Silicon Plains

from Bismarck Magazine - Volume 7: Issue 5 September/October 2022

Kharma Vida

SERVING THE PLANET

STORY: KAREL SOVAK PHOTOS: NEWAGE CREATIVE

A majority of people have probably heard of the tech hub Silicon Valley in California.

For people on the prairie of North Dakota, there may be a best kept secret that is now making its way beyond our borders. Silicon Plains proudly proclaims it's “serving the planet” from the company headquarters in Bismarck. With business analysis, security/anti-virus and mobile support, along with other services, Silicon Plains has positioned itself to showcase the North Dakota way of doing business. Co-owner and CEO Dan Polk, recently awarded the Entrepreneur of the Year by the Bismarck-Mandan Chamber EDC, has always had a passion for making people’s lives a little easier and well-protected when it comes to their IT needs. As founder of Silicon Plains in 2009, Polk indicated the company has always been about developing the proper relationships.

“Our motto is ‘Do what’s right, no matter what, even if it gets you fired’,” Polk expressed. “That kind of commitment is hard to find, but I won’t accept any less. I grew up in the technology industry

and learned early on how terrible the typical computer person or company can be about listening to understand or being trustworthy.” Polk indicated it is one of the most important aspects of providing quality customer service. Polk knows that it is important to have a synergy work with a company so that both parties are more than satisfied with the results.

“We’ve all dealt with that super technical person we couldn’t get along with or were convinced they were wasting our time and money”, Polk stated. “I decided to change that completely and as a result, Silicon Plains now delivers business outcomes wildly better than any other IT firm. We learn from our clients, we believe in their businesses and goals and we build our solutions around their expectations and our requirements. Of course our technical staff is brilliant, but we’re also the ones you can trust to do the right thing. No matter what.”

It is that dedication to quality, as well as the building of trust, that has helped in the scale of growth the company has

achieved. Silicon Plains has established its new headquarters in downtown Bismarck with a recent renovation on Main Street. That move was needed because Silicon Plains has positioned itself as one of the top 15% largest IT companies in the world.

“Every minute and every dollar made has been about investment since I started Silicon Plains in 2009,” Polk explained. “Since then we’ve grown to a multimillion dollar, multi-state powerhouse of cyber security, IT helpdesk and consulting solutions. We grew because early on we understood exactly what it meant to be the best: do what no one else has been willing to do. We hyperinvested in our people, our processes and our corporate maturity much earlier than our competitors. Every dollar made went back into the company’s future, not fancy offices or billboards on Main Street.”

That commitment came from day one with the organization. Polk justified that reasoning as a commitment no matter how big the company would become.

“Even at 3 employees, I made sure

we were in regular meetings about servant leadership,” Polk noted. “Day one we were learning documentation for compliance purposes, creating and attending relationship building events with our clients and paying for great health benefits, education and skill development for our staff. We have a saying at Silicon Plains: ‘If you don’t keep learning, one day you’ll come into the office and you won’t feel like you belong. The company will have moved on, and it’ll be too late for you!’ This kind of business and career investment has been exactly why we’ve crushed so many competitors and grown so quickly.” Crushing their competitors is only one aspect of their growth. Their recent acquisition of one of Colorado’s largest IT providers has allowed Silicon Plains to open a second office in Denver. Polk discussed how such acquisitions will allow for viable sustainability in a dynamic industry like IT.

“The IT services industry is changing fast,” Polk said. “In 2009, what we were offering was unique and ahead of our competitors by at least a decade. It was a ‘be first’ strategy, and it worked. Since then most of the industry has copied what we do. Obviously we’re flattered.

Now that they’re actively trying to keep up, we’ve moved into our next phase of growth and sustainability: strategic acquisition. We’ve completed our merge with Complete Technology Solutions in Denver, Colorado and we’re expertly positioned as an absolute powerhouse of purchasing power and IT service excellence.”

That expansion will rely on the expertise of others in the field who share the philosophy Silicon Plains established since its roots. Polk explained how the new acquisition will meet those requirements. “Herb Miner, our Chief Operating Officer, will be leading our service group to make sure we never take our eyes off the ball,” Polk said. “He’s an absolute animal. To make sure we’re always financially healthy and powerful we have Nicole Kohler, our Chief Financial Officer. She has unmatched skill and experience in all areas of vision-driven financial management.”

