May/June 2013 by St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce

Committed to continuous improvement Striving to exceed the latest quality standards â&#x20AC;&#x201D; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s part of our commitment to quality care.

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B U

S APP

IN EVERY ISSUE 8

6 President’s Letter

Editor’s Note

16 Business Calendar

Network Central

Top Hats

CONTENTS

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GROW • NETWORK • PROFIT

S APP

May/june 2013

G ROW

Business Tools

P ROFIT

This Issue

24 Management Tool Kit Rule Book

Outlining the employer’s standards, responsibilities, and expectations of employees.

26 Entrepreneurism Seasonality

Knowing how to optimize the lows while riding the highs of a seasonal business.

27 Working Well 28 TechStrategies Social Squads

Profit

34 Cover Story Native Son

Growth may be taking technology company, Netgain, farther from its St. Cloud roots, but company founder Scott Warzecha says his commitment to St. Cloud will only continue to grow. Warzecha is the 2013 St. Cloud Area Small Business Owner of the Year.

10 News Reel

What’s happening and who’s moving. Business news from

around Central Minnesota.

Book Review The Coming Jobs War; what every leader must know about the future of job creation by Jim Clifton

29 Tech News 30 Economy Central

presented by Falcon Bank An Economic Adventure

Today’s economy is slowly working its way back to pre-recession standings.

profit

Special Section

N E T WOR K

Upfront

Managing social media. When companies have a team of people generating content.

47 Education and Training 11 Point of View 12 Your Voice In Government

40 Feature

Reach for the Stars

When setting your goals, reach for the stars...but use a step ladder!

46 Special Focus Skills Gap

This new program will lead to high-wage, high-skill employment for Minnesota and Wisconsin workers.

54 Business Spotlight

Lynda Moe, Moe Agency

ONLY ONLINE

Evening at the Capital

14 People to Know 18 Regional Round-Up Waite Park State of the City Address

•• Preparing for Tourist Season •• The Printable House

•• Improve Your Productivity •• Creating Effective Partnerships

www.BusinessCentralMagazine.com

PRESIDENT’S LETTER NETWORK Main Phone 320-251-2940 Automated Reservation Line 320-251-2940, ext. 126 Program Hotline 320-251-2940, ext. 125 email: information@StCloudAreaChamber.com www.StCloudAreaChamber.com

f you have been around our Chamber for any length of time, you have heard about our 5-Star Accreditation status and how

proud of it our volunteers and staff are. We completed our accreditation renewal with our accrediting organization, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in January, and were recently notified that we are officially re-accredited, with FIVE STARS!

Teresa Bohnen, President

What does that mean to our Chamber members and volunteers? It means you are part of one of the best business organizations in the country. s are fun,

Rankings are great and

but what does that mean to our Chamber

That looks like this:

members and volunteers? It means you are part of one of the best business organizations

We have achieved this enviable position twice in the last decade. We were the original Minnesota chamber to achieve this feat, and only Owatonna has been able to join us when they received Five Star Accreditation in March 2012. Of 7,000 chambers of commerce nationwide, only 71 have achieved this coveted status. Alright, I’m more than a little excited about it. The accreditation process is time consuming, rigorous and sometimes downright painful. We examine and report about every program, every aspect, and every characteristic of our organization imaginable. There are nine seemingly endless sections with high standards and details required to get the coveted Five Along with our Five

in the country. It means we are recognized by our peers as providing exceptional programs and services for our members. It means we stay up-to-date and provide truly outstanding networking, education, information, and advocacy for your business. It means you are making a wise decision to invest in the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce. to investigate this Five

organization for

what it can bring to your future success and achievement. I’m considering getting fivethat’s over-the-top? Until next issue,

state and federal legislative priorities, board Teresa Bohnen President of the

the Finance and Facilities sections of our application. In fact, the recommendations we received focused on making our outstanding results even better.

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3

epaulets

to put on all my suit coats. Do you think

received special recognition for our excellent

officers. We achieved a perfect score in

CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU STAFF Executive Director Julie Lunning, ext. 111 Sales Manager Lori Cates, ext. 113 Director of Sales & Marketing Judy Okerstrom, ext. 112 Director of Sports & Special Events Kelly Sayre, ext. 128 Director of Visitor Services Jean Robbins , ext. 129 Sales & Marketing Coordinator Nikki Fisher, ext. 100 Administrative Assistant Rachel Campion, ext. 110 2012-13 BOARD MEMBERS

And if you aren’t a member yet, you need

s. our Chamber

orientation and evaluation process for our

ST. CLOUD AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE STAFF President | Teresa Bohnen, ext. 104 Vice President | Gail Ivers, ext. 109 Director of Administration Judy Zetterlund, ext. 106 Special Events Coordinator Virginia Kroll, ext. 105 Communications & Workforce Development Coordinator Whitney Bina, ext.130 Membership Sales Specialist Open Position Administrative Assistant Vicki Lenneman, ext. 122 Administrative Assistant Cindy Swarthout , ext. 100 Administrative Assistant Sharon Henry, ext. 124

St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce

Jim Beck Teresa Bohnen President of the Minnesota School of Business Jason Bernick Bernick’s - Beverages & VendingSt. Cloud Area Gary Berg Chamber of G.L. Berg Commerce Entertainment, Performing Artists & Speakers Craig Broman St. Cloud Hospital/ CentraCare Health System, Board Chair Neil Franz Neils-Franz-Chirhart, Attorneys at Law Jayne Greeney Schill St. Cloud Area School District #742 Steve Hahn HahnMark, LLC John Herges Falcon National Bank, Board Vice Chair

Scott Johnson Times Media Diane Mendel Playhouse Child Care Kris Nelson Custom Accents, Inc. Rick Poganski Principal Financial Group Dr. Earl Potter, III St. Cloud State University Roger Schleper Premier Real Estate Services Jodi Speicher The Good Shepherd Community Bill Winter St. Cloud Federal Credit Union, Past Board Chair Chriss Wohlleber Le St. Germain Suite Hotel

Mississippi River Views Creative Custom Builders is now building executive patio homes on wooded lots along the Mississippi River. Take pleasure in the quiet neighborhood with spectacular views. Work on your golf game at the adjoining golf course.

320-363-7206 320-558-6066 • Easy access to I-94 • 30 minutes from Maple Grove • 15-20 minutes from St. Cloud • Adjacent to 18 hole golf course • Award Winning builder

www.creativecustombuildersmn.com

The view from your new home

EDITOR’S NOTE NETWORK

A Proud Legacy Editor Gail Ivers stands with business owner Scott Warzecha outside what was once Dom’s Watch Repair. It was Scott’s job to clean watch bands every day after school. You can still see the outline on the building where the awning, designed to look like a Swiss chalet, once stood.

recently had the opportunity to go to lunch with Mike Sipe of AIS Planning. Mike was vice chair of the Business Development Council the year I was hired at the Chamber. At that time he was a partner in an accounting firm called McMahon Hartmann Amundson. I thought Mike was terrifying. He seemed so knowledgeable and stern. Then one day I noticed that he was wearing argyle socks. Suddenly he wasn’t scary any more. Anyone who wore argyle socks had to have a sense of humor. Mike left MHA for a position at PrimeVest and eventually started his own business called AIS Planning. Throughout those moves he continued to be a member of the Chamber and encouraged those around him to volunteer. Now he’s retiring and relocating to Vermont where his children live. He leaves behind a proud legacy of community involvement and support. A study by the Shapiro Group out of Atlanta suggests that Mike made a good decision when he chose to be an active member of the Chamber. According to the study: Small businesses represent the largest segment of most local chamber membership rolls, and the study indicates that chamber membership has consistent and powerful benefits for small business members – if consumers are aware that the small business is involved with its local chamber.

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3

For example, if respondents know that a small business is a member of its local chamber, the business enjoys a 49% increase in its consumer favorability rating, a 73% increase in consumer awareness, a 68% increase in its local reputation, and an 80% increase in the likelihood that consumers will patronize the business in the future. Like Mike Sipe, Scott Warzecha (see the story on page 34) has a proud legacy of community involvement and support. His father owned Dom’s Watch Repair in downtown St. Cloud for 40 years. Dom’s was a member of the Chamber and a member of the Downtown Council. Scott joined the Chamber when he started Netgain in 2000. His chief operating officer, Matt Riley, was a long-time volunteer for the Chamber, holding a number of leadership positions on committees and serving on the Chamber’s Board of Directors. In 2013, all employees are expected to take 20 hours of paid time off to do some volunteering. “We need to get people out from behind the computer,” Scott said. “Employees want to know they’re part of a greater good.” Recently, Matt sent me an emailing asking if I could refer some Chamber members to help him with a project. I sent him a few names and their contact information and he replied that they had hired one. “Thanks for keeping it in the Chamber,” I wrote back. “Always,” he said. “It’s self-interest – Chamber members are higher quality than non-members.” He’ll get no argument from me. Until next issue,

Gail Ivers

Vice President

Editor

Publisher Teresa Bohnen Managing Editor Gail Ivers Associate Editor Dawn Zimmerman CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Whitney Bina St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Sharon Henry St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Dr. Fred E. Hill St. Cloud State University Gail Ivers St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce Tracy Knofla High Impact Training Betsey Lund Neils Franz Chirhart - Attorneys at Law Lawrence Schumacher Wordbender Communications, LLC Dawn Zimmerman The Write Advantage ADVERTISING Associate Publisher/Sales Wendy Hendricks, Hendricks Marketing Ad Traffic & Circulation Yola Hartmann, Hazel Tree Media ART Design & Production Yola Hartmann, Hazel Tree Media Sarah Sucansky Cover Photo Joel Butkowski, BDI Photography ACCOUNTING Accountant Judy Zetterlund WEBSITE Vicki Lenneman CORPORATE SPONSOR

110 Sixth Avenue South P.O. Box 487, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0487 Phone (320) 251-2940 • Fax (320) 251-0081 www.BusinessCentralMagazine.com For advertising information contact Wendy Hendricks, (320) 656-3808, 110 S. 6th Ave., P.O. Box 487, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0487. Editorial suggestions can be made in writing to: Editor, Business Central, P.O. Box 487, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0487. Submission of materials does not guarantee publication. Unsolicited materials will not be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope.

Gail Ivers

Vice President

Business Central is published six times a year Editor by the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce, 110 Sixth Avenue South; P.O. Box 487, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0487 • Phone (320) 251-2940 Fax (320) 251-0081 Subscription rate: $18 for 1 year.

40 YEARS celebra

ting

We would like to extend

a sincere

ThankYou to our valued employees, clients and vendor partners for

contributing to Jeff Gau, CEO â&#x20AC;&#x153;Marco is honored to serve, support and be part of this thriving community.â&#x20AC;?

our success. marconet.com managed IT

Book Review

Point of View

Your Voice in Government

It Happened When?

People to Know

Business Calendar

Regional Roundup

UPFRONT

R END

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uthor Jim Clifton defines a good job as a “job with a paycheck from an employer and steady work that averages

The coming world war is an all-out global war for good jobs. As of 2008, the war for good jobs has trumped all other leadership activities because it’s been the cause and effect of everything else that countries have experienced. This will become even more real in the future as global competition intensifies. If countries fail at creating jobs, their societies will fall apart. — Jim Clifton, The Coming Jobs War

Informal jobs do create subsistence and survival, but not real economic energy.

ISBN 978-1-59562-055-2

Most of the world’s ills can be attributed to a lack of good jobs. But who is responsible for job creation and how do we go about making it happen? Reviewed by Fred E. Hill

New York, • 2011

S APP

N E WS R E E L

Whose Job Is It?

by Jim Clifton, Gallup Press,

News & people that make up the chamber network

BOOK REVIEW

The Coming Jobs War; what every leader must know about the future of job creation

N E T W OR K P R O F I T

GROW

30 plus hours per week.” He calls a good job formal. An informal job is one that has no paycheck and no steady work (such as some bartering – a chicken for coal, for example). Informal jobs do create subsistence and survival, but not real economic energy. This lack of good jobs, according to Clifton, will create economic chaos by causing hunger, extremism, out-ofcontrol migration patterns, reckless environmental trends, widening trade imbalances, and on and on. “The world will be led with economic force,” writes Clifton, “a force that is primarily driven by job creation and quality GDP growth.” Purchasing the book, you will find inside a one-page book review by Dave Kilby. Kilby writes, “As I was reading The Coming Jobs War, by Jim Clinton, the CEO and chairman of Gallup, I kept saying to myself, ‘Sounds like a role for a chamber’ and ‘Chambers could

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3

do that.’” Dave Kilby gives a challenge to the chambers: “If we’re going to win the global jobs war, chambers have a lot of work to do and a crucial role to play. Is your chamber ready?” Chamber members, and others, you will have to read this book to discover details on the role Kilby has set for you. In short, he asserts that chambers take “a leadership role in assessing community strengths and weaknesses, infrastructure development, community enhancement, business development, and workforce development.” The St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce is strong enough, and members are well positioned to read Clinton’s book, hold discussions, and assert a community leadership role. Makes sense to me! BC Dr. Fred E. Hill is a professor of Learning Resources and Technology Services at St. Cloud State University.

