July-August 2019 by Connect Business Magazine

Business Snapshot

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Attracting Businesses to Jackson The JEDC’s all-volunteer board offers decades of experience providing land and building opportunities to businesses in the Jackson area.

Nearly 2,000 workers commute to Jackson, Minnesota every day. This creates quite an impact on the local economy, especially when you consider that the population of Jackson is just over 3,200. This impact is due in large part to the success of the Jackson Economic Development Corporation (JEDC), something that Thomas Nelson, the contracted Economic Development Coordinator for the City of Jackson, is very proud of. The JEDC is a non-profit corporation dedicated to promoting economic development in and around the city of Jackson. By creating a healthy and diverse environment for new and existing businesses, the volunteer led JEDC hopes to enhance quality job opportunities for residents, further promoting the common good and general welfare of the people who live and work in Jackson. According to Janice Fransen, current President of the JEDC board, the JEDC identifies areas of need and opportunity “by staying in touch with the community, especially the business community.” The JEDC meets regularly with each manufacturer “to find out how their business is doing, what needs they may have, what problems they may be facing, and any plans for the future.” In these meetings, the JEDC encourages companies to identify companion businesses or industries that they would benefit from having in the area, and “these annual visits help us to focus our efforts.” In years past, the JEDC’s primary role has been to provide land and building opportunities. The JEDC often develops incentive packages

Jackson Crossroads and JEDC’s newest development is ready to welcome commercial/retail and industrial businesses.

that involve coordinating key players including the city, school district, county, Rural Electric Cooperative and even the State of Minnesota. This model of collaboration and teamwork has proven to be successful for attracting economic development to the area. The JEDC has created several industrial development parks, enticing companies such as HitchDoc, Tri-State Contracting, and Palmer Bus to locate in Jackson. The JEDC is also responsible for building structures for businesses (both speculative and build-to-suit), helping companies such as AGCO, Ametek, CAT Ziegler, and West Corporation to establish a presence in Jackson. More recently, the JEDC has expanded into commercial development with Jackson Crossroads, the new home to the City of Jackson’s Municipal Liquor Store. There is also a 30,000 sq/ ft spec building currently available (see below). In the next 5-10 years, Fransen would “like to see that area become fully developed with commercial/retail and industrial businesses. This would contribute to an already vibrant industrial park.” Nelson adds, “Jackson has been very successful at growing industry, and I would like that success to carry over to the commercial business sectors

Jackson Crossroad’s 30,000 sq/ft spec building is currently available.

as well. I would like to see more amenities and options in Jackson that will, in turn, help to grow the population of the community.” The JEDC has been around for decades, and is known for facilitating nontraditional deals to make projects work to the benefit of all parties involved. Fransen is proud of the JEDC’s success, “We have a group of intelligent, creative and dedicated Board Members on the JEDC Board. This group has gone above and beyond to attract and retain businesses and jobs that contribute to the economic well-being of the city of Jackson and surrounding community.”

JACKSON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (JEDC) Location: 80 West Ashley Street Jackson, MN 56143 Phone: 507-847-4423 Inception: 2003 Web: growingjackson.com

CONTENTS

July | August 2019

COVER INTERVIEW

COMPANY PROFILE

Ray & Lisa Winter

Winters the Vintners AG FOCUS

Kerfoot Canopy Tour

Focus on Agribusiness

The Importance of Dairy During June Dairy Month

The Bee’s Knees FEATURES

26 30

COMPANY PROFILE

Collaboration Connection

Businesses’ Support Legendary for LEEP Event Surviving the Seasonal Swing

Brave Business Adventurers 36

Surviving the Storm

ENTREPRENEURIAL INSIGHT

DEPARTMENTS

8 28

Wes Gilbert, Mankato Computer Technology

HOT STARTZ! MANKATO

Chris Willaert Insurance Agency

MANKATO

Flexibility4All MANKATO

Kato CBD

Connecting Southern Minnesota Business People Since 1994

Editor’s Introduction Day In The Life

Liz Thiesse, The Landline Company

46 58 61 62 63

1 ON 1 Bulletin Board Connect Network Connecting Back Ask A Professional

Connect Business Magazine www.ConnectBiz.com

STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS

CIRCULATION

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Publisher: Concept & Design Incorporated

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Editor: Lisa Cownie

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Contributing Writers: Kerry Hoffman, Michael Lagerquist, Laura Babcock, Lisa May

Mailing Address: Connect Business Magazine P.O. Box 176 Nicollet, MN 56074

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Cover Photo: Jonathan Smith

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July | August 2019

E I D E

B A I L LY

T O W E R

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INTRODUCTION

Embrace Each New Season Summer is BY FAR my favorite season. I sometimes think, “Gosh if summer could only be all year long.” But then I remember, I did spend many years in a place where, indeed, it was summer all year long. Hawaii. And I remember, I didn’t like it. I missed the change of seasons and was happy to get back to it. (I can say this now, but if you would have asked me back in early April as winter dragged on ... well, my answer may have been different.) Seasonal businesses, especially in Minnesota where weather can be extreme from one day to the next, take on a whole new level of business bravery. In this issue, we celebrate a few seasonal businesses from our region and can hopefully take away some insights in to how they manage the downtime in order to fully embrace the up time. Our cover features Indian Island Winery, other profiles are Kerfoot Canopy Tour in Le Sueur County and Kamp Dels in Waterville. They will tell you that while their businesses may be closed for part of the year, their work doesn’t really take a day off. Happy reading, and hopefully, learning,

Lisa Cownie EDITOR

Promoting Happy + Healthy Communities

Architecture + Engineering + Environmental + Planning 8

July | August 2019

www.ISGInc.com

Ray and Lisa Winter, owners of Indian Island Winery

How Ray Winter Took Back His Business, and the Future, For His Family It may be hard to picture now, but at one time there was a plot of land, near Smith’s Mill, just outside Janesville, that was almost completely surrounded by water. A small island where Native Americans used to do their summer hunting. Today, it’s a plot of land full of rich soil, ideal for farming a variety of crops. Its owner, Ray Winter, has always been fascinated by the land’s history. “I grew up right there next door. (He points out the back door of Indian Island Winery) I farmed all my life, mostly soybeans and corn,” he reflects. “Throughout the years, many artifacts have been found – keeping us intrigued by the history of these grounds.” Winter used that rich history when naming what he hopes will be his family’s future: Indian Island Winery. How did a lifelong farmer of soybeans and corn get into the business of winemaking? Well, that has a fascinating history of its own. “My family has farmed for generations,” he reflects. “Traditionally always corn and soybeans. But when I grew up and wanted to make a living at it, I found out early I had no control over my business. When farming corn and soybeans, other people set the price. It was also too dependent on weather, trade issues worked out by politicians, et cetera. So much of it was out of my control and I didn’t like that feeling.” Indeed, the life of a Minnesota farmer is not always an easy one. Neither is the life of a Minnesota grape. It’s a plant that traditionally thrives in the warm California sun, not the cold climates of Minnesota. But after researchers spent decades testing and carefully nurturing grapevines in the frigid weather, Minnesota farmer and Minnesota grape can coexist. Thrive even. “Back in 2000, we planted our first grapes. It was a way of diversifying our farming operation. Corn and bean prices sucked then, like they do now again, and it was a way of trying to get into something that maybe was a little more steady,” says Winter. “With grapes I have more control over my own destiny. If I need to adjust the price of a bottle of wine to make up for shortages in other aspects of the business I can. Plus, there are just so many options and outlets with grapes. It’s a bit easier to spread out the risk, too.” Winter is a pioneer; he was there at the forefront of the Minnesota vineyard movement two decades ago, when planting grapes as a viable crop in Minnesota first started emerging. Continues >

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July | August 2019

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“

My son wanted to farm in the worst way and I didn’t have enough land to accommodate that and there just isn’t enough land to rent. This is a way we can compete, and it’s hopefully the future for my kids and my grandkids.

”

With the support of his wife, Lisa, Winterhaven Vineyard was established in the spring of 2000. The vineyard currently covers over 14 acres with over 6,000 vines and is still growing. Winterhaven has 17 different varieties at this time and is adding more every year. Once the vineyard was up and running, Winter saw another opportunity in the industry: Winterhaven Nursery was established a year later in 2001. For two years Winter grew nursery plants indoors. These plants were potted, live growing plants. Then in the spring of 2003, they started growing nursery stock outdoors in nursery beds. Winterhaven now sells many bare-root grape vines and they have a greenhouse so they can supply new varieties sooner as potted plants. Winter, his wife, their two children and eventually their spouses built the vineyard into a thriving entity in the wine industry not just regionally but nationally as well. A decade after they planted their first grapes, they were ready to take the next step—Indian Island Winery was born. At that time, in 2010, there were 25 wineries in Minnesota. Today, according to the Minnesota Grape Growers Association (MGGA), there are more than 70 wineries across the state that produce nearly 150,000 gallons of wine each year. The MGGA says the growth of the industry exceeds 10% per year, contributing over $40 million to Minnesota’s economy. Winter acknowledges some years have been better than others, but still he’s happy he chose this path. I can’t imagine what was running through your mind when you made the decision to switch from corn and soybeans to grapes. It was really a decision based on family. This is truly a family operation. There was no future for them out here farming otherwise. My son wanted to farm in the worst way and I didn’t have enough land to accommodate that and there just isn’t enough land to rent. This is a way we can compete, and it’s hopefully the future for my kids and my grandkids. When we started we were growing grapes for another winery. The kids were always around to help; they were quite young at that time, early teens. So they grew up helping in the vineyard.

Ray & Lisa Winter | Indian Island Winery

A couple of years into the vineyard, we ended up getting into the nursery end of the grapes where we were growing grape vines for other vineyards. We basically sell them any place east of the Rocky Mountains and we ship all over. We have even shipped to Alaska, believe it or not. As we got into this farther, we kept expanding the vineyard, then after college my son was interested in coming back to the farm. And I knew the only way we could do that was to expand the vineyard and the nursery end of it. So we decided to start using our grapes to make our own wine! I understand your daughter is the winemaker. As my daughter, Angie, got a little older, she got interested in being a winemaker. It kind of came about as a joke because we were working in the vineyard together one day, when she was a junior in high school, and she said, ‘Dad, I’m really wondering what I should go to college for?’ As a joke, I said, ‘Well you know, we got all these grapes. If you learn to be a winemaker, we’d build a winery.’ She didn’t say a lot but a few weeks later, she came back and said that she had looked into it, done some research and said that sounded like something she would be interested in doing. She’s very good at chemistry, very good at math and those are two fields you need to be very good at. I said, ‘Well, you need to go to school some more yet, first. But when you’re ready to commit the rest of your life to being a winemaker here, we’ll build the winery.’ How did she learn the craft? Being a nursery, we had a great connection with the University of Minnesota because we propagate and sell our vines and collect royalties on all the plants that we sell with them. Their grape varieties are really what have driven the wine industry in the Midwest because they’ve developed good, cold-hardy grapes that make good wine. In fact, they make great wine. So I was talking with Peter Hemstad, who was the head of that

AWAY FROM THE VINEYARD When he is not on the farm, he’s on the lake. As Indian Island matures and he gets older, he tries to find more time to pursue other hobbies he likes. “We have our own little lake about 5 miles away, and I’ve got a little cabin out there, and I spend every evening out there on the weekends that I can. “In the wintertime, I spend it in my fish house, sit back watching TV, hoping and not really caring if a walleye or something bites, but if it does, great.”

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Winters the Vintners

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July | August 2019

“

‘Oh gosh,’ he said, ‘We’d love to have somebody local.’ Because they usually get somebody from Argentina, Brazil or somebody out of the country because nobody here wants to come and do that kind of stuff.’

