Upsize Minnesota July/August 2021 by Upsize Minnesota

OPPORTUNITIES & ASSISTANCE

BIPOC-owned businesses gaining ground through difficult circumstances

Conrad Nguyen’s journey to business ownership was bumpy but with grit and some help he acquired Kortech in late 2020

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ASI: Acousitical surfaces, inc.

When JR Anderson’s acoustical surfaces company, ASI, needed money to make some noise in a pitch for a piece of a national chain’s business, he turned to his partner at Crown Bank. Crown delivered, totally funding their pitch - which helped ASI win the entire national contract. Since working with Crown Bank ASI has grown 160 percent. Now that’s the sound of success. Watch the whole story at crown-bank.com. What can we make possible for your business? EDINA • 6600 FRANCE AVENUE S • 952-285-5800 | CROWN-BANK.COM MEMBER FDIC

EQUAL HOUSING LENDER

CONTENTS July • August 2021 • Vol. 20 No. 3 • www.upsizemag.com

PAGE 14

Cover story

Business owners don’t always succeed completely on their own. Many organizations exist to help BIPOC-owned businesses meet their goals of establishing and expanding their place in the business community. BY ANDREW TELLIJOHN Cover photograph by Tom Dunn

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Bb BUSINESS BUILDERS

COLUMNS

“All you have to do is play your part,” says serial entrepreneur Dan Cohen, who at 69 is launching yet another venture. By Beth Ewen, founding editor of Upsize

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PAGE 22

Make sure political discourse at work doesn’t taint workplace relationships or productivity

PAGE 4

by Jeremy Johnson, Insperity

Bonnie Harris, founder of Wax Marketing, talks about building a business through rewarding work while maintaining a worklife balance

Who’s who at Upsize magazine and how to reach us.

PAGE 8

Founder’s Forum:

Staff list:

Upsize Minnesota (USPS 024-029) is published bi-monthly by Broad Axe Media, 2908 W 71 1/2 St., Richfield, MN 55423. Periodicals postage paid at St. Paul, MN and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Upsize Minnesota, PO Box 23238, Richfield, MN 55423-0238

HUMAN RESOURCES

CATCHING UP:

PAGE 28

LAW

How and why businesses should file for federal trademark registration by Megan Miller, Winthrop & Weinstine

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MANAGEMENT Dig to the root to truly solve problems and build employee engagement at the same time by Jaime Taets, Keystone Group International

PAGE 12

MARKETING Make sure your presence online is well thought out and intentional by Kirsten Barott, Lawrence & Schiller

BACK PAGE Jaime Taets, CEO and founder of Keystone Group International, wrote “You Are Here: Kick Ass Inspiration for Navigating Your Journey to Success” to help business owners get past feeling stuck

Advice driven by advocacy.®

Driven Advocates. Authentic Advice. A client-first and conflict-free philosophy: that’s how JNBA Financial Advisors has operated since our founding days over 40 years ago. During that time we have been recognized for our client and community work, including Barron’s ranking CEO Richard S. Brown and JNBA as the top financial advisor in Minnesota. But what’s most important to us is that since we began tracking in 2001, JNBA has maintained a client retention rate of more than 96 percent. To learn more about how advice driven by advocacy® could help you and your family, begin a conversation with our team by calling us or visiting JNBA.com.

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As seen in the 07/20/07, 07/11/08, 2/22/10, 2/21/11, 2/20/12, 2/18/13, 2/24/14, 2/23/15, 8/24/15, 3/7/16, 8/29/16, 3/6/17, 9/18/17, 03/12/18, 9/17/18, 3/11/19, 9/16/19, 3/16/20, 9/14/20, & 3/15/21 issues of Barron’s magazine. Please Note: Limitations: Neither rankings and/or recognitions by unaffiliated rating services, publications, media, or other organizations, nor the achievement of any professional designation, certification, degree, or license, membership in any professional organization, or any amount of prior experience or success, should be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he/she will experience a certain level of results if JNBA is engaged, or continues to be engaged, to provide investment advisory services. Rankings published by magazines, and others, generally base their selections exclusively on information prepared and/or submitted by the recognized adviser. Rankings are generally limited to participating advisers (see link as to participation criteria/methodology, to the extent applicable). Unless expressly indicated to the contrary, JNBA did not pay a fee to be included on any such ranking. No ranking or recognition should be construed as a current or past endorsement of JNBA by any of its clients. ANY QUESTIONS: JNBA’s Chief Compliance Officer remains available to address any questions regarding rankings and/or recognitions, including the criteria used for any reflected ranking. Past performance may not be indicative of future results. Different types of investments involve varying degrees of risk. Therefore, it should not be assumed that future performance of any specific investment or investment strategy (including the investments and/or investment strategies recommended and/or undertaken by JNBA Financial Advisors, LLC (“JNBA”)) or any non-investment related services, will be profitable, equal any historical performance level(s), be suitable for your portfolio or individual situation or prove successful. A copy of our current written disclosure Brochure discussing our advisory services and fees is available upon request. The scope of the services to be provided depends upon the needs of the client and the terms of the engagement. Please see important disclosure information at www.jnba.com/disclosure.

FOUNDING PUBLISHER Wes Bergstrom

EDITOR AND PUBLISHER Andrew Tellijohn atellijohn@upsizemag.com

FOUNDING EDITOR Beth Ewen bewen@upsizemag.com

DESIGN DIRECTOR Jonathan Hankin jhankin@upsizemag.com

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Dan O’Connell dano@upsizemag.com

PHOTOGRAPHER

Tom Dunn tom@tomdunnphoto.com

HOW TO REACH US To subscribe visit www.upsizemag.com/subscribe With story ideas email Andrew Tellijohn, atellijohn@upsizemag.com To advertise email Andrew Tellijohn, atellijohn@upsizemag.com To order reprints email Jonathan Hankin, jhankin@upsizemag.com To order extra or back issues email Jonathan Hankin, jhankin@upsizemag.com To suggest Web resource links, links@upsizemag.com

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UPSIZE JULY • AUGUST 2021

Adjusting on the fly

an Cohen—neurologist, medical doctor and serial entrepreneur best known for bringing Breathe Right nasal strips to market—believes his latest product will be a big hit for a sleep-deprived world. He’s launching the Soltec Sleep Management System, a $1249, 13-by8-inch personal generator that emits low-frequency magnetic pulsation to help people achieve and maintain deep or “delta” sleep. It comes with a wearable device and an app that sends the correct signals rather than merely monitoring the sleeper’s patterns, as a whole slew of other products do. “I end up equating it to the smartphone market. Why shouldn’t everyone have one?” Cohen muses, showing off his trademark optimism. It’s been a long time coming. Twentyfour years ago, when he began researching how to improve people’s sleep, he thought, “I’m going to end up going around and around and around before I get it right, and unfortunately that proved to be the case.” But don’t cry for Cohen, who relishes the journey. “Some people kind of know what they’re here for. I’m one of those people,” said Cohen, who turned 69 in June. “This isn’t my last project.” Cohen’s tale began in 1992 when Bruce Johnson arrived at his office when CNS was a small medical equipment company. “In walks the guy with a Curad bandage with a piece of plastic glued on top of it,” Cohen recalls. Johnson’s homemade cure for snoring, inspired when he walked under an archway at the Minnesota State Fair. “I go, ‘I get it!’ I said, ‘it’s brilliant!’ I said, ‘I’ll license it!’” Cohen recalled, but he knew his board wouldn’t agree to such a radical shift into consumer-

packaged goods. “You know what the answer would be: NFW.” So he licensed it anyway without telling the board, for $8.5 million, and then told one buyer he planned to sell $23 million of the strips in the first year. “You’re full of shit,” the buyer said. “I said, probably,” but they sold $60 million worth the first year and, in 2006, sold CNS to GlaxoSmithKline for $566 million. How did he get the chutzpah? “Must be my days in a pool hall, the Cue & Cushion in north Philly,” he said with a laugh, when he’d skip high school because it was too easy. Then he turns philosophical, about how he views the world after decades of trial and error, success and failure, a perfect mantra for any entrepreneur. “If you have something and you know it’s right for the world, the world accommodates you,” he said. “All you have to do is play your part.” —Beth Ewen founding editor bewen@upsizemag.com

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human resources

BUSINESS BUILDERS

Managing workplace political discourse by Jeremy Johnson

TIPS 1. Review and update current workplace policies surrounding political activity and consider amending as needed to account for a virtual workplace, making clear that such discussions cannot interfere with work. 2. Leadership sets the office standard. Consider asking managers to be mindful about comments on political matters. 3. Business leaders and employers remain impartial. Publicly supporting a candidate can alienate clients or employees with different viewpoints. 4. Train managers on the company’s policies and on quickly handling situations when they do arise so they do not linger or escalate. 5. Employers cannot prohibit workplace political discussions, but might consider asking employees to limit such talks to certain times and remind them to respect differing opinions.

