January-February 2021 by Connect Business Magazine

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CONTENTS

January | February 2021

8 COVER INTERVIEW

COMPANY PROFILE

Heather Braimbridge-Cox

Moody Bees Honey

Nicollet Veterinary Clinic

FEATURES

HOT STARTZ!

DEPARTMENTS

Employee-Owned Windings 20

Leaderboard

Jen True, True Real Estate

Coming Soon!

Steve Kibble, Key City Development/Siesta Hills

21 To Look For in ‘21

Creating Buzz in Madelia NEW ULM

Sippet Coffee & Bagels

Veterinarian with Vision 24

NORTH MANKATO

J’s Sambusa WASECA

Trio Wine Cafe

Connecting Southern Minnesota Business People Since 1994

6 46

Editor’s Introduction Ask A Professional

Angie Ziegler, Eide Bailly: 10 Key Areas to Focus On for a Strong Start to 2021

Connect Business Magazine www.ConnectBiz.com

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

CIRCULATION

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Editor: Lisa Cownie

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January | February 2021

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Information: connectbiz.com/advertising ABOUT CONNECT Locally owned Connect Business Magazine has ‘connected’ southern Minnesota businesses since 1994 through features, interviews, news and advertising. Connect Business Magazine is a publication of Concept & Design Incorporated, a graphic design firm offering print design, brand design, illustration and photography. Learn more at conceptanddesign.com.

INTRODUCTION

Ring in the New Year with Optimism

Lisa Cownie EDITOR

Well, we made it through 2020. While the impact of all that happened during the year will certainly stay with us for years to come, there is one thing we know: with a new year comes new opportunities and hopefully a renewed optimism. I mean, so much is still out of our control so all we can do is mind how we handle everything. In an effort to bring some positivity into the new year, check out our section on “21 To Look For in ‘21.” It showcases businesses that are new or plan to grow in 2021. You’ll find these sprinkled all throughout the region we cover. Talk about optimists! All those featured in the pages of this issue have one thing in common: optimism and vision for a better future. I’m so thankful they chose to share their stories with Connect Business Magazine. I hope you read them and find your own reasons to be hopeful in the new year. Happy reading and, hopefully, learning,

Lisa Cownie

January | February 2021

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Windings Nurtures a Culture of High Involvement and Pride of Ownership These days Heather Braimbridge-Cox is steadfastly intertwined in the New Ulm community she now calls home. She embraces its German culture and traditions, all the while staying true to her own roots. Yes, Braimbridge-Cox is a long way from where she grew up, but lessons learned early in life have taught her to adapt wherever she lands. “I grew up in Kingston, Jamaica, and I was the first of four children. I am the proud Heather Braimbridge-Cox offspring of a Caribbean nation whose motto is ‘Out Of Many, One People,’” she says. “There were many racial and ethnic groups in our society. I remember learning that our diversity made us one people and was our greatest strength. We may look African, European, Chinese, Indian, Jewish, Syrian, but make no mistake - we are Jamaicans with a tenacious pride and irrepressible spirit that distinguishes us wherever we go in this world.” Her journey has indeed led her everywhere and she has had the opportunity to fulfill many different roles. She has more than 20 years of senior leadership experience cutting across various specialty industries, including operations in the Caribbean, Canada and the United States. She sees similar values with her home now, southern Minnesota, and her island home from long ago. Continues

January | February 2021

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Heather Braimbridge-Cox

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“We did not live a pampered life; our parents had a myriad of dreams and expectations for us that could only be derived from hard work, a good education and great sense of purpose. We place priority on family and education, much like they do here.” With a smile, she admits there are some differences: “We celebrated everything with food and reggae music! (as opposed to polka)!” Culture is so important to Braimbridge-Cox in her professional life, as well. She is president and CEO of Windings Inc., where the culture is very much decidedly an “intrapreneurship,” as Braimbridge-Cox likes to call it. It’s a culture she is building based on Windings being an employee-owned operation (ESOP). She believes ESOPs foster “intrapreneurship,” which means thinking like an entrepreneur but inside a well-established company. Braimbridge-Cox likes the ESOP model because she says it makes her job easier. The employee-owners have the authority and the motivation to make decisions that are best for the company. In an ESOP, she says, it’s not just working for one, it’s working for all. “I would start with the ‘who we are’ before talking about ‘what we do’,” says Braimbridge-Cox. “Windings is 100 percent employee owned, so we work for each other. This is a simple yet powerful way to view who we work ‘with’ and ‘for.’ We do business, purposefully and consciously. We have a high involvement culture where we rely on our employees to come up with a steady flow of new ideas, take initiative, and make on-thespot decisions that are right for the customer and the company. In addition, we work hard to live up to our core values. We commit to and speak openly about our values. We are co-owners who recognize how our specific roles contributes to our overall success.” It’s that pride of ownership that has helped Windings in unique ways. For instance, because employees have a vested interest in the success of the company they look for every opportunity to cut waste. An important stat when you consider the industry Windings serves. Now, let’s talk about what they actually do at Windings. Windings is a local custom manufacturer of components for electric motors and generators. Braimbridge-Cox explains, “We build

Windings | New Ulm prototypes or low volume, high precision products for a variety of systems. Simply put, we facilitate the increasing trend towards electrification by providing custom solutions for our customersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; most challenging systems.â&#x20AC;? In this interview, Braimbridge-Cox walks us down the path that brought her to New Ulm and the path ahead for the innovative company that is so happy to call New Ulm home: a home that is growing in the city as Windings is consolidating its whole operation under one roof. It recently acquired the former Elkay Manufacturing building in the New Ulm Industrial Park. The move helps them look to the future as the complex gives them room to grow. Your personal history is so interesting! Please tell me about your background and your path to CEO of Windings. I attended an all-girls high school in Jamaica and by the 10th grade I had to decide on my choice of career and select areas of study towards those goals. I remember being forced to take sciences, biology and advanced math classes because my teachers decided that I should be a doctor someday. And to get into a pre-med program in college you had to rate really high in science and mathematics. I hated the idea of becoming a doctor and wanted to pursue accounting and business. Long story short, I ended up on both the science and business tracks. That meant I was doing more than the average student. Thankfully, I aced my final Cambridge (ordinary and advanced levels) and the Caribbean examinations. I did my undergrad studies in accounting and finance and later completed an MBA with an emphasis in international finance at Oxford Brookes University in the UK. I am also a chartered certified accountant (CA) and was admitted as a fellow chartered certified accountant (FCCA) more than 12 years ago. I had a successful career in the Caribbean before migrating to United States 22 years ago. I became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2008. I lived in the southern United States for more than 15 years and there I held leadership roles as chief financial officer (CFO), chief operating officer (COO) and President in private companies in Georgia and Alabama. In late 2015 I was offered the position of CFO at Windings, Inc. This was my first

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Heather Braimbridge-Cox experience with an employee-owned company, but I made the connection rather quickly and felt this, a welcomed change. The culture of employee ownership was quite appealing to me, especially after spending most of my career in the private equity environment where if I did a good job, I was rewarded with starting over every three to four years in a newly acquired company. In that PE space my job was basically to “right the ship,” pay off debt, meet the financial covenants, increase the earnings and position the company for sale in under five years. With this CFO opportunity at Windings, I could leverage my background and business experience to deliver growth over time and by so doing create a financial security for all our employeeowners. In every other ownership model, the wealth generated goes to a select group – owners and shareholders. In an ESOP everyone benefits; I feel this is the embodiment of the American Dream. I was so impressed with the ESOP model that I moved to Minnesota in December 2015, in the middle of winter—far from all our relatives and friends. At that time no one, absolutely no one, told me that Minnesota regularly experiences six months of winter…I am still suffering from environmental shock (smile).

