Creative Leadership : Innovation + Job News

Minneapolis-based HighJump Software employees may want to take an accelerated course in Danish so they can visit the company's newest offices.
 
The supply chain management software provider recently announced that it acquired Evenex, a provider of business-to-business integration solutions. Located in Denmark, Evenex allows customers to exchange business documents through managed cloud services. HighJump Software, with its emphasis on efficient supply chain capabilities, will give the Danish firm greater market reach.
 
In other words, as they'd say in Denmark, it's a "gode tilbud" (good deal) for both companies.
 
HighJump Software CEO Russell Fleischer notes that the acquisition is important for expanding the company's reach in Europe, and hints that the Evenex deal could be the kickoff for more acquisitions in the future.
 
"It's an important first step towards broadening our geographic coverage in Europe," he says. "We look forward to driving organic growth as well as continued to look for logical merger and acquisition opportunities."
 
The deal will give the Danish firm access to capital that will help foster growth.
 
The acquisition comes during a strong year for HighJump, which has been busy enhancing its products for SMB customers, attracting large clients with refined software offerings, and cementing new partnerships.
 
Fleischer notes that all of these moves are enabling customers to have technologies that work for their specific business needs and processes. With the year only half over, it's likely that HighJump will keep its expansion and development going strong for 2013.
 
Source: Russell Fleischer, HighJump Software
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

St. Paul-based public relations agency Kohnstamm Communications is fueling growth with the addition of four new hires, and it's likely that more team members will join the quartet in the future.
 
"Kohnstamm's revenue grew at more than 29 percent last year, making us one of the fastest growing [agencies] in the Midwest," says founder and CEO Josh Kohnstamm. "Yet, as a 22-year-old boutique agency with fewer than 20 people, each person must shoulder a lot of responsibility for turning results. And these are exactly the brand of PR people to succeed in that assignment."
 
Coming from Minneapolis-based Snow Communications is Jeff Trauring, who will join the business-to-business team at Kohnstamm, supporting agency accounts like 3M Food Safety, Nilan Johnson Lewis, and the University of St. Thomas.
 
Also on the B2B team with a crossover into consumer accounts will be Morgan Woodrow, who will assist with clients like Noosa Yoghurt, Fay Ranches, and MOM Brands. Two interns are part of the new hires as well.
 
In addition to staff additions, the agency has also announced new client relationships, such as Noosa, which joins the agency's roster of food and beverage industry clients. Kohnstamm represents Dr. Praeger's Sensible Foods, the Soyfoods Association, Way Better Snacks, Thai Kitchen, and others in the industry.
 
"Our agency is representing the very fastest-growing and innovative food companies in the industry today, and it is very exciting for us," Kohnstamm says.
 
The agency's robust growth is likely to continue for the future, particularly with these strategic hires and new clients, Kohnstamm believes.
 
Source: Josh Kohnstamm, Kohnstamm Communications
Writer: Elizabeth Millard
 

Major coworking and collaborative space CoCo recently announced plans to open a third location in Uptown, joining the organization's popular Lowertown St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis spaces.
 
Slated to open this fall at the intersection of West Lake St. and Lagoon Ave., the new location will be in the heart of Uptown and just yards from the Greenway bike route. Plans include a 15,000-square-foot space that will be rich with features and amenities, according to CoCo co-founder Don Ball.
 
Most notably, the space will offer a tap room with craft beers, a movie theater for presentations, a billiard room, and a walkout patio. For those who want to balance work with play, the space will feature two large conference rooms and several private "call booths."
 
Similar to the organization's location in the Grain Exchange, the new space will offer a large commons area where members can do presentations for up to 100 people, build product prototypes, or network with new ideas. Another open space, dubbed "The Garage," is a 3,500-square-foot area designed for groups that want to do deep work in strategic planning, Ball notes.
 
There will also be an abundance of coworking seats, as well as "campsites" where members can claim a dedicated desk for individuals or for small groups.

The move is likely to create more growth and buzz for CoCo, which scored a major win this year when it teamed up with Google (see The Line's coverage here) for an ongoing partnership and event series. 

"Membership has been exploding, especially since we launched our partnership earlier this year with Google," says Ball. "So we knew we'd have to expand, not only to create more space, but also to give members more options for where they can drop in and work. Uptown is a great location not only because of its demographics skew younger, but its proximity to so many great neighborhoods, the Greenway, and highways."
 
Source: Don Ball, CoCo
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The summer may be off to a sluggish start weather-wise, but at the Minnesota Cup, the heat of competition just got kicked up a notch.
 
The annual contest, which supports the development of breakthrough ideas from across the state, just announced the start of its semifinal round, with 57 teams of entrepreneurs and inventors ready for the next stage.
 
Now in its ninth year, the Minnesota Cup offers six categories of innovation: energy/clean tech, general, high tech, life science/health IT, social entrepreneur, and student. Competitors are able to enter individually or as a four-person team.
 
The semifinal round will give those innovators a chance to buff up their ideas through exposure to mentors and business leaders, who will act as advisors for the next round. The teams and individuals will also have the opportunity to meet members of the Cup's review board.
 
A full list of this year’s semifinalists is available on the Cup’s site, and includes companies like Rowbot Systems, Windjuicer, Foodsby, Kidblog, Mode-sty, and Cinch Chix.
 
The competition is designed to bring out the best and brightest minds in Minnesota, and help those individuals to make connections that can advance innovation in the state, according to Minnesota Cup co-founder Scott Litman. He says, "The 2013 competition is no exception. We're excited to see how the many strong applicants in this year's pool will progress with mentoring and business planning this summer."
 
Three finalists from each division will be chosen on August 19th, and will be expected to present their business plans for a chance to nab the top prize, which will be awarded on September 11th.
 
Source: Scott Litman, Minnesota Cup
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Minneapolis-based architecture, interiors, and planning firm Architectural Alliance recently merged with smaller-but-prominent design and architecture company 20 Below Studio, also located in Minneapolis.
 
The merger fuses the two firms' client-centered experience for broader capabilities, notes Carey Brendalen, Principal at Architectural Alliance. "This is two strong organizations coming together," he says. "We've worked with different types of clients and we have different capabilities, and now we're leveraging those differences in a complementary way."
 
20 Below, an 8-person firm that's established a strong reputation in interior architecture and design, will partner with Architectural Alliance's 74-member team. The newly joined firms are expected to drive growth, Brendalen says.
 
Architectural Alliance has experience in market segments like aviation, retail, hospitality, and public sector work, and with 20 Below's expertise in interior architecture, growth should come naturally as a result of the combined energy and experience.
 
"Together, we will offer greater reach, creativity, and expertise in the architecture and design market," Brendalen says, adding that such a combination is especially crucial since client needs are becoming more complex. More variables, like the convergence of work and lifestyle needs, require the firms to approach projects in a new way.
 
"It sounds trite, but there's shared value in terms of what we can bring to customers," says Brendalen. "We're excited to see what comes out of the partnership. We think there's beauty here as well as pragmatism."
 
Source: Carey Brendalen, Architectural Alliance
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The heat begins to spike in the middle of summer, and suddenly the online ads you see promise thirst-quenching drinks, air conditioning systems, and convertible cars. Coincidence? Far from it: local firm Totally Interactive Weather, helmed by well-known meteorologist Dave Dahl and his son, Andy Dahl, is pioneering an ad platform that utilizes weather information to shape an advertiser's message.
 
Started in 2007, and often referred to as TiWi, the company was formed as a way to bring more weather information online, and disseminate it to other media properties. But the startup began at a difficult economic time, says Andy Dahl, and some lean years of trying to sell subscription content convinced the founders that they needed a stronger model.
 
"We began thinking of ways to go toward an advertising revenue model," he says. "Essentially, we were providing weather content for free, and attaching advertising to that content to monetize in that space."
 
That led to the debut of a technology called Trigger X, connecting weather data with advertising to make online ads more relevant and timely, Dahl says. The new platform provides in-the-moment ad messages based on changing weather patterns. For example, if someone is reading the Denver Post online and snow is moving into the area, Trigger X will prompt advertising that might include last-minute skiing specials, or snow shoveling service offers.
 
The platform went through beta testing in February, and just launched officially in May. TiWi is working to partner with ad agencies and media companies, and Dahl is confident that growth is as imminent as, well, the next big heat wave.
 
Source: Andy Dahl, Totally Interactive Weather
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

When attorney Zahra Aljabri went shopping for clothes, she was often disheartened by the lack of conservative-yet-stylish options. "I've always been a modest dresser, and it's been a struggle to find clothing that has some style and yet isn't revealing." When she began talking to friends about her experiences, she discovered that she wasn't alone--and as many entrepreneurs know, where there's struggle, there's opportunity.
 
Last July, she and her husband, James Faghmous, began working on Mode-sty, an online clothing boutique that meets the need for conservative clothing that looks good and is affordably priced. Aljabri found that by working with small-scale designers who crafted each item by hand, she could provide a range of clothing options for others who prefer more modest fashions.
 
Although Aljabri is Muslim, she sees the Mode-sty site as a resource that will appeal to numerous religious and cultural groups. "There are many religious communities where women want more coverage, like Muslims, Jewish women, and Christian groups, like Mormons," she says. "But then, there are also women who want to dress conservatively just because it seems more professional, or because they're getting older and they see this style as more age-appropriate."
 
At first, Aljabri utilized a "pop-up" model for the site, which meant the site would go live for only two weeks at a time until all inventory was sold, then it closed until Aljabri could re-stock. But with increasing attention and customer loyalty, the site is now up continuously, and she's thinking of her next move.
 
"We've realized that we need to produce our own clothing line, so we're working on that, and we also want this to be a destination site, where women can talk about different issues," says Aljabri. 

Source: Zahra Aljabri, Mode-sty
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Although there are a number of software shops in the Twin Cities, very few focus on mobile app development, which makes Livefront into a prominent player, and one that's due to grow in the near future.
 
Founded in 2001, Livefront got its start when technologist Mike Bollinger was in college and working on mobile software for the Palm Pilot. In 2008, he started building a team and the company now has 10 employees, with hiring and expansion expected in the months ahead.
 
The company is very active in the local tech space, and Bollinger sees Livefront's role as much more than an app developer in a tech-savvy town.
 
"Our focus, our energy, and our intensity is centered around helping our clients design and build incredible mobile app experiences," he says. "It's important to us that we lead by example through teaching, speaking, sharing, sponsoring, and giving back to our community."
 
Livefront has sponsored over 15 events and organizations in the past two years, including Mobile March, Ignite Minneapolis, and Minnesota Developers Conference. The firm has released multiple open-source software projects like Acracadabra, and Bollinger is a co-founder of the well-respected online technology news site TECHdotMN.
 
Being so involved with the community gives Livefront an advantage when it comes to making connections (especially for its open tech positions), and also highlights the vibrant technology culture that's growing strong in the Twin Cities. As growth occurs, it will come mainly from Livefront's strong expertise and focus on mobile app development — but the robust engagement with the community also plays a major part in why Livefront is front and center.
 
Source: Mike Bollinger, Livefront
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

When Drew Geraets and his wife moved back to the Twin Cities from New York in 2010, they bought a 1908 charmer in St. Paul. Like so many older homes in the area, the house had plenty of character, but also boasted a lengthy to-do list of improvements. It also had a distinctive feature: a book of photographs from the previous owner, showing the work that had already been done.
 
"I got a history of the place, and it was so striking to see how it had changed," Geraets says. "Because of that, I started to notice how often people posted their projects online, in blogs and on Facebook or Instagram. There are a ton of DIYers documenting projects from start to finish."
 
Although a somewhat popular site, Houzz, tries to collect these kind of efforts, Geraets envisioned a more user-friendly site for DIYers, and eventually, a mobile app. Along with a fellow entrepreneur, Ryan Cavis, he launched HouseTalent, a site that allows users to upload photos, create project sites, and browse other projects.
 
Currently, the founders are working on an iOS app that will make it easy for users to take photos with smartphones and upload to the site. The app should be ready by the end of June.
 
HouseTalent is seeing a steady increase in users as word gets out (and the spring renovation momentum takes hold), and Geraets anticipates that the next step will be developing a revenue model that could take the form of premium content. Right now, just like his house, everything is a fun work in progress.
 
Source: Drew Geraets, HouseTalent
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Successful creative agency KNOCK is likely to find even more open doors in its future, with expansion of its brand strategy, advertising, and design services to global clients.
 
The agency's CEO, Lili Hall--quoted in our lead feature this week--has been zipping around the world in the past six months, and just completed a Master's degree in international practice management. She's in talks with business connections in countries like Saudi Arabia and India, and she anticipates much more global work coming to KNOCK in the near future.
 
"Global is really becoming our focus," she says. "We have a great partner who's consulting with us about cultural relevance, and we feel very connected to global networks in a new way."
 
Hall founded the company in 2001, just a few months after 9/11, and she admits the timing was challenging. Without a business plan, and in a tricky economic climate, KNOCK might have faltered if it hadn't been for Hall's passionate belief in creating an agency based on the right way to treat colleagues and clients.
 
"When I started the company, I reflected on the attributes of people I admired and respected," she says. "But I also thought about the situations I'd seen that were negative. I created a list of 'how to never treat people,' and in many ways, that's become a major part of our philosophy."
 
For example, KNOCK stands apart for blending creatives with account professionals, which is an unusual arrangement for an agency. Those two "sides" tend to do battle, but Hall saw the power of collaboration from the start, and has shown that blending those viewpoints creates more strength for clients. In other words, when thinking about how never to treat people, the first lesson is: don't make your colleagues into enemies, just because of their job titles.
 
Hall also credits transparency, a proactive approach, and internal entrepreneurial energy for driving growth throughout KNOCK.
 
Source: Lili Hall, KNOCK
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Minneapolis-based social media and digital marketing agency The Social Lights (see The Line's previous coverage here) recently unveiled a new training and certification program that could boost the number of social media professionals in the Twin Cities.
 
The six-week accelerated course will be designed to equip qualified candidates with the knowledge and skills to shine as full-time social media community managers. Training is done in a classroom setting as well as online, blending client projects, industry speakers, and case studies. Participants learn to manage multiple platforms and pages, measure the success of their efforts, and develop creative content.
 
"Over the past three years of managing social media on behalf of a variety of brands, we've learned what it takes to be a strong Community Manager and act as the eyes, ears, and voice of a brand," says Martha McCarthy, co-founder of The Social Lights. "We've also noticed that an increasing number of social media positions require years of experience, but most candidates have no formal training, and limited experience."
 
During the past year, McCarthy and her partner, Emily Pritchard, have spoken with recruiters, HR managers, brand managers, and others, and discovered that many companies are in a similar position when it comes to recruiting social media professionals: the selection is slim, and those who have great potential lack a deeper level of training.
 
In addition to providing that instruction, the company will act as a placement agency of sorts, matching training participants with enterprises that need those skills.
 
"We aim to fill the social media talent gap and provide value to our students and clients alike," says McCarthy.
 
Source: Martha McCarthy, The Social Lights
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Many IT firms keep expanding their services to include more and more options for repair and implementation, and it's not surprising to find techs sent out for everything from high-level security strategy to home office printer repair.
 
But there's value in specialization, and at Minneapolis-based Whizkids Tech, the company is refining its offerings rather than broadening them.
 
Founded in 2009, the company gained significant traction just a year later with its first major client, and grew into a managed service provider, offering managed VoIP and managed IT. With seven employees, Whizkids has maintained steady growth over the past four years, and keeping on track will likely include more focus on the company's strengths, according to Kara Zarate Kneen, the company's Director of Operations.
 
"This year, we'll see growth through refinement," she says. "We offer something unique that sets us apart from other companies, we have a unique company culture and brand, and clients appreciate that."
 
One area of greater focus for Whizkids will be its managed VoIP, which handles technology-driven phone systems. The company offers VoIP telephony with support and upgrades, as well as customized systems. Zarate Kneen says that service allows Whizkids to be a full-spectrum technology ally to clients, creating a technology mix that isn't a one-size-fits-all solution.
 
"Work environments are becoming more integrated with VoIP and IT, and it's powerful to have one vendor that can handle both," she says.
 
Source: Kara Zarate Kneen, Whizkids Tech
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

When it comes to crowdfunding, most people are familiar with Kickstarter, a site that boosts the potential of artists and businesspeople, with a strong focus on community efforts and creative arts. For those who don't fall into those categories, though, utilizing crowdfunding has been almost impossible.
 
That is, until now. Savage-based company LiifGroup offers a dynamic platform that allows users to raise money through multiple crowdfunding sites designed by the firm.
 
Co-founded by Mark Connelly, Jack Cosentino, and Kristi Masser, the platform launched on January 8th, and has already been gaining traction.
 
"The last couple months have been crazy," says Connelly. "We're vetting projects, looking at financials, and going from meeting to meeting. We're the first crowdfunding company started in Minnesota, and it's obvious already that there was a need for this."
 
LiifGroup's model differs from Kickstarter, since a venture won't lose all their money if a certain amount isn't reached within a specified timeframe. Instead, they can receive partial funding. LiifGroup generates revenue by receiving five percent of the amount each company raises.
 
The medical market, in particular, will benefit from the platform. Connelly is an emergency and trauma physician for North Memorial Health Care, while Masser spent 15 years with pharmaceutical giant Merck. That experience, combined with Cosentino's tech startup background, made the trio gravitate first to the many medical device startups in the region.
 
In addition to its medical crowdfunding site, called LiifMed, the company has a platform for sports-related startups, LiifSport. Connelly notes that another one is being built for luxury goods, and he anticipates a variety of platforms in the future.
 
"Already, we see growth ahead, and a great deal of opportunity," he says.
 
Source: Mark Connelly, LiifGroup
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Thanks to online resources, searching for patents is a snap, and local site PatentBuddy makes it even easier. The site offers patent search, analytics, inventor information, and other services, and as its popularity increases, it's likely that growth can't be far behind.
 
In June, the site will implement changes that turn the not-for-profit model into a revenue-generating powerhouse. Some features will still be free, especially for smaller law firms and individuals, but for Fortune 100 companies and large firms that maintain extensive patent portfolios through PatentBuddy's tools, a "modest fee" will be involved, says company president Leon Steinberg.
 
Considering how many users the site has, those modest fees could add up fast. The site as become the largest provider of patent analytics in the world, with over 250,000 monthly visitors.
 
PatentBuddy got its start in 2007, when patent attorneys Steve Lundberg and Janal Kalis, both shareholders at the Schwegman Lundberg firm in Minneapolis, rolled out the site as a way to increase access to patent information. They found that solo inventors had difficulty getting necessary patent data without relying on law firms for searches and analytics.
 
They built the site without a plan for revenue, but now that PatentBuddy has grown so robust, the fee structure will be put in place to spur further growth. Steinberg was brought on recently to help shepherd the changes.
 
"We have a large, well-structured database with just about every piece of patent information available, including foreign patents," he says. "That means we have unique reports and analytics, and we intend to keep being a resource with those for companies large and small."
 
Source: Leon Steinberg, PatentBuddy
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

CaringBridge founder and CEO Sona Mehring will be stepping away from the Eagan-based organization to take on a new challenge: Congress.
 
Mehring started the nonprofit in 1997 as a way for seriously ill people or their family members to create one central, online resource that could keep others updated about health changes. Since then, the site has recorded over two billion visits, and has added distinctive features like a calendar mechanism that lets people arrange tasks like food delivery and doctor's appointment rides.
 
It's likely that the site will have even more innovation in the future, Mehring notes, alluding to a bold strategic vision put together by the leadership team and the nonprofit's Board of Directors.
 
As she transitions out of the organization, Mehring expects it'll take about a year for the full shift to occur, and in that time, she'll be exploring her options for a political campaign.
 
"Bottom line, I want to continue to impact people's lives in a positive way," says Mehring. "Our representation in Congress is out of step with what we need. We need leaders that want to work together to solve problems."
 
She adds that her background, particularly when it comes to building the highly visited CaringBridge site, has given her not only the insight she needs for this career move, but also the motivation.
 
"My life and career experiences have provided me with the skills and drive to work hard to move forward versus backwards," she says. "Making a difference within Congress is a next step for me."
 
Source: Sona Mehring, CaringBridge
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Minneapolis-based Sport Ngin just received a major funding infusion that will boost the company's already impressive growth even more. The sports software provider recently closed a $6 million financing round with El Dorado Ventures, a venture capital firm with offices in Minnetonka and Silicon Valley. That brings their overall funding total to $10 million since the company's founding in 2008.
 
Sport Ngin began as TST Media, a design and creative agency started by Justin Kaufenberg and Carson Kipfer while both attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. "Originally, it was just to make a little extra beer money," Kipfer says, with a laugh. "But by the time we were finishing school, we could see the potential for much more."
 
Looking for a niche, and drawing on their experience playing sports through high school and college, the pair focused on developing software for sports organizations, first for hockey and then for many other sports.
 
The software they developed allows teams to manage players, post schedules, and track stats, as well as offer online registration. A tournament package offers tools that let users run everything from a Little League event to a professional playoff.
 
Currently hiring for a number of positions, Sport Ngin sees more growth ahead, both in employee numbers and in products. The company's revenue has increased 100 percent year after year for the past four fiscal years, and aggressive hiring has increased staff numbers to 120.
 
"This current investment underscores our progress, hard work, and many successes to date, and validates the widespread adoption of Sport Ngin by thousands of sports organizations," says Kaufenberg. "This capital infusion will enable us to further grow our market presence, and to expand and enhance the functionality of Sport Ngin."
 
Sources: Carson Kipfer and Justin Kaufenberg, Sport Ngin
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Real estate isn't the only industry where location matters.
 
For marketing, branding, and creative design, a company needs to understand its figurative place among competitors and customers. Susan Hopp and Karl Schweikart, founders of Minneapolis-based creative firm 45 Degrees, have spent the last 16 years as mapmakers for their clients--helping to figure out how each client fits into a specific place in the world.
 
The married couple started the business in 1997, and chose the company name as a nod toward their geographical position--on the 45 parallel of latitude, which runs through the Twin Cities. They feel that 45 Degrees is unique in the creative industry because of the amount of time they spend in finding a client's "location."
 
"We need to really understand them before we start designing anything," says Schweikart. "We help them identify their strengths, their emotional connections, in order to give them a solid foundation to move forward."
 
Hopp adds that other design firms try to capture the essence of a company or brand, but not as in-depth as 45 Degrees. That tendency toward brand cartography can be invaluable for clients, since they might come in thinking they only need a new logo, and end up realizing that they're deeply disconnected from customers.
 