UPSIZE JULY • AUGUST 2021

Between social justice issues and sensitivities around COVID-19-related topics like masks and vaccinations, workplace discussions today can become heated, even in a virtual environment. As those current events and others continue to play out, Minnesota employers need to be aware of how these factors can impact business performance and be prepared to mitigate any issues when tempers begin to flare. Local business leaders should develop a plan — consistent with standard existing office policies — to address situations before they arise. Below are eight tips Minnesota business owners can use to maintain harmony in the virtual workplace and in person, helping to keep employees engaged and productive. Check policies and update as needed Review and update current workplace policies surrounding political activity and consider the changes needed for a virtual workplace. Business owners may also consider proactively communicating expectations with employees and sharing examples of unacceptable behavior to mitigate potential issues. It should be clear to employees that these actions cannot interfere with work. Communicate company policies and values The workplace structure may have changed and team communications may have evolved. However, employees should be reminded of the company’s mission, values and policies, especially those specific to political discussions. With the varied channels of communication available today, employees can easily become sidetracked if a colleague brings up controversial topics. Set a positive example Leadership sets the standard in the office, in person and during virtual

meetings. Consider asking managers to be mindful about comments on political matters. Conversely, if a supervisor is extremely vocal about his or her political stance, it can potentially open the door for staff to follow suit. Be impartial Business leaders and employers should avoid taking an official stance on a particular candidate or political issue. If leaders expose their views, current and future clients or even employees who do not share a similar view can feel alienated. Furthermore, companies should consider discouraging political attire and memorabilia in common areas and for employees who have direct contact with clients and vendors. In a virtual setting, this can apply to anything visible during a video call. Train managers Managers are at the frontline, and it is important to ensure they are aware of all new and existing company policies and that they are trained to properly handle any potential confrontations. In response to tensions, managers should always respect boundaries and remember not to ask employees about their political affiliations. Business leaders can carefully point out any concerns to an employee and explain how their actions were not in alignment with company policies. Act fast Expediency is paramount if tensions do arise. Investigate any employee complaints through the lens of workplace behavior rather than on differing political opinions. While the remote work environment can present more of a challenge, it is crucial to address the situation quickly to reduce escalation. Recommend workers unplug Working remotely can be stressful, especially during a pandemic — when

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the whole family may be sharing the workplace — and given the increased attention to current events. Between broadcast and online news, the constant stream of provocative headlines can become a distraction and add to already high stress levels. Employers should consider encouraging workers to take a break from news coverage, social media and web browsing to help maintain focus and manage anxiety levels. Suggest guidelines While a business cannot explicitly prohibit political discussions in the workplace, business owners may consider asking employees to limit political talk or activity to work breaks, lunch or after hours. Remind-

ing employees to respect the views of others can be helpful. If employees do decide to make their political affiliations known, do not assume that staff members who support the same candidate also share similar views on all the issues. Employees and employers alike should respect colleagues’ views, encourage civility and not attack another person’s political affiliation or beliefs. These eight tips for navigating sensitive political issues and topics in the workplace should help Minnesota businesses set expectations to minimize tensions and lead to a positive workplace in which current events do not affect employee morale and productivity.

Jeremy Johnson is a district manager with Insperity: 800.465.3800; jeremy.johnson@insperity.com; www.insperity.com.

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“ Business owners may consider asking employees to limit political talk or activity to work breaks, lunch or after hours.” Jeremy Johnson Insperity

JULY • AUGUST 2021 UPSIZE

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law

BUSINESS BUILDERS

Get your federal trademark registration: Here’s why

TIPS

One of the biggest mistakes new business owners make is assuming that filing their company’s name with the Secretary of State provides trademark rights. It doesn’t. While the law does not require that you register your trademark federally or at the state level, there are several significant advantages available to a trademark owner who does federally register their mark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). These are five of the biggest advantages for your business.

1. Filing your company name with the Secretary of State does not provide trademark rights to the name. 2. Whether you use your trademark in all 50 states or not, a federal registration protects you if you want to. 3. Without a federal trademark you still have some commonlaw protections, but they only cover you in geographic areas where the trademarks are used in connection with goods and services. 4. Obtaining a federal registration may save your company from infringing on a competitor’s trademark you did not know about. 5. Federal registration enhances your credibility with lenders. Lenders and investors often view trademarks as important property assets worthy of serving as collateral.

Room to grow Obtaining a federal trademark registration leaves ample room for your business to grow by preserving your right to use your trademark throughout the United States. To obtain a federal registration, you need to use your mark in interstate commerce. Although you are not required to use your trademark in all 50 states in order to obtain a registration, a federal registration will preserve the right to use your mark throughout the country. A federal registration will allow you to stop another party that is first to use a similar mark in a particular state after the filing date of your trademark application. That is, as long as you are able to show a likelihood of entry into the same geographic area and that your mark has sufficient notoriety in that area. In that sense, a party that begins using a similar mark for related goods or services after the filing date of your federal trademark application is living on borrowed time. Without federal trademark protec-

by Megan Miller

UPSIZE JULY • AUGUST 2021

tion, trademark owners still retain limited common law rights based on use of their trademarks. However, common law trademarks are protected only in the geographic areas where the trademarks are used in connection with the goods and services. For example, suppose you are only using your trademark on goods for sale in Minnesota. In that case, you would not have common law trademark rights in Illinois or the other 48 states. Consequently, someone outside of Minnesota could adopt a similar trademark and use it for the same goods or services without violating your trademark rights, as long as they do so in good faith without the knowledge of your trademark. So, even if your business does not have a presence in all 50 states just yet, applying for a federal registration allows you to leave room for your business to grow. A federal registration will also help keep your brand secure nationwide. On the flip side, obtaining a federal registration may also save your company from potentially infringing on a competitor’s trademark that you may not be aware of. More on the importance of pre-branding searching at a later date. Credibility Obtaining a federal registration lends credibility not only to your company, but also to your brand as a whole. When competitors and consumers see the ® on the goods or services containing your trademark, it portrays an image that you are taking your intellectual property rights seriously and intend to

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enforce them to maintain your brand’s integrity. Once a consumer associates integrity with your company’s brand, they are more likely to assume that other products your company produces will have the same level of quality. There really is just no substitute for integrity in today’s wildly competitive marketplace. Additionally, federal registration enhances your credibility with lenders. When a company seeks a loan or obtains capital, lenders and investors often view trademarks as important property assets worthy to serve as collateral. This is evidenced by the significant number of security interests recorded on federal trademark registrations with the USPTO. Constructive notice A federal registration provides nationwide constructive notice to others of a trademark owner’s rights in the trademark as of the application’s filing date. “Constructive notice” means that a potential infringer is deemed to be aware of your registered trademark regardless of whether or not they actually were aware of your registered trademark. Constructive notice also relieves a trademark owner of the burden of having to prove actual notice. “Actual notice” means that an infringer was actually aware of an existing trademark. Unless an infringer admits to it, actual notice is tricky to prove until you are deep in full-blown litigation. As you might imagine, infringers admitting to actual notice is not very common. Constructive notice means that another party cannot adopt a confusingly similar trademark and escape liability by claiming they were not aware of a trademark owner’s rights. Without a federal registration, an infringer could claim that they were not aware of your trademark rights.

