in my professional life.

Because they are great, I believe that you should get to know them a little bit as well. Read through the magazine to learn about eight of the individuals that drive our magazine forward on a month-tomonth basis!

Thank you Kristi Huber, Andrew Jason, Courtney Larson, Steve Dusek, John Machacek, Kurt McSparron, Gregory Wald, Scott Meyer, and Jim Parsons for all of the help on a month-to-month basis.

Brady Drake Brady Drake Fargo INC! Editor

Brady Drake, Fargo INC! Editor

fargoinc@spotlightmediafargo.com

EDITORIAL BOARD With three daughters, serving North Dakota as the Commissioner of Commerce, and multiple business pursuits in her family, Michelle Kommer doesn’t just deal with chaos on a daily basis, she chooses it! We sit down with Michelle to learn how she does it all. We also introduce you to our editorial board in this great issue and give you a list of black-owned businesses we should all get out and support.

President

12

Chief Innovation Officer

Communications Manager

United Way of Cass-Clay

Greater FM Economic Development Corporation

Moore Engineering, Inc.

Now, more than ever, I encourage us all to continue to look for the good in our community, and recognize the partnerships that make positive change possible for people in our community.

This last year, United Way, in partnership with the City of Fargo and MATBUS, started an innovative, on-demand bus service. This service is powered by an App called TapRide.

A few simple clicks, and people who previously struggled with transportation have access to the thousands of jobs in Fargo’s Industrial Park. Good is happening and creating a better tomorrow for all of us.

The social, health and economic turbulence that we are in the midst of is carrying with it a wide range of emotions and impacts. As an optimist, I am hopeful that our world will become better as a result of learning from these difficulties and fuel our resiliency. You can’t change the past but we can learn from it (and in some cases, atone for it) to lay the foundations and systems for the future. I would love to see these recent events as a wakeup call that fosters the blooming of more optimism and empathy to set us on a collective and collaborative path for social and economic success.

When the calendar flipped to 2020, I joked it was the year of perfect vision.

That line hasn’t aged well. Instead, 2020 is blurry and uncertain.

JULY 2020

What can we control amid rampant ambiguity? As always, ourselves.

Like at an eye exam, we have lots of choices to make.

Which is better?

This? Or That?

For me, greater clarity often comes during my most generous, most kind, most open moments. Too often, I fall short. But I’m going to keep trying to focus on what Abraham Lincoln called the better angels of our nature.

Communications and Marketing Officer

Ozbun Executive Director of Entrepreneurship

FM Area Foundation

NDSU College of Business

This year has brought about new challenges, but despite these unforeseen obstacles I’m thankful for everyone who has stepped up to help support one another. The FM Area Foundation activated its Community Response Fund in March in response to COVID-19, and we’re proud to say that, with the help of many generous donors, we have now awarded $376,896 in grant funding to local nonprofits. These funds are awarded to organizations providing direct services to vulnerable populations. Thank you to everyone who has supported this effort!

Fargo shines when spring rolls to summer and the city bursts to life. While the weather is one factor, the people you see out in the community make it.

This issue we are pleased to celebrate some of those smiling faces. While these faces may be behind masks this summer, our ability to walk outside, wave at our neighbors and build ideas together to solve problems is what makes Fargo great.

Enjoy the summer and the community.

We have problems to solve. We can do it together.

VP of Finance and Operations

FMWF Chamber of Commerce

As our region continues to address issues we’re facing across the entire country, even world, I can’t help but focus on the theme of resiliency. In our metro, we are lucky to have so many talented and inspiring individuals and organizations step up to lead us forward.

It’s fitting that this month we unveiled our Chamber’s 2020 Legacy Leader Award recipient. I invite you to check out our website or newsletter to find out who we’re honoring for his leadership and philanthropy. And as we’re gearing up for our Annual Celebration event, we’re so excited to share his story, as well as what else we’ve been working on.

Despite the challenges the past several months have brought, we remain hopeful and dedicated to a bright road ahead. There are so many opportunities for each of us to continue our own development and education.

We hope you get engaged in our community and find others that challenge and inspire you. Remember to reach out if we can ever be of service to you, your business or your colleagues.

President & CEO

Director of Ecosystem

Emerging Prairie

The Executives Club of Fargo - Moorhead

At the beginning of the year, each member of our team chooses one word they would like to focus on throughout the year. This word, modeled after Jon Gordon’s book “One Word”, is applicable in every facet of their life and is something they would like to grow in. From patient, intentional, minimize and relevance, to grateful, present, mindful, and positive (to name a few), we’ve seen a large variety of creative and powerful words that become each member’s promise to grow themselves and, consequently, our entire team and organization.

Wednesday, June 17, represented a bit of a milestone for Emerging Prairie. For the first time in three months, we hosted our first inperson 1 Million Cups. For those not familiar with 1MC, the idea is pretty simple: What happens when we gather people together to celebrate entrepreneurs and drink one million cups of coffee?

“How about something on energy”, they asked.

Okay.

Within The Executives’ Club logo is a depiction of Newton’s cradle, the iconic desk toy of business leaders worldwide. Why?

Dakota Business Lending

As we hit the peak of summer and continue to restart ND, what is one area you would like to grow in personally and/ or professionally? Is there one word that you would like to focus on? Let’s all work to better ourselves, our organizations, and our communities, one word at a time.

At the heart of Emerging Prairie is community. While we did our best to foster a virtual community, something was missing. As we gathered in Island Park, it struck me that connections, looking somebody in the eye, the random meetups that form at an event are things that can never be replicated from a virtual standpoint.

As the world begins to slowly return to normal but COVID remains present (and possibly rising again), I implore us all to ask how we can safely and effectively grow our community together. Maybe that's a drive-in event, community walks in the park, patio drinks. Let's make the most of our summers and connect safely.

Founder and Director

Because its’ simple design demonstrates 3 fundamental laws of physics and mechanics that can be equally applied as rules of business: 1. conservation of energy 2. conservation of momentum 3. friction Energy can be transferred or transformed; Momentum deals with interaction; and, just as it is impossible to have a perfect Newton's cradle, one force will always conspire to slow things to a stop: friction. Friction robs the system of energy and slowly bringing all things in motion to a standstill.

FARGOINC.COM

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July 2020

Volume 5 Issue 7

Fargo INC! is published 12 times a year and is available at area businesses and online at FargoInc.com.

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Nick Schommer nickschommer@spotlightmediafargo.com Kirsten Lund Tommy Uhlir, Laura Alexander Kellen Feeney Ben Buchanan Paul Hoefer Paul@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Zach Olson Zach@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Matt Becker Matt@SpotlightMediaFargo.com

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No parts of this magazine may be reproduced or distributed without written permission of Fargo INC!, and Spotlight LLC, is not responsible for, and expressly disclaims all liability for, damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to or reliance on such information. Spotlight LLC, accepts no liability for the accuracy of statements made by the advertisers.

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In the upper midwest, the start of summer means one thing: lake season is here.

To celebrate this anticipated time of year, we're bringing you our annual lake life issue! In this issue, tour eight unique lake houses, learn more about lake life and even find a lake home for yourself.

Coming Soon!

Ever find yourself with a bevy of questions, not knowing where to turn? In this issue of Future Farmer, we talked with a number of ag professionals and had them share advice, experiences and lessons learned from a career in agriculture.

Coming Soon!

Hurry! Offer expires 8/15/20. One coupon per person per visit per day. Not to be combined with other offers. No cash value. Redeemable in person only. 2374

We are combining our June, July and August issues of Fargo Monthly to make two special edition issues, released at the same time. The community and the whole world has seen quite the monumental and transformative past few months and we would be remiss to ignore all that is happening. Stay tuned for a special COVID-19 issue and an equality and justice issue coming to you in mid-August!

Hurry! Offer expires 8/15/20. One coupon per person per visit per day. Not to be combined with other offers. No cash value. Redeemable in person only. 2318

Hurry! Offer expires 8/15/20. One coupon per person per visit per day. Not to be combined with other offers. No cash value. Redeemable in person only. 2305

Look for our next issue in September! Read all past issues at bisonillustrated.com.

SPONSORED CONTENT

Cash Reserves for Businesses: HOW MUCH? Most people have heard the personal finance adage that they should have cash equal to 6 months of expenses on hand, in case they lose their job or have an emergency expense. But should businesses? And is it realistic or wise to have that much capital sitting around?

The short answers: Yes, and yes. How much you need will depend a lot on your business and cash flow, so talk with a banker or business advisor who can draw on experience working with many businesses like yours.

Don’t guess; dig into your financial records Records aren’t just for taxes – they also help you make strategic decisions. You can find patterns in your financial statements, old orders and payroll records. Math not your strong suit? Bring in an accountant or banker to help sort it out.

These records will give you baselines, and those baselines will help determine a smart reserve.

Create a plan to get to your reserve goal Building a reserve can be daunting. Just start. If you wait until you have a big surplus to establish your reserve, it might never happen. Start now if you don’t have one. Once again, an advisor can help you create a plan to build your reserve

Rule of thumb is three to six months of expenses…

Factor in your size, cash flow and liabilities. Cash reserves aren’t one-size-fits-all. To get to your best number, talk to an advisor. If you are the only employee, work from home, don’t

gradually, so you have a clear goal and manageable steps.

Lines of credit may provide flexibility when used right Debt shouldn’t be your primary reserve, but it can be a

need raw materials and have personal reserves, the amount

bridge. Unexpected things happen. Sometimes, even with a

you need is less. If you need to pay salaries and rent, or build

reserve, you might need a loan to carry you through. Setting up

inventory ahead of a seasonal rush, you may want more.

credit to tap into when needed on short notice is a smart move.

Get it from a bank that knows you and your business personally

…but not all expenses are equal Split ongoing monthly expenses from production costs.

Salaries, insurance, rent and regular ongoing expenses need to be covered whether it’s a slow month or busy month. But for manufacturers or builders, raw material costs will be higher when you are busy, since you have more stuff to make.

– you’re likely to get better terms.

One other thing: Reserves don’t need to be stuffed under a mattress.

Depending on the reserve size and how quickly you may need to access it, some might be held in higher interest earning but still safe and liquid products. If it seems more complicated for a business than a person – that’s because it is.

Want to learn more? Come talk with an Alerus business advisor or visit alerus.com

BANKING :: MORTGAGE :: RETIREMENT :: WEALTH MANAGEMENT

800.279.3200 :: ALERUS.COM

Critical Challenges.

Practical Solutions.

The Energy & Environmental Research Center at the University of North Dakota (EERC) is recognized as one of the world’s leading research organizations to develop technologies for cleaner, more efficient energy production and use. We accomplish this through our people, our partnerships, and our priorities.

University of North Dakota students as well as students from across the globe are integral to EERC activities. They work on realworld projects and contribute to real-world solutions. We provide work experience for students that allows them to explore career options, discover strengths, and see how academic learning applies to our day-to-day activities. Many of our longtime employees started at the EERC as students!

Our Partnerships We work with our clients in partnership to develop, refine, demonstrate, and commercialize marketable products that provide practical solutions to real-world challenges. With access to a variety of field sites, extensive analytical and testing facilities, a broad range of technical expertise, and a breadth of partners, we offer customized solutions for our clients’ needs.

Our Priorities

Our People Our people are our greatest asset. The EERC team of over 200 is sought after worldwide to solve energy and environmental challenges in innovative ways. Our multidisciplinary team gives us the ability to approach a challenge from all angles. Quality, market-driven science and engineering technologies come from engaged and motivated employees. We encourage lifelong learning and professional development. Our diverse workforce has interests that lie not only in the work they do at the EERC, but in the community as well.

Five core values are the fundamentals our staff incorporates into everything we do. Work you can be proud of begins with people you can be proud of.

Today’s energy and environmental needs require a total-systems approach that focuses on technical details while retaining a broad perspective. We are a driving force for innovation and new opportunities in the energy industry. EERC research supports an all-of-theabove approach to energy production: • Coal Utilization and Emissions: Over 65 years of experience converting coal to energy and high-value products cleanly and efficiently.

• Carbon Management: Global leader in the area of CO2 capture, utilization, reduction, and storage. Experienced resource for industry and government in fossil fuels and biomass.

• Oil & Gas: Proven approaches to clean and efficient exploration and development of oil and gas.

• Alternative Fuels and Renewables: Trailblazing research in biomass, jet fuel, wind energy, hydrogen technology, and green diesel.

• Water Management: Expertise in balancing the demands of water and energy for our growing society.

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from Mayville State University • Master's Degree in Management from University of Mary • Juris Doctorate Degree from University of North Dakota • Licensed to practice law in ND, MN • SHRM-SCP • SPHR • Founder and President of the North Dakota Heart Gallery • Board Member, Village Family Foundation • Past Board Member FMWF Chamber of Commerce • Past Board Member Churches United for the Homeless • Prairie Business Top 25 Women in Business, 2014, 2015 • YMCA Women of the Year, Child Advocacy 2016 • Angels in Adoption Award Winner 2019 • TEDx Speaker 2019

At TEDxFargo Michelle gave a speech called Women FOR (not vs.) Women in which she advocates for women supporting other women.

Michelle Kommer’s path to chaos began in Mayville, the final stop of a number of moves her family made across North Dakota, Minnesota and Illinois prior to her entering high school. After graduating from May-Port High School (now May-Port-C-G), Michelle began her undergraduate degree at Mayville State. Her father was a professor at the school and required each of his three children to attend the college for at least one year.

“It was the best decision we were ever forced to make,” said Michelle with a smile. “It was a wonderful place to be.”

Michelle originally wanted to go to law school after completing her B.S. degree in three years, but she ended up taking on an internship in Washington, D.C. because the description of the position said “students considering law school” should apply, and travel sounded appealing.

Simple enough, however, Michelle wasn’t just changing her education plans, she was setting out on a journey where she would get on a plane for the first time in her life, travel to a place where she had never been, and try to find roommates for her stay all without the online tools that we take for granted today.

“Looking back, that was the first of many times I’ve chosen to be terrified - and it’s been worth it,” said Michelle. “There was a point before they closed the cabin door where I stood up and was going to get off the plane, and I’m so glad that I didn’t.”

“Having left, I got to truly appreciate my home,” said Michelle.

Her first job back in the area was at the corporate office of a bank called Community First Bankshares, Inc. which was eventually sold to Bank of the West, but not before she met her husband, Toby. Both Toby and Michelle joined the Community First team in the audit department, each taking on roles with progressively more responsibility over the decadeplus that followed.