”

breeding program up there, and he mentioned they like to have interns come in and help make all their little batches of wine, and work with their winemaker. I asked him, ‘Is there any chance that Angie could get that when she got there?’ ‘Oh gosh,’ he said, ‘We’d love to have somebody local.’ Because they usually get somebody from Argentina, Brazil or somebody out of the country because nobody here wants to come and do that kind of stuff.’ So she went up there for a season, which was August to December, lived right there on the site. He had all kinds of connections out East to the wineries in the Finger Lakes area of New York, so after her internship, to get more experience, she went to work for Swedish Hill Winery out of the Finger Lakes in New York and they even had a house she could rent. She researched a little bit online and decided to take that one without even having visited or met them. She loaded up her car and went to New York, and met these people. They were wonderful, family owned, but a big winery. They were one of the bigger ones in New York. The owner of it was elderly. He was in his 70s and he treated her like she was his daughter. That makes you feel good, doesn’t it? They took real good care of her, and they very, very much wanted her to stay out

Indian Island Winery

there and stay with them, because they really liked what she did and she learned very well. She worked with a world-class winemaker out there and really learned how to make wine. But thankfully, she came back and started making great wine here. She and my son, Tom, do all the grape processing in the fall, and all that goes with it. I just run the harvester, because we harvest with a machine. We have a good harvester. I do that and when the fruit’s in the tank, then it’s up to them to do the processing, but otherwise, his focus is with the vineyard and the nursery end of it. He works out there nonstop with us all the time. Me and him do, and he does all our nursery end of it, all our shipping and stuff...he does all that. They really have their focus. She does all the wine, and now when we bottle, we all come up here and bottle. It takes five of us to run our bottling line. We all do it. Pruning, me and my son prune all 14.5 acres. My daughter-in-law, Angela, takes care of the withholdings, the cash register, the tills, all our sales items—anything with the cash registers she does. I still do payroll. My wife, Lisa, runs the tasting room, does all the gift shop buying. During the summer, we’re open Tuesday to Sunday. She runs the tasting room Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday during the day, as well as the gift shop. Everyone has a role to play. Absolutely, and I wouldn’t want any one of them to be gone because there’s a tremendous amount of work that goes into this. We all take our turns working up here in the evenings, on the weekends and Sunday afternoons. We try always to have one of the family on at night and close. So your daughter got her training, when did you start making your own wine? We opened in 2010, so the 2009 crop was our first vintage, and we opened in the spring of 2010. This is our 10th anniversary here this year. You had always harvested corn and soybeans, so when you decided to do grapes, how did you know how to grow them? I had a few grapes in my garden. That’s kind of how we decided to dive in. I had a few

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BEHIND THE SCENES In the mid-â&#x20AC;&#x2122;70s, the University of Minnesota developed a wine grape research program with the goal of developing high-quality, cold-hardy wine grape varieties. Today, the University of Minnesota is recognized as one of the top wine grape research programs in the country. Today more than 12,000 experimental vines are cultivated on 12 acres. The work done at the U of M facilities set the state up for growing success in the grape growing and wine producing industry. The most popular cold-hardy wine varieties developed in Minnesota include Frontenac, Frontenac Gris, La Crescent, Marquette, Marechal Foch, Seyval Blanc, St. Croix and St. Pepin. University of Minnesota researchers have identified the best parts of Minnesota for growing grapes. They say grapes can be grown as a hobby throughout the state, but in terms of commercial viticulture, the most promising areas are in the southern third of the state along the Mississippi, Minnesota, and St. Croix river valleys. Because the river valleys have large hills surrounding them, as well as gravelly or sandy soils, the areas are well suited for grapes. Researchers say the single biggest factor to consider in deciding where to plant a vineyard is elevation. They say you should plant your vines on high ground with good air drainage to avoid late frosts in the spring and early frosts in the fall. They say while south slopes are ideal,k you should avoid north slopes because the reduced sunlight and heat will slow ripening and the crop will have reduced sugar and increased acidity levels. A frequently asked question from the U of M (mnhardy.umn.edu): Is it legal for me to propagate my own vines from cuttings? Since Frontenac Gris, La Crescent, and Marquette are patented varieties they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be legally propagated without a license from the U of M. Currently, only licensed nurseries can legally propagate these vines.

July | August 2019

“

Ray & Lisa Winter | Indian Island Winery

I did that for about a year and a half. That actually started back in ‘98, because in the year 2000 I told Lisa, ‘We’re either going to do something with this and get on with it, or we’re going to quit thinking about it.

”

grapevines in the garden and wanted to make wine with them. My cousin knew about George Marti at Morgan Creek and said I should reach out to him. So I did and the first thing he told me was that the grapes we had were table grapes and they probably weren’t going to be much for making wine! But in the process of talking to him about making wine, I found out he was looking for grape growers. We didn’t know people were growing acres of grapes. He hooked me up or informed me about the Minnesota Grape Growers Association, the MGGA. I started going to meetings and to some of their programs, and talking to anybody I could talk to about it. I did that for about a year and a half. That actually started back in ‘98, because in the year 2000 I told Lisa, ‘We’re either going to do something with this and get on with it, or we’re going to quit thinking about it.’ I’d been going to meetings and really hadn’t decided one way, and finally I said, ‘Well what do you think we should do?’ She thought we should do it, so there we went. At that time, there weren’t many other wineries around. You were a pioneer of sorts in our region. Morgan Creek was the only one in this area. There were a few on the edge of our region, but there were very, very few around the state at that time. Do you still farm corn and soybeans or are you pretty much all grapes? The year that we were going to make our first wine, I decided, ‘Why am I screwing around trying to farm two?’ Because really, I needed to focus on building the winery. Yes, let’s talk about the winery. You are proud of this space. This was a two-year building project. We borrowed a lot of money to build this because we didn’t want to do what we saw others doing. We’d gone around to a lot of wineries before we decided to build, and the biggest thing we found and saw was they didn’t have room for people. They opened up a winery and they were more successful than they thought they would be and they had a lot bigger crowds than they thought they would get and came to a point where they had to add on or build more. So we knew we wanted to go big CONNECT Business Magazine

Winters the Vintners

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from the start. We borrowed as much as we could and then drained our retirements to make this all happen. The facility is over 11,000sf total, which includes a 3,780sf production facility, another 3,780sf room with tables and chairs, a 3,600sf tasting room and gift shop, then we also have outdoor space that seats well over 200 people. Crystal Hanson

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It has paid off. Yes! The first year and a half we were packed all the time. That first year especially, all year, we had to have two registers going up, and it was lined up back to the production room door. And that was a very big night. It was just crazy. You know, we were something new for people to do and when word got out about us people would come check us out. So we were full and busy the first couple of years. Then Chankaska opened and took some business away because then they were the new thing and people were curious. So it slowed down a bit at that time. But we have our solid customer base. Hard working people from the region all the way from Albert Lea to Faribault and Owatonna to New Ulm. They work hard all week then come here for something fun and relaxing on the weekend. What is considered a full house? Two hundred and fifty people a weekend is full, that’s a good weekend for us. How has the winery grown in terms of production? At first we produced over 20,000 bottles, or 4,000 gallons of wine. Now as we hit our 10-year anniversary, we are producing more than 50,000 bottles, or 9,000 gallons a year. It is a point of pride to us that we use only Minnesota grapes in our wines. We are the largest winery in the state that does that. That has been important for us since the beginning, when we first decided to open Indian Island Winery. We are a farm winery. About half of our wine is made with our own grapes grown here. As I said, we have 14 acres, but I also contract with other growers. That’s partly to get more grapes, but also to spread out risk. So if hail or something were to come through

July | August 2019

Indian Island Winery

“

That’s partly to get more grapes, but also to spread out risk. So if hail or something were to come through and wipe out my crop, it hopefully wouldn’t hit them and we’d still have enough grapes to produce our wine.

”

and wipe out my crop, it hopefully wouldn’t hit them and we’d still have enough grapes to produce our wine. Our growers are great and do a very good job for us.

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5/8/19 12:57 PM

Is this considered a seasonal business? Yes, I think so. We are closed January through March and that has actually been good for the business to take a break. For the family and for our employees, it gives them a chance to recharge because April through December we put in a lot of long days. I think also the break is good for our visitors. People are excited when we open again. How about marketing it. Do you do anything special since, as you said, you’re not really in an area of thinking to go to a winery? We self distribute. We do have a salesman that covers an area basically from north of Highway 99. The one way that wineries market their wine is to go do tastings at places and events. For instance, the Minnesota Monthly Food and Wine Show takes place every year. It’s been held at Target Field for the last couple of years. So we’re always in that. It’s a big event that you pay to go pour wine at. But it gets your name out there. There is also GrillFest. It is held at CHS Field where the St. Paul Saints play.

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Winters the Vintners There are many chances to do wine tastings, also at benefits and fundraisers. You spend a lot of time pouring your wine giving people tastes. You and your wife went on a winery tour to Oregon and Northern California. What did you learn from visiting other wineries and what do you bring back to Minnesota? The one thing was that everybody here planted the grapes too far apart. [laughs] We should have planted them closer together. Once we started moving them closer, like in California, we found we like it a lot better. Grapes, or wine, coming through Napa has a whole different persona about it. If you just put Napa on a label, you can add 25 bucks to the price of the bottle. That does not mean it’s any better than what we have here, it’s just the persona; wine from Napa has a certain prestige. I think Minnesota wines are getting more respect, though, in the industry. They are getting a lot more respect. We enter our wines in competitions in California, Florida, New York, Iowa, Indy, Illinois. All the competitions around, we bring gold medals home from all of them. The cold-hardy grapes are getting to be very recognizable names now, like Marquette and Frontenac, things like that, La Crescent. Itasca is just beginning, that’s the latest one. That’s going to be a huge name for itself as time goes on.

July | August 2019

Ray & Lisa Winter | Indian Island Winery

Growing up, did you think you’d be talking about your Itasca and your Marquette? Never. Being a grape grower was the last thing from my mind. But God has blessed us with it. What’s your favorite wine, can I ask that? We have so many good wines. I absolutely love La Crescent wine, but there isn’t any of them that I don’t like out here. We don’t bottle wines we don’t like. If it’s not a good wine we refuse to put it in a bottle, we’ll find something else to do with it. If you put one bad vintage out there of any variety it can do you more harm than what you might make by selling it.

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Community Focused Blue Earth Light and Water Powers the Local Economy Locally owned and community focused: two important elements that make Blue Earth Light and Water (BELW) a key economic development tool for the community. “Being a not for profit, locally owned utility means we have control over where we buy power,” says Tim Stoner, general manager. “We are able to watch our energy costs and pass all of that savings on to the community.” It’s a model that is gaining national attention and accolades. Blue Earth Light and Water recently received the RP3 Diamond Award, a prestigious, national honor bestowed on very few by the American Public Power Association. “It really tells the story of how our updated system efficiencies increased our reliability,” says Stoner. “Blue Earth Light and Water has also secured long-term renewable energy at a low cost. Combined, these advancements have led to very competitive electric rates, which is desirable in attracting new industry to our area.” The award looks at four main categories: system improvement, safety, workforce development, and reliability. “This award is the culmination of all the work our crews have done over the last couple of years improving our system,” he says. “The final step is to inform our community that the system efficiencies improvements have been intentional to improve both reliability and pass the cost saving on to consumers.” Over the last couple of years, the improvements made by Blue Earth Light and Water include hardening of infrastructure to withstand weather events and increasing the on-site emergency generation to power the city, in case there are major issues with the electrical grid. They have focused on staff development to maintain a highly trained staff. And they have made community-based activities a priority. Providing a solar garden program and an electric vehicle charging station are just some other ways BELW is leaving its footprint and paving the way for Blue Earth’s Golden Spike Industrial Park.

