Creative Economy : Innovation + Job News

Silicon Valley and Silicon Prairie are ready to meet.
 
On Wednesday, February 20, coworking and collaborative space CoCo hosted a major kickoff with new partner Google for Entrepreneurs, announcing a two-year schedule of events, conferences, and social mixers at CoCo's Minneapolis office.
 
Focusing on technology and startups, the events are aimed at boosting entrepreneurship in the state, and draw on Google's extensive history of innovation and development. The company's Google for Entrepreneurs initiative was created to support entrepreneurs worldwide, and boasts an array of successful programs already, including Campus London, Women on the Web, and The New Orleans Community Leaders Program. The company even provides guidance and training for child entrepreneurs with Lemonade Day, a nonprofit that teaches children how to start and operate their own businesses.
 
John Lyman, Entrepreneurship Manager at Google, remarked in a release that the company believes entrepreneurship drives innovation and economic growth. "We see that happening in Minnesota and particularly at CoCo," he noted.
 
An announcement about the local partnership was made during an all-day conference at CoCo that began with U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak talking about innovation and entrepreneurship. The jam-packed event was free, but filled up quickly, as tech leaders and aspiring business owners jockeyed for a spot at one of the afternoon's sessions with visiting Google employees.
 
A full 2013 event schedule is still being finalized, and will be released soon, but CoCo did give a glimpse of what's to come. The event series will include affinity and user groups, including Google Developers Group Twin Cities, Android Users Group of Minnesota, and House of Cards, as well as one-day and multi-day conferences. Social and networking events will also play a large role in the partnership, with a particular focus on connecting startup founders with mentors.
 
Also slated are classes and educational sessions, including online-only instruction geared toward appealing to entrepreneurs across Minnesota who may be far flung from CoCo's office space.
 
The event series will rely on Google technology, including Google+ Hangouts, a video conferencing app that allows users to connect directly to multiple participants, or to broadcast an event through Google+, a YouTube channel, and a website. The app also lets users record the broadcast so that it can be shared later.
 
In a release, CoCo founding partner Kyle Coolbroth noted, "This partnership with Google will allow us to continue to expand our mission of creating a robust community of individuals pursuing the work of their dreams."

Writer: Elizabeth Millard
 
 
 

Minnesota Cup Final Awards Event
 
September 6
University of Minnesota, McNamara Center
5:00pm - 7:30pm
free
 
One of the liveliest entrepreneurial competitions, the Minnesota Cup has been a source of innovation and fresh ideas since its founding. (Read about this year's finalists here.) In its final awards event, attendees will get to hear elevator pitches from the division winners and hear the announcement of the grand prize winner. The event promises to be an ideal networking opportunity for the state's entrepreneurial community.
 
Work/Life & Flexibility Expo
 
September 13
Minneapolis Marriott Southwest
8:30am - 4:30pm
$50 - $150, depending on registration type
 
As the economy recovers, engaging highly skilled talent will be crucial for all organizations, and employee retention will be vital. This conference offers insight and strategies for building a work environment that attracts the best talent and positions a company for future growth.
 
Minnesota Blogger Conference
 
September 22
Allina Health
Midtown Exchange Building, Minneapolis
9:00am - 5:00pm
free
 
The first Minnesota Blogger Conference, in 2010, was such a success that organizers decided to keep it rolling. The highly popular conference--tickets are released at strategic times, as for a rock concert--will feature speakers who've taken blogging to new levels, including turning their blogs into business opportunities. Last year's sessions also included insights on legal issues, writing topics, and video blogging.
 
Food + Justice = Democracy
 
September 24 - 26
Radisson Plaza Hotel
35 S. 7th St., Minneapolis
Ranges from $85 - $195 depending on registration type
 
A distinctive national meeting, this event brings together food-justice activists with the aim of pushing political leaders to prioritize a fair, just, and healthy food system. Instead of traditional breakout sessions, the meeting features "People's Assembly sessions," connecting attendees with fellow participants in order to craft elements of a national food-justice platform.

For some creative agencies, staying small and nimble means creating strong areas of specialization like logo creation or social media management. But for Deephaven-based DW Creative, sticking with full service sets them apart.
 
"There aren't many boundaries for what we can do creatively," says Ryan Benson, the firm's director of business development. "We're multi-channel focused, with expertise in all different types of areas." The firm does videos, catalogs, web, print, retail, direct mail, and other materials.
 