Looking ahead, the pair don't anticipate growing their employee numbers (currently, it's just the two of them in their happy groove), but they are leaning toward taking on more mid-size companies, which tend to feel the pain of customer disconnection most acutely.
 
"We have an opportunity to make an impact for clients of any size," says Hopp. "For us, this work is about much more than design."
 
Sources: Susan Hopp and Karl Schweikart, 45 Degrees
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Now entering its 9th year, the Minnesota Cup is distinctive for its array of innovative ideas and entrepreneurship, attracting startup founders and inventors to showcase their best insights for the chance to win $200,000. This year's kickoff came on March 25th, with ideas accepted until May 17th, and organizers are gearing up for another year of robust competition.
 
"Just like every year, we're excited about what's ahead," says Scott Litman, Minnesota Cup co-founder. "This has become such a great way to inspire and support the state's early-stage entrepreneurs, and it's become a cornerstone for the entrepreneur ecosystem here."
 
The competition features six divisions: Energy/Clean Tech, General, High Tech, Life Science/Health IT, Social Entrepreneur, and Student. Those who advance to higher rounds get the opportunity to present their business ideas, get paired with mentors, and network with potential investors.
 
Since the competition began n 2005, over 7,000 Minnesotans have participated. Finalists from just the past four years have gone on to raise more than $60 million in capital. Last year's Grand Prize winner, PreciouStatus, has raised over $1.5 million since its win.
 
Although every division is chock full of entrants, Litman notes that there are some trends from year to year. "It's fascinating to find a big surge of quality and ideas in certain areas," he says. High Tech tends to be a busy division, he says, but in teh past few years, Health IT has been growing steadily.
 
Participation is fairly consistent, though, with about 1,000 participants every year. Those who make it to the semifinal round in June will be paired with mentors, with finalists from every division chosen in August.
 
Source: Scott Litman, Minnesota Cup
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Fundraising in the Digital Economy
April 2
CoCo Minneapolis
400 S. 4th St., 4th Floor
3:30 pm - 4:30 pm
free
 
INVESTyR co-founders Patrick Donohue and Phil Pogge deliver an overview of the types of tactics used to harness digital media for fundraising. Geared toward entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and companies of any size, the talk gives attendees tools for raising capital and strengthening relationships with investors and financiers.
 
TechBiz Minnesota 2013
April 5
Earle Brown Heritage Center
6155 Earle Brown Dr., Brooklyn Center
9:30 am - 3:00 pm
$25
 
Organized by Advance IT Minnesota, this conference brings together employers of IT-related talent and local students. During the event, student projects will be showcased, giving students an opportunity to demonstrate their skills and employers a chance to see accomplished learners.
 
Hedgeye Embraces Minnesota: CEO Keith McCullough Talks Social Media
April 10
Macy's Oak Grill
700 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
11:30 am - 1:00 pm
$20 members, $45 non-members
 
Hosted by the CFA Society of Minnesota, this talk by Hedgeye Risk Management founder Keith McCullough addresses social media in the context of finance and investment. With more than 20,000 followers on Twitter, McCullough can articulate how he uses the medium to engage audiences and spark innovation.
 
Access the Western Hemisphere Conference
April 23 & 24
Radisson Plaza Hotel Minneapolis
7:30 am - 5:00 pm
registration from $249 to $349 depending on type
 
Bringing together 10 senior commercial diplomats and sponsored by the Minnesota District Export Council, this conference will provide insight on how attendees can identify new export opportunities, develop strategic relationships, and increase market share in specific countries.
 

There's a certain kind of power to a really good metaphor, and for a top example, just consider Bicycle Theory.
 
The St. Paul-based brand marketing firm, started in 2001 by entrepreneurs Ben McCoy and Jeremy Burgeson, got its distinctive name in part from McCoy's love for cycling, but also from the company's mission.
 
"It's a great metaphor because when we chose it, we were working with small brands and we could see how bicycles were representative of brand marketing," says McCoy, noting that a strong brand is similar to a well-designed, well-maintained bicycle that can carry its rider farther and faster than a poorly constructed bike. Even the wheels can be metaphorical, he adds--they stand for the two primary media that carry campaigns, print and web.
 
The idea for a brand management company was first sparked when the founders were just out of college and working for a creative agency. McCoy jokes that they were both the kind of kids who knew how to program VCRs in the 1980s, so they gravitated toward technology, and in 2001, the Internet was still like the Wild West.
 
"We started in a basement, and then moved into larger spaces over the years," he says. The firm has five full-time employees, and McCoy notes that they're ready to grow, but want to be methodical about expansion.
 
"There's so much innovation going on, and every day brings a new round of problem solving," he says. "We're excited about the possibilities, but at the same time, our goal isn't to be on the bleeding edge, it's to be on the cutting edge. We always want to make sure our solutions will work."
 
Source: Ben McCoy, Bicycle Theory
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Back in the old days of Internet business startups (think mid-1990s), usability tended to be a big deal, sparking hundreds of articles about best practices and online navigation strategies. Although the term isn't used as often these days, it's still a vitally important component for companies that want to build effective user experiences.
 
Founded in 2002, Minneapolis-based Straight Line Theory has focused on information architecture and usability for over a decade, resisting the urge to broaden its offerings into other areas like web design or online branding. The company has no web designers or developers, just usability experts who know how people interact with each other and with companies online.
 
The business name, says co-founder John Dusek, refers to the route someone would take to get from point A to point B: a straight line. "It's a good metaphor for what we do," he says. "We see what clients are trying to accomplish, and we help them satisfy those goals as efficiently as possible."
 
With the rise of mobile technologies, usability has become even more important in some ways, giving Straight Line Theory a steady stream of clients. They now do a large chunk of work on mobile devices, tablets, and even mall kiosks and ATM machines.
 
With seven employees, Straight Line Theory has been conservative in terms of growth, Dusek says. Usually, the firm adds one employee per year, and that rate of expansion keeps the company nimble, notes Dusek: "We don't have layers of project managers and account people, just clients and interface design professionals working directly with one another."
 
Source: John Dusek, Straight Line Theory
Writer: Elizabeth Millard 

Rochester is ready to see a fresh burst of startup activity, thanks to a new business accelerator put together by the Mayo Clinic and the Rochester Area Economic Development Initiative.
 
The Mayo Clinic Business Accelerator at the Minnesota BioBusiness Center features space that can be leased by entrepreneurs, startup companies, venture capitalists and professional service provider. According to Dr. John Noseworthy, president and CEO of Mayo Clinic, the accelerator was put together to spark the growth of healthcare-related businesses in the area.
 
"The accelerator is an example of the strength of a strong partnership between Mayo Clinic and the community, to make it easier and more affordable for companies to start and locate in Rochester," Dr. Noseworthy says.
 
There are seven founding tenants, including Versant Ventures, a venture capital firm that specializes in investments in medical devices and biopharmaceuticals, and Evidentia Health, an IT company focusing on healthcare clients. Other tenants include Resoundant, Zumbro Discovery, and VitalHealth Software.
 
Mayo Clinic aims to provide a nurturing space so that companies can avoid the type of startup roadblocks that might hinder growth.
 
Dr. Noseworthy added that the accelerator fits in well with Destination Medical Center, a $5 billion economic development initiative that is projected to create up to 45,000 new jobs in Rochester and other parts of the state.
 
Startup companies are willing to locate in Rochester, Dr. Noseworthy notes, but they need to infrastructure to stay in the city. "Without that, they are vulnerable to leaving not only Rochester, but the state of Minnesota."
 
Source: John Noseworthy, Mayo Clinic
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Getting young professionals involved in philanthropy is crucial to the health of nonprofits, but often, there's little or no training for how to function on a board of directors, or contribute to a larger mission.
 
Engine for Social Innovation intends to change that situation.
 
The startup, founded by local entrepreneur Jim Delaney, draws on his experience working in the for-profit corporate world and participating in nonprofit organizations as a board member for groups like the YMCA. While serving, he began to see a gap between savvy professionals and organizations that could use their skills.
 
"I had smart friends who wanted to be helpful and make a difference, and at the same time, I saw nonprofits that needed that kind of talent," he says. "But for some reason, there wasn't a solid mechanism for bringing those two groups together." After a pilot project at the YMCA, followed by an Executive Director stint at Free Arts Minnesota, Delaney decided to create Engine in 2010 to fill the gap.
 
The program features an extensive training curriculum using a cohort model. Corporations send their top candidates to Engine, where they are put in a team of four to five people, with three teams running at a time. The teams work on the type of skills needed to thrive in environments of ambiguity, Delaney notes. At the same time, nonprofits participating in the program determine their strategic needs and benefit from the team-based approach to addressing them.
 
Companies like PricewaterhouseCoopers and Thrivent have sent participants through the program, and nonprofit clients have included GiveMN.org, Finnegan's Foundation, and Minnesota Jaycees. Currently, Delaney is developing a program for Engine alums to do a global exchange where they can work overseas for two weeks with a social enterprise.
 
With the expertise available at Engine for Social Innovation, it's likely that the gap between talented young professionals and nonprofits will close up quickly.
 
Source: Jim Delaney, Engine for Social Innovation
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Sometimes, great ideas spring from mundane situations--such as watching a delivery person show up multiple times to the same building within a half-hour timeframe.
 
"While I was working in a corporate setting, there was one day where I saw a delivery driver from a restaurant five blocks away come to our office building five times within about 20 minutes," says Ben Cattoor (see photo at left), "I just thought to myself: there has to be a better system than that."
 
The idea sparked Foodsby, a startup launched last May that allows restaurants to streamline their deliveries. The company focused on wooing eateries that were smaller, and didn't have delivery service already in place, since Foodsby tends to work best for that type of restaurant.
 
The app works by allowing restaurants to choose their delivery times and locations. Users can go to the Foodsby site and place orders, relieving the restaurant from taking time to jot down individual orders and deliver them separately.
 
Because of the efficiencies realized by the app, many customers are finding that they don't have to hire delivery drivers, and can depend on existing employees. For example, if a restaurant decides to deliver to just one certain nearby office building on Fridays, an employee can zip over in less than 15 minutes with all the orders.
 
Currently, about 20 restaurants use the system, and Cattoor says Foodsby is using Minneapolis as a test market with the hope of going nationwide at some point. "We really think this model is useful, and it gives restaurants much more control," he says. "We're excited to see where it can go from here."
 
Source: Ben Cattoor, Foodsby
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Stir
March 14
Minneapolis City Center Marriott
5:00 pm - 8:30 pm
$75
 
Hosted by the Women's Foundation of Minnesota as a fundraising event for the organization, The Stir is a networking event with dinner and drinks. A keynote from Jacquie Bergland, founder and CEO of Finnegans, will kick off the evening.
 
TechFuse
March 21
Minneapolis Convention Center
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
$349
 
Geared toward IT professionals, TechFuse is now in its sixth year, and going strong with a couple sold-out shows in the past few years. The one-day event covers a range of topics, from app-specific sessions on Windows 2012 and PowerShell v3 to broader discussions on change in professional development and IT as a business.
 
Mobile March 2013
March 21
Earle Brown Heritage Center
6155 Earle Brown Dr., Brooklyn Center
8:00 am - 6:00 pm
$115
 
The popular Mobile March conference should prove especially lively this year since the Twin Cities seems awash in mobile app development. Attendees will hear presentations on topics like game development, user experience, and mobile advertising, as well as case studies of local businesses that have found success in the mobile space.
 
Connect India
March 23
Crowne Plaza, Bloomington
5:00 am - 9:30 pm
$40 - $50, depending on membership
 
Over a sumptuous Indian dinner, attendees at this business event can hear speakers from the Indian-American community discuss their role in the wider economic community. Scheduled to speak are Vikas Narula, creator of Keyhubs, Marie Pillai at General Mills, and Sri Zaheer, Dean at the Carlson School of Management. 

Considering the economic storm that creative placement agency True Talent Group survived in its first few years, the sunny skies ahead are more than welcome.
 
Started in 2008 by entrepreneur Stacey Stratton, the company began during a dismal time for startups, she believes, but she took a chance anyway. She established a basement office, did sales recruiting, and took only a year to bring on three employees (see previous coverage in The Line about her start-up track).
 
Over the past year, Stratton has found even stronger footing, and she notes that the agency is on track for double-digit growth again in 2013. In addition to business revenue growth, True Talent Group has added to their team by hiring staff to help with recruiting and client retention, and the company is now a robust enterprise. What it lacks, however, are actual offices.
 
The accounting, marketing, legal, and advisory teams consist of individuals and organizations outside the corporate entity of True Talent Group, and Stratton believes that the model demonstrates the strength of a virtual office strategy.
 
"While we focus exclusively on marketing, interactive, and the creative industry, we think it would be disingenuous for us to build capacity in the categories of legal, accounting, and especially marketing," she says. "We rely on experts with perspective and savvy to deliver for us, just like our clients expect our talented team to deliver for them."
 
She adds that they company's impressive 90-percent referral rate is keeping the company on track, and it's more than likely that True Talent will keep going strong.
 
Source: Stacey Stratton, True Talent Group
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

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
 

Tekne Awards
 
November 1
Minneapolis Convention Center
4:30pm - 9pm
$195 for individuals; $1,750 for table of ten
 
The Tekne Awards program, now in its 13th year, recognizes innovations from 2011 that impact the lives of Minnesotans, through lifestyle improvement or education. Forty-four finalists were named in fifteen categories, and this event unveils the winners. Just as importantly, the gathering provides ample opportunity for networking with a "who's who" of Minnesota business, technology, and politics.
 
Women's Excelerator Workshop: Practice Your Pitch
 
November 14
St. Catherine University
CDC401 Board room, 4th floor
8am - 12pm
$89
 
In this workshop, attendees will develop a level of comfort with pitching their business, and will learn to create a value proposition statement. Each entrepreneur will have 10 minutes to present her business to her peers and facilitators, followed by a feedback session to identify which parts of the elevator pitches need work.
 
Tap the Power of Primal Branding
 
November 21
Risdall Marketing Group
550 Main St., New Brighton
8:30am - 11am
$99
 
Led by Patrick Hanlon, the author of the popular book "Primal Branding," this workshop lays out a blueprint for more effective brand marketing. Hanlon advocates creating "brand zealots" who spread a company's message across multiple channels, a process that builds a stronger customer base. After Hanlon's presentation, representatives from Risdall Marketing Group will showcase how primal branding helped a number of their clients.
 
Selling Globally in a Borderless Society
 
November 29
The Woman's Club of Minneapolis
410 Oak Grove St.
7:15am - 9am
Fees range from $20 to $60, depending on registration type
 
Hosted by the Sales & Marketing Professional Association, this expert panel addresses the challenges and benefits of selling and marketing internationally. Participating will be international trade specialists Matthew Woodlee, Mike Danielson, and Jim Thomas. Planned topics include marketing support, hiring consultants, cultural issues, and current political and economic affairs.

Founded in 2004, Minneapolis-based tapQA began to see an interesting inflection point a few years ago, says consulting partner Mike Faulise.
 
The company specializes in quality assurance, including software and systems testing, and Faulise notes that clients began to ask about offshore services, and to do pricing comparisons in terms of project costs. When tapQA compared the numbers, the firm founds ways of matching lower offshore pricing and, in some cases, coming in below those figures.
 
"We use local, Minnesota talent and we compete against offshore rates," says Faulise. "Because of that, we continue to grow, and to be effective in a competitive marketplace."
 
The company focuses on clients that tend to need contractors for a significant portion of work, particularly for technology projects. Faulise points out that the IT industry in the state is below zero percent unemployment, so finding in-house talent is especially challenging. Because of that, many companies have turned to outsourcing, and tapQA has stepped up as a resource to fill that need.
 
"We're able to separate strategic from tactical resources; that's one of our strengths," he says. "At the beginning of a project, you need strategy, and we can provide that. During a project, you depend on tactical skills, and we've focused on creating a solution that's just as affordable as offshore contracting, but without the hassles."
 
As tapQA contines to expand its contractor and client pools, the company anticipates more growth in the years ahead, particularly as it establishes more partnerships within the technology industry.
 
Source: Michael Faulise, tapQA
Writer: Elizabeth Millard
 

Social media marketing has become crucial for all types of companies, since it allows them to connect with current and potential customers, but there's also a way to boost those efforts: digital advertising.
 
Minneapolis-based agency 90 Degree Media has been honing the advertising options it offers to clients, and these now include display ads, search advertising, video, mobile, and other selections. Clients can choose how ads get served up within a single medium, like mobile, or they can blanket the Internet with end-to-end solutions.
 
Since the agency has a couple of key partnerships in place, it offers advertising options at a much lower rate than companies might find if they were to make deals on their own, according to founder Jamison Geisler.
 
He started the company in 2009, after working in digital marketing and web development since 2001, and noticing that the majority of companies lacked good customer service. "I felt that so many of these companies really just didn't care about their clients or their business," he says. "It was merely a paycheck. Something needed to change." He decided to strike out on his own as a way to provide stellar customer service while developing customized digital advertising campaigns.

The company currently has six employees, but increasing client numbers will likely result in hiring in the year ahead, Geisler says.
 
He chose the name 90 Degree Media because it implied a sharp increase in profits, the image of a graph line that takes a sudden turn upwards. He says, "Although it's nice to think of that image in terms of our company, we really look at it as that kind of movement in profits for our clients and partners."
 
Source: Jamison Geisler, 90 Degree Media
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Just in time for the upcoming snowmobile season, Medina-based Polaris Industries recently broke ground on a major expansion of its research and development facilities in Wyoming, Minn.
 
Doubling the size of its existing facility, the company is creating capacity for about 350 additional jobs, and it's likely to keep up a strong pace of hiring.
 
"The company has had record financial performance for a reason," says Jim Williams, VP of Human Resources. "We have profit sharing at every level, a robust bonus plan, and a super high-energy, positive culture."
 
The sense of collaboration at Polaris draws many candidates, Williams says, and the number of resumes zipping through the HR department can be formidable. Part of the allure is the company's generous policy on borrowing products like all-terrain vehicles, as well as receiving vehicles, accessories, and garments as rewards for good performance.
 
"There's a huge incentive to work here," says Williams. "We have a team made up of power sports enthusiasts, and the culture creates a tremendous amount of pride in the company."
 
That level of loyalty and commitment is driving growth for Polaris, he adds. The company recently announced that its one millionth product rolled off its assembly line in Spirit Lake, Iowa.
 
The new facility in Wyoming should allow the company to stay on its strong growth track and expand product development as well. It shouldn't be too long before Polaris is roaring toward that two millionth product mark.
 
Source: Jim Williams, Polaris
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Cyber Security Summit
 
October 9 & 10
Minneapolis Convention Center
Fees range from $319 to $779, depending on registration type
 
Focused on how we look at digital space and security, this event brings together leaders from government, business, and nonprofit organizations to talk about digital infrastructure security issues. Now in its second year, the summit features talks about topics like cyber threat identification, privacy, and cloud computing, and boasts speakers from Medtronic, the FBI, Best Buy, and the Department of Homeland Security.
 
Minnesota Venture and Finance Conference
 
October 11
Minneapolis Convention Center
7:00am - 5:00pm
Fees range from $295 to $645, depending on registration type
 
Hosted by The Collaborative and the Minnesota Venture Capital Association, this one-day conference focuses on the future of innovation in a number of fields, including cloud computing, cleantech, healthcare, and mobile devices. Attendees can choose from a wealth of workshops, many of which are geared toward entrepreneurs who are trying to position a company for financing.
 
She's Geeky
 
October 19 & 20
Science Museum of Minnesota
120 W. Kellogg Blvd.
 
Now in its third year, She's Geeky is a conference designed to connect women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The event is an "unconference," which means that instead of a pre-planned agenda, topics and discussions are generated by attendees. Organizers note that women attending the events (which are held in multiple cities) find inspiration and gain self-confidence because they build peer networks for support and discuss critical issues.
 
Yancey Strickler talk
 
October 25
Walker Art Center
7:00pm - 9:00pm
free
 
Kickstarter co-founder Yancey Strickler will speak about the website's inspiration and evolution, and its increasing impact on artists and creative entrepreneurs. In addition to talking about how Kickstarter's success could affect the wider world of arts funding, Strickler will also speculates about what the future might hold for the technology platform itself.

There are numerous advertising, public relations, digital, and design firms in the Twin Cities, but in combining all those skills, Pocket Hercules is confident that it'll continue to stand out.
 
The Minneapolis-based agency, founded in 2005, has been growing steadily this year since expanding their offices in the Warehouse District. In addition to representing high-profile brands like Pearl Izumi, Rapala, and Mortenson Construction, the firm is finding strength through brands they've launched on their own: Lakemaid Beer and Tiny Footprint Coffee.
 
Given the interest in fair-trade coffee, Tiny Footprint in particular is really taking off, and will be sold at the Minnesota State Fair this year, notes agency principal Jack Supple. The coffee is also in the American Swedish Institute and Wilde Roast Cafe, and expectations are high that the eco-conscious brand will become better known in the near future.
 
Lakemaid is also enjoying some longevity. Launched in 2008, the brand was created for fishermen and cabin owners, and is offered every year at the opening of fishing season. Supple says, "We're humbled by the success we've experienced so far [with Lakemaid]. We owe it all to our dedicated fans who look forward to the beer with great anticipation every year."
 
The firm is also seeing growth through PH Digital Labs, a new digital marketing agency that the company launched in February. Dedicated to focusing on a client's online presence, the offshoot of Pocket Hercules utilizes search engine marketing, social media marketing, digital content creation, and intelligent web design.
 
"What we're seeing is organic growth," says Supple. "We're growing our brands and bringing in new business, and as a result we're adding people and seeing a really good year."
 
Source: Jack Supple, Pocket Hercules
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.

Started in late 2011, Minneapolis-based KeyedIn Solutions has been on the fast track ever since.
 
The company provides software-as-a-service (SaaS) and consulting for small to midsize businesses, specializing in areas like enterprise resource planning and project management. The past year has been a whirlwind of acquisition and hiring and CEO Lauri Klaus notes that they see more opportunity ahead.
 
"We're working to establish ourselves in the marketplace, and we're aggressive in reaching that goal," she says. "We've made more progress in a shorter amount of time than I would have anticipated, and that's exciting. We're looking toward long-term growth, definitely."
 
To keep up the momentum, KeyedIn is thinking globally. Recently, the company announced that it would be opening a new office in Monterrey, Mexico, and it is likely to expand in South Africa within the next year. Already, the firm has a presence in nine U.S. cities as well as the United Kingdom and Australia.
 