Blue Earth Light and Water’s general manager, Tim Stoner.

the future of Blue Earth. As a publicly/community owned utility, BELW also provides an annual franchise fee paid to the city of Blue Earth to help offset city programs. For the community partners, residents and businesses, BELW has rebated over $800,000 in the last five years back to customers for energy conservation help. Efforts that are not lost on the local business community. “Seneca Foods recognizes the importance of maintaining competitive energy costs through Energy Conservation Rebate Programs, which help reduce the time it takes to achieve an acceptable ROI on the implementation of energy saving projects,” says Dave Stauffer of Seneca Foods. That is just an example of the difference they are striving to make. “We are partners in developing the Golden Spike Industrial Park, as well as new residential areas,” explains Stoner. “We make customer service a priority as well. We have agents that go out to major industrials and provide rebates to help reduce power costs. Our major industrial customers can see real-time data so they can make decisions on the spot on the best way for them to keep costs down.” It’s partnerships like these, that make the area attractive to potential business owners.

Mary Kennedy, Blue Earth Economic Development Specialist says, “The City of Blue Earth and its Economic Development Authority is lucky to have a strong partner in Blue Earth Light and Water (BELW). In addition to ideal exposure in our business park, industrial businesses have access to outstanding power, reliability, and low utility rates. BELW provides our community with a competitive edge and sets us apart from the rest.” “Originally we thought our approach was well rounded, well thought out,” says Stoner. “We didn’t think when we put our name in the hat for the reliability award that we would ever get to this point, but once we realized we rated at the top nationally, we thought we should get the message out.”

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AG FOCUS

The Importance of Dairy during June Dairy Month I am not sure if many of you are aware, but for 18 years I contributed a farm column to several newspapers throughout the state of Minnesota, up until approximately four years ago. Every week I would churn out a column for publication. It was fairly simple work. It was current. I could write about what happened earlier in the week and it would be published that very Friday for all my editorial consumers to read. And hopefully they’d get a chuckle or two out of our crazy antics out here on the dairy farm. Now that I am writing for a magazine, timing is what I struggle with the most. I have to think farther ahead into the future.

Kerry Hoffman AG CONTRIBUTOR

At first, I was going to write about the day we had an elected official here on our farm and how, during that time, I witnessed my husband cry over the state of the dairy industry for the first time ever. For more than four years, I had not seen even the drip of a tear form in his eyes. It’s just not what he does. Emotions are pretty sparse when it comes to Hubs. It’s a farmer thing. As I sat down to type my thoughts and feelings, a thought passed through my head, “I can’t write about that. It will have happened two months previous to the time of publication.” Who knows what could happen in two months. The economics of dairy farming

could do a 180-degree turn. (If I said a 360-degree turn, we would be right back where we currently are. How interesting would that be? Not very riveting.) In this issue, I knew I wanted to talk about the dairy industry, it is after all June Dairy Month. And when I think of Dairy Month, I only think of one other thing: ice cream! For those of you who don’t know me as intimately as my family, I could eat icecream every day for the rest of my life. Actually, I think I could eat ice cream for every meal, for the rest of my life. In fact, recently, while staying with my sister and her husband at their cabin in the woods, I had ice cream for breakfast with pull-apart monkey bread. Can you say, “Heaven”? I also

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Got an agriculture-related story idea? Email our correspondent Kerry Hoffman at kahoffman@newulmtel.net

used ice cream in my coffee! It’s like having the thickest, tastiest creamer ever! I had a fork in one hand for the bread and a spoon in the other, for the genuine, authentic vanilla ice cream. I stay away from questionable ingredient dairy products. And butter! I am also all-about butter. I put butter on everything. Yes, I have tried butter in coffee at one point, when I heard it is all the rage in Europe. It was not as great as ice cream, but I had the softest lips around the five-state area. So many people don’t realize the importance of the dairy industry to the state of Minnesota. I truly believe it is the backbone of each and every community. Did you know that for each and every dollar a dairy farmer spends in his or her operation, that $1 bill will multiply seven times! That means it will increase in value by being used in local communities. Dairy farmers are more than likely also crop farmers. We pay a lot of taxes. I mean A

“Did you know that for each and every dollar a dairy farmer spends in his or her operation, that $1 bill will multiply seven times! That means it will increase in value by being used in local communities.” LOT of state, local and federal taxes. My son figured out how much he has to pay for the local school referendum throughout his life, and it totaled well over $100,000. Needless to say, he wasn’t too happy. He’s a bit of a miser. Cows produce approximately eight gallons of milk per day! Only girl baby cows are raised to produce milk. They are called heifers until she has her first calf at approximately 24 months of age. Our boy calves are sent to a farmer that only raises steers or animals for beef production, and who doesn’t love a halfpound burger fresh off the grill? Our cows consume a boatload of food every-single day.

Our cows love being in our barn. They don’t like flies and mosquitoes, which are overly abundant out on the pasture. If you want to learn more about our cows, I invite you to come out to our Family Night on the Farm, Thursday, July 25. You can check out all the details on the Facebook page: Family Night on a Dairy Farm. Tours, food, fun, calves, machinery, tractor rides and so many other fun things for kids and adults. You don’t want to miss it. Oh that’s right. We will have ice cream, too! Kerry and her husband, Steve, own and operate a dairy production business in rural New Ulm. Currently, they are milking 140 cows with the help of one full-time employee and several part-time helpers.

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AG FOCUS Kerry Hoffman

The Bee’s Knees

What started out as a 4-H project for Al Honl in 1924, has grown exponentially and is now a prospering business in Winthrop, Minnesota. “It was started with one beehive,” says Jesse Honl, grandson of Al and a co-owner in Honl Bees today. After serving in the Vietnam War, Jesse’s father, Rand, and his Uncle Gary Honl started operating the business. “It was more of a side hobby for them,” Jesse adds. Jesse, his brother Burt Honl, and sister-in-law Angie Honl purchased the business in 2002. Both Jesse and Burt took advantage of other opportunities before returning to the beekeeping business in Winthrop. “Mom and Dad were downsizing and we knew there had to be a way to make more money at it,” Burt says. Today, the Honls employ more than 20 people, depending on the time of the year. They employ eight workers from Nicaragua who work on their H2-A visas. “They work with us for 10-months,” says Burt. Not only have the employees learned about beekeeping, but Burt has learned a bit of Spanish to assist with communicating with the employees. When asked if he knew Spanish before, he replies, “No. I know poquito.” In other words, not very much, but he conversed fluently with several co-workers. 24

July | August 2019

AG CONTRIBUTOR

Beekeeping is more than just managing a few hives for the Honls. They march to the tune of 25,000 hives that are moved between the states of Minnesota and Texas every year. The hives are moved to Texas in October. “Shipping bees is probably the most stressful time for us,” says Jesse. “Your livelihood is on that truck.” “All the moving of the bees is done at night,” Burt adds. “We cover the hives with a net and then start transporting them.” Driving during the day can be treacherous with a load of bees. There could be a traffic jam or you could blow a tire, which could result in the death of many bees, as they are very susceptible to heat. “During the day we don’t stop driving,” Burt said. “If it’s cold and rainy, sure, then you can stop.” In April, the Honls return to Minnesota, with 15 semi-loads of bees. The beehives are then dispersed across a vast area of the state. “We have hives in Windom, Mankato, Belle Plaine and north of St. Cloud,” Angie said. According to Burt, each location will have 36 hives. The hives are gradually built throughout several weeks. At the start of the season, only one level of the hive is placed, then every several days, another section is placed on top of the previous box. When in Texas, the bees are an investment for almond farmers. “They bring our bees down to help pollinate their trees,” Burt says.

The Honls stand in their warehouse filled with more than 25,000 beehives waiting to be placed throughout the state of Minnesota. Pictured are the owners (l to r): Jesse Honl, holding his daughter, Lacey; and Burt and Angie Honl.

One of the most important factors in honey production is the first flowers at the start of the warm weather—the infamous dandelion. “Dandelions are very crucial to our operation,” Angie said. “That is the first food for our bees. We love dandelions!” The honey industry is a very significant contributor to the economy in the state of Minnesota. Every year, an average of 7.8 million pounds of honey is produced by millions and millions of bees. That honey contributed $14.5 million to our state’s economy. One has to wonder if Al ever realized his one 4-H project could grow into a business that supports quite a few families.

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“With the addition of other hives, the almond farmers will increase their profits as there are not enough bees to pollinate all the almond trees.” According to Burt, California will have more than 750,000 acres of almond trees planted by next year and at least two hives are needed for every acre. “There just are not enough bees to pollinate the trees,” Burt adds. More than 85 percent of the world’s almonds are grown in the United States, because we have favorable climates for the almond production. As the honey production season draws to an end, the Honls and the employees clean out the beehives in a machine-shed type building. “Everyone knows us as honey producers,” Burt says. The Honl family builds the facilities for the bees to create the honey, harvests the honey and then sells the honey to Sue Bee Honey, located in Sioux City, Iowa. The Honls have to meet a certain standard for Sue Bee to accept the honey produced in their hives. For the hives to prosper, in the spring, the Honls will feed the bees to give them a good start to the honey-making season. “Each hive will get a 1-gallon feeder of corn syrup,” Burt says. “Sue Bee has such strict regulations that if we don’t have the syrup removed by a certain time, they will reject our honey. They are able to identify honey containing corn syrup.” On a side note, the Honls feed the bees 15 semi loads’ worth of corn syrup per year.

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FEATURE Collaboration Connection

When you look at the list of attendees, you see familiar names in the Mankato business community: Chad Suprenant, ISG and Mankato MoonDogs; Jodi Schull, Community Bank; Mike Drummer, Drummer Companies; Ryan Stangl, Prime Source Funding and Jay Reasner, Pub 500, just to name a few. But these leaders aren’t meeting in a conference room to work out the next big business deal. They are meeting at Franklin Rogers Park about a very BIG deal for our community. “The business community in our region is always so generous when it comes to giving back to the community,” says Jon Jamieson, owner of JP Fitness. “This event where we play on teams really does mirror real life, because I think most of us agree we are on the same team when it comes to moving this community forward in a variety of different ways.” Each year, for the last four years, the nonprofit LEEP has brought together local business celebrities for an event known as LEEP Legends. LEEP is an organization that enriches lives through inclusive recreation, sporting and healthy living opportunities, like Special Olympics. Its programs are designed to enhance the quality of life for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. As with any nonprofits, funding is an ongoing quest. 26

July | August 2019

Now in its fifth year, LEEP Legends started out as a seven inning slow pitch softball game to raise a little money for LEEP programming, but has grown into a premier summertime event, thanks to the local business community cheering them on. “I feel that the support of the local business community has truly been the catalyst of our growth and impact. Over the years LEEP Legends has evolved into a summer celebration that includes a draft party, a multimedia campaign showcasing each player and their employer/business, a mascot race, awards presentation, and an after-party. All of these components have been the result of local businesses supporting the impact of LEEP’s programming in our community,” says committee chair Justin Day, a financial advisor with Northwestern Mutual. It’s a formula that works. Last year the event raised $45,000 for LEEP. The goal this year is $60,000. “The funds raised will help LEEP continue to provide inclusive recreation, sporting, and healthy living opportunities for individuals with disabilities ages 8 and older in the greater mankato area. Because there is flexibility with the funds that are raised, LEEP is able to keep participation fees as low as possible by offsetting some of the operational costs of the organization and not passing those costs on

Lisa Cownie EDITOR

to LEEP participants,” explains Lisa Wojcik, executive director of LEEP. Wojcik says just as in the business world, collaboration has been key to LEEP Legends’ success. “LEEP Legends began with a conversation between a former LEEP staff member, Cate DeBates, and her husband, Greg Weis, when they were dating! Greg was in his first year as general manager of the Mankato MoonDogs and both he and Cate thought that it would be a good long-term partnership for both organizations with each reaping various benefits. Greg had volunteered as a unified athlete on LEEP basketball and flag football Special Olympics teams, so he had experienced the impact of LEEP programming firsthand. The event was founded as a result of this conversation over five years ago and continues to evolve over time,” she explains. Today the Mankato MoonDogs continue to be a strong supporter of the event, providing in-kind staffing, game day operations, etc., which are critical to the event. The ultimate goal of the event is for the fans in the crowd to feel like they are attending a Mankato MoonDogs game. Something new this year is that individuals who purchase a LEEP Legends ticket will also get a discount on the purchase of a 2019 regular season MoonDogs game ticket.

