40 minute read
Nonprofit of the Month: Dakota Children's Advocacy Center
Nonprofit of the Month:
Dakota Children’s Advocacy Center
By Grant Ayers Photos by Geneva Nodland
1in every 10 children will be a victim of sexual abuse by their 18th birthday, according to the Dakota Children’s Advocacy Center. Furthermore, they claim that 93% of victims know their offender before the incident. The Dakota Children’s Advocacy Center (DCAC) is a nonprofit organization that aims to develop a coordinated response to these child sexual abuse investigations. The idea for the DCAC first came to life in November of 1996 when a task force was created in Bismarck to identify how to best serve and support children who have been sexually abused. By February of 1997, the DCAC was established and their first child in Bismarck was served. Since their launch in Bismarck, they have served all North Dakota counties, all five of the state’s Native American reservations, as well as parts of northern South Dakota and Eastern Montana. In 2021, 940 people were helped across 53% of the state, according to the DCAC 2021 Annual Report. Furthermore, they provided 357 forensic interviews, 141 medical evaluations and 1,831 mental health sessions. Paula Condol, executive director of the DCAC, joined to discuss the organization’s mission, what many people might not know and what actions readers can take to make a difference.
- Paula Condol
The DCAC first began with a group of eight people, according to Condol. They noticed that much could be done to improve the aftermath information collection process. With few resources available for children in need, the group targeted the primary issues by seeking out people that would be of assistance to their mission.
“Ranging from people within the Attorney General’s office, Sanford Health, Department of Human Services, Social Services, law enforcement, prosecutors and more, it really took a village to make sure that it was an effective plan that would better the needs of these children,” Condol said. “One of the biggest challenges that these children faced was that, on average, they had to tell their story 15 different times throughout the process to different people. That included parents, school teachers, law enforcement, social workers and so on. Now, we bring the necessary parties together, in a separate room, so that the children only have to share their story one time to one person, and so that the child doesn’t face being traumatized any further.”
This is just one of the many minor changes the DCAC has made that will make a major difference in the child’s ability to recover and heal. At the beginning, they started out solely serving children that faced sexual abuse. Now, the DCAC serves all abused, traumatized or neglected children, including those who have witnessed domestic violence, or even murders, at a young age. How Does a CAC Work?
A CAC, or Children’s Advocacy Center, coordinates the investigation, treatment, and prosecution of child abuse cases by utilizing multidisciplinary teams of professionals. By coordinating the response of agencies like law enforcement, child protective services, prosecutors’ offices, advocates, mental health and medical professionals, CACs all across the country help ensure that when a child discloses abuse, they are not re-victimized by the systems designed to protect them. CACs help coordinate care and investigation from first report to conviction and beyond, while keeping the child at the center of everything the team does.
The Need for an Advocacy Center
According to the National Sex Offender Registry, North Dakota is equvialent to the same per capita sex offender registry as in California, with 2,191 currently on the sex offender registry in North Dakota.
Did You Know?
Over 25 years of operation, the DCAC has served nearly 700 children across North Dakota.
The DCAC aims to make children feel safe and secure in their environment. organizations and donors over the years, the DCAC has blossomed into a more expansive service, with a satellite location in Dickinson, ND, as well as an outreach center in Watford City, ND. These additional locations allow families closer access to help, rather than having every victim travel across the state to the original Bismarck location. Moving forward, the center hopes to ensure that every child is within driving distance to a safe and supportive center for help.
What You May Not Know About The DCAC
How Can I Get Involved?
While many nonprofit organizations aim to serve the community, few orient themselves toward the children as much as the DCAC does. First and foremost, they provide all of their services free-of-charge to families, for as long as they need them.
“Families can come here to get medical exams, counseling services or have their child's statement taken. We also provide more tangible services such as getting them gas cards or taxi vouchers to come to services. Whatever that family may need, we try to find any ways that we can meet their needs free-of-charge,” Condol said. Furthermore, people oftentimes assume that the DCAC is funded by the government, rather than acting as a nonprofit organization.
“I’ve talked to people before that have just assumed we’re governmentfunded because we work with law enforcement, but that’s not the case. We’re open to any and all donations and contributions, as it takes a village to make a significant change in the lives of these wonderful children,” Condol said.
