Former governor blasts current politicians 2A Tattoo business paints the town 8A Frontier moves into the top five 9A
JESSICA HARPER DERRICK WILLIAMS JESSICA HARPER
dakotacountytribune.biz dakotacountytribune.biz
DATE 1, ##, 2009 JULY 2010
VOLUME 30, NUMBER # VOLUME 31, NUMBER 18
'DNRWD &RXQW\ 7ULEXQH Since 1884
B
U
S
I
N
E
S
S
w
e
e
k
Networking invaluable for success There are many networking opportunities of varying kinds in the south metro
l
y
INSIDE BIZ FORUM
Former Gov. Arne Carlson urges state and national politicians to learn from the cooperative lessons of the past. LARRY 4A WERNER
by Jessica Harper FORUM
DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
As a group of small business owners, sales representatives and marketing gurus snack A on onion blossoms and other recent appetizers at Outback Steak- nethouse one Monday evening, workthey all have one common ing event of Dakota purpose in mind – to make Business Partners meaningful business connec- (above) was held at Enjoy! Restaurant tions. Networking events such as in Apple Valley. the River Heights Chamber At right, Dody of Commerce’s business card Sobaszkiewicz of exchange June 21, provides a Aldrich-Burns Farmer’s Insurance in convenient avenue for local Mendota Heights (left), Dean Simon and business representatives to Kacey Weiers of Ace Hardware and Paint, meet, advertise and find po- and Tim Medenwaldt of Metro Payroll tential leads, River Heights in St. Paul chat about their businesses Chamber President Jennifer at a networking event held by the River Heights Chamber on June 21 at Outback Steakhouse in Gale said. “It’s another outlet for Inver Grove Heights. people to meet people they especially in this economy, it’s important for may not have thought about,� people to take to the streets and network.� she said. When networking, though, people need to Networking is an important tool that helps build relationships and leads to potential cli- stay focused, Voss said. Some more extroverted people end up ents, said Bob Voss, entrepreneur instructor at Dakota County Technical College in Rose- spending too much time talking to too many mount and counselor at the Small Business people without focusing on who might provide the best leads. Development Center in Apple Valley. Others have the opposite problem as they “One thing that really affects small business owners is that, too often, they lose moti- become wallflowers making little conversavation quickly,� he said. “When you’re down, tion. “An effective networker has Your turn to find a balance and be in a Today’s edition of the Dakota situation where their tarCounty Tribune Business Weekly get customer is present,� includes a special focus on Business Voss said. Networking. If you would like to add your insight regarding what business networking has been effective for you, comment on this story at www. ThisweekLive.com. The Tribune will print some of those comments in the July 16 edition along with advice from the Dakota County Exceptional Businesswomen.
+&//: 800%4 "/ 45"$&: "$,&3. "/%3&8 .*--&3
" PG QSPN PUJPOT FQSFOFV S " " OFX A'SPOUJFS UFTUT ZP VOH FOUS " 5ISFBET *OLT S FOUFSUB JONFOU B (SBOE 4MBN GP
70-6 .&
/6. #&3
USJCVOF CJ[
EBLPUBDPVOUZ
4JODF
#
6
4
*
/
&
4
4
X
F
F
L
M
Photos by Rick Orndorf and Jessica Harper
Electronic connections find niche in networking
Civil War general’s collegial approach to decision making has practical application in the board room. JEFF 5A APPELQUIST BUSINESS 101
Social media can’t beat face-to-face, but sales leads abound by A.M. Vehling DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
There are many organizations throughout the Twin Cities that provide different ways to network. See Network, Back Page
See Social Media, Page 6A
LISA BAH
&
Even though they don’t run oil rigs, small business owners need to prepare for potential public relations f iascoes. 6A
!""'! !
$
General 952-894-1111 Distribution 952-846-2070 Advertising 952-846-2011
Interested in a FREE subscription?
une Dakota County Trib )JUUJOH
"6(6 45
NETWORKING
BEST PRACTICES
Phillip Porter was in New Jersey recently to meet with potential clients. As he thought about the opportunity at-hand, his mind drifted to an unassailable conclusion: Were it not for LinkedIn, he would not even be there. LinkedIn is a professional incarnation of social media that focuses less on the “friendships� in Facebook and more on connecting professionals with potential clients and peers. These two websites, combined with
Many avenues
BUSINESS
Republican candidate for governor changes the dynamic of the race through his advocacy of state’s rights. DON 4A HEINZMAN
Z
*/4*%& #*;
'036.