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Businesses’ Support Legendary for LEEP Event

Radio Mankato has also been a significant in-kind sponsor since the beginning of the event, providing radio ads, on-air interviews previewing the event, LEEP Legends players and game day announcers, as well as providing other support. “What excites me the most is when someone casually attends the event and then calls me after with a creative idea for the next year,” says Day. “I really enjoy working alongside our sponsors to showcase their businesses and further expand on our fan experience.” Many other businesses also contribute in different ways. LEEP Legends is a true example of how a business can be wholly involved in philanthropy...not just giving of treasure, but also of time and talent. “Along with having standard sponsorship levels through which businesses provide cash to support the event, the LEEP Legends Committee continues to be innovative with in-kind sponsorships. In some ways this enables the in-kind sponsors to showcase their service and/or product while providing needed services and/or products for LEEP Legends. In-kind sponsorships range from development and printing of event materials, to providing food for the player meeting and game day, to providing other needed services in exchange for an event sponsorship,” says Wojcik. The greater mankato area business community has been and continues to be so supportive of its employees participating in nonprofit fundraisers in so many ways. LEEP Legends is also an opportunity for the businesses and agencies the players work for and/or own to get some recognition in the community in a different way while having a lot of fun. “This will be my second year playing in the LEEP Legends softball game and I was honored to be asked again,” says Jodi Schull of Community Bank. “LEEP not only provides opportunities for its members to participate in activities that help enrich their lives, but more importantly it’s seeing the pure joy and excitement these athletes experience while enjoying these events that made me want to get involved again this year. Their zest for life is contagious! Thank you to my employer, Community Bank, for always encouraging me, and the entire staff, to help make a difference!”

While the obvious goal of LEEP Legends is fundraising, that is just part of the longterm mission of the event. “One of the highlights of the event is the scrimmage between LEEP participants and LEEP Legends during one of the scheduled practices prior to the event. In addition, more recently, LEEP participants have spoken at the initial player meeting and shared what LEEP activities they participate in and what LEEP means to them. These oppor-

tunities give the LEEP Legends players a chance to interact directly with individuals whom will be directly impacted by their fundraising. This is a unique component to LEEP Legends that also promotes inclusion of people of all abilities, which LEEP feels is important to promote in the broader community,” says Wojcik. This year’s LEEP Legends event will take place on July 17 at Franklin Rogers Park in Mankato.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE

Station Manager, The Landline Company

Tell us about your new position. The Landline Company is located at the

Lisa Cownie EDITOR

Mankato Regional Airport and launched service on June 7. The Landline Company was developed in 2018 by David Sunde and Ben Munson. Both having a long history in the airline industry; they had a business concept of making air travel easier and more affordable in places that are underserved by airlines. My position is to manage a team of customer service representatives that assist travelers with bus-to-air round-trip transportation from Mankato to Minneapolis, five times daily. The focus is exceptional customer service, first-class experience, and on-time departures and arrivals. I also will be working with businesses for their employee travel needs, along with local partnerships, promotions, and events.

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Liz Thiesse

There are self-help books, motivational blogs and leadership symposiums to help the business- and entrepreneurial-minded make the most of each day to maximize productivity. Connect Business Magazine, though, recognizes we have great resources right in our own communities. So we are going right to local business leaders to give all of you a glimpse into how they manage their days. The goal is for readers to be able to take away little tidbits to incorporate into their own lives to be at their best in and out of the office! This issue we feature a familiar name throughout our region, Liz Thiesse. What might not be familiar though, is her new title, station manager for The Landline Company. After spending 22 1/2 years as the local advertising agency for 21 Subway restaurants in Southern Minnesota, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ready for a new challenge.

You are a busy lady. What are three things that you do to keep organized and productive? I like keeping busy both personally and professionally. I guess I am just wired that way. Sometimes it’s a fine line of being really busy and being “tapped out” but I like the real sense of accomplishment by getting things done. It starts with a good work ethic. Whatever it takes to get the job done, setting daily priorities, and planning and thinking things through. I also think business networking in the community is critical to success. What is your favorite business tool? Post-it notes and notebooks; I write everything down. Google is a great invention. And I appreciate my husband, Kent Thiesse’s, help and perspective on issues. You are heavily involved in Holiday Sharing Tree. Why do you feel it’s important to give back?

When I was growing up, I was taught to notice when people needed help and those who were less fortunate. Not only to give in monetary value but lend a helping hand. I had family role models who set the benchmark on what it is to help others. It is also rewarding to work with volunteers and this community in giving to those in need. It has become a big part of my life and one of my holiday traditions.

years, the Minnesota State University Hoops Club for 12 years and president for four years, inducted to the MSU Hall of Fame for Service, Junior Achievement classroom instructor, Old Town Business Association Board of Directors, JZ Cancer Foundation – Stick a Fork in Cancer committee member, MACS golf committee, Bethany Lutheran College and Minnesota State University, Mankato steering committees, and Commerce on Commerce Retail Board of Directors.

What other community organizations are you involved in? I have been a Greater Mankato Growth Cavalier for 25 years. In fact, at a GMG Business After Hours is where I met David Sunde of The Landline Company. Recently I was honored with the Sertoma Club Service Above Mankind award, Clerk of the Garden City Township, Minnesota State Fair 4-H Beef Show Committee, and Minnesota Beef Expo Youth Committee. In the past I have been a member of the downtown Kiwanis service club for 22

How do you end each day to get ready for the next? I try to use a lot of balance in my life. Work hard but leave time for family, friends, and a little “me time”. We live on an acreage, so I enjoy yard work, working with flowers, boating, golfing and travel. But at the end of each day I am grateful for what I have in life, try to see the good in most things, take a deep breath and get energized for what the next day brings.

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FEATURE

Surviving the Seasonal Swing Let’s face it, Minnesota has seasons. And while some may argue those seasons are pre-winter, dead of winter, post-winter, and summer, our annual change of weather creates some challenges–and opportunities–for all of us. Particularly for seasonal business owners. Owning any business is hard, but for businesses that are subject to the ever-fluctuating

whims of Mother Nature, survival is especially hard. Businesses like landscapers, snow removal services, golf courses, boat sales are all dependent on how early or late our seasonal transitions occur and if the seasons themselves are mild, normal, or disastrous. We live in a region where, like it or not, the weather dominates our lives. It limits our activities and we have no control over it. And for businesses that depend on Mother Nature swinging one way or the other, that lack of control can be stressful and downright dangerous for the survival of the business. Some may think seasonal business owners have it easy. “Sure, they may work hard for half the year, but then they get several

Some may think seasonal business owners have it easy. “Sure, they may work hard for half the year, but then they get several months off when they can play.” Well if you’re one who thinks seasonal business owners are riding down Easy Street, you might want to rethink that.

months off when they can play.” Well if you’re one who thinks seasonal business owners are riding down Easy Street, you might want to rethink that. Managing any organization with such fickle external influences requires careful planning and a vigilant assessment of cash flow. Dealing year after year with uncontrollable factors that can make or break a business takes guts, courage, and endurance. My hat is off to all seasonal business owners. But as with any business, there are some “best practices” one should follow. If you own a seasonal business, here are some tips for minimizing stress and increasing your chance of survival.

Don’t stress over things you can’t control.

Mother Nature preventing you from working? There’s nothing anyone can do to change the weather. She can’t be tamed. Accept it and don’t worry about it. Find solace in the fact that all of your competitors are dealing with the same problems. Have a backup plan with extra labor if needed. Knowing that Minnesota weather throws us some wicked curve balls, prepare for it. Have a plan for accessing extra labor when the weather is good, so you can catch up on missed work. Keep a list of temp workers you can call if needed. Use your offseason to prepare. • plan how you will get new customers and keep current ones happy • build processes to streamline things that will save you time when you’re busy, such as invoicing, estimating jobs, bookkeeping, etc. • plan marketing activities, such as an email marketing campaign, or write social media posts (Tip: write all your social media posts in your off time and then use an online tool like Hootsuite.com to schedule them out during your busy season.) Communicate with customers. Keep your customers informed. If you can’t make it to a job site, let them know ASAP. Also tell them when you can return, making sure not to promise something you can’t

July | August 2019

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deliver. Most customers will understand scheduling delays, but you must stay on top of communicating with them. Know you cash flow. For any seasonal business, it’s super important to monitor cash flow. Remember the acronym CFIMITYM – Cash Flow Is More Important Than Your Mother. Reduce offseason expenses. Watch for sneaky ones like monthly subscriptions you don’t need year-round. Establish an emergency fund. Set aside a certain amount (some recommend three to six months’ worth of business expenses) to use in times of dire need. But it’s recommended to determine exactly what an emergency would be, so you’re not tempted to use the money for something else.

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Owning a seasonal business can be challenging and stressful. But with proper planning, and not worrying about things you can’t control, you should be able to sleep better at night– during your peak season and offseason. Owning a seasonal business can be challenging and stressful. But with proper planning, and not worrying about things you can’t control, you should be able to sleep better at night–during your peak season and offseason. And with a little luck, Mother Nature will give you optimal weather for all of your business needs. Laura Babcock is a Marketing Consultant with RCEF in Mankato and owner of GetBetterContent (www.GetBetterContent. com), an organization dedicated to helping businesses gain an advantage over their competition through the strategic use of words and a better user experience.

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table talking about, ‘How do we deal with this from a societal standpoint, and from a community standpoint?’” says Blue Earth County Attorney Pat McDermott. “I’ve seen it in my career at various points in time, where I deal with someone that I saw 15 years ago. Where these individuals were perped on when they were younger, and issues weren’t addressed. It’s a learned behavior for some of these kids. So then they turn around and the cycle continues, with the people that are perped on becoming the perps. The CFAC is just one other way to invest back in this entire system and invest in those kids and break that cycle.” That’s where Minnesota State University, Mankato comes in: providing child advocacy services in the form of two master’s degree-level students placed at the CFAC under the guidance of Dr. Sky Niesen Smith. The students will assist in carrying out the policies and procedures of the CFAC while using the National Children’s Alliance Standards for Accredited Members as guiding principles to further the goal of the CFAC to become accredited within five years.

“The University has a great department of social work in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. I just wanted to better utilize the resources we have right here in our community,” says McDermott. “Bringing them in helped us get to where we needed to be in terms of being more effective. The idea behind a child and family advocacy center is, instead of responding to an event, we treat the child. Because in our line of work with child protection, prosecution and law enforcement, you deal with that event and you move on to the next one. Now with bringing Minnesota State Mankato

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“We really got deep looking at the burden of generational abuse, and looking at bringing the child to the center and providing full service in terms of working with the children. in, they can help us figure out what’s going to be the best practices to treat this child going forward, not just physically but in all aspects, the whole child.” For Dr. Fleischman and the University, it was a no-brainer. “We really got deep looking at the burden of generational abuse, and looking at bringing the child to the center and providing full service in terms of working with the children. I think what we were also looking at is talking about developing a template for best practices and giving our students that real-world experience.” The partnership gives Minnesota State Mankato the opportunity to help serve the community and in turn, provides the students some expertise in their chosen field of social work; getting practicum experience outside the classroom. “The students get a really unique experience where they’re not just getting an opportunity to hear one perspective. They’re getting lots of different real-world experiences. I can see where that’s really going to help those students along as they start their careers. Not just in getting careers but actually just doing a better job than they would have otherwise,” says Dr. Matt Loayza, Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. “And these students are there because they want to help build better communities.” All parties believe it’s partnerships like this one that will help our region maintain its high quality of life, and hopefully, they say, this is just the beginning of Minnesota State Mankato’s involvement as a community resource. “This is what the University is here for and we really look for opportunities like this,” says Dr. Fleischman. “To work with community leaders and provide expertise from the University to apply it to problems that you find in the community is really the true essence of our Strategic Partnerships division. Hopefully beyond this one experience, people in Southern Minnesota and beyond will just come to think of the University as the go-to place.”