“When we started there, a lot of us were in our twenties and had hardly ever been out of the state,” said Toby. “The job allowed us to travel all over and we got to know each other a little bit on the road. It was a really fun job at that time in our life.” Both Kommers earned their master’s degrees while working at Community First during what they call the “pre-K” (pre-kids) time in their lives.

“When we found out Bank of the West was acquiring Community First, it was scary because we had worked on the ‘other side’ of acquisitions as the acquirer for many years. We knew companies didn’t keep two headquarters,” said Michelle. But, as she learned during her internship, it’s okay to be terrified sometimes. The clean slate allowed Michelle the opportunity to attend law school and study corporate law, employment law, and business transactions, and achieve a goal set early on in life.

During the internship, Michelle upped her flight count pretty significantly as she worked with a team at the U.S. Secretary of State, Office of Inspector General, to audit U.S. embassies in Europe and Africa which she describes as, “a really great opportunity to learn a lot and experience the world.” After the internship, Michelle got the opportunity to return to North Dakota.

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the law school years For many, going to law school would be plenty enough to handle on its own. By the time Michelle Kommer decided to go to law school, she and Toby had married, had been foster parents for about seven years, and had three children - two of their own and one foster child.

“There was a billboard that we drove by when we were still dating and Toby said, ‘Should we give it a try?’ Back then you couldn’t become foster parents unless you were married,” said Michelle, so their license was approved after they were married. “Almost immediately upon our license approval, we got our first call - at 2 a.m.! They asked us if we were willing to take a 10-month-old and a two-year-old into our house. We had nothing, so Toby went out to Walmart at 3 a.m.”

Toby currently owns HagaKommer a CPA firm in town and Aspire Bank. Check back in our future issue to learn more about the Kommer family and the dynamic between these two big names in business.

During that time, Michelle would leave town very early each morning for three years to attend Law School at the University of North Dakota so Toby managed mornings with the kids on his own. She jokes that from time to time upon returning to Fargo and picking the children up from daycare she would ask their caretaker, “Ummm….were they wearing this in the morning or was there an... ‘accident’?” But she is quick to follow with seriousness that while his toddler-sense-ofstyle may have been questionable, Toby places fatherhood at the top of his priorities, while astutely managing his own businesses and entrepreneurial efforts - he sets the bar as a dad and parenting partner.

Between her second and third years of law school, the Kommer’s took another big step. Toby began another of many entrepreneurial journeys by starting his own financial consulting company.

“They say some of the biggest stressors in life are things like marriage, the death of a family member, starting your own business, changing jobs, having children, and other big things like that,” said Michelle. “We have a bunch of those things covered two to three times over!”

Michelle’s Favorite Advice from her Dad

Laughing, Toby said, “I was just piling car seats, diapers, bottles, baby food, anything that you could think of into the cart. I didn’t know what I was doing. I pulled up to the register with two carts heaping full and the person working the register gave me a look like, ‘Really? You left this until the last minute?’ She probably thought my wife had just gone into labor and that I was the biggest procrastinator on the planet.”

As a 24-year-old, I can’t even begin to fathom this scenario playing out in my own life.

Editor’s Note 32

JULY 2020

“WHEN YOU THINK YOU CANNOT GO ONE MORE STEP, TAKE ANOTHER. BECAUSE, THE STEPS THAT YOU TAKE AFTER YOU THINK YOU CAN’T GO ON - ARE FOR SOMEONE ELSE. SOMEONE THAT CAN’T, OR WHO NEEDS YOUR HELP. AND MOST OFTEN, THOSE STEPS YOU DIDN’T THINK YOU COULD TAKE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT.”

the move to the public sector

Michelle had never considered her most recent career move prior to a late-night phone call.

“I got a call asking if I’d be interested in considering serving in Governor Burgum’s cabinet, and it needed to be a fast-moving process - 72 hours as I recall,” said Michelle. “My first reaction in my head was ‘I’d love to be a part of that, but I don’t think that’ll work in my life right now’, but I said ‘thanks - let me get back to you.’”

Advice from Michelle

“You need to be prepared to say yes when it scares you. You need to be willing to work hard, and you need to have mentors.”

At the time, Michelle was working as Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel at a regional bank. She loved the company, her job and her teammates, and it seemed crazy to leave.

Late that night she talked to Toby. “There was a moment of silence before he said, ‘you should totally do that. You would love it and you’d be great,” said Michelle. “I was completely shocked by his response as he fully understood what it meant to our family."

Q: What are some of your biggest challenges?

A: One of the things that’s different about the public sector is that you plan in essentially two-year increments, because our legislature meets every two years and appropriates budgets at that time. So balancing long-term planning which is absolutely essential for effective strategies with the short-term cadence for budgeting can be challenging, particularly with some of the revenue shifts in our state in the past three and a half years. Additionally there are 141 legislators, serving every corner of our state that are involved in the process supporting and funding our strategies. While this can be challenging, it is totally worth it - representation is the foundation of our democracy. Initially I was frustrated by the speed of government, but a wise legislator told me very early on, “Michelle, if good things can happen fast, that means bad things can happen fast too.” Since hearing that, I have had a greater appreciation for the process.

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What is the Commerce Department?

Community Development

The formal mission of the North Dakota Department of Commerce is to attract, retain and expand wealth for the State of North Dakota.

However, Michelle sees the department’s main purpose as helping businesses succeed in the state.

Throughout each of the divisions, the Department of Commerce works to deliver a hands-on approach that Michelle believes is special to our area.

“We have more of an opportunity to make an impact due to our hyperconnectivity in the state,” said Michelle. “When companies come in from out of state to meet with us, they’re always shocked that they are able to be in a room with all of the decision-makers at the same time. That’s not common in other places. If you want to come to North Dakota and feel unsupported and anonymous this isn’t the place for you.”

Economic Development

Tourism

Workforce Development

The Commerce Department does that through its four divisions:

I found out during the course of the interview that Michelle knows both my Mother and Brother.

Editor’s Note

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Q: Where is the Department of Commerce headed in 2020 and beyond?

A: First of all, we’re working really hard to minimize the effects of the coronavirus on the business community. After that, I think the most important thing we can do is to continue our work to diversify the economy. We have just seen the powerful impact of a sudden decline of oil prices. With the pandemic, all our business sectors have been affected. Diversification efforts are important to prevent these huge economic swings in the state.

We’re also going to continue to work to attract and retain the right businesses in the state and to ensure we have the brightest most capable workforce to continue to serve the needs of those businesses.

We are a mostly rural state with only nine cities of over 15,000 people.

Presently, we are working to determine the best approach to economic development statewide. Generally, our smaller towns are getting smaller and our bigger towns are getting bigger. We are working with communities of all sizes to reevaluate and clarify the definitions of community development and economic development. This will assist us to make the most impactful use of resources to help all North Dakota communities grow and prosper.

Now is a time to double-down on tourism. There will be a lot more people looking for local and regional travel due to the pandemic so we need to work together with state agencies like Parks and Recreation, and the Game and Fish Department, along with local and regional tourist attractions to accommodate the changing appetite of visitors.

We are working to assist communities with effective community development efforts such as the Main Street Initiative. This is more of an ongoing philosophy than a “once then done” effort.

It’s about creating sustainable, healthy communities, with smart infrastructure to create places to live and raise a family as many people are choosing where they want to live before choosing where to work. We need our communities thriving, taxes to be low and amenities that make people comfortable. So, that’s something that we’re really focused on as an agency.

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JULY 2020

TIME TO CLUB UP?

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Parenting Q: Is foster parenting something you’d recommend to others?

Michelle: Absolutely.

Toby: As foster parents, you get more than you give - it’s rewarding in ways you can’t imagine, and this extended to our kids. They got to see that some kids do not have a safe, loving home like they do, and that they were fortunate from a socioeconomic standpoint, as this isn’t the case for everyone.

As important as her professional work has been to her, her role as a mother has been paramount to Michelle. Michelle and Toby have three daughters, one of whom was adopted, and have had 16 foster children.

“I’ve always just enjoyed spending time with kids and being around kids,” said Toby. Back when we first got married, there was a pretty dire need for foster parents, there still is a big need today. I was the youngest of five and had a lot of nephews and nieces, and always

really enjoyed being around children growing up.”

That passion for helping children in need inspired Michelle to start the North Dakota Heart Gallery, an organization that helps North Dakota children in need of an adoptive family to find their forever homes.

“When I was going to go to law school, we were prepared to stop foster parenting given the demands we knew we’d be facing. While we didn’t end up giving up our foster care license and continued to foster children during law school (with our youngest daughter born my third year!), we were moved to start an organization called the North Dakota Heart Gallery in 2007 because we knew first-hand of the need for families for children waiting to be adopted,” said Michelle. “Our mission is to raise awareness for the need for adoptive families in the state.

We recruit volunteer photographers in the area to take pictures of the children that are waiting to be adopted. We share those portraits at an annual event, on our website, and the gallery also travels throughout the state to conferences, events and businesses. The idea is, through photography, to introduce the children to the families that didn’t even know they were incomplete, to connect children to their forever families through adoption. We have seen wonderful outcomes, in particular for older children who statistically have a more difficult time finding forever families.”

To learn more or request the gallery at your business, church, or event, visit ndheartgallery.org

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MEET THE FARGO INC! EDITORIAL BOARD

Here at Fargo INC!, we push hard every month to put out great and useful content for our readers. Without the help of our editorial board, this would be much more difficult.

Many of you already recognize members from our editorial board as they are instrumental in our business landscape. However, we think you deserve to know all of these great individuals.

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M E E T T H E E D I TO R I A L B OA R D

ANDREW JASON EMERGING PRAIRIE

Andrew's entire professional career has been born out of a love of Fargo. During his almost nine years at Spotlight, Andrew worked his way up from unpaid intern to Editorial Director where he oversaw a team of a dozen talented staff in telling the story of Fargo-Moorhead's growth. During those formative professional years, Andrew discovered the work that Emerging Prairie is doing. He is excited about the opportunity to continue growing Fargo into being nationally recognized for its entrepreneurial ecosystem. In his free time, you can find him hiking with his wife and dog, enjoying a beer at the breweries, playing piano or counting down the days until his next trip.

Awards

Several ADDY Awards Minnesota Magazine Publishing Association feature award Wing eating competition at the Hub 50

JULY 2020

M E E T T H E E D I TO R I A L B OA R D

What is your favorite thing about your professional life?

There's a quote that goes, "Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people." I love the number of people I get to connect with and conversations I have everyday about the important problems and ideas facing our community. From entrepreneurs just launching their new business to CEOs of Fortune 500 companies to the risk-takers in our community, I am inspired by those I interact with.

Three unique facts about yourself

What are some books or podcasts you recommend people check out?

• Stuff You Should Know - I believe you never stop learning and this encourages that path.

• TED Radio Hour - I'm a curious person and this plays to my love of new ideas. Curiosity leads to new ideas. Ideas lead to new initiatives. New initiatives lead to change in the world.

1. I had open-heart surgery when I was 21 and have an artificial aortic valve. I'm very passionate about heart health.

2. I'm a very anxious person. While I try and appear calm in a professional setting, I'm often a wreck internally. Overthinking things is often the biggest culprit of this.

3. I've played piano for about 15 years and have recently started taking jazz piano lessons. I will not be quitting my day job anytime soon.

If you could change or impact one thing in our business community, what would it be?

If you weren't working in your current profession, what would you be doing?

Why work with Fargo INC?

We have a lot of work to do in terms of diversity, equity and inclusion. Fargo is often a community built on connections, which is great in certain aspects, but can really hinder those who come to our community fresh. How can we welcome those who may not look like the traditional Fargo population?

My original major in college was music, I still have daydreams of being a professional musician.

There are many ways to reach consumers in our community but it's important to have a dedicated voice for the business community. Fargo INC does just that.

What are some things you like to do in your spare time?

What are three business tips you can give?

• • • • • •

1. Ideas are the basis of all good business. Never damper the input of ideas from your team.

2. Leaders need to let people lead. I often find myself overstepping my bounds in terms of trying to be too hands-on with my team. If you're going to mature and grow, you have to foster those beneath you to lead.

3. Revenue follows good ideas. Not the other way around. Make sure your idea is solid and solves a real problem and then figure out how to monetize it.

Lie in a hammock at my parents lake cabin Play the piano Travel to somewhere new Discover a new brewery Hike a new trail I always have a new book by my bedside stand

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JIM PARSONS FARGO MOORHEAD WEST FARGO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE V I C E P R E S I D E N T O F F I N A N C E A N D O P E R AT I O N S A N D I N T E R I M C EO

J. ALAN PAUL

Jim Parsons is the Vice President of Finance and Operations and Interim CEO for the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce, an organization of more than 2,100 public, private and non-profit entities throughout North Dakota, Minnesota and beyond.

What is your favorite thing about your professional life?

Getting to learn about and be part of the great things happening in our community.

Three unique facts about yourself

Parsons has been with The Chamber for almost 20 years, starting his career in 2000 as the Business Services Coordinator.

Previous to that, he had worked in banking and transportation.

Parsons has a B.A. degree in Accounting from Moorhead State University. He completed his IOM certification, graduating from the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Organization Management in 2012.

Parsons and his wife Michele are both natives of North Dakota. They live in West Fargo and have five adult children, 10 grandchildren, and two dogs.

Awards

U.S. Chamber Institute of Organizational Management (IOM) certification Chamber Leadership program graduate 52

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1. I actually enjoy snow-blowing, and even blow half of the backyard for my dogs.

2. I have to mow a lawn in straight lines 3. I like cooking comfort foods.

What are some of your favorite things about the FargoMoorhead area?

We have caring, considerate people willing to help anyone.

We've positioned our community to be less affected by the economic downturn, and our vibrant business community and entrepreneurial system is not afraid to take calculated risks. Plus, we have a rich and reliable great educational system, from K-12 to world-class higher education institutions.

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If you weren't working in your current profession, what would you be doing?

Helping other people solve their problems in some kind of way.

What are some things you like to do in your spare time?

Coach my son's sports teams, work on projects at home and at the lake, and help others with their projects.

What are three books or podcasts you recommend people check out?

1. Make Your Bed by William McRaven

2. The Energy Bus by Jon Gordon

3. The Chamber Connection podcast that is coming out soon If you could change or impact one thing in our business community, what would it be?

Besides getting through this pandemic, I'd want to give small businesses the tools they need to be successful, grow and thrive.