As for what is next with Silicon Plains, Polk said the company is setting itself up for future growth.

“We’ve also created a separate division within the company to pursue further acquisitions and have hired an industry consultant along with a mergers and acquisitions company to make sure our deals make sense,” Polk added. “We have investors ready to help finance this pace of new growth as we can’t afford to jeopardize our world-class service by spending all our own cash. We could not be better positioned for what’s around the corner in our industry.”

SIDE GIGS

HOW THEY DO IT ALL

Simple Sugar

MARK AND REBECCA BINSTOCK

What is your side gig? Rebecca: “Simple Sugar”

How did Simple Sugar get started?

Rebecca: “Simple Sugar started because our oldest daughter has severe food allergies and couldn’t enjoy traditional things at parties, like cake or ice cream. For her birthday, she requested cotton candy, and we tried to find some place that made cotton candy or that we could buy it from in town. We really struggled to do that. Eventually, my husband was like this is ridiculous, there should be something, so he researched and bought a machine, and we started making cotton candy. We were told we should use prepackaged sugar and then we started looking at it. It was full of a bunch of artificial things and artificial colors and a lot of it was made in a facility that manufactured tree nuts and peanuts, so our daughter still wouldn’t have been able to eat it. We decided, let’s see if we can make our own flavored sugar, so we use local produce and sugar, and that’s the only thing in our product.”

Do you make anything besides cotton candy?

Rebecca: “No, that’s kind of the cool thing. We wanted it to be exclusively cotton candy so we could tell parents or people who are consuming our

product exactly what’s in our kitchen. It’s fruit, sugar, and coffee. Because we have coffee cotton candy. And to keep us awake. Coffee is essential to what we do for multiple reasons.”

What’s your most popular flavor?

Mark: “By volume, definitely strawberry. I think it’s just because it’s familiar to everybody. Some of the other ones like honeyberry, juneberry, chokecherry, they’re not as well known. Up until a year and a half ago I’d never heard of a honeyberry, so I’m guessing other people haven’t either.”

Rebecca: “It’s a berry that people grow in North Dakota, and they are delicious. They’re really high in antioxidants as well, so you can throw them in your smoothies or whatever.”

Mark: “Call it health food if you want.”

Where is your cotton candy available?

Rebecca: “People can order online directly through us through our social media. We do not have a website yet, that’s coming soon. It’s always at the Bisman Community Co-op over on Sweet, and at BisMarket on Saturdays in the summer.”

Want More?

Facebook: @simplesugarND

Honey Bee Bakery

MEGHAN CHARLEY

What is your full-time job?

“I am a nurse at the ICU at Sandford.”

What is your side gig? “Honey Bee Bakery”

How did you get into your side gig?

“Ever since I was little, I’ve been baking. I took over making the cake for all my siblings from my mom when I was younger. I started doing it more for friends and family, and then my brother asked me if it would be a good idea to try and do this as a side business. I pushed it off for a while because I was busy enough with work at the hospital, but then he convinced me to let him make me an Instagram account… and it just took off from there.”

Why do you love baking?

“It’s a great creative outlet. I’ve always been kind of creative with food… It’s a lot of fun and the sky’s the limit. The more interesting orders people come up with, the better.”

What kind of baked goods do you make?

“Cupcakes, cakes. Cakes are my favorite. I do more unique types of breads and pastries sometimes. Baklava is a very popular one. Macarons are a lot of fun, too."

How do you manage your time?

“It’s a juggling act that’s been working out for me so far. It’s nice that I can do this as a side hustle and I don’t have to cram too much into one work week if I don’t want to… When I have lighter weeks at the hospital, I can take on more orders, or if I know I have big weddings coming up, I’ll just take some time off from the hospital to do this.”

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever baked?

“I made like a five-tier Avengers groom cake a few years ago. That took like 20-30 hours to make because it was like five separate projects just all stacked on top of each other.”

What keeps you motivated?

“I just love it. I lose track of time honestly. I can be on my feet 15-16 hours just working on projects before I realize I need a nap or take a break. The more creative license that my customers let me have, the more fun I’m able to have in the kitchen… I love that I can make a hobby and a passion I’ve had since I was little into a side business.”

Want More?

Instagram: @honeybeebakerynd

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MJ Photography

MARCUS JOHNSON

What is your full-time job?

