Women in Business 2015

Women

• Women run the show at this A.L. organization • It’s a balancing act to run a business and have a family

in

Business

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Page 2 | women in business 2015 | tuesday, october 27, 2015

Trades & Labor Federal Credit Union is run solely by women

By Sam Wilmes

sam.wilmes@albertleatribune.com

An all-female staff at Trades & Labor Federal Credit Union is helping members by providing financial products, services and education.

“When you come in here, you’re not just a number, you’re known by name,” said LeAnn Hughes, Trades & Labor Federal Credit Union loan manager.

Located at 610 S. Broadway, the organization provides lower interest rates on loans and higher dividend options on savings than banks, CEO Peggy Manges said.

Trades & Labor Federal Credit Union has four employees who provide loans through multiple avenues, including personal, vehicle, real estate, home equity, home improvement and overdraft protection.

Some of Trades & Labor Federal Credit Union’s other services available include direct deposit and automatic withdrawal, money orders, night depository, online banking, payroll deductions, share accounts, Shazam debit cards and a reloadable paycard.

Assets for the company have grown from approximately $3 million in the late ’90s to more than $10 million, Manges said.

She said the organization has gained

Trades & Labor Federal Credit Union employees are, from left, Karla Kelly, teller; LeAnn Hughes, loan manager; Aletha Ortiz, head teller; and Peggy Manges, CEO. sam wilmes/albert lea tribune

We salute and are proud of our

working women at St. Johns!

approximately 400 to 500 members since 2000.

The member-owned organization used to only include union members but has since increased to include underserved areas of Albert Lea — predominately those who live, work, volunteer or worship on the south and east side of town.

Manges advised anyone with questions on whether they qualify to call Trades & Labor Federal Credit Union at 507-377-1863.

The organization is governed by the National Credit Union Administration.

Shares are ensured up to $250,000.

Lobby hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday. Drive-up hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday.

The business doesn’t see much turnover, Hughes said.

“Because we are a small credit union, we know everyone who walks in the door,” she said. “It’s nice to be here, because we have that personal touch with people that kind of makes it fun.”

You’ll find a home in our community www.stjohnsofalbertlea.org 901 Luther Place Albert Lea 507-373-8226

Loan Manager LeAnn Hughes and CEO Peggy Manges discuss business at Trades & Labor Federal Credit Union.

tuesday, october 27, 2015 | women in buesiness 2015 | pagE 3

Tips To Expand Your small BusinEss

Whether you’re just starting a small business or looking to expand an existing operation, marketing your business can seem daunting. The key to marketing success is to establish your presence to your business and expand your audience.

Even for businesses that serve a primarily local clientele, it’s important to remember that today’s customers are more connected than ever before. Technology enables them to rely on mobile devices, web searches and other online tools to research businesses and make purchasing decisions.

To ensure your business is effectively operating in today’s connected local economy, here are some tips: • Mobile matters. Almost everyone today owns a smartphone. Yet, you would be surprised by the number of businesses that have not optimized their websites for mobile devices. Not only do mobile responsive sites load faster and provide a better experience, they also help with your ranking in search engine results.

• Keep your online presence current.

Think of your online presence as a business card you hand out to prospective customers, and take the time to ensure your digital and mobile presence is current and cohesive across all online media. Have you recently changed any contact information, such as phone number, email or address? Supervising this online business card takes time and effort, but the payoff comes with customers who can easily find you and your products or services. Consider setting a calendar reminder to review all online channels for relevance and accuracy on a regular basis.

• Create valuable content. Can’t think of what to say? Customers are often drawn to tip-based content related to your industry or product, such as best practices or top five tips. If you aren’t the strongest writer, find someone on your team who is or seek professional help outside of your organization. Rich content, especially photos and videos, can also help engage consumers.

• Keep content fresh. Once you develop content, you need to keep it fresh. As a rule of thumb, you should update images on a quarterly basis. For blogs, update the content weekly, and host the blog on your business’ primary website to keep your audience from clicking away from your site. Post blog headlines and timely information or calls to action above the fold (where they can be seen without scrolling) so customers can access them easily.

• Reputation and reviews matter. Establishing a loyal customer base means monitoring your online ratings and

Businesses looking to expand need to keep their online presence current. Provided reviews on a regular basis. A business owner who reaches out to customers for all feedback they provide — whether positive or negative — creates a powerful statement. Addressing or correcting any errors shows accountability for your business and can build loyalty.