Why work with Fargo INC? All of the Spotlight publications help propel our region forward, with interesting and relevant content and impressive design. It's clear that the team is highly talented and passionate. We're lucky to have this great resource for readers in our region.

What are three business tips you can give?

1. Always deliver more than you promise.

2. Listen don't hear.

3. There's nothing wrong with MN/ND nice, but sometimes you have to say how you feel. Be honest and upfront.

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COURTNEY LARSON F M A R E A F O U N DAT I O N C OM M U N I C AT I O N S A N D M A R K E T I N G O F F I C E R

Courtney Larson grew up in Leonard, N.D., a small town about 45 miles west of Fargo. Leonard is probably best known for its beautiful golf course and the haunted attraction, Acres of Terror. Larson graduated from Kindred High School in 2007 and received her bachelor’s degree in mass communications from Minnesota State University Moorhead. At MSUM, Larson was on the board of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA). As a student, Larson interned in the university's marketing department and gained valuable hands-on experience. After graduating in 2011, Larson was hired on full-time as a Communication Specialist.

Larson says it was an honor to work for her alma mater to help promote the university to prospective students, the community and alumni. Larson worked at MSUM until 2014, when she moved to her current position at the FM Area Foundation.

Larson met her husband at MSUM their freshman year. They now live in south Moorhead and have a twoyear-old son, a dog and a cat.

Awards

2013 Gold Addy, American Advertising Federation of North Dakota 54

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What is your favorite thing about your professional life?

Where to begin! Working for the FM Area Foundation is extremely rewarding. I feel very fortunate to work for an organization whose mission is centered around connecting people to causes that matter. We have the great privilege of helping people give back through the creation of charitable funds that benefit effective nonprofit organizations doing important work in our community and beyond. Working for the FM Area Foundation has given me the opportunity to work with caring and philanthropic individuals, as well as the many dedicated and passionate people in the nonprofit sector.

Three unique facts about yourself 1. Have ridden the tallest rollercoaster in North America.

2. My dog is named Scout after a character in my all-time favorite book, “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

3. I have never been stung by a bee. Pure luck, I guess!

What are some of your favorite things about the FargoMoorhead area?

There are so many things to love about Fargo-Moorhead. I have always appreciated the leaders in our community who make themselves accessible. Leaders in our area come together on a regular basis to collaborate and have dialogue about important issues. Now more than ever, that will be the way forward as we work to make Fargo-Moorhead an even more welcoming and inclusive community.

If you weren't working in your current profession, what would you be doing?

I would be a film critic! I love movies/tv series and would love to have studied film so I could discuss and understand it on a deeper level.

What are some things you like to do in your spare time?

In my free time, I like to go downtown to get coffee or have dinner at one of the wonderful restaurants. Downtown is bustling with activity no matter the time of day. We're fortunate to have such a lively downtown. MB Johnson Park in north Moorhead is also a favorite spot of mine, and I enjoy going there with my husband, son and dog for long walks. It is a beautiful park with lots of green space and trails near the river. I attend classes at Crossfit Fargo a few nights a week. I also love family movie nights and there is nothing quite like sitting down with a good book.

What are three books or podcasts you recommend people check out?

1. “Where the Crawdads Sing” – for those who enjoy good fiction!

2. “Educated” – a fascinating memoir.

3. The Dave Ramsey Show – a podcast for those interested in finding ways to tackle debt.

If you could change or impact one thing in our business community, what would it be?

I would love for people to know they have the power to make a big difference by creating a charitable fund or leaving a gift through their estate plan. These are easy yet extremely beneficial ways to help strengthen the FM area now and for future generations. At the FM Area Foundation, we help individuals, families and businesses with their charitable giving and find solutions for each person’s financial and philanthropic goals. Whether you want to create a scholarship fund to benefit students entering a specific field, a Donor Advised Fund named after your business or a family fund to carry on your family’s tradition of giving, there are so many ways to make a difference.

Our purpose is to help people discover how they can support the causes they care about and leave a meaningful legacy.

Why work with Fargo INC? Fargo INC. shines a light on the many wonderful businesses and nonprofit organizations in our area. The articles in Fargo INC. offer a behind-the-scenes look to help better understand the individuals and companies that add to the vibrancy of our community.

What are three business tips you can give?

1. It’s never too early to start making meaningful connections.

2. Find a mentor or consider becoming one.

3. Storytelling is a powerful way to share your company’s message.

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STEVE DUSEK DA KOTA B U S I N E S S L E N D I N G P R E S I D E N T A N D C EO

Steve Dusek has been married to Suellen for over 30 years, with four grown children, and two grandchildren. A graduate of Grafton High School and the University of North Dakota, Steve has been President and CEO of Dakota Business Lending in Fargo, ND since 2010. Dakota Business Lending Lending is the largest and most experienced SBA Certified Development Company in the State and has been around for over 38 years.

Moving to Fargo allowed Steve and his family the opportunity to move back to the area he and Suellen were born and raised in. Moving back also allowed him to continue to work with small businesses in the SBA 504 industry. Prior to moving back home, Steve worked as President/CEO of Prairieland EDC, located in Slayton, Minnesota. Since 1989, Steve has developed his thirtyone-year economic development career in the upper Midwest.

This position serves as the face of Dakota Business Lending to its constituency and manages the day-to-day operations of the corporation. The President and CEO is responsible for all programs and operations, strategic development and initiatives, company culture, compliance with Federal agencies, and management of all loan portfolios and staff.

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Steve currently manages a loan portfolio of approximately $400 million and a staff of ten. Dakota Business Lending’s portfolio includes SBA 504 loans, Rural Development IRP loans, and numerous local development funds. With offices in Fargo, Bismarck and Lewistown, MT, Dakota Business Lending entirely covers North Dakota and Montana, and parts of Western Minnesota.

Steve has served 15 years as an at-large director for the National Association of Development Companies (NADCO), served the two+ years as Vice-Chair of Regulatory Affairs, guiding the industry and numerous CDC’s through the governance regulation changes and being accessible and providing assistance to dozens of CDC’s across the Country with various regulatory issues to include internal controls, governance, and project eligibility. He also served as Treasurer for four years. He continues to make himself available to all CDC’s and assists in these areas as they navigate the SBA changes in their local areas. He has also served as a board member for the ND Center for Technology and Business and the InspireLab.

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What is your favorite thing about your professional life?

Being a first-rate financing partner, I enjoy being part of a team that provides the momentum a small business needs to start or grow their small business. I really enjoy being part of the success of small businesses by being involved in making their dreams become reality. Finding those financing solutions that make a difference and provide small businesses with the best opportunity for success is an awesome vocation to have.

What are three books or podcasts you recommend people check out?

1. Servant Leadership by Robert K. Greenleaf

2. Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl

Three unique facts about yourself 1) I had my picture taken with Jay Leno and have been on the Jay Leno show.

2) I coached high school girls hockey for over five years.

3) I was the youngest brother of three siblings.

What are some of your favorite things about the FargoMoorhead area?

I like the small feeling that this larger community affords. Fargo/ West Fargo has everything we need, yet our neighborhood feels small and the people are some of the best in the World! In addition, there is a large selection of good quality restaurants to choose from. Finally, it's home.

If you weren't working in your current profession, what would you be doing?

I think I would be a marine biologist and work with the dolphins and whales at Sea World.

What are some things you like to do in your spare time?

It doesn't matter what I am doing, spending time with family is number one. I like to travel, even short weekend trips to areas that are close by. The State and the Region have so many wonderful places to see and visit. I enjoy UND hockey and relaxing on the front porch.

3. Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott

If you could change or impact one thing in our business community, what would it be?

This is tough, but if I had to pick one thing it might be to encourage all individuals and businesses to support local as much as possible. These small businesses are critical to our economy and our area and, especially in these times, are in need of our support.

Why work with Fargo INC? I have always been impressed by the useful and up-todate information that Fargo, Inc. puts out. The staff is very professional and it carries over in the magazine they produce and the content they tackle. No matter what industry you're in or what your profession is, each publication has bits of useful information and guidance.

What are three business tips you can give?

1) Challenge yourself to be better today than you were yesterday and better tomorrow than you are today.

2) You can't get from people what they do not have.

3) Be defined by what and who you are, not what you do.

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KURT MCSPARRON THE 100, INC., DBA THE EXECUTIVES' CLUB OF FARGO-MOORHEAD F O U N D E R A N D D I R EC TO R

HILLARY EHLEN

McSparron was raised on a farm near Grandin, ND. and attended Hillsboro schools through freshman year, then moved on to Moorhead High for a year and back to Hillsboro for his junior year before squeaking out a diploma from Norman County West in Halstad, MN in 1985. In all of that moving, McSparron missed ACT/SAT testing day, so he never applied for college. McSparron did, however, manage a Radio/TV Broadcasting diploma from the now-defunct School of Communication Arts in Minneapolis some time in the late 80’s. After a couple decades of crazy jobs and even crazier adventures, McSparron found himself back home, in Fargo, and couldn’t be happier!

Awards

McSparron met his wife Laurie on October 1, 2002 and they married on October 1, 2010.

What is your favorite thing about your professional life?

Each day, I get to have impactful and powerful conversations with some of the area’s best business leaders, plus I get to lend a hand in their innovation, their creativity and, hopefully, their fulfillment.

What are some unique facts about yourself?

I’m not sure there’s anything unique, or worth mentioning. I did live in Gatwick Airport for a few weeks in the fall of 1985. That’s unique, I suppose. Also, I may be the only person without a podcast.

What are some of your favorite things about the FargoMoorhead area?

People are generally and genuinely nice to each other. I would argue there is no place in America that consistently displays more goodwill, empathy and philanthropy than this community.

I am very proud to call North Dakota home.

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If you weren't working in your current profession, what would you be doing?

Tough to say… Maybe eating a sandwich and watching some television.

What are some things you like to do in your spare time?

Being creative. Solving problems. Building things. I love to be outside, simply working around the farm. The list of projects is never-ending. I’m certain that I’ll end before the list does.

What are some books or podcasts you recommend people check out?

I read The Shining in 1977 and Traction in 2015. Beyond that, I don’t read books, nor do I listen to podcasts. Quite frankly, I never learned to read at a rate I felt effective enough to justify the time that’s required to finish most books. If one comes highly recommended, I’ll give it a 30-minute scan, but I never commit hours or days to it. Podcasts? I’ve heard of them. Throughout the day, I absorb a lot of information from a lot of sources, but none of which takes more than 15 minutes. I’ve always gotten more from living the chapters of my life, rather than reading them.

If you could change or impact one thing in our business community, what would it be?

I would like to see greater and expanded opportunities for mentorship between our senior business leaders and our start-up community, and frankly, amongst our entire business community. Everyone has something they can teach and everyone has something new to learn. Let's do some more of that.

Why work with Fargo INC? Mike is dedicated to our community and committed to the success of this magazine. Plus, if you’re reading this… It obviously works!

What are three business tips you can give?

Have a group. Have a system. Have a coach. Call me, I'm happy to expand on that.

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JOHN MACHACEK G R E AT E R FA R G O M O O R H E A D EC O N O M I C D E V E LO P M E N T C O R P O R AT I O N C H I E F I N N OVAT I O N O F F I C E R

Originally from Langdon, North Dakota, Machacek moved here to attend MSUM and has lived in the Fargo Moorhead area ever since. Machacek's jobs have varied as he built his career and evolved into who he is today – retail management, collections, catering, restaurant management, business banking and non-profits. His most recent prior positions were with United Way of Cass-Clay and U.S. Bank. Machacek has been with GFMEDC for a total of 11 years, holding a number of positions.

John is married to Jeanine who is a stellar bookseller with Barnes & Noble. His son Jack just finished his first year at MSUM and has been a chip off the old block with his social and community activity.

Machacek's daughter Kate will be a junior at Oak Grove and is developing into a strong, independent young woman. And they just began hosting an international student – Katarina from Montenegro who is an awesome piano player and a former boxing champion.

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What is your favorite thing about your professional life?

What are some books or podcasts you recommend people check out?

I like that my job is to be resourceful and helpful to others, I have a lot of variety and I get to meet and connect with so many interesting people. I get a ton of personal fulfillment; we have a cohesive team; and our work environment is outstanding. My job is a nice combination of human interaction and behind the scenes stuff like managing our revolving loan fund.

Three unique facts about yourself 1. I was an assistant manager of a Krispy Kreme.

2. I worked part-time for Yelp.com a few years ago to help build their Fargo Moorhead presence and got to plan social events.

3. I help create the weekly The Fargo Beat e-newsletter for 10 years to over 1,000 subscribers and now manage its social media accounts.

What are some of your favorite things about the FargoMoorhead area?

I love the people here and I love how our metro is reshaping itself. With the population growth and the retention of younger residents, this city has changed tremendously since I moved here for college. The area is full of doers who are willing to be creative and try things, and the people reciprocate by supporting those endeavors. This area is full of community engagement rock stars and I’m fortunate to connect with many of them.

If you weren't working in your current profession, what would you be doing?

Gosh, I love my job and the EDC, so honestly, I don’t really think about it. I guess if I had to create a job, it may be a mix of community and employee (or student) engagement for a company or university, with maybe a dash of development to help the organization grow and succeed. But if I had a magic wand, I would love to spend just one week with the writers and cast of Saturday Night Live working on an episode.

What are some things you like to do in your spare time?

Pre-kids it was watching sports, going out with friends, painting and drawing. Once I became a father, I wanted to spend my free time with them maximizing all the moments because they have been such a joy and I knew they’d be out of the house before I knew it. I guess I’m only a couple of years away from needing to find hobbies again.

I’m the non-reader in our house except for newspapers and magazines, so I’d be bad about book advice – go ask my wife at Barnes & Noble. My go-to podcast is Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard, but I mostly zone in on episodes with comedic actors as they discuss their craft, insecurities and fun stories.

If you could change or impact one thing in our business community, what would it be?

One thing? Hmmm. This may seem a bit random but I think it would be great if we could see a fast pattern of businesses choosing to provide and encourage paid parental leave. I think it would reduce a lot of worry and stress of new parents and ideally having them feel pretty good about their employer. How awesome would it be if Fargo Moorhead was known for that?

I would think it would be an excellent way to attract and retain residents.

Why work with Fargo INC? I have a knack for noticing what businesses have going on and what may be of interest, so I want to be helpful to the Fargo Inc team by providing story ideas and connections. The magazine itself is always beautifully crafted and does a great job of sharing interesting information. It showcases why our community is such a great place to do business.

What are three business tips you can give?

