Bis-Man INC! Winter 2022

JOSETTE DUPREE'S FAST-MOVING APPROACH TO BUSINESS SUCCESS

JOSETTE DUPREE, OWNER OF BIG STICK CIGARS AND DUPREE FIREARMS

Success happens one step at a time.

Let’s talk about your next one.

At Bremer Bank, every partnership starts with listening and learning, getting to know you, your business and what you want to accomplish. When we understand that, we can offer ideas and solutions to help you succeed on your terms. In a world where opportunities come and go in the blink of an eye, relationships matter more than ever.

Understanding is everything.

Editor's Note:

NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS

success and support from this wonderful community. When setting out on this task of launching a new publication, I immediately began doing research on the history and current landscape of the Bis-Man community. Now, we're increasing the publication from quarterly to monthly releases, and businesses are reaching out to us with creative and important stories to tell. Furthermore, we're seeing overwhelming feedback and support through social media, as well as word of mouth from community members and readers like you.

No matter where your goals lie, growth and progress are what matter most. While we have goals for this magazine to be ever-improving, Bis-Man INC! will always have the same objective—to put a positive spotlight on the growing Bismarck-Mandan businesses that truly deserve it. Cheers to greater goals in 2023!

Bis-Man INC! Editor

or spent more time with friends this year?

While Bis-Man INC! started a mere nine months ago, the magazine has grown far beyond belief and found immense

MIKE

BRADY

KIM

LEVI

TY

GENEVA

GRANT

BEN JOSIAH

JENNY

DEVAN TORI

KACEY

HAILEY

JESSICA TOMMY

KELLEN KELLAN

JONATHAN JOHN

Named a Forbes Top 250 Wealth Advisor Two Years in a Row

Every day, Troy Nelson helps clients live their best lives. Congratulations, Troy, on being named among the 2022 Forbes Top 250 Wealth Advisors in America, your second year on the list.

Source: Forbes.com, 8/24/2022, data as of 3/31/2022, and 8/24/2021, data as of 3/31/2021; research by SHOOK Research.

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Verity Homes is Making A Rockin’ Impact on the Community

While most companies are in the business of making a profit, some prefer to go the extra mile for those around them. Verity Homes is proud to say that they’re also in the business of giving back to their community. This year, Verity Homes is supporting Furry Friends Rockin' Rescue, a nonprofit animal rescue founded in 2015. I sat down with Ashley Anderson and Julie Schirado of Verity Homes and Furry Friends Rockin’ Rescue to learn more about the work they’re doing together, what each group represents and what’s coming to the Bis-Man area!

A Look Inside Verity Homes

Verity Homes is a home builder in Bismarck and Fargo dedicated to creating refreshing and affordable homes that people love living in. The company has grown immensely over the years and has made an impact on the BismarckMandan and Fargo-Moorhead

communities. Since the founding of Verity Homes, the team has always been community-oriented and determined to support the area in any way they can. Through doing so, they’ve made a recognizable impact year after year in the Bis-Man community.

“At the beginning of the year, we establish the organization charities that we want to give back to, and how we're going to do that. In the last six years, we've done a charity house every year. It starts at the beginning of the year with collaboratively planning the house or project that we're going to build and getting our trades and suppliers on board to donate time and materials. We then put a marketing plan in place to get the word out about the charity projects or houses that we’re doing that year,” Anderson said.

While they tend to have one primary project that’s focused on each year, Verity Homes is welcoming of any other projects that may come their way in which they can be of service to those in need.

“We're also open to any impromptu charity events, donations and projects. Just recently, we jumped on board and sponsored a charity event hosted by the organization Carrie’s Kids. We try to plan large and specific ways to give back, but we also like to keep our ears open for other opportunities to help,” Anderson said.

Oftentimes, they will work with a selection of various trades and suppliers, based out of both Fargo and Bismarck markets.