The Mexico office will be led by Christian Orellana, a software industry veteran with experience in channel and project management, Klaus notes. He'll be responsible for all channel sales in the region as well as strategic partnerships, and Klaus believes that growth in the country will be rapid as a result.
 
"Technically, I think we're still considered a startup, but we don't feel like that," she says. "With this expansion and other global opportunities, we feel like we're really finding our place and creating new opportunities as we go."
 
Source: Lauri Klaus, KeyedIn Solutions
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Some creative agencies can provide stunning strategies and vision, while others are stronger in delivering the technology that turns a promise into a workable project. At Modern Climate, they don't feel the need to choose.
 
"We can deliver top to bottom, including all the technology" says Geoff Bremner, the agency's president. "We're capable of very strong creative ideas, but also have the ability to deliver the code."
 
The agency got its start in 2009, with roots in a different interactive agency, Wolfmotell. The founders from that firm joined with Bremner to capitalize on their experience in product development and other services and broaden their approach. The result has been a full range of services for clients, and more national accounts, Bremner says.
 
The other result has been a nice amount of growth. The agency employs 45 people, and will see about 35 percent growth this year. Bremner predicts that Modern Climate will stay robust, likely sailing along at about 20 percent growth year to year in the near future.
 
The agency's ability to provide full services is one driver, but Modern Climate also stands out for its expertise in delivering powerful brand experiences for clients.
 
Recent projects have included the development of the Health4Me mobile app for UnitedHealthcare, the creation of a communications platform for Northern Brewer's recent store opening, and improvement of Geek Squad's consumer site.
 
"We see so many opportunities for fun consumer engagement," says Bremner. "When people enjoy a brand experience, they want to interact more with that brand. So, our focus is to create a great experience through the whole journey."

For Julie Mackenzie, growing up around actors and other theatrical people created a strong sense that life should be lived creatively, and with plenty of improvisation. When she stepped into the business world, she was surprised to discover that not everyone held that belief.
 
"I was shocked at what some people considered creativity," she recalls. "Right away, I could see the need for more transformation and innovation through a creative approach."
 
She hatched the idea for a firm focusing on those goals, but then got sidetracked by building a marketing company with her husband. After establishing that firm, she decided to take the leap and open Mindsailing to realize her vision.
 
The timing has been perfect, she notes: "We have this community of great collaborators right now. They're pursuing their interests, and trying to find a way to be valuable and relevant, while using the momentum of change to pull their businesses forward."
 
Mackenzie provides some wind for their sails, by bringing together a group that can deliver strategic planning and creative development, while helping clients to connect to a company's value proposition.
 
Mindsailing tends to work with clients in industries that are experiencing rapid change, such as healthcare, and uses social innovation to boost transformation.
 
"There are so many well-founded and well-researched strategic plans that simply fail," she says. "It's because those companies aren't responding to changing dynamics through creativity, or they're not finding ways to communicate in a new way."
 
Source: Julie Mackenzie, Mindsailing
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Twin Cities are rich in creative agencies, and have drawn attention for the breadth of options from spunky startups to established major players. Recently, industry magazine Advertising Age showcased the local area, noting that it's little wonder that so many agencies get their start here since Minneapolis is a "smart and artsy town."
 
One of the prime examples, the article noted, is Zeus Jones, a Minneapolis-based firm that focuses on building brands and providing customer experiences and messaging that stand out in the marketplace.
 
Founded by advertising executives who'd worked together at large local agency Fallon, the company was started in 2007 as a way to deliver marketing instead of advertising, states Zeus Jones co-founder Adrian Ho.
 
"We had a simple idea: that the reason people like companies has to do with what they do, not what they say in ads," he says. "We have an idealistic view of what that means, and for the last five years, we've been figuring out what that means."
 
In general, he adds, Zeus Jones assists companies in thinking about how they define their brand, and helping to rebuild that brand around a purpose. Ho says, "This goes above and beyond products. We figure out the best ways to bring their purpose to life." That could mean product design, retail design, strategy, or other creative services. Clients have included Thymes, Nordstrom, and Purina ONE.
 
The agency has 32 employees, and is currently hiring and growing. Ho notes that the business plan didn't center around growth, but as the firm has drawn more clients, it's been a natural evolution.
 
"We think there are better ways to communicate a company's message than running ads, and we're seeing that proved on a bigger scale here," says Ho. "Clients respond to that."  
 
Source: Adrian Ho, Zeus Jones
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Collaborative Innovation Series
 
August 2
University of St. Thomas College of Business, Minneapolis Campus
46 Eleventh St. South, Minneapolis
7:10am - 11:20am
$45 for members, $105 for non-members
 
The Collaborative, a membership organization focused on growing companies and investors, frequently provides education opportunities, and this upcoming morning seminar is part of its "innovation series." Speakers will focus on larger topics like choosing angel or VC investors, leveraging advisors, and growing through new hires. 
 
Datavenu
 
August 7 & 8
University of Minnesota
Carlson School of Management
Fee ranges from $25 - $125, depending on type of pass
 
Organized by local entrepreneur Barbara Bowen, Datavenu focuses on personal data, economic development, and the information economy. The first day of the event brings together leading speakers to talk about IT developments and data policies, while the second day is an "unconference" that features an agenda created in real time by participants.
 
Exporting in 2012: The Practices of Profitable Companies
 
August 22
Mortenson Construction
700 Meadow Lane North, Golden Valley
8:00am - 11:00am
$79 before Aug. 14, $119 afterward
 
Hosted by Enterprise Minnesota, this seminar brings together experts and business leaders who will discuss the export process and how attendees can better navigate this particular strategy. There will be several examples of how local companies are selling internationally, and connecting with global business experts who can streamline the process.
 
The Engaged Philanthropy Conference
 
August 23
Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
4:00pm - 8:00pm
$70
 
Also known as EPCON, this conference focuses on social innovation in Minnesota, and is hosted by Social Venture Partners Minnesota, an organization made up of entrepreneurs and corporate leaders who are attempting to address the state's social issues. Now in its fourth year, the conference features a competition for identifying top social entrepreneurs, and keynote speaker Tim Knowles from the University of Chicago Urban Education Institute.

When Minneapolis-based marketing technology firm Spyder Trap decided to expand, company CEO Mike Rynchek didn't look toward an outer ring suburb or a hop just across the river: instead, the company is headed to the mountains.
 
Recently, it announced plans to open an office in Denver this fall, with a small staff initially. However, the company anticipates expanding both offices in the near future, and is currently hiring to broaden its local presence.
 
Spyder Trap offers an array of marketing technology services, such as website and mobile site development, social media expertise, search analytics, and email marketing (see previous coverage in The Line here). In its four-year history, the firm has grown its revenues by 200 percent per year.
 
The move to Denver makes sense strategically, Rynchek says: "Similar to Minneapolis, Denver is quickly becoming one of the nation's leading marketing technology cities. We view our new location as a gateway to attracting West Coast talent, along with better servicing that clientele."
 
Another important factor was lifestyle, he adds. Much like the Twin Cities, Denver tends to top lists when it comes to healthy eating and outdoor activities. Spyder Trap wanted a location that would be a great place for employees, with the wellness levels they enjoy here.
 
Rynchek says, "We continue to look for ways to make Spyder Trap a great place to be for our employees."
 
Source: Mike Rynchek, Spyder Trap
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

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

Searching for the right realtor can sometimes feel like dating--everyone is hunting for that special someone who's trustworthy, friendly, and compatible. Where are the sites that give you a strong realtor match the way dating sites pair you up with romantic candidates?
 
HomeVisor comes awfully close. Started by real estate agent Brett Doshan, the service aims to bring buyers and sellers together with realtors who understand their needs.
 
Doshan says, "A first-time, 22 year-old buyer usually wants a younger agent, whereas a retiree likes to work with someone their own age. That's just one example of preferences that people have. Buying and selling real estate is a big part of someone's life, so they want to make sure they feel comfortable with the agent."
 
In order to find just the right agent for each client, Doshan and his team spend hours on the phone, talking with agents around the country to get a sense of personality types, reputations, experience, and other factors that go into a recommendation.
 
There are some competitors that try to do a similar match-up, but Doshan says that they usually have a pool of agents that pay to be part of the service. When a buyer goes to one of their sites, they simply put in his or her zip code, and get a list of agents. "The focus of those sites is to get agents to sign up, to expand their databases," he notes. "Our focus is on buyers and sellers, to find out what they really need."
 
Doshan's comprehensive matchmaking skills have allowed HomeVisor to go national, within only a few years since it started. The company employs five people, and the founder expects strong growth for the future. "We just want to constantly get better at our service."
 
Source: Brett Doshan, HomeVisor
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Most college students are focused on class schedules and grades; but Kyle Jordahl and his business partner John Ziemann used the time to buy apartment buildings and then become real estate brokers. Before they graduated, they started their own property management company. So, it's no surprise that only a few years later, they'd be thriving with their own startup, VanquishAP.
 
The company is unique, Jordahl notes, because it runs on distinctive technology. The pair designed a software tool to make the property management process easier, and they now extend that capability to clients.
 
"We're able to do tasks more accurately with this technology," says Jordahl. "We can make use of our resources more effectively, and that gives us an advantage."
 
VanquishAP has seven employees, with offices in downtown Minneapolis and St. Cloud, and expects to keep growing in those areas and eventually extend into other markets. The company is a full-service real estate firm that does everything from automated rent collection to property analysis. The app lets the company take on more properties without adding employees right away, Jordahl says.
 
"We're still a young company, and we experience the kind of challenges that any young company does," he notes. "But we feel that there are many factors driving our growth and that makes us excited about what's ahead for us."
 
Source: Kyle Jordahl, VanquishAP
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The craft beer scene in the Twin Cities is going strong, to the point where it feels like a new brewery or taproom is opening every week. Distinguishing them from each other can sometimes be a challenging (if delicious) task for craft beer drinkers.
 
To introduce some rigor into all the efforts, the Better Beer Society (BBS) offers some expertise. The agency focuses on promoting craft beer and every aspect of its service, including staff training for bar servers so they can chat about beers with confidence.
 
One major focus is certification; the organization awards a "BBS Certified" label to establishments that prove they have a high level of beer service, selection, storage, and server knowledge. So far, only three bars--Bryant Lake Bowl, The Happy Gnome, and Republic--have gotten the BBS stamp of approval, but founder Rob Shellman is working with others to get them to that point.
 
"We've been pretty hard at work these past few months auditing and meeting with bar and restaurant owners about the certification program," he says. "Most of the response has been very encouraging, with owners and management wanting to get involved and improve on their practices."
 
Certification isn't an easy task, he notes, but it's not impossible. The BBS works with each establishment closely to track areas of improvement, so that every pour is a clean, predictable one.
 
A certified Cicerone (the beer world's equivalent of a sommelier), Shellman started the BBS last year after moving back to Minneapolis from Los Angeles. He's seen the strong beer scene in places like Portland and San Diego, and believes that the craft beer movement in the Twin Cities could be just as robust.
 
"We could really be a major beer destination here," he says. "Our mission is to help make that happen."
 
Source: Rob Shellman, Better Beer Society
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Loyalty and reward programs have always relied on tried-and-true products that appeal to a wide variety of people: vacations, large TVs, and swanky home goods. But the popularity of digital media like e-books and games points to a new direction for these programs, and PointTunes is leading the way.
 
Started in 2010, the company takes digital assets and prices them in a way that's customized for a specific reward program. For example, an airline might assign a penny-and-a-half value to each of its miles. PointTunes works with that point value amount and determines how assets like online games can be awarded to customers with an appropriate level of points.
 
The company works with rewards administrators, and even handles the shopping experience, notes Bill Cunningham, PointTunes founder and CEO. His deep roots and experience in the rewards industry go all the way back to age 16, when he started working for Carlson Marketing Group.
 
"In 20 years in the business, I was seeing that not much had changed," he says. "Rewards administrators were still tied to physical rewards, while the rest of the world had gone digital. That pushed me toward founding PointTunes."
 
The rewards and loyalty industry is poised to explode in the next year or so, he notes, and the Millenials who are now getting jobs and starting families are expecting more digital options when they sign up for these types of programs.
 
"They want to be able to download immediately, and be engaged with those brands," says Cunningham. "At the same time, retiring Boomers are downloading more books and movies, and they have those same expectations of being able to take advantage of their reward points immediately."
 
That shift should bring more robust growth to Minneapolis-based PointTunes, Cunningham notes.
 
Source: Bill Cunningham, PointTunes
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Forget the Olympics: for a truly ferocious competitive environment, take a look at the Minnesota Cup.
 
The annual competition seems to keep gaining prominence and momentum every year, and recently announced the semi-finalists for its eighth go-round.
 
Designed to accelerate the development of the state's most innovative business ideas, the Minnesota Cup gives applicants the opportunity to compete for a share of $200,000--up from $185,000 last year--and to network with individuals and organizations that can help turn a business plan into a reality.
 
Judges chose 49 entrepreneurs, inventors, and innovators for the second round of the competition, and Cup co-founder Scott Litman notes that this year is full of exciting and strong business ideas.
 
"We love seeing all the excitement around the program, and it does seem that we see more applications every year," he says. "Everyone is very supportive of the competition."
 
The range of semi-finalists is broad, from a yoga studio that specializes in pre- and post-natal classes to a holistic treatment company to a web application developer for forms processing. Companies include BuyerCurious, Omnicron Health Systems, QuadROI, and EnergyPrint.
 
During this round, the semi-finalists will be paired with entrepreneurial mentors who will help them refine their business plans and presentations. Finalists will be chosen in late August, and winners announced in early September.
 
Source: Scott Litman, Minnesota Cup
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Role of Diversity in a World of Opportunity
 
May 31
Walker Art Center, Skyline Room
5:30pm - 8pm
$35 (rsvp required)
 
What does diversity in business really mean? It goes beyond race and culture, and extends into creating meaningful messages that resonate with consumers. In this presentation by Chris Roberts, president of Cargill Kitchen Solutions, attendees will hear about how we can check our own biases in order to do good work. All proceeds go to benefit The BrandLab, a non-profit that brings students from diverse backgrounds together with people in the marketing industry.
 
Eyeo Festival
 
June 5 - 8
Walker Art Center
9am - 2pm
Pre-conference workshops: $125; festival ticket price: $549
 
Artists, designers, and coders come together for a series of workshops and mixers to transform digital culture. The festival attracts a wide range of talented individuals, including those interested in creative code, data visualization, design, experience design, 3D printing, architecture, and gestural computing.
 
d.school Crash Course
 
June 5
CoCo Minneapolis
6pm - 8pm
$50
 
A quick introduction to "design thinking" methods and mindsets. In this session, students will take a common experience and redesign it completely. This crash course is based on the original Stanford Design Program d.school curriculum. See The Line's coverage of CoCo's d.school here.
 
TechMasters
 
June 5
Benchmark Learning training facility
4510 W. 77th St., Suite 210, Edina
7:40am - 9am
free
 
TechMasters is a new Toastmasters chapter in the Twin Cities, dedicated to helping technology professionals improve their skills in public speaking and presentations, impromptu speaking, critical thinking, and communicating with non-technical people. Every week, the group rotates roles to practice speaking in a friendly and supportive environment.
 
Womens Excelerator Workshop
 
June 16
St. Catherine University
CDC401 Board room, 4th floor
8am - 12pm
$89
 
In this workshop, attendees will develop a level of comfort with pitching their business, and will learn to create a value proposition statement. Each entrepreneur will have 10 minutes to present her business to her peers and facilitators, followed by a feedback session to identify which parts of the elevator pitches need work.

What happens when a former executive "fails" at retirement, longing for the type of daily success that only work can bring? Or when a senior director wants to make a switch to another company, but hasn't updated her resume in decades?
 
In situations like these, Navigate Forward is ready to assist.
 
Started in 2008 by management consultants Teresa Daly and Mary Kloehn, the firm works with executives in transition. Daly says, "We really saw an opportunity in the marketplace to help this group of people. In the big firms, transition services have changed, they've become more standardized. We felt people needed more personalized services to meet them where they're at."
 
She adds that many of those in the Baby Boom generation are at a particular crossroads right now in their careers. They've been used to trailblazing, and are now seeing work change as they get older. In the later stages of their careers, they may prefer to switch industries, work longer into their supposed retirement, or even shift into starting their own companies.
 
"Careers aren't always a straight line," says Daly. "Because of that, making career transitions isn't just about updating a resume or tapping into a network."
 
Navigate Forward specializes in helping executives to "build their brand," which means packaging themselves based on where they're going, not on where they've been. Daly notes that a resume is helpful for detailing experience, but it's a "look  backward" that doesn't usually capture the essence of a person.
 
The firm prefers to create a "brand profile" instead that captures someone's interests, passions, and personality. Clients often tell Navigate Forward that they come out of the process with more clarity than they've ever had.
 
"They're able to tell a story about who they are, and what unique contributions they can bring to an organization," Daly says.
 
The firm currently employs nine people and expects to grow organically as it develops an even stronger foothold in the local executive transition space. Daly notes, "There's such a big trend of seeing the value of a whole generation of executives, and understanding what they bring to the business world."
 
Source: Teresa Daly, Navigate Forward
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Some companies are particularly well named. Here's an example: On-Demand Group, which is bringing such fresh energy to the IT consulting realm that it's driving high client demand.
 
Helmed by Heather Manley, with her brother Sean acting as COO and partner, the company was started by their father 16 years ago. Manley signed on in 2006 and bought out the firm just two years later.
 
Over the past five years, they've worked to revamp technology and processes, and as a result, they've seen consistent growth. Last year, the company grew 75 percent, Manley says.
 
On-Demand Group fuels that surge by distinguishing itself from other IT consulting firms, Manley notes: "We're doing a ton of things that add value. We do a multitude of steps that companies don't do when they're on-boarding." She adds that the firm also has a global component, since it does some work in Latin America and Southeast Asia.
 
"Every year, we add something that's different and unique," she says. "Whether it's a new perk or more social activities, we create a culture that draws people to us."
 
The company has about 50 consultants in its pool, and within the next year, Manley expects to double the consultant roster, and to continue expansion of offshore offerings. With second stage growth just around the corner, On-Demand Group is likely to keep creating more demand.
 
"This is a really exciting time, and we're implementing some fantastic things," Manley says.
 
Source: Heather Manley, On-Demand Group
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Anthropology and business are rarely put together as complementary fields, but they have more in common than many people might think. The social science deals with the organization of human societies and all characteristics of the human experience, so it makes sense that it could be used to make a company more agile, transparent, and strategic.
 
That's the theory behind Thinkers & Makers, a firm founded in 2010 by Emilie Hitch, who started her career as an academic anthropologist.
 
The idea for the company germinated while Hitch was doing field work in Peru. She wondered if she could translate the academic world of anthropology into the business realm of strategy. When she couldn't find a job that fit that idea, she landed at creative agency Olson, and began applying her studies to marketing projects.
 
After two years there, she saw the need to start Thinkers & Makers, to give clients a unique perspective on their organizations, employees, and customers. "I bring a very different view than what you'd get from an MBA or an economist," Hitch says. "Usually, people come to me with a big question, like how they can find revenue leaks, or learn more about their customer, or what they need to relaunch their brand."
 
Most of her business comes through referral, and that strong word-of-mouth marketing has helped Hitch to grow the firm. Looking ahead, she's anticipating more expansion into areas like business development for startups, social entrepreneurship, and sustainability.  "Many times, I see startups that have great ideas and passion, but they don't understand all aspects of how to put their business together," she says. "My perspective can help."
 
Source: Emilie Hitch, Thinkers & Makers
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

When Kristin Pardue left her high-profile corporate position at Carlson Companies, she envisioned starting a distinctive strategic management firm, but she also considered founding a non-profit that helps teens in North Minneapolis learn digital marketing.
 
Instead of choosing, she established both.
 
"I felt there was a great need in the marketplace for people to understand organizational purpose," she says. "At the same time, we wanted a way to give back and we thought, why wait?"
 
Rêve Consulting was started in 2009, and Pardue's husband, Brad von Bank, joined a year later to help round out the team. Pardue says the combination works well, since they bring different skills to the mix. Together, they offer insight to a range of clients like Capella University, Engine for Social Innovation, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, and Caribou Coffee.
 
"Clients come to us with questions about how their organizations can grow, and how their systems might be impacting the levels of their employees," says Pardue. "We encourage them to think strategically on every level, about how they're engaging their organizations."
 
The company is going strong, and plans to double the size of its small staff in the next year, she adds. She's especially excited about bringing more jobs to North Minneapolis, where the company's located.
 
For the teens in the area, there's Rêve Academy, an innovative after-school program that prepares students for careers in digital marketing. With an immersive curriculum and potential internships, the program is helping to shape the kind of leaders who could shape the local creative community someday.
 
"We believe this is a true pathway for these kids," says von Bank. "They're learning real-world skills that they can apply now, and at the end of the program, they make a presentation as if they're at an agency. It's very exciting."
 
With Rêve Consulting and Rêve Academy going strong, it's obvious that when it comes to choosing a rêve (the French word for "dream"), sometimes it's possible to go even bigger than planned.
 
Source: Kristin Pardue & Brad von Bank, Rêve Consulting
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

There are plenty of new lunch trucks zipping around the metro, but keep your eyes out for a different kind of fresh food delivery system.
 
Twin Cities Local Food aims to connect farmers with customers in a unique way: by playing middleman. Started by Josh Kelly, who left the corporate world to pursue his dream of providing fresh, healthy food to the local community, the service intends to give people year-round access to locally grown and produced food.
 
Farmers benefit because they can directly market, sell, and package their own products, and customers can order online weekly and then pick up their food at a location in South Minneapolis. The system has been successful in other states, such as Michigan, but hasn't been tried here before. The first orders went out just last week, and Kelly is excited to see the online marketplace grow as it becomes better known.
 
"This is a different kind of model, but we feel that it's needed," he says. "People are busy, and sometimes they just want the convenience of shopping for good, local food online and picking it up easily."
 
The service includes numerous types of products, including fresh produce, meats and poultry, eggs, honey, syrup, dairy, grains, and preserved foods.
 
Kelly created the company with his wife, Natalie, and he notes that they always knew they'd make great business partners. Twin Cities Local Food is fulfilling that prediction, and they're both eager to keep the orders rolling in.
 
Source: Josh Kelly, Twin Cities Local Food
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

"Taxi" is a universal word, the same in nearly every language. So, when entrepreneur Peggy Paul wanted to start a new company that would take off quickly and have cross-cultural resonance, she went with SheTaxi.
 
Paul began the company in 2010 after being laid off from a previous position as an "intrapreneur" who started companies within existing companies. She'd had cancer in 2004 at the age of 34, and she saw the layoff as part of a larger change she'd been making ever since her illness—to lead a life that was non-toxic and spiritually aware.
 