Godtland, Hinkemeyer join professional boards, Novak elected Dr. Ragna Godtland, PineCone Vision Center, joined the Journal Godtland Review Board for Optometry & Visual Performance, an international, peer reviewed journal dedicated to optometry. Godtland will write and solicit papers as well as review articles submitted for publication. Dr. Stacy Hinkemeyer, clinical director, was appointed to Hinkemeyer the Admittance Committee of the American Academy of Optometry. Jennifer Novak, practice administrator, was elected president Novak of the Minnesota Optometric Association’s Paraoptometric Section.

Cordie

Rudolph

Staska

Executive Express hires Executive Express hired the following people: Marlys Cordie and Gina Rudolph, reservationists, and Jim Staska, director of sales and marketing.

POINT OF View

Business Central asked readers: How do you thank or reward your employees?”

“

We do special lunches and gift certificates for special occasions. We also give pay raises.”

Julie Forsberg Forsberg Investments & Insurance, LLC

“ Wes Sharp St. Cloud Rox Baseball

Elicia Dockendorf Schlenner Wenner & Co.

“ Jim Gruenke Mark J. Traut Wells

“

At Schlenner Wenner, we give out tokens for good work. Employees can then take their tokens to the gift shop and buy things like gift cards and logo wear.”

”

We reward our interns with extra days off.”

Breeanna Teigland Pawn America

We reward employees with Brad Books, which are ultimately gift certificates to our store. We also send employee success stories to our district managers.”

Owners Mark and Dave Traut regularly reward employees with special bonuses, extra company matches to retirement plans, and company events such as the recent 30-year celebration of ownership where every employee was noted for their time of service to the company by receiving individual recognition and a generous gift.”

Bremer bankers are big on individualized financial help. And they have access to big resources. Just as important, when you sit down with a Bremer banker, you’re talking to someone who can set all the plans in motion, pronto. You won’t have to wait long to see big things happen. So talk with a local Bremer banker. It could be the start of something big.

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2/28/13 4:17 PM M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m

UPFRONT

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NETWORK

N E WS R E E L

Anderson

Pierson

YOUR VOICe IN GOVERNMENT

Meet and Greet

St. Cloud Area Evening at the Capital gave Chamber members and guests an opportunity to catch the ear of their legislators in an informal and relaxed environment. With record attendance of over 125 people, attendees enjoyed the opportunity to share their opinions on critical business issues and connect with legislators from across the state. Find more photos on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SaintCloudAreaChamberofCommerce

Tamm

Zimmerman

Times names 5 Under 40 Congratulations to the following Chamber members who were among the 2013 St. Cloud Times 5 Under 40: • Julie Anderson, St. Cloud Medical Group • Katrina Pierson, HBH Consultants • Melinda Tamm, Ms. Melinda’s Dance Studio • Dawn Zimmerman, The Write Advantage & Cloud coworking

John Kramer, Greater St. Cloud Development Corporation (L) and Minn. Senator John Pederson

Rep. Zach Dorholt (L) and Steve Hennes, councilman, City of Sartell

John Herges, Falcon National Bank and Rep. Tama Theis

Gloria Vande Brake, Minuteman Press; Rep. Jeff Howe; Jason Bernick, Bernick’s Beverages & Vending; and Larry Logeman, Executive Express

Tim Burg, Midsota Manufacturing (L); Rep. Paul Anderson; Joel Bauer, Midsota Manufacturing

Senator John Pederson welcomes the crowd to St. Cloud Area Evening at the Capital

Student housing receives Platinum LEED rating Centennial Commons townhomes, a 125-person student housing development on the campus of the College of Saint Benedict, was awarded LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Homes Platinum, the highest level of certification awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council. It is the first college student housing in Minnesota to reach this achievement and it is also the first building on CSB’s campus to achieve any level of LEED certification. The certification is for the 32 townhomes located in four buildings off of College Avenue, across from the main CSB campus, which opened in August 2012.

Zniewski purchases Image Builders Julie Zniewski Zniewski purchased

Image Builders, a promotional products company in St. Cloud. She has over 20 years of experience as a sales associate with the company.

Rep. Tim O’Driscoll (L) and David Tripp, Metro Bus

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3

Former Rep. John Tuma and Minn. Senator Michelle Fischbach

Rep. Raymond Dehm

IT HAPPENED WHEN?

February 23, 1983 Top Hatter Call

n February 23, 1983, Kay Strommen and Mary Ives were the first all-women Top Hatter team to make a Top Hat call. Things didn’t go as planned when Kay locked both sets of her car keys in the car. Although Kay and Mary tried many things, they were forced to call in assistance from a local towing company. After Kay had her keys back in hand, they continued making their Top Hatter calls. The Chamber’s Top Hatters have been around for over 45 years. A photo taken on May 21,

(see the Top Hats section in this issue!) Although you won’t see the Top Hatters swimming in pools these days, you will see them welcoming guests at events like Chamber Connection, Business After Hours, and the Central Minnesota Farm Show.

1969 shows the 1969 Top Hatters Club. If you are a member of the St. Cloud Area Chamber, you are probably familiar with our Top Hatters. Top Hatters visit new Chamber members to go over important membership information and take pictures

From left to right: Kay Strommen and Mary Ives, 1983 1969 Top Hatters Club Top Hatters take a dip in the pool, date unknown

Most chambers have a committee that welcomes new members, but only in St. Cloud will you find them wearing the classic top hat.

We’re ready for you when accidents happen. Trauma specialists at St. Cloud Orthopedics are prepared to repair your injury and guide your recovery.

re turn

(verb) go back to a former condition See also: St. Cloud Orthopedics St. Cloud Orthopedics uses the same resources and has the same expertise found at any Level 1 trauma center in the state.

1901 Connecticut Ave S, Sartell StCloudOrthopedics.com 320.259.4100 orthopedics redefined

Knee & Shoulder • Joint Replacement • Sports Medicine • Hand Center • Trauma • Spine Center • Foot & Ankle • Physical & Occupational Therapy

M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m

UPFRONT

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NETWORK

N E WS R E E L Marco expands, hires, promotes Marco acquired five companies over the past several months, adding 157 employees to its workforce. The company purchased Mason City Business Systems, an Iowa-based copier and printer solutions company with offices in six cities; and Midwest Office Automations, a copier and printer company with offices in Sioux City and Storm Lake, Iowa. Marco also expanded in North Dakota with the purchase of Midwest Business Systems, a copier and printer company with offices in four cities. Gary Weckwerth joined Marco as a regional sales director for northwest Iowa, southwest Minnesota and South Dakota. Weckwerth brings several years of leadership and management experience to the company.

Schwichtenberg

Warrey

The following Marco employees have been promoted: Keith Schwichtenberg, chief operating officer; Jonathan Warrey, vice president of sales; and regional sales directors Jim Maleska and Fritz Wensel. The following employees have been hired: Matthew Koob, Ernesto Jimenez, Kenneth Sparks, John Reisdorf, Kyle Fraser, Pam Kotzenmacher, Ted Erickson, Jennifer Buhl, Mike Hagstrom, Laura Baker, Eric Ebeling, Heather Copenhaver, Jean Hines, Kari Hommerding, William Hodges, KellyAnn OrthmanBurczyk, and Cherise Kobler. Marco received the 2013 Community Impact Award from Minnesota Business Magazine. The company was honored with the Best in Class Award for midsize companies for excelling at giving back to the community.

PEOPLE to KNOW

St. Cloud Area Leadership Graduates

Congratulations to the following people who graduated from the St. Cloud Area Chamber Leadership program in May. If you are looking for volunteers to serve on boards and committees, these individuals are a good place to start.

Janet Artmann McGough Construction

Shannon Giffin Big Brothers/ Big Sisters of Central MN

Mary Mrozek St.Cloud VA Health System

Angie Stenson St. Cloud Area Planning Organization

Boubacar Bah Community Member

John Glomski Mahowald Insurance Agency

Traci Mueller Executive Express

Brian Strandberg Pan-O-Gold Baking Co.

Susie Bieniek Rasmussen College

Hailey Harren Gray Plant Mooty Mooty & Bennett P.A.

Kayla Pederson Viking Coca-Cola Company

Angie Thaxton Central Minnesota Habitat for Humanity

Tammy Butler St. Cloud Federal Credit Union

Chris Hoeschen Resource Training & Solutions

Lucas Peterson GNP Company

Dave Walz St. Cloud Hospital/ CentraCare Health System

Sonia Dickrell St. Cloud Area School District #742

Patrick Hollermann Park Industries

Rhonda Sargeant Opportunity Matters Inc.

Stacy Wild GNP Company

Ryan Finberg Schlenner Wenner & Co.

Stephanie Kadlec Park Industries

Zach Schmitt College of Saint Benedict/St.John’s University

Jeb Willis Stearns Bank

Kristen Flygare St. Cloud Medical Group

Cathy Mehelich City of St. Cloud

Kayla Schoenberg Netgain

BECOME A LEADER St. Cloud Area Leadership is designed to help current and emerging leaders understand the dynamics of the community and the role leadership shares in building healthy communities. This program brings together men and women of diverse backgrounds who share a common commitment to the future of the St. Cloud area. St. Cloud Area Leadership: •• Grooms leaders who will contribute to your company •• Provides professional networking opportunities and enhanced community connections

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3

•• Helps employees develop greater personal vision and confidence •• Reinforces skills and imparts new knowledge to employees

•• Provides greater understanding and a broader perspective of key issues in Central Minnesota •• Encourages networking among emerging and established leaders

PEOPLE to KNOW

NOW ONLINE

APPLY TODAY Applications for the Leadership program are available online at www.StCloudAreaChamber.com, select “Programs,” then “Leadership.” Applications must be submitted by May 31 to the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 487, St. Cloud,

Dave Borgert St. Cloud Hospital/CentraCare Health System

Phone: (320) 229-4978 • E-mail: borgertd@centracare.com Chair, Government Affairs Committee, St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce The Government Affairs Committee researches legislative issues, makes recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding legislative policy positions, organizes trips to the Capitol and legislative updates during the session, and maintains contact with area legislators and other elected officials throughout the year.

MN 56302. Individuals who represent an

Melanie Tank

ethnic/minority community perspective

GrandStay Residential Suites Hotels

Phone: (320) 251-5400 Email: stcloud@grandstay.net Chair, St. Cloud Area Chamber’s Convention & Visitors Bureau Advisory Board

are encouraged to apply. For more information about participating in the 2013-14 St. Cloud Area Leadership program, call Gail Ivers at 320-251-2940, ext. 109.

PROUD OF

The Chamber’s Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is dedicated to promoting the St. Cloud area as a premier visitor destination and to encourage community improvements that benefit residents and increase the economic impact of visitors. Members of the Advisory Board approve budgets, marketing campaigns, and recommend policy positions.

YEARS

ON FOCUSED THE FUTURE

COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION | PROJECT MANAGEMENT | REAL ESTATE SERVICES 320-251-5933 | 888-678-7225 | StrackCompanies.com

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UPFRONT

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NETWORK

N E WS R E E L Bernick Foundation awards grants The Bernick Family Foundation awarded over $221,000 in grants through the Central Minnesota Community Foundation. These grants are focused on enriching the lives of youth and improving health. The foundation also provided $51,000 in ongoing support of several nonprofits and allocated $20,000 to award scholarships this spring for students pursuing two and four year college degrees.

Gaslight Creative earns “Best of Show”

BUSINESS CALENDAR May-June 2013 •• Visit events.StCloudAreaChamber.com for a detailed calendar.

Can’t-miss opportunities to influence, promote and learn MAY 14 & JUNE 13 May 14 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. hosted by Holiday Inn & Suites, 17 37th Ave. S, St. Cloud

Business After Hours

A complimentary open house for Chamber members and guests. Bring lots of business cards and prepare to grow your network! MAY 1 & JUNE 5

Gaslight Creative won 12 ADDY awards, including the top honor, Best of Show, at the 2013 American Advertising Awards Show. Gaslight’s work with Third Street Brewhouse, Albany Apothecary and Mathew Hall Lumber won six silver, four gold, a “Judge’s Choice”, and the “Best of Show” ADDY. The annual awards show is hosted by the American Advertising Federation of Central Minnesota and celebrates excellence in advertising.