Locally-owned Connect Business Magazine is proud to partner with Radio Mankato’s KTOE to present this ongoing series.

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Kerfoot Family Continues Legacy of Promoting the Great Outdoors There are many ways to enjoy the beauty of Minnesota; on the waterways, on the trails, through the trees? One family elevated Minnesota’s options for outdoor recreation and has turned the state’s beauty into a business plan. “Minnesota has a rich history of people who enjoy, explore, and embrace the Bold North. The mythical land of 10,000 lakes, the birthplace of Paul Bunyan, the towering pine trees, the northern lights, and the wild fresh air,” explains Lee Kerfoot. “We love the state and think it adds some invisible magic that is sprinkled into the experience. Like much of Minnesota, the land we are on plays an important role in helping set the stage, in telling our story, in building the experience into something better than the individual parts should be.” That experience is Kerfoot Canopy Tour, a zip lining enterprise located on the Minnesota River Valley National Scenic Byway 6 miles north of Henderson. The perfect location, Kerfoot says, to attract adventure seekers from near and far. “We love the implications of being on a National Scenic Byway. It aligns with the experience we are trying to deliver. Being this close to Minneapolis and 45 minutes away from Mankato allows us to expose so many people to tree-topping outdoor adventures. We are close enough to Mankato and Minneapolis to be accessible, yet far enough away to seem remote and wild,” he explains. At Kerfoot Canopy Tour, the zip line tours start out low and slow to help people get comfortable. Then as the guests begin to relax the course gives them more, challenging them by growing higher, longer and faster. In addition, the scenery changes over the three different sections of the course. It’s a venture born out of Kerfoot’s innate sense of adventure and deeply-rooted passion for the outdoors, something fostered in him from a very young age. “I grew up at the Gunflint Lodge on the Gunflint Trail. My family owned the resort from late 1920 to 2017. As a youth and young adult my Grandma Justine Kerfoot was a big influence on the resort with her commitment to excellence and helping others Continues > recreate outdoors. 36

July | August 2019

Lee Kerfoot, owner of Kerfoot Canopy Tour

continues > CONNECT Business Magazine

Brave Business Adventurers My father Bruce also exemplified these attributes. It seemed natural that these core values were woven into my DNA and hopefully can be seen throughout our two zip line tours,” explains Lee Kerfoot He embraced that part of his DNA with some formal education, graduating from University of Wisconsin-Stout with a degree in hospitality and tourism management, then earning a masters of management in hospitality from Cornell University. It was there he met his wife, Eva, who not only shared the same degree, but also the passion for outdoor recreation. “Eva and I wanted to start a company helping others recreate outdoors and foster their own passion for outdoor adventure. After considering many options we decided to focus on zip lining. Next we started looking for land and eight months later we found something unique. After flying in builders to interview (they were also interviewing us as well) we all agreed this had the potential to be great, we just didn’t know how great it could be. Our builders, Challenge Designs Innovation, really did a great job for us! They built through six weeks of rain nearly every day. We opened in May of 2013 with 10 zip lines. By the fall of 2013 we added four more zip lines, giving us over 1 mile of zip line cable,” he says. Parlaying his passion with a business plan has paid off. In 2016

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It’s All In the Details There are many details Kerfoot incorporates into his business that might go unnoticed by guests, but make a big difference in the overall experience. For example, all of the gloves go through a dryer so they are soft and supple. That way guests don’t have to put on wet, sweaty, or crusty gloves. The gloves are all stored in pairs and the thumbs are always on the right. They are not in a laundry basket like mismatched socks. All of the gear is professionally taken care of, organized, and laid out in exacting detail. Every helmet is cleaned between every single use. Another way the course stands out is through the signage on the property. Each zip line has a unique name and story behind it. The zip lines also show you the level of difficulty. So when you get comfortable with beginner zip lines, then you come to intermediate lines. After completing the intermediate lines guests start to look forward to the advanced lines. “By then their smiles stretch across their face and their cheeks start to ache from the ‘permagrin.’ The expert lines are thrilling combinations of speed, flying, and exhilaration!”

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they opened a second zip line tour, Brainerd Zip Line Tour, at Ski Gull in Nisswa, Minnesota. They again hired Challenge Design Innovation to build Brainerd Zip Line Tour. In the fall of 2017 they added a 21-element aerial adventure park at Kerfoot Canopy Tour. Then in the fall of 2018 they expanded the adventure park to 45-elements. Kerfoot says the key is to keep things changing a bit, to keep folks coming back. “Our first year at Kerfoot Canopy Tour and our first year at Brainerd Zip Line Tour each property hosted just over 3,000 guests,” says Kerfoot. “Brainerd has grown every year. For the most part Kerfoot has grown every year. Last year Kerfoot Canopy Tour had over 10,000 guests and Brainerd Zip Line Tour had over 5,000 guests. We are focusing on building new attractions at different price points so more people can develop their own passion for outdoor adventure. Ultimately, our goal is to help 1 million people recreate outdoors over our first 30 years.” The biggest challenge for Kerfoot so far, has been creating

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Family Adventures “As a family we love outdoor adventure and try to spend as much time as possible outdoors. We have two kids and one of our favorite family trips is to go to the Gunflint Lodge every summer. We always rent a boat, motor across Gunflint Lake, through Magnetic Lake, park the boat at a small rapids, and hike into Little Rock Falls. There is a small cliff you can jump off of and swim at. We bring a pack lunch with us and just enjoy eating lunch on the rocks around the waterfall. When you visit Little Rock Falls it is remote, pristine, relaxed. You cannot help but to feel awe and gratitude for being able to experience the beauty of Mother Nature! “ Kerfoot says his other favorite adventures include zip lining other courses, camping in the Boundary Waters, mountain biking, snorkeling, reading, exploring, and traveling. “Right now most of our favorite adventures have been focused on riding other zip line tours or adventure parks. Often we can combine this with other trips to national parks. As the kids get older we are going to try more snorkeling, white water rafting and mountain biking. This summer we are going to try via ferrata for the first time and I think we are going to love this! But our kids almost always say their favorite trip of the year is our day trip to Little Rock Falls!”

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July | August 2019

“Eva and I do not need to be in control of every decision, but we are committed to great service. Ed and Mitchell are excellent at many tasks we are not. Constant communication is essential in alignment between all of us. One attribute we all have in common is in trying to find ‘what is right’ and not ‘who is right.’ With this in mind, more often than not, we help improve each others’ ideas. A great example of this is I wanted to start kayaking rentals on the Minnesota River. After renting kayaks for a few years we could not find the right formula for us to do this at a high level. Because we are all committed to great service and none of us need to be right, when Ed told me we should stop renting kayaks, in reflection he was right. So we sold all of the equipment and focused on zip lining.”

Kerfoot Canopy Tour | Henderson awareness that great zip lining is available in Minnesota. “When we started no one thought of zip lining and Minnesota,” he says. “But now after several years of delivering great experiences people are starting to become aware of us.” Now that they have added an Adventure Park, they face another similar challenge: educating people on what an Adventure Park is. “We really don’t have anything like this in the state of Minnesota. Our Adventure Park is a 45-element extreme high ropes course. Part ninja warrior, part obstacle course, park ropes course, 100% fun! We use smart belay systems so guests are always clipped on. The course has three and a half stories to it and as you go higher in the park the elements you cross get harder. We think this is going to be super popular once we are able to get the word out,” says Kerfoot. Along with creating a great experience for adventure seekers, Kerfoot and his wife are equally concerned with creating a great experience for their employees, maintaining a healthy company culture. “We have always been concerned about hiring the right type of people. Fortunately, between the general managers Ed and Mitchell, the returning sky guides, and the culture we create, we are able to attract amazing people that help our guests foster and develop their own passion for outdoor recreation and adventure. That said, it is a constant challenge to find the right people,” he explains. Fortunately, Kerfoot believes he has put together his dream team, with everyone on the team having a strong commitment to excellence in service and on delivering it every day with every guest.

Always Looking for the Next Big Adventure “One fun challenge is imagining new adventures to help people recreate outdoors. We see some interesting stuff on the internet and try to figure out if we can do it at a high level at either property. One example of something we looked into but ultimately decided not to do was an extreme mountain bike course. We wanted to build a corkscrew ramp to descend down a steep ravine, have a bridge with an optional jump across a riverbed. Ultimately, for several reasons we decided not to go forward with the idea. We spend a lot of time brainstorming about possible ideas but unfortunately many get discarded. We have narrowed down our list to a few really cool things that no one is doing in the Midwest or nationally. So, hopefully we can build these out for future guests to explore and recreate in new amazing ways. These will be really cool!”

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Brave Business Adventurers “Our general managers, Ed MacHolda at Kerfoot Canopy Tour and Mitchell Scott at Brainerd Zip Line Tour, do an incredible job of training, coaching, and trying to weave service, empathy, and outdoor adventure into everything they do,” says Kerfoot. “One specific example of this is that we ask our guides to learn the names of their guests and use them during the tour. Sometimes it takes a few zips before they get the names down, but it helps convey a personalization and intimacy as guests go through the course. For the guests who are nervous, hearing their name often helps calm them, comfort them, and reassure them that we are there to help them and they can do it!” KCT has three full-time, year-round cast members – the general managers and recently hired Krissie Mason, who handles groups, public relations, and overall awareness. Kerfoot refers to employees as cast members, because he says they are putting on an authentic experience for guests. KCT hires nearly 40 seasonal cast members, and at Brainerd Zip Line Tour

July | August 2019

Kerfoot Canopy Tour | Henderson

Entrepreneurial Ingenuity “One challenge every entrepreneur faces is limited time in the day. With a day job, two zip line tours, trying to publish content online, and a family, how I spend my time and who I hire is critical,” he says. “Time forces me to assess how important something is very quickly. I struggle with this and I ask myself daily/hourly: what should I be spending my time working on, who should I be surrounding myself with, what can I delegate, how important is it for me to be somewhere, or do I really need to be involved in this project or decision? These questions force me to regularly question my time and generally keep me out of the day-to-day emergencies that can come up. “ Recently, Kerfoot started publishing content online to help other adventure business owners grow and accelerate their own businesses. This content can be found online at adventurebusinessaccelerator.com.

they hire around 20. Often, he points out, they have as much as 50% of their previous cast members returning for another season. Now in its sixth year, KCT is going strong. But Kerfoot says to make this seasonal business work, he hasn’t given up his day job. “Yes, it is essentially a seasonal business. We do some zip lining in the winter, but less than 5% of our business is from November through the end of March,” he says. “When we started we believed there were two primary options. One was to quit our day jobs and run the company ourselves, but because we would be relying on the business to pay our day-to-day bills we thought this might limit our growth opportunities. The second option was to hire a great general manager and let them run the day-to-day operations, allowing me to keep my day job and focus on the big picture items and marketing. “We chose to hire great people, listen to them, give them guidelines, and turn them loose. This allows us to focus on adding new attractions, like our Adventure Park. However, the downside to this is that I effectively have two full-time jobs, which is not for everyone.” At the end of the day, Kerfoot admits it feels wonderful knowing that generations of his family have helped generations of other families find their own love of outdoor activities. Conveying that history

and educating their guides about how important it is to explore the outdoors really adds authenticity to what they are trying to do. “People come to Kerfoot Canopy Tour for many reasons. Families come so they can bond as a family and connect with Mother Nature. Friends come because they want a unique, thrilling adventure. Bachelor/bachelorette parties come because they are looking for a way to spend time together before returning to their busy lives. Corporate groups come because they want to deepen their relationships with co-workers. It is about spending time together, outdoors, embracing the outdoors, doing something exciting, while enjoying a great experience.”