"After getting sick, I'd go on well-being sites and read blogs about different topics, like meditation," she says. "But alongside that content were ads for liposuction and celebrity gossip. I wanted a place where women could go and talk about real stuff in their lives, without being bombarded by that kind of junk."
 
SheTaxi became a personal development site that brought together insight on balance and well-being. Paul and others also provide coaching and training services as well as events like "Bringing Your Type A Life into Balance."
 
The site is geared toward working women, and Paul envisions an annual retreat where women can come together and connect to learn from each other. She's currently in the process of fundraising, and once some funding comes in, she plans to hire employees to keep the growth going.
 
"We're in an early stage right now, but I think it's very exciting to see how it's all coming together," she says.
 
Source: Peggy Paul, SheTaxi
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.

Never underestimate the power of a basement office.
 
Take recruitment professional Stacey Stratton. She decided to leave the Minneapolis-based staffing firm Celarity and strike out on her own in 2008 to start True Talent Group, and she laughs now about the timing: "It was a terrible time to start a business, just dismal."
 
But she wanted to give it a try anyway. She set herself up in the basement, with a bathmat as her office rug, and told her husband that she was giving herself 60 days to make it work. Over the next year, she did sales recruiting, and then got back into working with creative professionals. "I'm so passionate about this industry, I just love it," she says. "And that's translated into triple-digit growth."
 
In 2009, she brought on three employees and all work out of their homes, which Stratton believes is beneficial for achieving a strong work/life balance.
 
Although the firm initially focused only on permanent placement for creatives, the industry at the time was more geared toward contract work, so Stratton added freelancers to the pool. She focuses on marketing and creative professionals partly because marketing is her background, but mainly because she finds the fields exciting.
 
"There's nothing cooler than looking at great creative," she says. "Also, creative is its own animal. If someone says they need a production artist, we know exactly who to find. There's value in sticking with a niche instead of trying to build expertise in all areas."
 
To keep the growth rolling, Stratton will be launching a new website in the near future, and focusing on keeping her 90 percent referral rate. "The Twin Cities has such a vibrant community when it comes to marketing and creative," she says. "That makes our opportunities seem limitless."
 
Source: Stacey Stratton, True Talent Group
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

In the marketing arena, how large is the gap between what people say and what they do? And how does that question affect their purchasing habits?
 
Those are the sorts of inquiries that drive David Bergstrom, founder of Minneapolis-based Reflect Research. Before creating the firm in 2009, the entrepreneur spent 10 years developing products and strategies for Procter & Gamble, and studied engineering at the University of Minnesota before that.
 
He combines the complex process thinking involved in engineering work with the creative skills he honed as a product designer, he says, and that's what makes Reflect unique.
 
"Basically, this company is the story of me wanting to do something I love," he says, "and that's creating a very specific niche within the world of market research."
 
Most market research emphasizes consumer reaction to products, he notes, but Reflect takes a different approach by figuring out what people need, and proposing products, services and campaigns based on that information.
 
For example, a recent client hired Reflect to find out why people choose to prepare their own tax returns. Bergstrom not only came up with top reasons, but also offered advice on how to draw these potential customers to a professional tax service.
 
Bergstrom feels that by doing ethnographic research and consumer trend analysis, he can help to develop innovative products and spark new ideas for clients.
 
"We figure out what people need, not just their reactions," he says. "Then we help to bring those solutions to life."
 
Source: David Bergstrom, Reflect Research
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

When it comes to figuring out what's best for clients, Minneapolis-based software development firm Warecorp has Belarus on speed dial.
 
The company got its start in 2004, when entrepreneur Chris Dykstra decided to strike out on his own after working in the software and web development fields.
 
Since he'd had some experience in working with offshore software firms, particularly in Belarus, he decided that Warecorp could benefit from a similar arrangement. He quickly built up an office in Minsk, which currently has about 60 employees. Another 10 employees are located throughout the United States.
 
Minsk is a hotbed of engineering activity, Dykstra notes, and despite some challenges with communication and time zone issues, he feels that such a large office there gives Warecorp an advantage. He says, "The level of expertise there is excellent, and it's much cheaper to hire and maintain an office with that many employees there as opposed to here."
 
Warecorp also distinguishes itself in the marketplace by being choosy about projects, Dykstra says. "We try to look for companies that are doing something to make the world a better place." The company has clients in the education, healthcare, and nonprofit sectors, as well as media companies and software firms.
 
"What makes us different is that we focus on social responsibility as well as business expertise," says Dykstra. Drawing on the engineering talent in Belarus gives Warecorp the ability to keep its robust growth rate, and Dysktra believes that the company will keep increasing by almost 50 percent every year.
 
Source: Chris Dykstra, Warecorp
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

After working in the organizational and HR field for most of her career, Louise Harris found herself out of job when a project came to its planned end.
 
"I was presented with a fabulous opportunity," she says. "I thought I'd take six weeks off to rejuvenate myself." That was 10 years ago, and she still hasn't gone back into a corporate position.
 
Instead, she began consulting and set up shop as Praeeo (Latin for "to lead the way"), a firm that offers strategic development, organizational effectiveness, leader development, and change management.
 
Harris believes that she fits well into that specific niche because she brings a theoretical foundation together with practical experience. She marries psychology, sociology, training, and development in a way that allows her to balance experience with theory.
 
When she first started Praeeo, Harris considered growing the business into a mid-size consultancy at some point, but the more she worked as a solo entrepreneur, the more she liked the freedom of that structure. She says, "I think if I had a team, there would be a greater sense of responsibility to manage the business for their sake. Now, I just manage it for me."
 
In her free time, Harris is also an artist who creates works made out of recycled furnace filters. She donates most of her proceeds from the art to charity, and has been in some art shows. "It's just fun to tap into my artistic side," she says. "Although business can be an art, too."
 
Source: Louise Harris, Praeeo
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Fred Haberman never intended to go into public relations. It just turned out that he's very good at it, especially when he's following his passion and encouraging others to do the same.
 
After starting an adventure travel company and an organizational development counseling firm with his wife, Haberman fell into the PR field. The couple started their own business in their house, with clients meeting at the dining room table, and eventually grew it into a 38-employee firm housed in the Warehouse District.
 
Growth has been robust, Haberman notes, attracting clients like explorer Ann Bancroft, Great River Energy, National Cooperative Grocers Association, Organic Valley, Slow Money Alliance, HealthSimple, and the Social Venture Network.
 
Sensing a theme yet?
 
Haberman's firm specializes in sustainability-focused clients who are trying to make a contribution to their communities, and Haberman has that same vision.
 
"We're geared toward helping to create a collaborative world," he says. "The question is: how do we make a difference while being financially sustainable? And we think the answer is that we follow our passion."
 
Companies have begun to seek out Haberman, to tap into that energy and spark that sets the firm apart. As a result, he expects to keep hiring and growing the firm, which benefits not just the company and its employees, but all of us, Haberman believes.
 
"There's something remarkable about creating shared value," he says. "That's what we've been about from the beginning."
 
Source: Fred Haberman, Haberman
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Marketing to the Millennial age group--18-to-28-year-olds--can be more than tricky, but a new Minneapolis-based agency has the savvy and background to help. After all, it's run by a couple of Millennials.
 
Started in January 2011, The Social Lights got started when friends Martha McCarthy and Emily Pritchard decided to combine their entrepreneurial energies while they were both attending the University of St. Thomas.
 
They did business plan competitions together and took classes in journalism as well as business topics. They created The Social Lights during their last semester at school, and McCarthy recalls that it wasn't easy. "We were doing homework and pitching clients at the same time," she says.
 
After graduation, they came to a full boil and took on numerous campaigns, focusing on others in their age group. "Sometimes companies that are trying to use social media can have a hard time reaching Millennials," says McCarthy. "They know how to use the tools, but they don't know how to communicate with them. Since we're in that age range, we have insight into what that audience needs."
 
With an increasing number of clients, the firm is getting ready to hire its first non-founder employee this summer. McCarthy believes that the hire will be another major step forward for the company: "We're not sure how large we'd like to get eventually, but this is very exciting, to get to this point."
 
Source: Martha McCarthy, The Social Lights
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Wayzata- and Minneapolis-based RBA Consulting has been advising clients about technology since 2006, and has shown an impressive success rate over the past few years. When it landed on the Inc. 5000 list last year, the magazine noted that its growth over the previous three years came in at 247 percent, with an increase of 89 employees in that timeframe.
 
Now, the company is ready to get even more robust.
 
Last September, the consulting firm acquired Ratchet, a Minneapolis-based digital marketing company, and subsequently changed the name of the combined company to just RBA.
 
The combined company offers a wide range of services, from custom application development and infrastructure expertise to portals and collaboration solutions.
 
"Historically, marketing organizations and IT departments haven't gotten along well," says RBA President and COO Mike Reinhart. "We see an opportunity for RBA to come in and create cohesion there. We understand marketing and what they're trying to accomplish, and we know how IT needs to work. We're bringing the CIO and the CMO together."
 
The company is expecting to grow by about 30 percent this year, and is in the midst of active hiring, Reinhart adds. He predicts that with RBA's strong sales force, more hiring will be ahead as well.
 
Most of all, he and others at the company are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead, now that the usual challenges that come with mergers are behind them.
 
"I'm a technologist at heart, and I love that I'm surrounded by bright and talented people who are thinking about how best to leverage our capabilities," says Reinhart.
 
Source: Mike Reinhart, RBA
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The unemployment rate for teenagers is dismal, currently at about 25 to 35 percent, but one startup is hoping to change those numbers for local kids.
 
Rock Your Block aims to provide an easy, simple way for teens to find odd jobs within their neighborhoods--and create a deeper sense of community as a result.
 
First conceived in late 2010 (see The Line's previous coverage here) by entrepreneur Sarah Young, the organization's site has been developed over the past year, and has just gone into beta launch. Young and co-founders John Hibscher and Steven Ladin have been meeting with business owners and community organization leaders in the meantime, to find job opportunities that can be posted.
 
"We want to have the site at the point where teens can apply right away, and that's been a big challenge," she says. "But we're working out those issues, and we're excited by what we see ahead."
 
Young believes that the model is sound, and once the initial beta is over, the site has the ability to take off. "We're empowering teenagers to develop a strong work ethic, and at the same time we're addressing the needs of the community," she says. "That's a powerful combination."
 
The site will also include information on internship opportunities and other education, to give teens a chance to develop new skills. For example, they can learn to build a resume, handle a job interview, or budget their time effectively.
 
Source: Sarah Young, Rock Your Block
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Twin Cities has been lauded many times for its bike-friendly routes and strategies, but what happens if you have a flat at 10pm?
 
Until now, repair service has been limited to bike shop hours, but local startup Bike Fixtation aims to change that. Started by entrepreneurs Chad DeBaker and Alex Anderson, the firm creates kiosks that pair a large vending machine with a standalone bike repair rack.
 
The idea was sparked during DeBaker's bachelor party, when he and a group of friends were bar-hopping by bike. One of them got a flat tire, and no one had a spare tube.
 
"We thought it was crazy that we live in one of the biggest biking places in the country and we couldn't get a tube after 8pm," he says.
 
Bicyclists can buy products such as tubes, patch kits, tools, and even sunscreen and energy bars, whenever they like. The repair rack features a collection of tools, attached by theft-proof cords, and an electric tire pump.
 
The first kiosk was installed inside the Uptown Transit Station, just above the Midtown Greenway. A second location is planned for Lake Street and Hiawatha, in the light rail station there.
 
Bike Fixtation has been building up its capital by selling equipment--like the bike repair station--worldwide, so other cities can duplicate the effort. In addition to more locations, the company is also working to bring out more products, like public bicycle pumps.
 
"In general, everyone has been very supportive of the project," says DeBaker. "Cyclists are getting a lot of use out of it, and that's great to see."
 
Source: Chad DeBaker, Bike Fixtation
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Launched in late February, Minneapolis-based PH Digital Labs may utilize a number of technologies in order to manage brands, but the firm distinguishes itself by focusing on an old-fashioned concept: personal connection.
 
"The gap that we see in the space is that people still want to connect with brands in a personal way," says co-founder and Director of Strategy Kyle Meehan. "That can get lost in the digital space. We want to make that connection deeper, more meaningful, and more relevant and authentic. We want to turn 'likes' into 'loves.'"
 
Offering search engine marketing, digital content, web design services, and social media marketing, PH Digital Labs aims to build a customized, digital strategy for each client.
 
The firm comes out of Pocket Hercules (see The Line's coverage of that company here), a branding and ad agency that's found success in creating its own products as well as representing major clients. Meehan notes that the relationship is advantageous, because it allows PH Digital Labs to pull from the talent at Pocket Hercules for specific projects.
 
For the future, he expects that PH Digital Labs will do more hiring to expand its in-house team. Until then, the firm is readying itself for growth through some initial clients.
 
"Our growth will come from a couple of decent-sized projects, and we're confident that those will come our way soon," says Meehan.
 
Source: Kyle Meehan, PH Digital Labs
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Twin Cities Software Symposium
 
March 2 - 4
Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington Hotel
3900 American Blvd. W., Bloomington
$975
 
Focusing on best practices in the enterprise software development space, this conference is put on by "No Fluff Just Stuff," a technology event company that usually specializes in Java and Agility. For its Twin Cities gathering, the firm promises "hype-free technical training for developers, architects, and technical managers," with over 55 sessions offered over the weekend.
 
Women Leading in Technology
 
March 6
The Woman's Club of Minneapolis
5:00 - 7:30
$15; free with valid student ID
 
Sponsored by the Minnesota High Tech Association, this event is put on quarterly to help women learn more about the technology industry and to network with other professionals. Industry experts share their experience, and the event is particularly valuable for those who are just entering the technology field.
 
Entrepreneurs Rally
 
March 13
CoCo Minneapolis
6:00pm - 9:30pm
$10 for keynote plus Mentorlab; free without Mentorlab
 
Presented by Entrepreneurs' Organization Minnesota, this networking-fest is designed to bring the entrepreneurial community together for a night of think-tank style interaction. The keynote speaker is Ido Leffler, co-founder of Yes To Inc. (makers of Yes to Carrots products). Those who are founders, co-founders, or CEOs of a company with revenues under $1 million can attend Mentorlab, which pairs participants with leading local companies.
 
Mobile March

March 16 & 17
Embassy Suites-Minneapolis Airport
7901 34th Ave. S., Bloomington
$85
 
This event offers the latest information in mobile technology and trends. Now in its third year, Mobile March offers two learning tracks: mobile development and mobile business. Sessions range in topic from games to mobile trends for the year ahead, to boosting loyalty through mobile app development.

The local beer scene just keeps getting more and more lively, and the latest entrant is Indeed Brewing, located in Northeast Minneapolis.
 
The Line recently covered the growth of craft beer, and also noted how Indeed is moving into the rehabbed Solar Arts Building. With a strong market and a distinctive location, the brewery has a robust head start for growth.
 
"We wanted to create a brewery that could offer a fuller approach," says co-founder Tom Whisenand. "We want to sell in bars and restaurants, but also liquor stores."
 
The use of cans instead of bottles might help that effort. Unlike many of the craft breweries in the Twin Cities, Indeed has chosen to can their beer, emphasizing the durability, portability, and environmental friendliness of cans (lighter to transport, they use less fuel to ship, and are fully recyclable).
 
Another ingredient for success is Josh Bischoff as head brewer, Whisenand notes. Bischoff comes out of Town Hall Brewery, and has won awards for several of his brews. He's been the force behind the beer's first "hop-forward" brews, due this summer.
 
Whisenand came up with the name "Indeed" after he and co-founders Rachel Anderson and Nathan Berndt kicked around numerous choices. He felt that it was an affirmation of living in Minnesota, as in, "Despite the winters, this is indeed a great place to live."
 
That type of positive outlook fuels the company, he says: "We all love living here, and we believe we can create quality beer in a great place."
 
Source: Tom Whisenand, Indeed Brewing
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Strategic expansion, grassroots marketing, and corporate sponsorship: these aren't exactly what you'd imagine when watching the Choo Choo Bob Show. But behind the cheery talk about trains and friendship on the new show, a strong business and brand are being built.
 
The show started after Bob Medcraft, owner of St. Paul-based Choo Choo Bob's Train Store, did a television commercial for the store with Joe Martin and Wilson Webb. The trio had fun making it and subsequent feedback convinced them to do a TV show about trains. At first, they'd envisioned something on cable access, but then they decided to create something with more polish.
 
"The finished shows turned out great; kids loved them and parents were really positive," says Medcraft. "I decided that I was going to do everything I could to find someone who could help us raise money and get more episodes made." He turned to University of Minnesota professor Bob Vince, who offered to finance the project. Vince and Medcraft formed a company, and the Choo Choo production engine got turned on.
 
Because the show is too "old fashioned and atypical" to match what's on Disney and Nickelodeon, Medcraft notes that they're creating a Choo Choo Bob Network, which will pay to broadcast the show throughout the region. They're also putting together a live show that will go on tour, with the first show April 14th at the Riverview Theater.
 
"We came to the conclusion that if we want to get the show on TV, then we'll have to do it ourselves," he says.
 
Source: Bob Medcraft, Choo Choo Bob Show
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Although Minneapolis-based KeyedIn Solutions is technically a startup, it probably won't be for long.
 
Fired up in late 2011, the company provides software-as-a-service (SaaS) and consulting for small to midsize businesses (SMBs), with specialization in areas like project management and enterprise resource planning. Clients can gain control over their resource capabilities, operational efficiency, business performance, and workflow processes, according to CEO Lauri Klaus.
 
Part of the reason that KeyedIn has been able to ramp up quickly is that it's in acquisition mode. The company took majority ownership in Datacom International in January, and also recently acquired a UK-based software publisher, Atlantic Global.
 
"Our strategy is to look for small technology companies with hot technology that can be deployed in an SaaS model," says Klaus. "We look for best-in-breed products and bring those into our portfolio."
 
Catering to the SMB market also distinguishes the company from potential competitors, she adds: "We believe the SMB market is underserved. That gives us many opportunities for really establishing ourselves in the marketplace."
 
The combination of acquisition and hiring has meant an employee surge: just a few months ago, only four people worked at KeyedIn, and now, there are 50 employees. Klaus notes that her goal was to have 100 by the end of the year, but she believes she'll reach that number within just a few more months.
 
"Recruiting isn't an issue for us," Klaus says. "Many people know that we're creating a good, solid company that's creating and deploying business applications in a new way. We're going to be very successful, and people want to be part of that."
 
Source: Lauri Klaus, CEO
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA) recently added three new members to its staff, with the positions reflecting a new strategic plan for the organization.
 
MHTA is dedicated to making Minnesota one of the country's top five technology states within the next decade, notes President and CEO Margaret Anderson Kelliher, and by boosting skills in certain areas, the group will be able to move forward on that vision.
 
Tim Barrett joins as STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) Coordinator, a role that will be instrumental in meeting ambitious goals for more STEM education and outreach in the state.
 
The organization's previous coordinator left to go to law school, Kelliher says. With Barrett stepping into the role, the MHTA has had a chance to reformulate its position so that it focuses more strongly on STEM connections between business and education sectors.
 
"This is about being the voice of businesses that are engaged in science and innovation, and making that vital connection to classrooms," says Kelliher. "We want to strengthen that, and create a science and technology ecosystem that's truly dynamic."
 
Another position was made possible through a grant from the Minnesota Science & Technology Authority: a "SciTechsperience Program Coordinator," who will manage a paid internship program for college students pursuing STEM degrees. Becky Siekmeier, who worked in advertising and marketing at Best Buy for 16 years, will take on the role.
 
A third new hire, Erika McCallum, will act as the organization's Programs and Events Assistant. The three positions are aimed at increasing MHTA's effectiveness and reach, and Kelliher is excited about the direction that the group is taking.
 
"There are so many opportunities around science and technology here, there's so much innovation," she says. "We're happy to be fostering the connections needed to make Minnesota one of the top technology states."
 
Source: Margaret Anderson Kelliher, MHTA
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Choosing the right employees, empowering them to excel, and maximizing leadership are all strategies that every company attempts to refine, and the best companies have it all down to a science.
 
Fortunately, for those that are still attempting to tweak their HR tactics, that science can be outsourced.
 
Minneapolis-based Modern Survey provides a number of tools for boosting an enterprise's effectiveness in major areas like employee engagement and performance management.
 
Founded 12 years ago by three entrepreneurs, the company was a "big dot-com idea that actually worked," says CEO and co-founder Patrick Riley with a laugh. The trio had all come from large companies like American Express, and saw first-hand how those businesses operated.
 
When Modern Survey first got started, the focus was on helping that type of large company to go paperless, but over the years, it shifted to become a human-capital-management firm, Riley says: "We help companies to build the right workforce, retain key talent, and understand how the customer connects back. It's getting pretty cool in terms of what we can do."
 
The firm has 25 employees and is growing steadily, he adds. Over the past year in particular, companies are spending more money on improving their internal processes and software. Although hiring hasn't surged upward for many Modern Survey clients, Riley believes that they're putting tools in place for ramping back up to pre-recession levels.
 
Recently, Modern Survey completed a significant investment round, so it's ready to keep growing strong and to continue helping companies refine their HR tactics. Riley expects the firm to expand nationally, and a new-generation product line should be released at the end of the year.
 
"We're in a position to grow aggressively over the next few years," he says.
 
Source: Patrick Riley, Modern Survey
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

There are plenty of mobile apps for cocktail lovers--like BarHopper, iBartender, Drink Buddy, and Beer Pad--but now those in recovery have their own app, thanks to developers at Hazelden.
 
The Center City-based addiction treatment organization has created an iPhone application, "Mobile MORE Field Guide to Life," designed to support those who are in recovery from addiction to alcohol and drugs. Accessible through the iTunes App Store, the software is based on MORE (My Ongoing Recovery Experience), Hazelden's web-based program of personalized treatment.
 
"Our mission is to be the industry leader in publishing information that will benefit people who have issues with drugs and alcohol," says Nick Motu, Hazelden's Publisher and Vice President of Marketing and Communications. "We've been in the publishing business for 65 years, and this app is building on that tradition."
 
Hazelden developed its web-based application as a way for clients to stay on track with their recovery. The mobile app now extends that expertise to the general public, and Motu is excited about the potential reach: "We want to expand what we know out to the world, for those who aren't fortunate enough to go through treatment," he says.
 