The agency started almost 16 years ago by three former NordicTrack executives, he adds, which kicked off the business with a healthy amount of media savvy. NordicTrack was a pioneer in the direct marketing space--sometimes selling thousands of units every day--and that knowledge of creative approaches became a bedrock for DW (short for "Design Write").
 
The firm employs six people, and Benson feels that the size and the cohesion of the staff kept the clients coming in even during the tough economic climate of the past few years.
 
"We've not only survived what went on with the economy, but we're poised to grow, and not too many small agencies can say that," he says. "We take quite a bit of pride in that."
 
In the past couple years, marketing and ad dollars were significantly reduced in the general business community, and many creative agencies felt the pinch, but DW Creative was able to stay afloat through its breadth of services.
 
"Our clients see the value in our work, and that will only help us grow," Benson says.
 
Source: Ryan Benson, DW Creative
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

For Christine Kropp, inspiration came in the form of a thought-for-the-day calendar.
 
"It sounds so cheesy, but my dad gave me a page from one of those calendars when I was going through a crossroad in my career," she says. "The next day, I founded a company."
 
The page read, "When you look back on life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did."
 
That was back in 1998, and since then, Kropp has been aiming toward a regret-free life with Bluewater, a firm that combines brand strategy with smart technology in order to grow brands.
 
Recently, the company launched a new branding initiative for itself, to reflect the latest evolution of its capabilities and offerings. A new logo, images, and messaging blended together for a revamp of the company's website, and Kropp and her team have been infused with new energy as a result.
 
"The whole rebranding effort is geared toward showing clients how Bluewater can help them grow their brands by using one-to-one marketing techniques," she says. "We want to show that we're not just marketing automation tools; we're real people who love our jobs."
 
In the past few years, Bluewater has expanded its service offerings to introduce more multi-channel marketing programs. The company debuted a platform, Fusion, that combines mobile, web, email, and direct mail in order to help clients connect more closely with their customers.
 
"It's really fun to help a client grow, and then to watch them build on their strategies," says Kropp. "We're looking forward to what's ahead."
 
The company is on its own growth track, and has added eight employees in the past year. Kropp expects that they'll keep expanding, and continue to ditch any regrets.
 
Source: Christine Kropp, Bluewater
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

In a January opinion piece in TechCrunch, entrepreneur Jon Bischke suggested the most successful urban leaders are those who view cities like startups. CEOs for Cities, a national network of urban leaders dedicated to creating next-generation cities, will examine that premise at its 2012 Spring National Meeting: The City As a Startup--Creating Demand, Attracting Talent, Taking Risks, and Going to Scale.

The meeting is set for May 17-18 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati and is made possible with support from The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation. Former AOL Chairman and CEO Steve Case will deliver the morning keynote and also sit on a panel conversation about Startup America.

CEOs for Cities will also release its latest City Vitals report, a framework for measuring the success of cities. Other panels include considering Songdo, South Korea as the planet's smartest city and using the collective-impact approach to catalyze social change. There will also be opportunities to tour Cincinnati attractions and examples of success.

Register here. View a draft agenda here.

Issue Media Group, the parent company of The Line, partners with CEOs for Cities in exploring new options for urban growth.

"Definitely, everyone here is caffeinated," says Andi Dickson, principal at St. Louis Park-based creative agency SixSpeed.
 
In some ways, he's joking about how energy drinks fuel innovation at the agency, but on a more figurative level, his comments point to the secret of SixSpeed's success: wild energy, properly harnessed.
 
Dickson started the agency three years ago with co-founder Tom Cusciotta, and each brought a background in agency work mixed with action sports and marketing. For example, Dickson worked for Red Bull for some time, where he pulled together some stunningly creative events.
 
In creating SixSpeed, the pair aims to blend traditional agency abilities with event management and, quite simply, a little bit of crazy. They've attracted edgy, fun clients like Polaris, Two Gingers Irish Whiskey, and Colt 45.
 
"We do lifestyle marketing, that's been a major piece of what we offer," says Dickson. "We provide content generation and events, as well as social strategy. Basically, we provide good old-fashioned hard work, and it's allowed us to grow as a result."
 
The agency has doubled in size every year since its founding, and recruitment is never much of a problem. The staff skews toward a younger demographic--no one, including the founders, is over 35 years old--and a recent move to new offices included an aerialist show and craft beers.
 
"We're having a great time, and we're working hard and loving it," says Dickson. "Also, our new offices are attached to a brewery. So, what more could you want?"
 