I don’t know that I’m in a place to give business tips. I’ll leave it at if you are a primary sector company AND you are not acquainted with GFMEDC, give us a call. Also, engage with your community and your employees to help make it better and them better.

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KRISTI HUBER U N I T E D WAY O F C A S S - C L AY P R E S I D E N T A N D C EO

Kristi Huber has served in the role of President & CEO of United Way of Cass-Clay since May of 2016. During her tenure, United Way has developed valuable collaborations focused on meeting workforce needs by connecting individuals with supportive skills training and creating awareness and action around the importance of quality, affordable childcare as a dual-generational strategy.

Kristi's career includes a wide range of both for profit and non-profit management experience. She has lived in the Fargo-Moorhead community since 2002 and is deeply committed to working with business and nonprofit leaders and connecting people to create the biggest measurable impact for the community. She is a graduate of Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota and earned her MBA from the University of Mary, Bismarck, North Dakota.

Prior to her role as President and CEO, Kristi served as the Resource Development Director for United Way and also as a volunteer for the campaign. She is passionate about the Fargo-Moorhead community, the state of North Dakota, volunteering and connecting people in ways that will enhance their quality of life and help them reach their dreams.

Awards

2018 Top 25 Women In Business, Prairie Business Magazine 62

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What is your favorite thing about your professional life?

I am fortunate that I have an opportunity to work with so many people that inspire me and give me an invaluable perspective on community needs and issues. This list includes volunteers, business leaders, nonprofit partners and the team I get to work with every day at United Way. They are a creative and driven group of individuals who want to solve social issues and create a better tomorrow for everyone in our community. I’m incredibly grateful to be a part of this mission.

Three unique facts about yourself 1. I was raised on a grain farm in rural Minnesota and I credit my work ethic to where I grew up.

2. After graduating from Concordia College, my first job was working for John Deere, in their Minneapolis branch.

3. My husband and I are avid University of North Dakota and NHL hockey fans. We have a bucket list to see all of the NHL arenas across the United States and Canada and have been to 18 of the 31 arenas.

What are some of your favorite things about the FargoMoorhead area?

I’m inspired by the people in our community. We are so fortunate to have a community that cares and is incredibly generous with their time, talent and resources. I’m grateful for the unique and diverse industries that have deep roots in our region with the arts, education, agriculture, technology and healthcare represented.

What are some things you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy spending time with my husband, Gregg and our dog Tazer. I am always grateful for time with my friends. I’ve been known to binge watch a Netflix series or two over a weekend.

I also always look forward to working out with friends at OrangeTheory Fitness.

What are three books or podcasts you recommend people check out?

Dan Heath’s new book, Upstream is a game-changer. Our United Way continues to look at how we can solve issues before they happen and this is a fantastic read for business leaders who like to work smarter, not harder.

Jeremy Heiman and Henry Timms’ book New Power is a great read for leaders looking to navigate the challenges of a multigenerational workforce to create real change.

Simon Sinek’s book, The Infinite Game is timely as the rules for business continue to evolve, having an infinite mindset is crucial. This book provides a powerful perspective for leaders looking to most effectively allocate resources and make important decisions on which strategic initiatives to pursue in order to stay competitive.

If you could change or impact one thing in our business community, what would it be?

If I could change one thing about our business community it would be that local business leaders would amplify the importance of quality affordable child care and advocate for it as a key workforce issue.

The struggle for parents to balance careers and caregiving was a huge issue even before the pandemic. After spending months at home, navigating deadlines, virtual meetings and conference calls with their children in the same room, the value of quality care is at an all-time high. This is especially true for families navigating a path out of poverty.

Child care is influential in parents’ career decisions, while at the same time, also helps shape tomorrow’s workers when they are toddlers starting to learn. Business leaders who recognize this need and help to support community-wide solutions will be heroes.

Why work with Fargo INC? I enjoy working with the Fargo INC team because they are driven to reflect the bright spots across our region’s business sector. They are creative problem-solvers and genuinely want to support our community in a way that helps it grow. They are true partners for their clients and work hard to tell their stories in ways that inspire.

What are three business tips you can give?

1) Download the Blinkist app. As an avid reader this app gives me access to high-powered summaries and insights of thousands of books that take 15 minutes or less to read. This app has helped me focus on and prioritize the books I am currently reading.

2) Stay connected to community needs by intentionally reaching out to local non-profit leaders. We want to hear from you!

3) Set a goal each week to meet one new person from our community and have a virtual meeting or coffee with them. Focus on someone that may not be in your normal sphere of connections. It’s easier than it sounds – volunteering is great place to start! You just have to make the effort. In one year you will make 52 new connections and exponentially expand your network and perspectives of the community!

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GREGORY WALD M O O R E H O L D I N G C O M PA N Y AC Q U I S I T I O N S | C OM M U N I C AT I O N

Gregory Wald asks questions. His wife would tell you he often asks too many questions.

Behind the questions, though, is a desire to understand and to improve. A student of history, politics and business, Gregory makes connections and sees links between people, events, decisions and trends.

His curiosity and execution have helped him make a career as a consultant and a communicator. He thrives on leading processes of discovery that lead to action toward an ultimate outcome – finding a strategic fit, defining a vision, perfecting a message.

Born and raised in Strasburg, North Dakota, Gregory earned his undergraduate degree from Concordia College and an MBA from the University of North Dakota. He is currently working in acquisitions and communications at Moore Holding Company, which rose from the ESOP that Moore Engineering, Inc. formed when it became employee-owned. The Moore Holding Company team is working to expand its family of companies to bring a broader group into employee ownership.

Gregory lives in Fargo with his wife, Sara, and children, Kathryn (10) and Andrew (7). Between work and family activities, he serves on the Fargo Kiwanis and Bison Arts boards and sings in his church choir.

Awards

1st Place, Blogs, Corporate or For-Profit, NFPW Numerous NDPC awards Consecutive NASWA awards for economic development publications 64

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What is your favorite thing about your professional life?

Always learning. As a consultant or now in the acquisitions world, I’ve enjoyed amazing opportunities to engage with leaders and companies across many industries. They all have unique approaches, ideas and definitions of success. Every day is an education.

Three unique facts about yourself 1. Scored an albatross (double eagle) on hole 4 at The Links of North Dakota 2. Interned for the Senate Human Services Committee during the 1995 N.D. legislative session 3. Played saxophone in the North Dakota High School Centennial Band

What are some books or podcasts you recommend people check out?

Instead of recommendations, I’ll encourage readers to do two things: 1. Spend more time reading books and long-form journalism than on social media. Read things with depth and that challenge your assumptions.

2. Support quality journalism, especially local. Pay for digital subscriptions that will help keep journalism standards and performance high.

If you could change or impact one thing in our business community, what would it be?

What are some of your favorite things about the FargoMoorhead area?

Opportunities here are always growing, and I hope we can all make our economic diversity accelerate even more – more industries, more occupations, more points of view.

It’s where I met my wife, so that’s #1!

Why work with Fargo INC?

My family and I love our north Fargo neighborhood, and I appreciate how the metro area embraces progress and growth while maintaining the feel of a close-knit community.

If you weren't working in your current profession, what would you be doing?

Fargo INC!’s unique energy comes from its focus on small business. It provides resources to business owners and highlights people and organizations we probably wouldn’t encounter any other way.

What are three business tips you can give?

If you weren't working in your current profession, what would you be doing?

Strategy, leadership, branding and writing fulfill me the most in the many work roles I've filled in my career. My benchmark is feeling challenged and appreciated.

What are some things you like to do in your spare time?

Golf is my recreational passion. I love walking the course, the traditions of the game and the connection to my family. Now, I’m passing the game to my own kids, and their embrace of it really brings me joy. Other than that, I enjoy reading, writing and watching movies, when I can.

LISTEN – First, seek to understand an issue or someone else’s perspective.

LEARN – Fill your knowledge gaps. Do your homework. Do your research. Know what you’re talking about.

PRACTICE – Get really good at the tasks of your job, whether that is leadership, programming or writing your company blog.

Put in the time. Know what you’re doing. Develop expertise.

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SCOTT MEYER NDSU

O Z B U N E X EC U T I V E D I R EC TO R O F E N T R E P R E N E U R S H I P

Scott Meyer is the Ozbun Executive Director of Entrepreneurship at North Dakota State University. He founded The Nice Center, an entrepreneurship center for innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship.

Previously, Meyer founded 9 Clouds, an automotive inbound marketing agency based in Sioux Falls, SD. He also worked on political campaigns across the country during the 2018 midterms as a digital strategist.

As a community leader and former city councilor, he founded TEDxBrookings, Creativity Week and 1 Million Cups in Brookings. View his full bio and connect on LinkedIn.

Awards

The South Dakota Spirit of Entrepreneurship Top 40 Under 40 by Prairie Business Journal Young Entrepreneur of the Year in South Dakota

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M E E T T H E E D I TO R I A L B OA R D

What is your favorite thing about your professional life?

I encourage students and community members to bet on themselves.

If you could change or impact one thing in our business community, what would it be?

More diverse founders would help improve the creativity and success of everyone.

Three unique facts about yourself Why work with Fargo INC? 1. I lived for five years above the Arctic Circle.

2. I speak Norwegian and Spanish.

3. I'm an ultimate frisbee lover.

What are some of your favorite things about the FargoMoorhead area?

The community of people is what makes Fargo-Moorhead.

People want to help and that creates an amazing ecosystem for entrepreneurs.

If you weren't working in your current profession, what would you be doing?

I would be starting another company! So many ideas, so little time.

Fargo INC creates an intersection where experienced businesses can share and learn from newcomers. This is essential to share lessons and inspire the next generation of businesses in Fargo.

What are three business tips you can give?

Talk to your customer - that will help you learn what problems actually need to be solved.

Dedicate 20% of your company time to your own projects - this will help you innovate, improve your work, and build your next generation of products and services.

Tell your story - your marketing should be transparently sharing the process. Sharing who you are will attract the right customers.

What are some things you like to do in your spare time?

I enjoy playing with my three little girls, getting outside on runs and bike rides, and playing music on guitar or piano if I find the time!

What are some books or podcasts you recommend people check out?

1. Akimbo podcast

2. Stratechery podcast and newsletter

3. The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander and Benjamin Zander

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BlaCkOwned

BuSineSSes TO SUPPORT IN FARGO-MOORHEAD RIGHT NOW

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By Alexandra Martin In the wake of the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, many of us in the Fargo-Moorhead community have been experiencing pain, anger and a renewed desire to take action. The ongoing fight against police brutality has finally caught the attention of our nation, spurred by the deaths of Breonna Taylor, Eric Garner, Philando Castile, Mike Brown, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin and too many more. While there is nothing we can do to reverse what has already happened, we can come together to ensure our future is changed so this will never happen again.

Beyond educating yourself, having discussions about racial justice with others and donating to local organizations, one of the most direct and sustainable ways to support the Black community is to shop at Black-owned businesses, many of which have also been disproportionally affected by the coronavirus pandemic. While this will be a long, ongoing discussion and fight for justice, Fargo-Moorhead residents can lend support to Black-owned businesses right now. From restaurants and bars, to educational resources and nonprofits, our community is home to a number of incredible Black-owned businesses.

To help you do this, we’ve created a directory of Black-owned businesses you can support.

This directory has been compiled with the help from our community, especially members of LadyBosses of Fargo-Moorhead and Fargo Mom. We are dedicated to keeping this list up to date and accurate. We are aware that we may have missed some businesses, so if you have updates or suggestions for this directory, please email us at fargoinc@spotlightmediafargo.com.

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FOOD AND DRINK A&E Liberian Restraurant 524 N Broadway, Fargo

Adibon 1407 1st Ave North, Fargo Adibonfusioncuisine.com African Express Food Truck /Afexfoods Eric Ntivu-Bisimwa

African Market 1230 23rd St S, Fargo African Market Barwaqo Grocery 2233 13th Ave S, Fargo Barwaqo Grocery

Africa International Restaurant and Night Club 4554 7th Ave South, West Fargo /Africainternationalfargo

Boppa’s Bagels 3051 25th St S, Fargo Boppasbagels.com

Africa International Restaurant and Night Club

Deb’s Corner Foods and Catering Remote/Pop-up debjenkins.com International Market Plaza 1345 Main Ave, Fargo /IMPFargo

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Chai Moto Tea Remote/Pop-Up chaimoto.com

Juice It 64 Broadway N, Fargo 4302 13th Ave S, Fargo juiceitjuicebar.com

FOOD AND DRINK Madina’s Cuisine 2225 13th Ave S, Fargo madinasCuisine

The Spice Grille 28 Moorhead Center Mall Avenue, Moorhead /thespicegrille/ Hillary Ehlen

Nile River Grocery 4720 7th Ave S, Fargo Ricot’s Haitian Fritay Food Truck

Ricot’s Haitian Fritay

Texas Best Express Food Truck/Remote /texasbestexpress

Rugsan Cuisine 2424 13th Ave S #101, Fargo

/RugsanCuisine Suna’s Egyptian Eatery Food Truck facebook.com/sunaeatery/ Soul Taco Food Truck

Hillary Ehlen

Top Dog Hot Dogs Food Cart

/fmtopdoghotdog

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Health, Wellness and Beauty Beauty Bar by Whitney 624 Main Ave Suite 9, Fargo beautybarbywhitney.com

A&E Beauty Supply & Antoinett Hair Salon 1200 1st Ave N, Fargo aandebeauty.com Chrystelle African Hair Braiding 108 5th St S Unit B, Moorhead /Cahbshop Motherland Health 1351 Page Drive S Suite 212, Fargo motherlandhealth.org Hillary Ehlen

Mrs. Belle Hair Salon Food Truck 4950 13th Ave S 2nd Floor, Fargo /BelleSalonandBoutique Motor City Beauty Salon and Spa 3233 45th St. South, Fargo /MotorCityBeautySalonSpa

Hair & Makeup by Olivia Nora Salon – 5670 38 Ave S Suite C, Fargo /hairandmakeupbyolivia 74

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Carissa Wirtz

Pro Cutz 2512 7th Ave S D4, Fargo procutzfargo.com Roots Barbershop & Salon 1420 9th St E, West Fargo /Rootsbarbershopandsalon The Wig Suite by Whitney 624 Main Ave Suite 3A, Fargo thewigsuitebywhitney.com Urban Beauty Supply Store 1326 25th Street S, Fargo /Urbanbeautysupplyfm Prairie Products LLC. PO Box 2505, Fargo prairieproductsnd.com * "We are a black lead business, not owned. Our ownership structure is an LLC. As a founder, I am grateful to our investors for their ability to envision the future of the agricultural hemp market here in the Valley."