Glanzer wins award Bruce Glanzer, administrator and CEO of The Glanzer Good Shepherd Community, received the 2013 Kal Michels Outstanding Leadership Award from Aging Services of Minnesota. This award celebrates individuals whose leadership has benefited an older adult services organization and enhanced the work environment for employees and the quality of life for the seniors it serves.

Lunchtime Learning Educational networking events that give busy professionals a chance to stay on the cutting edge. Meets the first Wednesday of the month, noon-1 p.m. at the Chamber office, 110 6th Ave. S. Registration is required: $15 for Chamber members, $22 for the general public. May 1: Sponsored by The College of St. Scholastica - St. Cloud Campus, with Nancy Myers, GNP Company, presenting “Creating a Leadership Philosophy for your Workplace.” June 5: Sponsored by Gabriel Media, with Luke Riordan, DAYTA Marketing, presenting “Social Media ROI.”

MAY 2

Business Awards Luncheon Annual luncheon honoring outstanding local business people. This year’s recipients are: Scott Warzecha, Netgain, the St. Cloud Area Small Business Person of

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3

June 13 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. hosted by Stearns Bank, 41912 2nd St. S, St. Cloud

the Year; Bob Strack, Strack Companies, the Entrepreneurial Success Award recipient; and Lee Hanson, Gray Plant Mooty, the Business Central Mark of Excellence - Small Business Advocate. May 2: Hosted by the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce at the Holiday Inn & Suites, 75 37th Ave. S, St. Cloud. Registration required: cost is $19 for Chamber members; $29 for the general public.

MAY 10 & JUNE 14

Government Affairs A discussion of local government issues on the second Friday of the month, 7:30 - 9 a.m. at the Chamber office, 110 6th Ave. S. May 10 June 14

MAY 15 & JUNE 19

Waite Park Chamber For businesses interested in Waite Park issues. Lunch is provided by the host when you register at least two days in advance. 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

May 15: Business showcase featuring 10 Waite Park businesses. Location: Waite Park City Hall June 19: Hosted by WACOSA with a presentation by Louis Johnston, College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University on “Today’s Central Minnesota Economy.” Location: on-site at the new WACOSA ThriftWorks Store, 310 Sundial Drive in Waite Park.

MAY 23 & JUNE 20

Sauk Rapids Chamber For businesses interested in Sauk Rapids issues. Lunch is provided by the host when you register at least two days in advance. 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. May 23: Hosted by BankVista at Sauk Rapids Government Center, 115 2nd Ave. N, Sauk Rapids. June 20: Hosted by Falcon National Bank at the Sauk Rapids Park Pavilion, 1001 River Ave. N, Sauk Rapids.

MAY -JUNE, TUESDAYS

NEXT-St. Cloud Programming for the NEXT generation of business leaders. Meets the second Tuesday of the month, noon-1 p.m. at various locations throughout St. Cloud. Registration required: $195 for one year or $20 for first meeting. Call for details. For information on these or other business events, call 320-251-2940.

For consideration in Business Central’s Calendar, please send event information to Gail Ivers, Editor at givers@StCloudAreaChamber.com

IN THE NEWS

GATR is Dealer of the Year

GATR receives award GATR Truck Center received the 2012 Volvo Trucks Dealer of the Year award for the second year in a row. This is the first time the same dealership has received this award in consecutive years. Dealer of the Year is awarded for outstanding performance in new truck and parts sales, growth in market share, penetration of Volvo engines, customer satisfaction, and investment in facilities.

M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m

UPFRONT

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NETWORK

N E WS R E E L Apollo Insurance merges Apollo Insurance Agency of St. Cloud, Johnson McCann of St. Paul, and C.O. Brown of Rochester have merged to become the second largest private insurance brokerage in Minnesota. In total, the company has 12 offices from the St. Cloud area to the Rochester area. All of the agencies offer commercial property and casualty, homeowners and auto insurance, group employee benefits, and individual life and health insurance.

ReGIONAL ROUNDUP

State of the City Waite Park is enjoying both commercial and residential growth as it works to meet residents’ needs.

Haupert named partner Gregory Haupert was Haupert named partner at Rajkowski Hansmeier law firm.

Rice Building Systems expands Rice Building Systems acquired Raske Building, Inc., a Twin Cities and southern Minnesota construction firm. The acquisition increases Rice Building Systems’ workforce by 20 percent. The company chose to retain the Raske name and its employees. This marks the first acquisition for the third-generation familyowned business and comes as Rice continues to post record growth.

ProcessPro hires ProcessPro recently hired the following people: Larry Kvas, business development representative; Zeb Simpson, software developer; and Shonta Thorp, client support specialist. Compiled by Whitney Bina For consideration in Business Central’s News Reel, please send news releases to Gail Ivers, Editor at givers@ StCloudAreaChamber.com

he annual Waite Park State of the City Address drew a record crowd in February. Hosted by the Waite Park Chamber and held in conjunction with their monthly meeting, almost 100 people attended to hear the latest about city services and programs. Mayor Rick Miller kicked off the program by welcoming the attendees before turning the program over to city staff. Following are some of the program highlights:

Strategic Planning City Administrator Shaunna Johnson addressed some of the over-arching goals of the Waite Park City administration: ••Provide services and support to the newly annexed area ••Evaluate and implement the capital improvement plans ••Complete the Property Owner Survey started earlier this year and use information to assist the City’s community visioning process ••Review potential technological improvements for

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3

The park system in Waite Park is in excellent condition and exceeds the national standard of 10 acres per thousand people. Rivers Edge Park contains three ball fields, picnic tables, restrooms, and a new and popular splash pad (left); Several businesses expanded or relocated to Waite Park in the last year (above).

the city as a whole that could enhance service delivery ••Focus on economic development opportunities ••Convene the Future Services Taskforce and evaluate the status of their recommendations

By the Numbers

the number of people who volunteer for the City

S.A.L.T. Committee The S.A.L.T. Committee – Seniors And Law Enforcement Together – was established at the repeated request of Waite Park citizens. The purpose of the committee is to help the city make positive decisions affecting seniors in the Waite Park area and to encourage cooperation between the senior community and Waite Park law enforcement. The committee meets monthly and one of their responsibilities is to run the new Waite Park Senior Center.

Waite Park Senior Center

1,529

the total number of hours donated by those seven volunteers

127

the number of volunteer hours donated per month

Opened: August 2012 Location: Lower level of city hall Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Eligibility: Open to Waite Park residents age 55+ Events: Current events are bingo, 500, Tripoley, board games, and a craft hour. A schedule of events is listed on the Waite Park website.

Fast & Flexible

Business Loans

Needs: Committee members are always looking for people to help host the room and for suggestions on activities or games. Donations of board games, puzzles, and other items are welcome.

Fast, in-house approval & processing to close quickly

Flexible, no defined “credit box”

A Stearns Banker walks you through the entire loan process

Loan amounts of all sizes, terms up to 25 years

A nationwide Preferred SBA Lender

Fire Department New Fire Chief Jim Aleshire has been spending time on planning and recruiting, according to Administrator Johnson. Activities include: •• Continue working on a better firefighter recruitment and retention program •• Develop a short- and longterm plan for the Waite Park Fire Department •• Improve present and future pre-plans of businesses •• Provide additional training opportunities for new and existing firefighters

We get the job done! Steve Domine, Dave Kahlhamer, Tom Ethen, Robin Studniski, and Nate Lloyd

Call 320.253.6607 www.scr-mn.com

Formerly St. Cloud Refrigeration

Economic Development Several businesses relocated or expanded in Waite Park over the last several months, or plan to expand yet this year. They include: ••Fiesta Taco ••Simply Smooth Laser Hair Removal ••INH Property Management ••Schuler Shoes ••Treasure Chest Thrift Store ••WACOSA ThriftWise Store ••Mexican Village Too ••Midwest Weight Control ••Bio Life Plasma ••Rejuv Medical BC

CentRal | metRo diViSion St. Cloud 320-251-6861 MetRo 800-827-1642

RefRigeRation HVaC SeRViCe Building automation food SeRViCe

noRtHeRn diViSion BaxteR 800-273-9071

SoutHeRn diViSion RoCheSteR 877-399-4546 Mankato 800-447-3259

CHECK OUT our NEW Digital format.

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UPFRONT

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NETWORK CENTRAL

Network Central

Profit!

The Central Minnesota Farm Show broke all records, filling the St. Cloud River’s Edge Convention Center with vendors and attendees.

Randy Fruth (L) and Steve Schirmers, St. Cloud Overhead Door

2013 Farm Show volunteer chair Greg Theis, Greg E. Theis Remodeling

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3

Network!

NEXT – St. Cloud, the Chamber’s program for the NEXT generation of business leaders, took time out for a little speed networking and group discussion.

Cory Terres, AgStar Financial Services (back to camera); Sara Draxler, Bremer; Matt Coran, American Heritage National Bank; Jayme Woehl, Array Services Group; Jason Miller, Premier Real Estate Services; Briana Sjodin, Northland Capital Financial Services; Tom Steinkopf; and Melanie Hartman, High Impact Training (standing).

Jill Hoffman, Schlenner Wenner and Co (L) and Hailey Harren, Gray Plant Mooty

Roxanne Ryan, Wacosa; Dr. Michael Hanson, Cedar Creek Family Chiropractic

Jana Nyholm, U.S. Bank (L) and Michael Brehm, Rinke Noonan

M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m

TOP HATS | New Locations, New Ownership and Expansions Peters Body Shop, 205 Osseo Ave. N, St. Cloud. Pictured: Jill Magelssen, Glen Sunder, Roger Bonn and Della Ludwig.

Executive Express, scheduled transportation, airport, shuttle services to MSP and St. Cloud Airports, courier /delivery services and passenger charter transportation, 3358 Southway Dr., St. Cloud. Pictured: Della Ludwig, Larry Logeman and Inese Mehr. Microbiologics, manufacturer of invitro micro organisms for diagnostic testing, 200 Osseo Ave., St. Cloud. Pictured: Sheila Tepley, Brad Goskowicz and Jill Magelssen.

College of St. Benedict Centennial Commons, new junior/senior housing for students, 37 College Ave. S, St. Joseph. Pictured: Tauna Quimby, Jody Terhaar, Shelby Wentworth, Mary Beth Thompson, Anna Shewczyk and Diane Ohmann.

TOP HATS | Milestones Sprint, retail sales of PCS phones and service, 4170 W Division St., Suite 100, St. Cloud. Pictured: Inese Mehr, Jessica Ruprecht, Jane Skaags and Roger Schleper. Tradesmen International, construction labor support company, helping contractors locally and nationally find skilled labor, 1000 S Benton Dr, Suite 421, Sauk Rapids. Pictured: Tad Schoeppner, Lucas Anderson, Chris Osby, Aimee Ohmscheid, Mitch Lelou and Brenda Eisenschenk.

25 year Chamber member Central Minnesota Small Business Development Center, 355 5th Ave. S, St. Cloud. Pictured: Inese Mehr, Barry Kirchoff, LaRae Ross, and Della Ludwig.

TOP HATS | New Businesses Edward Jones – Mark Fitch, financial services, 204 Waite Ave. S, Waite Park. Pictured: Mark Fitch and Rich Gallus.

Simply Smooth Laser Hair Removal, pain-free hair removal using a state of the art laser, 125 Waite Ave. N, Waite Park. Pictured: Diane Ohmann, Katie Gallipo, Teresa Bartlett, Mona Lane, Lacey Decker and Tauna Quimby.

40 year Chamber member Newcomer Service, 21983 Agate Beach Road, St. Cloud. Pictured: Kris Hellickson, Susan Dean and Jayne Greeney Schill.

Continuing to Make a Difference!

Celebrating 41 Years of Excellence in Caring for You! Accredited by Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, Inc.

St. Cloud Surgical Center 1526 Northway Drive • St. Cloud • 251-8385 • 800-349-7272 www.stcsurgicalcenter.com

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3

TOP HATS | New Members

Sterling Park Senior Community, a multi-dimensional senior community that includes assisted living, senior apartments, and skilled nursing, 35 1st Ave. N, Waite Park. Pictured: Jason Bernick, Troy Elsperger, Heather Potter, and Roger Schleper.

Target – Crossroads Center, 4201 W Division St., St. Cloud. Pictured: Jayne Greeney Schill, Michelle Molitor, Mike Mitzel, Megan Steigauf, Erik Hansen and Jason Bernick.

Visiting Angels, home care providing care and assistance with activities of daily living, locally owned and operated, 1705 W St. Germain St., St. Cloud. Pictured: Jason Bernick, Andrew Trelstad, Judy Trelstad, Samantha Trelstad and Brenda Eisenschenk.

HealthNorth, home health care, helping clients remain independent and in their homes, 165 19th St S, Suite 104, Sartell. Pictured: Kris Hellickson, Jay Johnson and Tad Schoeppner.