Source: Andi Dickson, SixSpeed
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Some ad agencies specialize in certain sectors like apparel, sports, or retail. Minneapolis-based Broadhead may be the only one that deals so extensively with cows.
 
The firm tends to do most of its work for clients in rural America, says CEO Dean Broadhead. That encompasses companies that focus on food safety, agriculture, farm veterinary services, dairy, and fertilizer.
 
Started in 2001, the agency came together after Broadhead worked at some major agencies in the Twin Cities. He'd always wanted to set off on his own, he notes, and after working with clients involved in rural businesses, he decided to keep following that route.
 
Recent projects have included creation of a crop nutrition guide for The Mosaic Company, and the development of a program to help wounded veterans through sponsorship by beef and dairy producers.
 
He stocked his firm with people who have a passion for rural life--either out of interest or because they grew up on farms--and the result has been strong growth and a robust client roster. The agency has consistently grown about 25 to 30 percent per year over the last few years.
 
"We're very happy with double-digit growth," says Broadhead. "That allows us to expand at the pace we want to expand. It makes us more well-rounded and a better value to the client."
 
Source: Dean Broadhead, Broadhead
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Innovators & Entrepreneurs of the Twin Cities
 
February 2
Joe's Garage
1610 Harmon Place, Minneapolis
5:15 pm - 7:00 pm
Free
 
This casual networking event aims to bring together those who are starting their own businesses or independently developing new products and patents. Founded last June, the group hopes to keep  introducing innovators to entrepreneurs so they can learn from each other and make the journey more enjoyable.
 
MN Society of Women Engineers Career Expo
 
February 4
University of St. Thomas
2115 Summit Ave., St. Paul
Murray-Herrick Campus Center, 3rd Floor Lounge
Noon to 4:00 pm
Free
 
Fire up the business attire and spiff up your resume. This career fair is designed to bring together talented job seekers and innovative companies, and is hosted by the Society of Women Engineers. Companies attending include Hormel Foods, Starkey, Nycor, Medtronic, EV3, Loram, Target, and St. Jude Medical.
 
 Minnesota 2012 Entrepreneur Kickoff
 
February 8
Boy Scout Base Camp at Fort Snelling
5:30 pm
Cost ranges from $5 to $25
 
The Entrepreneur Kickoff brings together investors and startups, in advance of this year's state business competitions like Project Skyway, IDEA Competition and TiE CONS. Now in its second year, the event features business pitch evaluations and ample networking opportunities.
 
How to Leverage Digital Media to Raise Capital
 
February 23
CoCo Minneapolis
400 S. 4th St., 4th floor, Minneapolis
2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
$75
 
Speaker Patrick Donohue gives a presentation on why digital media is changing the world of finance. He'll demonstrate tactics for using digital media to achieve business goals, and give an overview of tools that can be used to raise capital.  
 

In the past year, the economy didn't rebound with as much bounce as anyone would have liked, but a few fascinating things are happening on the way to recovery: the Twin Cities business community seems to be getting closer, more creative, and in some ways, more relaxed. The past year has seemed less like a slog and more like a fresh start.
 
In covering the innovation and jobs beat for The Line, I've spoken to dozens of entrepreneurs, some CEOs of large firms, and quite a few non-profit folks, and the trends are the same across every sector. The recession delivered a blow, certainly, but rather than going right back to business-as-usual, many companies here are seeing success through different measures. They brag about flex time for employees, community-based projects, and buying locally. It's as if the economic storms brought many enterprises under the same roof, and now they've learned that rather than survive independently, they're better off thriving together.

An Incubator Boomlet
 
For example, look toward the business incubator boomlet, and the wealth of services for entrepreneurs, like CoCo, WorkAround, MOJO Minnesota, the Economic Gardening Network, Homegrown Business Development Center, Minnesota High Tech Association, and so many others. The University of Minnesota, in particular, is a powerhouse of advice and skill building. Even the engineering school is teaching its students how to play well together in a business setting. 
 
This level of closeness to each other has created a business community that supports new endeavors so enthusiastically. Look at our recent feature on Kindred Kitchen, an effort in North Minneapolis that supports food entrepreneurs, for just one example, but there are many others. A sampling of companies that got their start this year include Sophia, DogWonderful, BuyerCurious, Pashen, and CRAM.
 
Through strategic hiring and expansion of services and products, many companies are showing a sense of starting anew, even if they've been around for years. For instance, just look at Bulk Reef Supply, an aquarium supplies service that has done such tremendous growth through increased product offerings that it landed on the Inc. 5000 list.