-Founder, Veronica Michael

Dee Dee Salon & Beauty Supply 3475 45th Street South, Fargo mkarbaker.wixsite.com/deedeesalon

Hillary Ehlen

Skill Cutz Barbershop & Salon 2551 45th Street S, Fargo skillcutz.com

HOme and FaMily 45 Degree Angle Decks. Fences. Remodeling.

106 5th St. S., Moorhead 45degreeangle.com

45 Degree Angle

Children of Hope Childcare Preschool & Daycare 1321 19th Ave N, Fargo cohchildcare.com

Four Elements Therapy Therapy fourelementstherapy.com Children of Hope Childcare

Jasmin Child Care and Preschool Preschool & Daycare 4720 7th Ave S, Ste E, Fargo jasminchildcare.org Marquee Window Cleaning Window Cleaning 2723 Parkview Drive S, Fargo

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Precision Cleaning Cleaning Service precisioncleaningnd.com

Mama DeeCare Preschool & Daycare 2606 57th Ave S., Fargo mamadeedaycare.com

empOwerment, and buSineSs Arise! Communities Technology Classes and Educational Events arisecommunities.com

BeSpoke Marketing/Business Development/Event/ Political Consulting

Hillary Ehlen

P’s & Q’s Boys & Girls Etiquette Youth Leadership & Empowerment 112 University Dr. Ste. 141, Fargo psnqs.org

P’s & Q’s Boys & Girls Etiquette

Soma Employment Solutions Recruiting 3403 10th Street S, Moorhead somaemployment.com 78

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Kayleigh Omang

educatiOn Thomas Jefferson State Farm Agent Insurance 3330 Fiechtner Dr S, Ste 110, Fargo

Afro American Development Association Development & Nonprofit aadevassoc.org Bradshaw Firearms and Safety Gun safety and conceal and carry certifications. /bradshawFirearmsSafety J.Alan Paul

UBUNTU Consulting Consulting and Education laetitiahellerud.com

ConnectLabs Businesses Customer Data Collection 1854 NDSU Research Circle N, Fargo /connectlabsconsumerengagement Destiny and Purpose Counseling Counseling 3320 18th St. S. Suite E, Fargo destinyandpurpose.net Maxime & Co Hospitality & Service Consulting and Qualified Service Provider maxime.us/index.html South Sudan Reads Nonprofit & Community Development 417 Main Ave S, Fargo southsudanreads.org uCodeGirl Nonprofit + Girls in STEM 325 5th St N, Fargo ucodegirl.org

Wisdom Speaks Activism & Education /talkwisdomspeaks

Nicole Mendoza FARGOINC.COM

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HOme and FaMily DJ-AP Musician/DJ /FMAdotpdot

Deb Jenkins Band Musician debjenkins.com Dave Arnston

Ivan Amssan Photography Photographer ivanmassan.com

Celebration of Women and Their Music Music Festival debjenkins.com/ celebrationofwomen.html Heart & Soul FM Musician heartsoulfm.com Kwaician Musician /Kwaician Revolution Records Music Recording Services /RevolutionRecordsStudio

LensView Studio Photographer /Lens.View.S

MGA Photography Photographer /MuhendPhotography

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THE UNEXPECTED PATH TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP OF MR. FRANK DARKO

By Brady Drake Photos by Nicole Mendoza

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FRANK DARKO

GRACE DARKO

YOLANDA DARKO

TRIXIE DARKO

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Sometimes, life takes unexpected twists and turns. Frank Darko, Owner of Boppa’s Bagels, has learned this during a life that has included moving to a new country, earning a second college degree, working multiple jobs at once, and eventually purchasing the business that gave him his first job in the United States.

Frank’s professional career began in his hometown of Winneba, Ghana where he learned the hard work that it took to run a business from his father who also operated his own store.

However, his father’s store wasn’t a bagel store. In fact, Frank had never had a bagel in his life before working for Boppa’s Bagels.

He had never baked before either, but shortly after coming to the community to attend Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2009, Frank accepted a job to bake Bagels at Boppa’s Bagels.

“This place means so much to me,” said Frank as he laughed about how little experience he had baking when he took the job.

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What he did have, however, was a strong work ethic and a positive attitude.

“I’m an accounting guy. I had an accounting degree, but things change,” said Frank. “I just go with the flow.”

Frank says those early experiences were tough when he was just learning. Anyone who has seen the long early morning lines at Boppa’s Bagels can imagine the stress of trying to keep the variety of flavors stocked during a rush.

However, Frank credits Angelina, his baking teacher and current employee, for telling him to take his time and realize that he would make mistakes.

Offering the FM region un-paralleled, turn-key services across commercial sales and leasing, architectural, design and development services and ag land sales and acquisition.

FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA

6,234 MILES THE DISTANCE BETWEEN FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA AND WINNEBA, GHANA, FRANK DARKO’S HOMETOWN. 86

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WINNEBA, GHANA

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A local favorite, Boppa’s Bagels makes between 60 to 100 dozen bagels per day on the weekend and between 25 to 40 dozen per day on weekdays. Boppa’s Bagels also donates bagels to the food pantry every Wednesday and Friday.

I BELIEVE IN DOING THINGS BY MYSELF. I BELIEVE THAT THE DEVIL WILL FIND SOMETHING TO DO WITH HANDS THAT ARE NOT BUSY.” -FRANK DARKO 88

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Frank’s Favorite Bagel Those mistakes did happen. Still, Frank persevered and eventually turned from baker to sandwich maker and from sandwich maker to cashier worker. Frank might not have known it at the time, but former owner, Gary Porter, was grooming Frank to run the shop.

During his years working as an employee at Boppa’s Bagels, Frank graduated from MSUM with a degree in Healthcare Administration, worked as a Central Processor at Sanford, worked on payroll at Bethany Retirement Living, and was an assistant supervisor at Integrity Windows and Doors. Though his life away from Boppa’s continued to change, Frank kept his same passion for the bagel business.

It was through his life away from Boppa's that Porter clearly noticed his work ethic. When he was ready to sell in 2016, Porter had people offer four times the amount that Frank could offer to buy the business, but he believed that Frank was the right person to keep the business going.

In 2020, Frank took another big step in his life, marrying his wife Grace who is also from Ghana.

He believes taking this step was pivotal in his current success with his business.

to have a wife that will understand that sometimes you will be home at 8 p.m. when you said at the beginning of the day that you would be done by 4 p.m.”

Late stays can be common in any entrepreneurial field. However, the high turnover rate that comes in the foodservice industry can sometimes leave owners short-staffed and handling multiple duties at once, something Frank admits can be his businesses biggest challenge. As a result, Frank says there are times when he is the only one working at the restaurant. He will cook, clean, and work the cash register on his own.

But, that doesn’t ever get in the way of his positivity or constant smile.

“It changes depending on my mood. In the morning, I will go for the French Toast bagel. Around 10 or 11 o’clock, I will go for the asiago bagel.

When I’m happy I’m going to go for the chocolate and when I am down I will probably go with the multigrain.”

“Turnover has been very high in Fargo because there are a lot of open jobs,” said Frank. “The only thing you can do is treat them well. It’s a family here. If we have any life events or any changes going on where someone needs some time off, they can take that time. We have a lot of people that have been working here for a long time so we understand each other.”

“My wife is great because she is so understanding,” said Frank. “To be successful in this business you need

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WHAT’S NEXT? “We want to have another location pretty soon,” said Frank. “In years to come, we may consider franchising. I can’t say for sure that is something we will do. That is something we want to take our time with.

I’m not here to get rich, I’m here to keep the company culture.”

To support Boppa’s Bagels, visit boppasbagels.com and drive down to 3501 25th St. S. 92

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30TH AVE S 27TH ST S

“What keeps me going is the good quality bagels and the good customer service,” said Frank.

25TH ST S

Frank is still striving to move the business forward even with what he admits are tough times because of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Thankfully, Frank was able to stay afloat during the more difficult months of the pandemic with the PPP loan. In fact, he never even shut his doors. A pandemic isn’t likely to stop a man that slept four to six hours a night while working two jobs before buying Boppa’s Bagels.

32ND AVE S

BOPPA'S BAGELS

Melissa Erdmann, FNP Jaeda Ertelt FNP

Sarah Baker, FNP

ENERGY IN NORTH DAKOTA

By Brady Drake

North Dakota is no longer just an ag state.

This has been true for quite some time as our beloved state experienced a major oil boom in the mid 2000's which has turned us into a world-class producer and hub of innovation for all things energy. To learn more about this explosion, we sat down with Ron Ness of the North Dakota Petroleum Council. We also interviewed John Griffin, CEO of TerraCOH, who is working to innovate in electricity generation and energy storage.

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Q: What is the Bakken?

A: The Bakken Formation is an incredible energy resource that is

Ron Ness

President, North Dakota Petroleum Council

the result of plant and organic matter from 320 million years ago. It took us over 60 years to figure out the technology to be able to use this petroleum resource in the Williston Basin that is about two miles beneath our feet. It's now one of the great oil reservoirs in the world and has leapfrogged North Dakota to the top of the energy-producing states across the country. In 2007, we were producing less than 100,000 barrels of oil per day with 3,000 oil wells and about 5,000 people working in the industry. Today, pre-COVID, we were producing about 1.5 million barrels of oil per day. Only four states in the history of the United States have produced over 1 million barrels of oil per day. If North Dakota were a country it would be about the 16th largest producing oil country in the world. The Bakken is an amazing resource for our state.

Q: What was it like being in the industry during the boom?

A: Yes, I've watched this oil industry transpire from what was really quiet to now something that is world-class and world scale. It's been an incredible run-up for a little over a decade now.

Did You Know That North Dakota Is • 2nd in the nation in both crude oil production and proved crude oil reserves • One of the top 10 ethanol-producing states • Home to the world's largest deposit of lignite • Fourth-highest in the nation for wind power share

Minnkota, along with technical expertise from EERC and others, are working on Project Tundra, which will allow our largest coal plant to capture and store CO2 underground without impacting the front end of the traditional coal combustion process. When completed, the amount of CO2 taken out of the atmosphere will equate to taking at least 600,000 cars off the road each year.

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Q: Did we know that this abundance of natural resources existed prior to the boom in the mid 2000's?

A: We knew because when you drilled through the formation, there was a flush of oil, but it wasn't economically sustainable because it was a very thin layer of shale oil and you would just drill through it vertically, and the economic connectivity of it was only 10 to 30 feet. Well, when you drill two miles down and you turn that drill bit horizontally, you then have two to three miles of economic connectivity to this world-class shale resource. People knew there was oil there, but it really started to come to light in the mid 2000's.

Q: Did horizontal drilling come into play right around that time?

A: Horizontal drilling started to reach notoriety in the 2000s. Prior to that there was some shorter length horizontal drilling, but what we've seen in the Bakken, has come around in the late 2000's. Extending the wells two miles laterally two miles beneath the earth and utilizing fracture stimulation along the entire two miles is what allowed us the crack the code on the Bakken formation and make it one of the world’s greatest oil resources.

INTERVIEW WITH TERRACOH CEO JOHN GRIFFIN *TerraCOH is a company working to greatly expand the use of the earth’s natural geothermal heat for large scale electricity production and energy storage. TerraCOH’s patented technology consists of using non-water based working fluids for the transfer of below-ground heat to the surface. Their process will allow a CO2 Plume Geothermal facility to generate electricity and store energy over a much large area of the United States and the world than traditional geothermal technology.

TerraCOH is in the process of preparing to implementing a pilot site in North Dakota.

Q: With your company yet to be on a site, how do you test things to make sure the process works?

A: The gas and oil industry has been using computer simulations for years to predict where to target their oil and gas production. TerraCOH has built a model of a below ground site in North Dakota over the last few months. The reason we think it's a good formation is that the North Dakota Geologic Survey organization has been fantastic to work with in finding the right formations and sharing with us the data characterizing that formation. With the computer simulation software we are using, we are able to predict the likely behavior and performance of the CO2 below ground. TerraCOH uses this information as the basis of the engineering at the site. This helps us have a more predictable outcome at the end of the day.

Q: What exactly can you learn from those core samples?

A: The core samples from the North Dakota Geologic Survey organization, allows TerraCOH to characterize specific conditions below ground before we spend large amounts of capital on drilling. Imagine these core samples are like an “actual” snapshot of the true conditions below ground. These snapshots give us much detailed information on what is actually deep within the earth.

Q: Why would North Dakota like this?

A: Nobody quite knows the life of the oil and gas industry going forward. I think it's going to be around for many years because it's a very high-density fuel and our world uses oil and gas to meet many broad societal needs. But, there is increasing momentum behind renewables like solar and wind. This momentum is because solar and wind technology is becoming less expensive with broader usage and societal concerns about the environmental impact of CO2 emissions. TerraCOH’s solution does not emit CO2, works 24X7 and not only does not emit any CO2, but we store millions of metric tonnes of CO2 safely and securely below ground. This CO2 can be obtained from large industrial emitters of CO2 and potentially even directly captured from the atmosphere.

Therefore, TerraCOH can lower emissions going forward and even find use of CO2 after it is removed from the atmosphere. Because TerraCOH’s technology builds on technology that is already used and proven in the oil and gas industry; we can expand the employment opportunities for North Dakota’s oil and gas workforce into another market, which would be a good for the people and the State of North Dakota.

Q: As a CEO that comes from outside the energy industry, what is it like bringing something like this to market?

A: I spent most of my years in high-tech, which is relatively low capital

John Griffin CEO

and involves the sale of a developed product or service through a sales organization or distribution network. TerraCOH on the other hand is a large industrial project. The project is very capital intensive and takes long to finance and implement. It is similar to building an ethanol or ammonia plant, but much of the facility is below ground with a small footprint on the surface. As we are commercializing this technology, we've added people to the team that have a deep understanding of the technology, it’s implementation, and how to finance such a large project.

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Angelina Sam Teewon

Q. In a brief summary, what do you do?

A. I’m currently a student studying Political Science and Sociology. In the long term, I plan to go to law school and further my career. I also enjoy traveling and creating inspirational videos on my Facebook and Instagram page, Wisdom Speaks.

