Creative Leadership : 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
 
 
 

Inver Grove Heights-based agribusiness company CHS is owned by farmers, ranchers, and cooperatives across the country, and now, all of those stakeholders will be able to connect even more effectively through a new online platform.
 
Dubbed the CHS Center for Cooperative Growth and launched in October, the platform gathers diverse viewpoints from the industry and academia, with the goal of making cooperatives more effective.
 
Jessica Lamker, CHS Director of Marketing and Organizational Development, notes that the project came together when the organization considered the needs of the next generation of agribusiness leaders.
 
"Many agricultural cooperatives were formed in the 1930s," she says. "What we're finding is that as time goes on, young people don't understand the value of having them, and why they're important."
 
The online tool will provide clarity about complex topics related to cooperatives. For example, the latest content includes insight about equity management, with four industry leaders offering videos and articles on the topic. A future topic will be how cooperative boards of directors can achieve more alignment with each other and with customers.
 
The reaction from users has been strong, Lamker notes. Not only are farmers and ranchers turning to the site to access research papers and garner advice, but also to connect with others.
 
For the future, Lamker expects that content will continue to be king, with tutorials and tools. "Having the opportunity to bring this to life has been exciting, and we look forward to seeing where it goes from here," she says.
 
Source: Jessica Lamker, CHS
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

At a time when content producers seem to be struggling, Brandpoint is booming. The Hopkins-based firm currently has about 50 employees and plans to add 30 more before the end of the year, a move that's likely to spark even more growth, notes the company's president, Scott Severson.
 
"We already outgrew the space that we had for a number of years, and we're looking forward to trying to outgrow this one," he says.
 
Severson is no stranger to the surges that come with digital media. After working as director of Internet business at North American Media Group, he signed on at ARAnet and helped grow the company's revenues by 500 percent (previous coverage about Severson's leadership is here). ARAnet is the parent company of Brandpoint and online advertising platform Adfusion.
 
Severson credits the deep experience that ARAnet has provided since 1996, as well as the company's evolution into content-based marketing. Last year, Brandpoint kicked off significantly with a content marketing channel that emphasized how syndication could push content to various websites, reaching more consumers.
 
"Our content marketing is more of a pull strategy, partnering with clients and doing strategic analysis to integrate content on their site," says Severson. "We really dig in with the client, coming up with a personalized solution."
 
As the company continues to gain clients and refine its offerings, it's likely that Brandpoint will keep going strong, he believes: "This is the next step in our legacy."  
 
Source: Scott Severson, Brandpoint
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

For many in the legal and political realms of the Twin Cities, Adam Wahlberg is a well-known name. For over a dozen years, he was executive editor of the thought-provoking magazine 'Minnesota Law & Politics,' then went on to helm 'Super Lawyers,' a Thomson Reuters service.
 
But after 16 years in the business, he was ready for a change. Always interested in advocacy, Wahlberg enrolled at the Humphrey School at the University of Minnesota, but found that he missed journalism. "I didn't see how I could connect those worlds, because I was anticipating a new career as a policy wonk," he says. "Then, I had a light bulb moment."
 
While talking with a friend who worked as a journalist in Afghanistan, the two began discussing PTSD in the military, and the conversation turned to publishing the journalist's thoughts on the subject. Wahlberg began to research self-publishing options, and then realized he could become a publisher himself, and start a venture that put out e-books exclusively.
 
Think Piece was born. The digital publishing firm is in the 'humble beginnings' stage, with Wahlberg working in CoCo's offices for now. But he's already landed several big projects, including a new book from popular author Janet Burroway, who plans a memoir about her son, a private military contractor in Iraq.
 
Wahlberg is excited to be hitting the ground running on multiple projects, and is beginning to envision other ways to offer content via mobile devices. "In some ways, I don't have any idea what I'm doing," he says with a laugh. "But it doesn't matter because I'm having a blast."
 
Source: Adam Wahlberg, Think Piece
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

MHTA Session Preview: Tech, Innovation, and Life Science Industries
February 5
Science Museum of Minnesota
20 Kellogg Blvd. W., St. Paul
4:30 pm - 7:00 pm
$15
 
Presented by the Minnesota High Tech Association and Life Science Alley, this event features a panel discussion with several legislators, including Speaker of the House Paul Thissen, talking about the future of tech, innovation, and life sciences in the state.
 
Health 2.0: Aetna and Azul 7
February 6
Azul 7 offices
800 Hennepin Ave., Suite 700, Minneapolis
5:30 pm - 8:00 pm
$15
 
For the past year, design firm Azul 7 has been working the Aetna to develop a cohesive user experience across multiple systems. In this talk, both sides will discuss the project, as well as give insight on the challenges and benefits of designing user-friendly technologies in the health care industry.
 