“Another life lesson from my mother was to ‘never settle’. This isn’t about being a perfectionist. It’s about setting a high standard that you uphold without compromise. I’ve always felt that this approach would take me to extraordinary places. Windings is one of those places.” Six months into my role as CFO, the board of directors asked me to take the reigns as the interim CEO, as they launched a search for a new CEO. I was happy to do it and had a lot fun building and working with our team. In November 2016 I was made the CEO. The transition was quick and there was no time to relax. I’ve always been a go-getter with high ambitions. My mother always said it’s important for you to remember just who you are, whose you are and where you are from. This viewpoint freed me up to be my whole self, both in a spiritual sense and to chart my own course. It was a good reminder to not lose myself and to always remember where I am from. Another life lesson from my mother was to ‘never settle’. This isn’t about being a perfectionist. It’s about setting a high standard that you uphold without compromise. I’ve always felt that this approach would take me to extraordinary places. Windings is one of those places. Sometimes I look at this small engineering solutions company and I am blown away by how big and important our customers’ challenges can be – but it is so much fun! Today, Windings is considered a leader in its field, but really it comes from humble beginnings. Windings, Inc. was established in New Ulm in September 1965 by J.W. McKinney to satisfy unmet local demand for synchro motors to drive flap actuators used on commercial airplanes. Its origin can 12

January | February 2021

Windings | New Ulm be traced back to the 1950s when J.W. McKinney worked for the Oster Company from Racine, Wisconsin. McKinney was sent to New Ulm to start a manufacturing operation for the Oster Company. He hired and trained about 50 workers to assemble stator and rotors for avionic instrument applications. When Oster decided to move manufacturing from New Ulm to Florida in the 1960s, McKinney chose to stay in New Ulm. In 1965 he founded Windings in a small Quonset building ‘down by the coal pile’ with his wife, Shirley McKinney, and hired many of the skilled employees he trained for Oster, as they had the basic skills necessary to assemble fine magnet wire that could be applied to much broader motor and generator applications. Initially Windings made synchros and resolvers for aviation-based navigational instruments. Under McKinney’s leadership and direction, the company grew and prospered, with engineering solutions for additional critical applications within the aerospace industry, including fuel pump motors and onboard generators. At least one component made by Windings was on a space mission during the late 1960s. Five decades later Windings still manufactures components for space exploration. Our little organization has an impact on some very important and critical things that happen in our world. Upon McKinney’s retirement in 1983 the company was sold to Roger Ryberg, who at the time was an industrial engineer working for the 3M Company. Both Roger and his wife, Carol, managed the company. Windings began diversifying and by the mid-'90s, had expanded into adjacent industries such as medical devices (micro-motors for hand-held surgical tools) and oil and gas (downhole tooling motors designed to handle extreme heat and pressure). Additional expansion into factory automation occurred in 1998 with the acquisition of a family of low inertia brushed DC slot-less motors used primarily for chip placement in the semi-conductor industry, and into automotive in the early 2000s when the company landed several major contracts with key global automotive manufacturers to develop motor and generator designs for the emerging hybrid electric vehicle market. After about 15 years of successful growth and the Rybergs approaching retirement, they decided to sell the company to the employees in 1998.

Culture of Community Service Heather Braimbridge-Cox also brought her culture of community service with her to New Ulm. She has a strong commitment to giving back to the community. She has served on community councils, local school boards, and community action groups. Braimbridge-Cox also serves on the board of the New Ulm Chamber of Commerce. To stay up to date in her industry, she is very active on several business industry committees in southern Minnesota.

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Heather Braimbridge-Cox Being an ESOP is a point of pride for Windings, isn’t it? This is truly the best part of our story. As Roger and Carol Ryberg approached retirement in 1998, they felt very strongly that the company should continue to grow its presence in New Ulm, so they formed an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) and sold the company to his employees rather than sell to another business and risk a shutdown and relocation of the business elsewhere. The Rybergs wanted to keep the company in New Ulm and assure continued employment for those folks who helped them achieve their own wealth. It took 10 years to transition the ownership to the ESOP and by 2008 it was 100 percent employee owned. What a great legacy! The Rybergs wanted to offer the employees an opportunity to earn exceptional retirement benefits with no monetary cost to them by allowing them to personally benefit from the successful operation of the enterprise, as owners. Research has shown that ESOPs are more productive, faster growing, more profitable and have lower turnover. It is also an effective recruiting tool and enhances our ability to attract top talent. Employee ownership has supercharged our business in unique ways. For example, at Windings everyone is looking for ways to continuously improve and for opportunities to cut waste and reduce rejects. There are several improvement initiatives that originated with our employees and we have gleaned tremendous savings from those ideas.

Yes, in researching for this article I read somewhere that you have seen your total cost of reject and rework go from 11% to 4.5% of total product cost in the last two years. That is just phenomenal success. By giving employees a stake in the company, they become business owners and they have greater motivation to help the company succeed. They own the final results of the company, they are highly engaged, they are more responsible, and they will frequently make the right call for the business. Ongoing communications encourage our employees to think and act like owners so we can generate all these benefits. It’s not just working for one, it’s working for ALL of us; is there a better story? We find that employee ownership is a win-win between customers, our employees and our company. How many employees do you have now? Windings currently employs 130 across the country: 118 at our facility in New Ulm plus an additional nine in our sales and technology center located in Eden Prairie, Minnesota and two working in Texas and California. Twenty-five percent of our employees are baby boomers looking to retire soon, and we have an equal amount of Generation X and millennials, which is great for a collaborative environment. How has your industry changed over the years? Since its beginning in 1965, Windings was focused in aerospace

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Windings | New Ulm and defense. Beginning in the mid-'90s the company expanded into adjacent industries, including medical devices and oil and gas, to offset the cyclical nature of the markets. In the late-90's the company further expanded into factory automation and automotive industries to accelerate further growth. Perhaps the biggest change at Windings occurred in 1998 with the decision of then-owner Roger Ryberg to retire and sell Windings to his employees in the form of an ESOP. The higher sense of responsibility that comes with employee ownership has made Windings even more responsive to customer needs and continues to foster innovation along with a desire to bring ever-increasing value. In New Ulm, we specialize in prototyping, pilot production and low rate initial production (LRIP). As production quantities increase, Windings has the ability to transition production to Mexico. A significant milestone was achieved when Windings obtained the prestigious quality management system (QMS) certifications, including ISO9001:2015/AS9100-D, ITAR Registration, RoHS 2002/95/EC and NADCAP Accreditation. We maintain the highest standards in concept development, engineering, materials management and part production. Another game changer came in 2018 when Windings formulated a five-year plan to double our size. Out of that planning, we launched formal marketing strategies, and opened up a sales and technology center in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. We now have an office close

to the Twin Cities where we can tap the talent pool. Since then, we have doubled the size of our sales force, formalized our marketing strategy, revamped our website, and expanded our team of engineers. What are the markets you serve? As you have gathered by now, we operate in a real niche area. We avoid competing in large quantity (commodity) contracts that require high automation. Windings has developed a competency and business model around engineering electromagnetic solutions for critical applications. Consequently, our focus is on industries where performance and size matter, and where environmental hazards present a significant design engineering challenge. We serve customers who are inventing new and critical applications. From submersible motors for subsea operation and extreme temperature and pressure motors for downhole drilling, to high speed motors used in Formula 1 racing, to electric turbochargers and antenna deployment motors on space satellites. Our markets range from outer space exploration to building commercial and military planes, from surgical tools and robots to defense systems and electric hybrid vehicles. And more recently exploring alternate energy systems (wind power) and energy storage. Many of our components are unique to the world and our engineers enjoy partnering with customers to find solutions to difficult or seeminglyAn impossible exciting andelectric fulfillingmotor lifestyleapplications. awaits at Siesta Hills. Amazing lots and home plans to match are available now.