“My full-time gig at HIT is to just provide the individuals with more of a sense of independence in their lifestyle.”

How long have you worked there? “I’ve been there for three years.”

What’s your side gig?

“MJ Photography. As a side gig, it’s been really good. I’m not as busy as some of the other photographers in town. I’m very small in that sense, but it’s really good.

What kind of photography do you do?

“I do weddings, families, seniors. I do weddings probably more than anything. I really enjoy them. Every person, couple, bride and groom that I’ve worked with has been completely amazing. It’s like I’m an outsider at a family reunion, but who’s invited, so it’s super fun and chill. I have a blast. It’s growing, and it’s small, but I love it. I really can’t complain.”

Why are you so passionate about photography?

“Even as a kid, I liked just being able to, in a sense, stop time and get to go back and look at those memories. You get to see how valuable life is and the importance of family, friends, just this whole experience of life. It’s a good

reminder of just where we are and who we are as people.”

How do you balance your full-time and part-time jobs?

“I try to do my best. I’m a bit of a procrastinator, you can ask my wife, but I really try to buckle down and focus when I get swamped… I lock myself in the room, but also space out time for my wife and for myself. But in those moments where it gets super busy, photography definitely takes precedence.”

What are your future plans for MJ Photography?

“I want to get into fashion. I love weddings, and I love working with people, but I really like fashion, so that’s something that I would love to try and weave into the process… I love art, and I love colors... [It’s] something I hope to bring to the area.”

Want More?

https://www.hitinc.org/ Facebook: @mjphotographynd

Bismarck Magazine, LLC

JENNA KLUTING

What is your full-time job?

“I'm a Marketing Design Specialist at First International Bank & Trust. I do a lot of design work and also my fair share of photography and video."

How long have you worked there? “I’ve been there for almost two years.”

What’s your side gig?

“My side gig is Layout Editor for Bismarck Magazine, LLC. I also do some photography and design work in my free time."

What kind of work do you do?

“I do all of the design work for Bismarck Magazine, River + Ranch Magazine, and Bismarck Bridal. Basically I take the photos, stories, and ads and bring it all together like a big puzzle. I've been a designer for over 10 years and I love that every project I work on is different.”

How did you get into this side gig?

“I've known Hannah and Caroline since my DECA days in college (so almost a decade ago!). When they decided to start a magazine, they called me up and asked if I'd be interested in designing. They had seen the work I'd done while we were at the University of Mary and trusted my ability to bring their vision to life. We've been at this since 2015 and have added two more

magazines to the roster, so I think they still trust me."

How do you balance your full-time and part-time jobs?

“I work fairly quickly - especially with projects I'm really excited about. Usually the magazine gets put together over a few nights at the beginning of the month (for the issue coming out the following month). So my mornings and afternoons during the week are dedicated to FIBT, those few evenings are dedicated to the magazines, and the rest of my time goes to my most important job - mom and wife - and I sleep during whatever time I might have leftover. I enjoy being busy, and I really enjoy seeing something that I've created become a finished project out in the real world."

What are your future plans?

"I've worked super hard to get to where I'm at now. I love working on the magazine and I love working for FIBT. I still have time to take photos for my family and friends and pick up the occasional design project on the side and most importantly, I have time to spend with my family. I plan on sticking with my full-time and side gigs as long as I can."

Want More?

www.FIBT.com www.bismarck-magazine.com www.riverandranchmagazine.com Instagram: @jennakluting

Sweat Co.

KIRSTIN WILHELM

What is your full-time job?

“I own a real estate brokerage called New Nest Realty.”

How long have you been doing that?

“Since 2011.”

What is your side gig?

“Sweat Co. It’s like my little baby.”

What made you decide to take on your side gig?

“Honestly, I was looking for a community. I was looking to keep that small boutique fitness and community oriented feel where it was just a fun place we could just go work out and forget about the world for 50 minutes.”

When did Sweat Co. open?

“January of 2021.”

How do you balance your full-time job with your side gig?

“I always say it’s all about the people, having great coaches, a great manager be hands on where I can be there more as a support.”

Can you describe what Lagree fitness is?

“Sebastien Lagree out of California actually designed this workout, created the machine, and it’s evolved since

he originally created it… What I love about it is anyone can do the workout. It’s intense if you’re someone that works out all the time, but it’s also doable for someone that’s maybe rehabbing. It’s all based on slow and controlled movements, so there’s no crazy jumping or running going on, yet it’s intense every time.”