Business Valuation Conference
February 6
University of St. Thomas
1000 LaSalle Ave., Minneapolis
7:30 am - 4:30 pm
$199
 
This annual conference, now in its 23rd year, covers an array of business valuation topics, including the basics of a real estate appraisal, use of regression analysis, and eminent domain. Toby Madden, from The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, will give an economic update to kick off the day.
 
Social Media and Data Analytics for Digital Marketing
February 7 & 8
Carlson School of Management
321 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis
8:00 am - 4:30 pm
$3,000
 
As part of its Executive Education series, the Carlson School of Management presents this two-day conference on making smarter use of social media and their data. Participants will learn how to extract business intelligence from social tools, why they should tap into open innovation opportunities, and much more.

"We should do happy hour sometime, I'll buy you a drink." That phrase may be uttered often, but for busy executives who barely have time to eat, putting together a leisurely get-together can feel like planning a trip around the world. It would be nice, but it's not exactly realistic with a jam-packed schedule.
 
That was the situation facing BreAnna Fisher when she was working at a marketing and advertising agency, and wanted to reward her intern for diligent work. "We had a project and he did an amazing job, so I said, 'I want to buy you a drink,' but later at home, I realized that I had a 3-year-old, I was full-time in school, and had a demanding job," she recalls. "I looked at my husband and said, 'When am I ever going to buy this kid a drink?'"
 
That realization sparked an idea for a business, DoDrinks, that would allow people to quickly "send a drink" (beer, wine, cocktail, or coffee) to someone else, which they could redeem whenever they like.
 
The idea is deceptively simple, since it involves some complex technology behind the scenes. Fisher relies on a technology team for development and testing, and the app is now in its third iteration.
 
The venture has started to gain momentum and garner attention from potential partners. Already, Fisher has linked up with Heineken, and is likely to ink deals with other drink purveyors.
 
Fisher credits her eight years in the military for giving her the discipline to take on an entrepreneurial venture. "I have a high risk tolerance, and I can complete a mission with limited resources," she says. "You can't be successful in the military without those skills, and as it turns out, they're perfect for leading a company as well."
 
Source: BreAnna Fisher
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Finding technology professionals, and application developers in particular, is a challenging task these days. With so many companies focused on tech in the Twin Cities, those gurus can be in short supply.
 
But Minneapolis-based Clockwork Active Media Systems has a knack for attracting this type of talent.
 
The digital agency has added about 40 technologists in the past couple years, and that boom has led to expansion plans for its existing building. Currently, the 10-year-old company has 73 employees, and a number of new job openings listed on its website.
 
Nancy Lyons, Clockwork's President and CEO, believes that Clockwork's distinctive team structure plays a large role in garnering more employees, particularly tech professionals, who appreciate being part of a larger vision.
 
"We have an approach here that anyone on a team can sit at the table with a client, it doesn't matter what your role is," she says. "That's what people are looking for in terms of employment, they want to be part of something bigger than they are."
 
As hiring continues, the breadth of talent helps to drive overall business growth, Lyons says. Big clients like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the YMCA and YWCA, and Cargill are drawn to the agency's team-based approach.
 
Lyons anticipates that the momentum will keep going strong, especially with more room thanks to the office expansion.
 
"People want to work here, and they love what they do," she says. "When you have that, growth comes as a result."
 
Source: Nancy Lyons, Clockwork
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

UnitedHealthcare (UHC) is hoping that plenty of innovation-minded individuals will be ready to take on a new challenge, and perhaps win some prize money as a result.
 
At the recent Consumer Electronics Show, the health benefit company announced the introduction of a "Breakthrough Health Tech Challenge," meant to spark creativity both within and outside of the health care industry.
 
Innovators can win a prize of $60,000 for an idea that utilizes common consumer technologies or devices to solve a healthcare challenge. For example, an innovator might propose a mobile app for preventing diabetes, or outline how an online game could reduce the risk of heart disease.
 
"We believe this groundbreaking challenge will inspire new ideas and concepts that could serve as breakthrough solutions to improving people's health and the healthcare system," says Gail Boudreaux, UnitedHealthcare CEO.
 
Boudreaux adds that since the competition is worldwide, the "crowdsourcing" technique should be even more potent. Details of the challenge are available here, and ideas are accepted until April 8th.
 
This isn't the first contest run by UHC for addressing technology and healthcare. The company has developed a series of innovation challenges since mid-2012, and Boudreaux notes that a number of unique ideas and concepts have resulted, with implementation on the horizon.
 
For the current contest, entrants must submit a written proposal and experimental proof-of-concept data or prototype. UHC offers a partial award of up to $20,000 if a proven solution doesn't exist yet, and there may be opportunities for collaboration between UHC and the innovator if the project sparks interest.
 
Source: Gail Boudreaux, UnitedHealthcare
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Connecting various players in property transactions, BuyerCurious has seen steady growth since launching last year, and now it's added a free service to be even more useful to homeowners.
 