THE ESSENTIALS Kerfoot Canopy Tour 30200 Scenic Byway Road Henderson, MN 56044 Phone: (952) 260-2657 Website: Kerfootcanopytour.com Brainerd Zipline Tour 9898 County Road 77 Southwest Nisswa, MN 56468 Phone: (218) 316-6562 Website: zipbrainerd.com

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Owner, Mankato Computer Technology Information technology, or IT as it is commonly known, is not what it used to be. When it first became its own industry, it simply referred to the use of computers to store, transmit and manipulate data, basically referring to a computer system, operated by a limited number of people. Today, of course, the world of IT has expanded. It is an integral part of any business operation and those venturing into the industry have a large array of diverse opportunities to pursue. So many, in fact, it can be overwhelming to a business owner who knows technology is needed, but doesn’t know exactly how to best meet those needs. Filling that need almost a decade ago, was Wes Gilbert, founder of what was known then as Mankato Computer Repair. “We serve small businesses and consumers in Southern Minnesota. We work with 44

July | August 2019

businesses ranging from one computer up to 130 computers. Our clients are mostly in Mankato, but we also have many in the surrounding communities and some clients who are based in Mankato but have multiple locations across the Midwest,” says Gilbert. “Our goal is to take businesses from thinking of technology as a necessary evil to thinking of it as a strategic resource. When approached strategically, technology can be a tool that makes your business operate more efficiently, helping you to grow and add to your bottom line. Also, in this day and age, security concerns are very real for small businesses so mitigating the risk from IT threats is critical.” Just as the IT industry is constantly evolving, so is his company. He recently led the company through a rebranding and a renaming: Mankato Computer Technology. “We’ve grown quite a bit,” explains Gilbert. “When we started out it was just me and one part-time employee. We’ve grown steadily over time and now have 10 full-time employees. Half of us went to high school together in Mankato so many of us have known each other for decades. The way we do support has changed drastically as well.

Lisa Cownie EDITOR

When I first got into this industry, almost all the work was done on-site when someone called you to say something was broken. Now, most of our support work is done remotely, and we’re much more heavily focused on preventative measures than reactive measures.” Gilbert founded the company after spending several years managing another IT company in Mankato. “I knew how to run an IT business the right way and wanted the chance to do things my way. I had a clear vision of how an IT company should operate and I wanted to create that,” he explains. “It was definitely a little scary. I left a steady job that I enjoyed and sold my car to fund the new operation. But I figured I was young enough that I had time to bounce back if it didn’t work out, so the timing was right to go for it.” Going through a recent name change and rebranding is a culmination of all

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Wes Gilbert

“It was definitely a little scary. I left a steady job that I enjoyed and sold my car to fund the new operation. But I figured I was young enough that I had time to bounce back if it didn’t work out, so the timing was right to go for it.” that Gilbert has learned from his early entrepreneurial endeavor. “We are really thrilled with the rebrand and new location. We think both better represent the company we’ve become over the years. We have focused heavily on business IT support for over five years now, so we wanted a name, brand, and location that better suited the company we’ve become, and I think we’ve achieved that,” he says. In addition to growing staff, the company also outgrew its original location and recently moved across the street to a larger, newly remodeled office on the first floor of the Hubbard Building. Along with constantly learning to keep up with the latest technologies, Gilbert says he has also

learned a lot from the business perspective. “The biggest thing I’ve learned is to listen to your employees and involve them in decision making whenever possible. I’m lucky enough to have a lot of really smart people who work for me. When we have a tough decision to make, we talk it through as a team and everyone gets a chance to share their thoughts. We make better decisions because of that, which has been key to our success. It’s also given our staff a real sense of agency – a sense that we are a team working toward a common goal and that everyone has a say in how we get things done. Also, be willing to admit when you’re wrong. Find people who can help you lead and cultivate a management team so that you can focus on

growing your business,” he reflects. As far as advice for other entrepreneurs, he says they need to go in with eyes wide open. “I would suggest that any new entrepreneurs take the time to really figure out what their goals are and why they want to be in business for themselves. A lot of people have a romantic idea of business ownership, but the reality is a lot of hard work, stress, and sacrifice. If you’re lucky you’ll be rewarded for all that, but it takes time and dedication to get there. So you really need to know what your goals are so that you are driven enough to push through the hard parts,” he says. THE ESSENTIALS

Mankato Computer Technology 424 North Riverfront Drive, #120 Mankato, MN 56001 Phone: 507-625-8324 Web: mankatotechs.com

CONNECT Business Magazine

1 on 1 Each issue we dive into how the One Million Cups initiative thrives on the 1-on-1 relationships.

Ethan & Hannah Germscheid Owners, TOV Chiropractic 1813 Adams Street Mankato, MN 56001 Phone: 507-322-4040

1 on 1 tells the stories of entrepreneurs and mentors working together to achieve success in our community.

Yvonne Cariveau, PhD Director, Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship 424 N Riverfront Drive, Suite 210 Mankato, MN 56001 Phone: 507-389-1018

By Lisa Cownie, Editor

July | August 2019

that it will help others who are looking to open a business or grow their current one.” Hannah and Ethan agree that small businesses, new or farther along in their journey, will benefit from the mentorships available each month at 1Million Cups. “It is a great opportunity to meet other business owners, get advice on how to be a local business owner in this community and to learn what has worked and what to avoid when starting or running a small business. It is such a supportive group, and again, we are thankful to be a part of it. Through 1Million Cups we have met many impactful people of this community and we hope that we can continue to strengthen those relationships moving forward.” If the Germscheids could ask a mentor one more question, what would it be? “How can we serve our community better? We are always looking to learn more about this community, because we know community goes far beyond the walls of our office. We know that every day there is something new to be learned, and we can always be improving,” says Hannah.

Million Cups Mankato co-founder, Yvonne Cariveau, director of the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, mentors many of the businesses that come through the program. She says the Germscheids fit right in with the culture of the business community in the region. “Ethan and Hannah are the type of new business people that every community hopes for,” she says. “They attend events like 1Million Cups to jump right in and see if they can help others with their input. They are willing to get up and share their story. They show up for networking events and are more than happy to encourage and support other new businesses.”

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hen Ethan and Hannah Germscheid graduated from Minnesota State University, Mankato and left to attend chiropractic school, they knew they would be back someday. “Being from the small community of Dassel, Minnesota, we knew we wanted to settle down somewhere that had everything but still had the small-town feel. Mankato was that place!” explains Hannah. They discovered Mankato is not only a great place to live, but a great place to have a small business. In mid-May, they opened their own chiropractic practice, TOV Chiropractic. “We have a passion for serving others through chiropractic care and we knew that we would be able to do it best within the walls of our own practice. At TOV Chiropractic we utilize a technique that is brand new to the Mankato area called Torque Release Technique, which is gentle, specific, and scientific. We are neurologically-based and focus primarily on the function of the nervous system,” explains Hannah. “The beauty with our technique is that it is gentle enough to serve all populations from pediatrics to geriatrics, even those who have already had spinal surgery. We are so excited to be back in a community we love, serving others through neurologically-based chiropractic care.” They have found Mankato to be an open, encouraging community for small-business owners. And they found an important resource in the 1Million Cups initiative. “After attending 1Million Cups the last couple months we are able to learn each month about how different businesses are making an impact in our community. We really got to see how this community rallies behind its small businesses and pours into them to help them grow. This was an opportunity we felt we couldn’t pass up. The 1Million Cups platform here in Mankato is quickly becoming larger, based on the recent growth in attendance. We are excited to share our journey of opening up TOV Chiropractic, in hopes

Cariveau says one indicator of the impact that the CIE and 1Million Cups is starting to have in the region is the fact that this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s MNCup, the largest venture competition in the country, will have two 1Million Cups presenters from Blue Earth County. Maggie Knier of 2True Headbands, and Jeff Chambers of Kato Collar, are semifinalists in the competition. There are thousands of applicants and only 88 make it into the semifinals. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are giving entrepreneurs a place to get in front of the

community, practice talking about their business, get coaching/ mentoring and other help. With that support and encouragement, they apply for things like this and have success,â&#x20AC;? says Cariveau. The semifinalists from nine divisions will compete for a share of the $500,000 in prize money, as well as the training, connections and support to help advance their entrepreneurial ideas. To view 1Million Cups Mankato presentations, visit 1millioncups.com/mankato/presentations.

What is MN Cup? MN Cup is a competition meant to inspire entrepreneurs to begin their startup journey and then support them through helping develop a solid business plan and opportunities to expand their networks. It is a community-led, public-private partnership that brings together corporations, VCs, foundations, government and skilled volunteers. It culminates in an annual competition that reaches emerging entrepreneurs from across the state and connects them with tools, resources and support to launch and accelerate the development of their new ventures. MN Cup is volunteer driven and all programming and prize money are completely funded by sponsorship dollars, foundation grants and in-kind donations of services. The competition was founded in 2005 by serial entrepreneurs Dan Mallin and Scott Litman in partnership with the University of Minnesota. Since 2005, more than 16,000 Minnesotans have participated. MN Cup has given away $2.9 million in seed funds, and our alumni have gone on to raise nearly $400 million in capital. MN Cup is a program of the Holmes Center for Entrepreneurship at the Carlson School of Management. For more information, email hellomncup@umn.edu.

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Grant Pope, general manager of Kamp Dels Campground.

July | August 2019

continues >

By Michael Lagerquist Photos by Jonathan Smith

In the world of Minnesota campgrounds, the season pretty much falls between Memorial Day and Labor Day. And the success of that season is determined by the weather. Sometimes, however, a larger determinant is weather that falls outside of the time between those bookend holidays. Such was especially the case for one Minnesota campground last year. On the evening of Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018, weather services were tracking severe weather through southeastern Minnesota. Because the Labor Day weekend had been two and a half weeks earlier, many campgrounds – including Kamp Dels in Waterville – were sparsely populated and moving toward their fall shutdown. And that turned out to be a very good thing, as tornados and storms tore through the area, with Kamp Dells directly in its path. “The storm came really quick,” Kamp Dels General Manager Grant Pope said May 14, days before the

campground planned to open for the 2019 season. “We had been watching the weather knowing that a severe storm was possible, but did not expect anything like this.” Weather.com reported it this way the next day: “Severe storms which may have packed tornadoes tore through southeastern Minnesota Thursday evening, toppling trees and power lines, damaging home and flipping airplanes housed in a hangar at a municipal airport.” “We had damage in just about every area of the campground. The physical damages included: multiple buildings that had shattered windows, torn up siding, holes in the roofs, decks destroyed, parked campers thrown into the fields, water lines broken, electrical lines snapped. We lost over 400 trees, tar ripped up caused by uprooted trees, petting zoo fencing crushed, and more,” reports Pope. Timing was everything when it came to limiting injuries when the storm came through that night, explains Pope. Continues >

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Surviving the Storm He says the campground had physical damage in just about every area. It’s damage that was still being repaired as their May 17 planned opening for the 2019 season approached. Kamp Dels employees were able to make an announcement over their intercom system informing everyone to take shelter. Only a couple of minutes later, he says, the storm was upon them. Multiple security cameras placed around the campground captured the speed at which the severe storm reached them. One video posted on the Kamp Dels Facebook page and on YouTube shows a vehicle being driven into the campground, followed almost immediately by blowing wind and rain that takes down a tree within seconds. After checking on camper safety, employees and staff began the recovery work that would continue through the middle of May, with days that began before sunrise and didn’t finish until after sunset. The immediate plan was to clean up fallen trees, a process that took months, Pope says. Once again, weather — this time the wetness that preceded the storm — played a key role in what happened. “At the time of the storm, the grounds were extremely wet and so many of the trees didn’t snap but rather uprooted, leaving massive holes in the ground that needed to be tended to for the safety of everyone,” says Pope. The downed trees blocked roadways within the grounds and made it difficult to maneuver for repairs, creating additional difficulties.