Enforcement assistance During the prosecution of any federal trademark application, trademark examiners review the federal trademark database for similar marks that are used with similar goods or services. Once your federal application is on file, it will show up in examiners’ searches and they will cite it against potential competitors’ applications. Citing your earlier filing will often bar a competitor’s trademark from registering if the marks and goods/services are similar enough. Additionally, once filed, your mark will show up in searches that competitors may run for new trademarks that they are considering filing or using. The USPTO and trademark searching vendors will inform the searching party of your rights, which puts the searching party on actual notice of your mark. This takes some of the enforcement burden off of your plate, allowing you to focus on things like growing your business or maintaining the integrity of your brand. Litigation facilitation Finally, obtaining a federally registered trademark can help your business have the upper hand in a litigation setting, should you need to deal with a copycat. Federal trademark law is wellestablished. Less guesswork means less attorney time assessing the strength of your case, which means lower legal bills for your company. Conversely, choosing not to obtain a federal registration will leave an infringement case potentially subject to different versions of state trademark law or common law. These variations can provide unpredictable outcomes. As with most things in the law, there is little to no certainty of any lawsuit’s result, but choosing the more proven route is always a better plan.

“ When competitors and consumers see the ® on the goods or services containing your trademark, it portrays an image that you are taking your intellectual property rights seriously and intend to enforce them to maintain your brand’s integrity.” Megan Miller Winthrop & Weinstine

Megan Miller is a paralegal with Winthrop & Weinstine: 612.604.6394; mmiller@winthrop.com; www.winthrop.com.

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JULY • AUGUST 2021 UPSIZE

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management

BUSINESS BUILDERS

Stop mowing dandelions:

Get to the root of what is holding you back by Jaime Taets

TIPS 1. In order to really solve problems, business owners need to look beyond immediate issues and look for the root of what is causing those problems. 2. Walk toward challenges seeing them as opportunities to create future growth and success rather than avoiding them and embracing the status quo. 3. Have honest, in depth conversations with your team. Ask them what is holding them back. Such talks can create greater levels of engagement and trust. 4. Don’t ask the same questions and don’t stop at the first layer of answers. Keep digging for deeper answers that are more likely to truly solve problems. 5. When the issue still feels too big to tackle or there aren’t clear actions you can take, it’s a good sign you are not yet to the root of the issue.

UPSIZE JULY • AUGUST 2021

There is no doubt about it, this past year has been tough. Every organization, no matter how big or small, has been tested in ways that none of us could have imagined. It has taught us about ourselves and our businesses and how we perform as leaders during a year of constant change and uncertainty. At Keystone Group, we help business leaders and CEOs navigate change and learn how to be conscious leaders — which was critical during the pandemic and remains so as we emerge on the other side. As part of our work, we are brought in when businesses are feeling stuck and aren’t sure what to do next or why they are in this position in the first place. I tell them — stop mowing dandelions. What do I mean? Business leaders need to look beyond just the immediate issues and get down to the root of the problem — what’s really causing these pain points to happen? To make impactful change, we can’t keep cutting the dandelion off at the stem and hoping it won’t grow back. How do leaders do that, especially after a year of constant change and chaos? Here’s how your organization can stop mowing dandelions and, instead, cut out the root. Focus on what you can control Whether it’s a merger or acquisition, a leadership departure or a new product or service, organizations are

constantly staring change in the face. Add to the mix a global pandemic that not only amplified the rate of change but also, for many, also highlighted issues they might not have seen before. As organizations continue to evolve out of COVID, many are faced with the realization that parts of their business might not have been as strong as they thought, which leaves them a choice: Walk toward those challenges and see them as opportunities or stand still. If you find yourself paralyzed by change, or you can’t quite figure out what the next step is, you are not alone. Instead of looking at what is out of control, look at what you can control. No matter how overwhelming things may seem, there are more things you can control than you realize. Start having honest conversations with your team about the reality of the business as you know it today, whether good, bad or ugly. Ask “What processes are holding us back?” “What are we good at?” Take this time to find clarity and identify where you’re going to focus your energy. Ask different questions We all do it. We pass someone at the store or in the hallway at work (pre-COVID) and ask “How are you?” The answer 99 percent of the time is “good.” When asked this question we go on autopilot, as it

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requires little thought or engagement. It’s the same concept when it comes to asking questions about our business. So many organizations keep “mowing dandelions” because they keep asking the same questions. As leaders, we need to start asking different questions, ones that stop our teams in their tracks. Chances are we’ll find out things we didn’t know before. The better questions, the more opportunities the business will see. Ask yourself, what are the different questions I need to be asking now that will help keep us going? They could be related to business strategy, team capabilities and performance, or perhaps accountability and coaching. Whatever they are, focus on what will allow you to peel back each layer of your operation in new ways. Ask your team to share something that’s working and something that’s not. What’s making their life harder? What’s making it easier? These types of questions not only help you dig deeper, but they also drive greater levels of engagement and trust. You can download a “Degrees of Strengths Questionnaire” at bit.ly/3hvtwg7 to help get you started. Dig to the root One of the hardest parts of digging to the root problems is that sometimes we think we’re there, but we’re not. When the issue still feels too big to tackle or there aren’t clear actions you can take, it’s a good sign you are not yet to the root of the issue. During one recent client meeting they told me, “We already know what our root issue is. We have communication issues.” While this seems like a very understandable problem, after asking more questions it became clear that communications issues

weren’t the root problem, they were the pain they were feeling as result of other problems. This happens so often in businesses. You’ve met, you’ve asked the questions and you think you’ve found the answers, when really you are solving the pain you can see and feel, not the root issue. Push to keep breaking it down to the lowest possible denominator so the actions you need to take, even if they are small, start to become clear. Continuously ask yourselves what is the real issue, four or five times to help you and your team get deeper toward the root. For leaders, we have so much on our plates that often it’s much easier to duct tape the problem (mow the dandelion) than it is to take the time and energy to have the hard conversations. And sometimes, let’s face it, we’re too close to the dandelions to even see them. If that is the case, consider bringing in someone who can help you see more clearly. Often, we need outside perspective to help us dig into the issues we’ve been mowing over that keep popping back up. As we emerge from a year like no other, there are tremendous opportunities ahead. Pushing through the pain points and accepting change can lead us to places we never imagined. I encourage business leaders to make yourselves comfortable with the uncomfortable and keep digging down to those roots. If you do, you will have incredible breakthroughs and find new levels of success.

“ I encourage business leaders to make yourselves comfortable with the uncomfortable and keep digging down to those roots. If you do, you will have incredible breakthroughs and find new levels of success.” Jaime Taets Keystone Group

Jaime Taets is CEO of the Keystone Group: 952.666.2531; jaime@keystonegroupintl.com; www.keystonegroupintl.com

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JULY • AUGUST 2021 UPSIZE

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marketing

BUSINESS BUILDERS

Four easy steps for an intentional online presence by Kirsten Barott

TIPS 1. Being everything to everyone everywhere isn’t possible as a small business owner. Be intentional with your digital presence. 2. Start with the end in mind. Make sure you’ve thought in detail about your end goals before creating mindful steps toward reaching them. 3. Identify the 20 percent of your inputs that produce 80 percent of your outcomes and focus your energies on those. 4. Remember that moving toward your goal will likely require some course correction and adaptation due to new obstacles that appear the closer you get. 5. Retarget visitors. By placing a pixel on your website, you can track customers who visit but don’t convert, then target them with another message to bring them back. 12

UPSIZE JULY • AUGUST 2021

I need both hands, both feet and then some to count the number of digital platforms small businesses can use to reach their audience. And that’s the problem — you’re trying to be everywhere all the time. You know what they say: “The jack of all trades is master of none.” As a small business, being everything to everyone, everywhere, all the time just isn’t realistic. Chances are, the demographic you’re trying to target isn’t everywhere, either. We hear it all the time, “I know I have to be online.” Yes, you do. But this doesn’t mean you have to waste time and energy being in spaces where your customer base is minimal. Do it right. Here are four easy steps to help you be intentional with your digital presence and “STIC” to what you know best (we all love a good acronym, right?). S- Set goals A mentor of mine once said, “It’s best to start with the end in mind.” So, what’s your end game? Once you’ve thought about your end goals, GET DETAILED. Details ensure mindful steps toward reaching any goal. Think of these detailed steps as setting a strategy. Setting a strategy is like following a compass — it will direct the ship (and its crew members) to keep business on course. Consider your key performance indicators (KPI). Try making a specific goal, then evaluating what metrics will actually move that needle. For example, return on investment (ROI) might not increase just because click through rates (CTR) are increasing. The more specific your goals, the better: to get five 3+ star reviews on Google Business this month or increase the number of visitors to your website by 25 unique visitors or gain 12 new email opt-ins this month.