How does Sweat Co. fit into your daily life?

“A lot of text messaging with the manager and with the coaches, but I personally workout there at least every other day. It is fun to be able to pop in there and coach if there’s a sudden sickness and no one else can cover or if people know that they’re going to be gone, I’ll try to jump in. Even if a coach will say, hey I had something come up, I’ll message them privately and say hey if no one else picks it up, I got you. I don’t want anyone ever stressing because it is supposed to be a fun environment.”

What’s your favorite part of the job?

“Seeing people’s confidence increase is my favorite. It’s rewarding seeing people that thought they would never get to their 100th class make it. It might have taken them a little longer, but they did it. Just seeing that boost of confidence is huge.”

Want More?

https://www.newnestnd.com/ https://www.booksweatco.com/ Facebook: @booksweatco

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Jake's Bakes

JAKE KUBIK

What is your full-time job?

“I call it my day passion. My full-time day passion is working at the Sanford Health Foundation.”

Why did you start Jake’s Bakes?

“Family members had encouraged us to try selling our bread… We moved to Lincoln, and there wasn’t a farmer’s market. There was a community Facebook page someone had posted on asking if a market was started would people sell and buy at it. I messaged the person and said we’d love to do this, if you need help coordinating, let us know. She messaged me right back and said yes, I could use some help. So my wife and I and that couple started the Lincoln Farmer’s Market in 2020… We started selling a few different flavors as we went on and grew in popularity.

How has your business grown since then?

“We have been able to expand into hummus. That started in October of last year. We were shopping at the Co-op, and I was looking for hummus and noticed the four flavors they were selling at the time were non-local… I asked the general manager if she knew of any local hummus being sold, and she didn’t. I asked if a local one would be popular. She thought it would be. We had made hummus casually at home on and off, so we made some

and had her try it. She liked it and that started our journey into commercialization.”

Why are you passionate about offering local hummus to the community?

“I just met with another local hummus producer that’s selling in stores now, and she said that we had inspired her to start selling their hummus… I’d rather compete against local producers rather than national chain producers. Nothing against people that go national, but that dollar that’s local is just more impactful. As of today, we have three local hummuses at the co-op and one national chain. It’s pretty cool.”

How do you balance your full-time job with your side gig?

“It’s really about boundaries and what are your goals. Ours is not to become huge… I really encourage people to think about not having to give up one passion for the other. If you want to make it your full-time thing, great, but it’s possible to do both. Just depends on what your goals are.”

Want More?

Facebook: @JakesBakesND https://www.sanfordhealthfoundation.org/

Bisman Bean Bags Club

ROSS FROHLICH

What is your full-time job?

“I am the membership director for the Bismarck-Mandan EDC, and my primary goal is to reach out to the community and find new members to come into the Chamber EDC.”

What is your side gig?

“BisMan Bean Bags Club. We’re a league organization that plays cornhole one night a week. There’s two leagues, a Tuesday night league and a Thursday night league. We’ve been playing for over four years now, and we’re a recreational league. Whether you can’t hit the board or you sink them every time, you’re welcome to play with us.”

Why did you decide to start this?

“It was actually born at a Chamber EDC event, at the Jerome Distributing mixer. They had cornhole boards set out at the mixer… and I was like, wouldn’t this be fun to play all year round? I had already thought of some places we could do it, and they were like yeah, let’s do this, so they were a sponsor to get some equipment.”

What season do the leagues play?

“We get to play three full seasons a year: fall, winter, and summer. All of them are twelve weeks long, nine weeks of regular season, and then three weeks of tournament. At the end of the tournament, the top three teams get

a trophy and some swag to take home with them.”

What motivates you?

“One of the things I’m striving for is to always have growth. One of the cool things about our league is it actually feeds the other leagues in town. If someone who doesn’t even know if they like the game comes and plays a season with us, they can get pretty darn good in twelve weeks of playing… If they get good, and they want to move onto something more competitive, there’s others around town that can help with that.”

Are you the best one in your league?

“No. What’s awesome is I feel that at one point or another I’ve taught some of the best people in the city. Some of them are so good it’s ridiculous. I think a lot of time I get to be the rite of passage for folks. You know, if you can beat Ross, well then maybe you can try your hand at some of these other places.”