Q. Tell me about your motivational social media platform, Wisdom Speaks!

A. Wisdom Speaks is an important part of who I am and what I stand for, which is to inspire and motivate others when they're facing life’s deepest disparities. I started Wisdom Speaks in November 2018 because I found myself changing the lives of many of my friends, colleagues, and classmates.

They confided in me with their deepest secrets and problems that they were facing in their lives. Many of them took my words very seriously. When I realized that my words were transforming lives, I decided that I wanted to reach even more people who may be going through tough times in their life.

Q. You organized and led a peaceful protest in Fargo following the death of George Floyd. Can you describe the process of planning that protest?

On May 30, activist and aspiring law student Angelina Sam Teewon led a crowd of peaceful protestors thousands strong through the streets of Downtown Fargo. Now she’s using her voice to uplift, inspire, and advocate for equality in Fargo-Moorhead and beyond.

Photo by Nicole Mendoza

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A. The protest was a group effort with my friends Anyiwei Maciek and Morgan Duncan. Watching the video of George Floyd’s death touched all of us and it led us to want to have our voices heard. We could not sit back, especially knowing how

predominantly white our community is.

We wanted to bring an awareness to this injustice and seek changes from our city leaders. Our intention for the protest was to keep it short and simple to get our point across. But it ended up being more than that!

Coordinating a protest is a bit tricky because you don’t know the outcome until you are there. This is what my friends and I realized when we planned our protest in Fargo. We estimated that the attendance wouldn’t surpass 500, but to our surprise, we had 5,000 people walking the streets of Fargo fighting an awesome fight with us!

Q. Now that you’ve had some time to reflect, how do you feel the protest went?

growing in diversity and that a lot of the protesters were young people. That alone says that young people are seeking changes in our community. I hope that they will continue to listen to the voices of these young people.

in the mirror and speak truth to your life? A leader must also accept criticism and learn from it. You must be ready to take the good, the bad, and the ugly because you WILL get that!

I hope to see my community recognizing that all life has the same value, be it white, Black, blue, purple, yellow, or pink! One step in this is through police reform. I hope to see better, safer tactics being used by our police officers to detain people.

Q. What is the best advice you have to offer?

Finally, I don’t want this awareness to die after one protest. I want people to keep having conversations and fighting for Black lives. This isn’t just a hashtag or a trend; it’s my life and it matters!

Q. Who is your hero and why?

A. The protest was wonderful. I’ve never felt so proud of myself and my community.

There were people of all backgrounds and ages there. I love the fact that everyone who participated knew the reason they were marching for. The protest we led was peaceful as planned, and we all had a great time.

Q. You are part of the group ND Stand For Change, which has been meeting with city leaders to make Fargo a safer place for all members of our community.

What changes do you hope to see moving forward?

A. I hope that our lawmakers and city leaders will see that our community is

A. My biggest hero is my mother.

My mother has taught me strength, independence, wisdom, and tolerance.

I’ve watched my mother nurture, care for, and host strangers in her home. Though many turn their backs on her after her good deeds, she never ceases to help the next stranger. I love her heart! I want to be like her.

Q. What do you think are the most important qualities for a leader?

A. A leader must first have a humanitarian heart in order to faithfully lead his or her people. A leader must also be truthful to herself. How can you be honest to another human being if you can’t even look yourself

A. There’s a special power in each and every one of us to conquer, to overcome, to move mountains, and break every unbreakable chain in our lives and the lives of others. If your heart is racing to do something, do not hesitate. Do it wholeheartedly. Do it even if the entire world stands against you!

Q. How can our community support you and your work?

A. You can follow my work online on Instagram (@_wisdomspeaks) and Facebook (@talkwisdomspeaks). Also you can follow and share ND Stand for Change on Facebook (@ndstandforchange) for information about upcoming events in our community.

Wisdom Speaks is stretching its arms globally. To support my work, I encourage the community to send in their thoughts and prayers as I use my platform to bless the lives of children in orphanages and young girls who are victims of abuse in my home country of Liberia. I’m so excited about this and I cannot wait to share my experience with the world!

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Academic Insight

W

hen I first agreed to write this column for Fargo INC!, one of the goals was to bridge the gap between academia and the business world. In prior editions of this column, this was accomplished by taking a management concept or theoretical principle from the academic world and to figure out a way to make it relevant, applicable, and hopefully interesting to the business community. For this month’s edition, I want to switch things up a bit.

BY Shontarius D. Aikens, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Management at Offutt School of Business at Concordia College 100

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GARY USSERY

The Traditional Functions of Management and the COVID-19 pandemic: 5 Questions for Business Managers Due to my personality, upbringing, educational training, and work experiences, I am a thinker and a planner. I am very inquisitive, and over the years, I’ve learned how to ask the right questions. During these recent months, I’ve had more than enough time to think and to ponder on issues within my discipline of management and how changes in our world will affect not only the practice of management but also the education and training of future management students within higher education settings.

Historically, scholars in the field of management have settled on four major activities or functions to describe the management process.

If you were to pick up any modern management textbook, the following four management functions would be covered in depth: • Planning: “defining goals for future

performance and how to attain them.”

• Organizing: “the deployment of organizational resources to achieve strategic goals; involves assigning tasks, grouping tasks into departments, and allocating resources.” Organizational resources can be classified into the categories of human, financial, physical, and information.

• Leading: “using influence to motivate employees to achieve the organization’s goals.”

• Controlling: “monitoring employees’ activities, keeping the organization on track toward meeting its goals and making corrections as necessary.”

Here’s an example of what the management process looks like in my role as a college professor. As the manager of my courses and classrooms, the four functions of

To see all of Aikens’ sources and references, read the article at fargoinc.com.

management might look something like this: • Planning would involve developing learning objectives, developing course syllabi, and developing lesson plans.

• Organizing would involve determining the appropriate structure of the class (lecture, flipped classroom, team-based), developing the appropriate course assignments, and selecting the appropriate resources or learning platform(s) for students to use in the course.

• Leading would involve creating a positive learning environment through positive daily interactions with students and explaining the connection between the course material and the students’ future careers.

• Controlling would involve evaluating student work and performance (grades and feedback) based on the established learning goals and objectives for the course.

Due to COVID-19, Concordia College, as well as other educational institutions, had to suddenly transition to a remote learning model. Thus, I had to make some changes to how I would manage my course and classrooms. This change in the environment required me to rethink each management function (Planning, Organizing, Leading, Controlling) as it pertained to my courses and my students and to make appropriate changes for the Spring 2020 semester. Even now as I write this month’s column, I’m having to re-think and make changes in anticipation for the upcoming Fall 2020 semester based on the current social distancing guidelines while also considering that those guidelines could change in the future.

This highlights and gives an example for how the environment in which an organization operates contributes to the “complexity and uncertainty” of management. Now, obviously academia is different than the business world. In academics, while we may have the luxury of “do-overs” in future semesters, that may not be the case for some businesses. In some circumstances, a business may need to get it right the first time, or run the risk of losing customers and market share or possibly going out of business.

As I said earlier, I want to switch things up for this month. For this month, I’d like to hear from individuals in the business community. Specifically, I’d like to hear some of your first hand experiences regarding how the management process and functions had to shift or adapt due to the pandemic and what the future might bring as a result of these changes. To help facilitate this, I have drafted five questions below as they pertain to each of the management functions for your consideration:

1.

Due to changes required in response to COVID-19, which of the 4 management functions did your organization utilize the most? If you had to rank them in order of priority, what would that ranking order be and why?

2. When it comes to Planning,

what changes or shifts to organizational goals had to occur?

that required more emphasis on virtual teams and employees working remotely from home. Will this be the new organizational work structure for your organization going forward?

What effect will this have on the need for technological resources and training for current and future employees of your organization?

4.

5.

When it comes to Leading, how did your organization deal with employee morale and keeping employees motivated in a virtual setting?

When it comes to Controlling, how did your organization monitor and evaluate productivity for employees working remotely? Did workplace productivity increase, decrease, or stay the same?

These are just some of the questions that have been on my mind. This is by no means an exhaustive list of questions, and perhaps, it might have generated additional questions to be posed. It is my hope that these questions would be a conversation starter to learn more about what is occurring in the workplace so that I can share this information with my management students in order to help them become more aware and better prepared for a future workplace of complexity and unpredictability. I look forward to hearing from you and learning about your experiences.

3. When it comes to Organizing, most organizations shifted to an organizational structure

To submit questions you would like answered in future editions of “Academic Insight”. Email Dr. Aikens at: saikens@cord.edu

Founder and CEO, uCodeGirl | Bush Foundation Leadership Fellow | PhD Candidate | Lecturer of Computer Science | YWCA Woman of the Year in Science and Technology

WHAT DOES TECH HAVE TO DO WITH IT? Everything.

The Case for Diversity of Thoughts.

By Bethlehem Gronneberg

I

I could never forget this moment in time at a fancy bathroom of a conference center in the upper midwest. It was kind of a bit embarrassing, actually. I was in a frantic and visible struggle with the faucet that conspired with the water to deny me a simple hand washing ritual. Worse, I already had soap on my hands. “Why can’t I get this automatic faucet to dispense water?” I tried every other way, for over ten seconds. It didn’t look like rocket science. Simple algorithm: put your hands under the sink, faucet dispenses water, wash your hands, and done. All other valves in the bathroom did the same thing to me while my colleagues took care of business without a hitch. “Why can’t I?” It was puzzling. Little did I know the automatic water dispenser was actually racist. Well, sort of, the technical explanation is that the faucet sensor functions by measuring the infrared (IR) light radiating from an object in its field view (from How Do Touchless Faucets Work? | Hunker).

When that object is darker skin tone, it can cause the light to absorb rather than bounce back. If only I could have waved a white paper towel, I would have been spared from wiping the soap with it instead.

Later, I came to notice this was not an isolated incident. According to American Standard installation instruction, faucets can be adjusted during installation for the range of light beams, from typically 2-10 inches, with a default value of 6 inches. The installation and calibration of that particular bathroom sensor design didn’t include me. I wasn’t the problem.

About uCodeGirl

The vision of uCodeGirl is to inspire and equip young women to become the future face of innovation in technology. uCodeGirl is uniquely designed to inspire, engage and equip young women with computational design thinking skills, leadership traits, and an entrepreneurial mindset. uCodeGirl strives to remove roadblocks and bridge the gender gap in technology so that young women can confidently pursue opportunities suitable for the 21st century. By building confidence, enhancing skill sets and tapping into their intellect and curiosity, uCodeGirl helps young women chart a pathway to the T of STEM careers.

More information here: www.ucodegirl.org FARGOINC.COM

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It is not faith in technology. It is faith in people, that they’re basically good and smart, and if you give them tools and opportunities, they will do wonderful things with them.”

Steve Jobs, Co-founder of Apple.

Wearable tech is another space where the problem of skin science has yet to be resolved. Smartwatches and fitness trackers from fitbit to apple watch when first released to market were getting inaccurate heart rate monitor readings for people of color. An article by STAT Health Tech found that several of these brands only rely on optical sensors that use beams of green lights which have a shorter wavelength (simpler and cheaper) but are more readily absorbed by melanin, a natural skin pigment that is more prevalent in people with darker skin. Mounting complaints have forced some of the manufacturers to do more research and augment the reading with other methods. It begs the deeper question though, “who is in the room when these products are being researched, designed, prototyped, developed and human tested?”

Computing technologies are designed to solve real-world problems.

Computer code at the heart of it is binary, zeros and ones, neutral and value free. But when we start writing instructions to the computer and wrap meaning about them, then, unfortunately, it can’t escape the socially neutral test as is reflected in sensor design, in algorithm development as well as user interface design.

I am often the invisible dark one in group photos as the autofocus feature of phone cameras adjusts its light based on the lighter pigmentation. My own computer login screen doesn’t recognize me half the time. OK, I will admit I change my hairstyle every other day but nevermind the software is called facial recognition, not fashion tracker.

In response to a google search that misidentified and mislabeled images of black people in 2015, Google’s Chief Architect for Social, Yonatan Zunger, had said it is rather due to the way machines recognize faces or more specifically the way algorithms learn. He further elaborated that, in this case, the algorithm was fooled by some aspect of an image’s pattern and assured that the algorithm will learn from getting feedback from users. Could this have been prevented with a leadership decision to delay product release until more research and more testing with diverse data sets is achieved? How could ethics in software development be addressed? Recently, Microsoft joined Amazon and IBM in pushing the pause button from selling facial recognition A.I. software for any U.S. police departments until there are laws in place governing the use of such technology grounded in human rights. The cost of inaccurate recognition coupled with lack of regulation has had dire consequences.

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A 2019 Georgia Tech published research paper entitled, “Predictive Inequity in Object Detection”, suggested that pedestrians with darker skin may be more likely to get hit by self-driving cars than those with lighter skin. “Companies don’t want the public to know about any issues of inaccuracy, so consumers need to learn to ask a lot of questions,” said Jamie Morgenstern, School of Computer Science (SCS) assistant professor and the study’s lead author.

Millions of “tiny” things like this exist in our world which demonstrate a significant usability gap for a diverse spectrum of people. Diverse representation in the technology industry and leadership roles, users research and Value Sensitive Design (VSD) all contribute to the economic sense of diversity of thoughts to create inclusive and just environments and institutions. At uCodeGirl, we are dedicated to seeing a world where the creators and builders of technology mirror the people and societies for which they create and build.

We are all in this together.

Trust us to keep your business running smoothly.

1-800-433-1665

Locations in Fargo, Bismarck and Minot, ND

Supporting ND and surrounding areas since 1974

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WITH JOHN MACHACEK

Questions

J

ohn Machacek, Chief Innovation Officer for the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation, has worked with countless startups throughout our community over the past seven years. He knows their ups, their downs, but most of all, he knows the questions to ask them.

Here is John Machacek’s 10 questions for Set Your Rent founder Adam Zach, who is bringing people the ability to rent-to-own homes.

1

2

Tell us your Set Your Rent elevator pitch?

Who is this for and how does it work?

Many people struggle to buy their primary home because they cannot qualify for a bank loan.

We raise private capital to buy homes for people so they can finally become a homeowner.

Typically this is a 1-5 year bridge loan (lease option or contract for deed) that allows them to act like a homeowner while they work to obtain a bank loan.

We have a two-side market, aspiring homeowners (we call them tenant-buyers) and investors. We essentially connect the two. The tenant-buyer picks the home, we buy it, and sell it back to them as a lease option or contract for deed, sometimes called rent-to-own.

This is not for people who can get a traditional loan. In fact, we have routinely turned clients away who were able to obtain a bank loan, since it is a lower cost to them.