“When we do large charity projects, we reach out to all of our suppliers ahead of the project being built, let them know what we're doing with this charity project and what they can do to help. The last one that we completed had a number of trades and suppliers that donated including KLJ for sites, Bowers Excavating, Concrete Structures for our concrete work, French Street Millwork, who supplied a lot of our material, Midwest Doors, B&B roofing and many more. Without them, we wouldn't be able to do what we do,” Anderson said.

Julie Schirado of Furry

Friends Rockin’ Rescue

Photo Courtesy of Josiah Kopp

A Look Inside Furry Friends Rockin’ Rescue

Furry Friends Rockin’ Rescue is a nonprofit animal rescue organization that was founded by a group of Bismarck Animal Impound volunteers. As a completely volunteer-run organization, Furry Friends runs on the spirit, passion and efforts of those backing the cause. The rescue was founded to alleviate overcrowding and unnecessary euthanization within the impound.

Since launching, Furry Friends has branched out to take in survivors and other animals found in dangerous situations. When people hear that a nonprofit organization is making or raising money, some can be wary of where that money is going. Julie Schirado, one of the key members of Furry Friends, is proud to say that 100% of the proceeds are going towards essential aspects of keeping the

organization alive and improving.

“I’ve had a lot of people ask me or question where the money is going exactly sometimes. We’re always appreciative of any donations that come our way as we’re always in need. The money goes back to our veterinarians, the food we buy for the animals, the baskets that we gather for raffles, which are purchased right here within the community, and so on,” Schirado said.

“At Furry Friends, we’re truly a bunch of volunteers. Every little bit of help that we get from people in the community goes a long way for us, as well as the animals that we’re helping along the way.”

- Julie Schirado

The Exciting Upcoming Collaboration

Verity Homes and Furry Friends first got in touch with one another through Verity Homes looking to expand their communitybased efforts. In recent years, Verity Homes completed charity projects for a national organization called Homes for Hope. Wanting to take those national efforts and assist local organizations, they noticed that Furry Friends was in need of assistance.

“We're all animal lovers, so it was a nobrainer for us that we really wanted to shift it back to helping local animal organizations. That's when we got connected to help out Furry Friends and other local organizations,” Anderson said.

With the area nearby rapidly expanding, Verity Homes is taking advantage of that through the construction of 23 different shop condos

with 6 varying styles to select from. At the time of writing, construction has begun and they are expecting the condos to make significant progress by next spring.

“Ideally, we want people to purchase their shop condo before it's even started. They can come in and we’ll show them our six different layout options. From there, they select their location on the site plan and we work with them on building out their interior. We suggest to them how they could build them out, but it's all up to them how they want to make it their own,” Anderson said.

“The shop condos will have a monthly Homeowner Association (HOA) fee. We take that money and give it to Furry Friends to help pay for their yearly taxes and specials. That way, they won't have to worry about that expense every year and they can concentrate on doing what they need to do. We're not having that fee to make money; we're doing it because we want to benefit the community and Furry Friends.”

As the Verity Homes and Furry Friends collaboration moves forward, the two are working on the architectural plans behind the

Furry Friends project. The design consists of a three-phase structure that aims to house animals, as well as have a veterinary clinic and cafe on-site that serves coffee, beer and wine.

“We'll also have a room with a couch, chair, television and small fridge so they can sit and spend time with their animals. We'll have high-end security systems there around the whole perimeter, so we're pretty excited about that. We also worked diligently writing a $60,000 grant with the Abused Adult Resource Center, so we want to be putting in as much work as we can on our end of this as well,” Schirado said.

“Working with Verity Homes is the key to our future right now because that land is going to allow us to house more dogs, as well as our mobile veterinary unit in the winter. We're also hoping that above the dog unit part we have an indoor walkway for the winter to walk our animals. Many volunteers are retired that help us and we don't want anyone to fall on the ice and hurt themselves. Lastly, we’re looking to find a couple of veterinarians that we can have on-site, as that’s going to cut down costs tremendously.”