Want More?

https://www.bismarckmandan.com/ https://playyon.com/bisman-bean-bags-club/ Facebook: @bismanbags

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Bearscat Bakehouse

KEVIN CAVANAGH

What is your full-time job?

“I teach business at BSC. I’m a full-time professor out there.”

What’s your side gig?

“I own Bearscat Bakehouse.”

How often are you at Bearscat Bakehouse?

“I usually go to the Bismarck store in the morning for 15-20 minutes, just kind of check in, talk to my head bookkeeper for all the stores. From there, everything else is done on my phone, through emails or texting.”

How did Bearscat Bakehouse start?

“I started managing a hardware store when I was 18. I wanted to move up in bigger stores, so I started my bachelor's degree in business communications. I kept going to school, moved around the country a little bit… and got my MBA. I enjoy school, so I kept going to school. I was working on my Doctoral in Business Administration. At that time, I started working at True Value, and then they sold out to Ace. At that point, I wanted to do something on my own, so a buddy and I bought what used to be the Donut Hole in 2006. We ran that for a few years, and then I bought him out in 2009. We changed the name to Bearscat in 2011, and that’s when we went out on our own… slowly we opened the Mandan store, then the

Minot store, then the Salem, OR store, and then I can’t even remember after that point.”

Any plans to make Bearscat your full-time gig?

“I’m not good at plans. I just go with the flow. With the school, they only offer us contracts yearly. Every year my contract comes up and every year I contemplate. But I did sign my contract for this year, so I’m teaching for at least one more year.”

We heard you’re opening a second location in Bismarck!

“Yes, it’ll be next to Starbucks on Third and Indiana. It’s been a long process. Our original plan was to get construction done and be open last fall and it was quickly realized that wouldn’t happen… But they’re supposed to be done with construction the end of September.”

What’s your favorite part of owning Bearscat?

“Probably the expansion. I’m always out there looking for what’s next… It’s always fun to me to get out there and open a new store and stuff like that.”

Want More?

https://www.bearscatbakehouse.com/ https://bismarckstate.edu/

Design That Sells

NATE AND JEN PEDERSEN

What is your full-time job?

Jen: “I’m a pharmaceutical rep for AbbVie.”

Nate: “My full-time job is sales manager/consultant at Zimmerman’s Furniture.”

What is your side gig? Jen: “We are both owners of Design That Sells.”

What is Design That Sells?

Nate: “Design That Sells is a home staging company. We basically bring in furniture and decor and make a home ready for the market. I work with realtors, for sale by owners, and builders, so when a potential buyer walks in, they can envision themselves living there. Instead of walking into a big vacant room with nothing going on, they feel welcome. It actually helps the builder or realtor potentially sell it faster and for more money.”

How did your side gig get started?

Nate: “Design That Sells started four years ago, but we’ve been doing staging for probably six or seven years. It started because I was trying to create relationships with local builders since I sell furniture and do interior design stuff.”

How do you balance your full-time jobs

and your side gigs? Nate: “When we started getting busy, it was very chaotic. It still does happen, but now we have a coordinated schedule where we have certain days that we stage. If we need to stage on a different day we’re going to make it happen. We want to do the best we can for the client... We also have an awesome team that helps out.”

What was it like starting out?

Jen: “Sometimes I would come home and the lamps would be missing. He would be like, ‘I was in a bind,’ and the coffee table was gone. I would go to Parade of Homes and there was like a picture from our home, and I was like oh that’s ours… We have lots of stories.”

What’s the future hold for your side gig?

Nate: “That’s a great question. It seems like we just continue to grow. We have 28 houses staged right now in the area. During the parade of homes, we average 20-25 just for the parade of homes. It doesn’t include other homes that are on the market out in the community somewhere, so I just see it continuing to grow. As long as we have the help and the team to do it, the sky’s the limit for us.”

Want More?

https://www.zimmermansfurniture.com/ https://design-that-sells.business.site/ Facebook: @designthatsells

Brick Oven Bakery

ALEX THOMPSON

What is your full-time job?

“I am the co-owner and graphic designer for Shirt Shack and NewAge Creative. Between the two companies we focus on every different aspect of customer apparel, graphic design, and photography.”

What is your side gig?

“I’ve been a baker at Brick Oven Bakery for two years.”