Tri-County Insurance, 800 Industrial Dr. S, Suite 206, Sauk Rapids. Pictured: Inese Mehr, Jim Trewick and Sheila Tepley.

Eco Shred Confidential, fast, fuel efficient service for destroying your confidential materials, 805 Rum River Dr. S, Princeton. Pictured: Tad Schoeppner, Marc Braaten, Lonnie Lembke and Scott Anderson.

Prime Lending, home purchase, refinance, 3333 W Division St., Suite 10, St. Cloud. Pictured: Inese Mehr, Michael Chamberlain and Roger Schleper.

Sysco Minnesota, Inc., the largest marketer and distributor of foodservice products in North America, 2400 County Road J, St. Paul. Pictured: Jill Magelssen, Tiffany Tillemans and Sheila Tepley.

Indigo Signworks, a full-service sign company, exterior and interior sign products, 4133 Iowa St, Suite 100, Alexandria. Pictured: Tad Schoeppner, Joey Crary, Randy Andrews, Bob Wolfe and Diane Ohmann.

Play It Again Sports, sporting goods store offering new and quality used sports and fitness equipment, 28 2nd Ave. S, Suite 101, Waite Park. Pictured: Diane Ohmann, Cody Happke, Larry Hillman and Inese Mehr.

Put a little fun on your next meeting’s agenda.

Let us make your next meeting, banquet, or special event truly memorable. With 2 spacious casino hotels, 24-hour gaming action and award-winning dining, we offer the perfect setting for your guests. For more information call Grand Casino Mille Lacs Events & Convention Center 800-626-5825, ext. 8515; Grand Casino Hinckley Events & Convention Center 877-447-2631; or visit grandcasinomn.com

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Management Toolkit Going Green Entrepreneurism Working Well Tech Strategies Tech News Economy Central presented by Falcon Bank

BUSINESS TOOLS

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RESOURCES THAT HELP YOUR BUSINESS GROW

management toolkit

Rule Book

Employment handbooks should outline the employer’s standards, responsibilities, and expectations of employees. By Betsey Lund

very employer – whether in the private, public, or nonprofit sector – should have a well-drafted employment handbook or personnel policy manual. All too often employers take shortcuts by using samples from other employers or by finding

templates from online sources. An employment manual should be drafted with the specific employer in mind. Handbooks and policies set the overall tone for the office and outline the employer’s standards, responsibilities, and expectations of employees. Furthermore,

when followed, an employment manual identifies the employer’s procedure for ensuring that employees are treated uniformly and consistently, an important aspect in avoiding liability for discrimination, wrongful termination, or negligence claims an employee may bring against an employer. One of the biggest mistakes an employer can make is to hire an individual as an at-will employee, then provide for a series of progressive steps or stages for discipline or termination. These steps usually begin with a verbal or written warning and lead to termination of employment. However, if the at-will employee is terminated short of receiving all of the “warnings” as provided for in the employment handbook, the employee may claim the employer failed to follow the employer’s own staggered disciplinary process, thereby nullifying the employee’s at-will status and creating a contractual relationship between the employer and employee.

About the writer Betsey Lund is an Attorney with Neils, Franz, Chirhart, P.A. in St. Cloud. She practices in the areas of employment law, business law, family law, and estate planning.

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3

Likely the most contentious issue in employee relations right now is an employee’s use of social media sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, and an employer’s right to limit or restrict an employee’s use of such social media outlets. Employers should consult with an attorney to create a social media policy that protects the interests of the employer, but does not unduly restrict the employee’s rights. Employers should also consider the use of policies or procedures that address employee Internet usage in the workplace, confidentiality, vacation/sick time accrual, commission earnings and payments, and harassment. An employment manual is like the workplace rule book. If an employer wants employees to play by the rules, the employer should write the rule book and follow it. Employees should use the employment manual as a continuous resource, and not limit review to the first few hours of their first day on the job. An employer should review and revise the employment manual as needed. This will ensure the employee and employer are on the same page. BC

gOING Green

tech News

Cool! Save money on your

summer cooling costs with this easy tip.Have you checked the settings on your programmable thermostat or central temperature control system lately? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, ensuring that temps are set back 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit for eight hours during a 24-hour period can save roughly 10 percent on cooling costs. To save big money on cooling season energy costs, consider setting the temp to 72 degrees during business operating hours and then dial it up to 82 degrees during non-operating hours. After doing so, check and recheck temperature settings throughout the summer – or, better yet, lock access to programmable thermostats.

Source: Energy Smart

PaperTab Researchers in Canada and the U.K. have developed a tablet computer that is both paper-thin and flexible. The idea behind the PaperTab isn’t to make your iPad flexible, but to rethink the way we use tablet computers — and to make them more like the actual pieces of paper we shuffle around our desks. Source: Popsci.com; Image: Plastic Logic

888.330.8482 | myCMCU.org facebook.com/myCMCU

Federally Insured by NCUA

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BUSINESS TOOLS

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G R OW

Entrepreneurism

Seasonality

Knowing how to optimize the lows while riding the highs of a seasonal business requires a particularly innovative and diligent entrepreneur at the helm. By Caron Beesley

f you operate or are looking to start-up a seasonal business, here are some tips for minimizing the effect of seasonality and optimizing your business operations year-round.

Managing Cash Flow through the Peaks and Troughs Investing your income during peak season while managing your costs and maintaining good credit during the quiet times is a must. Below are some strategies for ensuring that cash continues to flow even when your doors are closed: •• Manage Your Invoicing Whatever your business, you want to make sure you can get a percentage payment upfront from customers as often as possible. This will improve cash flow and limit the problem of slow-paying customers. Likewise, consider negotiating extended payment terms from your suppliers so that you can spread the burden over 6-12 months rather than incur hefty pre-season demands

for payments on goods you haven’t sold yet. •• Government Backed Loans for Seasonal Businesses Government-backed loans are also an option. The Small Business Administration (SBA) under its CAPLine Loans umbrella program helps small businesses meet their shortterm and cyclical workingcapital needs. •• Alternative Income Sources If you are able to diversify your business offering and you need to accrue additional cash flow during the quiet season, you might want to consider earning income from alternative sources. For example, landscaping service companies often shift gear in the winter by marketing their snow clearing services. Be sure to check whether you need to get an additional business license or permit to do this.

The Seasonal Labor Market Managing labor is also a big challenge for seasonal business

owners. By hiring temporary employees you can significantly reduce your cash outflow during the off-peak season. On the flip side, recruiting, hiring and training temporary workers can be resource intensive on a small business, so you want to do all you can to mitigate your expenses by encouraging your employees to return next season. Much of this comes down to quality of work life as well as incentives and soft benefits that make your business a desirable prospect for cyclical workers. Continued outreach to those employees during the offseason can also help keep your business top of mind — the

occasional event or dinner will surely be appreciated. Making the Quiet Season Work for You In addition to budgeting for the year ahead and taking care of tasks such as renovation, maintenance, etc., now is the time to take stock, review the competitive landscape, visit trade shows, and consider introducing new product or service lines. This should also be your busiest time for marketing activity. BC Caron Beesley is a small business owner, a writer and marketing communications consultant with SBA.gov.

Tech News

Virtual Shopping Two virtual shops have opened in Japan, taking the shopping experience to a new level. These online stores allow visitors to browse through the interactive Web pages to give them a realistic in-store experience. Users can navigate around the virtual shop with keyboard or mouse commands, and even walk over to spots for a better look at the products. The virtual shops are designed using a series of photos to create a panoramic web layout. Source: pfsk.com

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3

working well

Implementing Change The average employee needs six to nine months to effectively prepare for and accept worksite policy changes. Make sure you give your employees enough lead-time to prepare for major policy changes — such as going smoke free. Allowing plenty of time can make the process more effective for everyone.

Bend and Stretch Implement a mandatory stretching policy. Believe it or not, low back pain affects 60 to 80 percent of adults sometime in their lives. What’s more, back pain symptoms are among the 10 leading reason for visits to emergency rooms, outpatient departments, and physician’s offices. Stretching and exercise can reduce the risk of these problems and create a great warm-up before diving into a stressful workday.

NOT JUST NUMB3RS.

WORKING WITH PEOPLE, NOT JUST NUMB3RS.

CORY RITTER, C.P.A. with Greg, Debby & Luke Dahlheimer of Dahlheimer Beverage, LLC

“A lot of last minute requests come in from suppliers and sometimes you have to make decisions as fast as possible. Schlenner Wenner is very cooperative in getting the information we need in order to make proper decisions.” – Greg Dahlheimer, Dahlheimer Beverage, LLC

www.swcocpas.com Little Falls 320.632.6311 Albany 320.845.2940

Maple Lake 320.963.5414 Monticello 763.295.5070

St. Cloud 320.251.0286

An Independently Owned Member, McGladrey Alliance

M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m

BUSINESS TOOLS

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G R OW

tech Strategies and each individual. This provides a clear roadmap and accountability. The goals for each individual typically vary based on the employee’s role in the company and how that fits into the larger social media plan. Some members may take on more responsibility than others.

Social Squads It’s not enough to have one person managing social media any more. This dynamic medium works best when companies have a team of people generating content. By Dawn Zimmerman

ocial media is changing the way businesses market. Getting employees involved at all levels is important for businesses – large and small. One of the most common questions I get asked is “How can I engage employees in social media?” One of the best ways I have found is through a “Social Squad”, a team of individuals focused on generating content and building the company’s presence and personality on social media. It’s not enough to have one person managing

social media any more, even for the smallest of businesses. Social media is dynamic, constant and dependent on real-time information. Organizations seeing the best results today have an engaged team. Here’s a look at what to consider when building a Social Squad for your organization:

Set expectations Organizations need to clearly articulate the goals for each of the social media tools they plan to use over the next 12-18 months. Then, establish goals for the team

Get the right people on board Engaging a cross section of employees in the organization is important. That may mean identifying leads at each office or by product category. Overall, Social Squads should include employees from leadership, business units (operations), marketing (sales and customer service) and a coordinator to manage the efforts. Rarely, do I see social media as a major focus for any of these team members. Typically, their involvement in the Social Squad is an extension of their job. Here are common roles for each: Leadership – Focused on setting the strategy and setting metrics for an ROI. Business Unit – Focused on providing engaging content from their respective region or product area in real-time. Marketing – Engaged because they often are the front porch for customers and need to know what’s happening when they receive calls or questions. Management – Focused on coordination, reporting, analyzing results, and

About the writer Dawn Zimmerman is CEO of The Write Advantage, a St. Cloud-based communications company that specializes in social media.

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3

suggesting any changes to achieve the organization’s goals and ROI. This is the most time consuming role on the team and for larger companies, there often are 4-5 people filling this role.

Reward success In most cases, being involved in a Social Squad does not come with additional compensation. From event coordination and marketing to sales and customer service, social media responsibilities are becoming a part of job descriptions. Still, high-performing organizations reward members and the entire squad as results are achieved and goals are met. That may mean doing a monthly contest that gives a gift card to the member who generated the “best post,” according to Facebook or providing an annual reward for success. Provide training and promote sharing Social media is a moving target. Remaining effective and engaging on any given platform takes continued education. Social Squads are often started to help with content generation, but one of the most important roles they play is idea generation and best practice sharing. They each bring their own perspective and collectively, they help the organization refine its practices and stay energized. Social Squads are just evolving in organizations, but they are quickly becoming “what good looks like” in social business implementation. BC

Tech NEWS

The Internet of Things

Butterfly Buildings

This concept describes how the Internet will expand as physical items such as consumer devices and physical assets are connected to the Internet. Mobile no longer refers only to use of cellular handsets or tablets. Cellular technology is being embedded in many new types of devices, including pharmaceutical containers and automobiles. Smartphones and other intelligent devices don’t just use the cellular network, they communicate via NFC, Bluetooth, LE and Wi-Fi to a wide range of devices and peripherals, such as wristwatch displays, healthcare sensors, smart posters, and home

A material that’s both colorful and water-repelling could someday go into sensors that regulate the interior temperature of “smart” buildings. Inspired by butterfly wings, the color in the new material — as in its insect inspiration — doesn’t come from the pigments and dyes that color most household items, but from wellordered ridges and other structures that are invisible to the naked eye. The complex structures reflect light in particular ways, creating different colors that people see. The material could go on the outside of buildings, providing colorful designs that are more durable than conventional paint and

entertainment systems. Source: Gartner, Inc.

that resist dirt and mildew. Source: Tech News Daily May-June BC Ad_Layout 1 4/5/13 4:16 PM Page 1

Full Service Solutions Providing comprehensive architectural design and construction services in the Upper Midwest for more than 134 years.

architectural design + development + construction services + design/build + financing assistance + site selection + Since 1874

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M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m

ECONOMY CENTRAL

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PRESENTED BY FALCON BANK

An Economic Adventure

Did you KNOW?