The site recently released AgentSmart, which allows home sellers to get competitive bids on real estate listing service. Users can anonymously request and compare quotes for conventional full-service agent representation, or they can ask about custom services like closing assistance.
 
"We think this will be of tremendous value to homeowners thinking about selling," says Jim Lesinski, founder and CEO of BuyerCurious. "It's agent-friendly as well."
 
He believes that AgentSmart will save time and money for sellers, because they'll be able to compare multiple bids from agents online. Agents are likely to welcome the service because they'll be able to grow their client list without having to depend only on referrals. Opportunities just "show up," Lesinski says.
 
The service guides sellers through a process of creating a profile of their property and determining what they need. Users stay anonymous until the point that they select an agent. Lesinski notes that this is appealing for property owners who want to shop around for agents, but don't want to deal with multiple cold calls.
 
Another benefit, he notes, is that AgentSmart creates a competitive bidding situation. He says, "Many consumers don't know real estate services are negotiable. In fact, two-thirds simply accept the terms proposed by the first person they meet with."
 
Best of all, for both sellers and agents, the service is free.
 
Source: Jim Lesinski, BuyerCurious
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Collaborative Innovation Series
January 10
Cowles Auditorium, Humphrey Institute
301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis
7:45am - 10:25am
 
Maybe your resolution for 2013 is to put together a great board of directors. If that's the case, you're in luck: The Collaborative presents a morning of insight about how to create, develop, and effectively utilize a board.
 
Healthy Life Expo
January 12
Minneapolis Convention Center
10am - 5pm
$6 or free with donation to food shelf
 
This annual expo has been increasing in popularity every year, and this round offers up to 200 exhibitors, three stages of speaker presentations, product samples, free health advice, and plenty of information on wellness, nutrition, and fitness.
 
Technically Speaking: Leading with Emotional Intelligence
January 17
University of Minnesota
McNamara Alumni Center
5:30pm - 6:30pm
free, but must pre-register
 
The Technological Leadership Institute (TLI) at the U of M continues its new speaker series with this presentation about emotional intelligence, led by TLI's Kirk Froggatt. Geared toward leaders within organizations, the talk looks at the impact and practice of emotional intelligence as a way to boost leadership qualities.
 
Leadership Challenge Conference
January 24
St. Catherine University
Rauenhorst Ballroom
8am - 3:45pm
$225
 
The Leadership Challenge conference brings together professional women from a range of settings, including government, education, nonprofit, and small business sectors. Now in its 16th year, the event is a day of education and discussion focusing on leadership, with interactive workshops and networking opportunities. 

For professionals like electricians, plumbers, and builders, referrals are a rich source of marketing. But harnessing this type of business driver is usually done on a casual basis, and often isn't viewed strategically. That's where Referral Buzz comes in.
 
Co-founder and president Lisa Schneegans and her partner Klaus Schneegans started the company in 2010 after renovating a number of older houses, and talking to contractors along the way. They discovered that the contractors relied heavily on referrals but didn't have a method for making the most of the referral system.
 
At the beginning of 2012, the service had about 100 contractors, and over the past year, Referral Buzz has steadily built up its reputation and developed new tools that allow small businesses to automate the entire customer life cycle, from lead generation to maintaining contact with past customers. Schneegans says, "These type of automatic tools help businesses during the 'hidden sales cycle.'"
 
Consumers benefit as well, since the service is a free, easy way to find contractors and others who have earned recommendations.
 
In 2013, Referral Buzz will get a major boost by becoming a partner of Trulia, an online marketplace for home buyers, sellers, renters, and real estate professionals. Schneegans notes that the arrangement will provide a huge benefit to the company's customers thanks to greater exposure, which will continue to drive growth for Referral Buzz.
 
The company has also added several features to its service, including an online digital portfolio where home improvement professionals can share photos of their work. Also new is an automatic synch between Referral Buzz and a contractor's Facebook page, and a mobile app is due to launch next year as well.
 
Source: Lisa Schneegans, Referral Buzz
Writer: Elizabeth Millard
 
 

By now, the bright blue bags of The HopeFULL Company are recognizable, even nestled in the shelves of a co-op. The founders of HopeFULL, though, want to boost that recognition even more.
 
As noted in previous Line coverage, the company was started by sisters Stephanie Williams and Jessica Welch, as a way to help patients in chemotherapy increase their nutrient intake. The sisters created small, easily transported kits that contain a neoprene bag, silicone molds for making frozen "pops," and Popsicle-type sticks that double as spoons.
 
Since founding the business a couple years ago, HopeFULL has been steadily growing to expand its product line and distribution. The company recently launched The BellyFULL Kit, inspired by a desire to introduce whole foods to young children.
 