How did you get into it?

“One of my best friend’s parents, Steve and Sandy, own the bakery. When I moved back here, I was doing the Shack and I was doing NewAge, but I wasn’t paying myself and I needed money. I had a job at Menard’s but it was really hard to keep up… Steve and Sandy put in a shirt order with me. After doing a couple orders for them, on a whim I was like, do you guys have any odd part-time spots open? And they’re like, yeah but no one wants to work because it’s 4 in the morning. And that was right up my alley.”

Why have you become passionate about baking?

“I am an artist before I’m anything else… but owning a business and being the main person who handles everything, a lot of times I don’t get to do as much art as I’d like… so the bakery really

became this outlet where I was able to create really cool things in a different way.”

How did you earn your nickname, the Cruffin Man?

“If anybody that works there wants to try out a new cruffin flavor, they mention it, and I run with it… It’s honestly a tiny part of my job, but it’s a very fun part.”

What’s the most creative cruffin filling you’ve done, so far?

“They won’t actually let me do the weird creative unique ones yet. I’m trying to do a mashed potato cruffin for Thanksgiving. It would be a savory herb spice and mashed potatoes inside and gravy. I have ideas for days.”

How do you balance your side gig with your full-time job?

“Not being the sole owner obviously helps… As far as balancing it goes, I work at a coffee shop, so I get unlimited amounts of caffeine. That helps a ton because on average I sleep four and a half to five hours a night because between here and there I’m at like 70-80 hours a week on average.”

Want More?

https://www.newagecreative.com/ https://www.shirtshacknd.com/ https://brickovenbakerynd.com/

Rikki Vintage

ERIKA WEISZ

What is your full-time job?

“I am a stylist of almost three years at Hi Honey Salon in Bismarck, and I’m an apprentice at Black Sheep Tattoo which I’ve been doing for about six months.”

What is your side gig?

“Rikki Vintage.”

Where are you located?

“I rent a booth space in the Bismarck Antique Mall on Main Street in Bismarck.”

How did Rikki Vintage start?

“I love thrifting and finding things, and I feel that I’m pretty good at it, but it kind of turned into a thing where I love to do it, but I couldn’t keep everything I was finding. I needed to find a different outlet to give those treasures to other people. My friend and I had a vintage sale, and that was the kick to turn it into something bigger.”

What is the style of your booth?

“I try to focus on mid-century modern and late 60s, early 70s. I really like glass, brass, wicker, and colorful vintage things.”

What got you into thrifting?

“My neighbor had an estate sale business, and I ran the till. As people

picked and found things, they brought things up, and I was the person who was like, oh look at this, this is cool, so I think that’s what got me started on the hobby.”

Why do you love it now?

“I like finding things that people can use to make their space, their space. I like being able to find those cool pieces. I feel like your space isn’t your space until you fill it with the things that you love.”

What keeps you motivated in your side gig?

“It doesn’t feel like a business, it’s something fun for me… I’m the opposite of a minimalist. My mom calls me a maximalist. I love finding cool things that someone once loved that someone can learn to love again.”

How do you balance your full-time jobs and your side gig?

“I think I’m able to do it because I really enjoy all my jobs. I wouldn’t be able to do it if I didn’t feel like it was a very positive atmosphere at all of the places I work. None of them feel like work.”

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https://www.hihoneysalon.com/ https://blacksheeptattoond.tattoo/ Instagram: @rikkivintage

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The Bracelet Bar

CHELSEA KTYTOR

What is your full-time job?

“I’m a full-time hair stylist and makeup artist at Roots Boutique.”

What’s your side gig?

“It’s called The Bracelet Bar.”

How did you get into your side gig?

“My friends and I went on a girls trip to Arizona. They all wanted to get tattoos, and I could not commit. They were throwing around some crazy tattoo ideas. At one point in time it was a cartoon chicken. In a moment of panic I was like, I’m not getting a chicken tattooed on my body. One of my hair clients, her daughter had just done spring break, and they had these permanent bracelets done. So in my moment of panic I looked online to see if there’s any place in Phoenix or Scottsdale that did it. We ended up at a sketchy tattoo shop… but we found these bracelets and I fell in love. And I have no chicken tattoos, so that’s also a bonus.”

What is permanent jewelry?