Companies Chillaxin'
 
Finally, there's the relaxation factor. Business can always be a bit of a meat grinder at times, but as companies learned to operate lean and get creative, they started to identify different measures of success, like happiness. As Chris Trifilio, co-founder of Primordial Soup noted, "We don't want to be a 50-person firm. We want to keep going down the path we're on, because it's fun and we love it." That's a sentiment that I heard often this year, leading me to believe that if a company didn't start fresh in terms of operations, then maybe they did in terms of attitude.
 
In the year ahead, I predict that these trends will keep rolling strong, because they contribute to the health of the business community, and make the Twin Cities a strong and vital area. Happy, satisfied entrepreneurs and business owners are creating a business climate that's sweeping away the economic clouds of the recent past with something awfully close to a sunny outlook.

Elizabeth Millard, Innovation and Jobs Editor

CIO Panel
 
December 6
7:30--9:30 a.m.
Minnesota High Tech Association
Free for MHTA members, $85 for non-members
 
The annual CIO Panel at the MHTA is an educational forum aimed at addressing key technology issues, trends, and challenges that CIOs are facing. This year's panel includes Abdul Bengali of the Mayo Clinic, Joe Topinka of Red Wing Shoes, and Ranell Hamm of Patterson Companies.
 
 
LifeScience Alley Conference & Expo
 
December 7
Minneapolis Convention Center
From $70 - $525 depending on membership and different attendance options
 
Now in its 10th year, LifeScience Alley is a must-attend event for medical technology professionals from around the globe. Session topics cover finance, IT, sales and marketing, product development, research, and other issues.
 
 
Doing Business in Africa

December 7
Carlson School of Management
321 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis
Suite 2-206
Free
 
This panel discussion about education and workforce development is being put on by the Carlson Global Institute of the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota, the Corporate Council on Africa, and Books for Africa. The panelists include Hussein Samatar of the African Development Center, Trevor Gunn of Medtronic, and Michelle Grogg of Cargill.
 
 
Kindred Kitchen Food Show and Buyers' Fair
 
December 15
6:30 p.m.
1200 W. Broadway, Minneapolis
Free
 
Participants in Kindred Kitchen's food business incubator program have the opportunity to meet industry professionals, food retail buyers, and the general public as they showcase their delicious creations. 

Innovative marketing firm d.trio is boosting its account services and interactive offerings with the addition of three new employees in the past few months, according to one of the firm's partners, Megan Devine.
 
"We've been building a comprehensive team for a multi-channel focus," she says. "We bring together a team of people to really develop a plan based on what the client needs. As opposed to hiring out for certain services, we've been developing one in-house that will give us greater breadth."
 
The agency--named after the trio of co-founders Devine, Maureen Dyvig, and Fred Driver--has clients like Gander Mountain, American Red Cross, Rasmussen College, Synovus, and the University of Minnesota. The marketing group offers strategy, digital services, print production, creative work, and other services.
 
In its location just a block from the Minnesota Twins stadium, the company prides itself on a culture that's lively and unique, which helps to draw candidates, Devine believes.
 
The new additions to the 13-member company bring more strategic savvy, she adds. They'll give d.trio the ability to approach new industries and extend the firm's reach into areas like healthcare, retail, and non-profits.
 
Although many companies claim that clients come first, that's truly the mantra at d.trio, Devine adds: "We think about what we can do to kick up a campaign. Our creative is tied to strategy, and we feel that growing those happy client relationships is what's going to keep us growing."
 
Source: Megan Devine, d.trio
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

A new group is hoping to bring more jobs and investment to the Twin Cities, and is amping up its marketing campaign to achieve its ambitious goals.
 
Called Greater MSP Partnership and based in St. Paul, the organization has developed a website that contains resources for local companies that want to grow their businesses, information for firms that are considering relocation, and tools for finding commercial and industrial properties.
 
A news feed features upbeat items, such as recent profit increases for St. Jude Medical and Supervalu. For companies looking at the Twin Cities from other parts of the nation, Greater MSP includes information on what makes the region so noteworthy, highlighting areas like our high rate of volunteerism, the arts and culture scene, and healthy lifestyle factors.
 
Covering the 13-county area around the Twin Cities, Greater MSP is a public-private partnership funded by charitable donations. The partnership works with dozens of partners and intends to set a strategic vision for regional economic development, among other aims.
 