Although unemployment rates remain high and consumer optimism remains low, today’s economy is slowly working its way back to pre-recession standings. By Whitney Bina

SizeUp

This free online tool from the Small Business Administration helps businesses identify new customers and compare

he recent economy proves to be quite an adventure. Minnesota State Economist Tom Stinson compared the economy to an action-packed movie: Although many wish the economic conditions of the past few years had been a movie, the nation found itself in the middle of an awful state of reality. The good news is that our reality continues to improve. That was the message delivered by local and state experts during the Economic Outlook panel, part of the 51st Annual St. Cloud State University Winter Economic Institute. In addition to Stinson, panel members included King Banaian, professor of economics, St. Cloud State University; Ken Beauchemin, senior economist and assistant vice president, Federal Reserve Bank of Minnesota; and Steve Hine, director of labor market information, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). Here’s what each had to say:

Ken Beauchemin, Federal Reserve Bank of Minnesota

Focus: National Economy The United States is unlikely to make up lost growth in the next few years, according to Beauchemin. In 2013, he predicts the unemployment rate remains high. He expects the economy will thrive in quarters one and two, but decline again in quarters three and four. Inflation will not be a problem.

Tom Stinson, Minnesota State Economist

Focus: State Economy “Most people are not going to see much change from 2012 to 2013,” Stinson said. He predicts the Minnesota economy will grow faster than the nation. Although consumer confidence remains low, Minnesota should remain optimistic because 2013 brings: •• Growth in job opportunities •• Low interest rates •• Declining unemployment rate •• Increase in construction projects

Potential risks: •• Self-inflicted recession •• High savings rates •• Low consumer confidence

B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e • • M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3

their performance against other businesses in their industry. The

Steve Hine, DEED Focus: State Employment

data is collected from

Minnesota should return to the pre-recession employment peak in 2013, according to Hine. In 2012, the state regained about 81 percent of jobs lost in the recession and the number of people applying for unemployment decreased for the first time since the recession began. Layoffs in the workplace have diminished. Troubling areas for 2013: •• Long-term unemployment persists •• Many underemployed individuals •• Demographic disparities in employment opportunities

public sources. The tool

King Banaian, SCSU Focus: Central Minnesota’s Economy “Happy days are here again and happy days are probably staying,” Banaian said. Since the recovery was so vast in 2012, the 2013 economy will appear to have less change. Although there are still economic risks, Central Minnesota has many reasons to be optimistic: •• Geringhoff expansion •• Momentum from 2012 •• Stabilizing house prices

hundreds of private and can be found at www.sba.gov/sizeup.

Potential risks: •• Taxes •• Decrease in personal income

The economic adventure continues in 2013. Although unemployment rates remain high and consumer optimism remains low, today’s economy is slowly working its way back to pre-recession standings. Minnesota should feel positive knowing the economy is recovering faster than the nation, but there is still room for improvement. According to these experts, expect continued economic growth and recovery in 2013. BC Whitney Bina is the communications and workforce development coordinator at the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce.

Economy Central presented by

Source: U.S. Small Business Administration

2013 Economic Outlook Panel: Tom Stinson (L), Steve Hine, King Banaian, and Ken Beauchemin; (left) King Banaian, St. Cloud State, provided his perspective on what will happen in the local economy in 2013.

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$100,000-1.0

Minnesota Unemploy Nonfarm J

$150,000 0.0

STEARNS COUNTY 50 1.0

F Quarter 3rd 4th quarter A $30,000 M20 J

J F M A M J J A Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions Median Housing Prices 1.5 1.5

MINNESOTA

$120,000

0 J

$1M N

MINNESOTA - MONTHLY % CHANGE - MONTHLY % CHANGE MINNESOTA

2.0% STEARNS COUNTY

$150,000

2.0%

Minnesota Nonfarm Jobs Minnesota Nonfarm$30,000 Jobs

ST. CLOUD

$1.5M

ST. CLOUD

$1M J F A MS A O MN J D J J A F S

1.0

1 11

$57,311

$1.5M

COUNTRY WIDE

$30,000 1.5

0 of permits 1 0 91 No.

$2M

3.1% Food & Be Unemployment Rates

Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions -0.5 Median Housing Prices -0.5

No. 0 of permits 1 0 91

3 No.2.0 6of permits 3 3 3 4 8 6 3 11 6 7 3 4 3 1 $120,000 4 1 6 11

$30,000

$150,000

D J F $0 J FA

N M

A $60,000 M J

O A

FS M

10%

2.5 0

JA F

$2M

3.0

J A $30,000

DJ $0

COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMIT COMMERCIA

$90,000

10%

$0 0.8

$2M JF AM J

$1M

COUNTRY WIDE

4th quarter

$1.5M

$60,000

Local Nonfarm Jobs Local Nonfarm Jobs 3rd F Quarter

J 1stAQuarter S O 2nd N Quarter D J

Minnesota Nonfarm Jobs Minnesota Nonfarm Jobs F

$ $1,200

STEARNS COUNTY2012 QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP $120,000 $120,000 3.5 50

St. Cloud Source: www.positivelyminnesota.com $50,000 4% $0 Minneapolis/St. Paul J F M A M 10 J F J M A A SM OJ NJ S AO M N JD JJ AF S FA M O N D J F Minnesota BENTON AND STEARNS COUNTY MONTHLY % CHANGE - MONTHLY % CHANGE BENTON AND -STEARNS COUNTY United States

MINNESOTA - MONTHLY % CHANGE- MONTHLY % CHANGE MINNESOTA

1.0 $150,000 -1.5% 4% M A M JJ JF A M SA O M NJ N D 0.5 J F -2.0% 6% 7 4 1 1

J D

N M

$.5M $72,162

$.5M

3.1% Unemployment Rates Food & Beverage Tax Collections 0.5 0.5

-1.0%

M N

O A

-0.5% $200,000 1.7%

A O

O N D J F $0 $60,000 M J J S FA M

1.9%MINNESOTA

6% 2.0

M S

$1.5M

XXXX XXXX XXXX

Gross Domestic Product Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions

2nd Quarter

$150,000

2.0% GDP STEARNS COUNTY2012 QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL 30 6%

0.2

1.7%

$30,000

0.4 F D J F $0 J F A M S A O M N J D 0.5 J J A FS 0.2 0No. of 0 permits 1 01 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0

J D J J A F S $0 F M A

1.9% 2.0 o. of permits 1

$30,000 3.1% 1.5

$72,162

$3,745

UNITED STATES QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP - MONTHLY % CHANGE 1.9%$425,000 $425,000 2.0 120

20,000

3.5

$150,000

$343,111.15

$1M

ST. CLOUD

$157,030

$1M

0.4

ST. CLOUD

8%1.0% 3.0

$3,745

2.5 $60,000

$1,777,934

0.6

$1.5M

M A M 4th quarter

$1M $0 OA NM F DJ M JJ AFA MS

St. Joe

$8,990

Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Gross Domestic Auctions Product

$343,111.15

$90,000

$343,111.15

3.0 $90,000

$1.5M

AM D

45 17

$0 J AF

Lodging Dollars Food & Beverage Tax Tax Collections St. Joe St. Augu ST. CLOUD ST. CLOUD

-0.4

JF -0.6 AM SA

0.0

$8,990

$1M $0 JO JNF

$1M

$1,200

$1.5M $.5M

$58,646 $57,311

Gross Domestic Product Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions

No.12 613 5743 6 1 No. 112 of 8permits 14 7of permits 12 1 73 6 41 22 74 19No. 73 22 of3permits 4 18 16

$90,000

$.5M

$30,000 Unemployment Rates Unemployment Non Farm JobsRates

$15,075

$.5M

2.0%

8% Food 3.1% & Beverage Tax Tax Collections Lodging Dollars

$157,030

150

0.8

$15,075

$3,536,834

odging TaxHome Dollars Sales Closed - Total

50,000

1 12

$1.5M

XXXX

M60 JJ D

$30,000 1.5

S F OM N A DM J J F J $0 $60,000 F M

Gross Domestic United ProductStates Nonfarm Jobs

$3,536,834

arm Jobs

ST. CLOUD

7 12

CLOUD $1,200ST.$2,500

COUNTRY WIDE COUNTRY WIDE 2012-2013 % CHANGE COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED $150,000 10% $150,000 10% 0 0 $0 0 $2M $0$2M $0 A S O N D J F O N D J F F M A M J 10% J $2M A S F OM N A DM J J F J F M A M J $2M JF AM SA OM NJ DJ JA FS F M A M J J 2.0% NGE 2012 QUARTERLY % CHANGE UNITED IN REAL STATES GDP - MONTHLY % CHANGE STEARNS COUNTY2012 QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP $120,000 $120,000 3.5 3.5 1.5% 1.0 50

. CLOUD

M N

$425,000

$150,000 $150,000 0.4 $1M $1M $0 JF F A M S A O M N J D J J A F S O N 0.2 0 No.12 0of permits 1 11 0 1 $120,000 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0$120,000 0 1 1 22 12 0.0 NA

1.0

$1.5M

F OA

Lodging Dollars Food3.1% & Beverage Tax Tax Collections

2.0 of permits 22No. 12 12 32 111 61 57 45

$568,250

$.5M

& Beverage Tax Collections ax Dollars UnemploymentFood Food & Beverage Tax Collections St. Augusta2012-2013 St. Joe CLOUD ST. CLOUD St. Augusta ST.Rates St. Joe

$1.5M

$0 $2M F

J SM

$2M

$1.5M $.5M0.8 $72,162 $72,162 $2,500 ST. CLOUD 90$30,671 $1,200 0.6

$.5M

$568,250 $1.5M $.5M $1M

COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, BUILDING CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED $150,000 $150,000

$425,000

120

3.5

$30,671 $90,000

$1M $0 $0 J F A M S A O M N JF D JMJ AAF S M O J N FJ D M AJ A SF M O 1211 7 68 4 18 7 12 No. of6permits of permits 227 16 19 22permits 45 7 19 32 7 22 33 9 12 1261$2M 7 657 4 22 No. of 26 No.311 28 4189 16$120,000 120

$10,496

J F

No. 14 11 of 8permits 18 16

$1M

$120,000 $4M

$1.5M $.5M $107,200

0.6

Employment

N D $0 J AF

$107,200 2 -0.2 -0.2 Building departments $72,162 Sources: for the following cities: St. Sartell,$8,990 Waite Park, St. Augusta, and St. Joseph. $1MCloud, Sauk Rapids, $57,311 90 $90,000 $90,000 $90,000

$8,431

$5,475

= exceeds chart scale $1M $8,990 6

S 60

No. of permits 9

150

Sales Closed3.0- Total Lodging TaxHome Dollars

$.5M 8

$107,200 $30,060

0.0

$568,250 $1M

O J

UNITED STATES 2012 QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP - MONTHLY % CHANGE

1.0 $.5M 0.8

0.4 $0 $0 $0 J A FS M S A O M NF J DMJ JA A FMS J O J NF ADM S JA O FM N J D J 60 OF 0.2 10 $2M $2M 9 o.120 0 3permits 213 8 34 1271 8 3 2 8 12 7 of3permits 1 3 3 43 1 17 4 03No. 3 3of 0 120 3 5 21 2 No. 8 3of12permits

S M

$1M

$634,892

$2,224,021

$4M

$12,457,379

$46,603,752

$3M

A A

$0 S FO MN AD M60 J JF

$57,311

S F OM N A DM J J F J $0 F M

11 32

$0 COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDA

Gross Domestic United ProductStates Nonfarm Jobs

$1M$5M $634,892

$46,603,752

120

150

$1.5M

$150,000

$2M $1M

$1M

Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions ome Sales Closed - Total $0

J $2M A

COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED

United States Nonfarm Jobs $1M

$1.5M

UNITED STATES - MONTHLY10% CHANGE

12 45

$107,200

St. Joe

$343,111.15

$1.5M

150

$5M $1M

$8,990 CLOUD

$3,536,834

$1.5M

COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED

$4M $568,250 $.5M

$2M F M

12 57

$30,000

$1M

Home Sales Closed Sheriff - Total ’s Foreclosure Auctions Lodging TaxHome Dollars Sales Closed - Total Waite Park Sauk Rapids ST. CLOUD St. Augusta Waite Park ST. CLOUD BENTON COUNTY ST. CLOUD