T- Track goals Now that you’re revved up about goals, let’s pull back the reins a tad. Once you’ve declared your goal, how will you know you’ve reached it? Like a New Year’s resolution, if you pick too many goals and go for the complete overhaul, tracking and consistency will be incredibly hard to maintain. Don’t burn out before you have the chance to see changes. Therefore, the second step is to track these goals or, in most cases, one goal. Let’s keep in mind the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, that 80 percent of outcomes result from 20 percent of input. Identify the 20% that creates the most productivity for your business and focus your energies toward it. Start small. Pick one goal to track (or two, if you can’t help yourself). Keep in mind, as you move toward your goal, you’ll probably need to course-correct and adapt. We almost never follow the same path we set out on at the very beginning because as we get closer to the objective, we need to adapt to new obstacles set in front of us – and that’s okay. I - Identify when to run your campaign In reality, you can run a campaign whenever. But there are some key questions to consider to ensure your efforts are maximized by intention. First, ask yourself: Who do you want to target? Even if Gen Z is on Tiktok, that doesn’t mean you need to be there, too. Those who say their audience is “everyone” don’t know who their audience really is. You have a unique product or service to offer, and your customer base wants to feel like they are unique in their situation. Double-down: define an age group, an income level, an employment status and a geographic location, and watch as the right advertising channels rise to the top, whether display, social

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media, email or paid search. P.S. Don’t discount your email campaign just yet—63 percent of millennials report that promotional emails impact their final purchasing decisions most or all the time, according to a study by Fluent. Then consider the budget. $20 can go a long way. Whether purchasing an email marketing software subscription or utilizing paid targeting efforts on Facebook, a small investment can create an exponential difference in traffic to your platforms (especially when you’ve already outlined your target demographics). Next, consider if there is a season when your product/service sells best. If marketing is about attracting customers, then attracting them at their best time is an important part of the equation. HVAC does great in the heart of summer, right? Be in front of your audience when interactions are most often to occur. Continuing marketing efforts during your busy seasons opens doors to a larger volume of leads not only because of the interested customers, but also to the audience hearing about your services by word of mouth. The best advertising channel is a satisfied (and vocal) customer. C- (re)Capture your audience Experts estimate the average American is exposed to around 4,000 to 10,000 advertisements per day. Does this surprise you? Maybe the hardest part of any digital campaign is creating a message that sticks, without overdoing it. The fourth and final step is learning to retarget the portion of your audience that is already interested in your product or service and bringing them back to your site. Many campaigns experience ad fatigue. In short, ad fatigue is when your campaign loses effect over time. Ever start a race strong, but barely cross the finish line? Some ads

are just like that—they start with skyhigh conversions and dwindle down to single-digit impressions. One way to avoid this is by making small changes to your messaging or graphics every 45-60 days. Ideally, these are small changes like changing the background picture, adjusting your call to action, maybe implementing a “hot deal” or holiday special. Typically, only 2 percent of web traffic completes a purchase after the first visit, according to Retargeter. com. It is much easier to convert a returning website user (rather than a new visitor) into a customer. That’s when retargeting comes in. By placing a pixel on your website, you can track customers who visit but don’t convert, then target them with another message to bring them back. You can retarget customers with banners, social ads and even emails if they’ve abandoned their shopping cart. Retargeting offers a way to message to your lowest-hanging fruit for a more efficient — and effective — way to leverage your dollars. The digital landscape offers everyone a plot of land to grow and flourish. But as most businesses have learned, without a digital strategy to lead you, finding the spot where you can rise above is an aimless road. Setting and tracking thoughtful goals will ensure your next digital campaign is sure to not only capture your audience, but keep them coming back for more. Remember, one small and detailed goal (alongside persistent tracking) can be much more effective than spreading yourself too thin across every digital platform. From the wise words of Rumi, a 13th century poet, “If all you can do is crawl, start crawling.” You are the expert in the room. No one knows your product or service better than you do. So, pick one way to showcase it best and conquer it.

“ You are the expert in the room. No one knows your product or service better than you do. So, pick one way to showcase it best and conquer it.” Kirsten Barott Lawrence & Schiller

Kirsten Barott is an associate account executive with Lawrence & Schiller: 612.351.4040; kirsten.barott@l-s.com; www.l-s.com.

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JULY • AUGUST 2021 UPSIZE

OFFERING a HAND Lending, technical assistance options abound for BIPOC business owners

oday, Conrad Nguyen is the owner of Kortech, a facility management and contract staffing firm. He achieved that goal after spending more than 20 years in various business leadership roles with 3M and other large organizations. But it wasn’t a smooth ride. His story and others featured here demonstrate the assistance available to BIPOC or minority-owned business owners, and their resilience, in overcoming difficult situations. Nguyen’s family immigrated from Vietnam. He struggled early in life with addiction and was surrounded by violence and naysayers. Nguyen hit rock bottom at about 20 when a close childhood friend was killed. But that lit a fire for his own turnaround. He arrived in Minnesota to pursue a program that allowed those under 21 to take classes and earn a high school diploma. “That was the highest dream I had at that time,” he says. “I wanted to get out of the cycle of violence.” He met a teacher who was impressed with the drive it took to leave on his own. She asked what he needed. “I said, ‘I don’t need any help, all I need is somoene to believe in me,’” he says. When he earned his diploma, he moved on to college. When he finished college, he got his first job in New York with 3M. Shortly after Sept. 11, he enrolled in master’s degree program at Rutgers University, after which 3M brought him back to corporate in the Twin Cities.

Going out on his own

Conrad Nguyen, owner of Kortech, overcame addiction and violence early in life to earn multiple degrees, get a job at 3M and, eventually, acquire his own business.

He spent a few years in different roles at 3M, both here and abroad, but also had the entrepreneurial itch. When one of the divisions he was working in was sold off to a competitor, he figured it was time. “Being at 3M was great in a lot of ways because I had opportunities to learn and grow, but it kind of held me back because I was so comfortable,” he says. During his search, he ran into a former 3M contact who introduced him to the Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA). “For almost a year, we worked together trying to find companies that fit,” he says, adding that he was looking for a proven business-to-business operation with recurring revenues. Through those relationships he met the former owner of Kortech, who was looking to move

BY ANDREW TELLIJOHN photographs by Tom Dunn 14

UPSIZE JULY • AUGUST 2021

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COVER STORY HAMBURGUESAS EL GORDO

any restaurants struggled during the COVID-19 pandemic and Claudia Gutierrez says it was a tough year for her too. But Hamburguesas El Gordo, and its massive hamburgers with a Mexican twist, have comfortably made it through well bigger than when it all started. Gutierrez first started making the burgers out of her kitchen on Fridays for family and friends. The gatherings got so big they outgrew her house. When She opened her first brickand-mortar in St. Paul in 2015. A second opened in Minneapolis in late 2016, but she had to close the St. Paul location the next year. Because of her large customer base there, she began immediately looking for another space and opened in 2018. “Everything was going perfectly,” she says. “Then the pandemic happened.” Early on, Gutierrez cut staff and hours. But after the second month of COVID-19, takeout orders went through the roof, allowing her to hire back everyone she had laid off and more. “We couldn’t keep up,” she says. In the last half-year, she’s opened up two more locations in St. Paul. “Opening in the middle of the pandemic I was very scared,” she says. “I actually wasn’t planning on it, but the owner of the building [on the corner of Victoria St. and Selby Ave. in St. Paul] was a customer of mine. … He offered me a very good deal. So, we went for it.” So, it’s been hard, but well worth it. “It was a struggle every day,” she says. “But it was a good result.” Right now, it’s a dream, but Gutierrez hopes one day to open a couple more locations in cities like Edina or Woodbury. Overall, it’s been worth the risk she took leaving a comfortable, steady job she’d held for 12 years at a staffing agency. “I loved my job,” she says. “I did not want to regret not taking that opportunity. If it didn’t work, I could go back and find another job or maybe go back to my old job. But if I didn’t take the chance, I would regret it and be sad about it.” Contact: Claudia Gutierrez owns Hamburguesas El Gordo: www.gordoburgers.com

UPSIZE JULY • AUGUST 2021

to a different area, but wanted to make sure his employees were protected. “I’ve always talked about wanting to start the company I wish I had worked for and be the leader I wish I had,” Nguyen says. “I knew that’s what I wanted to be involved in.” Kortech does project and construction management, facility management and contract staffing. He has about two dozen employees full-time with additional people brought on as needed on a project basis. Sales have ranged in the mid-toupper seven figures in recent years. He is in the middle of trying an initiative aimed at growing sales 10 times in five years through building relationships with existing clients and adding more. MEDA helped finance a portion of his acquisition and, while he’s become pretty comfortable managing the business he still occasionally checks in. “This is my first acquisition and I need a sounding board,” he says. “I feel pretty comfortable working with MEDA. They help vet a lot, kind of like doing my second layer of due diligence.”