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Heather Braimbridge-Cox What has been the key to Windings’ longevity and growth? Windings’ internal motto is “We do the tough stuff.” Our 50-plus years of successfully solving challenging applications in extreme environments allows us to compete and win in our chosen industries with relatively little direct competition. Our longevity and growth is a direct result of our talented and highly skilled workforce. Our experienced workforce, of mostly engineers and technicians, have more than a few centuries of manufacturing experience among them. At Windings you won’t see lots of machinery or what appears to be high-tech processes. Much of the technology is heavily reliant on the talents of the people doing the work. It’s hard to do this insertion and the skills take time to develop. Being an ESOP has certain advantages including allowing the company the ability to finance its capital projects and equipment internally. We have invested in our future by expanding and developing our work force and staying ahead of technology. Speaking of growth, how has the company grown? Since becoming an ESOP we have seen our enterprise value grow at a compound average growth rate (CAGR) of 10% per year. Our pathway to growth is to move up the value chain and getting involved in assemblies and providing engineering services, both design assistance and reverse engineering. We help our customers grow and prosper by partnering with them to solve seemingly impossible electro-magnetic challenges and

by delivering solutions that provide the quality, reliability and performance that they require. To accommodate the company’s continued growth, the New Ulm facility was enlarged and upgraded for added operations in 1989, 1991, 2005 and 2014. By 2016, the company was operating out of three aging facilities all within 4 miles of each other. As you can imagine, this was a strain on our employees who had to travel between buildings several times during the day and an added level of complexity to an already multipart manufacturing process. We continued to grow and by 2018 something had to be done about the aging buildings. That is when Windings purchased an existing property on 15 acres in New Ulm, and with some renovations to the existing structure and a 10,000-square-foot addition, we now have a 75,000-square-foot headquarters that can scale and support our long-term growth plans. There is adequate production space, a clean room, training and an engineering lab. In October 2019, Windings began the phased consolidation of all its operations into its new headquarters on Somsen Street in New Ulm. What is the biggest challenge facing Windings right now? Like most businesses around the world, the single, greatest challenge facing Windings in 2020, perhaps ever, has been keeping employees safe and maintaining productivity in the face of a global pandemic. How do we sustain production in the long term within this constrained and uncertain environment? We’ve had to adapt and improvise in

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Windings | New Ulm

“While a rural location such as New Ulm can present challenges, such as attracting workers with certain specialized skill sets necessary to run our business, we find tremendous loyalty, strong work ethic and overall level of commitment among our fellow employee-owners.” ways we’ve never considered before, from implementing social distancing, masking and temperature monitoring, to virtual meetings and working remotely; COVID-19 has forced manufacturers like Windings to rethink how work can be accomplished. We are experiencing a decline in our revenues this year from all the COVID-induced disruptions in aviation. More than a third of our business comes from commercial aerospace. As the pandemic wreaks havoc on the globe, many of the commercial aviation companies are feeling the impact as passengers stop traveling and there is delayed delivery of new aircrafts. Over 70 percent of global aviation is grounded. There is less maintenance required so the demand for spare parts has also declined. This has a rippling effect across the aerospace supply chain. The industry may take several years to recover. We look forward to new opportunities when the business returns. Until then, Windings has had to pivot, innovate and look to other industries that are having a surge right now. As if that weren’t enough, Windings is in the final stages of completing the consolidation of our New Ulm manufacturing operations

into a single, newly renovated facility. We are very proud of our new home and while the consolidation will deliver significant efficiencies for the business and facilitate future growth and expansion, the move added an extra layer of complexity to managing the disruption caused by the pandemic. However, we are resilient people and in the last week we completed the final phases of the move and we are now in one location. Are you hiring and what do you see as your needs in the future? Windings is always on the lookout for strong talent. Over the last two years alone we have expanded our workforce from 95 to 130 employees to keep up with current demand and with an eye on continued growth. We are actively hiring assemblers to increase our production capacity and to get ready for the 2021 demand. How do you like being headquartered in New Ulm? Why? We are really delighted of to be a part of the New Ulm economy.

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Heather Braimbridge-Cox

The new Windings, Inc. facility in New Ulm.

January | February 2021

Windings | New Ulm Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve often described this town as steeped in tradition but tempered with charm. I must admit that when I first moved here, I was petrified. I did not know how I would be received. I am happy to report that New Ulm embraced me. While a rural location such as New Ulm can present challenges, such as attracting workers with certain specialized skill sets necessary to run our business, we find tremendous loyalty, strong work ethic and overall level of commitment among our fellow employee-owners. Notice the range of skills, education, the experience that are needed to make a company successful, these are excellent jobs to be had in a small town like New Ulm. We are dedicated to helping our community prosper and find that even a relatively small company like Windings can have a significant positive impact on those around us.

other organizations convert to more sustainable energy sources. I am very passionate about ending hunger and so proud to be a member of the board of Second Harvest Heartland. Second Harvest is a food bank in Minnesota. This organization with its agency partners, delivered more than 113 million pounds of food and 97 million meals throughout the state in the last year. More than 60% of the food is fresh fruits and vegetables. While the economy continues to improve there are many Minnesotans who are still struggling to make ends meet, and hunger continues to be a prevalent and pervasive issue in our area. Our family is strictly vegan, and we love cooking those special dishes that are more suitable to our diet, especially now that we are not able to eat out. We love taking road trips and exploring the outdoors. Redva and I are on a quest to visit all the national parks in Minnesota, as well as North and South Dakota. We are making good progress.

Tell me a little bit about yourself outside of work? Hobbies, etc. I love spending time with the family. My husband, Redva, has a successful career in the home improvement industry. My son, Ryan, is in law school and son, Nicholas, is in med school in New York. We also have an adorable 5-year-old granddaughter. Both my husband and I are people of faith and so we spend a lot of time volunteering in the community and at our church. When I am asked to get involved, I usually do. I am about to finish up a term on the New Ulm Chamber board and recently joined the board of Ever-Green Energy in St Paul. Ever-Green helps municipalities, and

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Leaderboard

Jen True Owner/Broker of True Real Estate Leadership: its meaning, its importance, its role in our lives, has been front and center in the past year. There are differing styles of leadership but the meaning of the word doesn’t waiver. It is defined as guiding or showing the way; commanding, controlling; a leader is someone in authority. We recognize there is more than one way to lead. We also know we have some awesome leaders in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa. We’ll use this section to introduce you to some of them, and perhaps you can learn from their leadership style. Jen True, owner/broker of True Real Estate, kicks off this 2021 series. As a region, we have all had a front row seat in watching her leadership. First opening her own office on Jan. 4, 2016 in Mankato, then growing the number of agents under her and the number of offices. While the main office remains in 20

January | February 2021

Mankato, located in the Historic Depot on Riverfront Drive, True Real Estate also has satellite offices in St. Peter, Henderson, Lake Crystal, and Arlington. How would you describe your leadership style? I would say my style is that of a coaching style, and I also take on a collaborative and democratic approach. I was an independent contractor for four different franchises before I opened True and I learned early on the importance of working together. The administrative staff is at the core of the organization and it starts with the coaching and training of the administrative staff first. The admin needs to understand the mind of the real estate agent and how agents work. Real estate agents are running everywhere all day and they need exceptional support. I also learned that our industry is highly competitive and I coach the agents on how to go and get their business, as well as the importance of competing with yourself and

making yourself a better version than you were the year before, or even the day before. Always be aware of your surroundings and what is happening in the industry, but keep your goals and your eyes on yourself and mind your own bobber. Are there others in our community that are your “Leadership” role models? And why? Actually, no. I stumbled into being an owner/broker without a plan and I’ve created my own avenue to lead. For the past 10 years, I’ve put a strong focus on being a student of personal and self-development and that has helped me be a better leader. I believe in sharing information and teaching my agents and staff everything I know about the industry. Transparency is key! What has been key to your growth and success? Our motto is growth and never-ending improvement. I believe you can only go two directions in life: up/down or forward/