HopeFULL has also found a larger audience as it gains traction. In addition to helping chemo patients, the kits are being used for any condition in which loss of appetite can be a factor, including gastric bypass surgery, lupus, and even strep throat.
 
Looking ahead, the company anticipates moving into more wholesale sales to supplement its thriving co-op and natural health care center placement, according to Williams.
 
"We're moving into the next phase," she says. "We see some strong opportunities in several different places and markets, so we're gearing up for the next stage of growth."
 
If the sisters succeed, it's likely that those bright blue HopeFULL bags and jaunty BellyFULL junior chefs hats will be coming to a store near you in the year ahead.
 
Source: Stephanie Williams, HopeFULL Company
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

As it turns out, being able to pinpoint influential people within an organization is an in-demand talent.
 
That's the experience of Vikas Narula, founder of Minneapolis-based Keyhubs, a startup that focuses on how connections within an enterprise can affect everything from productivity to executive development.
 
Narula first had the idea for the company while in business school at Duke University. A professor did an experiment about corporate social networks, and Narula was fascinated (for more on Keyhubs' beginnings, see our previous coverage here).
 
After nearly three years since founding the company, Narula is seeing strong growth as the concept is embraced by clients looking for more strategic ways to understand their enterprises.
 
In the past past year, the company was featured in Forbes, and Narula was listed as one of the 100 Twin Cities leaders to watch by Twin Cities Business magazine. New client engagements include Medtronic, Liberty Diversified International, and a Silicon Valley technology company called Responsys.
 
Buzz is growing, Narula notes, and that's driving more interest in the distinctive services that Keyhubs offers. Although there are management consulting firms that look at org charts, Keyhubs seems to be the only firm that can give deep insight into how employees interconnect on an informal basis -- information that could be crucial to talent development.
 
Narula feels that the future looks bright as well. "In 2013, we're looking to deepen relationships with our existing clients and bring on new ones with thoughtful care and consideration," he says.
 
Source: Vikas Narula, Keyhubs
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Lean Startup Conference
December 3
University of Minnesota
Carlson School of Management
11am - 7pm
free
 
Those who aren't able to attend The Lean Startup Conference in San Francisco can still see great speakers, thanks to this simulcast event that showcases the conference's experts. Presented by the university's Gary S. Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship and the Minnesota Lean Startup Circle, the event will help attendees jumpstart their businesses.
 
Women in the Boardroom
December 4
University of St. Thomas
Law School Atrium, 11th St. and Harmon Place, Minneapolis
3pm - 6pm
$105
 
An organization designed to assist women in pursuing board service, Women in the Boardroom hosts several types of in-person and virtual events throughout the year. This signature event brings together a panel of experts, including the Chief Administrative Officer of the Mayo Clinic.
 
Automation for the Cloud
December 5
Open Book
1011 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis
4pm - 5:30pm
free
 
Hosted by cloud management company enStratus, this event looks at extending automation to cloud environments, including auto-provisioning, auto-scaling, and setting automated backups. Attendees will learn more about cloud management and see a product demo.
 
No Coast Craft-O-Rama
December 7 & 8
Midtown Global Market
3pm - 8pm on Dec. 7; 9am - 5pm on Dec. 8
free
 
Started in 2005 as a way to feature designers, artists, and creators of handmade crafts, the No Coast Craft-O-Rama has grown into a true showcase for artisans of every type. From letterpress operators to knitters to jewelry makers to many others, the breadth of work is staggering--and the fair is showing up just in time for holiday shopping, too.
 

Thanks to the recent elections, healthcare has been a hot topic lately, and politics aside, it should continue to lead policy debates for some time to come. But apart from competing visions of what healthcare in the U.S. should look like, the issue comes down to a more fundamental level, believes Dr. Peter Mills. "How can providers interact with patients in a more effective way?" he asks. "That's the real question to be asking."
 
Mills has worked to combine technology with health care in a way that increases doctor-to-patient communication. Previously, he launched employee wellness software firm vielife, which was sold to Cigna in 2006, and now helms a new effort called nGage Health.
 
The cloud-based online platform is geared toward creating a more robust relationship between doctors and patients, so health activities can be tracked with more accuracy. For example, a patient can input information about exercise and food intake, and a doctor could monitor that data remotely to make sure the person is on track with preventative measures.
 
That type of system is a radical departure from existing healthcare interactions, Mills says. Currently, most doctor visits occur because a patient is ill, leading to treatment of symptoms rather than an understanding of factors like lifestyle and behavior that can be tweaked to avoid illness.
 
"I felt that we have so much technology at our fingertips, and it's transformed how we do banking, communication, travel, almost everything," says Mills. "Yet, healthcare is delivered in the exact same way as it has been. Why not use that technology to change the relationship between provider and patient?"
 
Source: Peter Mills, nGage
Writer: Elizabeth Millard