“When you have something like this happen, it changes the way you think about life in general and the amazing generosity of those around you. We feel like we can’t say thank you enough.” Assistance came from many groups; friends, family and guests poured into the grounds to give what they could to help clean up. Some helped clean up fallen branches, others provided their own chainsaws to cut up fallen trees. Some volunteers provided food and water to workers. “When you have something like this happen, it changes the way you think about life in general and the amazing generosity of those around you. We feel like we can’t say thank you enough.” The physical damage was apparent from the start. What couldn’t be seen — and what built as the days of repair went through the fall, into the winter and then into spring — was the emotional damage. That, too, he says, caught them by surprise. But in a good way. “Emotionally, after we got over the shock of what had happened, I believe we became stronger as a core,” he says. “It’s part of what being a family business means, and something many people don’t

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“Emotionally, after we got over the shock of what had happened, I believe we became stronger as a core,” he says. “It’s part of what being a family business means, and something many people don’t understand. When you are in it together and have people around you who care, love and support you, you can accomplish anything.” understand. When you are in it together and have people around you who care, love and support you, you can accomplish anything.” He says that by the time snow had fallen, they had all of the brush, stumps and stump holes cleaned and ready to go. Repairing all of the damage to facilities caused by the storm was left until spring. The addition of cleaning up and then reconstructing of buildings and campground amenities was added to their usual preparation for the new season. Plans were changed, to-do lists expanded. Weather continued to play a huge role in restoration this spring, so they had to work around different weather conditions. While indoor repairs were minimal, repairs to the campground’s outdoor amenities damaged by the storms were significant. Damaged were the water park, built in 2016 with more than 38,000 square feet of pools. Pope says they had check the integrity of the 32-foot water slide, 23-foot climbing wall, basketball and volleyball courts, diving boards and the interactive play structure. The petting zoo’s 26 different pens had to be rebuilt, and Kamp Del’s many cabins, overnight tent camping sites, RV camping sites and seasonal campsites all had to be cleaned up. With time ticking down to the start of another season, the need for

Kamp Dels | Waterville

heavy machinery can make outdoor repairs difficult, Pope says. If grounds are damaged during the completion of heavy repairs, that damage must then be repaired. But this work also had silver linings. “Many things that have been damaged have allowed us to redo the process and do it better.” When spring and summer campers return they will be greeted by buildings with new roofs and siding, new windows, new signage, cabin remodels, large cement patios, wider roads, better placement of trees that were planted to replace those that were fallen or damaged, and, he says, an overall safer and well-rounded campground. That which was lost has been replaced; that which was damaged has been brought back better than before, Pope says. “The only thing that will be different here

Family Run for Family Fun Family operated, Kamp Dels resort actually started quite differently than you might think. Originally called Del’s Blue Spruce Lodges, the resort started with the construction of the two, two-bedroom cabins in 1955 that are still standing today. It wasn’t until a few years after the cabin construction when Del Pope purchased the farm land with the infamous Red Barn that an additional 10 campsites were added and the name had to be changed.

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at Kamp Dels will be the scenery. Losing 400-plus trees that are all 20-plus years old makes for a little less shade in some areas,” he says. They suspect some of the lost bur oak trees along the lakeshore were more than 100 years old. “Rest assured we planted and moved well over 500 trees back into the campground that will help.” For everything that was lost, even more was gained. That includes a closer relationship to their guests, family and friends. As a seasonal business, they now feel a closer year-round kinship to those with whom they live. “We want to thank our community for always standing behind us and their constant support of what we stand for. We love our amazing little town of Waterville and are happy to be where we are today,” Pope says. “As a staff and family we have never felt closer and more accomplished than we do today. Sometimes the worst events bring out the best in us, and we definitely feel that is the case with us today.” Kamp Dels has 35 to 40 family members who work in various capacities at the campground during the summer. Nine work there all year-round. Kamp Dels is located on Lake Sakatah near Waterville, Minnesota.

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July | August 2019

14842 Sakatah Lake Road Waterville, MN 56096 Phone: 507-362-8616 Web: kampdels.com

HOT STARTZ! MANKATO

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Chris Willaert Insurance Agency He’s taken a few detours along the way, but Chris Willaert knows all the twists and turns eventually led him in the right direction: back to Mankato and back to helping people. He grew up in Mankato but attended school at the University of St. Thomas and spent a decade in the Twin Cities, before returning home. “In 2010 I went to work for a local insurance agency and learned the insurance industry. I wrote home and auto insurance, as well as commercial, and also a lot of life insurance and financial services. I loved working with people from all different backgrounds and getting to know my clients. Learning about what’s important to them and what they are really trying to protect. To many people, insurance is ‘just something they have to have’ but I help them understand why they really need it, in addition to how the pieces fit together,” Willaert explains. In 2015 he took a detour from the financial world and accepted the position of Director for the Mankato Sports Commission. He enjoyed it, however, after a couple years

found himself wanting to be back in the private sector and specifically the insurance world. “Four years ago I found myself strapped into Mayo One being flown to Mayo in Rochester for what was emergency and lifesaving open heart surgery. Of course, I didn’t want to die. Nobody does. But when you’ve had an experience like that you realize the true reason for life insurance,” he explains. So in fall 2018, he opened his own Farmers Insurance office, partly because it’s a well-known national brand. But mostly because of its culture. “As I researched them I realized they were known for phenomenal customer service, believe heavily in community involvement and have outstanding products. I have a passion for helping people and that’s my simple goal with every client I meet with. Some people I’m helping directly by protecting the things

that matter most to them and others I’m helping by being involved in the community.” A community Willaert is proud to call home. “As a kid growing up, you don’t see the things that make this place special but after being away for a number of years I realized how special it is,” he says. “Maybe it’s just who I’ve surrounded myself with but what I’ve found is that people in this community truly do care about the community. That’s why I’m committed to giving back. In a few short months of having our agency open, we’ve been involved, whether it be as a volunteer or sponsor of various things, including United Way and the YWCA’s Girls on the Run. Farmers fully supports all of this.” Chris Willaert Insurance Agency 1901 Madison Ave, Suite 130 Phone: 507-345-8888

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HOT STARTZ! MANKATO

Theresa Sedivy knows her strengths and weaknesses. A trained educator with several certifications and licensures attached to her name, she had the knowledge to help others specifically with assisted stretching. “I’d been teaching active older adults and other special populations at Mankato Family YMCA since March 2016, but I began to become unhappy with my employment. I’d suffered a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) during grad school for my MSE in exercise science. I’d been unable to work jobs of all kinds since suffering that TBI, due to my mental health, loss of executive function and many other employment assets,” Sedivy reflects. “But, I know exercise science, I believe in the benefits of flexibility training from my own experiences and the wealth of research done on stretching, and I love to help people. A friend of mine from the Y, a snow bird, returned in the spring of 2018 from California, where she’d used a Groupon to try Stretch U, a fancy assisted stretch studio. She told me, “‘You should start one of these here!’” While well trained in her field, the thought of operating her own business was daunting to her. Fortunately, she found the

resources she needed to get started, right in Mankato. “I looked into what it’d take to franchise Stretch U here. Between leasing a space, being required to fly to California to attend their corporate training, and many other factors, I knew franchising wasn’t for me.” she says. “I discovered the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) hosts a free startup workshop that I should attend. So, I did in September 2018 and I was on my way.” She founded Flexibility4All, introducing Mankato to the idea of assisted stretching. “This is the first assisted stretch service anywhere near Mankato and my best sales technique is to have people feel a stretch,

I wanted to get out the word about what I do, show people how an assisted stretch looks through a volunteer demonstration or through a presentation.” As her business grows, she says she is thankful for all the resources around her. “I appreciate knowing I’ll be able to ask for help when I need it,” she says. “I love SCORE, SBDC, CEI, DEED, other resources and friends and mentors too numerous to mention. I have found the people of Greater Mankato to be very receptive.” Flexibility4All Phone: 507-508-7344 Facebook: Flexibility4All, LLC

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

MANKATO

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Kato CBD A little over six months after opening a CBD business, Ty Homan and Jake Schrom have learned a thing or two. Originally doing business as CBD HempDropz, they recently made a change. “We changed our name to Kato CBD,” explains Schrom. “The owner of the CBD Hempdropz line was not allowing us to carry other brands. Now that we are able to control what brands we carry, we are also able to offer better pricing for our customers.” The duo knows a little bit about taking care of customers: Homan has been a delivery driver for many years, and Schrom owns Hometown Fitness in Eagle Lake. Their reasons for delving into CBD are very personal. “I started using CBD last year to help with my anxiety,” explains Schrom. “I didn’t feel like myself when I used a doctor recommended prescription, so I looked for something natural. CBD has changed my life. I shared with Ty how well CBD was working for me, and he started using CBD to help with his lower back pain. We both had found success in CBD and started to tell our friends and family members about CBD. After several of them had found what they were looking for in CBD, we knew that we would be able to help people

experiencing similar ailments.” Their best seller so far has been pain cream, but Schrom says the product offering is vast so educating the consumer is important. “Everyone who walks in the door, is offered a sample of our products. While they are trying samples, we explain how CBD works, along with answering all of their questions. We offer many different CBD products with and without THC. Some of our products include pain creams,

oils, water solubles, gummies, soft gels, and e-juice. We even carry coffee and bath bombs that have CBD in them,” he says. He says all products are grown and manufactured in Colorado. The products are also third-party tested, with the test results available to view in the store. Kato CBD 111 Star Street, Suite 106 Phone: 507-779-7394 Facebook: Kato CBD

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BULLETIN BOARD Local Chamber and Economic Development News

Brown County Leadership Program Ashley Aukes: The Bridging Brown County Leadership Program is designed to help current and emerging leaders understand the dynamics of the community and the role leadership shares in building healthy communities. The program consists of one session per month for nine months, September through May. Each session typically runs 8 a.m. to 4:30 pm. The cost of the program covers all materials, meals, refreshments, and tours. Learn more and apply online at bridgingbrowncounty.org.

Stephanie Busiahn: Things are heating up with top entertainment in queue at Minnesota’s Other Big Fair, August 12-18 in Fairmont. Satisfy your curiosity with interactive shows like ‘The Kate Escape’ and ‘Aussie Kingdom.’ Hear songs from every corner of the musical universe with an exciting line-up featuring The Johnny Holm Band, Chris Hawkey, Due North, Sinister, Sawyer Brown and unlikely up-and-coming country music star, Tyler Rich! Entertainment is free with gate admission. Find more at VisitFairmontMN.com.

Blue Earth Area Chamber

Le Sueur Chamber

Shellie Poetter: Our annual Giant Days Celebration is July 13 and 14. It will feature sales and events around town. The Giant turns 40! There will be cake, ice cream, games and fireworks on Friday. Saturday events include a car show, bike ride and parade at 5 p.m. Catch a musical theater production of Once Upon a Mattress, July 11-14. It’s our old-fashioned Faribault County Fair, July 24-27 featuring exhibits, horse show and demo derby.