The organization is gradually pivoting away from print-based publications, he adds, and it's likely that the shift will result in more online applications and mobile apps. Hazelden also recently acquired a social media site, Sober24, which connects those in recovery.
 
With the addition of the "Field Guide to Life" and the website, Hazelden is hoping to bring its considerable expertise to everyone in recovery, not just those who have been in the treatment center's programs.
 
Source: Nick Motu, Hazelden
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

"You know that moment when you get home, and it's been a long day, and you just want to sit down and treat yourself a little?" asks Terry Williams, founder of food company BlackOnyx Creations. "Well, that moment is what drives our whole business."
 
Williams and her husband Frank work to develop comfort foods for what they call the "ahh time," when people seek peace and relaxation through a cup of chai or bite of toffee. They produce drinks and snacks like coffee, chai, granola, and candy and market many of them under the label Winter Goddess.
 
The firm started a few years ago after Frank was injured at his job working for the TSA and the couple had to take a leap of faith in search of a new income source. "Our business is the result of dealing with economic difficulties," Williams notes. "We had to look at the world differently, to see opportunities where we hadn't seen them before. Most of all, we had to look at our community in a more interactive way. It's been a wonderful shift."
 
BlackOnyx takes it name from the stone, which is thought to increase regeneration, happiness, and intuition. Williams says it helps to create balance, give strength, and boost self-confidence — qualities that are hugely beneficial when starting a new business and gaining traction in the market.
 
The business began with craft shows and farmers markets, but started to grow after the pair took classes with Kindred Kitchen, the food incubator program in North Minneapolis [see our coverage of the program here]. That, in turn, led to the Minneapolis Homegrown Business Development Center loan program. BlackOnyx became the first loan recipient of the pilot program, and they're using the funding for marketing and a chocolate tempering machine.
 
With a strong start for the company, it looks like more local residents are likely to get that "ahh" moment in the future.
 
Source: Terry and Frank Williams, BlackOnyx Creations
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Local IT companies seem to always be in need of more professionals for development work, and now they have new resource that could fill their IT departments in the future.
 
The IT-Ready Apprentice Program is launching in Minneapolis and St. Paul, with an eye toward other cities in the future. The non-profit program covers the cost of recruitment, training, and certification for employees taking on help-desk, call-center, and technical duties.
 
"With unemployment at the level it is, we feel this is important for giving individuals what they need to succeed in what might be a new profession," says Charles Eaton, executive director of the Creating IT Futures Foundation, the group leading the IT-Ready effort.
 
Eaton notes that the manufacturing and construction industries have been hit hard locally, and that skills from those careers are difficult to bring to other fields.
 
The apprenticeship program is unique, Eaton added, because it doesn't involve time off from work in order to attend community college. He says, "There aren't many resources for individuals who need to stay in the workforce. Not everyone can afford to take a couple years off to get a different type of training."
 
Minneapolis-St. Paul was supposed to be just one of five urban areas that would feature the IT-Ready program, but the decision was made to focus on the Twin Cities exclusively for the pilot.
 
Currently, apprentice program staff members are recruiting local companies to join the effort, and Eaton says the results are encouraging. They expect that the first class of apprentices should number about 15 and will start work in July.
 
"We think of ourselves as a startup in some ways," Eaton says. "We're coming in without preconceived notions of how this is going to work, but we're hopeful that it will grow and become an incredibly useful resource."
 
Source: Charles Eaton, IT-Ready Apprentice Program
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

No matter what the industry, every business benefits from better information, stronger research, and savvy insight. Minneapolis-based Knowteria provides all three.
 
The company is helmed by Alisa Coddington, who earned a degree in library science, and then branched out into the realms of analysis and insight.
 
"By definition, I'm a librarian, that's my skill set," she says. "I've always loved research, though, and the investigative aspect of that. No matter how bland a topic might appear, it always becomes interesting the further I get into it. It's a good way to learn a little bit about many different subjects."
 
Coddington started the firm in 2009 and still works as a solo entrepreneur, but she draws on a large network of other information professionals, and benefits from robust collaboration.
 
Before starting Knowteria, she worked in an ad agency, and noticed that many smaller, specialized agencies began popping up on the scene. She anticipated that Knowteria would cater only to those agencies, but instead, she's found a broader client base than she expected.
 
Now, a client might be an investor who needs to get up to speed on a particular industry, or an entrepreneur who's refining a business pitch. Coddington provides customized information packages that she calls "value-added brainpower."
 
"This type of business research and intelligence is geared toward helping to win business and gain a competitive advantage," she says.
 
Although her research ranges across industries and topics, she's noticed a trend lately toward questions about emerging markets, from companies that want to expand internationally. Also, she's getting more requests about technology use, leading her to dig into statistics like iPhone usage.
 
Coddington currently does mainly secondary research--which means that she finds the studies, insights, and stats that others have published and compiles them into a cohesive whole--but she's hoping to begin doing some primary research as well. It's all part of being an information sleuth, she believes.
 
Source: Alisa Coddington, Knowteria
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Although Minneapolis-based Pocket Hercules successfully represents numerous high-profile brands like Pearl Izumi, Gorilla Glue, and Rapala, the firm has taken its advertising, PR, and branding skills a bit further by developing a few products of its own.
 
The company puts out Lakemaid Beer and Tiny Footprint Coffee, and its marketing might is getting those products some high-profile attention.
 
"They're going gangbusters," says agency principal Jack Supple. "We feel like we're learning a great deal by launching our own brands, and that translates into what we do for clients. We know what they're going through with product development and distribution, and there's value to that."
 
Founded in 2005, the company has grown in the past year to 17 people, and recently expanded their offices in the Warehouse District, taking over a neighboring space. Lakemaid was launched in 2008, and a year later, the company expanded its reach into Michigan, Montana, and Nebraska.
 
In 2010, Pocket Hercules partnered with a local coffee roaster, Roastery 7, to create Tiny Footprint, which it describes as "the world's first carbon-negative coffee brand." When people buy the coffee, trees are planted in Ecuador that will offset the carbon impact of the coffee's production. Given its appeal of "good karma in every cup," the coffee is gaining in popularity, Supple says.
 
The experience of producing coffee and beer--two beverages that many people couldn't do without-- has made the agency stronger and more vibrant, Supple believes. "We have an entrepreneurial bent here," he says. "It's been fun to pursue and make real products, and back brands that we really care about."
 
Source: Jack Supple, Pocket Hercules
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

CityCamp Minnesota
 
January 11
4:00 pm
Republic at Seven Corners
221 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis
free, but reservations are suggested
 
Touting itself as an "unconference," CityCamp Minnesota held its first meeting in November, and now intends to kick off the new year with another networking opportunity. The theme of this quarterly meetup is "nonprofits" and the group will do brainstorming and presentations on the topic.
 
Low Cost/No Cost Methods to Get Found Online

Monday nights from January 16-February 20th
or full days on January 21st and January 28th
DemandQuest-Minneapolis Marketing Institute
2112 Broadway St. NE, Minneapolis
$299
 
This extensive workshop series teaches business owners how they can harness social media, blogs, and emails to develop a comprehensive online marketing plan. Available as a 6-week course or two full Saturday classes, the course covers online directories, inbound marketing, and social media tools like Facebook and Twitter.
 
High Impact Leadership

January 18
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
MAP for Nonprofits
2314 University Ave. W., Suite 28, Saint Paul
$75
 
Although this workshop is being held by MAP for Nonprofits, which serves the nonprofit sector, the leadership skills offered here would be applicable for any type of business. The workshop centers on emotional intelligence, and notes that increased self-awareness can help leaders to manage their own emotions and improve relationships with others.
 
Healthy Life Expo
 
January 21-22
Minneapolis Convention Center
1301 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis
$6 or a non-perishable food item
 
Get the info and products necessary to fulfill those New Year resolutions. This popular conference brings together exhibitors and speakers, covering topics such as wellness, natural cooking, meditation, nutrition, and fitness. There are a number of free seminars and free health screenings.

For website developers, a "spider trap" is created when a site has so many changing links that it ranks high on search engines. But for the past few years, the term has garnered another definition: a fast-growing digital marketing firm.
 
"The name is a good representation of who we are," says Mike Rynchek, president and founder of Minneapolis-based Spyder Trap. "It's technical, sophisticated, and analytical, but also energetic and playful. We aim to be all of those qualities."
 
Rynchek started the company in 2008, after working on digital projects in a more traditional agency. He believes that his firm has a jump on agencies because of its laser focus on digital projects, especially as it moves more into mobile technology.
 
"I think a lot of agencies are still trying to figure out digital," he says. "We're at the point where we're optimizing the online side, and going heavily into mobile. And that will be a point of differentiation for us."
 
Spyder Trap certainly has a strong start, with considerable growth over the past year. The firm just hired its 23rd employee in December--at the end of 2010, there were only nine employees--and Rynchek anticipates steady hiring as more clients take advantage of Spyder's mobile insights.
 
"Social media has been the big buzz for the last couple years, but I believe that mobile is about the take over the conversation," he notes. "More and more people are trying to be smarter with their time, they're starting to disconnect in some ways. That will be key for us, as marketers, to understand."
 
For Spyder, that shift should lead to organic growth, and an even more attractive digital web for clients.
 
Source: Mike Rynchek, Spyder Trap
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

With an impressive growth rate over the last three years--leading to recognition by Inc. magazine multiple times--Jobs2web made for an attractive acquisition target last year. So, it's no shock that business software firm SuccessFactors snapped it up in December.
 
But one pleasant surprise is that the Minneapolis-based firm won't get consumed by its new owner. Instead, Jobs2web is likely to get even stronger, believes chief marketing officer Peter Baskin.
 
"We'll not only remain completely intact, but we may grow even more aggressively," he says. "SuccessFactors wants us to keep on pace and keep expanding, in every way."
 
The firm is currently shopping for larger office space, and plans to increase its 120-employee base. Baskin notes that Jobs2web has been doing very well for the past few years, but it still struggled with "opening doors" at large prospective clients. The acquisition by the well-respected SuccessFactors should help in that regard, he says.
 
But Jobs2web will still keep the major attribute that has contributed to its success: the agility to deliver its interactive recruiting solutions quickly, in a customized format.
 
The firm helps clients draw on digital strategies to streamline recruiting efforts. For example, in addition to traditional employee referrals done by word-of-mouth, Jobs2web can integrate social networks into the mix, and then bring in mobile technology, analytics, and research portals to increase effectiveness.
 
"By linking so much together and bringing in automation, it's created a great degree of success for us," says Baskin. "It's helped us blow the doors off the barn for the past few years."
 
He adds that the addition of SuccessFactors as a strategic partner will keep those doors wide open.
 
Source: Peter Baskin, Jobs2web
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

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

"Even in these tough economic times, many of the segments we target are thriving," says Jim Cairns, vice president of marketing at Multi-Tech Systems. "We provide technology that allows for greater efficiency and cost savings, and that's always welcomed."
 
Founded by Raghu Sharma, Multi-Tech has been producing connectivity technology for nearly 40 years. Part of the company's strength lies in its diversity: products range from smart grids that can monitor a house's electricity, to sensors that allow remote ATM machines to communicate with bank systems quickly, to patient-monitoring systems that make home health care easier and safer.
 
Health care is a major part of Multi-Tech's offerings, and the company has major clients like Medtronic and Boston Scientific. Cairns says, "The cost for health care these days is almost obscene. So, if we can allow people to manage their health care from their homes instead of rushing to the hospital, that makes for major savings."
 
Growth in all areas is creating a demand for new talent, he adds, and hiring has been steady at the company's headquarters in Mounds View. Recent hires have joined teams in sales, engineering, and manufacturing.
 
A unique part of Multi-Tech's operations is its in-house manufacturing facilities. By not outsourcing any production to overseas entities, the company doesn't benefit from cost breaks, Cairns notes, but there's greater control over the supply chain and more adaptability to customer needs.
 
For the future, Multi-Tech intends to keep hiring at a steady pace and expand into new markets. "We feel fortunate to be growing, while still striving to provide the best solutions for our customers," says Cairns.
 
Source: Jim Cairns, Multi-Tech Systems
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

As Internet-based marketing continues to boom, a newer field is growing along with it: online reputation management.
 
That's good news for companies like Minneapolis-based Internet Exposure, a web design and development firm that specializes in helping companies keep track of what's being said online, and advises them on ways to increase positive buzz.
 
The firm added two new people within the last month, and is likely to bring on more in the year ahead if demand continues as expected.
 
"In the last five years, the issue of a company's online reputation has come up more and more," says Internet Exposure CEO Jeff Hahn. "Almost every new business meeting I have covers social media, and although it's more important to certain clients, all of them need to address it in some way."
 
Companies of any size, particularly those run by multi-hat-wearing entrepreneurs, can find it daunting to build a good reputation online through sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus. They might have an executive blog or a business website, but often they struggle with how to create true influence through social media.
 
Internet Exposure assists them by using search tools to see what's being said about the business, and then helping executives to use social media more effectively to create a positive image. If a company has negative reviews or feedback online, the firm has tactics that can help to push the comments lower in search results, and also works to address the feedback directly.
 
Hahn expects to see more interest in the tactics in the future, and as a result, Internet Exposure should see more growth as well. He says, "The Internet is still a bit in the 'Wild West' phase. So, we're excited to help people make these online tools work for them, instead of against them."
 
Source: Jeff Hahn, Internet Exposure
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

In classrooms around the world, Sophia is proving to be a very popular and very smart girl.
 
The online education site went live last March and experienced an overwhelming response, with people logging on from nearly 70 countries in just the first two days.
 
Now, just seven months later, Sophia has grown from start-up to robust enterprise, expanding from six to 13 full-time employees, plus approximately 25 contractors and consultants. Founder and CEO Don Smithmier, whom we profiled in February, anticipates more hiring in the coming year, as Sophia ramps up even more.
 
"We're now executing a plan that we'd put forth at the beginning, the goal of bringing Sophia to the world," he says. "We're getting traction, and seeing growth as a result."
 
Sophia is a free social learning community, focused solely on education. The service brings together teachers and students from around the world. Utilizing "learning packets" that combine text, video, and graphics, teachers can create educational units that can be viewed by everyone, or just a select group of students.
 
Smithmier notes that the approach falls into a growing new category of academics called "social education," in which access to learning is increased. He says, "We're talking about flipping the student-to-teacher ratio. So, instead of 30 students for every teacher, what you'll have are 30 teachers for every student."
 
The strategy can be particularly effective, he adds, because people tend to "click" with some teachers but not others. Exposing students to so many teachers and different teaching styles keeps those relationships clicking.
 
As Sophia keeps expanding, in both employees and reach, Smithmier anticipates that the company will be doing more work on its learning programs and refining its offerings. "We want to make Sophia nationally known, and eventually globally known," he says, then laughs. "I guess we just want to be world famous."
 
Source: Don Smithmier, Sophia
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Quick: think about a still-sour economy, layoffs, lost clients, and financial difficulties.
 
Although those are the types of thoughts that many business leaders try to avoid, many entrepreneurs still focus on those negatives, and end up falling short of their potential, believes business consultant Laura Goodrich.
 
In her work with organizations over the past 17 years, Goodrich has developed a program, "Seeing Red Cars," that applies these principles of unconscious attraction. She named the program after an analogy, in which someone might not think about cars of a certain color until he or she buys a red car, and then, suddenly, begins to notice red cars everywhere. Changing one's focus and attitude about an enterprise can feel exactly like that, she notes.
 
"Seeing Red Cars is a transformation process, it's about being intentional and about the nature of change," says Goodrich. "When we talk about the unconscious focus that people have, we begin to see the outcome that they're seeking. If you have an unconscious pull toward negative outcomes, that's what you'll get."
 
Along with a business partner, Goodrich owns On Impact Productions, a content company that specializes in producing videos, coaching, and consulting. She's produced a full-length film that brings together all of her views on how executives can create a more positive environment for themselves and employees.
 
Goodrich is hoping that as her business grows, so will the reach of her message: that getting stuck in a rut is all too common, and that it takes a new perspective to climb out of that ditch.
 
"I've worked with executives who don't know they have an unconscious focus on the negative, and yet they're sucking the energy out of their employees," she says. "They're putting a pin in every balloon. At this moment, what we all need is dynamic change, and that's what I want to help provide."
 
Source: Laura Goodrich, Seeing Red Cars
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Accounting, tax, and consulting firm McGladrey is clearing plenty of desk space for the months ahead, anticipating an increase of at least 25 more people before January.
 
The hiring push isn't surprising, considering that the firm has been bringing on new employees at a steady clip over the past six months, adding about 100 employees since the beginning of May. Currently, the Minneapolis office has about 325 people, with most of them getting ready for the busy tax season ahead.
 
Growth has also come from an increase in business consulting, notes Christine Mack, Northern Plains Assurance Leader and Partner at McGladrey. She says that for the past few years, many companies have been delaying the use of consulting in areas like risk advisory and technology services, but that the demand is increasing again.
 
She says, "There's a subtle shift in the economy. What was put on the back burner is now coming to the front, as people recognize they need advisory services to keep their businesses growing."
 
Expanding the firm's employee number comes at the same time as another major effort at McGladrey: implementing a paperless tax process.
 
The move toward a paperless strategy was sparked by a desire to create more efficiency in the tax process, says Mike Nelson, Managing Director of Tax Services. By going paperless, McGladrey employees can be more mobile and work electronically, allowing them to access files from a client office, for example. It's an innovative approach that's already making McGladrey unique among competitors.
 
"It just makes sense," says Nelson. "We can be mobile, it helps the environment, and our employees appreciate the flexibility. Everybody wins."
 
Source: Mike Nelson and Christine Mack, McGladrey
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Billing itself as a site for "all things cool and canine," DogWonderful.com makes it easier for people to travel without leaving their dogs behind. The site offers hotel deals, listings of dog-friendly accommodations, and handy tips for traveling with dogs.
 
The pet travel site is the creation of Teresa Matsui Sanders, founder of a hospitality management and consulting firm, InnWorks.
 
After the economic downturn in 2009, and battling breast cancer twice within a year, Sanders was looking for a fresh start and different consulting opportunities. She did some work for an online publisher and learned about monetizing websites, but wasn't sure what to do with the knowledge until her beloved dog, Kendall, died at the end of June.
 
"The day after she died, I had the inspiration to do a website about dogs and travel," she says. "From my experience in the hospitality industry, I knew there were databases and booking engines that could give dog owners access to thousands of hotels."
 
Sanders hopes to steadily boost visitor numbers and have DogWonderful.com become a major destination site for people who want to travel with their animal companions. Part of the site's revenue is donated to dog-focused charities like NEADS, an organization that trains hearing dogs by using prisoners and combat veterans as trainers.
 
The site launched in late October, on a day that would have been Kendall's 17th birthday, Sanders notes. "Dogs just become such a huge part of your life, and what I've found from working on this site is how much people want to share their love of dogs. It's been amazing."
 
Source: Teresa Matsui Sanders, DogWonderful.com
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Minnesota High Tech Association (MHTA) recognized 14 companies that are contributing to innovation, development, and commercialization of technology in the state, handing out its annual Tekne Awards last week.
 
The awards included separate categories for small and growing businesses, with revenues under $50 million, and for established businesses. Winners range across a number of fields, from manufacturing to sustainable technologies to non-profit organizations.

"Minnesota’s technology community has responded enthusiastically to the Tekne Awards for the past twelve years," says MHTA President and CEO Margaret Anderson Kelliher. " Year after year the Teknes generate a tremendous amount of pride and help inspire a new generation of innovators."
 

Nova-Tech Engineering won for advanced manufacturing, Ecolab took home the cleantech and energy award, and Global Traffic Technologies won the computer hardware and electronic devices award.
 
For the most innovative collaboration of the year, MHTA chose Maverick Software Consulting, which paired with Digital River, Thompson Reuters, and MnSCU to bring together computer science students and corporations providing software development and testing. Students received real-world experience working in the technology field, and companies got talented candidates. 
 
Other winners included Sophia Learning, Minntech Corporation, Pursuit Vascular, GeaCom, Imation, and Calabrio.
 
The City of Minneapolis received an award for technology excellence in a non-profit organization, with MHTA noting the city's work toward bringing technology and information together to make Minneapolis safer. The city's new emergency operations training facility and strategic information center blend digital data, streaming video and interactive interfaces to create a communications center for the city.
 
The Tekne Awards also featured more inductees to the Minnesota Science and Technology Hall of Fame, which was created four years ago to acknowledge the work of entrepreneurs, engineers, professors, inventors, researchers, and scientists.
 
Source: Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Minnesota High Tech Association
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Consumers are switching to credit unions and community banks in record numbers, and this past weekend, "Bank Transfer Day" had some financial institutions jammed full of new customers.
 
For Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union, that means plenty of hiring to keep up with demand.
 
President and CEO Kyle Markland notes that the credit union has been adding about 2,000 members per month, which is double the amount they saw a year ago. About 80 percent of those members have been referred by existing members, but they're also seeing an uptick in interest thanks to their "ditch your bank" campaign.
 
"We've been very public about letting the general population know that there's an alternative to large banks," he says. "Our members see the value in the type of service that we provide, and I think more and more people are looking for that level of service."
 
Affinity currently has 356 employees, but that number is likely to increase as the credit union sees an increase in transaction volume, Markland notes. He says that in the last five years, members have been depending on the credit union for more of their banking needs, such as loans.
 
Because of the growth rate, Affinity is likely to add another 100 employees over the next 12 to 18 months. Just in the past two weeks, they've brought on almost 20.
 
That level of hiring is likely to be tricky, Markland says, because the credit union is very particular about who joins their team. Employees have to be motivated by an environment where they're empowered to make decisions, he says, and can fit in with Affinity's service-oriented culture.
 
"It all comes down to finding good people who want to work with other good people," says Markland.
 
Source: Kyle Markland, Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Sometimes, one simple decision can shake a company's entire foundation.
 
For Eagan-based JumpTech, that moment came about a year ago, when the company decided to move its applications to a mobile platform.
 
The firm's software for inventory management and proof of delivery was turned into JumpPOD, an app for iPhone and Android that allows anyone with those devices to track deliveries, accept signatures, and do performance reporting.
 
Since its release about four months ago, the company gets several phone calls per day for orders, says JumpTech CEO John Freund: "This caught us a little off guard, the popularity of JumpPOD. We've had to accommodate for such sudden growth."
 
The 11-member firm is likely to double its employee size over the next few months, he adds, and is moving soon to new, larger office space down the street from its existing offices.
 
Fortunately, Freund has been on the fast-growth track before, when a company he co-founded zoomed upward before it was sold. Now, he uses that experience to make sure that he keeps JumpTech on the right path.
 