How to Support Furry Friends Rockin’ Rescue

While Verity Homes is giving Furry Friends Rockin’ Rescue immense, much-deserved assistance in the development of their new property, Furry Friends is always looking for more support from the community. Whether it be financial donations or volunteering, they seldom shy away from help from those that want to get involved.

“When people come to me and ask how they can help, I ask them why they want to do it and how they see themselves helping. I always tell them to find what they're passionate about or find what they’re good at and channel it towards animals. If you want to stay home with your own animals, we always appreciate people making phone calls and writing letters. If your forte is fundraising, we can always use help with that. We have close to 300 animals now, so we could use all the help that we can get,” Schirado said.

“Furry Friends is doing amazing work for the community, and we think their facility in Lakewood will be a great addition to the Mandan community. In just the last few years, we've really seen Mandan make a conscious effort to bring projects like this to the area. We've seen exponential residential growth within Mandan, as well as commercial, and Mandan has done a great job of bringing that to the community.”

- Ashley Anderson

Furry Friends Rockin’ Rescue’s vet bills average between $20,000 and $30,000 per month for the animals, according to Schirado. This is where the majority of donations are going when assisting their mission!

While the project is a landmark effort being made for the nonprofit, the impact being made goes beyond the animals in Furry Friends’ focus. When Furry Friends has extra money to spare, Schirado stated that it’s going towards food at low-income housing, the soup kitchen as well as people that can’t afford to pay their veterinary bills.

“To me, Verity Homes understands that they're helping animals but they're also helping the people behind the animals. When we go into the reservations, we bring food, clothing for the children, we vaccinate their animals and we go door to door and ask what they need. We hope that we're helping a wide range of people on the back end too and making a real difference,” Schirado said.

While work is well underway for the collaborative project between Verity Homes and Furry Friends, Verity Homes is always looking for ways to get more involved in the communities they’re proud to be a part

of. Whether the project is large or small, they’re up for a challenge that will better the community in the long term.

“When we do these projects, it’s strictly for the organizations and the benefit of the community. I think that a lot of people look at our marketing or announcements for these types of projects and just assume that we must be getting something out of doing this, but it truly is just for the organizations,” Anderson said.

Stay tuned for more updates on the project, as well as any upcoming projects and charity events on their social media platforms below.

Support Verity Homes Web: verityhomes.com Phone: 701-663-4117 Email: info@verityhomes.com Facebook: @VerityHomes1 Instagram: @verityhomes

YouTube: Verity Homes

Support Furry Friends Rockin Rescue Web: furryfriendsrockinrescue.org Email: ffrrinc@gmail.com

Facebook: @furryfriendsrockinrescue Instagram: @furryfriendsrockinrescue

YouTube: Furry Friends Rockin' Rescue

Supporting and Strengthening Women Business Owners Across the State

Binspired the mother-daughter duo to build a small business where they could bring a taste of their joint adorations together for the benefit of their community.

The pair founded Copper Dog, a gourmet waffle and custom coffee café, in July 2019. Copper Dog fosters a family-friendly environment coupled with delicious food: one-of-a-kind waffles topped with a custom blend of local ingredients and high-quality, locally roasted coffee. A favorite of many Copper Dog patrons are their homemade Stroopwaffles, gooey caramel sandwiched between two thin crispy waffle cookies, that were influenced by Cathy’s overseas travels.

Copper Dog is nestled within Mandan’s central business district in a revitalized portion of Main Street—a city close to their hearts. Their family has called Mandan home for decades. “We wanted to bring more culture and unique experiences to the place we love and call home,” Brittany shared.

The café features a special space at the back of the building, a Mini Gym designed to help the community’s youngest members get

Brittany Kennedy Copper Dog

their wiggles out in a safe, fun atmosphere. This unique aspect of the business was especially important to Brittany because she has three small children of her own, and she notes it can be difficult for parents to find places to eat and relax in a kid-friendly environment. “Copper Dog is about spending time together and enjoying those little moments you share,” Brittany said.