Lisa Cownie EDITOR

back. Year one, we could have grown but I chose not to. I wanted to create a strong foundation, and at the time I had to instill the importance of growth within our small team. Growth isn’t for everyone because it propels you out of your comfort zone. I am more comfortable being a little uncomfortable, taking risks, and living in a world of uncertainty at times. It keeps me grounded and humble. How do you try to instill leadership in others? I believe everyone is a leader in their own way and I encourage every team member to let their leadership skills shine. Grow within yourself and create healthy habits in personal life, that flow into your professional life. Also, just be honest and choose the next right thing. I tell my agents where I came from, how I got started, and how many times I wanted to quit. I tell them anything is possible if you dream big and work hard. After a while, you will figure out how to work smart. If you keep taking steps each day in a forward direction and make positive choices you can do and have anything you want. It’s about keeping your mind, your thoughts, on the target of positivity. I don’t believe in holding people back and I encourage every agent to grow so big that they need to hire their own administrator. I want them to grow so big that they need to bring on a buyer agent. I encourage them to keep growing until they bring on more and if they get so big they feel like starting their own company, as I did, I know that I had a part in that. THE ESSENTIALS

True Real Estate 112 South Riverfront Drive, Suite 122 Mankato, MN 56001 Phone: (507) 345-8783 (Mankato) (507) 934-8783 (St. Peter) Web: truerealestatemn.com CONNECT Business Magazine

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Print Publishing in a Virtual World For over 25 years, Capstone has maintained a reputation as the most trusted publisher of children’s books for libraries, classrooms, and consumers. Since publishing their first books in 1991, the company has enjoyed a great deal of success in the print publishing space. While print media continues to play an integral role in their company culture and product line, like many industries, market trends continue to steer toward a need for a digital product. The mission behind Capstone is grounded in providing tools and resources that assist in developing a child’s love for reading and learning, no matter their ability level. To continue driving this mission forward, Capstone has leaned into the development of technology and tools to aid in the future classroom learning experience, working to serve a wide variety of students. Capstone is not new to the virtual learning space. In 2009, the publisher

launched several interactive, online media versions of their print materials, including their most popular virtual learning tool, PebbleGo. Serving as a database system of all Capstone products, PebbleGo has assisted students in virtual learning by providing a safe learning environment with reading level specific content. Students can search a specific topic, and find relevant information based on their unique reading needs. Earlier this year, Capstone launched their latest virtual platform, Capstone Connect. As another innovative tool in the education technology space, Capstone Connect aligns Capstone’s content with curriculum standards, making digital content easily accessible to teachers navigating the virtual learning environment. These tools have been especially beneficial in light of the COVID19 pandemic, as many K-12 schools have made the switch to online learning. In June of 2020, Capstone was awarded a Minnesota Job Skills Partnership (MJSP) grant by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) and in partnership with Minnesota State University, Mankato. The grant was developed with the intent of supporting Capstone’s goal of establishing a strong digital presence in the education space. The partnership between Capstone and the university has provided access to Minnesota State,

LEARN MORE: https://link.mnsu.edu/maverickacademy

Mankato faculty expertise and, specifically, customized training curriculum development by the Organizational Effectiveness Research Group (OERG). OERG offers a vast majority of customized management consulting services and is housed within the University’s nationally recognized industrial/organizational psychology graduate program. In October 2020, Capstone, OERG and MNSU hosted a Digital Culture Seminar, where four speakers from organizations with highly innovative digital cultures like Google, Core Digital Media, Insperience, and the U.S. Department of Commerce, discussed best practices for transitioning and embracing corporate culture in a digital age. Additional customized training topics to be covered in the grant include change management, digital culture, leadership development, diversity, and cybersecurity. Capstone has approached the grant project with the awareness that, to continue to expand into the digital space, all departments (not just content development, editing, or design) must go through a digital culture transformation. “There’s a need to really look at efficiencies and how we can really be an ed tech business first and foremost”, Amy Schmidt, Human Resources Director at Capstone, shared. “That takes all of us looking at our current processes and skillsets- training and leveling up.” There is no doubt that as we approach a post-pandemic world, there will continue to be an increasing demand for virtual learning tools for students at all levels. As individuals and organizations in all industries are launched into a digital world, continuous upskilling is necessary to continue to meet consumer demand. If you are interested in learning more about customized training opportunities offered through Minnesota State University, Mankato and the Center for Workforce Professional Education, please reach out to Tammy Bohlke, Director of Workforce Development at the Strategic Partnership Center, 424 North Riverfront Drive, Mankato; tammy.bohlke@mnsu.edu; or (507) 389-2572.

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DEVELOPING LEADERS | MEETING INDUSTRY NEEDS

TO SIGN UP, OR FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://link.mnsu.edu/courses-and-programs Sessions are offered in virtual and in-person settings. Please visit our registration site for details on a specific program. 424 North Riverfront Drive, Mankato, MN Phone: 507-389-1094

HOT STARTZ! NEW ULM

Sippet Coffee & Bagels

Catch the Hometown Business Connection on KEYC News 12! KEYC News 12 and Connect Business Magazine bring you the stories of area local businesses and how they impact Southern Minnesota.

Forging partnerships with other local businesses has been a cornerstone to success for New Ulm’s new drive-thru coffee shop, Sippet Coffee & Bagels, which opened in 2019. “Supporting local is what we strive to do,” says owner Aron Bode. “Even our coffee beans are sourced from our neighbors. We are serving Colectivo Coffee from Wisconsin. We use the most local ingredients whenever possible, from honey and maple syrup to milk and eggs. Our New York-style bagels are shipped straight from Long Island, New York. We also have an ever-growing food menu that changes weekly. We use as much local produce as we can and have partnered with many local farms.”

• First Wednesday of the month on KEYC News 12 at 6 • Repeats Thursday on KEYC News 12 Midday • See all previous episodes on keyc.com

“Sippet is a local drive-thru coffee shop,” he says. “New Ulm did not have a drive-thru coffee shop yet, so my brother, Eric, and I talked about it for a couple years. Eventually he found the property and Sippet was born!” He says while the pandemic has been challenging, business is good. “We are on the same playing field as everyone right now while trying to operate a business in a pandemic. So we are just doing the best we can.” Bode says the new year brings with it opportunities to try new things. “Our goals for 2021 are to just keep moving forward. We also want to keep expanding our food menu and trying new things that we have not done,” he says. “Our coffee and bagels will always be here but it is just too much fun to keep trying new stuff!” Sippet is based on the premise that a great coffee experience combines the best local flavors and the convenience of not having to leave your car. Their New York-style bagels are handcrafted, baked in-house each morning and feature house-made flavored cream cheese. Sippet Coffee & Bagels 701 North German Street Phone: (507) 354-7477 Facebook: Sippet Coffee & Bagels 24

January | February 2021

To be considered for Hot Startz, tell us about a new business or new professional in the area by emailing editor@connectbiz.com.