Be Aware
“One of the things about our organization that people are most surprised about is that enough abuse occurs in our community to need a center like this. For many, it’s not something that’s part of their world and something they don’t want to hear about,” Condol said.
While it’s a tough subject to discuss, the matter is pressing and needs to be addressed and attended to, for the children’s safety. Volunteer!
The DCAC is always looking for volunteers at their events. Upcoming events include various golf tournaments, appreciation picnics, as well as Kid’s Days at the Bismarck Library. Contact the DCAC at the information below to learn details regarding upcoming events.
“Since the DCAC is a nonprofit, they’re unable to have full-time cleaning staff. Volunteers will oftentimes come in and help clean or help organize our area.
The DCAC's observation room is where the team is able to observe the forensic interview as the child shares their experiences with the interviewer. By reducing the number of times a child has to tell their story, CAC's help ensure that when a child is not re-victimized by the systems designed to protect them.
Around holidays, we’ll often redecorate for the seasons to brighten the children’s days, so volunteering some of your time to help get kids in the holiday spirit makes the world to them,” Condol said
Donate to Their Wish List!
The DCAC serves a 35-county area, with families often making a multiple-hour drive with hungry and thirsty children by their time of arrival. They always try to have juice boxes, bottles of water, peanutfree snacks and more available for them on-hand. They also aim to have bathroom and hygienic products available for the children at all times.
Furthermore, they’re always in need of copier paper and art supplies for their art therapy for the children. Lastly, the organization is always in need of more items for their “Closet of Caring” for the children.
Monetary Donations
As with most nonprofit organizations, one of the most direct ways to get involved is by making monetary donations. As the DCAC relies heavily on funding and donations, a donor’s contributions will be placed towards keeping forensic interviewers on their payroll, supplies on their wish list, and more to help the child heal and prevent the families from further stress.
While the DCAC may be fighting an uphill battle, it’s one that many can easily get behind. Helping the Dakota Children's Advocacy Center translates to helping support and uplift a younger generation in need of assistance..
The DCAC’s Closet of Caring
The “Closet of Caring” first began as a closet strictly dedicated to children that needed new clothing. Today, it has expanded into a wideranging space that contains not only clothes, but toys, shoes and much more for the children!
Did You Know?
According to the DCAC 2021 Annual Report, they are funded by the following:
Support!
State Grants 33% Federal Grants 33% Third-Party Payers 18% Foundations 9% Community Support 7%
the Dakota Children’s Advocacy Center
Phone: (701) 323-5626 Email: info@dakotacac.org Web: dakotacac.org Facebook: facebook.com/dakotacac Address: 1800 East Broadway Avenue Bismarck, ND 58501
One of the Top Financial Advisors in the Country
Advice and a Q&A With Troy Nelson
Written by Brady Drake
Although Troy Nelson is not mentioned among the local celebrities like Carson Wentz and others who have reached the top of their professional arena, he sure should be.
Nelson started working at Edward Jones at the age of 23, just one week after graduating from college. And now, 23 years later, he hasn’t slowed down in the career that he was destined for.
Some of his accomplishments include being named to Barron's "America's Top 1,200 Financial Advisors" and North Dakota's #1 Overall Financial Advisor for nine of the last ten years. He has also been named on the Forbes Best in State and was ranked 125th on Forbes Top 250 Wealth Advisors.
His Roots
Nelson picked up a lot of his knowledge and passion for the industry through his closest mentor, his father, who trained financial advisors for nearly 30 years.
"As a kid, we had family dinner together every night," Nelson said. "During the first half of dinner, we talked about what happened that day and caught up as a family. During the second half of dinner, he would tune in to Moneyline with Lou Dobbs."
The markets and investment talk were central and fascinating topics to Nelson from very early on in his life. Some kids wanted to be professional athletes when they grew up. Others wanted to be educators or astronauts. Nelson wanted to be a financial advisor.
"It was something that fascinated me from a young age," Nelson said. "I'm one of the few people who knew early on that I wanted to be a financial advisor. My father was a great mentor to me. I was able to tailor my schooling and education towards this and I started investing at a very young age.”
Financial Advice From Troy Nelson
1
ABSOLUTELY Have a Plan
I work with high-net-worth individuals that are quite successful in their fields. However, I'm continually baffled that many of those people don't have a plan in place at all. Or, if they do have a plan in place, they don't know what it is and they haven't retooled it in a long period of time.