Becoming business partners was a natural fit for Brittany and Cathy. Brittany inherited her parents’ entrepreneurial spirit. Cathy and her husband Randy owned a small business for decades. Copper Dog offers Brittany and Cathy the opportunity to engage their entrepreneurial roots while making a deeper impact in their beloved community.

“We love being a part of the community and strive to make a difference by getting involved whenever we can. We host fundraisers and support local causes,” Brittany said. “Our business serves families like ours, and we want to show up for our community’s family with care and thoughtfulness.”

A Shared Community

Brittany and Cathy take pride in being a woman-owned business and worked with the NDWBC to register as a Certified

Woman-Owned Business. The certification and involvement with NDWBC are a mark of distinction for the pair and offers a wealth of resources that connects them to a wider community of women business owners.

“We’re so grateful to the NDWBC for supporting our business and goals,” Brittany explained. “We appreciate knowing they are there to lend a helping hand whenever we need it.”

Brittany credits the NDWBC with encouraging her and helping instill more confidence in herself as a small business owner.

“Any time you have a larger presence in your life of people who are there to support you and help you through the peaks and valleys, it makes everything easier,” she said. “The NDWBC introduced us to a community of smart, talented and strong business owners who have experienced it all and are willing to share their ideas and experiences.”

This sense of shared connection is at the heart of Copper Dog and Brittany and Cathy’s desire to serve their community.

“We hope people feel at home at Copper Dog,” Brittany said. “Our home is your home; we just love waffles!”

Beth Nodland Juniper, LLC

asurprising artifact discovery during her college years unearthed a new and unexpected path for Beth Nodland, president and CEO of Juniper, LLC. Beth has always been interested in history, especially local history and the discovery prompted her to take a deep dive into the past—and her future.

“Finding that artifact led me to researching, which led me to take classes, which led me to change my major, which led me to two degrees,” she said.

Beth was in her 30s with a wellestablished career, but she decided to pivot after her discovery and pursue her passions in anthropology and archaeology. It was a change that led her to found Juniper in 2007.

Juniper is a regional cultural resource management and environmental consulting firm. The team works on state, tribal and federally permitted projects that involve archaeological, environmental and paleontological resources. Juniper has provided National Historic Preservation Act compliance services to more than 82 private and public clients in more than 1,200 separate projects.

From Questions to Confidence

As she dug into starting her company, Beth attended Marketplace of Ideas conferences that provided her opportunities to learn about available entrepreneurial support in North Dakota, including the NDWBC. She recalled feeling stuck when she tried to create a “too-detailed” cash flow projection. The NDWBC staff worked alongside Beth to help scale her plans and supported her in establishing a strong foundation to start her business.

“I first went to the North Dakota Women’s Business Center before the oil boom, when there wasn’t a lot happening in my profession in North Dakota,” she said. “I wanted to start a niche business, and they advised on the challenges, while always encouraging me. Years later, when the oil boom hit, I was prepared to launch Juniper.”

Beth said the NDWBC is her primary connection to the broader women’s business community, a connection she values immensely.

“I started North Dakota’s only womanowned archaeology company, in a male dominated industry. Being a female, olderthan-most entrepreneur, it was lonely at times,” she said. “I was also raising a child

with special needs, which added to feeling isolated.”

She appreciates the years of steadfast support and many meaningful relationships with other area women business owners she’s gained through the NDWBC.

“I always felt like the NDWBC had my back if I needed them. They would do whatever they could to help if I asked,” Beth said.

Marissa Nehlsen Freedom Financial Group

Free yourself. Dream big. Live well. It’s the mantra Marissa Nehlsen lives by—and the core values in which her business, Freedom Financial Group, was founded on in 1993.