NORTH MANKATO

J’s Sambusa Several different restaurant/bar-type businesses have tried to make a go at the corner of Belgrade and Center streets in North Mankato. The latest one, though, hopes to find success by reflecting the neighborhood around it and the growing Somali population in North Mankato, while at the same time introducing new flavors to a well-established neighborhood. J’s Sambusa opened in July 2020 at 503 Belgrade Ave. Its owner, Nasra Ibrahim, based the restaurant on a simple premise: Somali food is a beautiful marriage of natural flavors and subtle spices that are sure to tantalize your taste buds. “J’s Sambusa is Somali food,” explains Ibrahim. “But our food also has a little taste of Italian since Somalia was colonized by Italy. It also has some African influence on the taste.” The Sambusa is the restaurant’s most popular food. A Sambusa is a fried or baked pastry with a savory filling. Besides the Sambusa, Ibrahim says people also love other menu offerings such as rice with goat, chicken/beef suqar and more. The “J” in the name stands for Jamila, which is the owner’s nickname. It’s a nickname she brought with her when she emigrated to the United States from Somalia in 1994. She also brought with her the dream of opening her own restaurant one day, a dream she got from her brother who owned a restaurant in Mogadishu. Her eventual goal is to extend the menu and serve more people, although she recognizes there are challenges that must be overcome. “Things are going OK for us here,” says Ibrahim. “Although we have this pandemic, it would have been better if COVID did not exist.” J’s Sambusa 503 Belgrade Avenue Phone: (507) 720-6333 Website: jssambusa.com

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HOT STARTZ! WASECA

New entrepreuers, Jeremy and Carrie Sharp, did a major pivot in 2020. “Formerly known as Trio Coffee, Wine & Ale House, we decided to rebrand and change our name now to Trio Wine Café. We used the closure due to COVID as an opportunity to look at our original business model and decided to try and bring it back to our original plan. For us, this meant making a lot of decisions that would really be a huge change for our customers. The largest shift has been in our hours of operation. Formerly we were open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and this model just didn’t work with our wine café model and it was very food-based. While we were very popular at lunch and fairly decent traffic for breakfast, our focus was not on our drinks and definitely not on wine. When we reopened and in pairing with the rebrand and name change, we changed our hours to Wednesday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday breakfast and lunch were attempted for a couple months but Waseca has so many great breakfast options in town that we decided to give that up after much consideration,” explains Carrie Sharp. It’s a pivot that is working out for the couple. “Honestly, it took a bit of time for the changes to catch on but gradually, we’re seeing a lot of our customers returning and enjoying our new hours and the changes. What’s been truly amazing is seeing new customers coming from Owatonna, Mankato and some of our other area communities! It’s so cool to have people drive to see us because they heard about us and want to check us out. Truly the changes have allowed us to bring our focus in on wine and creating an atmosphere where people want to come in and relax and just enjoy each other’s company. With the focus on wine, we’ve added in craft cocktails and a really fun martini menu and most recently

PHOTO: SUBMITTED

Trio Wine Cafe

we’re working on our bourbon selection,” says Sharp. While shortening hours, the duo expanded their space. “The lower level of the State & Elm Building has been named the Arlington Club. Once we bought the building and learned about the history of the basement, the name just fit and we’d been waiting two years to finally be able to expand into the space. It worked out perfectly to initially use it for overflow seating and allows us to continue on with the same number of customers but really works for social distancing since we are at 50% capacity and the basement is roughly the same square footage as the main level. We’re working hard at creating a very quiet and intimate atmosphere in the Arlington Room and expanding our soft seating options. Right now, the fireplace seating area is a huge favorite and with the shift in the weather, we see that continuing,” she says. Trio Wine Cafe 100 North State Street, Suite 101 Phone: (507) 835-9186 Web: triowaseca.com Facebook: Trio Wine Cafe

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January | February 2021

FEATURE: Coming Soon!

Coming Soon: New Developer with New Concept In this new Coming Soon! section, we’ll preview projects set to come to fruition in our region in the coming year. We begin with Siesta Hills, which is not only a new development, but a whole new career and life plan for a well-known southern Minnesota businessman: Steve Kibble. “I’ve always had the idea in my mind,” explains Kibble. “I’ve thought about doing a development on our property, on some farmland we own south of town.” After being a part of the farm machinery/ John Deere franchise his entire career, Kibble found himself in a position to make a change; he and his wife were empty nesters and felt the time was right to take the leap. “So last January (2020) I sold out of my ownership in the Kibble Equipment John Deere business and got my Realtor’s license. I started working with ISG on this vision I’ve had for quite a few years. I just finally went for it. “Our whole concept started truly just as a little seed. My wife and I have a place

in Florida, so driving around we would see communities there and we liked the amenities. The communities would have a clubhouse, a pool, tennis and pickleball courts and we just thought it would be neat to have something like that in southern Minnesota.” But Kibble’s entire career had been wrapped in the Kibble Equipment chain of stores, so developing would be a whole new row to hoe. “Well, I was looking for something different and that’s what I got! But I have learned a lot and I have a lot of friends in the community that have given me advice. I’ve kind of taken a crash course in how to become a developer in the last year,” he says. Kibble is calling his new enterprise, Siesta Hills. He says it is southern Minnesota’s first adult lifestyle community, structured around maintenance-free living with an emphasis on fitness and activity. The 85acre site is located just south of Mankato off Highway 22 and will consist of a variety

Lisa Cownie EDITOR

of townhouse living options, as well as options for purchasing and building patio or walkout homes on choice lots. “Our focal point on this whole development or community is having a clubhouse with all the amenities that people would like. We’ll have indoor/outdoor pools, a fitness center, indoor/outdoor social areas, large gourmet kitchen area and lots of paved trails for walking. Those are our main selling points on this project.” On the outskirts of town, the community will have a country feel, with all the city has to offer just a few minutes away. The response so far, shows there was a strong desire for something like this in southern Minnesota. “So we are in phase one,” says Kibble. CONNECT Business Magazine

FEATURE: Coming Soon! “Phase one has five quad-plexes and then there are 50 lots, mostly patio home lots, for sale. Our goal in the first year was to sell 10 to 12 lots. Well, we are now ending our first year and we’ve sold close to 22 lots so far. So it’s exceeded our expectations to begin with and I am so very happy with it.” The “we” he refers to is the team around him. While Kibble is the major investor in Key City Development (KCD), Craig Theuninck, of Theuninck Construction in Kasota, is another Key City Development investor who brings many years of design and construction experience to the project. Kibble is the general contractor and developer, while Theuninck will lead many of the building projects in Siesta Hills and serve as a member of the building committee. Renderings of Siesta Hills' house plan options.

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January | February 2021

“It’s interesting because a lot of our friends are like us and in the empty nester category. I always hear them say their house is too big now and they want to downsize to maybe a patio home. So hearing all of that kind of helped push me along in getting this going.” Key City Development has commissioned ISG in Mankato to be the lead in development, design, environmental and infrastructure work for the entire scope of the project. ISG will be the lead designer of the Siesta Club (community clubhouse), along with many other outdoor amenities, including a man-made lake, walking paths and green spaces. Keeping things local is important to Kibble. “Being a business owner here my whole life I am all about using as many local people as I can with this development, from the architect to the designers to the builders to our suppliers, we are trying to keep it as local as possible.”

Kibble says there are some misconceptions about the development already, even though it is in the early stages. “First of all, it’s not considered a 55 and older community. We can’t market it that way because there are some federal guidelines and regulations you have to abide by if you advertise it as a 55 and over community. Our target audience is empty nesters, retirees, and professionals that might not want to worry about doing maintenance on their house. This is a maintenance-free community, meaning we take care of the lawn mowing, snow blowing and all that. So we are going after people that don’t want to deal with that anymore.

“It’s interesting because a lot of our friends are like us and in the empty nester category. I always hear them say their house is too big now and they want to downsize to maybe a patio home. So hearing all of that kind of helped push me along in getting this going.” Another misconception is how a homeowners association, or HOA, works. “Residents will pay an HOA fee,” explains Kibble. “That takes care of maintenance and clubhouse expenses. However, it really is minimal. There are rumors that it’s a high number, but really it’s not.” Weather permitting, Kibble hopes to be ready for curbs, gutters and blacktopping this spring, with building to begin in the May/June time frame. THE ESSENTIALS

Siesta Hills Phone: 507-720-6433 Website: SiestaHillsLiving.com

EIDE LIKE I’D L I K E T O P L A N A H E A D

ARE YOU READY TO START PLANNING YOUR RETIREMENT? It’s never too early nor too late to prepare for your retirement. Finding the right time to retire comes down to proper planning. At Eide Bailly, we help clients effectively manage their family’s unique financial situation. With our comprehensive financial planning approach, we can customize solutions and strategies to help you plan for the future. Our financial services combine the knowledge of a Certified Financial Planner with an experienced team of CPAs and business advisors to help you prepare for retirement, manage your taxes and plan your estate. Let us help you find the right time to retire!