I believe that if you don't know where you're going, you're never going to get there.
2
Think Long Term
This has become harder and harder for people to stick to. We live in a microwave society where everyone wants things now. And they want things better than yesterday. However, investing and planning don't work that way.
I use this analogy with my clients. If you're going to cook a roast, you have a couple of options. One option would be a microwave and another option would be a crockpot. I've tried both. I've cooked a roast in the microwave and the beautiful part is that it gets done really, really fast. However, you wouldn't be, and I wasn't, happy with the outcome. It's like chewing a block of rubber. Conversely, if you have a tried and true, trusted crockpot recipe and you follow it, set it and forget it—you don't pull the lid off every five minutes and check it, and you're going to end up with a delicious dinner.
Investing in planning works the exact same way. If you want to microwave your investment and your planning, it's not going to turn out very well. But if you trust your tried and true recipe, you're going to be rewarded with a good retirement. Think long-term.
3
Have Perspective
For example, we recently experienced a market correction. A correction is defined by at least a 10% drop in stock prices. Whenever these things happen, people tend to react by panicking. However, since the year 1900, we've had an average of one 10% correction per year. So, we shouldn't be surprised when it happens. That would be like being surprised when your birthday rolls around every year. So, we shouldn't panic either.
It really is a good thing if you look at it the right way. Once per year, you get a major discount on some of the world's best companies. I'm in the only business on the planet where when things go on sale, people want nothing to do with them. It doesn't make a lot of sense.
Every three to five years, on average, you get a bear market where there's a 20% drop in stock prices. And so every three to five years, you get to buy on clearance. That's always scary to people but it's a completely, totally normal part of investing. So, all my clients are very well aware that this is going to happen. I tell them that if they have a $2 million account with me, they're going to see it drop by $600,000 at some point. And they have two options when that happens. They can stick their head in the sand and ignore it or if they have money to invest, they better be calling me.
When people panic in times like these, they make really bad decisions that cost them a lot of money and ruin or delay their retirement.
4
Have a Coach
The best athletes in the world still have coaches. So, have a coach or advisor. There's about 10% of the population that can do it themselves and do it well. There's another 10-15% that think they can do it themselves. But even the world's best athletes have coaches and advisors. I think I'm at the top of my game with what I do for clients, and I have two executive coaches. I have them because I can always grow, I can always get better and I can always learn.
&QA
23 years, why have you stayed with Edward Jones for so long?
I think there are a couple of reasons. One is that I really get to make a significant difference in people's lives. In the long run, I get to see the things that I help people plan actually come to fruition.
On the flip side of that, I've unfortunately had numerous clients pass away. Thankfully, I've also been able to convince many of my clients to invest in Long Term Care Insurance to protect their nest eggs. I have one client who is, unfortunately, using his now. His wife was in my office the other day crying and telling me how glad they were that I recommended it to them. So, that's part of it as well. I want to help my clients protect what they have so they can live fuller lives.
I know you are very involved in the community. Why is the Adult & Teen Challenge such an important cause to you?
It's important to me because I've seen it make a big difference in people's lives. Drug and alcohol addiction can really ravage people's lives and have a negative impact on their families and their friends. I've seen the negative impact that it has firsthand from family and friends over the years. And I want to make a difference.
What do you think has allowed you to stay successful over such a long period of time?
I would say three things come to mind. The first thing I'd say is that I'm made for this. I could probably do 1,000 different careers and be lousy or mediocre. But this is one of the things I was put on this planet to do because I'm good at three things: I'm a great problem solver. I'm a great communicator of solutions, and I can present things in an easy-tounderstand way that people can actually act upon. And, although I wasn't always, I have become a great leader.
I'm very much a constant learner and grower. As I mentioned earlier, I have two executive coaches. I also have a counselor. I've done "The Ultimate Leadership Workshop" with Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. I've done the "Townsend Leadership Program," which is a year-long, intensive program where I flew to Arizona once a month. I did that for a year and I'm re-enrolling now for a second year. I go to the Global Leadership Forum yearly. Last year, I did a three-week silent, solitary retreat, which was probably one of the hardest things I've ever done in life. I spent three weeks alone with no phone, no TV, no radio, no books. I was literally by myself with a journal and my Bible alone in this cabin in the middle of the woods in Gig Harbor, Washington.