Julie Boyland: Welcome Keller Williams Preferred Realty, a new business in Le Sueur located at 112 North Main Street. List of events in Le Sueur: Farmers Market every Saturday 8 a.m. to noon, located at 2nd and Bridge Street; Music in the Park, located at American Legion Park, Wednesday, July 17. The Singing Cowgirl 6-7:00 p.m. and Train Wreck Acoustic 7-8 p.m.; Giant Celebration Kick-Off, July 26 Main Street of Le Sueur, with a concert from Jared Graff, 7-9 p.m. and Chris Hawkey, 9:30-11:30 p.m.; Giant Celebration, Town Celebration, August 2-4 at American Legion Park. Check out the website for more information at lesueurchamber.org

Fairmont Area Chamber Ned Koppen: The 22nd annual Blue Ribbon Pork Cook Off is set for August 14 at the Martin County Fairgrounds. Area businesses will produce incredible pork-inspired creations to vie for the favor of the people and our panel of judges. The Agri-Business and Ambassador Committees of the Chamber collaborate with the Martin County Pork Producers to help fund ag scholarships for area students through this highly-anticipated annual event. Congratulations to our 2019 scholarship recipients, Andrew Moeller and Nicolas Potthoff.

Greater Mankato Growth Bridget Norland: We hope you were able to enjoy the live music and local fare at the 16th Annual Songs on the Lawn in June, which was presented by Xcel Energy! The long-standing event is a great chance to meet your friends and colleagues in City Center Mankato. To keep that momentum going…join us at the Civic Center Plaza for Alive After 5 each Thursday afternoon in August from 5-7:30 p.m. for free live music, presented by August Schell Brewing Company. Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy a relaxed outdoor setting with lively entertainment, where parking is always free! 58

Visit Fairmont

July | August 2019

Henderson Chamber Jeff Steinborn: Summer is in full swing with the Henderson Classic Car Roll-In each Tuesday night from 5 to 8 p.m. through September 17. The Henderson Hummingbird Hurrah will take place the third Saturday in August at the Hummingbird Garden. Henderson Guide Books can be picked up at any Henderson Main Street business. Chamber meetings are the last Wednesday at noon, alternating at the Henderson Roadhaus and Toody’s Sweet Treats.

Madelia Area Chamber & VB Karla Angus: Madelia Park Days Celebration with free admission will be held at Watona Park. On Friday, July 12 the grand parade is set for 7 p.m. Chad Edwards Band will perform at 8 and there will be fireworks at 10. On Saturday, July 13 there will be the Rivers Edge Art & More Fair from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Family Fun Zone from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Watona Park Blues Festival music starting at 11:40

Submit your chamber news to editor@connectbiz.com

City of Mapleton

Nicollet Area Chamber

Patty Woodruff: Stop by Mapleton’s Heritage Park this summer. We have been making several improvements to the park. Come enjoy our new Splash Pad at Heritage Park. It is free to the public. You can rent a table for a birthday party by contacting Mapleton City Hall.

Alesia Slater: We are in full swing with our Cruisin’ on Pine & 99, 3rd annual classic car event that began in May. The event runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Come and enjoy the food, friends and a good time while you stroll Pine and 3rd Street checking out the classic cars. All food vendors are local and funds raised go to support the organization they are representing. Follow us at nicollet.org for all the latest happenings.

a.m. featuring Billy and the Bangers, Lisa Wenger and Her Mean Mean Men, Virgil Caine Band, Armadillo Jump and Headliner: Chris Duarte. Full schedule at visitmadelia.com.

funding. The accreditation process is based on the Malcolm Baldrige Quality Program developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. No other publicly-funded program undergoes the accountability examinations and reviews that SBDCs receive to ensure management strength, financial accountability and economic impact. Contact your trusted SBDC today to receive no-cost, confidential advice. Apply at myminnesotabusiness.com.

Marshall EDA Marcia Loeslie: The Marshall Economic Development Authority is excited to announce they are in the process of getting Commerce Industrial Park Shovel Ready. Commerce Industrial Park will play a significant role in our community’s economic future. By having this site shovel-ready, increasing our online marketing, and being in an Opportunity Zone, we are well positioned for growth. Marshall would also like to give a warm welcome to Aldi, Ashley HomeStore, and Hobby Lobby just to name a few. We are growing – come join us!

New Ulm Area Chamber Sarah Warmka: The New Ulm Area Chamber of Commerce welcomes these new members: New Ulm Craft & Vendor Events, The CBD Centers, and Family Heritage. The new Community-Wide Internship Program is underway, as is the Gnome on the Road Campaign. Upcoming events include: Bavarian Blast, July 18-21; Crazy Days, July 26-27; Brown County Free Fair, August 7-11; US-Dakota War Commemoration, August 22-25; HermannFest, September 7; Gemutlickeit in Goosetown, September 14.

Small Business Development Center Julie Nelson: This July, the SBDC is undergoing accreditation review to continue its high-quality services and program

Sleepy Eye EDA Kurk Kramer: The Sleepy Eye EDA is exploring the early childcare topic and plans to have a business community luncheon to discuss with all local businesses, the topic of early childcare in the community. The EDA is also continuing their cooperative efforts with the rehab of numerous downtown buildings. One which has become a business expansion with additional business startup included, as well as the soon to open Sleepy Eye Coffee Company and Sleepy Eye Brewing Company. Several other interested parties have inquired about buildings that they might rehab and put back into active use.

Springfield Chamber Denise Gicker: The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the 12th annual golf tournament on Friday, August 9. With this year’s beach theme, it is sure to be an epic event. Come join us at the Springfield Golf Course for drink and food specials, open to the public. Check out our facebook page for all the details by visiting facebook.com/SpringfieldAreaChamberOfCommerceCvb/. CONNECT Business Magazine

BULLETIN BOARD

Region Nine Development Commission

Windom Economic Development

Need a business loan? Region Nine administers a Revolving Loan Fund program to assist existing businesses, as well as new entrepreneurs, in securing financing they are otherwise unable to secure through traditional channels. The primary goal of the program is to create new jobs, or retain existing jobs, in the region. Make Region Nine your regional partner for progress this year! Learn more at rndc.org/what-we-do/ revolving-loan-fund/.

Drew Hage: The average daily traffic volume along Highway 60/US Highway 71 in Windom was 13,000+ in 2018. Transportation Planners predict an additional 3,000 to 5,000 vehicles when traffic volumes increase as part of this 4-lane expansion that was completed in 2018. The Windom EDA is here to help move your next project forward. We look forward to working with existing businesses and new businesses to grow our region.

St. James Area Chamber

Waseca Economic Development

Joe McCabe: The St. James Chamber is pleased to welcome Sioux Trails Mental Health and Plaza Jalisco as new Chamber members. The Chamber Agriculture and Business Committee awarded two Agriculture Future of America scholarships this year. Visit St. James during Hot Dog days on June 15 where you can try out a variety of hot dogs at different stations downtown and shop “crazy days” merchant sales. Then come back June 1722 for our annual Railroad Days celebrations. Visit our website at discoverstjamesmn.com to see our community calendar with details on all of our events!

Gary Sandholm: Industrial hemp in all its flavors continues to rapidly emerge in Waseca and the region. CBD extraction will be ready for this year’s harvest with other processing possibly coming in the future. University of Minnesota Extension is working with Waseca to host the first Connecting Entrepreneurial Communities Conference in the state this September. Implementation of Vision 2030 continues as four action teams develop projects in targeted areas as laid out in the Vision 2030 plan.

St. James EDA

Gary Sandholm: Summer activities are hitting stride. The water park is popular, Farmamerica’s summer programs are running, Lakefest’s music and fireworks are on July 4, and preparations for the Waseca County Free Fair are nearing completion. Enjoy these and other activities in Waseca. While here, savor a craft beer, bite into a wood-fired pizza, or partake of other tasty offerings from our many restaurants and bars while visiting our specialty shops.

Jamie Scheffer: The City of St. James closed on a 4.08 acre parcel with Lewis Family Drug, who broke ground mid-May in St. James. Their new 4,000 square foot building will provide full pharmaceutical services to the St. James area and will house a small retail section with medical, beauty and other miscellaneous goods. In the wake of Shopko closing, Lewis Family Drug opened a temporary operation in a small retail space in downtown St. James. The City is excited to welcome Lewis Drug to the community! In other development news, the St. James Veterinary Clinic is expanding with a new 5,469 square foot building that will be built this summer. This expansion is in response to the need for additional space, particularly for the larger farm animals the clinic serves. Community Education in Watonwan County has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation to address the child care shortage. Community members from St. James, Madelia and Butterfield are working on strategies to use the grant funds. 60

July | August 2019

Discover Waseca Tourism

City of Winnebago Jean Anderson: This year Winnebago’s National Night Out will be held at the West City Park on August 6. There will be many fun activities for both children and adults, including free swimming at the pool! Join us for a fun evening and meet friends and neighbors too! Winnebago’s campground has 17 sites available equipped with water, sewer and electric (20/30/50). Open May through September (later close is possible depending on weather). Long-term camping is also available. Check the city website for campground rules and regulations.

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EXCEPTIONAL PRICES, GIANT SELECTION FREE DELIVERY FRIENDLY, PERSONAL SERVICE Furniture, Flooring, Window Treatments, Design Service and More! Downtown New Ulm • 16 North German Street

507-354-2716 • www.newulmfurniture.com

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NEW ULM AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Supporting the businesses who make us a special place to visit for a weekend, or a lifetime. See our historical downtown, do some shopping – open your own business! We’ll help you make it your home.

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NEW ULM • JensenMotors.com

of Mankato

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FRIENDLY SERVICE ADVISORS CONNECT Business Magazine

CONNECTING BACK 2014 Five years ago, a dynamic duo graced our cover, Randy Farrow and Dr. Julie Gerndt. The CEO and chief medical officer, respectively, formed the upper management team at Mankato Clinic and together charted a bottom-up, egalitarian course for the organization. Profiled that issue were Melcher’s Power Vac, and Mike Steindl, owner of four Erbert & Gerbert sandwich shops. Two are located in Mankato, one is St. Peter and one in North Mankato.

2009 Ten years ago, we took a very unique approach to our cover story. Instead of highlighting a present day business person, we chose to take a step back in history. Sir Henry Wellcome was featured on our cover. Why? Because upon his death in the mid-1930s he willed $400,000 to the town of Garden City, a town he visited often over the course of his life and never forgot. Also profiled were All Pro Media in Mankato and Arabian Horse Times.

2004 North Mankato’s Wade Hensel was our cover story in July 2004. Also profiled were Canyon Outback Leather Goods in New Ulm and Birds Eye Foods in Waseca.

1999 Twenty years ago, Rick McCluhan graced our cover. McCluhan owned several businesses at the time: Express Personnel Services in Mankato and Fairmont, Ergo-Rite, Café Camarda and Richard McCluhan & Associates. Also featured that issue were Hendrickson Organ Company in St. Peter and Inland Electronics, Inc. of Mankato. 62

July | August 2019

ASK A PROFESSIONAL

Lisa May OWNER, KEEPERS RV CENTER

Seasoned Veterans Of Running A Seasonal Business My husband and I own and manage two seasonal businesses – our farm and Keepers RV Center. Keepers is open year-round, but it’s definitely busier in the warmer months. And there are always things to do on the farm, but of course everything is more time-sensitive in the spring and fall! A year at Keepers starts with preparing for camper shows – they start by the first of February, if not before. We have some longtime customers who have lots of experience with RVs and a gift of gab come out to help us visit with customers at shows. Factory sales representatives often help, too. As the weather gets nicer (which used to be in March!) we hire extra people to wash trailers and detail them inside and out. Drive in to the lot during April through June and you might spot anyone from the president (me! it’s good exercise!) to seasonal-part-time youngsters washing an RV outdoors on the lot. And anyone from a tech to a salesperson might be making a last-minute adjustment to a hitch or taking the customer through the orientation of their new Coach – that’s industry-speak for “camper.” As the heat of both the sales rush and the summer wear on, we’re able to keep up a sunny attitude because we have great customers – as our radio jingle goes, “Ask our customers how we keep them as friends!” And most of us try to find a little time off – often to use our own RVs! As campers ourselves, we can speak with experience when helping customers choose the right RV or helping them over the phone with a challenge. There’s nothing like walking a