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Ryan Spaude has more than 23 years of experience as a Certified Financial Planner and enjoys helping his clients create a plan for their future.

507.304.6926 | rspaude@eidebailly.com Financial Advisor offers Investment Advisory Services through Eide Bailly Advisors LLC, a Registered Investment Advisor. Securities offered through United Planners Financial Services, Member of FINRA and SIPC. Eide Bailly Financial Services, LLC is the holding company for Eide Bailly Advisors, LLC. Eide Bailly Financial Services and its subsidiaries are not affiliated with United Planners. CONNECT Business Magazine

January | February 2021

Jason Moody Turns His Passion for Pollination into a Business By Ashley Hanley Photo by Jonathan Smith

You could say Jason Moody is as busy as a bee. He works for Mankato Area Public Schools in the technology department (we could go on for pages about how he's needed now more than ever during distance learning). But his buzzing business over in Madelia brings sweetness and education for those in southern Minnesota and beyond. Moody is the owner, operator and handyman for Moody Bees Honey. "We moved to the farm I am at now in 2011. Shortly after moving here, we decided to start a hobby farm. We had all kinds of animals out here: chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, goats, pigs, and even a donkey," he says. It was then that Moody decided to venture off into a new sector: bees! "In 2014 we decided to add honey bees. I can't explain why the bees. It was one of those things where one thing leads to another and before we knew it Moody Bees Honey was here,” he says. “We started with four honey bee colonies on the farm site; by the end of that year we started Moody Bees Honey. We worked for Harris Honey Company for a few years while we were still growing our business. Harris taught us how to care for the bees. When he died, we bought his wife, Rose, out and took over Harris and Rose's bees,” explains Moody. “In 2016 we purchased and started the transition of Harris Honey Company to Moody Bees Honey." From there, the bees and hives grew exponentially. Continues

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January | February 2021

“Four hives went to 30 then 60, now I run just under 300 colonies.” It's a tough task for Minnesota weather, and a challenge for a new business owner. “We wintered the bees here in Minnesota but after many years of doing that and losing 70% to 80% of the bees every winter, we had to make some very hard decisions or we would no longer be in business.”

“In 2018, we decided to bring the bees south for the winter. Texas here I come. This was a major change for the business,” he explains. “This did add some expense to our business but losing the bees year after year was more expensive.” That’s when he decided to take his business on the road to protect the bees from the harsh Minnesota winters. “In 2018, we decided to bring the bees south for the winter. Texas here I come. This was a major change for the business,” he explains. “This did add some expense to our business, but losing the bees year after year was more expensive.” But he found a way to offset the costs of those winter trips: offering his bees to others for pollination services. “Actually, in mid-February, I travel down to Texas to get the bees ready to ship out to California, where the bees help pollinate the almond orchards. In March they are sent back to Texas, where I then travel down there to get them ready for their trip back up to Minnesota, where they produce the honey I sell. So the pollination and honey are the main sources of income,” says Moody. He returned from his annual Texas trip up late last fall where he drove through snow, ice and rain with a full truck and a camper, but the bees made it safely to Texas. The bees will return to the hobby farm in Madelia in the spring. However, like all business owners, some tough decisions had to be made if he wanted

Moody Bees Honey | Madelia to continue with his beloved passion. “We needed to make some very hard decisions. One extremely hard one was I needed to downsize the farm. This meant no more animals because traveling with the bees would take me away from the farm and I wouldn’t have time to care for the other animals. So now I have only bees on the farm. I didn’t have much of a choice if we wanted to keep Moody Bees Honey going. This was a hard choice but has saved the bees drastically. Now instead of the 70% to 80% loss, I am down to a 20% to 30% loss.” Over the years, Moody has turned his passion for bees into helping the environment, along with education for others. “After having the bees for a while we realized how important bees are and the major role they play in getting food to our tables. We wanted to help them, so I thought raising them and helping their habitat would be a rewarding job,” says Moody.

The locations of our fully staffed offices allow us to respond quickly and in person to help keep projects on schedule and on target. A look inside, Moody bees at work.

It's a job that kept him close to his roots. Moody grew up in Mankato, where he graduated from Mankato West High School. He then attended South Central College and earned his associate’s degree in computer networking. He currently works for the Mankato Area Public Schools in the tech department. With two busy jobs, Moody still finds time to enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. “I love to travel, especially to the mountains, where I love to hike and camp,” reflects Moody.

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Bolton-Menk.com CONNECT Business Magazine

Creating Buzz in Madelia

Go Deeper Into the Story Every episode we feature up to three diﬀerent local business owners and ask the tough questions about business and what makes them successful.

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“Pollinators play a massive role in this connected system. Some could argue they are one of the most important roles. Without the pollination of flowering plants, there would be no fruits or seeds, the fuel that drives this whole system.” Moody is a multitalented man who is helping to “connect” his passion with the community. “Our mission is to help honey bees and native pollinators by creating healthy habitats and strong pollinator health. We passionately raise bees to produce quality honey and beeswax products that are healthy for human consumers, bees and the environment. Furthermore, we are a local, family-owned business that inspires to support and educate the community about regeneration farming and living practices involving pollinators.” Those pollinators have found a place to thrive throughout the area despite the many challenges that can come in Minnesota’s ever-changing seasons. “We raise our bees in Langstroth hives located in prairies, forested areas, river bottoms and farms all around Blue Earth County in southern Minnesota. When picking 'bee yards' we try to avoid areas with heavy chemical exposure and pollution although it is tricky in southern Minnesota with all of the conventional agriculture. We do not use any antibiotics in the hives although we do currently use plant-based mite treatment in the hives, it is never applied during honey production. We are also experimenting with treatment-free

Honey Production is a Sweet Deal According to statistics from the USDA, honey production reports from 2019 show some positives and some negatives: Honey production in the United States was up 2% from the previous year, at 157 million pounds. Average yield per colony was 55.8 pounds. However, honey prices trended downward. According to the USDA, prices were down 11% from 2018, at $1.97 per pound compared to $2.21 the year before. Honey production is a $14 million business in Minnesota. The state has 119,000 honey production colonies.

January | February 2021

Moody Bees Honey | Madelia

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Look for the Moody brand at locations such as Hy-Vee in Mankato and St. Peter.

beekeeping in hopes of strengthening the health of our honey bees.” Another connection can be found through Moody’s care for the environment. “We are very passionate about pollinators of all types. We are also very passionate about the wild habitats pollinators thrive in. Our local ecosystems are extremely connected. Everybody from the microscopic creatures in the soil, to the plants, the insects, the birds, to the larger mammals. Even us, homo sapiens, are part of this connected system. It’s about time we start acting like it again. Pollinators play a massive role in this connected system. Some could argue they are one of the most important roles. Without the pollination of flowering plants, there would be no fruits or seeds, the fuel that drives this whole system.” A system that is also built on education and is connected to his day-to-day operations. “Education is very important to our business, because of the increasing loss of habitat and overuse of pesticides, impacting the alarming decline of honey bees and native pollinators. However, with community outreach and general education about pollinator friendly practices, we believe that can change.” A change that comes from a hobby farm nestled in southern Minnesota. And one final message from the busy bee man: “Plant pollinator friendly plants, don’t use pesticides, and of course, buy our honey. My business is small and without the help of family, it wouldn’t be where it is. And of course, all the people that buy from us!” You can buy Moody Bees Honey at either Hy-Vee location in Mankato or in St. Peter, plus various other locations in southern Minnesota.