MEDA expanding financing, consulting, facilitation

For 50 years, MEDA has consulted minority business owners. The organization provides technical assistance, works to match clients with corporate and state contract opportunities, then coaches them through the proposal process, financing and navigating relationships. It’s a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). MEDA entered 2020 with a $21 million loan portfolio that is expected to double to $40 million by the end of 2021. At MEDA’s annual meeting in June, President and CEO Alfredo Martel announced several new initiatives aimed at capitalizing on both the business community’s desire to help promote diversity in business ownership and the looming retirements of many baby boomer business owners to increase its ability to help create and build minority-owned businesses. “We are stating a path to conclude our 2025 strategic plan with a goal of reaching $150 million in capacity,” he says. “We have the vision and inspiration of Martin Luther King and we have a dream. We have a vision of a better world for our BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) clientele and the audacity of [John F. Kennedy] to say we choose to go to the moon and choose to do these things that are hard.” Some of this will be achieved, Martel says, through the generation of a digital network of volunteers from the corporate community who he sees spending time working with small business owners on interpreting financial statements,

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PHOTO COURTESY OF HAMBURGUESAS EL GORDO

Claudia Gutierrez, owner,

COVER STORY

marketing, promotion and other areas of running businesses. The electronic meetings spawned by COVID-19, he says, created the backbone necessary for such arrangements to grow, as business owners and consultants no longer must sit at the same table to meet. “It’s going to be built on digital infrastructure, but it’s going to be built on volunteers, mostly from corporate or private industry,” he says. “Now we have corporate America, frankly corporate white America, on a direct Zoom line with BIPOC small business America.” In an effort to increase minority business ownership, MEDA also plans to focus more on working with clients to buy existing companies owned by those who are ready to retire but don’t have a successor. “Think of all the old businesses that are owned right now that are about to close because the mom and pop are retiring and they have nobody to hand the business over to. ‘I’ve been a baker for 45 years, I’m done, I’m checking out,’” he says. “We have a BIPOC organization like MEDA saying we’ll acquire that. We’ll help a BIPOC entrepreneur take over your bakery. There is a generational moment right now about to hit us where there is the opportunity for a dramatic transfer of wealth and business equity.”

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After holding several roles with 3M, Conrad Nguyen’s unit was sold to a competitor. It was the push he needed to leave corporate life and search for a business to acquire.

Many organizations offering assistance

MEDA might be the largest, but many other organizations also are working to level the playing field for BIPOC entrepreneurs. The Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers is an association of nonprofit community development organizations committed to expanding the wealth and resources of neighborhoods through housing and economic development initiatives. Its “Open to Business” program contributes technical assistance free-of-charge and also, when appropriate, loans to emerging entrepreneurs, says Tyler Hilsabeck, director of small business development. The technical assistance comes in a range of business

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COVER STORY Solomon Hailie and Rekik Abaineh, owners,

BOLÉ ETHIOPIAN CUISINE

hen fires set during civil unrest following the death of George Floyd destroyed Bolé Ethiopian Cuisine last May, Solomon Hailie and Rekik Abaineh briefly considered not reopening. The cyclical nature of restaurants and the COVID-19 pandemic were wearing on them and they thought it might be time to try something else. But when neighbors and friends started reaching out on Facebook and asking if there was a Gofundme or other ways to help, they quickly changed their minds, Hailie says. “In the restaurant business you always have a short plan,” he says. “Now, really our mind is set and we are trying to make a difference in this business.” When business consultant Lelna Desta quickly set up a Gofundme page, more than 3,800 people contributed more than $154,000 to help get the family back up and operating. “People did that for us,” he says. “A lot of people we know went through the same thing at the same time. Asking for people to do that was not our immediate action.” But when demand showed itself, Desta took on the project and in a short time, the company raised more than $100,000, says Hailie. Buoyed by the support, the family and its team hunkered down to figure out how to get back to business. The family’s resolve paid off in March when Bolé reopened in a new location near the Como Zoo. “The area we are in right now is just a prayer coming to life,” Hailie says. “We’re excited we found this place.” The new location is more a neighborhood than a main street commercial district. So, it’s more of a destination with a different atmosphere. A drive through component in the old location won’t make sense in the neighborhood spot so the family is working on a grab-and-go vegan component for those seeking quick meals. Meantime, sit-down business is booming at levels beyond the kitchen’s design. “It’s just beyond our expectations,” he says. Contact: Solomon Hailie is co-owner of Bolé Ethiopian Cuisine: 651.330.2492; manager@teambole.com; www.boleethiopiancuisine.com.

UPSIZE JULY • AUGUST 2021

phases but is focused on BIPOC communities, low-wealth individuals and women-owned businesses. The organization has Somali and Hmong language speakers available. “Business advisers assist prospective and current entrepreneurs in business plan development, cash flow projections, marketing plans and the implementation of sound financial management systems,” Hilsabeck says. When capital is a need, MCCD can provide for those locked out of traditional lending institutions. Financing can be tailored to terms that make sense for startup and working capital, equipment and asset financing or for short-term contract or “transaction” financing, Hilsabeck says. “Our goal is to help an entrepreneur identify and plan for their true long-term capital needs,” he says. “Pairing the upfront planning, ongoing technical assistance and sufficient operating capital gives the entrepreneur the best chance of success.” There also is the six-member Catalyst Coalition, a consortium CDFIs working to support minority entrepreneurs. MEDA is one, as is African Economic Development Solutions (AEDS), where Gene Gelgelu is president and CEO. The organization worked with 1,400 people in 2020 due to the pandemic-related economic crash, helping them try to stay in business. “Our organization has been very busy,” Gelgelu says “We ended up working with a lot of businesses we had never worked with. We never imagined we could hit those numbers.” Those businesses were looking for anything from advice to loans to stay afloat during the pandemic. While typically

CONTACT: ABRAHAM DALU is co-founder of A&A Reliable Home Health Care LLC: info@aareliable.com; www.aareliable.com. GENE GELGELU is president and CEO of African Economic Development Solutions: 651.646.9411; info@aeds-mn.org; www.aeds-mn.org. TYLER HILSABECK is a business adviser at the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers: 612.789.7337; info@ mccdmn.org; www.mccdmn.org. ALFREDO MARTEL is president and CEO of the Metropolitan Economic Development Association: 612.332.6332; info@meda. net; www.meda.net. CONRAD NGUYEN is president and owner of Kortech: 732.801.6215; conrad@kortechfm.com; www.kortechfm.com.

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COVER STORY African Economic Development Solutions offers techincal training and lending to entrepreneurs looking to start or expand their business.

not a grant organization, AEDS did raise money for Twin Cities-based businesses affected by civil unrest last summer following the murder of George Floyd. “When you are hit by something you never anticipate, going back to normal is not easy,” he says. “Those businesses, small businesses, even before COVID and civil unrest, they were struggling financially. They’re not corporate. They are small businesses. They are migrant-owned businesses. They were already capital starved. When hit with this kind of challenge, getting back to normal is very challenging.” As a CDFI lender, AEDS offers up to $25,000 in financing for new businesses and up to $100,000 for expanding businesses. AEDS conducts 12-week development training programs, offers training on first-time homebuying and workforce development and works to build sustainable wealth within African immigrant communities through the Little Africa Business and Cultural district and its efforts to ensure a voice in the community. More than 12,000 people attended its Little Africa Festival in 2019. The 13-year-old organization has also established the national African Immigrant Leadership Conference. It has primarily been a Twin Cities-focused organization, but some of its services are expanding into greater Minnesota. “There were people who came for our training from Rochester for our business development training program,” he says. “If people are willing to drive one-and-a-half hours to come for the training, why don’t we take the training there? The demand was there. We are at a time where it’s the right

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time to expand.”