$1.5M

$5M $1M

$2M $1M $634,892 F S O N

22 61

33 22

$3,536,834

J A

32 19

$1,777,934

e Auctions Sauk Rapids Sartell $1.5M

$3,536,834

of permits 6

$3,536,834

$6,178,910

SM OA NM DJ

$2,224,021

$0 J AF

$2,224,021

0 $2M

$2M F

D J

45 22

90 $6,375 $7,500

JD $60,000 JJ AF

ITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITSBUILDING PERMITS RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITSBUILDING PERMITS AL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL $2M $0

N J

19 22permits 61$2M 57 No.120 of 6

$3,745

M A

$107,200

$2M $1M S O A M

2 No.73of permits 11 112 26 914 9 9

$568,250

$.5M

A M

$157,030

$8,990

$0 S FA O M N S FM OJ NJ DFA JM $2M 12 03 No. 7 30 of permits 821 78 0312 688 1612 1 135

A JA

J F

$0 J

$1,777,934

175

A S

$10,496

$8,431

$5,475

JM D

M A

St. Augusta St. Augusta

$2M $0 J

$1M

$1M $0 M JF O N

No. 53 of23permits 23 10 43

$.5M

$30,060 $90,000

COMMERCIA COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMIT

$157,030

St. Joe

$1M

$8,431

$10,496

$8,431

$5,475

Waite Park Waite Park St. Joe

$1M

$0 $3M

$1.5M

$30,671

$157,030

$568,250 $1M

$0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 N D J F JJ FA A F SM OA NM DFJ JMJ FAA MS JO JN AD J OA F NM DJ 60 J F SM S FO MN AD MJ J F F J J A S FO MN AD MJ J F J $2M $2M 4 permits 16 No. 7of permits 3 105 4 46 97 5 37 2 12 No. 743 11 259of permits 443 36 1434 7 16 No. 219 of10permits 28 No. 15 7 of 31 8 735 0326 6821 16140 13 48 of11 45 16 26 23 14 30 941 145No. 1 7of 3permits No. permits 122 118 127 13 5 12 24 35 32 3 1 4 64

St. Augusta St. Augusta apids

$.5M

$8,990

$15,075

34 92

$1.5M $.5M

CONSOLIDATED $3M 150

$343,111.15

O M

$1M $16,000

$10,496

$0 $0 F M A J J A S S O N D J F M F M A $2M $2M No. permits 32 45 27 59 46 43 98 36 48 of 45 43 24 16 35 23 No. 30 of41 permits

$3M

$4M

$568,250 $1M

90 $6,375 $7,500

$46,603,752

$3M

$12,457,379

$.5M

$10,496

$.5M $1M

$4M

$46,603,752

$5,475

$4M

$6,476,471 $8,431

$1M $16,000

$6,362,170

$3M

$17,096,137

$3M

$12,449,306

$.5M

$25,702,953

$.5M

$46,115,239

$4M

$12,457,379

$4M

$1.5M

$58,646

$3,536,834

$1.5M

$30,060

$343,111.15

$15,075

$1.5M

$.5M

$15,075

$.5M

$6,375 $6,375 $810,768 $7,500 COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED$3M COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, $810,768 COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED $7,500 $3M $3M $3MCONSOLIDATED 12 150 $150,000 12 $778,000 $778,000 $5M $5M $5M $5M$1M $2M $5M $1M $1M $1M $1M $1M $1M $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 F M A M J J F A MS A O MN J D J J A F S F M A M J J F A MS A O MN J D J J A F S F MS A O MN J D J J A F S O N D J F O N D J F O N D J F 10 10 $2M $2M $2M 3 No. of permits No. of permits No. of permits 6 0 6 16No.13 11$2M7 0 11 6 2616 1413 9 11 1 7 2 11 4 26 14 9 7 3 No. 0of permits 21 8 3 12 7 8 3 12 0 5 21 2 8 3 12 2 8 12 5 of permits 35 3632 3441 16 45 7 59 3 43 4 36 34 16 7 3 4 1 2 4 2 3 2 120 $120,000 $16,000

$2M

$634,892

$2,224,021

$4M

$46,603,752

$4M

$2M

$1M$5M $634,892

$2,224,021

$1.5M

$6,178,910

$1.5M

$2M $1M

$2M

$12,457,379

$.5M

$46,603,752

$4M

$6,476,471

$6,362,170

$17,096,137

$12,449,306

$25,702,953

$.5M

$2M

$5M $1M

$2M

Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions Sartell BENTON COUNTY Sauk Rapids

$1.5M

St. Cloud

$16,000

$4M

$12,457,379

$2,434,500

$4M

$6,476,471

$1.5M

Sartell

$778,000

$2M

$5M $1M

$46,115,239

$5M $1M

$2M

$6,362,170

$17,096,137

$2M

United States

0.0

-0.2

M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m

M FJ MJ A

$60,000

ECONOMY CENTRAL

$30,000

8% $1M $0

No. of permits 9

$30,000

$0 J JFALCON A S O N BANK D J F PRESENTED $60,000F M A M BY No. of permits 6

$107,200 N D

47 25 33 $568,250

No. of permits 27 46

122 118 127 105 97

$8,990 O N

D 4

N/A J

$200,000

$3M

$778,000

$1M

120 $90,000

$.5M

$150,000 20

60 $30,000 $0 A M J J F A MS AO MN J D J J A F S

No. of permits 27 46

of permits 98 No.92 122 1180 1276 10516 971337 1112 7 19 1113 26

30 $0

$100,000

$0 J A F SM OA NM D J

$57,311 J F

No. of permits 9

J F-1.0 J A

0.7%

0.6 0.4

-0.4

$1M

0.8

0.0

-0.2

.79%

$778,000

$1M

2.5

$1M

0.4

$.5M

0.3%

D N/AJ

0.2% F

ACentral M MN J

$30,000 4%

1.0A

-2.0 J

0.0

O Minnesota N D

$0 M

J M

JN A D S

Minneso

$2M

$5M

MINNESOTA 2.0

Unemplo

0.5

= exceeds chart scale 2.0% $.5M 1.7% $1M $30,671

$568,250

0.0 8% -0.5 $0

-1.0 N

COUNTRY 1.5 WIDE 10% 3.1% 1.0

$2M

12 N/A D

1st Quarter

RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PE COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS,

0.5

$1M

11 722 26 319 14 8 22 91 61 1 572 454 32

Augusta SaukSt. Rapids S

$3M

No. of permits 1

1.9%

2.0

-1.5

$6,375 1.5 $7,500

OJF NAM DS A JO M FN J D J J

No. 6 610 16 13 11 7 5 of 12permits 7 8

$58,646

$60,000 = exceeds chart $0 scale

$0 A MF

F 0.2 M

$.5M

$90,000 6%

No. of permits 3

-1.0

3.0

$634,892

$.5M $0

-0.5

3.5

0.6

-0.2

No. of permits 0.0 24 35

$4M

8% $120,000

$2M

0.5%

0.0$30,060 0.4%

$16,000

JN F

XXX J

St. 30 Cloud S O N D Paul J F Minneapolis/St. Minnesota 12 12 7 4 7 7 United States 0

$150,000

.71%

$3M

0.8

Minneapolis/St. Paul Rochester -1.0 0.0% J F

0.2

St. Cloud Minneapolis/St. Paul Rochester $0

0.6 $0 JS FJO MA N AS D MOJ

M A

ST. CLOUD

0.8%

1.0

4No. $50,000 3 No. 2 of permits No. permits of permits No. 24 35 32 41 34 21 16 02 28 of15 31 35 26 No. 21of permits 40 45 48 3 59 45 7 43 3 36 16 023 30 87 123 8 4 12 5-0.6 2 6 of 5permits 2 0.4 0.1% $30,000 $0 St. Cloud -0.8 0.0 F M A M J J A S O N D J F

M J

$1.5M PRODUCTS IN$1.5M UNITED STATES - MONTHLY % CHANGE 2012 QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP$1.5M BUSINESSES CREATING NEW LAST YEAR BENTON AND STEARNS COUNTY - MONTHLY % CHANGE

-0.2

F M

60 S

COUNTRY WIDE

2 F

0 J $50,000 J F AM S A OMN J D J J A F S

0.8

$60,000 $30,000

$0 A

$2M

$5M

$4M

0.2

$.5M

$90,000 $60,000

$1M $6,375 $100,000 $7,500

BENTON AND STEARNS COUNTY - MONTHLY %0.6% CHANGE $120,000 $90,000

$.5M

90 $60,000

XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX

$1M

$2M $150,000

$200,000

$810,768

10% United States Nonfarm Jobs Gross Domestic Product Product Creation Local Nonfarm FoodJobs & Beverage Tax Collections

Local Nonfarm Jobs

$1M

MINNESOTA

$1.5M

ST. CLOUD

$150,000 $120,000

Median Housing Prices

$1M

$1.5M

$12,449,306

150 $120,000

MINNESOTA

$25,702,953

$4M

$46,115,239

$1.5M

TEARNS COUNTY ST. CLOUD

ST. CLOUD

$150,000 Median Housing PricesTax Dollars Lodging

$2,434,500

$150,000

J A FS M O

Gross Domestic Product Unemployment Rates

Food & Beverage Tax Collections

ST. CLOUD

heriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions Home Sales Closed - Total

$343,111.15

$6,178,910

$6,476,471

$6,362,170

$17,096,137

$2M

$1M $.5M A

SartellWaite ParkSt. Joe

RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITS RESIDENTIAL PERMITS COMMERCIAL BUILDINGBUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED 4% F M A M J J A $2M J $2M $5M

Housing/Real Estate Lodging Tax Dollars

$2M

$1,200 90 $2,500

St. Cloud -1.5 Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITS RESIDENTIAL PERMITS COMMERCIAL BUILDING BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED United States -2.0

N/A

RESIDENTIAL RESIDENTIAL BUILDING PERMITSBUILDING PERMITS $0

J$72,162 F

-0.5

$107,200

0.5F 0.0

1.0

No. of permits 1

$.5M $0

J$0 F

$30,000 Economic Indicators & Trends Waite Park St. Augusta Sartell Sauk Rapids St. Cloud F

XXXX XXXX

$57,311

No. of permits 6% 14

XXXX

No. of permits 62 128 160 157 182 117 215 144 145 95

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$0 St. Cloud $0 F F M AF MM JA6%JM AJ SJ -1.5 Minneapolis/St. Paul 12 No. of14permits No.11of permits 3 7 13 37 1 40 321 38 Minnesota United States -2.0 J

2nd Quarter

3rd Quarter

4th quarter

Sources: Minnesota Compass led by Wilder Research; Bureau of Economic Analysis - www.BEA .gov.

Cost of Living - Minnesota

Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions Median Housing Local Nonfarm Jobs Sheriff ’s Foreclosure AuctionsPrices Home Sales Closed - Total Lodging Tax Dollars Waite Park St. Augusta St. Joe Sartell STEARNS Sauk Rapids Waite Park COUNTY MINNESOTA BENTON AND STEARNS COUNTY - MONTHLY % CHANGE ST. CLOUD St. Augusta BENTON COUNTY ST. CLOUD COMMERCIAL PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS,BUILDING CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PERMITS, CONSOLIDATED COMMERCIAL BUILDING PE $200,000 index measures regional differences in the cost of Local No Gross Domestic Product Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions he Cost of Living Median Housing Prices 50

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No. of permits 6

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97.1

- MONTHLY % CHANGE 96.1 MINNESOTA 107.0 78.0 98.9

108.7

95.5

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0 105.0 100.2 F M A M

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153.4

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148.3

Stamford CT

146.1

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Washington, D.C. $100,000 CA Orange County

140.6

Boston MA

139.9

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0.0

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Median Prices San Francisco CA Housing 163.4

There are roughly 4,100 new regulations in the pipeline that will 3.1% have an impact on small businesses. It’s important to be aware $150,000 of what is coming and how to comply, but just as important, small businesses 2.0%should realize that they have a voice in the rulemaking process. Lawmakers have set up a website to help small-business 1.7% $100,000 owners learn about upcoming regulations that could affect them and to ease the process of commenting on proposed rules. $50,000 Find the link at www.BusinessCentralMagazine.com St. Cloud 20

1.0

3.0 CLOUD St. Cloud, MNST.2012 Avg

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STEARNS COUNTY BENTON AND STEARNS COUNTY - MONTHLY % CHANGE

$200,000

St. Cloud N/A -1.5 Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota Source: C2ER - The Council for Community and Economic Research. States -2.0residential housing *IncludesUnited single-family and multi-unit

Local Nonfarm Jobs Sheriff ’s Foreclosure Auctions

2012 QUARTERLY %MINNESOTA CHANGE IN REAL GDP

3.0

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94.7

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In the Loop

No. 3 6 of11permits 8 18

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2012 QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP

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120

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Unemployment Rates Lodging Tax Dollars ST. CLOUD