• Drive traffic. Bidding on keywords is the foundation of a search engine marketing (SEM) campaign, which allows you to promote your business within online searches. As you begin, opt for smaller, more targeted keywords such as your company name. Stay away from generic terms that describe your business, such as “bakery” or “cafe,” as this will bring competition from other businesses of the same general type and more expensive click costs. Instead, try the category plus geography keywords, such as “cafe St. Louis” or “bakery Denver,” to drive local traffic to your site.

• Mind your spelling. Another tip for your SEM campaign, when people search for your business, count on a few misspellings and typos and put those mistakes to work. Bid on misspelled words about your business to drive that traffic to your site. This strategy can also keep click costs lower by adding relevant words with less competition to your SEM campaign.

Small businesses often work within a limited budget. But don’t let pinched funds get in the way of smart spending.

Recognizing the Professional women at Americana Insurance Group & their Excellence to the insurance industry.

Jennie Hoyt, Amy Miller, Nancy Vaale, Suzanne Dickson, Lori Bagley

www.americanainsurance.com (507) 377-2000

Page 4 | women in business 2015 | tuesday, october 27, 2015

Chelsea Hanson and her daughter Indiana, 3, sit in Geneva Bar & Grill last week. Hanson and her husband, Hans, took over the business about a year ago. sarah stultz/ albert lea tribune

Geneva Bar & Grill co-owner balances family, business, events

By Sarah Stultz

sarah.stultz@albertleatribune.com

Albert Lean Chelsea Hanson.

As owner of Geneva Bar & Grill with her husband, Hans, Hanson balances work every day at the bar and

thanks

GENEVA — It’s a balancing act for

to all the women working at Mrs. Gerry's.

Each of you are an important part of our team.

2110 Y.H. Hanson Ave Albert Lea

373-6384

restaurant while also having a family of five children.

Hanson said she and her husband have been married since 2011. With the

marriage, she gained four stepchildren — Levi, 20, Riley, 15, Brooke, 12, and Isabel, 8 — and then the couple had a daughter together, named Indiana, who is now 3.

tuesday, october 27, 2015 | women in buesiness 2015 | Page 5

In addition to being a restaurant and bar, Geneva Bar & Grill hosts many events to raise money for cancer research and a wild game feed.

Hanson previously worked at Wedgewood Cove for five years and in the restaurant and bar industry as a whole for about 14 years. Her husband previously worked at Krieger Beverage as a sales representative.

She said former Geneva Bar & Grill owners Jack and Barb Kuchenbecker approached the couple and asked if they would consider purchasing the business.

“I knew it was a lot of work, and I knew the name Geneva carried with it,” Hanson said. “It’s more than what people think. It’s not just a bar.”

In addition to being a bar and grill, it provides off-sale liquor, catering, tournaments, a wild game feed and events

“I knew it was a lot of work, and I knew the name Geneva carried with it. It’s more than what people think. It’s not just a bar.”

in November.

She thanked the family, friends, neighbors and employees who have stepped up in Exmark • Stihl Husqvarna

Thanks

— geneva Bar & grill co-owner Chelsea Hanson

to the women on our staff for their

that support the community.

The Hansons are approaching one year of ownership with the business

outstanding customer service!

See Sue at

M&S

OutdOOr EquipMEnt Geneva Bar & Grill is at 101 W. Main St. in Geneva.

the last year to help make a good first year.

She said she comes into the business almost every day. Her husband is busy now harvesting but tries to come in as much as possible.

“We try to split the shifts so we can have a stable home life as well,” she said.

The older children also help out around the business and even help plan fundraisers.

“We try to get the kids involved,” Hanson said. “This is a family friendly bar. The locals all know the kids, and the kids know them.”

Despite the sometimes hectic schedule, she said she knows the importance of finding a balance.

“It’s a challenge to balance everything,” she said. “If you don’t have that it doesn’t work.”

For the one-year anniversary under new ownership, Hanson said she is planning different days the week of Nov. 16 to spotlight all the people who have helped make things a success in the last year.

There will also be food and drink specials all week long.

In the next five years, she said she sees the business continuing to grow.

She hopes to have an addition to their patio, and she looks to see their catering business grow larger. She would also like to expand the kitchen and bring in new food items so that the menu is fresh every six months.

“I always reach for the stars,” she said.

519 Prospect Avenue • Albert Lea, (507) 377-7705

“Providing financial services since 1958”

610 S Broadway Ave. • Albert Lea, MN

377-1863 www.tradesandlabor.com

We are a not-for-profit organization that is locally owned by our members. If you are ready for lower loan rates, fewer fees and higher dividends, stop in and see us.

pagE 6 | women in business 2015 | tuesday, october 27, 2015

Sue Martin, pictured, owns Flip Flop Farm Girls with Jennie Johnson. colleen Harrison/ albert lea tribune

hoBBY Turns inTo a BusinEss 2 women connect over similar interests, oPen store 1 yr. ago

By Colleen harrison

colleen.harrison@albertleatribune.com

a

passion and a hobby turned into a dream job for two local women.