"It's a balancing act, because you fight so hard to get customers excited and buy the app, but you have to make sure that you can deliver when they come to order," says Freund. "That's why we're making sure that we're hiring resources now."
 
Technology companies in particular can be challenged by such a turn in fortunes, he adds, and many overreact to growth by staffing up quickly. Then, if sales don't come through as projected, they need to downsize. Freund says, "The way to prevent that is to focus on what you're delivering, as opposed to what you're selling. Here, we're doing that, and growing organically as a result."
 
Source: John Freund, JumpTech
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

First Tuesday
 
November 8
University of Minnesota
Carlson School of Management
McNamara Alumni Center
$28, includes lunch
 
Held for nearly 20 years on the first Tuesday of every month at the McNamara Alumni Center, the First Tuesday Speaker Series has showcased top executives and their insights about business and leadership. This month's round features John Stumpf, the Chairman, President, and CEO of Wells Fargo.
 
 
Best Practices in Leadership Effectiveness & Employee Engagement
 
November 10
Embassy Suites Minneapolis Airport
Bloomington
Main conference: $200 members, $300 for members of partners, $400 non-members
 
Put on by the Minnesota Council for Quality, this two-day event features a main conference on Nov. 10 and post-conference workshops the following day. Organizations such as Toro, US Bank, and Allina Hospitals & Clinics will share best practices in succession planning, communication, employee engagement, and other topics.
 
CityCamp Minnesota
 
November 12
University of Minnesota
Humphrey Center
free
 
Touting itself as an "unconference," CityCamp Minnesota aims to bring together community organizations, technology startups, social media experts, software developers, open government advocates and "everyday citizens" for a discussion about how to strengthen local communities. Although there will be breakout sessions and at least 25 different interactive discussions, the conference organizers note that the "coffee break becomes the conference."
 

Robotics Alley
 
November 17
University of Minnesota
Carlson School of Management
$145
 
ReconRobotics (see our previous coverage here) teams up with the Minnesota High Tech Association to host a gathering of 250 leaders in the global robotics industry. Featuring a keynote address by renowned robotics expert Peter Singer, the program also includes a series of open-format talks on the business of robotics from experts in the financial, legal, policy, and academic sectors.

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

Sometimes, a small hobby can become big business.
 
For Ryan Batcheller and Andrew Duneman, an interest in aquarium supplies turned into one of the fastest growing companies in the state.
 
Started in 2007 by the entrepreneurial pair, Golden Valley-based Bulk Reef Supply has been on such a fast track that it recently landed on the Inc. 5000 list, coming in at number 258. Over the past three years, the company has soared from initial revenues of about $300,000 to nearly $4 million in 2010.
 
It all started with "fish chili," according to Batcheller. He made up a fish food for his own aquarium dwellers, and when some friends began asking for samples, he thought about selling it in bulk. From there, the idea blossomed into selling aquarium additives online, at bulkreefsupply.com.
 
Customers began sending them leads on products, and the pair started hiring and adding items to the site at a rapid pace. After creating some structure through the use of the Entrepreneurial Operating System, they managed to develop a system of their own that let them handle growth and keep hiring.
 
Currently, the company features 1,400 products and employs 21 people. Most likely they'll keep up the pace, but Batcheller isn't worried about hitting a wall: "We don't have revenue goals," he says. "We used to, but then we realized that revenue isn't where we'd find success. Instead, we want to be the best in the industry, the top saltwater aquarium supplier in the country. We'll get there."
 
Source: Ryan Batcheller, Bulk Reef Supply
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

Social commerce firm 8thBridge continues on its growth track by bringing on an experienced ecommerce leader as its Chief Product Officer.
 
Jon Kubo, former SVP of ecommerce and CIO of Wet Seal, joined the firm at the beginning of October, and 8thBridge CEO Wade Gerten noted that the addition would strengthen the company's position in the marketplace and prepare it for the next stage of growth.
 
Formerly known as Alvenda, 8thBridge was the 2009 Minnesota Cup winner, and managed to sustain quite a bit of momentum after that win. In March, the company raised $10 million in a series B funding round led by venture firm Trident Capital.
 
Over the past two years, the company has made some significant deals, such as the opening of the first Facebook retail store for 1-800-Flowers in 2009. A recent win came when 20th Century Fox used 8thBridge to offer group rewards on Facebook. Other clients include Delta Airlines, Paramount Pictures, Best Buy, and Lands' End.
 
"This is a really compelling opportunity to join one of the hottest social media companies today," Kubo said in a press release about the appointment. "The social commerce industry is projected to grow to $30 billion by 2015 and 8thBridge is best positioned to capitalize on this opportunity."
 
Kubo's track record at Wet Seal is impressive; he launched the company's website in 2008, then brought on Facebook, iPhone, iPad, and Android versions that allow shoppers to interact with the retailer's content. Prior to Wet Seal, Kubo led the launch of FAO Schwarz's online presence, as well as the relaunch of the toy retailer's stores.
 
Source: 8th Bridge
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The University of Minnesota provides engineering students with the technical knowledge that makes them leaders in their field--and now, the school gives them an edge in business savvy, too.
 
The university recently began offering workshops to engineers and scientists on business topics like networking, leadership, teamwork, and creativity, through an initiative called the Gemini Project.
 
Named after the endowment provided by an anonymous donor who had once been an engineering student himself, the Gemini Project will present the workshops every other Wednesday throughout the school year, focusing on the types of skills that will be useful for engineering professionals. For example, one talk about office dynamics will provide tips on building and maintaining strong workplace relationships.
 
"We've seen over and over that what makes you successful in your job isn't necessarily your ability to do the task at hand, it's your ability to lead others, think strategically, and meet an organization's goals," says Tess Surprenant, Gemini Chair and Senior Fellow of the Technological Leadership Institute at the university's College of Science and Engineering.
 
She adds that the information presented in Gemini workshops isn't radical, since they're covering material that's standard for many business schools. But targeting the material specifically for engineering students is a new twist that's becoming a national trend. Every large engineering school is trying to boost these types of professional abilities among its students, Surprenant says, because there's growing awareness of the importance of business skills.
 
The university is on its way to becoming an example for others to follow. The first Gemini workshop was well attended, considering that it was held only two weeks after school started, Surprenant notes. The program is hoping to grow attendance from its current average of 30 students to over 100 per workshop.
 
Source: Tess Surprenant, University of Minnesota
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

One of the state's fastest-growing companies, Accurate Home Care is working to manage its growth, and that means dealing with an awful lot of resumes.
 
According to founder and president Amy Nelson, the Elk River-based firm hires between 10 to 20 people every week, and currently employs about 1,600 people. The Human Resources team sorts through approximately 100 applications per week.
 
"We have a great HR department," says Nelson. "That's the only reason we can handle the rate of hiring that we have."
 
In the future, it's possible that she might have to hire even more, since the company is growing so quickly. In the next year, Nelson anticipates adding a couple more facilities in Minnesota, and then expanding into Illinois and Iowa.
 
Currently, Accurate is the largest provider of home care services in the state, and with Nelson's level of passion and focus, she hopes to bring more extensive services beyond Minnesota. That's impressive, given that the company only started doing branding and marketing efforts over the past few years, and still relies mainly on referrals.
 
"This is a business where you need to care about people," says Nelson. "That's what we look for when we're hiring, and that's what our clients have come to expect. We may be hiring a large number of people, but we still keep in mind that this type of care is very personal. There has to be a connection, a relationship, between a caregiver and a client."
 
Employees come to Accurate, in part, because they appreciate the flexibility that comes with providing home health care, she adds. But they stay at the company because of the relationship they forge with clients, Nelson believes.
 
Source: Amy Nelson, Accurate Home Care
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Every company has an org chart, describing its hierarchy and reporting structure, but, as many people know, that's not always how business really gets done.
 
Instead, a sales manager may have lunch frequently with an executive assistant, or a CFO could go bowling weekly with account managers. Those social interactions, based on friendship and similar interests, have a ripple effect across an organization, and influence how projects are tackled.
 
For entrepreneur Vikas Narula, it's these informal social networks that are not only fascinating, but also crucial for understanding how businesses run.
 
To tap into the power of these relationships, he's created Keyhubs, a company that uses software and services to uncover social dynamics and delve into the self-organizing nature of groups. Keyhubs consultants first talk with employees at a client site, and then design custom surveys that are tailored to the organization and ask specific questions about how departments are working.
 
Narula believes that with this information, companies are in a better position to boost collaboration, grow talent, and leverage key influencers to help drive change.
 
"Many times, an executive's perception of who's critical is different than reality," says Narula. "My own experience in the corporate world was filled with examples of management making personnel decisions that didn't make any sense. They'd promote someone even though someone else was way more qualified. So, when I learned about this concept of informal networks, I wanted to find a way to apply it."
 
Narula searched for a tool that could help map these networks, but found only academic and complicated programs. He worked with one of his college classmates to launch Keyhubs as a side project, initially, and then as a full-time endeavor in 2009.
 
Since then, several Fortune 500 companies have chosen Keyhubs to provide insight into their organizations. Narula anticipates robust growth ahead, as more companies recognize the value of internal social networks. He says, "We're in the business of helping companies to manage in a new and better way, and to make better decisions. As long as we keep providing that, growth will follow."
 
Source: Vikas Narula, Keyhubs
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

Giant Steps

October 7
Guthrie Theater
818 S. 2nd St., Minneapolis
$120
 
Designed for "creative entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial creatives," this gathering includes workshops on topics like creative collaborations, networking and promotion, funding models for creative projects, and using social media effectively. Registration includes access to an after-party and concert.
 
 
Downtown Minneapolis Job Fair
 
October 12
Minneapolis Convention Center
1301 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis
Free
 
Held in the Convention Center's ballroom, this major job fair features companies that are hiring in fields like accounting, health care, management, sales, and construction.
 
The Minnesota Venture & Finance Conference
 
October 12 & 13
Minneapolis Convention Center
1301 2nd Ave. S., Minneapolis
$295 for members, $495 for non-members
 
Now in its 25th year, this conference showcases entrepreneurship and investment, with presentations, networking opportunities, and workshops. Panels this year cover topics like innovation financing, intellectual property rights, IPOs, tax credits, and general trends in financing.
 
Women in the Boardroom
 
October 17
Hyatt Regency
1300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
$105
 
This executive leadership event is designed to assist women in preparing for board service, and includes panelists who share their knowledge and expertise. The organization holds these annual events in 15 cities nationwide, as a way to boost interest in diversifying for-profit and non-profit boards.

As telecommuting and contract working increases in the Twin Cities, coworking opportunities are keeping pace.
 
The latest initiative for bringing independent professionals together under one roof is WorkAround, a Minneapolis-based office space that distinguishes itself by providing both shared offices and business consulting services.
 
Founded by business coach Buffie Blesi and entrepreneur John Burns, the space is located in the Warehouse District, and features both individual desks/cubicles and conference rooms.
 
Blesi notes that the idea for a coworking space came, in part, from her efforts to bring together business coaches she'd hired as part of her company, KnowledgeSphere, and her part of a franchise, AdviCoach. She says, "I didn't feel like we were a team, we just weren't connecting well. Also, even though I worked from home, I began to feel like I'd do just about anything to get out of the house."
 
That experience is familiar to many entrepreneurs and small business owners, she believes, and a sense of connection and community can be helpful in fostering creativity and company growth.
 
WorkAround distinguishes itself from other coworking arrangements in the Twin Cities because of its business coaching, which is part of a member's coworking package. AdviCoach professionals advise members once a month on business matters.
 
"Our members are primarily small business owners in service-based businesses," she says. "CoCo has a lock on the technology entrepreneurs, and while they're certainly welcome here, we feel that this environment is more geared toward people who have started a business in the last year or two."
 
Connecting with others in the WorkAround space allows members to be part of a community that cares whether they succeed or fail--something that most people have a hard time getting at home, working alongside pets and kids, Blesi believes.
 
"We want our members to get to that next level, where they eventually have a space of their own," she says.
 
Source: Buffie Blesi, WorkAround
Writer: Elizabeth Millard 

The corporate world seems awash in personality tests that are designed to improve communication and working relationships: StrengthsFinder, Myers Briggs, the Five Factor Model, and many others. There are even books and websites that give advice on how to "ace" or "beat" these tests for better results.
 
Inscape Publishing believes that there's a better way.
 
The Minneapolis-based firm has spent the last decade transitioning from a paper-based testing product to digital corporate training materials, collectively called the DiSC program. Along the way, the scientifically-based approach has also undergone some revision, to make it more useful to organizations.
 
According to CEO Jeffrey Sugerman, the program differs from competitors in many ways, particularly in that it presents a model for organizational functions, rather than just an assessment of personality types.
 
"With some of these standard tests like StrengthsFinder, what you get is kind of a data dump," he says. "You have a 30-page report that's filed somewhere and maybe you look at it every once and a while, but it doesn't seem that it changes much in the organization."
 
Inscape focuses instead on how people think, act, communicate, and prioritize, he notes. As companies continue to operate in a lean way, making sure that employees work together efficiently and amiably is crucial, Sugerman believes. Simply putting people into a team and hoping for the best isn't a very realistic approach, especially if those team members are telecommuters who need help in forming cohesive working relationships.
 
"Collaboration is a source of competitive advantage," he says. "But collaboration requires a framework in order to work, and that's what we provide."
 
The DiSC program is a bestseller, with over a million people worldwide using the product every year. Sugerman says, "I'm always surprised that people come up to me and talk about their results from ten years ago, it's that memorable to them."
 
Source: Jeffrey Sugerman, Inscape Publishing
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

 

Last April, web development firm The Nerdery announced that it was about to double its Bloomington headquarters. Now, it turns out that's not enough room.

The 8-year-old firm has been growing at such a steady clip that it's been consistently outgrowing its space for the past two years. In 2009, the company began knocking down walls and taking over other parts of its headquarters to allow for more employees, and recently, it built a 225-seat theater for all-company meetings.

But even that space may have to include significant standing-room-only areas in the near future, according to CEO Mike Derheim, who says the company seems to be always expanding.

"We have a deal right now where we're about to take another 6,000 square-feet of space, but in the meantime, we're looking at another 9,000 square-feet on top of that," he notes. "We're also looking at other geographies in terms of opening offices."

The growth is driven by high demand for Nerdery services, he says. The firm partners with ad agencies and design firms that need the type of creative technology expertise that The Nerdery provides.

To fill that extra office space, the company has a position known as the "Nerd Hunter," who's in charge of recruiting and interviews candidates every day. Three other employees create nerd-finder events and post job openings on career sites. The company has also begun doing a "Nerdery Roadshow" to different parts of the state, in an effort to recruit more talent.

"What's unique about us is that we find people who wake up every morning excited about developing the coolest new technology, and we have clients who recognize that," says Derheim. "That's what's fueling our growth."

Source: Mike Derheim, The Nerdery
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Marketing Going Mobile
August 11
Metropolitan Ballroom
5418 Wayzata Blvd., Golden Valley
$30 for BMA members and $45 for non-members

The Minnesota chapter of the Business Marketing Association is hosting a panel discussion on how to successfully add mobile technology to B2B marketing campaigns. Topics include: leveraging mobile as a new media channel, integrating mobile into a marketing mix, and challenges associated with building applications for mobile devices. Attendees can register online at BMA's site through August 9, and a limited number of walk-up registrations are also available.

Mobile Twin Cities
August 16
Refactr office
11 Fourth St. NE, Minneapolis

Geared toward mobile developers, but open to non-techies, Mobile Twin Cities is a group of mobile enthusiasts who enjoy meeting on the third Tuesday or each month to discuss trends and software on all platforms. Past topics have included the challenges of training cellular sales teams, the use of QR codes, and the top news in mobile. For those who are interested, but can't make the meeting, Mobile Twin Cities offers videos of previous meetings on its site.

Summer Garden Party in the Sky
August 17
Crowne Plaza's Sky Garden
618 Second Ave. S., Minneapolis
free, but registration recommended

Put on by the MainStreetChamber, this networking mixer is a celebration of the gathering's first-year anniversary in Minnesota. The meetup is expected to draw hundreds of small business owners, and offers magnificent views of downtown as well as the hotel's rooftop garden.

Bootstrappers Breakfast
August 25
Wilde Roast
65 Main St. SE, Minneapolis
$10 fee + your own breakfast costs

Held monthly, the Bootstrappers Breakfast gives those in early-stage technology startups a chance to compare notes on operational, development, and business issues with their peers. The discussion is moderated by Kevin Spreng, an attorney specializing in entrepreneurial and investment issues. The focus isn't on fundraising through venture capital interest, but instead, on sharing ideas about how to grow a business.

A firm dedicated to making roadways safer and more efficient is getting some potential speed of its own, thanks to the inclusion of a former congressman.

Global Traffic Technologies (GTT), a developer of traffic sensing and routing systems, is bringing on Jim Oberstar as Senior Strategic Advisor.  

"Jim is a passionate advocate for improving the transportation infrastructure in an affordable and sustainable manner, and he has built an incredible reputation not just across the U.S., but around the world, for his commitment to this cause," says Doug Roberts, CEO at GTT.

During his 36-year tenure serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Oberstar championed a wide range of initiatives to improve transportation safety. His efforts culminated in his appointment as chairman for the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in 2007, a position that included oversight of all modes of transport, including aviation, maritime, and highway systems.

Oberstar has been familiar with GTT's work, Roberts notes, so the match seemed perfect. He says, "When the opportunity arose, it was a natural fit to combine Jim's passion and ability to communicate with GTT's ability to deliver."

In addition to raising GTT's profile and extending its reach into new markets, Oberstar will be working with customers to identify the public-private partnership models that GTT depends on, Roberts says.

Oberstar's appointment comes at an important time for the company, he adds, since GTT has developed new products that allow customers to draw more benefits from their existing systems. Getting the word out about these fresh offerings will help municipalities save money, and foster growth for GTT going forward.

Source: Doug Roberts, Global Traffic Technologies
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

If ReconRobotics has its way, the company's cutting-edge micro-robots will become standard issue for many more government entities.

Although the Edina-based firm already has a number of federal and state contacts, the addition of Andrew Borene--a former U.S. Marine who served in Iraq and once worked at the Pentagon--should boost its reach, the company hopes.

ReconRobotics was formed in 2006 in order to commercialize robotics technology developed at the University of Minnesota Robotics Laboratory. The company's devices are used by hundreds of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and military units to obtain real-time video of hostile environments.

The distinctive robots are lightweight, rugged, and versatile, and the newest little robot, the Recon Scout XT, is only 1.2 pounds and can be thrown 120 feet without damage.

Borene steps into the newly created position of Director of Government and Industry Affairs in order to build the company's government-relations activities and support federally funded research and development programs for micro-robot technologies. Most recently, Borene served in a similar capacity at LexisNexis, where he dealt with large contract programs with defense and intelligence agencies.

"ReconRobotics has established itself as a world leader in micro-robotics," he says. "The company is now going from being a start-up to a mature enterprise, and it's my job to help that happen."

He adds that a recent speech by President Obama highlighted several industries that would be pushing the economy forward, and robotics was mentioned as a source of innovation. Borene is ready to make good on that promise by getting ReconRobotics into the spotlight.

"I see my role as helping to marshal government resources and get some development and support," he says. "It's really exciting, what we have ahead. I love it."

Source: Andrew Borene, ReconRobotics
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

With multiple conservation successes over the past decade and a half, Great River Greening is poised to do even more in the near future.
 
The organization began in 1995 as part of the St. Paul Foundation, with an initial goal of planting 35,000 trees and shrubs in the riverfront area of St. Paul.
 
By mobilizing over 10,000 volunteers, Great River quickly achieved that mission and moved on to a new project: the "Million Acorns Campaign," which aimed to revive the dwindling oak savannah population in the city.
 
With that project now completed as well, the group is looking to go state-wide with its initiatives, and is adding two key director positions in development and marketing, to grow the nonprofit.
 
"We need to go to the next level," says Deborah Karasov, Great River's Executive Director. "We have an amazing group of devoted donors, and now we want to take our message to a wider audience, and grow geographically."
 
The group is well known in the St. Paul metro area, but Karasov notes that they'd like to do more initiatives in the Minnesota River Valley, as well as in northern counties.
 
Great River is distinctive, she adds, because they don't do political advocacy or lobbying work, focusing all their energies instead on conservation efforts and community building. The group's ability to get volunteers for hands-on work is particularly inspiring, Karasov believes.
 
In the future, she anticipates there will be many more projects around water quality protection and land restoration. The newly-minted directorial positions should bring a needed boost to Great River's ambitious-but-realistic goals to green up the state.
 
Source: Deborah Karasov, Great River Greening
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

After picking up speed over the last month, Minnesota's first tech accelerator is set to cruise with its first class of companies.

Following a weekend-long "bootcamp" June 10–12, Project Skyway chose eight "Skywalkers" from the field of 25 semi-finalist companies. Over the course of the weekend, the companies pitched their own and each other's ideas to fellow entrepreneurs, Project Skyway organizers, and the public. They attended roundtables with lawyers, investors, accomplished tech and software entrepreneurs, and others, and they met potential investors and customers.

"They certainly got a lot out of it," whether they moved on or not, said Project Skyway founder Cem Erdem of the 25 bootcampers. Project Skyway asked many of those not selected to apply for the next round after fine-tuning their ideas, adding a business partner, raising capital, or otherwise advancing their businesses.

After the bootcamp, the companies were rated by all involved, including each other and members of the public. In the end, eight were chosen:

COR² Technology--The company offers a cloud-based business-process and work-flow automation service to help organizations with 5 to 500 co-workers eliminate piles of paper by integrating simple applications with unlimited user licenses that power the whole organization.

Naiku--Naiku creates an affordable Software-as-a-Service that K-12 teachers use to easily individualize learning with a dashboard created by its proprietary analytics model.

Nitch--Nitch is an online platform for B2B collaboration and commerce.

Paypongo--Paypongo's service is a secure mobile payment solution that allows consumer-to-merchant transactions; consumer-to-consumer transactions; and merchant-to-merchant transactions, all through mobile devices. Transactions can originate from banking accounts or credit cards.

Qualtrx--Qualtrx is a new healthcare sales channel--an online solutions marketplace where healthcare providers publish patient-care needs, goals, and priorities, and where pharma and device vendors purchase these needs as "keywords" to make targeted needs-based proposals via the Qualtrx platform.

Telementry Web--TelemetryWeb helps makers of Internet-connected sensors and industrial devices build a new class of innovative, data-centric solutions by leveraging a ready-to-use, scalable Software-as-a-Service platform to secure, store, process, and integrate sensor data in novel ways.