“Permanent jewelry is basically just a regular piece of jewelry, but there’s no clasp, so you don’t take it off. We actually micro-weld the jump ring where you would normally have a clasp at together, so you don’t ever take it off until you want to.”

What made you decide to turn this newfound love into a side gig?

“We came home, and everyone loved the idea and the concept of it, and then I dragged my feet. I was like, I don’t have time. But then more people commented on it, and it started showing up on all my social media feeds. I’m like, okay, if we’re going to do it, we need to do it right now while it’s still trending.”

What do you offer at Bracelet Bar? “Currently there are 18 different chain options in 14 carat gold filled, sterling silver, and rose gold filled also. I can do bracelets, anklets, necklaces, and rings. And there are literally hundreds of charms you can add and choose from.”

What is your favorite part of the job?

“Meeting everybody… Last week, I had a group of ladies in their 70s that have been friends since high school and that’s just something they wanted to do together. I think that’s so awesome. There’s always a story in the people that you meet.”

Want More?

https://rootsbismarck.com/ Facebook: @braceletbar.bismarck Instagram: @braceletbar.bismarck

Tiffany and Kellee

TIFFANY KRUMM

What is your full-time job?

“I’m the community relations executive for CHI Health and Home Hospice.”

What’s the name of your duo?

“Tiffany and Kellee on this side of the river and Kellee and Tiffany on the other side of the river.”

How did your singing duo start?

“Kellee Black and I went to college together at Jamestown. We’ve been friends since then, but we did an open mic night in Jamestown. We did Fast Car by Tracy Chapman, and we were like, this is pretty good. After that, college happened, life happened. Kellee moved down to Denver for a couple of years, and she found herself back in Williston where she’s from. She owns her own massage therapy business, and I’m in Bismarck. We’ve taken trips together every year, we were still friends, but we played some music together almost exactly a year ago, and she’s like, why aren’t we doing this? I’m like, I don’t know, I have a music shaped hole in my heart that needs to be filled, so let’s do it.”

How often do you two perform?

“We originally decided like twice a month we’ll do something. That’s enough with how busy I am. I’m married, and I have two kids too… I

think it would be more if we would let it, but we’re just going to pick and choose what we’re going to really enjoy.”

What’s your favorite part?

“I love that I get to make music with one of my best friends. We love the same types of music. We play for the crowd a little, but really we’re playing music that we love, and we’re just lucky that everyone else loves it too.”

How do you balance your full-time job with your side gig?

“It’s just making sure that we say, okay, what are your expectations and what are mine, and it was twice a month and that was the same with Kellee. That worked out really well. It’s just enough to fill us up, but it’s not so much that we’re running. There was a while there where we just got asked a ton and it got to be a lot. So I have found that sticking to that twice a month thing helps, but I couldn’t do it if my husband wasn’t supportive and my job wasn’t supportive.”

Tisa Peek

DAKOTA HORSE MAGAZINE

What is your full-time job?

“My husband and I have JT Family Equine. It’s a horse training facility that’s branched out into a lot of youth riding camps for the area.”

How long have you been doing JT Family Equine?

“We started it when we moved to Bismarck, so that was like eight years ago, but both my husband and I have been in horses since we were eight. We have like 70 years of experience between us. Horses have always been our way of life”

What is your side gig called? “Dakota Horse Magazine”

How did the magazine get started?

“I’ve written for equine publications on and off the past twenty years. I started writing for another news source in North Dakota and realized everybody does like to hear from the contestants and what’s going on in any part of the horse world. Looking out we needed a bigger platform to reach a lot more youth, a lot more people… so we wanted one central hub to showcase what’s happening across the Dakota territories.”

What do you see this publication turning into?

“I just see North Dakota going on a national level, like the platform, just the way we are and the way we live, showing the world this is who we are and it’s great. And hopefully making a difference for therapeutic riding and getting the right funding in place for that because there’s too many people who don’t get to have it unfortunately because of finances, but it needs to be an option other than medication. Just something else for kids even if there’s nothing wrong.”

Why are you passionate about bringing something like this to the horse community?

“It’s not just the horse community… There’s a lot of sensory development that happens outside for children, and I am so pro making kids’ lives better, people’s lives better, and ultimately horses’ lives better… There’s a line there, a common denominator, and when you blend the two together, it makes all the worlds better… Horses just bring happiness, and we want to share that with everybody.”