Sue Martin and Jennie Johnson opened Flip Flop Farm Girls on Nov. 1, 2014, in Albert Lea. Flip Flop Farm Girls sells crafts, gifts, antiques and home décor items, to name a few. All craft items

The Faces You Can Trust

at the store are made locally, either by Martin and Johnson or by crafters hosted at the shop. The business is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and is

closed on Sunday and Monday.

Martin and Johnson met each other and became friends through their husbands. Martin’s husband, Joel, is a farmer, and the couple lives in Clarks Grove with their children. Martin is originally from Ellendale.

healthy – Tips for –

holiday

eating

331 S. Broadway • Albert Lea, MN • 507-377-6868

November/December Issue Available Thursday, October 29

tuesday, october 27, 2015 | women in buesiness 2015 | Page 7 Thanksgiving gets skipped over all too often.

Johnson said the business was originally located in a 500-square-foot space near Troy Thompson Agency Insurance in Albert Lea, but moved to its current location at 1428 W. Main St. in April for more space. Originally the two worried about being able to fill the now 1,500-square-foot space, but Johnson said the worry didn’t last long at all.

The community has been extremely welcoming, according to Martin.

“We’ve met so many wonderful, creative people in Albert Lea,” she said.

Both women are especially interested

“We wanted to have a store where people could decorate like we do.”

— Flip Flop Farm girls co-owner Sue Martin

Flip Flop Farm Girls sells a variety of jewelry and other accessories, among other items. colleen Harrison/albert lea tribune Johnson’s husband, Jeff, is also a farmer and has a trucking business.

The couple lives in New Richland with their children, and Johnson is originally from Owatonna.

Once the two women became friends, they found out they shared an interest in crafting and repurposing items. They said it led to a number of projects be-

tween the two, to the point where they were taking over their garages with the items they had either made or were working on. They realized the potential in finding their own space to sell their creations.

The women run the business full time.

Martin used to be an Elizabeth Arden Cosmetics representative, and Johnson

was an EMT before the two opened their business.

Martin called the business a “new place to shop and get one-of-a-kind gifts.”

“We wanted to have a store where people could decorate like we do,” she said.

Business has only grown in the 11-plus months Flip Flop Farm Girls has been open, according to Martin. The holidays were especially busy for the store last year, and she thinks this coming holiday season will be no different.

“We’re looking forward to another Christmas season,” she said.

Martin stressed that the business will do its best to wait until after Halloween to display Christmas items, as she feels

One Year Anniversary!

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in repurposing furniture. Johnson said she likes to make new items out of old pallets, and said that a lot of the time her husband and children help her create something new. She said Martin does a lot of different designs and projects using windows.

Both Johnson and Martin especially like that they’re able to host other crafters and artists in their shop.

“I love that we’ve got consigners,” said Johnson. “It’s great to see them get that same feeling we get when we sell something we made.”

For both women, the biggest challenge to running their own business is striving for the balance between work and family life. They both feel that’s something that comes with any career, but that the constant demand and responsibility of owning their own business does add a different element to working toward that balance.

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A number of different purses and scarves can be found at Flip Flop Farm Girls, 1428 W. Main St.

1428 W. Main St., Albert Lea Tues - Fri: 10am-6pm, Sat: 10am-2pm

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Page 8 | Women in business 2015 | tuesday, october 27, 2015

Store Continued from Page 7

Both Johnson and Martin credit their families with helping them launch and maintain the business. Johnson also said she’s grateful to have a business partner in Martin.

She said having a business partner makes it possible for the two to take time for their families when needed, knowing that they’ll have someone else to help share the load while they’re off.

When thinking of advice to give others looking at starting their own business, both Martin and Johnson had a number of tips.

Martin said it always helps to be well-organized and to try to be prepared for surprises and challenges. A positive attitude is always a strength as well, she said.

Johnson warned that, while being in business for yourself can be extremely rewarding, it does take a lot of time and effort. For her, though, it’s worth it.

“It’s been fun,” she said. “It’s hard to believe it’s been a year already.”

Flip Flop Farm Girls Where: 1428 W. Main St. Albert Lea When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and closed on Sunday and Monday.

Flip Flop Farm Girls specializes in craft items, antiques, repurposed items and gifts, among others. colleen Harrison/albert lea tribune

holidays

Look stunning for the

Albert Lea • New Richland • Ellendale

November/December Issue Available now.