As a financial advisor, how do you look at cryptocurrency?
I would say that there are two different ways I look at this. When you say cryptocurrency in general, that's a really broad term. Many of the cryptocurrencies that exist now will not exist in the future—they will go away, they will go to zero and they will be gone.
However, I do think Bitcoin will be around long-term and I think that it will probably go up in value, even though it is literally supported by nothing. All it is, are ones and zeros on the Internet, there's nothing backing it. However, that isn't much different from the US dollar. As a country, we have massive quantities of debt. So there's really nothing backing the US dollar either. The US dollar has value because people believe in the US dollar. Bitcoin has value because people believe in Bitcoin because there's a limited quantity of it. You can't print or make more of it. It's valuable because of the network effect, and it has a big enough network and a large number of people trusting it.
I think it will be around long-term, but do I suggest it for clients? No. For the majority of my clients, that is too speculative of an asset. Do I have some clients in it? Yes, those that want to speculate with a smaller percentage of their portfolio. But if you're looking for something as a hedge, which is what most people are looking to Bitcoin for, I would much rather trust gold, which has passed the 2,000-year test. Bitcoin has passed the 13-year test.
To learn more about Troy Nelson, visit
edwardjones.com/us-en/financial-advisor/troynelson
Phone: (701) 255-1196 Address: 1701 Burnt Boat Drive, Bismarck
Pursuing a Passion
Shane Balkowitsch also runs a studio for his passion project of wet plate photography, which is an art medium that captures mesmerizing portraits in a short time span.
Every business starts as an idea. These ideas come to life with the efforts made by entrepreneurs willing to take risks and grow their ideas into fully-formed business ventures. From baseball team CEOs to mobile bar owners, every person has a unique passion that they merged with the business landscape. While we couldn't talk to every inspiring entrepreneur in the Bis-Man area, we talked to some of the many to hear about their unique journey on the road to success.
Fun Fact!
Balkowitsch Enterprises, Inc. was one of the very first online merchandising companies in North Dakota.
Did You Know?
As of this year, Balkowitsch Enterprises, Inc. has been in operation for 24 years.
CEO & Owner Balkowitsch Enterprises, Inc. and Nostalgic Glass Wet Plate Studio
Balkowitsch Enterprises, Inc. is a retail and online merchandising company with a customer base that spans the globe. Shane Balkowitsch first ventured into this journey when he saw this opportunity during his time as an Oncology Nurse. Making the entrepreneurial leap to pursue this full-time was only the first step of many for Balkowitsch to get to where he’s at today.
What was your journey like for you to get to the position you're at today?
In the beginning, we started with $50 in inventory in my mother's basement. Today, we're a multi-million dollar company that continues to ship 30,000 to 40,000 products every year across the globe.
Which parts of taking this risk will stick with you forever?
I will never forget when I was charging $5000 in stethoscopes on my credit card while working as a nurse. Within six months, however, we were the #1 distributor in the world for Philips Medical and that particular electronic stethoscope.
What steps were the hardest when taking the leap to start your own business?
I was being worn down as an Oncology Nurse on the weekends, as I was also running the business and raising a young family at the same time. It was a tough decision to decide to focus solely on the business and my family, and in turn abandon my nursing career, as that had a guaranteed paycheck and insurance.
What was a typical day in your life like when you were beginning your business?
A typical day consisted of trying to find more products to put out, as well as talking with (and reassuring) customers. When I began this venture, it was during an era when nobody trusted online companies. They would say, “You mean I’m going to send you a check or give you my credit card and I have no guarantees that you will deliver anything?.”
What would you have done differently if you could go back and start again, knowing what you know now?
I cannot in my mind make any changes because if I did, I wouldn’t know if going down a different path would destroy everything that we’ve worked so hard for and built to this day.
What advice do you have for readers considering taking this leap?
There is something wonderful about working for yourself. There’s a certain pride and happiness that comes with being an entrepreneur. That being said, there is also newfound respect for anyone who decides to go through it alone. It’s the American dream, but that dream has its pitfalls and challenges that one cannot imagine until they’ve gone through it themselves.
What is something you wish more people knew about your company?