That is our ultimate goal so if they can get a bank loan initially, we really push for that. Most of our clients are entrepreneurs or families with low credit scores.

Entrepreneurs are wonderful but a bank sees them as risky and unproven so they often require 3+ years of sustainable profit as shown on taxes. Any entrepreneur knows that building your own business can be difficult and takes time. That is where we step in since the bank sees our business as being more secure. For families or individuals, bad things happen to good people. When someone has a credit score of 500 or zero credit score, banks have a hard time dealing with that. As a private company, we are able to be more flexible.

On the investor side, most of our clients have diversified portfolios with cash on hand, investment in stocks, etc. For those with money sitting in a bank account “earning” 0.10%, our services are attractive.

We are able to offer what might be related to a 1-5 year CD, just with a much more satisfying return. This has the added benefit of seeing how their investments are helping others in the world, and often right in their own community or state.

BY John Machacek PHOTOS BY Nicole Mendoza and Hillary Ehlen

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3 This started as a hobby and essentially is still a side-gig as you work full-time as an engineer. When/how/why did you start this hobby and how did it progress to where you are now?

I stumbled upon real estate to start, without much thought. I bought my first home at the age of 24 as a “house hack”, which is when you live in the home and rent the extra bedrooms, in this case, to my three college buddies. My business partner Jon has a similar story on the house hack.

I had some goals behind getting a home but didn't really consider it an investment at the time, it was just a fun house to party and hang out with friends at. It wasn’t until a few years later that I realized I had been living rent free for 3 years while my roommates paid down my mortgage. And on top of all of that, the home appreciated substantially in value. This is when I started reading books on real estate investing and getting serious about it. I read that 90% of millionaires own real estate. Since I value freedom in my life (freedom of time, money, and location) the passive cash flow from real estate satisfies that desire.

Over the last five years, this turned from a hobby, to an obsession. From buying the 2nd rental property in 2015 to the more recent 17th rental property, a lot has changed. Forming a partnership in 2017 was a big step. Jon and I combined forces and capital to spend our nights and weekends scouting properties and buying homes. Now we are automating many of the tasks to reduce our time commitments.

4 How do you balance holding a full-time job while also operating Set Your Rent?

I think a full-time job with a side gig can be managed quite well with nights and weekends, where it gets really complicated is also being a husband and father of two young kids which take priority over both. It takes a tremendous amount of discipline and desire. A lot of people choose to watch Netflix, tinker in the garage, watch the news, or go to bars in their spare time, I rarely do any of those anymore. I find much more satisfaction in personal development, family, and real estate so I spend any free time in those areas.

For a typical day I wake up at 3:30 a.m., and I love it. I get 3 hrs to read, work out, and complete my most important tasks for the day (engineering or real estate) until I put my dad hat on from 6:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. when my kids start waking up. I then transition to engineering from 8 p.m. to 5 p.m., and then family gets priority for the evening.

About John: John Machacek has been helping local startups with the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation since Prior to his position with the GFMEDC, Machacek was the VP of Finance & Operations at United Way of CassClay and a business banker at U.S. Bank.

At first this was hard. Really hard. It would be much easier to sleep in, not workout, stay out late, watch movies, play video games, drink beer etc. Now I couldn’t imagine doing anything else and if I get off my routine, I get upset. For reasons I am not yet fully self-aware of, I have been able to create habits that benefit me in the long run over instant gratification in the areas of health, wealth, and relationships. I attribute a lot of it to the un-sexy habit of reading each day.

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5

6

How did you go about informing your employer about this side gig/hobby?

I don't think I specifically made it a point to tell my employer, but almost anyone close to me (colleagues, bosses, CEO) know I do real estate investing , I just dont bring it up often at work. From my perspective, this is my hobby, which happens to make money. It used to be playing games, fantasy sports, news, social media, and other “time wasters”. Now my hobby is acquiring real estate.

I really have the best of both worlds. I work for the best engineering firm in the area with a phenomenal leadership team.

My greatest compliment I can give is an example of our CEO who, in my opinion, is a leader worth following. A man who is doing things right and when I told him about my real estate efforts, his comment was not “you should be careful” or “watch out its risky”, it was instead a breath of fresh air, he simply stated “good for you”. I am blessed to work for a great company at AE2S.

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Are there process synergies to your work as an engineer with work on Set Your Rent or are they different sides of the brains, so to speak?

Absolutely, but I would say the synergies are less in the technical knowledge overlap and more in overall work ethic. In engineering school, I believe they make you suffer just to prove you are resilient and don't give up. I think they are called “weeder classes” where 50% of the class is weeded out when the going gets tough. Most people just give up. Engineers from an early age understand that if they put in the work in college, they will be rewarded later with a higher paying job. This translates well into real estate. If I work really hard to find a good deal or buy one property, I yield the benefit for the next 1,5,or 30 years with little to no effort.

7 As I’ve got to know you over the past year, I know this is bigger to you than just getting a financial return. You get excited talking about the positive impacts on both the new homeowners as well as the people choosing to invest in these projects.

This is often referred to as “impact investing”. Will you please elaborate on some of the impacts you have experienced?

You are right. Admittedly at first this started as an avenue to retire early, pretty self-centered. Basically we were just looking for alternative income, not much passion or purpose there, just chasing a profit. This completely changed with Set Your Rent. With Set Your Rent we are literally changing lives. We know this because that is what our clients are telling us in written and video testimonials! We are able to help them acquire their dream home when no one else would. Some of our clients have been renting for 10+ years being forced to move every year because their landlord does not want to renew the lease or sells the place. Now they get to achieve the American Dream in home ownership. I believe the famous Zig Ziglar line holds true “You can get anything you want in life, if you just help enough other people get what they want” On the investor side, this is two fold. Yes, they get a modest return on their investment, but what we have heard is that the “impact investing” side of things where they are truly doing good in the world is just as beneficial to them. Instead of just sticking money in a bank and getting a paltry return, we are able to provide a higher return along with a life altering story. It really is what makes this worth pursuing.

8 I also know you are a proponent of the power of our entrepreneurial ecosystem and the value of networking. Will you please share with the readers your insights and lessons learned?

Networking started as foreign concept to me. I labeled it in the “time waster” category as I didn't find any immediate benefit.

As I read and grew as a person I specially recall axioms like “Your Network = Your Net Worth” and “If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together”. One catalyst that got me started on networking was the SCORE program which offered free mentoring for young entrepreneurs. Since that initial meeting back in 2018 we have had great conversations and connections that were absolutely priceless. Initial meetings spurred participating in the phenomenal Innovate ND program where we acquired grant dollars to launch our idea and also led to winning 1st place at the 2019 Grand Forks Shark Tank competition. We are still meeting with SCORE to this day and highly recommend it.

Illinois was a direct function of someone knowing someone who knew about us. I also participate and pay for this service by joining three different masterminds related to freedom and real estate.

Lastly John, you are a super-connector, if anyone is in the Fargo area you have to know John. He has been extremely generous, supportive, and helpful in my time in Fargo and I really appreciate you and all the work of the EDC.

9 Speaking of connections and your network, do you work closely with real estate agents and if so, how does that work and how has that been?

We do. They have been our greatest partners. This is a win-winwin. The real estate agent will refer folks who cannot quite obtain a pre-approval letter from a bank. We review that candidate and if they are a good fit we use that agent to buy the home for the aspiring homeowner. Agents have found this program extremely unique and by direct referrals and awareness we are helping agents buy/sell more homes in a year.

10 What can we do as a community to help Set Your Rent succeed?

Create a city that people want to live in. With growth comes opportunity for everyone. I believe a rising tide lifts all boats so thinking about how you can start your business here, grow, or give back.

Secondly, spreading awareness. Not many folks know about us and many are grateful when a friend tells them about our program. We are working to do a better job networking and getting our information out there but if you know any struggling aspiring homeowners or investors that want to impact invest, feel free to reach out to see if we can help you.

Networking has translated well for our business. I would say I spend about 3-5 hours a week networking. Our property that we bought in

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THE

4A

BY Paul Smith, ND SBDC Fargo Center Director

PROJECT

w

hile the COVID pandemic has left no industry completely unaffected, it has become clear that some sectors have felt the impact much more acutely than others. Businesses that were forced to shut their doors such as restaurants, hotels and brick and mortar retail stores will take longer to recover as consumer confidence gradually returns. On the other hand, logistics/delivery services, e-commerce, home fitness, collaboration tools, bicycle sales, drone and IT services have actually seen a surge in growth.

Because of this disparity, small businesses are in different phases of recovery and have different needs depending on where they are on the road to recovery. Some have been focused on recovery and reopening while others have been working on re-inventing and pivoting their business to create long-term sustainability.

Smith is Fargo Center Director of the ND Small Business Development Centers (ND SBDC) and recently achieved the designation of Certified Value Growth Advisor (CVGA). The ND SBDC helps North Dakota entrepreneurs and small business owners to start, manage and grow their companies by providing free, professional business advising services, technical assistance and training in a range of areas. The program assists more than 1,000 clients each year through nine service Centers located across North Dakota. The Fargo Center is located in the NDSU Research and Technology Park Incubator. For more information, please visit ndsbdc.org.

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To help ND small businesses “get back to business,” the ND SBDC has launched the 4R Project – Recover, Re-open, Re-invent, (be) Resilient. This state-wide, collaborative effort is designed to provide a one-stop shop for small business owners to find a wide range of disaster assistance and business advising, training, education resources. Any small business in the state of North Dakota is eligible to take advantage of these no-cost services offered by the program’s team of professional, certified business advisors. SBDC services have been clustered around the needs of small business owners in these four major areas: 1.RECOVERY • • • • • • • • • •

Debt relief/restructuring of existing debt Delay/defer payments Access to capital (SBA PPP, EIDL, Bank of ND) Cash management/conservation/expense reduction Communications, staying connected Employee health and well-being Cyber risk mitigation Monetize idle and excess assets Manage customer contracts Manage supply chain.

2. RE-OPEN • • • • •

Employee & client health/safety Marketing & communications Pricing and revised cash flow Cash management Operational efficiency, staffing levels, flex hours, teleworking options • Inventory and supply chain challenges • Starting a new business 3. RE-INVENT • • • • • • • •

Re-assess your business model/pivot Fulfill unmet needs New value, product or service with existing assets New ways to deliver value to existing customers (distribution channels) New customers/emerging markets Rethink supply chain New pricing model Repurpose/reallocate assets, resources and capital

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4. RESILIENCY • • • • •

Disaster planning Financial analysis/planning Build cash reserves Continuity of operations Succession/exit planning

Regardless of where your business is on the spectrum, the importance of sound financial and cash management cannot be overstated. While profits may be the measure of success, cash will determine the survival of the business. (see article in FargoINC! May issue) One of the most important tools is a rolling 13-week cash flow forecast. By knowing your burn rate and identifying and managing “valleys” of cash shortfall, you can extend your “runway” and buy more time. You can download a free cash flow projection template here: https://templates.office.com/en-us/Small-business-cash-flowprojection-TM01113236 There’s still much uncertainty about the future. Will we experience a fall spike in COVID-19 cases or ongoing peaks and valleys? How long will it take for the U.S. and State of ND economy to recover?

And what will the long-term impacts look like on small businesses in our region? Many companies took advantage of SBA PPP and EIDL loans, but what happens when that money runs out? It’s still too early to answer these questions. But this much is clear: Tectonic shifts are happening, which bring significant challenges and opportunities for ND businesses.

Now is not a time to try to play “lone ranger.” Seek assistance from trusted advisors such as your accountant, banker, attorney and other small business owners. If you would like no-cost, confidential assistance, please contact the ND SBDC or another local SBA resource partner such as SCORE, ND Women’s Business Center, or Veteran’s Business Outreach Center of the Dakotas (VBOC).

You're

in downtown Fargo King House Buffet, at 122 Broadway North, is open for takeout!

D

owntown Fargo is a beautiful patchwork of locally owned businesses working to create unique experiences. As pivoting and innovation slowly gives way to the return of the invitation, we reached out to a few of them to ask how our community can support them through their biggest challenges.

Downtown businesses are open to you and can’t wait to serve you again!

Insomnia Cookies Opened in 2017 at 412 Broadway “At Insomnia Cookies, we love the opportunity to interact with a plethora of different people every day. Downtown brings many different people together for different reasons. Whether it be business, lunch or just enjoying time with friends and family. The best way our community can support us right now is to continue enjoying our warm, delicious cookies! You can order them for a friend or loved one you cannot see personally due to social distancing. We are happy to be the middleman of sharing an experience between friends and family.”

-Christine Borslien, Store Operations Manager Wild Terra Cider Opened in 2017 at 6 12th Street North “Downtown is a barometer to any city's culture. We love being a part of a community where being different and unique is valued. We’re offering curbside touchless pickup and drinking outside on the patio six feet apart. Just follow us on social media.”

-Breezee, Wild Terra Cider Co.

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By Kilbourne Group Photos by Morgan Schleif

Pure Barre Opened in 2018 at 615 2nd Avenue North “We love the diversity of the businesses and people of downtown Fargo and the community that we are a part of. Having a friend or new client come in for Pure Barre classes, drop by to check out our retail or inquire about what we do is so great, but taking the time to connect with those in our downtown makes it feel like a neighborhood. Pure Barre is offering live classes within the ND Smart Restart guidelines, keeping our client’s health a top priority. We also are offering livestream classes for those that prefer classes from the convenience of their homes at this time. And! We carry many lines of workout wear including popular brands such as ALO, Beyond Yoga, DYI as well as Pure Barre branded items.”

-Nichole Allmendinger, Pure Barre Fargo

The Silver Lining Creamery Opened in 2018 at 123 Broadway “For us at The Silver Lining Creamery, the best part of being a downtown business is the sense of community and the fact that we can “live” downtown. What this means is that you don’t have to physically live downtown but downtown Fargo has everything you and your family need to live: to shop, to dine, to play…to live! We love being a part of such a fun environment. Downtown Fargo also has a wonderful historic past, a vibrant present and an amazing future and we love this downtown community!

The F/M community has been an amazing support through all this and we hope that we can not only provide our community with amazing ice cream and a bit of a silver lining during this time, but hope we can support F/M in return! Our community can support not only us, but also all of downtown Fargo, with their continued support in purchases, sharing posts, telling others about us and keeping our downtown shops and eating establishments in the forefront of their mind when they want or need anything.”