For Small, Service-based Businesses Who Want to Build Long-term Relationships and Brand Loyalty With Their Customers

Julie Fredrickson, Executive Director 507 338 5373 call or text info@captiv8marketing.com captiv8marketing.com

Book a Free Consultation

THE ESSENTIALS Moody Bees Honey 18382 478th Lane Madelia, MN 56062 Phone: 507-469-4659 Web: moodybeeshoney.com CONNECT Business Magazine

FEATURE

Lisa Cownie EDITOR

We asked folks in our coverage area to share with us businesses they are excited about in 2021. Come, take this tour to see a few of the small businesses that are the backbone of our region and can be found in towns big and small. We present “21 To Look For In ‘21.” Tiller & Main A developer is renovating the former Valley Green Mall and the community hopes it will inject some growth in the community. 202 Valley Green Square Le Sueur, MN 56058 Building size: 56,000sf Property Type: Office

Highlights • Build-to-Suit • New Modern Facade/Construction • 900- to11,000-Square-Foot Suites for All Size Businesses • Residential Units on Second Floor • Amenities include large parking lot in back, walk-up suites for easy customer/visitor access, building signage and additional on-street parking off Main.

K & R Graphics

Treasures In Town

Kris Wilke

206 S Main St., Le Sueur 507-665-4923

Specializing in custom vehicle wraps, trailer wraps, decals, wall wraps, magnets, banners and more.

Bare Roots (a floral shop) Bare Roots is a one-woman show! Sophie Horkey started it three and half years ago and it grows each year. She creates one-of-a-kind, beautiful weddings and events that best reflect each individual's preferences! 1012 Silver St. E, Mapleton 507-626-1263

Fox’s Pizza Den 21 Center Ave. N, Madelia 507-642-3690

Sweet! Indeed

Davis Sales & Service

Bakery, coffeehouse, home decor and gift items. Free Wi-Fi, too!

34th St. NW, Madelia 507-642-3563

6 W Main St., Madelia 507-642-2253

Follia Automotive 155 Main St., Good Thunder 507-304-0101

Cosmos and Clover Boutique

The Daily Hustle Store

Women’s fashion and accessories.

Custom embroidery.

413 2nd St., Jackson 507-384-1878

412 Hwy. 71 South St., Jackson 507-841-1500

112 Maine (women's boutique) 112 Maine St. W, Amboy 507-508-3920

Modern Heirloom

Round Lake Winery

Oswald Brewing Company

“Curated home and lifestyle store filled with unique and vintage finds.”

Currently expanding!

Funky, historical atmosphere.

30124 St. Hwy. 264, Round Lake 507-945-1100

110 South Main St., Blue Earth 507-526-3101

336 Main St., Lakefield

732 Elmwood Ave., Le Sueur 507-665-9999

PHOTO: SUBMITTED

January | February 2021

Waseca County Auto Sales

Mis Tres Flores

Canine Central Doggy Daycare

One of the few pre-owned lots that have a mechanic’s garage on site. Buyers know they aren’t getting a lemon.

They have a loyal following of fans of their street tacos, margaritas, and outstanding service.

Swiftly becoming one of the premier places for pets.

1421 S State St., Waseca 507-835-4052

100 10th Ave. SE, Waseca 507-835-4152

712 S State St., Waseca 507-461-7789

The Backerei and Coffee Shop Fresh made baked breads, buns, rolls, pastries, coffee cakes, cookies and more. Baked fresh daily. 27 S Minnesota St., New Ulm 507-354-6011

WHO WILL BE THE NEXT 21? Come visit these pages in the

future as we continue our tour. In March we head farther west to Marshall and Redwood Falls, among others. If you know of businesses that should make our "21," please let us know!

Nora’s Closet Pop-Up Boutique Online women’s boutique. @norasclosetmankato norasclosetmankato@gmail.com

Green Plains

Nolabelle Kitchen

Vertically integrated ethanol producer, along with co-product distillers grains, high-protien, high-energy animal fodder and feed supplement.

Upscale casual American cuisine with a rustic twist using local ingredients from partners throughout the Midwest and Plains States.

1125 Bixby Road, Fairmont 507-238-3600

520 S Front St. Suite 500, Mankato 507-720-0841

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By Lisa Cownie Photos by Jonathan Smith

Dr. Gala Beckendorf runs a thriving veterinary clinic in the small town of Nicollet. When Gala Beckendorf joined the team at Nicollet Veterinary Clinic in 1981, she was fresh out of vet school and one of few women entering the field at that time. “We were a minority back then.” says Beckendorf. “There were only 15 females out of 80 people in my class. Today vet schools are 80% female. I was the second female veterinarian at Nicollet, but the first to do large animal, aka livestock, work. The farming community was very good to me and I met very little objection. Ironically, one of the boldest negative comments I got was from a woman. Coming from a farming background was a definite advantage, as I was interested in crops, livestock, and agriculture as a whole.” Now almost four decades later, Beckendorf is thankful for the chance given to her by the clinic’s founder, Dr. Robert Martens, a man she credits for giving her a chance with livestock. Martens was not only a leader in the field, but a leader in his community. All of which rubbed off on Beckendorf as she grew in her career and in life. “Dr. Martens was just a really good man,” she reflects. “He was strong willed and opinionated, but he still treated everyone fairly and with respect. Taking a chance and hiring me to do large animal was very important to my career. He really supported organized veterinary medicine through our local, state and national organizations. And readily gave back to his profession. His influence guided me to serve on the board of our state association and work with the Miracle of Birth Center since it started at the Minnesota State Fair.” Continues

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Veterinarian with Vision

Dr. Gala Beckendorf with some of her staff.

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January | February 2021

Nicollet Veterinary Clinic | Nicollet Martens founded Nicollet Veterinary Clinic in 1956. Just three years after she joined the clinic, he offered Beckendorf a piece of the practice. “I became a partner in the practice in 1984. Over the years there were as many as 15 owners, especially when we owned three offices: Nicollet, New Ulm and River Hills Mall in Mankato. In 2003 Nicollet became a solo office again with four owners. My other partners have since retired, with the last leaving in 2016. Then I became the sole owner.” The practice has grown and changed dramatically over the years, and recently became a small-animal-only (pets) practice. Today, Nicollet Veterinary employs two associate veterinarians, seven veterinary technicians, three receptionists, a bookkeeper, and two kennel assistants. As of Sept. 1, 2017, they no longer provide services for equine or farm animal patients. Mankato | Amboy | Vernon Center

WHERE YOUR POLICY COMES WITH AN AGENT

Playful patient greets visiting photograher.

“Nicollet Veterinary Clinic was a mixed animal practice for 61 years, with the primary focus being livestock. Three years ago, we switched to small animal only. Veterinary practices all over had seen an increase in their small-animal business as the value of pets has dramatically changed in our lives. When I came to Nicollet in 1981, we had one part-time small-animal veterinarian. In 2019, we kept 4.5 vets very busy providing only pet services,” she explains. “We average about 20 patients per doctor per day and we do about 25 surgeries a week. The rest is routine wellness appointments, sick animal appointments,

cimankato.com

(507) 385-4485

Visit a business banker at First National Bank Minnesota to talk about your goals and how we can help. Your community banking partner since 1857.

www.fnbmn.bank CONNECT Business Magazine

Veterinarian with Vision and some maintenance things that our technicians take care of like blood tests, laser treatments, allergy shots, et cetera. “I laugh when people ask, 'Do you have many clients from outside of Nicollet'? We are only 1,000 people, so yes, we draw from a large area, especially Mankato, Lake Crystal, St. Peter, Gaylord, New Ulm … and further. It never ceases to amaze me how far people will drive for their pets. And then you have kids that brought their family pets here, they are grown and have families in the cities and still come to Nicollet. There’s a lot of connections like that, and knowing clients on a first name basis, when you are in a small town.”

Dr. Beckendorf Outside the Office

...and so much more.