You can drive by our 6,500-square-foot facility and nobody would ever guess how much sales we are doing with our skeleton crew of 6 employees. Surely, few people would assume that we've grown to the position we're in today with such a small crew of core employees.
What is a day in your life like for you now?
I’m a CEO steering this company into the future on a very uncertain landscape. I only come into the office four days a week nowadays, with Friday being my creative day at Nostalgic Glass [Wet Plate Studio]. I’m currently booked out for the next seven months into the future for my Friday sessions! People will fly in from all around the world to experience what it is that I’m doing in my studio.
I have works in 49 museums, including the Smithsonian and Library of Congress. There is a documentary on Amazon called "Balkowitsch", which is about my creative life and also discusses my business life. There is no more challenging or fast-paced market in the world, as online merchandising is a brutal market.
What’s one thing the local business community could do to help you?
Think of us when you need to purchase any of the products that we offer! Of the 35,000 items we sold last year, only 15 of them were in the entire state of North Dakota.
(701) 223-9936
sales@balkowitsch.com
www.balkowitsch.com
4419 Centurion Drive Bismarck, North Dakota 58504
Fun Fact!
Over 20,000 media outlets have sourced their stories from National Day Calendar!
Did You Know
National Day Calendar has been up and running for seven years in the Bis-Man area!
Founder National Day Calendar
Before 2013, there was no established website that had a comprehensive list of National Days and the history behind them. Marlo Anderson, the founder of National Day Calendar, took it upon himself to lead the charge to change that. National Day Calendar aggregates National Days that are posted on their website and social media, then sent to their email list for all subscribers to enjoy. Through 2.5 years of research, Anderson and his team have built a profession out of celebrating every day. Over nearly a decade, Anderson has picked up on some lessons that he’s learned through experience in his profession.
What was your journey like for you to get to the position you're at today?
It was very long and tedious! However, it was also fun, exhilarating, inspirational and very rewarding.el agency side of the business since the 1980s.
What was a typical day in your life like when you were beginning National Day Calander?
There were a lot of long hours devoted to website development, coupled with research, writing, image gathering and posting to share.
Which parts of taking this risk will stick with you forever?
Learning that life, in general, is a risk! Consistency and staying true to the course of action can bring rewards, and finding out the significance that you can have in others' lives without even knowing them makes it all worth it..
What made you decide that the Bis-Man area would be a great place to start a business?
I enjoy all that North Dakota has to offer. It’s filled with friendly people, wide open spaces, and four unique seasons. It is truly a magical place to live, work and play..
What steps were the hardest when taking the leap to start National Day Calander?
The hardest step for me was convincing others that what you are doing is worthwhile.
What advice do you have for readers considering taking this leap?
There has never been a better time to start a business. With the availability of research, funding, advertising and much more available because of the internet. The internet is the great equalizer that allows you to inform potential customers at a local scale, or there’s the opportunity to compete globally.
What would you have done differently if you could go back and start again, knowing what you know now?
Of course, there are things that could have been done differently. However, those lessons are what make the business and myself better.
What is something you wish more people knew about National Day Calander?
I hope that people realize and picture the impact that we have every day around the world.
What is a day in your life like for you now?
Traveling has become a significant part of my life. Whether it’s working with team members in other parts of the country, speaking gigs or making appearances in cooperation with the many National Day celebrations. I’m always looking for better ways to use automation to accomplish more as well.
What’s one thing the local business community could do to help National Day Calendar?
We would love to increase the number of partnerships with National Days to drive sales to businesses and overall traffic to our website!
Are you looking to expand? If so, how?
Currently, we’re looking at opening destination-type experiential locations to become a go-to to celebrate every day.
(701) 204-6674
NationalDayCalendar.com
twitter.com/NationalDayCal
facebook.com/NationalDayCalendar
712 West Main Street Mandan, ND 58554
Did You Know?
Thom Brigl has been the Owner of the Bismarck Bobcats for 21 years!
What is “The Barn”?
The Barn is home to the Bobcats, where games are played and fans can support them and cheer them on to victory!
Ph oto C ourt es y of S a m B a u le r
Did You Know?
The Bismarck Bobcats have raised nearly $400,000 for various charities and causes since launching in 1997.
The Bismarck Bobcats are a Tier II junior ice hockey team in the North American Hockey League's Central Division. They’ve been a staple of the Bismarck community since they launched in 1997. Thom Brigl’s journey with the Bobcats hasn’t been an easy one since he took over ownership of the team in 2001. Along the way, he’s learned more than he ever imagined he would.
What was your journey like for you to get to the position you're at today?
Well, I got into it by accident and it was (and still is) a very challenging business to be in. After a decade of really hard times, the Bismarck-Mandan community came together and has really appreciated and supported us. They support not only what we do on the ice, but also in the community; particularly with children and certain charities
How did you first get involved with the Bismarck Bobcats?
I first came in as a consultant to try to help an ownership group do a turnaround on the business. However, I ended up owning it not long after. As I always say, they were smarter than me and got out!
Which parts of taking this risk will stick with you forever?
I was naively optimistic that I could turn it around, and it was much harder than I would have thought. I turned to the community in 2010 and told everyone that I know that while the area loves its Bobcats, the business was not sustainable and would need more corporate support. After meeting with a number of companies, they really came through for us. The Bobcats are now a goto hotspot, and the community has really adopted the fun, the boys' dreams, and our involvement in the community. Giving back to this community is a big part of what we try to do.
What would you have done differently if you could go back and start again, knowing what you know now?
The important thing is not the mistakes you make, but what you learn from them. At the end of the day, I think perseverance and passion have been the key to our success.
What advice do you have for readers considering taking this leap?
Research, research and then research some more to understand as well as you can what the hurdles are, as well as how to best attack them. Be entrepreneurial and flexible—if something isn’t working for you, move on to other ideas if need be. It’s important to be creative and understand the impact, or lack of impact, of the decisions that you make for your business.
What made you decide to pursue this opportunity with the Bismarck Bobcats?
In my case, it was more of an accident, as a friend called me in to help out a failing business. He knew that I was from Mandan and they were losing a lot of money, so they were looking for ideas. I took over when they left and in my naive optimism, it continued to lose a lot of money. I learned at that point that the business people needed to know me and understand my passion.
What do most people not know about the Bismarck Bobcats?
I like to think, or hope, that they know about our three missions. The first is to provide opportunities for young men to chase their hockey dream. The second is to be positive mentors for youth in the area and remain extremely active in the community, such as our anti-bullying campaign. Lastly, the third is to provide the most fun in the area. As we say, nobody parties like the Bobcats!
What is something you wish more people knew about your business venture?
them, as it definitely takes a village to do what we do! Also, how much we appreciate them for supporting us and allowing us to be able to make the fun memories that we’ve made together.
What is a day in your life like for you now?
I still get up with the sun and focus with my staff on sponsor prospects, new sponsorship opportunities and how to continue improving the show, all to make it an even more fun venue for everyone to make some noise in! The boys love it and it actually helps us with recruiting the level of talent that we have. We have placed 31 boys in Division I Hockey Colleges in the last two years alone! In doing so, I have a lot of good help around me now who seem to love what they do, as it shows in the community and at the games.
What’s one thing the local business community could do to help the organization?
Continue to support us through advertising, attending games, buying a beer and spreading the word that our Barn Rocks!
(701) 222-3300
BismarckBobcats.com
gobobcathockey@aol.com
twitter.com/BismarckBobcats
facebook.com/BismarckBobcats
1200 North Washington Street Bismarck, ND 58501
Something For Everyone
Hexahive proudly advertises that they will scale their operations to the client’s needs, increasing success through a tailored experience.
CEO HexaHive
Hexahive is a marketing agency that helps North Dakota companies meet their business goals through strategic marketing. This includes nearly all facets of marketing and advertising, with a large portion of their work falling within branding, website development, social media and strategy. Founded in 2019, Jade Scherr had a vision for not only a successful business of her own, but to support other businesses in their journey.
What was your journey like for you to get to the position you're at today?
My journey was much more organic than most. I had some risks in starting my business, but there wasn't a big leap at once. While going to school for Graphic Design, as well as Marketing, I took part in freelance work. I continued growing my freelance work while simultaneously working as a designer. I really enjoyed helping businesses step back and see WHY they wanted things and pivoting to focus on things that actually mattered to the success of their business.
Eventually, I knew that I needed to decide between my full-time job and freelancing— chose to make the jump into pursuing what was my side-hustle full-time. I was quickly overtaken with clients and needed to hire out work. I did this more and more until I got to where I am today, with my team of four other full-time team members.