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1.0

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-0.2 0 $0 St. Cloud Minnesota and Cities Cloud F D M Jof A Comparable J J A Size S Oto St. N D F F M other A M Upper J J Midwest A S OJ N F M F $0 $0

UNITED STATES - MONTHLY % CHANGE

0.8

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Cost of Living

United States Nonfarm Jobs Commerce/Services & -Beverage Home Sales Food Closed Total Tax Collections

150

$.5M St. Cloud Minneapolis/St. Paul Rochester

$2,500

Housing/Real Estate sources: St. Cloud Area Association of Realtors, http://stcloudrealtors.com/pages/statistics; 0.0 A S Quarter 2nd Quarter Quarter 4th quarter Benton1stCounty Sheriff’s Civil3rd Process; Stearn’s County Sheriff’s Office; http://thething.mplsrealtor.com/ 2 No.2of permits 10 5 9 12 9 7 6 8 117

1.7%

consumer goodsMINNESOTA and0.8services, excluding taxes and non-consumer BENTON AND $200,000 120 $120,000 expenditures, for professional and managerial households in the top $1.5M $1.5M $1.5M 0.6 = exceeds chart scale income quintile. It is based on more than 90,000 prices covering almost 0.8 90 $90,000 $150,000 60 different items for which prices are collected quarterly by the St.Cloud 0.4 0.6 $1M $1M Area Chamber $1M of Commerce. Small differences should not be interpreted 60 $60,000 difference, according to ACCRA. St. Cloud 0.2 $425,000as showing any measurable $100,000 0.4 experienced a below average cost of living during of 2012. $30,000 30 $.5M

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0.5

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2.5

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$4M

$2,224,021

$12,457,379

$3M

3.1%

$1.5M

STEARNS COUNTY

3.5 40 3.0

$2M

$5M

2012 QUARTERLY % CHANGE IN REAL GDP

$4M

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$3,536,834

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$3,745

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G Ite roc m ery s

Al l It em s

Economy Central presented by

0.0

-0.2

John Herges President and CEO

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Business Central Magazine •• Ma AY / J JUN une E 2013

Growth may be taking technology company, Netgain, farther from its St. Cloud roots, but company founder Scott Warzecha says his commitment to St. Cloud will only continue to grow.

By Lawrence Schumacher Photos by Joel Butkowski / BDI Photography

hat happens when a small company stops being “small?” The transition from entrepreneurial start-up to industry-leading technology firm is what St. Cloud-based Netgain has been dealing with as it has evolved over the past two years. “We’re leaving the entrepreneurial level where you have ‘tribal knowledge’ – everyone knows what to do,” said Founder and President Scott Warzecha. “That works well as a start-up, but if you want to grow and deliver a highquality product, you need to leave that and become more of a specialist.” Specialization is what Netgain has pursued in those two years, as it has evolved from a general information technology (IT)

and web hosting company into a cloudbased provider and data center focused on the health care industry, especially small hospitals and rural clinics. That transition has taken the company from just over 50 employees in 2011 to 72 today. The recently completed acquisition of a Chicago-based competitor will add another 25 employees, putting Netgain well on its way toward a projected 200 employees within five years. Growth is taking Netgain farther from its St. Cloud roots in one sense. Warzecha said the company attracted more new business from outside Minnesota than in-state in 2012. But the company is deepening its connections and commitment to St. Cloud, recently purchasing the Regency building downtown,

Ma Ay Y/j JUN une E 2 0 1 3 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m

Growth and the company’s deepening impact on St. Cloud’s downtown are two reasons why Warzecha is receiving the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2013 Small Business Person of the Year award.

Business Profile

Netgain Business Address: 720 W Saint Germain St., Ste 200 • St. Cloud, MN 56301-3501 phone: (320) 251-4700; 877-797-4700

the idea to do things a different way than it had been done.” The concept was cloud computing. In 2000, it was something few people in Central Minnesota knew much about. But it was also a time when cable television competition had brought fiber optic lines to St. Cloud, allowing companies to run high-speed data along them. At the time, businesses had their computing resources in the back room of their buildings, and brought in IT technicians to fix and update the machines and their software, said Riley, who was also a client of Warzecha’s. Origins “We stayed in touch when they arzecha, a St. Cloud native, started started Netgain,” Riley said. “Eventually, his career as a salesman at Team I came on as an analyst. I put the process Electronics, but it was during his 13 years to the execution.” at Marco that he met Baynes, who had just Initially, Netgain’s clients were all started his IT career and was a client St. Cloud companies. In the company’s first of Warzecha’s. five years, Baynes became the company’s “We were all in IT, taking care of Left: Anna Marie’s Alliance is the only women’s shelter in the U.S. that has a child psychiatrist who data center manager, designing and customers in the traditional manner,” visits the children on-site; Right: Woman House built a new facility in 1999, opening their new location building it while Warzecha sold clients Baynes said. “Scott had 17-plus years of in 2000 as Anna Marie’s Alliance. on the vision he had of a different way engineering and sales experience. He had

Scott Warzecha is founder, president, and vice president of sales. He owns 80 percent of the company.

just down the street from the former Federal Building it has occupied since 2006. Growth and the company’s deepening impact on St. Cloud’s downtown are two reasons why Warzecha is receiving the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce’s 2013 Small Business Person of the Year award. It is an award that he says rightfully belongs to the leadership team that has been with Netgain since 2000: Warzecha, Vice President of Operations Matt Riley, and Vice President of Technology Scott Baynes.

Scott Baynes is vice president of technology. He worked at Marco with Warzecha and left at the same time to start Netgain with Warzecha.

fax: (320) 251-5030 email: info@netgainhosting.com website: www.netgainhosting.com Leadership Team:

Matt Riley is vice president

of operations. Warzecha was working at Marco when he met Riley. “Matt saw what I was doing, knew what it meant, understood it, and wanted to be part of it,” Warzecha said, adding with a grin, “He came begging to work here. Write that down.” Riley owns 10 percent of the business.

Franco Cusipag is vice president of finance. Business Description: Netgain is a healthcare information technology provider to physician practices and rural hospitals. Netgain’s dedicated cloud and private cloud offerings allow organizations of all sizes and specialties to experience cloud computing benefits without compromising control or security. Started: January 2000 Number of employees: 92 2013 estimated sales: $12 million

Personal Profiles

Scott Warzecha President/Founder Age: 52 Hometown: “I was born and raised in St. Cloud and they’ll plant me on a hill here one day.” Education: Graduated from Cathedral

High School; graduated from Concordia College in St. Paul with a degree in marketing; graduated from the St. Cloud Technical and Community College with a degree in electronics. Work History: Four years at Team

Electronics; 13 years at Marco; started Netgain in January 2000. Hobbies: “I’m a simple man. Work is my

hobby. I go for runs and swimming with my wife. I don’t do well on weekends, much less think about retirement.”

Business Central Magazine •• Ma AY / J JUN une E 2013

Family: Wife Gloria works at CentraCare. “I met her at Perkins. I was a host and she was a waitress. We’ve been married 26 years.” They have two sons, one is a junior at St. John’s University and the other graduated from St. John’s in 2011 and is working in the Twin Cities. Best Advice Received:

“Lots of good advice. I don’t think I’ve ever had an original thought.” Advice to a would-be entrepreneur: “Starting or operating

a business shouldn’t be an adventure or an exciting time. It’s a matter of ample planning to predict the obstacles and outcomes that are to come. As the leader you are the visionary; you need to clearly see the future state of your company so you can lead others (employees, suppliers, customers) to it.” Fun fact: “I’m the son of a watchmaker.

My dad was an entrepreneur. He ran Dom’s Watch Repair.”

to do IT. “Customers just wanted their system to work and not have to worry about the server crashing or the printer running out of ink,” Warzecha said. “It took a little while, but we found our foothold with our first clients – many of whom we still take care of. We did a little bit of everything then, including web design.”

Growth

n 2006, Netgain made a big move, purchasing the old Federal Building in downtown St. Cloud and establishing itself as a presence in the St. Cloud business community. Ironically, it was at this time that the company began branching out, attracting more clients outside of Central Minnesota. “We knew someone who gave us a referral that got us our first health care account,” Baynes said. “It took awhile, but eventually our cloud computing model demonstrated that it lent itself particularly well to medical clinics.” As the company began to take on clients in the Twin Cities health care market, the Netgain leadership team gained an appreciation for the “onerous regulatory requirements” in the medical services industry, Riley said. In order to help companies deal with those requirements, however, Netgain

Scott Baynes

Vice President of Technology age: 39 Hometown: Foley Education: BA Physics,

St. John’s University; MS Health Physics, Colorado State University Work History: Netgain

2000-Present. (Field Service Manager, Data Center Manager, CTO, VP of Technology); Marco, St. Cloud. 1999-2000 IT Technician; National Computer Systems, Edina, MN, 1998-1999. Hobbies: Spending time with

family (many soccer, dance, piano, baseball events) and trips to the lake (fishing, skiing). Involvement with our church and school, including serving on the All Saints Academy Board of Directors and Parish Council.

The original Netgain Leadership team from left: Scott Baynes, Scott Warzecha, and Matt Riley.

Family: Wife Meaghan; children:

Antonia (12), Finnian (10), Hadleigh (8), Xavier (6) Best Advice Received:

My grandfather told me: “One’s mind is only as sharp as one’s ax.” A very practical reminder to focus on working smarter and not necessarily harder. As useful today as it was at my first job as a kid working on a dairy farm. Advice to a would-be

Matt Riley

Vice President of Operations age: 39 Hometown: Rochester, Minnesota Education: BA, St. Cloud State Work History: Resource Training

& Solutions, Manager of Information Systems, Program Coordinator (19962000, part-time 1992-96); Netgain Technology, December 2000-present.

entrepreneur:

Hobbies: History, hiking, outdoor

Be passionate about your business. Surround yourself with others that share your passion.

just-about-anything. We live on 10-acre country acreage, and just about anything involving it is “hobby.”

Fun fact: I have performed

Family: Wife Sarah; Daughter

sub-atomic particle accelerator experiments at two different national laboratories (Berkeley National Laboratory and Brookhaven National Laboratory).

Cora (6); Son Liam (4) Best Advice Received:

Harness your Type-A personality and focus it – Pat Kapsch, Resource Training & Solutions (retired)

Advice to a would-be entrepreneur: Explore many,

many ideas; partner with others to operationalize. Find partners, coworkers, and subordinates that have complementary, but not identical, personality and work styles. Fun fact: I thought Scott’s idea

to run small business computing systems in a room across town as a service was silly at first, and that his first Netgain business cards included what looked like the Tide laundry detergent logo. This was when he tried to sell me Netgain’s services at Resource a few months after start-up. A few months later, he and I were talking about the concept and me coming on board.

M A Y / JUN E 2 0 1 3 • • w w w. B u s i n e s s C e n t r a l M a g a z i n e . c o m

“The essentials for being a Netgain employee are having a passion for technology and a desire to continually learn.” – Scott Warzecha

had to be willing to take on the same liabilities as the health care provider, with regard to patient data privacy, Warzecha said. “Any breach is not the responsibility of the provider, but us,” he said. It’s no surprise security is a high concern. When you walk into the Federal Building, you sign in on a digital tablet and smile for the camera as a photograph is taken and made into an ID badge. Other forms of security are less obvious, but even more important. “There’s two ways you can get me out of business – data loss or a security breach,” Warzecha said. “So we do what we have to in order to minimize those risks.”

Relationships

long the way, the relationship between Baynes, Warzecha and Riley has evolved into something Baynes likens to a family. “We have a deep respect for each other and are not afraid to challenge each other,” he said. “We knew it was a risky endeavor. Most businesses fail on startup. But I knew Scott had a

The Federal Building In December 2005 Netgain moved into the Federal Building in downtown St. Cloud. The building’s historical appeal and access to the high speed telecommunications services required for their datacenter, drew the company to the building. Turning it into useable office space required significant remodeling, including removal of asbestos tile and replacing the ruined ceiling. Adhering to the historical design, Netgain had lights custom built using the original architectural drawings.

Business Central Magazine •• Ma AY / J JUN une E 2013

good idea and that I could contribute.” Riley describes Baynes as “very effective at identifying when somebody does something well and letting them run with it.” Warzecha likes to lead by example and is a good example of a “servant leader,” Riley said.

Evolution

etgain’s evolution to become an IT provider that caters primarily to the medical services community, and specifically to rural hospitals and medical clinics, was gradual, taking place over the company’s second five-year period, Warzecha said. During that time, the company developed 10 different software packages tailored to the industry and is still adding more. They help rural health care providers that are large enough to need things like electronic medical records and networked computer systems, but don’t have the dedicated IT staff and equipment to devote to the task.