Vanquish AP--VanquishAP is developing a real estate management platform that connects property managers, building owners, and tenants by creating local social communities while automating redundant tasks and centralizing logistics.

UHungry--UHungry is developing a social networking site to help college students save money and time by making it easy for them to place orders online at quick-serve restaurants with a group of friends while earning points to spend on future orders by completing tasks. This company, hailing from Long Island, was the only one not from Minnesota.

Erdem notes that the Skywalker companies are all early-stage companies, beyond the more basic start-up level.

Erdem and Casey Allen's video run-down of the eight Skywalkers gives an inside look not only at each of the companies, but at the Project Skyway decision process and model.

Cem and Casey Play-by-Play Skywalker Commentary from Casey Allen on Vimeo.

Although the accelerator class was intended to begin Aug. 1, Erdem sent an email this week informing the finalists that they would move forward now with the momentum of the bootcamp.
 
The class, and Project Skyway in general, will be based out of the tech accelerator's new shared space (with the co-working organization CoCo) in the Grain Exchange building in Downtown Minneapolis. Project Skyway plans a 'big party' at the end of July after the move in mid-July.

Erdem's personal email to each of the eight finalists reflects the tenor of his passion, and it sets the bar high for the participants:

"I bought into your vision," he writes, "but more importantly I bought into your purpose, your character, who you are. Our entire community will be watching you every step of the way. They are thirsty to see you succeed and bring the long lost entrepreneurial fame back to our region."

Source: Cem Erdem
Writer: Jeremy Stratton
 

The appliance retailer Warners' Stellian has started compacting leftover Styrofoam packaging and sending it out by the semi-trailer load to be recycled.

The effort has earned the company a "Sustainable Saint Paul" award, a city award that promotes environmental stewardship.

The initiative was a huge undertaking for the company, requiring it to make a large investment and train all of its drivers to separate packaging materials as part of every delivery.

"It was quite a learning curve to get used to the process," said Bob Warner, director of operations. "It took a little over a year."

The new Styrofoam compactor is one of just two in the state, but Warner said the investment makes good business sense. It saves on refuse costs and taxes, and the company is paid for the recycled material. At least three other partners provide Warners' Stellian with additional Styrofoam to compact and recycle.

Warner said his company sells appliances that are more efficient than the industry standard, so going green was a natural choice.

"We already have a consumer that's very conscious about being green and being efficient," Warner said. "We're seeing that philosophy through our entire corporation."

He said the company has added other touches to make it more efficient. Delivery trucks automatically power down after five minutes of idling. A natural air ventilation system in the warehouse circulates cooler air in the northern stretch back through the warmer, southern portion of the building. Warehouse lighting is motion-sensitive, so lights only blink on in the particular aisle a forklift is using. After five minutes of inactivity, the lights power down again.

Warners' Stellian also donates plastic wrap to be recycled and put back into manufacturing.

"Foam was the last big component of our waste stream," Warner said. "We were generating a tremendous amount of waste. Now, very little is going to the landfill."

Source: Bob Warner, director of operations, Warners' Stellian
Writer: Michelle Bruch

The Minnesota Angel Network is beta-testing and fine-tuning its process in anticipation of a public launch in July.

Announced in January, the network will help companies prepare for funding by angel investors and will connect the two groups.

Right now, seven companies are beta-testing the process, says Todd Leonard, executive director of the Minnesota Angel Network. They represent various industries, regions of the state, and even stages of development--"from the whole spectrum of business," he says.

The company types include software, internet sales, biotech/cleantech firms, and animal health, and they include new startups, firms that have been through the equity process previously, and operational companies seeking outside funds for the first time.

"We're finding that even very seasoned CEOs that actually have functional, operating companies still are finding our educational process extremely helpful," says Leonard.

It's that educational process, more than connecting companies with capital, that Leonard stresses the network is about.

"Our primary concern is the educational side to this," he says. "The investment is really an additional benefit that we have, in that we have this relationship with those investors."

Investors are poised for that relationship, however, according to Leonard, and the Minnesota Angel Network is aligned with a number of other states with angel investment networks--at least 18 other network funds that "represent a significant amount of angel investment monies," he says. The network has also partnered with Rain Source Capital and other networked funds in Minnesota and elsewhere.

The network is also leveraging regional economic development organizations across the state with which it partners. While many may refer companies to the emerging program, those that sponsor the network as donors will take an early-stage role, facilitating intake and some of the training.
 
Those basic steps include due diligence and gap analysis, readying companies and their information for investors --an effort that mitigates risk for investors and companies alike.

The angel network also now has a full-time chief operating officer: David Wagy, a former senior director of finance for Medtronic and an angel investor.

Leonard says his own role is currently focused on fundraising. The network's goal is to not use any funds outside of donors, he says, and to be self-sustaining within its second year of operations.

Source: Todd Leonard, Minnesota Angel Network
Writer: Jeremy Stratton

While RedBrick Health is growing rapidly, its customers are shrinking.

The five-year-old health technology and services company has 85 employees currently, and it expects to add another 50 this year, says chief marketing officer Eric Zimmerman.

The company offers health improvement programs through its consumer health engagement platform. RedBrick has 20 clients of two types. Most are large, self-insured employers that utilize their full product, while a few channel partners license their social engagement platform, a component of the larger corporate platform.

The social engagement platform was the basis for the Biggest Loser Minnesota Challenge, now in its second year and sponsored by the Alliance for a Healthier Minnesota.

Minnesotans lost a collective 75,000 pounds during 23 million minutes of physical activity during the 12-week program, which ended April 15. The challenge was expanded this year from 2010's seven corporations to more than 22,000 people across the state.

RedBrick is measuring its success in more than shed pounds, however. Medical device manufacturer Welch Allyn, a RedBrick client since 2007, has seen an estimated $1.32 million in total health and productivity savings over two years, according to a recent release. That's $443 per year per participant, and a 3-to-1 return on investment, says RedBrick.

The Welch Allyn numbers are typical of other clients RedBrick has such data on, but they're higher than industry averages, says Zimmerman.

The company released the fourth generation of its platform in February, and it had raised one-third of a $15 million equity round, according to an SEC filing that month.

Source: Eric Zimmerman, RedBrick
Writer: Jeremy Stratton

St. Paul-based Synovis Life Technologies received the Manufacturers Alliance Association's 2011 Manufacturer of the Year Award not so much for what it creates, but how it produces it.

The diversified medical device company makes implantable biomaterials, devices for microsurgery, and tools used in surgical repair and reconstruction of soft tissue damaged or destroyed by disease or injury.

The annual award, now in its 15th year, recognizes companies that use lean tools and techniques in their manufacturing. Synovis won in the mid-sized manufacturers' category.

""We started looking at lean five or six years ago," says Brett Reynolds, Synovis' chief financial officer. Synovis switched to the Kanban (or "just-in-time") product scheduling system, reducing its on-hand stores of inventory from 17 weeks to just eight weeks.

Furthermore, work cells organized by product line increased efficiency, says Reynolds. As a result, Synovis has been able to stay in its 65,000-square-foot facility despite an average annual growth of 25 percent over the past five years, and its on-time shipping rate has gone up to virtually 100 percent, says Reynolds.

The MAA award recognizes not only innovation in manufacturing, but a company's willingness and efforts to share those ideas and practices within the industry, something Reynolds says Synovis has been active in doing.

Its operations team shares ideas at conferences, and companies and educational groups tour the facility to see the manufacturing process, he says.

Synovis was founded in 1985 with $300,000 in revenue, a number that grew to almost $69 million last year, says Reynolds, who expects $80–85 million in 2011. Of its 300 employees, 200 work in St. Paul at University Avenue and Highway 280 on the border of Minneapolis.

Source: Brett Reynolds, Synovis Life Technologies
Writer: Jeremy Stratton

Minnesota's first tech accelerator, Project Skyway, is accepting applications through May 1 for its first three-month program, beginning in August.

For the inaugural round, Project Skyway will select ten software-as-a-service (SaaS) or mobile startups to receive mentorship, co-working space, $6,000 (per founder), two developers, and a connection to key players in Minnesota's emerging startup scene. In June, 25 semi-finalists will participate in a tech accelerator "boot camp," after which the ten finalists will be chosen.

Project Skyway is seeking founders of companies that are beyond the idea stage, preferably with some sort of online presence, according to FAQs posted online.

"We want you to have done some market validation," says Project Skyway mentor Darren Cox. "Go out and talk to your potential customers … do some research, at the very least."

It wouldn't hurt to be in the revenue stage, either.

"We're no different than any other investor, in that folks with revenue actually have something to point to that folks without revenue can't," says Cox.

That said, Project Skyway has "some pretty strong differentiators" from other accelerators, says Cox. "We don't believe that you must be a coder to be a successful technology entrepreneur." Thus the access to two full-time developers per funded company.

The $6,000 per founder amounts to living expenses, explains Cox. "The money is there to allow you to focus 100 percent of your time on building your company."

The greatest value of the accelerator program to the chosen "Skywalkers" will be the mentorship, resources and connections, says Cox.

"That's how you build a company--you build a groundswell of support for the idea and for the people who are shepherding that idea," he says.

The first round is focused on SaaS and mobile "because we really want to dial into the type of startups that we know we can provide the most help to right away," according to the FAQ page. Future accelerator rounds might venture into hardware, cleantech, social ventures, and other types of startups.

In exchange for the program, Project Skyway receives 6–9 percent "founders shares" of common stock from participating (and successful, assuming) startups.

Source: Darren Cox, Project Skyway
Writer: Jeremy Stratton

Hey entrepreneurs: how does $50,000 sound? Good?

Well how about $30 million?

The first amount is the take-away for the winner of the 2011 Minnesota Cup competition, through which entrepreneurs pit their best ideas and business endeavors against one another in six categories.

The higher number is the amount of capital raised by companies that were Minnesota Cup finalists in 2009 and 2010.

Through May 20, the seventh annual Minnesota Cup is open for entries in six award divisions--High Tech, BioSciences, Clean Tech and Renewable Energy, Social Entrepreneurship, General, and Student--through a short online form.
 
Later, judges will select 8–10 semi-finalists from each division who will prepare full business plans and be paired with an industry-specific entrepreneurial mentor.

Division winners are awarded as much as $25,000 and the chance at the grand prize--another $25,000--in September.

While 50 grand and the exposure of winning is nothing to sneeze at, Minnesota Cup Co-founder Dan Mallin notes that the goal is really to "help 30 businesses get started in each category," whether a given business is just a good idea or an existing startup.

"Another good outcome is they might find out it really isn't a good idea," says Mallin.

Participants also benefit from mentorship and resources--far more of which exist in general for the state's entrepreneurs since the advent of the Cup six years ago, notes Mallin.

Two of those resources are the new 2011 partners Minnesota Angel Network and tech accelerator Project Skyway, which will offer the winner of the High Tech division a spot in its startup "boot camp."

Mallin says he sees momentum in the startup scene.

"The Cup is an attempt to be a conduit amongst the players and resources behind that momentum," he says.

That said, Mallin also sees a lot of room for improvement in state's entrepreneurial efforts. "We're being outspent by 30 other states in innovation," he says.

Source: Dan Mallin, Minnesota Cup
Writer: Jeremy Stratton

Ignite Minneapolis
Tuesday, April 12, 6:30–9:30 p.m.
Heights Theatre, 3951 Central Ave. NE, Columbia Heights
ticket information online

The lineup is set for the third round of Ignite Minneapolis, a high-energy evening of "5-minute talks by people who have an idea." Eighteen speakers will muse on topics ranging from "Can the US government deal with a technically sophisticated citizenry? to karaoke tips, and a history of the vibrator.

The organization will make a donation to Children with Autism Deserve Education, a volunteer-run organization that supports families affected by Autism. Admission includes two free beer tickets.


Greening Your Business Conference
Thursday, April 14
Marriott City Center, 30 S. Seventh St., Minneapolis
Free to $75

The Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council expect 100 exhibitors and 1,200 attendees at this year's conference, which will include a kickoff address by Mayor R.T. Rybak, a keynote panel presentation, a lineup of workshop speakers, and exhibits at which attendees can learn about sustainable and eco-friendly products and services for the workplace.

A free morning workshop on energy management and efficiency is funded by the City of Minneapolis' Climate-Change Grant. Exhibit-hall passes are $15, while a $75 fee grants admission to the entire conference.


Minnesota High Tech Association Spring Conference
Thursday, April 14
Minneapolis Convention Center
$159–$199

Minnesota innovation is the theme at the MHTA's spring conference.

Keynote speakers include Ira Flatow of NPR's Talk of the Nation Science Friday; Geek Squad founder and Best Buy chief technology officer Robert Stephens; Amit Mital, corporate vice president of the Startup Business Group at Microsoft; Carolyn Parnell, the State of Minnesota's chief information officer; and Theresa Wise, senior vice president and chief information officer of Delta Air Lines.

An impressive list of high tech executives will lead more than 20 breakout sessions, as well.


MOJO Mixer: "Speed Mentoring"
Wednesday, April 13, 5 p.m.
PSoup HQ, 287 E. Sixth St., Ste. 160, St. Paul

MOJO Minnesota and Minne* present the first MOJO mixer, described as an evening of "speed dating for entrepreneurs," who will meet, greet and mingle and receive guidance and advice from professional subject matter experts on a wide rang of topics involved in startups.

The educational/inspirational/networking event is open to entrepreneurs who have begun the launch of a business. See website for more detail and a list of experts and topic areas.


Momentum 2011: Hans Rosling
Tuesday, April 26, 7:30 p.m.
Ted Mann Concert Hall, 2128 S. Fourth St., Minneapolis
$20 ($15 for U of M students, staff, faculty, alumni, UMAA members)

International health guru Hans Rosling will speak on a fact-based world view for this second of three monthly events hosted by the University of Minnesota's Institute on the Environment. Rosling co-founded the Gapminder Foundation, which promotes "a fact-based world view by converting international statistics into moving, interactive, understandable and enjoyable graphics."

Comedian Cy Amundson opens, and MPR's Kerri Miller will host the event. You can submit a question online for Rosling to answer.

Note: the Launch.MN kickoff event originally scheduled for April 2 has been postponed until May. Watch online for information.

The saying "too many cooks in the kitchen" has a more positive connotation for Kitchen in the Market since the chef's collective moved to its new 1,550-square-foot space in Minneapolis' Midtown Global Market in February.

Kitchen in the Market was born in a 400-square-foot space at the Global Market in 2007 out of a need for affordable shared commercial kitchen space, says manager and owner Molly Hermann, who also runs Tastebud Catering.

After two and a half years at capacity with a waiting list and low turnover, Kitchen in the Market was bursting at its seams. The new space is quadruple the size of the old one and allows more than twice the number of chefs to rent; the number grew from nine to 17 with the move, and more are expected.

Midtown Global Market invested over $100,000 in the new space. Hermann says the City of Minneapolis approached her about the low-interest loans that financed about half of the cost, the other half coming from the Neighborhood Development Center.

The move is more than just a physical expansion. Kitchen in the Market incorporated as a business and added a more formalized cooking class space that allows new and more classes and events.

While the expanded space has improved Kitchen in the Market as an entity, its core benefit remains the availability of affordable commercial space for the caterers and chefs that rent there.

"It definitely allows them to grow their businesses," says Hermann, adding that it's a great opportunity for startups with low overhead. The chefs not only share equipment and resources, they use each other as a network.

"I think all of us have benefited in a lot of different ways from being in the same kitchen," Hermann says.

Source: Molly Hermann, Kitchen in the Market
Writer: Jeremy Stratton

After four months of private-site testing, the online education site Sophia went live on March 7.

The response was overwhelming: In the first 48 hours, people logged on from 69 different countries. Not bad, considering Sophia had spent nothing on advertising.

"That was really just based on educational blogs and people spreading the word on Twitter and Facebook," says Sophia founder and CEO Don Smithmier, whom we recently profiled. "It's just the most incredible example of the power of the social web that I've ever seen."

It's exactly that power Smithmier and his team hope to tap with Sophia--a sort-of social media for academia that crowd-sources educational instruction for free, public dissemination.

While the minimum registration age is 13, Sophia's core audience is grades 11–14, says Smithmier, "the last two years of high school and first two years of college, when people are working on general education curriculum … topics that are a gateways to college where a lot of people struggle."

That said, anyone can view Sophia's "learning packets," which registered users create on any subject, with instruction in text, video, graphics and more. (A quick perusal finds topics ranging from graphing rational functions to Chaucer.)

Packet creators may offer their instruction to the whole World Wide Web or create and manage private groups for work amongst students and peers.

Sophia packets are rated for "trustability" in two ways: through a five-star user rating, and by a more rigorous expert review. Though still crowd-sourced, subject experts need to be a teacher or hold a master's degree or higher in the field. Academically sound packets must be vetted by three such experts.

Sophia is one of four companies under entrepreneur Smithmier's Matter Worldwide umbrella. Based in the Warehouse District in Downtown Minneapolis, Sophia began last November.

Before the public beta launch in March, 1,600 academics from 200 institutions tested the site. Those educators used it in ways the Sophia team didn't expect. "One high school teacher used it as an assessment tool," says Smithmier. "Instead of creating learning packets, he assigned [his algebra students] to create a learning packet … to demonstrate that they understood the concept."

It's an example of how the crowd-sourced, social education site will grow organically.

"I'm a believer that there are a ton of very creative, very innovative educators out there," says Smithmier. "I think Sophia can give them a tool that's out in the cloud, not a cumbersome software package, but something that's very intuitive, very easy to use and consistent with the web's most popular systems like Facebook, Wikipedia, and YouTube."

Sophia is in no hurry to move out of beta; with tongue in cheek, Smithmier cites Google mail's seven-year test period as a benchmark. The company does intend to roll out licensable versions offering more space, functionality, and administrative control later this year.

Minneapolis-based Capella University is one of the owners of Sophia, along with Matter Worldwide. The Sophia leadership team has a strong local strain, as well--a fact that Smithmier believes reflects the city's strong standing in educational technology.

"I'm personally dedicated to … making people more aware of that fact," he says. "There's tremendous brain power here when it comes to educational technology."

Source: Don Smithmier, Sophia
Writer: Jeremy Stratton

It's a good way to feed your head, 21st-century-style: through the rapid-fire delivery of ideas that will be Solutions Vol. 4.

Since its first gathering in 2007, Solutions Twin Cities has been packing houses (local theaters, to be precise) with audiences eager to hear about the work of "solutionists" from a broad range of disciplines, but with a common goal: to improve the world and the lives of the people who live in and on it.

The evening will include video, music, performance, and conversation on a broad range of ideas in a fast-paced, digestible format: "20 images x 20 seconds each = 6 minutes, 40 seconds."

Solutions Twin Cities is now a project of Works Progress, a West-Bank based "network of creative collaborators" that is behind a growing list of past and ongoing projects.

The event will take place on Friday, March 18 at 7 p.m. at the Capri Theater, 2027 W. Broadway Ave., in Minneapolis. A social hour follows at 9 p.m. Tickets are $8–16 ("pay what you can").

Organizations and individuals may also sponsor some of the 50–100 tickets that Works Progress has set aside for adults and teens in the community through the Northside Residents Redevelopment Council (NRRC), says co-founder Colin Kloecker.

This is Solutions' first foray into North Minneapolis. NRRC member Ariah Fine, whom Solutions Twin Cities co-founder Troy Gallas had met at a separate Works Progress event, was instrumental in bringing the forum to the North Side.

"The more we learned about him, and about the council, it just seemed like a natural fit to work with them," says Kloecker.

While this fourth volume is the first in two years, Kloecker says Works Progress would "like this to happen twice a year, all over the city, and in a new place every time." They hope to direct the content, as much as possible, toward the community into which it is held, he says.

Among the local presenters, for instance, Vol. 4 will feature North Minneapolis resident, educator, artist, organizer, and writer Amoke Kubat, author of Mothering Mothers and founder of the Yo Mama Institute.

Other "solutonists" will include:

Daniel Klein, producer, host and chef of The Perennial Plate, an online video series about "socially responsible and adventurous eating."

Laura Zabel, director of Springboard for the Arts, an economic development organization located in Lowertown St. Paul that connects independent artists "with the skills, information and services they need to make a living and a life."

Joseph Adamji and his students from the Kitty Anderson Youth Science Center, at the Science Museum of Minnesota, that "empowers young people to change their world through science."

Mirelle Zacharis, artist and co-curator of No Assumption, "a collaborative art exhibition that took place inside a foreclosed home in Northeast Minneapolis."

Matt Olson, co-founder of rosenlof/lucus, ro/lu, (ROLU), an independent design and art studio focusing on "landscape work, furniture design, relational architectural projects, urban planning and innovative collaborative public art."

Virajita Singh, senior research fellow at the Center for Sustainable Building Research, who is "working to raise funds for communities that need sustainable design services."

Hamilton Bell, project director of the Wilder Foundation's Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood, a "cradle-to-career" community-wide effort to ensure that children in St.Paul's Summit-University and Frogtown neighborhoods "succeed in school and life."

Scotty Reynolds, founder of Mixed Precipitation, a performance group that produces short-form projects "highlighting social engagement, and encouraging the exploration of public and private spaces, as well as collaboration across disciplines."

Source: Colin Kloecker, Works Progress
Writer: Jeremy Stratton

Whether the world is flat is open for debate, but there is no denying it is getting smaller as the global economy progresses.
 
Plus Relocation Services helps companies move and manage their employees and operations both in the US and abroad. Since the turn of the century, Plus has seen a steady annual increase in international business. In 2010, the "global side" grew 80 percent, says Chris Pardo, Plus' vice president of global services.
 
In response to the increasing international demand, the company will open a small, service-focused office in London, with 3–5 employees. That number could increase, says Pardo, given existing and expected business, and the interest the European office could generate.
 
Plus has long had activity in the European market, says Pardo, in "bread and butter" cities like London, Zurich, Dublin, Paris, and Munich.
 
"Now we're seeing Prague, Moscow, Poland, Romania starting to have lot of activity," he says. "The Eastern bloc is opening up."
 
Business is also heating up beyond Europe, of course. Of the "BRIC" countries--Brazil, Russia, India, and China --Plus has seen the most activity in the latter two.
 
They are also seeing an increase in country-to-country activity "that doesn't touch the US, and activity within countries," says Pardo.
 
The activity has led to growth stateside for Plus, as well--the company was busy with at least seven new hires in January, bringing its total employment to almost 90 people.
 
Source: Chris Pardo, Plus Relocation Services
Writer: Jeremy Stratton

The international organization Ashoka has been effecting social change for more than 30 years in over 70 countries. So why did Ashoka's national organization look to the Twin Cities to pilot a new kind of local chapter?