Which parts of taking this risk will stick with you forever?
There are so many! Overall, the thing that sticks with me is that I don't want to look back and think, "What if.” I want to learn, grow and adapt, and I can't do that if I choose to stay within my comfort zone. Plus, the sense of accomplishment after taking a leap (starting a business, hiring, hitting a new milestone, etc) is something that fuels the fire for me, and I'm sure it does the same for every other entrepreneur.
A giant leap for me was hiring my first fulltime staff member. I had this weird fear that I would fail with full-time team members, but once I found the right fit and dove in, it was obvious that it was the right choice. Quickly after, I hired other full-time staff within the following months.
What steps were the hardest when taking the leap to start your own business?
The hardest step was always knowing where to start. I'm incredibly passionate about the client-facing portions of my business, but I didn't know what to do with the behind-thescenes aspects of it like taxes, benefits and more along those lines at the beginning.
What was a typical day in your life like when you were beginning Exceptionally Nuts?
When I first started, I was doing almost all of the task-based items within the business, along with the sales and client interactions. This meant juggling client interactions and meetings with design work, research, social media ads and scheduling, alongside anything else that needed to be implemented based on what our clients' needs were.
What would you have done differently if you could go back and start again, knowing what you know now?
Every mistake or hiccup I've had along the way has taught me a valuable lesson. Because of this, I wouldn't go back and necessarily change anything. If I had to go back though, I'd tell myself a few things: • Lean into your connections and network right off the bat; you don't need to wait to have everything figured out to do that. • Prioritize time for fine-tuning your business from the start; it's easy to get caught up in clients' needs and push your own stuff to the wayside. • Give yourself some credit!
What advice do you have for readers considering taking this leap?
As corny as it sounds, just believe in yourself. Make sure that you have goals and a wellthought-out plan ahead of taking action. Once that's established and you have a clear path of where you want to be heading, get started.
Sometimes, that'll mean getting started by starting small. Other times, that means taking a dramatic leap. Whatever that is for your situation, define what you need to succeed and start walking down that path.
What else would you like to add regarding your personal experience in taking this risk?
I've learned a lot from taking the risk of starting a business, but I learned a lot more when my husband left his full-time job to have a drastic career change and start his own business as well. That brought a completely different level of risk to the table, as both of us were pursuing entrepreneurship. However, it has also made it easier for us to push each other to move forward and do hard things, because we know that hard decisions have to be made in order to reach our goals.
What made you decide that the BisMan area would be a great place to start a business?
I often think of Bismarck-Mandan as a "big little city". It's founded on relationships and connections, yet also big enough to not know everyone. It makes it a perfect hub for our business to begin, expand and be seen while having the ability to stand out and be creative across all of our client's industries.
What do most people not know about HexaHive?
Our team cares deeply about our client's success—and we don't just say that for show. We aren't afraid to put in long hours, all-nighters and extra research to ensure that we're doing the best job for our clients. Similarly, we care so much for our clients that we tell them what they need to hear, not necessarily what they want to hear.
Oftentimes this means that what they want for marketing isn't going to be the most impactful thing for their business goals, so we'll tell them what will help, regardless of how that would impact HexaHive. We set a standard above expectations because we believe that each client should not be treated as just a number, but rather as a part of our hive.
Along with this, I don't think people realize just how much we scale with companies. Oftentimes, people know we can scale down for startup businesses, but not that we can (and already do) scale up on large, complex projects and industries.
What is something you wish more people knew about your company?
I wish more people knew one of the most critical components of HexaHive—why we do it. Marketing isn't only about putting up billboards or sponsoring things. Sure, those are great aspects of marketing, but they aren't enough. Many businesses don't think of the people they're trying to reach, how those people will connect with those advertisements or how that relates to them as a customer or as a stakeholder.
Strategy and marketing psychology are some of the biggest players in marketing, but too many businesses keep those key players on the bench. That's why HexaHive was founded – to help businesses realize the necessity of prioritizing strategy and ensuring that businesses are investing in marketing tactics that make an impact on their overall goals.
What is a day in your life like for you now?
