LESSONS

THAT ARE TAUGHT EARLY BY A PARENT, GRANDPARENT, OR ANY ADULT FIGURE IN OUR LIVES.

These lessons come in the form of table manners, learning to share or simply how to change a light bulb. When Amanda McKinnon, CEO of Misfix, was growing up, her Dad was sure to instill the lessons of labor and the “you can do-it-yourself” mentality. She is now taking the lessons she learned from her Dad and teaching others the valuable knowledge that she has used herself throughout her life. As a 2015 Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year Nominee, she has taken her idea into the community to empower women (and men) to be self-sufficient in home maintenance and car care.

While attending the 2015 Woman’s Startup Weekend in April, McKinnon was encouraged to pitch a business idea in front of a group of other eager entrepreneurs. The proposal caught the attention of the other attendees and she was given the opportunity to form a team during the three-day retreat to get the business started. There, with six other team members, the idea for Misfix came to life with a logo, website, social media presence and the first event plan. The debut event, held in June, featured a hands-on class led by Marisa Solberg, long-time Lowe’s employee and long-time friend of McKinnon. A group of 15 women were taught a skill that is all too commonly needed: how to patch a hole in a sheetrocked wall. The event was sponsored by Heritage Homes and held at Eco Chic Boutique in Fargo, ND with food and drinks catered by Shotgun Sally’s.

The tagline for Misfix is “Tools for Empowerment” with a mission of providing women and men who attend workshops the necessary tools and skills for home and car repair and maintenance. McKinnon said the future goals of Misfix include offering workshops on other types of useful skills along with having a resourceful website and mobile application to host videos, how-to guides and event informa - tion. While the idea for Misfix came about rather quickly, McKinnon said the concept incorporates the values she carries with each of her business endeavors: “to be a learner, a giver, and a funhaver.”

She started her marketing business MSPIRE, three years ago, is involved in the network marketing company It Works Global, and is excited to add this to her list of entrepreneurial endeavors.

As the Misfix start-up business progresses, McKinnon looks forward to creating a space in which guests can feel knowledgeable and empowered, all while having fun, learning something new and socializing.

For more information visit www.misfix.co or find Misfix on Facebook. [AWM]