5IF -FHJTMBUVSF DPVMEO U CBMBODF B CVEHFU UIF HPWFSOPS DPVME 0, CVU UFOEFE UP PUIFS IPU UPQJDT 1)*,3*/,*&
"
#64*/&44
EVSFT EF TBMPO FO 8 IJMF GBET GB
" NFOUPS DBO IFMQ B ZPVOH XPSLFS SJTF UISPVHI UIF SBOLT PG BO PSHBOJ[BUJPO PS MFBE UP PUIFS DBSFFS PQQPSUVOJUJFT
)"30-% " 5033&/$& TLJMMT UISPVHI BOE EFWFMPQJOH UIFJS %T 5*$&4 UIF #&45 13"$ SFBEJOH WJEFPT BOE $ BMTP DSFBUFE ,OPXJOH UIF 5IF DPNQBOZ XIJDI FO EJGGFSFODF CFUXFFO 4UBS 5ISPXFS QSPHSBN H BOE QSPGFT BEWFSUJTJOH BOE IBODFT TFMG MFBSOJO OU 5FBN NFN QVCMJD SFMBUJPOT TJPOBM EFWFMPQNF E UP BUUFOE DBO IFMQ CVTJOFTTFT CFST BSF FODPVSBHF JEF FWFOUT UP DSFBUF CV[[ UIBU JOEVTUSZ BOE OBUJPOX XPSLT FN TUBZ BCSFBTU PG USFOET TFWFSBM IBT DLFSNBO 45"$&: " CZ 4UBDFZ " $PMF T 4BMPO JUI UIF DPN /5: 53*#6/& / %",05" $06 "$,&3." QMPZFFT XIP WF CFFO XVTF UIFZ LFFQ $PMF T GPVOEFS PG QBOZ GPS ZFBST CFDB UISPVHIPVU %PVH $PMF 4U 1BVM #BSCFS 5*$&4 HSPXJOH #&45 13"$ MFBSOJOH BOE 4BMPO BUUFOEFE FSF IF MFBSOFE 1JYBS QSPNPUFT UIFJS DBSFFST CFFO BMM * OFFE UP 4DIPPM BU BHF XI IJT MPOHUJNF 3JFOUT B DVMUVSF PG i$PMF T IBT TVDDFTTGVM BOE CF GSPN +FSSZ DPNNVOJDBUJPO BU NBLF NZ MJGF VSQIZ B NFOUPS XPSLT UIBU SFBQT U UIF GVMGJMMFE w TBJE +BOFM . 5PEBZ 3JFOUT MPO BT B CBS 4BMPO WFUFSBO i"BCPVU JOOPWBUJPO BOE SOEPSG GPS ZFBS $PMF T 1IPUP CZ 3JDL 0 $PMF T "QQMF 7BMMFZ TB * GFFM HPPE QSPmUT JO IBT CFFO EPJOH VFT PO 5JN FOE PG UIF EBZ CFS XIJDI IF PPE w OUT DPOUJO NPWJF NBLJOH 5SJTI .FMJTTB )BOT NBLJOH PUIFST GFFM H IBT UIF QBTU ZFBST 3JF +&'' O IBT HSPXO UISPVHI " IJQ GSPN MFGU -BVSB JTI 4UPSIPGG GPS $PMF BOE $PMF T 4BMP OVSUVSJOH FNQMPZ *45 UP CF B NFOUPS UIF MBTU GPVS EF $PMF T 4BMPO MFBEFST BS 5PVSUJMMPUU BOE 5S "11&-26 CZ GPS QMFT w /VH UIF ZFBST JOTQJSFE IJN B MPZBM DMJFOUFMF $PMF %PVH $PMF $I PZ BOE QSJODJ UIF (PMEFO BOE CVJMEJOH FFO TFFJOH UIF DBEFT IBT UBVHIU IJT FNQM IBU $PMF TUBSUFE FNQMPZFFT FFT FE IJT GJSTU $PMF T 4B XBT UIJOH $PMF MBTU ZFBST BOE JT X D HFUT QSPHSBN JO XIJDI OVH .BOZ DMJFOUT IBWF C M ZFBST $PMF PQFO JO *U UP XSJUF FFT GPS UIF TJOFTTFT TV TBNF TUZMJTU GPS TFWFSB F LFFQT NF MPO JO #VSOTWJMMFTPVUI PG UIF SJWFS BSF DIBMMFOHFE NFS TFSWJD IF BUUSJCVUFT UP IJT CV UIF POMZ TBMPO TFSWJDFE UIF FO HFUT JO TJY NPOUIT BSF QVUUJOH i5IF DVTUP TBJE 5SJTI 1FSLJOT UIBU DFTT $PMF PQFOFE i(PMEFO OVHHFUT *U JT DPNJOH CBDL w 7BMMFZ TBMPO BU UIBU UJNF IF MBUF T *O %PVH BU UIF "QQMF JO PVS NJOE 4PVUIEBMF TJDB UJSF GBNJMZ %VSJOH U JOH BOE JU XBT #BSCFS BU HPPE UIJOHT TFMG UBML BOE TFMG B DMJFOU FFO TFFJOH TUZMJTU +FT $IJMESFO T BU BHF FMZ QPTJUJWF XIP IBT C #VSOTWJMMF XBT CPPN Z GPS $PMF UP F ZFBST MBUFS POF BCPVU ZFBST i5IFZ EFGJOJU JMM Z BOE .BMM 5ISF B QFSGFDU PQQPSUVOJU UIPVHIU w $PMF TBJE UIF TBMPO CFDBVTF FNQMPZFFT 4UBQG GPS BU ZPV XBOU +FTTJDB X w DPNNVOJU DMPTFE $PMF T PG IF UIF I POF IFZ DBUFS UP XI FF[F NF JO HSPX XJUI &WFSZ FNQMPZFF XBT UPP NVD * EJEO U JT HJWFO B OPUFCPPL JO XIJDI U T UBLF NZ DBMMT BOE TRV HFE JO UIF SBJTF IJT PXO GBNJMZ QBOZ XJMM BHF UP BGGJSNBUJPO CFS UIF DPN 8IJMF B MPU IBT DIBO Z i'SPN I XBT EFUSJNFOUBM UP NZ XSJUF EPXO QPTJUJWF UIF DPN (FOFSBM 5IJT 0DUP F XJMM SFDFJWF NF UP PWFS ZFBST ZFBS BOOJWFSTBS MFBSO XIJD %JTUSJCVUJPO FODPVSBHFE DFMFCSBUF JUT DVSSFOUMZ PQFSBUFT FWFSZ EBZ TVDI BT i8 i)BCJUT MFBWF CVTJOFTT U DIBOHFE JUT DPSF WBMVFT CVTJOFTT +FSSZ UZ FMJFWFw BOE "EWFSUJTJOH S B EBZ w $PMF QBOZ IBTO 5IF CVTJOFTT OTWJMMF "QQMF TUBSU MFBSOJOH BO IPV CFHJOOJOH XIBU XF C GSPN USVTU BOE IPOFT 4BWBHF IBT B XIJDI TUFNUT PG iHSPXJOH ZPVSTFMG w UIF WFSZ GJWF TBMPOT o JO #VS B USBJM w 4BMPO BMTP JO &BHBO BOE $PMF TBJE i'SPN B MFBSOJOH DVMUVSF 7BMMFZ UXP &BDI $PMF T XIFSF FNQMPZFFT BOE DPOTJT 4FF $PMF T 1BHF " XF FTUBCMJTIFE UP CFUUFS FNQMPZFFT o BOE IBT MFBSOJOH MFBSOJOH MJCSBSZ IJT MPDBUJPOT HSPVOEFE JO UIF EFTJSF F WBMVF UP PVS BSF FODPVSBHFE UP LFFQ TUSPOH IBT QVSQPTFGVMMZ LFQU WBMVFT SJWFS UP GPSN PVSTFMWFT QSPWJEF USV MJWF CZ PVS TPVUI PG UIF DVTUPNFST BOE DPNNVOJUZ UJFT O IPVS B EBZ JT TPNF -FBSOJOH B
(+* +)
$PMF T 4BMPO DFMFCSBUFT ZFBST
F JUJPO POMJO VS EJHJUBM FE ta County Tribune Dako
$IFDL PVU P
QBHF in JQw UP UIF OFYU LT UP UIF ST PG UIF QBHFT UP [PPN JO 5IF MJOG UIF QBHF $MJDL PO DPSOF PUUPN P PQ PG BOZ QBHF UP $MJDL PO UIF U C 4JUFT XJMM BQQFBS BU UIF C PVS FTT $MJDL PO "EWFS UJTFS 8F QBSUJDVMBS CVTJO -PPLJOH GPS B FY BU UIF UPQ PG UIF QBHF "EWFS UJTFS *OE FZ XPSE 4FBSDIBCMF CZ L
&44 8
&&,-:
#64*/ #VSOTWJMMF CJ[ $P 3E PVOUZ5SJCVOF XXX %BLPUB$ "%7&35*4*/(
Just complete this form and mail it to: Attention: Subscriptions Dakota County Tribune 12190 County Road 11 Burnsville, MN 55337 or fax to: 952-846-2010
__________________________________________________ _____________________________ BUSINESS NAME
ATTENTION
________________________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS
________________________________________________________________________________ CITY/STATE/ZIP
__________________________________________________ _____________________________ SIGNATURE
DATE
________________________________________________________________________________ EMAIL