I still do a lot of juggling, but I’ve been able to adapt it to just juggling my favorite things. At HexaHive, I balance client meetings, consultations, creative direction and high-level strategy with fostering team growth and fine-tuning our processes. Outside of my business, you'll find me sipping on coffee, enjoying time with my husband and two kids, playing volleyball and finding ways to make an impact and get involved with the Bismarck-Mandan community.
What’s one thing the local business community could do to help your organization?
Keep the buzz going about the new marketing agency that does damn good work!
Are you looking to expand HexaHive? If so, how?
There are a few areas that we're open to hiring and expanding in. Overall though, we're focusing on pushing ourselves internally to continue to level up for our clients.
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A Cause for Celebration
Gratitude Spa and Salon recently celebrated its first anniversary in early May!
Gratitude Spa and Salon is a full-service spa and salon that offers all hair services, manicures and pedicures, massages and much more. Founder Kristin Chorne advertises the business as a place that welcomes everyone in for a day of relaxation, transformation and fun. Since opening Gratitude, Chorne has picked up a few lessons and a lot of knowledge as an entrepreneur in the Bis-Man area.
What steps were the hardest when taking the leap to start Gratitude?
The most difficult steps were mainly in the buildout itself and the detail that goes into that. I cannot thank my husband, Cory, enough for being the level-headed, calm human that he is. I'm a believer, so once I decided to do it, there was no looking back!
What was a typical day in your life like when you were beginning Gratitude?
A typical day during the buildout was spent checking on progress, picking out details and ordering products and equipment. Certainly, a lot of time is spent on follow-up and ensuring that everything is on track. I had a hard deadline for opening, and there were a lot of people that went above and beyond to make it happen in time.
What advice do you have for readers considering taking this leap?
First and foremost, make sure your banker is someone that you can count on to help and guide you. There were several programs available that I would have never known about, if not for Kayla at First Western Bank. Also, make sure you have the time, energy and commitment to be available and stay on top of progress or snags. Lastly, don't stop believing!
What made you decide that the Bis-Man area would be a great place to start a business?
I was born and raised in Bismarck, and it's where I raise my family. I absolutely love the area and community here, and I truly believe that Bismarck needed a beautiful, relaxing and customer-friendly spa and salon.
We wanted to do something unique that would allow us to participate in local events and help other businesses celebrate their success as well. With that, Bubbles and Brews ND came to life. Overall, we are passionate about serving our community and we are proud that we were able to start this unique mobile bar service in Bismarck-Mandan.
What do most people not know about Gratitude?
The fact that, essentially, I named the business after my parents as a tribute to their legacy and all that they offered to our family, as well as the Bismarck community as a whole. We talk often about my parents at Gratitude and the entire staff is aware that I feel it's a reflection of their legacy. It's important to me that everyone chooses to live up to that, and it's not a small task. Offering grace, kindness and expertise to everyone is a requirement; not an option of working here.
What is a day in your life like for you now?
I spend most of my time working the back end of the business, currently. I'm at Gratitude five days a week, on average. However, I'm able to do a decent portion of my job at home as well. I'm taking advantage of that currently, and spending as much time as I can with our two grandchildren. Don't get me wrong, I'm working from home many nights until 11:00 or later and answering messages at all hours of the day, but I am enjoying the flexibility that I have.
What’s one thing the local business community could do to help you/your organization?
We have seen the majority of growth come from referrals and word of mouth. That is the best compliment we could ever receive. Please continue to spread the word!
Are you looking to expand Gratitude? If so, how?
We are looking to hire some new staff, and we're excited about that! We also have some other potential upcoming services that we're exploring currently as well and are excited to roll those out in the near future.
What else would you like to add regarding your personal experience in taking this risk?
While I do understand that it's certainly a risk, I choose to see it as an opportunity and investment. The name "Gratitude", came from a moment I had in dealing with the journey of losing both of my parents. It's rarely easy to be grateful for difficult things. Learning to find gratitude for the entire journey, even the most difficult parts (as that's where the most growth happens), was a life lesson my parents taught me after they were gone. I truly feel that I had them guiding me..
What is something you wish more people knew about your company?
Gratitude is a family-owned business! My son, Tyler Richter, is a financial advisor at Legacy Financial Partners in Bismarck. He was very involved in the financial portion of the business and was very crucial in helping develop the financial plan. My daughter-inlaw, Katelon, is a cosmetologist at Gratitude. We plan to be here for years to come.