Helming the effort is Michael Langley, who ran an economic development consulting practice on the East Coast before coming to Greater MSP. Recently, Langley noted that there are already at least 40 projects in the works, and the hope is that the number will expand to 150 to 200 over the next year.
 
Source: Greater MSP
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

At creative agency Periscope, high demand and a growing client list mean that desk space is getting to be valuable real estate. In the past year, the Minneapolis-based firm has hired 83 people--bringing its employee total to 330--and its Human Resources engine isn't idling yet.
 
"We've been very fortunate to see our business development efforts translate into several consecutive years of growth," says Lori Sharbono, Periscope's VP and Director of Business Development, adding that the most growth has come from existing clients, but that new clients are always coming into the mix as well.
 
To meet client needs, Periscope has worked on expanding its services in the past few years, adding services like an end-to-end packaging operation and a brand advocacy unit that organizes events. One newer department handles social media and other online community strategies.
 
"We're always trying to stay ahead of what our clients will need," says Sharbono. "We try to make sure we have subject matter experts. Someone isn't an art designer one day and a digital person the next day. Having experts in their field makes us more efficient, and more able to help clients."
 
In expanding their expert-packed offices, Periscope has worked to maintain its distinctive culture, she adds, since many employees note that it's the environment that drew them to the firm. Unique perks include a fitness center, weekly yoga classes, quirky contests like spelling bees, dog-friendly offices, and an opportunity to join a variety of teams like triathlon runners or bowlers.
 
Sharbono believes that being a privately held firm allows Periscope to be as funky as they like, and it's a formula that's working well. She says, "We offer things that other agencies don't, and the people who apply here know that. So, we plan to keep hiring and keep having fun along the way."
 
Source: Lori Sharbono, Periscope
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

As the economy works toward a level of robustness, creative agency GdB (short for Gabriel deGrood Bendt) is ready to grow along with it. In the past four months, the firm has hired three people, with two of them coming into new positions--director of strategy and director of public relations--bringing the company's employee total to 32.
 
Headquartered in Minneapolis, the agency reports about $40 million in billings from advertising, PR, direct mail, and interactive campaigns. Recently, GdB added three major clients: AmericInn, Anytime Fitness, and Abbey's Hope, a charitable foundation.
 
Public relations director Dan Hauser joked that the account wins have seemed like a professional version of Sesame Street, with today's letter being "A." He noted that they'd now be delighted land more business with companies starting with "B," "C," "D," and the rest of the alphabet.
 
"I think advertisers are demanding greater nimbleness, and efficiency from their agency partners," says partner and creative director Doug deGrood. "That's one of the drivers of our recent new business success. We are nothing if not streamlined and efficient."
 
The agency has worked for clients like Goodwill, Andersen Windows, Activision, and Gold'n Plump, as well as having created those distinctive billboards for Black Forest Inn ("Schnitzel happens," reads one).
 
GdB will share the wealth when it comes to the new projects, partnering with local interactive company The Nerdery for web development on the AmericInn account.
 
"In terms of goals, we don't necessarily want to get bigger," deGrood says. "We want to get better. And so that means bringing in people with new and unique talents, including disciplines outside the ones we currently offer."
 
Sources: Dan Hauser, Doug deGrood, GdB
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

A new type of networking event is on the calendar for early October: a flea market that brings together entrepreneurs so that they can barter their services with one another or embark on collaborations.
 
That's the hope, anyway. Organizer Kareem Ahmed, an entrepreneur himself, envisions the event as a connection point for those who are trying to grow their businesses.
 
He hopes to draw a broad array of professionals, including content creators, illustrators, and marketing experts along with musicians, video producers, artists, and fashionistas.
 
The event's site notes that the flea market was created because Ahmed has heard too many people say, "I have this great idea for an app but I just don't know how to find a programmer," or "I have this great idea for a product but I don't know anyone who can help me create a prototype."
 
Ahmed says, "As an entrepreneur, I feel like I have a ton of ideas, but I need the connections to help bring them to reality. I think that's very common, so I came up with a way to network--not to find clients, but to grow a network of fellow professionals who can be helpful for projects."
 
Planned for October 5th at Urban Bean in South Minneapolis, the flea market has only a few spots still open as of this writing, showing that demand for an event of this type is strong.
 
Ahmed anticipates a monthly flea market where entrepreneurs can share ideas, present case studies, and talk about the future of their particular industries. He says, "We all go through challenges and struggles, and we can learn from one another."
 
Source: Kareem Ahmed, Entrepreneur Flea Market
Writer: Elizabeth Millard