Layoff led to business idea

Among AEDS’ pupils a few years back were Abraham and Aster Dalu, married business partners who who were born in Ethiopia. They decided to start their own business in 2012 after he was laid off for economic reasons from his job leading medical studies for a pharmaceutical company. Abraham wanted to take more control over his family’s financial situation. “I vowed from that point on not to go back to big companies and, even better, to start my own company and take my financial destiny into my own hands,” he says. Thus was born A&A Reliable Home Health Care, which now is an insured, bonded, AAA-certified provider of services ranging from personal care assistance to home care nursing and homemaker services to supported living services for patients from the comfort of their homes, Dalu says. They have more than 60 employees, many of whom speak different languages, which helps the company serve a diverse mix of patients. With their backgrounds — his in toxicology and hers as a nurse — they had much of the health care knowledge necessary to establish the business. But they lacked a business background. So, they enrolled in a 12-week small business course at Neighborhood Development Center and sought some technical assistance from AEDS. They learned about advertising, marketing and the use of QuickBooks for creating accurate financial records.

JULY • AUGUST 2021 UPSIZE

COVER STORY Elias Usso and Mawerdi Hamid, owners,

SEWARD PHARMACY

ndependent pharmacies are rare these days, with insurance reimbursements for prescriptions decreasing and corporate chains able to provide products more cheaply. Elias Usso knew he faced that challenge when he opened Seward Pharmacy in July 2019. He did not know that less than a year later he would combat both a global pandemic and civil unrest in his neighborhood brought on by the murder of George Floyd. During the unrest in May, his pharmacy was destroyed. And after reopening in September 2020, it was actually broken into again, though the damages weren’t as bad. Usso is grateful for assistance from neighbors and nonprofit organizations that contributed grants that have actually allowed him to increase the workspace area for up to six or eight people, instead of just two. Other improvements to shelving, over-the-counter space and product in his store helped, as well. The improvements came in part through receiving a grant of $165,000 from UnitedHealth Group via the nonprofit Heart of America. He also singled out the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers and African Economic Development Solutions for their assistance. “These are the forces that helped us get on our feet and continue running our business,” he says. “We would not have been able to recover if it wasn’t for our neighbors.” Usso hopes to put them to good use as he continues building and rebuilding a business he convinced his wife would work because he believes in old school service, particularly for less educated and more vulnerable patients who need some extra attention. Usso believes in “gearing toward personalized care and a visit to a patient’s home,” especially right away after they transfer their prescription to Seward. “That is the idea we opened the business on,” he says. “We wanted to bring back that American pharmacy, that mom-andpop pharmacy, like back in the days that people would meet their neighbors at the pharmacy.”

CEO and President Alfredo Martel announced at the Metropolitan Economic Development Association’s 50th annual meeting that it will significantly expand its lending capacity and efforts to help BIPOC entrepreneurs acquire businesses in the years ahead.

“With a new company, you wear so many hats and you have to get involved on a personal level at every step of the business’s activity,” Abraham says. “That requires you to know the details that you take for granted when you are with big companies where you get support personnel.” It took a couple years of planning and going through the certification process to get started, but since 2014, outside of last year when the pandemic caused some struggles, the company has been growing, Abraham Dalu says. He’s thrilled to be in control of his own destiny, to be employing people and contributing to the state’s economic growth while helping his community. “Creating jobs and providing services to those who need them is something to be noted,” he says. “Together we wanted to ... not just start a business, but something that we thought would benefit the community.”

Contact: Elias Usso is co-owner of Seward Pharmacy: sewardpharmacy@gmail.com; www.sewardpharmacy.com.

UPSIZE JULY • AUGUST 2021

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Your preferred SBA Lender. Find out how we are diﬀerent.

sunrisebanks.com Member FDIC

catching up by Andrew Tellijohn

Social media boom shifted practice at Wax Marketing

onnie Harris regularly popped up in Upsize Minnesota’s earlier issues, whether it was offering advice on marketing, contributing articles on pricing or on starting a new business segment. In 2007, the founder of Wax Marketing Inc. created WaxCoach.com to complement her main business. The idea was that she would offer tips and articles about do-it-yourself publicity and marketing. A free membership got access to a newsletter while $139 got subscribers lifetime access to discussion boards where they could pose questions. The site was aimed at sole proprietors, authors and other smaller entities who didn’t have the cash to pay for a retainer, though Harris thought with the right help, they might grow and someday become her clients. “There were a lot of small businesses that were asking for help,” she says. Then social media hit the scene, not only making it easier for those smaller businesses to create their own voices and ways to be heard, but also changing the landscape for her traditional clientele at Wax Marketing. “It became much easier for smaller businesses to do their own marketing and not have to navigate that more complex landscape of traditional marketing,” she says, 22

UPSIZE JULY • AUGUST 2021

Bonnie Harris, founder and president of Wax Marketing

though adding she will still do one-onone meetings with small companies who seek her counsel. She just doesn’t do it as a formalized business. She still believes in the concept of having multiple complementary revenue streams, but to grow WaxCoach. com on its own, she decided, would be a distraction. She had enough going on maintaining Wax Marketing as the industry changed. “It just wasn’t something I had enough time for,” Harris says of WaxCoach.com. “The other part of my business really got busy around 2009 and

2010. A lot of what I was doing shifted for some of the same reasons.” The hundreds of new mediums through which businesses can communicate with potential customers also changed how Wax Marketing worked with clients, moving most away from doing traditional public relations centered around earned media and toward multi-pronged plans. Harris became an integrated marketer, focused on creating strategies that utilize whatever the best channels are for each individual client, typically mid-sized growing companies with revenue between $20 million and $100 million who are competing against well-known brands. In addition to running her company, Harris got a Master’s Degree from West Virginia University in integrated marketing and now teaches it there, as well. “We determine the audiences these companies are trying to reach, both their target customers and those who influence them, and we create strategies that try to reach across these channels and integrate those channels, so it’s a much more powerful program,” she says. As these marketing opportunities have evolved, so has Wax Marketing. Her work with any individual client is likely much longer term than it was 15 years ago. Harris is often hired to help create a marketing program, then retained to execute those plans or train internal employees to do so. This allows Harris to pick-and choose www.upsizemag.com

Bonnie Harris’s Wax Marketing focuses on finding really interesting work while maintaining a work-life balance lacking in a prior step of her career.

her clients in a way that maintains her work-life balance. Once involved with a tech start-up that was sold in the mid1990s to a publicly-held technology firm, where she toiled during the dotcom bubble of the early 2000s, she’s less interested in massive growth and more interested in doing interesting, satisfying work that pays her bills. “My goal in this company was never to grow it to a large agency and sell it,” she says. “My goal was to find really interesting work, help the business community grow, and pay my bills and be able to have the quality of life I didn’t have when I was in tech.” Harris has, in fact, actually downsized a bit. Around 2010, she had a couple handfuls of employees during the middle of the Great Recession and was growing more than she initially intended when she had an a-ha moment.

Wax Marketing Inc. Description: Integrated marketing communications agency Headquarters: St. Paul Founded: 2002 Founder and President: Bonnie Harris Employees: Zero, though she has a network of contractors Website: www.waxmarketing.com

She wanted to spend a day with a dying pet but instead had to go to the office to fix a computer. “It was one of those moments where you just go ‘wait a minute, what do I want my life to be,’” she says. She closed her Grand Avenue office and started using contractors instead of employees to help with her work. While her time in the tech industry was successful, Harris learned she doesn’t mesh well with the “profit for profit’s sake” mentality, preferring the socially responsible outlook of today’s younger workers. She still tries to spend around 10% of her time doing pro bono work for interesting people or causes she finds worthy. Harris still billed her biggest years in 2018 and 2019. She decided to scale back in 2020, then her work in the health care sector took off due to COVID-19 and the need to help medical clients navigate through challenges such as virtual doctor visits. It was more work than she intended for the year, but it came with a lot of satisfaction. “Growing a company bigger is always the idea of what people think they need to do,” she says. “I love choosing the work I do. I’ve been really lucky to be able to do some cool things and if it’s grown, it’s grown organically in different directions rather than size. That has been the metric of success for me.”

“ My goal was to find really interesting work, help the business community grow, and pay my bills and be able to have the quality of life I didn’t have when I was in tech.” — Bonnie Harris,

Wax Marketing

Contact: Bonnie Harris is founder and president of Wax Marketing Inc.: 612.801.0912; harris@waxmarketing.com; www.waxmarketing.com.