"The Twin Cities is great at sort of homegrown solutions," says Jennifer Aspengren, director of the Ashoka Twin Cities. The chapter was launched in January 2010 with a $99,000 startup grant from The John S. & James L. Knight Foundation, a national partner that is "particularly interested in St. Paul," says Aspengren.

Other factors were Ashoka's Minnesota Changemakers and YouthVenture programs, and that its four active Twin Cities fellows comprise the largest concentration of Ashoka fellows outside of the coasts.

Ashoka fellows are "very, very rare individuals who are making very high-impact systems changes," says Aspengren. They receive $30,000–$50,000 annual stipends, as well as the support of Ashoka's global network of fellow social entrepreneurs and businesses.

Ashoka Fellows Conchy Bretos & Felipe Vergara, both from Miami, will speak at a free Ashoka Solutions Forum on Feb. 8 at the Walker Art Center. The 7 p.m. forum, sponsored by InCommons, Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, and the Knight Foundation, will focus on three major challenges to growing and expanding a social change initiative: capital, talent, and marketing.

An afternoon session (invite-only) will convene representatives from local businesses including General Mills, Wells Fargo, 3M, and Best Buy.

Private-sector entrepreneurs are an important part of the Ashoka network, says Aspengren, in terms of funding, expertise, and strategic support. "It's the same thing they've been doing in the private sector," she says, "but just trying to push a different question in the public sector."

While Ashoka has local presences in other cities, the Twin Cities chapter is the first to "plant a staff person on the ground," says Aspengren. Its goal is "mapping out how to start building new chapters and integrate Ashoka programs in a new city," she says.

Source: Jennifer Aspengren, Ashoka Twin Cities
Writer: Jeremy Strattton

Social media has given researchers of every stripe a mountain of new data to explore.

As tweets and status updates work their way into studies across the University of Minnesota campus, from computer science to environmental studies, a group of researchers have recognized a need for more cross-department pollination.

This week they'll hold the first monthly gathering of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Group in Social Computing. Organizers have put the call out to researchers across the university who are exploring social media and its impact on society.

"This is our first rattling of the bushes to see who shows up and it should be pretty interesting," says Nora Paul, director of the SJMC Minnesota Journalism Center.

So far, potential participants include students, staff, and faculty from the English department, computer science, journalism, writing studies, public health, mathematics, environmental studies, youth development, and Spanish/Portuguese studies.

The kick-off event will consist of a round of introductions. Participants are asked to bring a single PowerPoint slide and a short description of their work related to social media. After that, monthly meetings will likely revolve around a speaker from outside the University.

The group is particularly aimed at graduate students, but Paul says they want to have the events open to the community as well, with a goal of spurring collaboration not just across departments but also with people outside the University.

The meet-and-greet kick-off event is 4-6pm Thursday, Jan. 27, in the Digital Technology Center Auditorium, room 402 in Walter Library.

Source: Nora Paul, SJMC Minnesota Journalism Center
Writer:

A public-private partnership plans to launch a new web portal this summer aimed at better connecting Minnesota startup companies and angel investors.

The Minnesota Angel Network is the result of two years of planning by the BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota and several partner organizations, all stemming from a recent report that identified a need for better "full-spectrum" funding opportunities for growing companies in Minnesota.

The network won't be funding companies, nor will it be making recommendations about what companies deserve investment. Instead, it'll be a clearinghouse of standardized information about startups seeking money.

"Although there are investors throughout the state that are looking for deals, there's no single resource or single access point where they can find quality deals. They can only find the ones that are in their own network," says Todd Leonard, director of the Minnesota Angel Network.

The goal is to standardize a process to help entrepreneurs prepare and organize all of the information that investors are going to expect from them. They'll enter summaries and business plans into a standardized format, and then have them reviewed by mentors to make sure all the pieces are in place.

Once a startup's information is ready, it will be added to the network. Certified investors will then be able to anonymously view summaries of any company in the system. Confidential or proprietary information about a company can be stored in the system and only revealed to specific investors with permission.

While the project is being initiated and hosted by the BioBusiness Alliance, it's meant to serve startups and investors in all industries, not just bioscience. The site is currently being beta tested and is scheduled to be up and running by the middle of this year, likely in July.

Source: Todd Leonard, Minnesota Angel Network
Writer:

An effort to develop a regional entrepreneurship action plan for the Twin Cities continues this week with a pair of information-gathering forums.

JumpStart Community Advisors, a Cleveland-based nonprofit, is coordinating the grant-funded effort, with support from local industry and economic development groups.

Mike Mozenter, the group's president, says they've had an advantage in the Twin Cities because the region had already started work with the Brookings Institute on a metropolitan business plan. JumpStart's program will compliment the Brookings planning and focus on identifying ways to better support entrepreneurs in the region.

The JumpStart process, which kicked off in the fall, is expected to take two years to complete. Currently it's in phase one: research and planning. The team has been interviewing local entrepreneurs, investors, and economic development officials about gaps and opportunities for creating and launching new companies in the region.

A pair of community leader meetings Wednesday and Thursday are aimed at gathering more ideas and information about how the region can better serve innovators and entrepreneurs. Mozenter says they plan to conduct an online survey as well, to help gather the input of as many people as possible. Then they'll help write a business plan aimed at capitalizing on the opportunities.

Phase two consists of a year of fundraising to turn the business plan into reality, and the third phase involves JumpStart supporting the region in getting it operational.

"I think one of the preliminary conclusions is that the region has a lot of opportunity, and people there recognize that," says Mozenter. "It's a matter of putting a vehicle in place that helps bring those together and supports those [opportunities]."

This week's community gatherings are free to attend, however, all seats were already reserved for Thursday's event. RSVP for Wednesday's event here.

Source: Mike Mozenter, JumpStart Community Advisors
Writer:

At The Beauty Room in south Minneapolis, the iPad has become as indispensable to its stylists as a pair of scissors.

The six-year-old salon, which recently moved to a new location at 4300 Chicago Ave. S. in the Longfellow neighborhood, was having an increasingly difficult time coordinating the schedules of its 19 specialists. If a customer needed a perm, a wax, and a manicure, for example, a clerk would have to consult three separate paper calendars to find a window of time when all three specialists would be available.

"It was just a nightmare," says owner Mi Shaun Schmidt-Schwab.

In November, the salon switched to an all-electronic scheduling system that syncs to everybody's personal iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. Now, instead of someone at the front desk spending up to five minutes searching for an open time, any of The Beauty Room's specialists can quickly schedule clients from anywhere using their Apple device.

The same system also allows staff to check-in clients when they arrive, which automatically pings an alert to the stylists' iPad or iPhone. It's eliminated the need for front-desk staff to track down people in the often busy salon to tell them their next customer has arrived.

Schmidt-Schwab says switching to the iPad solution has freed up front-desk staff to focus more on customer service, things like greeting and making customers feel welcome, instead of being tied up on the phone. If a customer wants to book another appointment, the stylist can do that from their station while they're still in their chair.

Several stylists already owned Apple devices. Others have since purchased them. The app that runs the scheduling system costs $4.99. Schmidt-Schwab expects the investment will pay for itself by freeing up time from administrative tasks to focus on its services.

Source: Mi Shaun Schmidt-Schwab, The Beauty Room
Writer:

When it comes to boosting participation in health and wellness programs, employees respond to goals and rewards — especially when the message isn't coming from their employer or health insurer.

That's the conclusion of a national health engagement survey commissioned by Minneapolis-based RedBrick Health.

RedBrick Health is a health technology company that partners with employers on health and wellness programs. Chief Marketing Officer Eric Zimmerman says they commissioned the survey to get a better sense of what employers are doing and what's working when it comes to employee health engagement.

Employers spend significant money on health and wellness programs, which can lower health insurance costs and increase productivity. But many of these initiatives suffer from anemic participation levels, often preaching to the health-conscious choir and reaching only around 10 percent of employees, says Zimmerman.

The survey results show, however, that engagement is not universally low, and patterns emerge among the programs that are seeing higher participation rates. Programs that involved setting goals saw 63 percent higher engagement levels, while programs that rewarded meeting those goals with incentives saw 107 percent greater engagement.

Another characteristic associated with success: having a program administered by a third-party other than the company's health insurance provider. Zimmerman speculated that it could be a trust issue, or it could be a matter of specialization, and that having a company like RedBrick that focuses on engagement can deliver better results because it's all they do.

Another finding in the survey was that many employers plan to increase their spending on health and wellness programs, despite the mixed results. Says Zimmerman:

"There's a terrific sense of urgency to address the cost issue and a terrific appetite for a different approach."

Source: Eric Zimmerman, RedBrick Health
Writer:

A nonprofit whose mission is showing low-income high school students a path to economic self-sufficiency looks to be nearly self-funded in its third year.

Genesys Works is a St. Paul program that offers students in an intensive eight-week IT and professional skills training course before placing them in one-year paid internships.

"We are truly a social enterprise. We operate very much like a for-profit IT staffing company, that just also happens to have a nonprofit mission of helping low-income students of color," says Jeff Tollefson, Genesys Works' director in the Twin Cities.

The organization was founded by a former Compaq executive in Houston. It started a Twin Cities branch in 2008 and launched a Chicago program this year.

Tollefson says about 90 percent of the program's budget this year should be covered by fees collected from its corporate partners, mostly large employers that pay to have students placed at their organizations, much as they would working with an IT staffing agency.

Genesys Works partners with Minneapolis, St. Paul, Richfield, and Robbinsdale school districts to recruit students, who apply for the program in the spring. An eight-week training course begins in June, and the top students are then placed at employers, where they work as IT technicians throughout their senior year of high school.

The program hopes to have a summer class of 150 students next year. It's also going to pilot a finance and accounting program in 2011 with about 30 students.

Tollefson says the response from employers suggests the program is working. Not only is it adding partners, but existing ones are increasing their commitment. Medtronic, the largest employer of Genesys Works students, went from 5 to 11 students this year.

Genesys Works will be recognized with the Innovation Collaboration of the Year Award at the Minnesota High Tech Association's Tekne Awards on Nov. 3.

Source: Jeff Tollefson, Genesys Works
Writer:

A Twin Cities software entrepreneur has announced plans for a new venture called Project Skyway that will aim to connect young entrepreneurs with mentors, resources, and funding.

Cem Erdem, born in Turkey, founded Augusoft in 1994 after reading about the Internet in a magazine on his flight from Turkey to the United States with his new wife.

The company makes online software for education administration. A decade and a half later, Erdem has a management team in place that can run the company without his day-to-day involvement, freeing him up to take on a new challenge.

Erdem says he's decided he wants the next phase of his life to be about helping other entrepreneurs achieve their goals faster, better, and more efficiently than he was able to do.

Project Skyway will be a new-business seed fund and incubator, launching in July 2011. The details are still coming together, Erdem admits, but above all he wants it to be a connector.

Erdem envisions a program that will build connections among ideas, entrepreneurs, investors, and other innovation hubs, and bring them together both online and in physical space.

He believes there are probably would-be entrepreneurs attending community colleges, as he did, who are not being reached out to. He wants to use his education connections to cast a broad net for potential entrepreneurs and bring them into an innovation community.

"Lots of people have e-business ideas, but they are not necessarily the programmers. They don't know how to take a concept to the virtual world, and we can help them with that," says Erdem.

Some of the other values that he's making a priority as he develops the program include a focus on long-term value, ethical practices, and making sure the program is accessible.

Erdem admits it's a "high-level model" right now. He's prepared to spend his own money getting the program off the ground. He's not seeking funding help, but he is seeking ideas.

Erdem says people looking to get involved should contact him at .

Source: Cem Erdem, Augusoft
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A revolving, low-interest loan program by the city of Minneapolis recently marked its 1,000th loan to a small business in the city.

City officials celebrated the milestone last week with an event at the Blackbird Cafe. The restaurant was the recipient of the 1,000th loan.

"These are the right investments for government to make--and now more than ever, this is the right time to do it," said Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak.

The investments consist of 10-year, 2-percent interest rate loans, which must be matched at least dollar-for-dollar by loans from private lenders. "It's definitely a way to encourage banks to not turn off the spigot, to keep the funds flowing," says Bob Lind, the city's director of business finance.

Since the program started in 1988, it's made 1,000 loans totaling $28 million, and leveraged another $87 million in private investment. The city estimates the program has helped create more than 2,000 jobs and retain another 9,300. The average loan size is $25,000, and more than 97 percent have been fully repaid.

The Blackbird Cafe used a $75,000 loan from the program to relocate after a Feb. 18 fire destroyed its previous home at W. 50th St. and Bryant Ave. S. Owners Gail Mollner and Chris Stevens hosted last week's event at their new location at 3800 Nicollet Ave.

"The whole idea was to get that investment and make sure those commercial corners and commercial nodes continue to  thrive, continue to look good, continue to be occupied," says Lind.

In addition to the mayor, speakers included Robert Stephens, founder of the Geek Squad, which received financing through the program in 1998.

Source: Bob Lind, City of Minneapolis
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The BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota supports businesses that are working with materials on the molecular and cellular level.

In other words, stuff that's too small to see with the naked eye.

Last week, the organization unveiled an original artwork it commissioned that it hopes will help Minnesotans visualize the type of work it promotes.

"We wanted to create a symbol that will help to connect the individual to the science, so that people can feel part of it and connected to it," said Dale Wahlstrom, CEO of the Alliance.

"Unfolding the Natural History and Science of Life" is a 3'-by-6' print by multimedia artist Lynn Fellman, who specializes in science-inspired art. Fellman reversed the scale of her subjects; the largest footprint goes to proteins and DNA strands, while animals and plants are pictured smallest.

Wahlstrom said the goal is for the image to become an identifiable symbol for the life-science community the Alliance represents in the state. It also plans to sell notecards and posters to raise funds for its Destination 2025 mission.

The image is hanging in the BioBusiness Alliance's office. (A small version image can be viewed on its website here.)

Source: Dale Wahlstrom, BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota
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A pair of recent announcements put Minnesota at the forefront of digital government.

A survey by the Center for Digital Government gave Minnesota's state government a 'B+' grade and said it was "trending up" when it comes to using digital technology to better serve citizens and streamline operations..

Meanwhile, the state's Office of Enterprise Technology announced last week that Minnesota is the first state to move its collaboration and communications software into a cloud computing environment. (That means the applications are stored online rather than in servers owned by the state.)

The Center for Digital Government report highlighted Minnesota's innovation in the areas of finance and administration and energy and transportation. Only four states received a grade higher than Minnesota's.

An example of the state's recent successes, says OEM spokeswoman Cathy de Moll, was consolidating all state agencies into one centralized e-mail system. Innovations like this let the state "put our attention and dollars toward the kinds of applications that are directly related to citizen services," she says.

The announcement came two days after the state announced a first-of-its-kind cloud computing arrangement with Microsoft's Business Productivity Online Suite.

The move means the state no longer has to maintain its own servers and hardware for e-mail, file-sharing and other collaboration and communications programs. Instead, it leases those resources from Microsoft, which keeps the state's data in a private cloud environment.

Source: Cathy de Moll, State of Minnesota
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If inefficient data storage is the corporate equivalent of searching for your lost car keys, Digitiliti provides valet service. The downtown-St. Paul–based company offers an integrated data management service that files, stores, secures, and backs up company data seamlessly and automatically--functions that are typically spread across half a dozen software platforms.

"The biggest problem is that for data, there's a point solution for every problem," he says. "If you want to store your data, you buy backup software. If you want disaster recovery, you take it offsite. If you want to be able to collaborate, you buy software for that. We've integrated it into one system."

For this nifty achievement, the company picked up a Tech Award Circle gold medal in July and a nomination for a Tekne Award from the Minnesota High Tech Association in September.

The company launched in 2005 with a data protection service, but quickly identified the need for a broader product, explains Ken Peters, executive vice president in sales and marketing. The company's DigiLIBE (Digital Library) product launched two years ago, and has fueled remarkable growth for the tech company right through the recession, doubling the company's workforce to about two dozen.

In growth, Digitiliti has maintained its flexibility. Headquarters are located in St. Paul's artsy Lowertown neighborhood, an environment that "fosters innovation," according to Peters. And rather than bulk up on staff, they've taken a nimble approach to growth: "We have built a flexible workforce, both internal and external," he says. "Our approach is, hire the best talent. It doesn't matter where they're located."

Source: Ken Peters, Digitiliti
Writer: Joe Hart

A new venture in Minneapolis is innovating ways to connect nonprofits with young professionals who want to give their time and skills.

Jim Delaney, a former director with The LEAD Project, started Engine L3C after an experience as a board member at the YMCA.

"I wanted to do more than show up once a quarter and provide my advice and raise a little bit of money in the meantime," says Delaney. "I wanted to use what I thought were my skills and capabilities a little bit more directly to solve the problems that the 'Y' was facing."

So many nonprofit volunteer opportunities consist of one-day opportunities, helping out here and there with events and fundraising, he thought. Meanwhile, he understood that most directors were too busy with day-to-day demands to tackle big-picture challenges.

Delaney's idea: put together small strike teams of young professional volunteers to tackle big-picture projects. He pitched it to the YMCA and recruited 24 volunteers to work on six projects. One team created a guide for social media use. Another created a 140-page best practices handbook after analyzing the best practices at each of the local YMCA's 14 branches and camps.

Delaney recruits and matches volunteers to the project teams that best match their skills. A typical project lasts about six months, after which the volunteers are free to move on or get involved in a different way.

The young volunteers, most of whom are between the ages of 25 and 35, get personal and professional development, as well as a more satisfying volunteer experience. Meanwhile, the nonprofits, which pay $1,000 per month per project, get professional services for a fraction of what they would otherwise cost.

After 10 projects with the YMCA, about a month ago Engine started another project with the Neighborhood Development Center. Next, Delaney hopes to get corporations involved by offering the program to their employees as a professional development tool.

Source: Jim Delaney, Engine L3C
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If you're familiar with the concept of software-as-a-service, consider this lawyering-as-a-service.

The Glover Law Firm in Minneapolis has launched a new practice aimed at serving tech startups, with a billing model inspired by the flat-rate, tiered pricing associated with many web applications.

"We're trying to build a firm that feels similar to the types of businesses we hope to represent," says owner/founder Sam Glover.

Clients choose from one of four service plans that range from $150 to $1,200 per month and include document preparation, annual reviews, and weekly, monthly or quarterly check-ins.

It sounds simple, and that's what makes it such a departure for the legal industry. Since the 1960s, law firms have almost universally charged clients based on "billable hours." Attorneys tally up every six-minute increment of work they do for a client and add it to their tab.

But that system, says Glover, rewards inefficiency and encourages clients to put off asking questions, even though a quick answer might help prevent bigger problems down the line. Glover's model allows an entrepreneur to call with a question without worrying about a new bill.

"It's great for the clients because they know how much they're going to pay next month," says Glover. "It's great for us because we know the money that's coming in next month."

Glover started his law firm in 2005 focusing on business and consumer protection law. He and business partner Aaron Street started signing up clients for the startup practice last month at startuplawyer.mn.

Source: Sam Glover, The Glover Law Firm, LLC
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A group of civic and business leaders announced an initiative Tuesday to try put Minneapolis-St. Paul on the map in the areas of creativity and innovation.

The nonprofit 4FRONT is made up of local business, education, arts, and government leaders who want the region to take its "rightful place on the world stage."

Executive director John Foley points to a recent ranking of innovative cities worldwide in which Minneapolis slipped to 45th overall from 33rd the previous year.

"Cities all over the world get it. They're working really hard at innovation and trying to figure out how to attract talent, and we're acting like we're not even in the race," says Foley. "We continue to compare ourselves to the likes of Sioux Falls and Mississippi, literally. It's like we don't get it. We're not there yet. We just don't understand the dimensions of this race, and we're missing the big picture that we're competing with Amsterdam and Paris and San Francisco" and other major cities around the globe.

The plan is for 4FRONT to attract, retain, and nurture talent in the areas of food, health, design, and the arts. The centerpiece will be an international symposium and awards event that they hope will annually attract more than 40,000 people.

The Twin Cities are in a global competition for talent, says Foley, and the hope is that the awards will be a way to identify talent and give them a connection to the region. The goal is for Minneapolis-St. Paul to be recognized as the world's premier center of innovation and creativity by 2015 in health, food, design and the arts.

The group is working toward holding its first major event in the summer of 2012, with an abridged event and awards ceremony to introduce the concept in 2011.

Source: John Foley, 4FRONT
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One week after launching the state's new angel investor tax credit program, state officials had received 20 applications for certification as of Monday.

All businesses, investors, and angel funds must be certified before applying for a tax credit allocation. Officials have already received one application for credit allocation.

The statute says state officials can only release the names of businesses and investors that have been certified.

Six entities had been certified through Monday. They include:

    --OrthoCor Medical, Inc., a company that makes a device for treating knee pain

    --Investors Donald Schreifels, Sheri Aggarwal, and Charles Floyd

    --and the Twin Cities Angel II, LLC, fund

Spokeswoman Kirsten Morell said more applications are coming in every day.

Source: Kirsten Morell, Department of Employment and Economic Development
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Thanks to a sort of American Idol for ideas, a Twin Cities woman gets $15,000 to implement her concept, and a Minnesota foundation gets an experience that could help change the way local institutions make decisions in the future.

Christine Tubbs of Stillwater was named winner Tuesday of the inaugural Minnesota Idea Open challenge. Her idea was culled from more that 400 submissions in an online contest that asked Minnesotans to submit their best ideas to encourage healthier eating and more active lifestyles.

All submissions were posted on the contest's website, where they could be viewed and comment on by other participants. Judges picked three finalists, which were then put to an Idol-style vote. Tubbs' proposal, to put on a series of youth-led activity field days, was selected as the winner by the nearly 5,000 Minnesotans who cast their votes on the website since early April.

The Minnesota Community Foundation had the web application built through a partnership with Ashoka Changemakers, which organizes similar international contests for social entrepreneurs. Major funding came from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

The two-month contest showed how the Web can be used to get more people involved in public dialogue.

"We have been able to have conversations and get ideas from people from all walks of life, all across the state," said Jennifer Ford Reedy, the foundation's vice president for strategy and knowledge management. "We didn't reach everybody, but we reached people who were not usually a part of the conversation."

The local foundation now owns the web application and plans to make it available for other organizations in the state, as well as to sponsor one or two statewide contests per year.

Up next, though: helping Tubbs turn her idea into reality.

Source: Jennifer Ford Reedy, Minnesota Community Foundation
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