Freedom Financial Group offers a game-changing holistic approach to educating, empowering and equipping individuals to take control of their finances, and ultimately, their futures. The organization helps people realize their dreams through guidance of well-rounded staff, collaboration and comprehensive services in all elements of finance: tax, legal, risk and wealth management. They also offer family planning services and communication coaching for conflict resolution and team building, recognizing that communication breakdown is often at the core of many issues businesses and families face.

Every Freedom Financial Group teammate has a specialty, but everyone works together as a strong group to create customized plans designed to help clients grow and conserve their wealth. This distinct tailored approach often has their clients referring to Freedom Financial Group as the “Mayo Clinic of Finance.”

“We kick-off the initial meeting with a client by asking them to paint a picture of what they want in life. Our entire team is present during this time, like a

roundtable,” Marissa explained. “This allows us to understand the client’s whole picture and put together the best plan to serve as their vision to build their lasting legacy.”

Marissa said this approach is different because it places the emphasis on the person rather than the plan, and it’s an approach that’s working. As founder and CEO of Freedom Financial Group, Marissa has helped thousands of people take control of their futures and live well.

From Power of One to 10x The Power

Marissa’s humble rural North Dakotan roots equipped her with the grit and moxie she needed to start her own business and become the trailblazer she is today. Even so, she found herself curious about how other business owners balanced life and entrepreneurship.

“I wondered how people manage their lives while operating a business, especially those doing it alone,” she said. A friend invited her to connect with the NDWBC, and Marissa’s world opened up to bountiful opportunities through networking with other women business owners.

“Everyone needs a thinking partner to share ideas, strategize and discuss options with. The community I found in

NDWBC is irreplaceable. I have a network of women telling me I can be the best version of me in my business,” Marissa said.

The support Marissa gained through the collaborative ‘thinking partners’ positively impacted her life and the way she operated her business.

“In the presence of leaders one day, I posed a question. ‘What must we do together that we can’t do alone,’” she said.

The dialogue that followed helped her harness the power of big thinking, which led her to starting a passion nonprofit foundation in Costa Rica. The Foundation of Latin America organization builds schools that focus on a curriculum geared toward learning practical skills such as sewing lessons and the fundamentals of money management while providing mentorship to students.

Marissa said these foundational building blocks help Costa Rican youth develop necessary skills to change the course of their lives—and to dream big and live well. It echoes the same supportive guidance she’s received through the NDWBC that led her to founding the nonprofit—a full-circle life moment for Marissa and life-changing experience for the youth she serves.

IS AMERICA’S DEFINITION OF AN ENTREPRENEUR

JOSETTE DUPREE, Owner of Big Stick Cigars and Dupree Firearms

All three of Dupree’s suites, including Big Stick Cigars and Dupree Firearms, are located next to one another in the front, middle and back of the space.

Dupree first discovered her love of firearms when she worked for USDA Wildlife Services. As time has gone on, her knowledge and involvement have only grown. Many of her friends asked her if she would train them on gun safety and help them obtain their Concealed Carry licenses, but she wasn’t certified to do so. Dupree, thinking of her passion and goals, then decided to become licensed and is now certified as a firearms instructor.

After she pursued her passion for firearms and gained significant experience, Dupree launched Prairie Patriot Firearms Training with her husband at the time. “When we got the business up and running,

we found there was a need here in the Bismarck-Mandan area for a good-quality, clean and safe range to shoot at with certified instructors that properly know how to shoot and teach. It was also a great place to have a gun shop where you can buy firearms at a fair price and get proper training. I also instructed classes, so it was a nice balance of work for me,” Dupree said.

However, future plans for the business were up in the air as the owners were going through relationship issues, including a divorce that took over three and a half years to complete. On top of personal issues in the owners’ lives, the pandemic also strained the

s the owner of Mandanbased cigar shop, Big Stick Cigars, as well as firearm store and shooting range, Dupree Firearms, Josette Dupree has cemented herself as a mainstay entrepreneur in the Bis-Man area. Over the years, she’s faced a long list of entrepreneurial obstacles and challenges as she continues to pursue her passions.