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JULY • AUGUST 2021 UPSIZE

HOW TO REACH THOUSANDS OF BUSINESS OWNERS TOO BUSY TO TAKE YOUR CALLS It’s tough getting in touch with business owners, especially when they’re hands-on managers of growing companies. That’s exactly who Upsize readers are. They run small, growing companies. They look to the how-to format for products, services and growth ideas, and they look to the ads for the means to achieve them. When you advertise in UPSIZE MINNESOTA, you’ll reach business owners and managers who are busy seeking the goods and services your firm can provide. For more information, email Andrew Tellijohn at atellijohn@upsizemag.com or call 612.827.5290

UPSIZE RESOURCE DIRECTORY BANK

computer consulting Intertech

EXIT STRATEGIES Exit Planning Strategies, LLC

1575 Thomas Center Drive • Eagan, MN 55122 www.intertech.com • Ryan McCabe at rmccabe@intertech.com or 651.288.7001

p. 651 426 0848 — www.exitplanstrategies.com Dyanne Ross-Hanson: President e. drh@exitplanstrategies.com

Intertech consultants are leading software developers who focus on more than simply “heads down” programming. We provide comprehensive software services – consulting, project delivery and mentoring – for all leading technologies, most notably Java, .NET and mobile. Intertech consultants are highly experienced and among the IT industry’s top contributors at conferences, technology journals and user groups.

Exit Planning Strategies, LLC, a firm dedicated to offering business owners objective, fee based, financial consulting in the development of intentional ownership transition plans. We direct an interdisciplinary process to explore planning options, map realistic exit strategies and to develop an Action Checklist, to accomplish an owner’s unique objectives.

BANK Flagship Bank Minnesota

CONSULTING People Spark Consulting

FINANCIAL SERVICES Goff Investment Group

Andy Schornack, CEO | 952-358-2522 Brian Wagner, President | 952-358-2513 952-944-6050 | flagshipbanks.com

13570 Grove Drive, #353 Maple Grove, MN 55311 Erin Mies & Kristen Ireland, Co-Founders 937-206-9306 www.peoplesparkconsulting.com

5201 Eden Avenue, Suite 130 • Edina, MN 55436 952-836-2745 • www.goffinvestmentgroup.com Janel M. Goff, CRPC®

Crown Bank 6600 France Avenue South, Suite 125 Edina, Minnesota 55435 Ph: (952) 285-5800 www.crown-bank.com • Jeff Wessels, President & COO At Crown Bank, we want to be partners in your possibilities. Because possibilities are what the future is made of. From something as personal as growing your savings, to something as big as growing your business, our bankers and staff have the expertise and energy to partner with you to make that happen.

Member FDIC

Today’s entrepreneur brings creativity, passion, and flexibility to the task of achieving success. Flagship Bank can help because these are precisely the qualities that we bring to each customer of our bank, and their community. With six convenient locations and a staff of experts, we are ready to offer our support. Let’s talk today. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.

BANK Highland Bank Rick Wall, CEO | 952.858.4753 Troy Rosenbrook, President | 952.858.4810 952.858.4888 | www.highland.bank Founded in 1943, Highland Bank is focused on business lending and is an SBA “Preferred” Lender, making us uniquely qualified to help your business obtain the financing it needs expeditiously. Work directly with the decision-makers who will treat you like a business partner. Member FDIC.

COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHER Tom Dunn Photography 308 Prince Street Studio 242 Saint Paul, MN 55101 651-368-2047 www.tomdunnphoto.com Tom Dunn tom@tomdunnphoto.com Tom is a commercial photographer who has been helping businesses tell their unique story with photographs for websites and marketing materials since 2006. Tom works closely with his clients to understand their business and branding strategy and creates images that support their mission and success.

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At People Spark Consulting, we help companies implement the right HR practices to meet and exceed business goals. Our simple, practical HR processes help boost your bottom line and increase your profits and margin. We can help you create and streamline your HR processes so you can play to win.

A full service wealth management practice dedicated to managing your wealth and retirement assets in a way that best fits your risk tolerance, investment objectives and time horizon. We offer access to a complete selection of investment products and wealth management services. Established in 1993 to specialize in working with multi-generation families. Securities offered through LPL Financial, member FINRA/SIPC

Offering IT development work for less. For a limited time Nova Horizons is offering a group of no more than four small businesses an IT development collaboration opportunity for on-going development work. This is an opportunity for a few small businesses to get the expert IT development resources they need to navigate the digital age; getting more of their development projects completed on time and for far less money. “Small businesses with big development projects need outside development expertise at below market rates.”

John Thwing The SBA Guy

With over 30 years in the industry, John Thwing, SVP Head of Lending, locally known as the “The SBA Guy” is a recognized Twin Cities lender that entrepreneurs know and trust.

Specializing in: Owner-occupied Commercial Real Estate Business Acquisition Expansion Partner Buyout Franchise Construction Financing 612-505-9751 sbaguy@21stcb.com 43 Main St. SE Suite 144 Minneapolis, MN 55414

jonny@novahorizons.io www.novahorizons.io 952.888.7541

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UPSIZE RESOURCE DIRECTORY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT Prouty Project

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS Lingate Financial Group

SBA LENDER Highland Bank

6385 Old Shady Oak Road, Suite 260 Eden Prairie, MN 55344 952.942.2922 | www.proutyproject.com Kari Baltzer | stretch@proutyproject.com

7575 Golden Valley Road, Suite 100 Minneapolis, MN 55427 763-546-8201 www.Lingate.com Greg Loeschke — Managing Principal

Troy Rosenbrook, President | 952.858.4810 Kim Storey, SBA Lending Manager | 952.858.4590 952.858.4888 | www.highland.bank

Our leadership development engagements and cohort-based leadership programs – Prouty L3 and Prouty i•will – link behavior to team performance in your workplace through the lenses of Leading Self, Leading Others and Leading the Business. We focus on STRETCHing participants to lead business within internal and international divisions. Give us a call or stop by.

Founded in 1945, Lingate Financial Group is a leading provider of lower middle market merger & acquisition advisory services, representing privately held businesses of all types with revenues of $5 – 50 million. Lingate helps business owners with market-based valuations, business sales, mergers, acquisitions, recapitalizations, and internal transitions among family members, partners and management. We get deals done.

MARKETING & PRINT SOLUTIONS OFFICE FURNITURE Allegra — Marketing • Print •Mail All Around Office Installation STRATEGIC Greater Twin Cities Area 1064 Gervais Ave Maplewood, MN 55109 SOLUTIONS FOR&YOUR Your local marketing print consultant Office # 651-340-4729 SUCCESS Cell # 651-239-6470 Arden Hills – 651.484.5000 Whether you need help developing a new marketing campaign, ideas to improve the Blaine –of763.780.0792 effectiveness an existing project or you just want to save time and money, we can help. Allegra is the Eagan – designed 651.645.1224 single source to assist organizations just like yours with: Eden Prairie – 952.835.2720 • Printing Services Minneapolis/Downtown – 612.332.8669 • Signs, Banners, and Posters • Complete Mailing Services St. Paul/Downtown – 651.222.8004 Design Center • Creative • Full Bindery Services Full service marketing & print communication expert. • Web-to-Print Solutions and Trade Show Graphics • Display A one-stop shop, to help you with a high quality project, Promotional Products • more... • Much, much,on delivered time & on budget.

We are a white-glove, COVID-friendly, fullservice installation company. We install all brands of commercial office furniture, including bathroom partitions, cabinets and counter tops. We also offer carrier services, decommission disposals, relocation services, warehouse storage, brand new installs and reconfigurations.

Founded in 1943, Highland Bank is focused on small business lending and is an SBA “Preferred” Lender, making us uniquely qualified to help your business obtain the financing it needs expeditiously. Work directly with the decision-makers who will treat you like a business partner. Member FDIC.

SBA LENDER 21st Century Bank 2335 Highway 36 W Suite 202 Roseville, MN 55113 612-372-2178 • www.21stcb.com At 21st Century Bank, we know what it takes for businesses to survive, grow, and prosper in today’s market. For over 100 years, we have been your community partner. A family-owned bank, with expertise in all SBA and conventional lending programs covering all stages of your business. We tailor solutions that respond to your unique business and banking needs.