-Michelle Pulling, Owner Kindred People “What’s the best part of being a downtown business? The energy downtown is amazing! It feels so good to be a part of the eclectic variety of creative and unique shops and restaurants offered in the downtown district and to serve the most supportive community who are committed to shopping small and supporting local! There are so many ways to help! Of course, shopping in our store in person or online is a way to directly support us, but also helping get the word out through liking, sharing, commenting on social media, writing reviews, tagging us in posts and simply telling your friends and neighbors about us is so helpful. Support our neighbors in the downtown district. We are better together and supporting us as a whole will keep our downtown vibrant and strong!”

-Erica Kale, Kindred People Teaberry Opened in 2008 at 119 Broadway “The best part of being a downtown business is being able to see the vibrant changes downtown has made over the years!”

-Gaolee Yang, Owner

Mezzaluna Opened in 2012 at 309 Roberts Street “The sense of community between business owners and employees is the best thing about having our business in downtown Fargo. Every business adds to the atmosphere of our downtown and even though there's similar businesses competing against one another, we're all rooting for each other to succeed. Being a part of a passionate group of people and businesses brings a sense of comfort and unity. Any little action of community support goes a long way these days. Whether that's dine-in, take-out, gift cards or a 'we miss you,' it gives us fuel to keep working passionately for a brighter future.”

-Taylor Snelling, Owner So welcome back! Downtown Fargo is a hub of action, energy, creativity, and innovation and when you’re here, you’re in good company. Local businesses make the downtown community the place that keeps us connected and we’re so excited to see you again.

Interested in moving your business downtown? We’re certain downtown Fargo has the perfect space for your dream and your budget, whether it’s office, restaurant or retail space you need. Learn more about amazing opportunities, all within blocks of Broadway at officedowntownfargo.com.

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Contributed by Steve Dusek, Dakota Business Lending

As a small business lending partner, we have had the privilege of working with hundreds of innovative and inspiring entrepreneurs across the state from a multitude of industries. Throughout these partnerships, we have seen small business owners face uncertainties and unknowns with creativity and intentionality. Whether these times required them to work from home, revamp their business model, or make some changes to the way they operate, the most effective way we have seen them face these uncertainties is by focusing on what they can control.

In lieu of these observations and the current situation, we wanted to share with you 10 simple ways you can approach unprecedented times with intentionality and continue to grow your network, your business, and your skills in a way you can control.

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TAKING HOLD OF WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL

1. Network – in the digital world, we connected today more than ever. Reach out to that person you have been wanting to introduce yourself to on your LinkedIn page or set up a time for a virtual coffee meetup with a fellow business owner, partner, or friend and build a partnership.

2. Refine your business or marketing plan –

whether you are a startup or have been in business for years, owning a business takes planning. Spend some time working on and adapting your business plan if you have not already, or dive into that marketing plan that has been sitting on your desk for a few months.

3. Spend some time brainstorming – have you had an idea floating around in

the back of your head for a while now that you have not had time to process? Is your business faced with a challenge that can find a creative solution for? Are you wanting to do something fun and different but do not know where to start? Whether it is a chunk of time or just 5 minutes a day, set aside some time to brainstorm and be creative.

4. Develop content – we live in a content-driven world.

Whether you are a restaurant, coffee shop, exercise facility, boutique, daycare, or any other type of small business, you have content to offer. Draft up a blog post or two, create a how-to video, host an online webinar or course, make a checklist or infographic, share some testimonies, or anything else.

programs might be available to help you though this period of your business.

8. Come together (not literally) – is there a business

that you can team up with to make an impact right from home?

Brainstorm how you can come together with other fellow business owners and partners to continue to meet the needs of your community and get them on board!

9. Reflect and give thanks – where has your business

taken you? Who has been influential along your journey thus far?

What are some things you did/did not expect? What role has your staff played through it all? How has the community supported you?

Reflect on where you have been, where you are, and where you are going, and thank those that have been there along the way!

10. Share what you are doing – when times are chaotic,

the world needs positivity more than ever. Snap a picture or share a teaser of some of these things you have been doing and share it on your social media page to show the world what you have been up to!

When things seem uncertain and you are not sure where to turn, shift your focus to what you can control and go from there. These 10 simple things may not seem like much, but they are sure to keep you thinking on your toes, moving forward with purpose, and continuing to grow your business in new and creative ways!

5. LEARN – we say it all the time: “Never. Stop. Learning.”

Whether its listening to a podcast (like ACTIVATE U!), watching some videos on YouTube, enrolling in an online course or training program, or reading a book or e-book, you have a multitude of learning opportunities right at your fingertips. Use it to educate yourself about something you are unfamiliar with or not as comfortable as you should be.

6. Get creative – is there a creative way your business can

meet the needs of your customers and community right now? Get creative, think outside the box, and see what your mind can dream up!

You never know what opportunities may arise. (Bonus points if you collaborate with another local small business!)

7. Research assistance programs available – did

you know there are a variety of programs available to assist small businesses in unprecedented times? Take this time to research what

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J U LY / A U G

BUSINESS EVENTS

2020 CALENDAR

Fargo Events

EVERY FRIDAY Founders That... Golf Every Friday at 3:30 p.m.

If you've founded or co-founded a company, you're invited to join other founders for a casual round of golf at El Zagal Golf Course. Not great at golf? Join anyways! It's for all skill levels. BYOC (bring your own clubs) emergingprairie.com

EVERY SATURDAY Founders That... Play Tennis Every Saturday at 10 a.m.

If you've founded or co-founded a company, you're invited to join other founders for a casual game of tennis at Island Park Tennis Courts. Not great at tennis? Join anyways! It's for all skill levels. BYOR (bring your own racket) emergingprairie.com

JULY 7 Webinar: The Oil Industry's Economic Impact

largest oil producing state in the U.S., and one of our largest basic-sector industries, the impacts are also profound on our economy.

Join us for a conversation with political and industry experts to explore how COVID-19, price wars, and other factors have created instability within the industry and how it impacts our national security, workforce, state budget and much more. This important and timely discussion and panel conversation will also dig into what we may expect for the future of this industry, both on an international and regional scale. fmwfchamber.com

EVERY WEDNESDAY Founders That... Mountain Bike Wednesday, February 19 from 11:30 a.m. 1 p.m.

If you've founded or co-founded a company, you're invited to join other founders for mountain biking around Fargo/Moorhead.

We'll be meeting at the bridge between Lindenwood Park and Gooseberry Park. BYOB (Bring your own bike...not booze!) emergingprairie.com Lindenwood Park/Gooseberry Park Bridge 1905 Roger Maris Drive, Fargo

Tuesday, July 7 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Impacts to the oil industry have always been a prominent international story and have consistently have global economic effects, but with North Dakota being the second FARGOINC.COM

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Fargo Events how to update, manage and maximize your membership through this tool. Take this time to be hands-on, as Casey shares her screen and shows you how to use the MIC to control the information you share with members and the public. This is a space where you can also share job postings, event information, add deals, and connect with others. fmwfchamber.com

JULY 22 Effectively Communicating in Stressful Times Wednesday, July 22 from noon to 1 p.m.

JULY 15 When North Dakota/Minnesota Nice Meets the Difficult Conversation Tuesday, July 14 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Almost every single day, we find ourselves facing tough conversations, whether it be personally or professionally. Unfortunately, most people don’t always do the best job of handling these conversations. In fact, the majority of people would prefer to avoid them altogether. There’s a reason they are called “crucial” and “difficult;” if they were easy everyone would have them. But is it possible to be assertive and still be nice? Of course! It just takes some self-awareness and listening skills. fmwfchamber.com

JULY 8 Lunch & Learn

emergingprairie.com

JULY 15 YPN Book Club: Make Your Bed

by William H. McRaven Wednesday, July 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Webinar: Back to Work: Tips for the New Norm Wednesday, July 8 from noon to 1 p.m.

Learn tips to successfully transition into everyday life as businesses and communities re-open after coronavirusrelated closures. thevillagefamily.org

JULY 14 Virtual Lattes with Leaders: Dr. Rupak Gandhi Tuesday, July 14 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Start your day with networking and learning from a prestigious local business leader.

This month’s – and first virtual – Lattes with Leaders welcomes Dr. Rupak Gandhi, superintendent of Fargo Public Schools.

Rupak will share his story and life lessons, and take questions from attendees fmwfchamber.com 124

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Announcing the YPN Book Club! Enjoy reading and would love to discuss books on leadership and professional development with like-minded individuals? Join the YPN Book Club! Each month, YPN will select a book and meet over lunch once a month to discuss the book. The best part about the YPN Book Club? There is no commitment!

Join the months you have the time, and skip the months that are busy for you. YPN is excited to add this to our programming and look forward to getting started. fmwfchamber.com

JULY 21 MIC 101: How to Use Your Member Information Center Tuesday, July 21 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Join The Chamber’s Casey Sanders for a 30-minute walk through of your Member Information Center (MIC). Learn more about

The training will consider barriers in communication and how to become more effective communicators by establishing boundaries and listening. thevillagefamily.org

2020 Chamber Challenge Golf Outing Wednesday, July 22 from 12:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Step right up and get ready for the summer’s annual golf tournament for Chamber members where Edgewood Golf Course serves as the big top. It’ll be a balancing act as we juggle fun, networking and friendly competition. There might not be an elephant or bearded lady, but we invite you to have a fair time with this year’s circus theme! fmwfchamber.com Edgewood Golf Course 19 Golf Course Rd, Fargo

JULY 23 MIC 101: How to Use Your Member Information Center Thursday, July 23 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Join The Chamber’s Casey Sanders for a 30-minute walk through of your Member Information Center (MIC). Learn more about how to update, manage and maximize your membership through this tool. Take this time to be hands-on, as Casey shares her screen and shows you how to use the MIC to control the information you share with members and the public. This is a space where you can also share job postings, event information, add deals, and connect with others. fmwfchamber.com

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AUGUST 12 Talent Optimization During Times of Change

Wednesday, August 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Today’s reality: Leaders are navigating uncharted waters. They ask: How do we preserve culture and engagement amid change and uncertainty? How will this impact employee retention? This session will explore strategies to prevent burnout and continue fostering a winning team in our current circumstances. fmwfchamber.com Radisson Hotel Fargo or Online 201 Fifth Street North, Fargo

Succession Planning

Tuesday, July 14 from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Is your business bullet-proof? Freedom Financial Founder and CEO Marissa Nehlsen will teach you about the structures, strategies, and systems your business needs to be successful in the long-run. She'll cover the questions you should be asking your team, your accountant, and your bookkeeper.

Marissa will also discuss the why, what, and how to prepare for the three phases of business and what you need to consider to buy, sell, or move your business in any economic time. gochamber.org

JULY 16 Chamber Business After Hours JULY 28 Webinar: (Two sessions in one!)

Resilience - Unlocking the Power to Bounce Back and Thrive & Gratitude Attitude: Thriving in the Midst of Chaos Tuesday, July 28 from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

fmwfchamber.com

AUGUST 4 Eggs & Issues: Workplace Wellness and Addiction

Tuesday, August 4 from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Did you know that 1 in 7 adults, and 1 in 25 adolescents, in the United States are battling addiction? Especially during these trying times, it is important to recognize how widespread addiction is, the effects it has on our community and businesses, and how we can work to address it. Every year, drug abuse and addiction cost the American society more than $740 billion in lost workplace productivity, health care expenses and crime-related costs. Come for this timely and impactful conversation on our battle against addiction, how some of our local employers are fighting against it and what steps you can take to make an impact for your company and employees.

AUGUST 14 Virtual Networking Before 9 Friday, August 14 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Join Professionals of Color for another great Virtual Networking Before 9! This month, will feature Smita Garg, who serves as NDSU’s Assistant Director, Employer Engagement for the Career and Advising Center. Smita is excited to share her personal story on her transition to the FMWF region – what went well, what didn’t go well – and changes she has witnessed as it relates to diversity and inclusion initiatives and what she sees from both employers and students as she works to help match interns with companies and help students transition to their professional life following graduation. Come prepared to ask questions and learn from Smita! Bring your breakfast and cup of coffee!

Thursday, July 16 from 4:45 p.m. to 7 p.m.

gochamber.org

JULY 23 2020 Ag Social & City to Farm Tour Thursday, July 23 from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

AUGUST 5 Small Business Committee Meeting

Wednesday, August 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Provide value to The Chamber's small business members through educational, programming, and other small business services by working with SBA, SCORE, and other small business programs gochamber.org Ramada by Wyndham Grand Forks 1205 N 43rd St., Grand Forks

Courtyard by Marriott or Online 1080 28th Avenue South, Moorhead

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JULY 28 Workforce Summit 2020 Tuesday, July 28 from 8 a.m. to noon

Come for the 2020 Chamber EDC Workforce Summit for the opportunity to access resources and to be included in a discussion of workforce issues and solutions with industry leaders. bismarckmandan.com Radisson Hotel 605 E Broadway Ave., Bismarck

JULY 7 Virtual Business Development Series - Website Development, Maintenance & Content Tuesday, July 7 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Attendees will have the opportunity to engage with area CEDC Member Panelists on best practices for website development, maintenance and engaging content. Join us to hear their stories and recommendations to keep your website at its best! bismarckmandan.com

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JULY 22 Leadership Bismarck-Mandan Graduation Luncheon

Business Development Series August 2020

Rescheduled from an earlier date, come Wednesday, July 22 at Baymont Inn & Suites with the 31st class of leaders as they graduate from the Leadership Bismarck-Mandan program. bismarckmandan.com Baymont Inn & Suites

bismarckmandan.com Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC

Wednesday, July 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

2611 Old Red Trail NW, Mandan

Membership Mixer: Dakota Community Bank & Trust

Each year the Leadership Bismarck-Mandan class breaks into multiple groups to work on field projects addressing community needs. bismarckmandan.com

Join members of the Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC during the August's Membership Mixer. Enjoy refreshments, hors d’oeurves, and some business after hours.

Mixers are free for Chamber EDC members to attend. bismarckmandan.com Dakota Community Bank & Trust

Thursday, August 6 from 4:40 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

919 S 7th Street, Suite 101, Bismarck

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Thursday, August 13 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.

1640 Burnt Boat Drive, Bismarck

Minot Event

AUGUST 6

Virtual Leadership BismarckMandan Project Presentations Wednesday, July 15 from 9 a.m. to noon

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JULY 6 Ag Golf Scramble Monday, July 6 from noon to 6 p.m.

minotchamber.org Minot Country Club 1912 Valley Bluffs Dr, Minot