Pursuing a higher level of excellence every day.

www.schwickerts.com | sschwickerts@tectaamerica.com Mankato, MN | Savage, MN | Rochester, MN | Lawrence, KS 42

January | February 2021

“My husband, Ken, was a teacher and coach at Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial and is now retired. We joke that we did it all in one week—I graduated from vet school, we bought a house in Nicollet, and we got married. Both our girls went to the University of Minnesota. Jessica is a CPA, MBA. She lives in St. Paul and works in corporate strategy at Medtronic. She and her husband gave us our first grandchild, Hans, last January. Lindsey is the veterinarian and is married to a dairy farmer. They live by Rochester. She recently left dairy practice to work for Purina as a calf specialist. “Over the years a lot of my time away from work has actually involved animals, too. We have a little hobby farm and for years had some livestock on a very small scale. Lindsey was very involved in 4-H, so we raised sheep and a few Holstein heifers that she showed. We learned dog training together, and then worked with the 4-H Dog Project. Teaching dog training classes for 4-H youth was one of the most rewarding opportunities I’ve had outside of my work. While I’ve 'retired' from 4-H, I still have a barn pet. She is Izze, Lindsey’s old show cow that refuses to leave my life. I still love being in the barn, and my house shows it. “Aside from animals, gardening would be my next love. Health issues forced us to give up the vegetable garden, but I can’t let my flowers go. My newest favorite pastime is our first grandchild, Hans. Being born in the year of COVID has hindered our time with him, but we know his every move via FaceTime.”

Nicollet Veterinary Clinic | Nicollet Learning how to balance it all, minding the bottom line, has been a challenge on top of the actual veterinary work. “Managing a practice ... well, let’s just say I got lucky.” she says. “Dr. Martens ran this practice for over 40 years. By the time he retired in 1997, this place nearly ran itself. Bob was a great mentor. He put into place a wonderful business model: provide good service and treat people right. I only hope that I can do half the job he did sailing the ship.” She has experienced challenges over the years, of course, but the biggest challenge came in spring 2020. “Before I address challenges, just let me say that the veterinary medicine part of my job is the easiest and, of course, the most fun. But then, that’s why I became a veterinarian. You don’t think about running a business when you are in vet school, you only think about the animals. “I am fortunate to have a very capable office staff that handles a lot for me, but I will say that human resources is our tough spot. Unemployment in the veterinary world is only 2%, so it’s difficult to hire both technicians and veterinarians. The COVID shutdown last spring put us way behind on routine surgeries and annual appointments. Add the fact that we’ve been understaffed this whole year, it’s been a struggle catching up. But, our clients have been wonderful and willing to be patient. They know we will always see them if their animal is sick, and that’s what really counts.” Managing the challenges also brings with it great rewards. “Interesting how my view of the rewards this career brings has changed over the years. I’m sounding aged and reflective now,” she smiles. “Definitely the most rewarding part is the people that have come into my life because of veterinary medicine. First and foremost is my staff. I’ve been blessed to work with very caring individuals. If an employee cares, the rest takes care of itself. Second, our clients are the best. It never ceases to amaze me how much pets impact our lives, and what their owners are willing to do for them. The third group of

NVC Founder’s Legacy Lives On Dr. Bob Martens died in 2019 at the age 87. His legacy in Nicollet goes well beyond the veterinary practice he built in the small town, proving wrong naysayers who told him the community was too small. When he started the practice out of his home in Nicollet, a majority of his patients were cows, pigs and horses. He not only built a successful business, but spent time building community, as well. He served as the town’s mayor in the 1960s and even served on the school board—all while raising a family of four kids with his wife, Carol.

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Veterinarian with Vision influential people are my colleagues, both veterinarians and veterinary industry representatives. I’m very proud to be part of this profession.” Proud, also, to be a part of the Nicollet community. “Nicollet is nearly a carbon copy of my hometown,” she reflects. “Tight-knit, rural/agricultural, supportive of their independent school, proud and well-kept. If you want a small town, this is a great one.” Love, not necessarily career, is what brought her to the community. “My husband taught at Lake Crystal, so my first choice was to look for a practice in the area. Nicollet was a well-established practice and had an excellent reputation with people at the vet school. I started spending time here, they offered me a job, and I never looked anywhere else. I was all about pigs and dairy cows back then, and there were a lot of both in the area. I also loved the intimacy and closeness of the small town, which was very similar to my hometown. It was an excellent fit.” Even though it was male-dominated at the time, she also found following the veterinary path was a good fit. “I knew I wanted to work outdoors and I wanted to work in agriculture. That was the culture I grew up with, and the people I was most comfortable with. We farrowed pigs when I was young and I could spend hours in the barn with the baby pigs. I am also an introvert, so how much communication do you need, to take care of cows,” she smiles. “So I decided to apply to vet school and I made it. One of the best things that’s ever happened in my life.” Beckendorf got her undergrad degree from Bemidji State and later attended the University of Minnesota College of Vet Medicine.

January | February 2021

“I was one of the lucky ones,” she says. “I got by with just seven years of college because I was accepted to vet school after my third year of undergrad. Most vet students have four or more years of undergrad and then four more years of vet school. I thought it was rough when I was in vet school, and I worked hard. However, I realize now that I had it pretty darn easy compared to today’s students. My daughter, Lindsey, is also a veterinarian, graduating from the University of Minnesota in 2015. Her curriculum included a couple semesters with 30 credits. So, I realize I had nothing to complain about.” She puts in plenty of hours now running her own practice, but it’s been a career she wouldn’t change for anything. Her love of the work and the human-pet relationships she nurtures keeps her going. Nicollet Veterinary Clinic provides a full range of routine medical and surgical services for small animals and some exotics. It has its own X-ray machine, as well as ultrasound and endoscopy equipment. NVC’s in-clinic laboratory features automated hematology and blood chemistry machines.

THE ESSENTIALS Nicollet Veterinary Clinic 1020 North 3rd Street Nicollet, MN 56074 Phone: 507-225-3401

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ASK A PROFESSIONAL

10 Key Areas to Focus On for a Strong Start to 2021 The close of 2020 means that you’ve been busy getting your financials in order, evaluating your numbers, measuring your success, and exploring opportunities to grow your business. There are many things to consider concerning the overall health of your business:

grated your systems to the cloud, it’s time to explore your options—legacy systems are simply not structured for today’s model of success.

1. Tax Compliance: Are you prepared to file your tax returns on time? Have you considered how coronavirus legislation has impacted your situation? Did you give gift cards during the holiday season? Gift cards given to employees count as taxable income and must be reported on form W-2, but people often incorrectly assume that gift cards are covered under de minimis fringe benefit rules.

3. Cybersecurity: Cyber threats and cyberattacks have increased dramatically over the past decade. These attacks have exposed sensitive personal and business information, disrupted the critical operations of organizations, and imposed high costs on the economy and businesses. Do you have a plan in place for cybersecurity prevention, detection, and response? It is imperative you stay informed about the continuously changing forms of cyber threats and develop appropriate, cost-effective controls to safeguard your business from data breaches.

2. Technology: Have you recently reviewed your technology needs and whether your current software systems are up to date and giving you the information you need? Technology is innovating faster than ever, but many businesses’ software systems are stuck in the past. And if you haven’t mi-

4. Data Analytics: Are you able to use your data to make informed decisions? In the current business climate, it is imperative that your organization leverages your data to understand your business and make better, data-driven decisions. The ability to turn insight into action

January | February 2021

allows you to be both growth-focused and respond proactively to changing market conditions (something we are all too familiar with in “The Year of Disruption” 2020). 5. Human Resources: You spend a lot of time building up your organization and perfecting your product. But what about your people? As a small-business owner, staffing is vitally important, especially for organizations in growth mode. Often, human resources is overlooked, especially as you’re trying to wear multiple hats. But it’s an essential component of any organization and critically important to get right. 6. Wealth Planning: How has COVID-19 affected you financially? Are your tax and investment decisions working together? Do you know the tax impact of liquidating one asset versus another? Do you have an investment strategy? Have you thought about the type of legacy you would like to leave? Understanding your wealth and planning for your financial future are important.