FOR QUALITY AND SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST, CONTACT YOUR LOCAL ALLEGRA TODAY! Arden Hills Blaine Eagan

MARKETING

651.484.5000 763.780.0792 651.645.1224

MAIL

Eden Prairie 952.835.2720 Minneapolis/Downtown 612.332.8669 St. Paul/Downtown 651.222.8004

DESIGN

WEB

SIGNS

APPAREL

PROMOTIONAL

MOBILE

GROW OR DIE Move your business forward with investment capital generation, deep-level network connections and strategic refinement consultation from Brimacomb and Associates. We partner with emerging companies and professional services firms to offer unparalleled access to professional resources, executive suites and financing sources.

www.brimacomb.com 612.803.3169 • rick@brimacomb.com

UPSIZE JULY • AUGUST 2021

ADVERTISING SECTION

TIME TO SELL?

Industry average shows only 25% of businesses that go to market actually sell We sell over 50% of the businesses we work with Increase your odds of selling your business with Transitions In Business

Contact Sam Thompson, CBI, M&AMI 29 years as business owner and 9 years selling businesses sthompson@transitionsib.com • www.transitionsib.com 952-405-8470

www.upsizemag.com

UPSIZE RESOURCE DIRECTORY SBA LENDER Sunrise Banks

TRANSITION PLANNING KeyeStrategies

WEALTH MANAGEMENT JNBA Financial Advisors

David Reiling, CEO Phone: 651.265.5600 www.sunrisebanks.com Sunrise is headquartered in St. Paul, MN, and has four retail banking branches located in the urban core of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Its primary business lines include: Commercial Lending and Leasing, Relationship Banking, Treasury Management, Prepaid Cards, Fintech Partnerships, New Markets Tax Credits, and Small Business Administration Lending.

Minneapolis, MN Keyestrategies.com 763-350-5563 Julie Keyes, Founder/CEPA

8500 Normandale Lake Blvd., Suite 450 Minneapolis, MN 55437 952.844.0995 www.jnba.com Cärin Viertel, Director of Client Services

“KeyeStrategies LLC advises business owners in Transition and Exit Planning. Julie Keyes is both a Certified Exit Planning Adviser (CEPA) and Value Growth Adviser. She is also a faculty member for the Exit Planning Institute’s Global organization and President of its local Chapter.”

Member FDIC

Being a small business we understand the needs of small business owners. And with 40+ years of experience in providing conflict-free advice, our proactive and integrated approach allows our multi-generational teams to put clients first when delivering customized financial life planning and investment strategies to help maximize their resources.

STRATEGIC PLANNING Prouty Project

venture capital Brimacomb + Associates

WORKPLACE WELLBEING R3 Continuum

6385 Old Shady Oak Road, Suite 260 Eden Prairie, MN 55344 952.942.2922 | www.proutyproject.com Kari Baltzer | stretch@proutyproject.com

TCF Tower, Suite #1600, 121 South Eighth St., Minneapolis, MN 55402 612-803-3169 * www.brimacomb.com Rick Brimacomb, rick@brimacomb.com Chief Strategy and Relationship Officer

7825 Washington Ave. S., Suite 500 Bloomington, MN 55439 R3c.com 866-927-0184 toll free

We start with a blank sheet of paper to elevate your clarity on vision and purpose, create alignment in your strategy to achieve your vision and gain commitment to execute. What are your “market, product/service, people, and financial” strategies over the next 1-5 years? Can you articulate your strategic plan on one page? Join us in our Creative Think Tank to stretch your thinking and ignite your creativity.

Results-oriented advisory firm with unparalleled access to executive suites and financing sources. Emerging companies and established professional services firms rely on our depth of knowledge and deep-network connections to grow client lists, assemble project resources and secure new sources of funding.

R3 Continuum (R3c) is a global leader in workplace behavioral health, crisis, and security solutions. We help enhance workplace behavioral health and performance, speed recovery from disruption, and maintain safety and security on all levels, with our best-practice, human-centered, and technology-enabled continuum of solutions.

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UPSIZE MINNESOTA is your source for the advice you need to help grow your business. By signing up for your FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION to Upsize, you will receive how-to advice six times a year in a full-page, easy-to-read format, complete with active links to relevant service providers and experts.

Follow this link to receive your FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION: bit.ly/3tBoCAV www.upsizemag.com

ADVERTISING SECTION

JULY • AUGUST 2021 UPSIZE

BACK PAGE Stop fearing feeling stuck

Tellijohn: What will readers learn about being stuck? Taets: None of us have failed. This is part of the journey. I just started to get frustrated with, why does everybody feel that there’s something wrong with them? And why do I feel like there’s something wrong with me every time I get stuck. And so I was like, I’m going to tell my story. I’m going to share my wisdom. And I’m going to be really vulnerable and tell people this [stuff ] is not easy. It’s just not. And, but to be honest, those stuck points are a good place to be because it forces you to change. That is your catalyst for change. That is telling you that something Andy Tellijohn: What motivated in your business needs to change, you to get this going? something in your personal life Taets: The first step was three needs to change. So, when you feel years ago when I did the podcast, that stuck feeling, it’s your decision really, because that was my first point to say, ‘I have to do someoutlet to kind of share some of thing different.’ So don’t fear the these lessons I’ve stuck feeling, use it as a learned and things I catalyst to do something had struggled with. I’d different. bring on other leadTellijohn: How do ers that had struggled you tell that story? with the same thing. Taets: I wrote this Eventually I got to a book to be a reference point where people manual. So, if you look were just asking at the table of contents, ‘where’s the book?’ there are chapters and I kept thinking I’ve then there are what I experienced so much call truths that are short and so that was really and to the point, a page the motivation, that or less for each of the I was having so many truths. I want someone Jaime Taets, author and conversations with to be able to read it, but founder of Keystone Group then three months later leaders where they International were stuck and they come back and be like thought something ‘I’m doing it again. I’ll was wrong with them. be happy once I get to aime Taets has had a busy year. Her SuperPower Success podcast is popular and growing. She learned in the Spring she’d been named a recipient of the 2021 Enterprising Women of the Year Awards which honor women entrepreneurs across the U.S. And now she’s getting ready to release a book. The CEO, founder and chief vision officer for Keystone Group International wrote “You Are Here: KickAss Inspiration for Navigating Your Journey to Success” to help business owners get through the challenges they face regularly. She joined Upsize to discuss her hopes.

UPSIZE JULY • AUGUST 2021

YOU ARE HERE

“You Are Here: Kick Ass Inspiration for Navigating Your Journey to Success” aims to help business owners through the challenges of growth

that point and I’m going to reread that piece.’ I want it to be something you go back to just to shift your perspective, to break you free. It’s that coaching alongside you as you’re trying to make decisions and trying to grow your business. Tellijohn: Where can people get the book? Taets: The easiest place is at JaimeTaets.com. You can pre-order now and it comes out in August.

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A business law team that caters to the unique needs of small and mid-size business owners THE SCHINDEL SEGAL TEAM Jon Schindel

Leonard B. Segal

• Purchase and Sale of Businesses • Corporate Governance • Family Succession Planning • Estate Planning • Commercial Real Estate

• Compliance with Employment Laws • Non-Compete & Confidentiality Agreements • Anti-Harassment & Discrimination Policies • Employment Litigation

jschindel@schindelsegal.com

lsegal@schindelsegal.com

Kyle Moen

Sarah Porter

• Purchase and Sale of Businesses • Real Estate • Compliance and Risk Management • Corporate Governance • Succession Planning

• Corporate Governance • Mergers, Acquisitions, and Divestiture • Technology and Licensing Agreements • Residential and Commercial Real Estate

kmoen@schindelsegal.com C O NTA C T U S A D D R E S S : SchindelSegal, PLLC 5901 Cedar Lake Road Minneapolis, MN 55416

sporter@schindelsegal.com P H O N E : 952-358-7400

EMAIL:

info@schindelsegal.com

Investing in you.

Building Together Keeping a business growing requires creativity, passion, and hard work to achieve success. We want to partner with you on your journey. Our experts offer more than just banking services, we share our knowledge to help you build a stronger and more profitable future. Call, visit us online, or stop into any of our six convenient locations to learn more.

flagshipbanks.com