Before & After

“Doctors are walking around with tablets on Wi-Fi linked in to cloud servers today,” Warzecha said. “But hospitals don’t have the bandwidth to support 250 users at the same time, even if they have their own IT department and want some control. That’s where we step in.” Today, 95 percent of the company’s growth is in the health care industry, and that trend is expected to continue, he said. Baynes, who has a BA in physics from St. John’s University and a Masters in health physics from Colorado State University, said the combination of technology and medical services works right into his strengths. “I got into IT because I was looking for tools for my interest in science and became a passionate advocate for the benefits computers and networks can bring to scientific research,” he said.

Rising to the top

everal things made Netgain – and Warzecha’s leadership – stand out in the evaluation process for this year’s Small Business Person of the Year award, said Diane Mendel, Playhouse Child Care, who served on the judge’s panel for the award. “Scott is very supportive of his employees and values them, which has resulted in him being able to grow and expand his business,” she said. “I felt that Netgain was a hidden secret in this area and was surprised at the size of his company, since it was only founded in 2000.” Mendel said it was no small accomplishment to assemble a team in St. Cloud that can handle the complexity of cloud hosting for the health care industry, including the storage and protection of private medical records. With all the educational institutions St. Cloud has to offer, it really hasn’t been too difficult to find qualified employees, Warzecha said. “The essentials for being a Netgain employee are having a passion for technology and a desire to continually learn,” he said. “We’re also a service-oriented business, so we look for people with humility and a desire to serve.”

The fact that regulation of the health care industry is increasingly a federal issue has aided Netgain’s ability to expand beyond Minnesota to other states, Warzecha said. The data privacy and electronic storage requirements for a small hospital in Texas are not much different from those for a small hospital in Minnesota. Warzecha said he views the award as validation from the St. Cloud community that Netgain is contributing something significant to the community. “It means we’re doing a good job, not just for me and for the company and its employees, but for St. Cloud and the area,” he said.

St. Cloud connections

arzecha is fond of saying that he “grew up in St. Cloud, and I’ll die here.” Despite Netgain’s new model, the company remains as firmly committed to St. Cloud and Central Minnesota as ever. In 2005, when the company needed to build a data center, the partners examined options in the Twin Cities that could have led the company down a different path, Riley said. But finding a home for the data center in the Federal Building in downtown St. Cloud strengthened the company’s commitment to the area. “It really anchored us in St. Cloud, and that’s only growing now with the Regency building,” he said. Netgain’s purchase of the Regency building helps the company find more room to grow, according to Warzecha. The company originally leased space in the Federal building to other companies, but has grown to occupy all but one office in the building today. Baynes said the company’s support desk staff will move to the Regency building, though there will be room to grow there as well. Netgain also expects to lease out vacant space there to other businesses, helping to further solidify the company’s status as a downtown booster. “St. Cloud is strategic for us because we’ve got good talent available and they’re well suited to satisfying our

customers’ needs,” Baynes said. “We’ve also got a lot invested in downtown and its vitality. It’s been a good home for us.”

Acquisitions

hat hasn’t stopped Netgain from jumping at the chance to grow its footprint outside of St. Cloud. In the last year or two, that has meant finding acquisition opportunities, according to Warzecha. “Since we aligned our efforts in this new marketplace, we’ve found other companies in that market that have something valuable that we can add to our efforts, and we’ve pursued those opportunities,” he said. This spring, Netgain was in the process of finalizing an acquisition of a Chicago-based company with 25 employees of its own that would mark a major growth opportunity, Riley said. “It will add our single-largest client as well as some good staff and technology. It’s going to have a significant impact on us and our future.” Netgain has been growing at a 25 percent clip annually for the past eight years, Warzecha said. That growth rate is expected to continue for the next three to five years, though some of it will likely happen through additional mergers and acquisitions. That growth has also meant reorganizing the company around four main groups – information services, technical services, support services and client services.

Future outlook

ith the company becoming increasingly complex, Warzecha said his role has had to evolve. It’s no longer “his” company in the sense of it changing directions according to his will alone, and that’s a good thing. “That saying about it ‘taking a village’ is true for successful businesses as well as children,” he said. “It’s very simplistic to assume that a company proceeds on the shoulders of one guy, especially when the company grows to the size we’ve reached.” Warzecha now sees his role as providing strategic direction and

timeline 2000 Scott Warzecha starts Netgain 2006 Warzecha and partners Scott Baynes and Matt Riley purchase the former St. Cloud Federal Building for an operation center 2007 Netgain receives JOBZ designation 2008 Netgain undergoes a strategic shift and begins to focus primarily on providing services to healthcare clinics 2010 Netgain opens an office in Minneapolis, adds 50th employee 2011 Netgain receives recognition as one of top 100 Fast Growth tech companies in nation 2012 95 percent of new revenue is healthcare related; 55 percent is from out of state 2013 Netgain opens an office in Chicago; the partners purchase the Regency Building and remodel for their technical support team, with additional space available for lease. Netgain adds its 100th employee

guidance, and helping ensure that the groundwork that’s been laid for the company’s current evolution is executed as seamlessly as possible. Netgain has managed to grow and evolve while staying on top of an ever-changing technology industry, strengthening St. Cloud and establishing a national presence, Mendel said. Warzecha’s cloud hosting vision in 2000 – once considered “spooky” – has now moved to the mainstream of IT services. As it has, Netgain has continued to evolve and seek out the technological advantages and markets that have kept it on a strong growth track, something Warzecha said he hopes the company will continue as it evolves past its current incarnation. “We’ve got the right strategy and the right people,” Warzecha said. “I’m excited about the future.” BC Lawrence Schumacher is the creator and owner of Wordbender Communications, LLC, a communications consulting and freelance writing firm. He lives in St. Cloud with his wife and two children.

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FEATURE G OA L S E T T I N G

Business Central Magazine •• Ma AY / J JUN une E 2013

Reach for the Stars

When setting your goals, reach for the stars . . . but use a step ladder!

By Tracy Knafla

ne of the most important factors in business success is setting achievable goals. Note the word ACHIEVABLE. That big word ensures BIG results! Business people set goals every day by proclaiming things like, “We are going to sell 20 percent more this quarter.” Or, “We will increase production by one third.” Yet, seldom are these goals achieved because they are unrealistic, not well thought-out, or did not have employee buy-in. Goal setting is a multi-step, sequential process involving research, brainstorming, action and review.

Research

efore embarking on any goal-setting activity, it’s necessary to conduct some research into current market

conditions, your competition, as well as your own company. This will help you make informed decisions about the future. Employees should be an integral part of this as their hands-on knowledge of the company will be invaluable, plus, it includes them in the process. People support what they help create.

Brainstorming

he research will give you a place to begin, but brainstorming provides you with the key directions to take. For instance, research shows that customer satisfaction has declined in the last three years. You could create a goal to increase customer satisfaction. Sounds like a nice goal, but one that is guaranteed to be unattainable. Instead of making a blanket pronouncement, use the data on customer satisfaction to brainstorm

Buy In

Using a process to make your goals achievable is one critical step. But there are a few other things you can do that will help you create and attain your company’s goals.



People who see their goals, achieve their goals! All employees should be able to see their goals and the progress they are making to achieve them. That red thermometer is an effective motivational tool for the United Way campaign.



Employees should be able to clearly articulate the goals they are working toward. They need to see how their work fits into the big picture.

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Goal accomplishment is a big deal. When your department meets or exceeds its goals, celebrate the accomplishment in some way. This will provide additional incentive to work on the next set of goals.

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FEATURE G OA L S E T T I N G

Attainable goals become attainable because they are specific, measurable, and they designate someone to be responsible for completion.

reasons for the drop. Ask your employees why they think customer satisfaction has dropped. Perhaps you’ll find out that there are not enough people to handle the volume of calls, so wait times are long. The goal then is either to train the existing employees to handle more calls per shift or to find ways to hire additional employees. Further brainstorming might make it clear that the website is not as customer friendly as your competition’s and some dollars spent on the website will yield higher satisfaction rates without hiring additional employees. In any case, keep an open mind about what the data might reveal, and look for more than one obvious way to solve the problem.

The Action Step Ladder This example shows six steps to assure goal completion, along with a person responsible for overseeing the action, providing two ways to be accountable for accomplishing this goal. THE GOAL: “By the first of January, we will increase the volume of calls in the call center by 15 percent.” The steps to achieve this goal: Step 1: Meet with call center employees

by August 1 to discuss satisfaction data and brainstorm possible solutions. Responsible Employee: Call center manager

Step 2: Identify possible trainers for

call center training by August 12. Responsible Employee: Human resources manager

Step 3: Implement new training program by September 15. Responsible Employee: Shift supervisors Step 4: Begin monitoring for data collection. Monitor for five weeks. Analyze data for results. Responsible Employee: Shift supervisors Step 5: Meet with call center employees to share data analysis and get their feedback. Responsible Employee: Call center manager Step 6: Share results with company

executives. Responsible Employee: Call center manager

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High Expectations?

We perform.

ACTION

ttainable goals become attainable because they are specific, measurable, and they designate someone to be responsible for completion. If you just tell everyone they have to work faster answering calls on every shift, you will not be nearly as successful as if you say, “By the first of January, we will increase the volume of calls that are answered in the call center by 15 percent.” Then list the steps necessary to achieve the goal.

Review

oals need not be carved in stone. Take time to assess how the process is going. Did you have good employee participation? Did members step up and do their part by

meeting deadlines and supporting the completion? Was the goal aggressive enough or was it so aggressive that people felt defeated before they began? A thorough review of the process and end result will help you set even better goals in the future. The process might seem a bit daunting, but it’s really not! Once you are in the habit of setting specific work goals, you’ll marvel at just how easy and effective it is. BC

Tracy Knofla is the co-owner and featured consultant of High Impact Training. She has been presenting to audiences across the country for more than 25 years.

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Spotlight : BIRTHLINE

Marathon runner’s goal is “50 for 50” for Birthline fundraiser Take a step. Take another…one foot in front of the other. Break into a stride, and establish a rhythm.

Bob Kovell has ran 65 marathons in 49 states.

ob Kovell is a marathon runner. He’ll run his 50th state marathon in Colorado Springs on Labor Day, raising funds for Birthline because he believes in its mission – to serve anyone needing help because of an unintended or crisis pregnancy. When Kovell looks at his avocation, he knows success in the race depends upon mental metal, physical prowess, conditioning, support of the St. Cloud River Runners, and the encouragement of his wife

Mary. Because his distance running is much like the way a person can deal with life, Kovell relates to the stamina it takes for an organization like St. Cloud’s Birthline to continue to serve as well as the courage it takes for women in trouble to ask for and accept help in order to move on. “I look at Bob’s dedication to running and I can’t help but make my own comparison between his hard work, support group, and ultimate success – and the commitment, determination, and support network our clients require in

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order to overcome hurdles in their unplanned pregnancy,” says Carrie Tripp, Executive Director. Birthline volunteers and staff have held the hands of 13-yearold adolescents to women in their late 40’s, offering counseling, pregnancy testing, education, material goods and support, referrals, and even post-abortion counseling. The environment is safe and confidential; no judgments are made. Birthline has been around since St. Cloud Hospital nurses Alice Brown and Flo Sullivan and their friends established it 40 years ago. Kovell has run for 40 years, supported Birthline for 20, and volunteered as Treasurer for nine years. (He is an owner of Miller, Welle, Heiser & Co., Ltd., a St. Cloud tax, accounting, and business-consulting firm.) He knows Birthline has served over 50,000 area women and men. These numbers contribute to Kovell’s decision to run for the organization. “Birthline works locally, has very low overhead expenses, serves hundreds through its volunteers, and supports a great cause, which I believe in. Life is precious,” says Kovell, noting these good reasons to raise money on Birthline’s behalf. Kovell has raised money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in 2008 and the Crohn’s

and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) in 2011, for which St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis designated December 19, 2011, “Bob Kovell Day.” Birthline’s is probably the last big charity fundraiser he’ll undertake. There’s only so many times you can approach friends, family, and colleagues for money,” Kovell confesses with humor. “My slogan is ‘50 for 50,’” says Kovell. “That’s $50,000 for the 50th state I’m competing in. I think we can do it.” To date, Kovell has finished 65 marathons in 49 states. To prepare for a marathon, Kovell runs five-days-a-week, sometimes six in the summer. He also pays attention to health and nutrition. “Running has made me a stronger person,” says Kovell. “A lot of marathoning is mental, and the mind is capable of quite a bit. I’ve never dropped out of a race.” Kovell plans to go the distance in his effort to raise $50,000 for Birthline this September. He’ll do it, too, with the help of contributions from those who believe in him and in Birthline’s work in the community. Perhaps his constancy, determination, and sweat on their behalf will inspire women in distress and crisis to “go the distance” as well. After all, we’re all part of the running community, on the fast track of