Big Stick Cigars offers a trip back in time with a specific theme reminiscent of the past.

store’s business, as it was a challenge to get products into the door to sell, such as ammunition.

“People wanted to use the range, but they had to bring in their own bullets since we couldn’t supply them. Nothing was available. In November 2021, we finally had to close the business due to a very nasty divorce. We had to shut down and I got a bit of backlash from the community for the sudden closure, but it was something that was my pride and joy,” Dupree said.

While this most certainly set her back on her journey as a proud business owner, these life-changing events didn’t keep her down for long. When she was contemplating what to do with her career moving forward post-shutdown, she reconsidered the value of having that passion so largely involved in her life. She knew that she still wanted to teach gun safety and sell firearms, yet she discovered another passion along the way with some help.

“My other passion was a cigar shop. I've enjoyed cigars for about 15 years now and

I wanted to launch a cigar-oriented shop in the Bismarck-Mandan area. Ultimately, I decided to pursue both of my dream businesses and launched Dupree Firearms Training and Big Stick Cigars. While they are mine, my boyfriend is truly my partner in this. For example, he built my beautiful walk-in humidor that turned out perfect,” Dupree said.

The lease for the space officially began in February of 2022, with doors for Dupree Firearms and the training facility opening soon after at the beginning of March. At the end of March 2022, Dupree opened the long-awaited Big Stick Cigars.

The business’ grand opening took place during Buggies-N-Blues, an annual event that draws a large crowd annually near Dupree’s new business. Dupree stated that she cycled through over 1,000 customers during the event in two days, leading to a natural word-of-mouth campaign. Any afterthought of the opening being a fluke was laid to rest when the Independence Day celebrations brought just as much activity through as before with a packed

weekend that boosted the business. Many of these customers can take notice and greatly appreciate the theme throughout the business, as it has a certain old-fashioned theme that brings customers back in time.

“[My boyfriend and I] both thought back in time to Teddy Roosevelt. Back in 1907, right across the street at the train depot, Roosevelt came and spoke to the citizens of Mandan. We thought, 'If Teddy Roosevelt came off that train right now and walked into our shop, what would he see?' That was the premise of what we set up. We want to keep the history of Mandan alive, so we have little bits and pieces of the past around our shop,” Dupree said.

Both Dupree Firearms Training and Big Stick Cigars have received an impressive following since opening, with many Big Stick Cigars customers supporting Dupree’s pursuit of becoming the full cigar shop that she envisions. While business owners’ goals vary in size and ambition, Dupree’s includes passing a Cigar Lounge Bill through the North Dakota Senate.

“A group of people and I have been trying to get a cigar lounge bill passed in North Dakota. In the last session, it lost by one vote, which is the closest it's been. We're aiming to reintroduce the bill in January. The bill was crafted very specifically with legislative reps to have specific wording and key requirements. The key was that 40% of your revenue must come from cigars and cigarettes can’t be smoked there. You could only do cigars and pipe tobacco, could have a liquor license and you had to buy from that cigar lounge, rather than bringing outside product in,” Dupree said.

“Furthermore, you have to have a fresh air intake system, similar to a shooting range, so the air is always rotating and being purified. When you have these air systems, you know people are sitting by you smoking cigars but as soon as they leave, the smell is gone. We were trying to make it very specific so that nonsmoking folks had a hard way of saying no. It's a personal choice on an already legal product, but it still keeps getting hammered down. My fingers are crossed that we get it accomplished at the next session.”

While getting the coming Cigar Lounge Bill passed is extremely important to Dupree’s vision for her future as a cigar lounge owner, it’s far from the only goal that she has for the future of Big Stick Cigars, Dupree Firearms or her training area.

“I'm hoping by Buggies-N-Blues 2023 that I can have a full-time employee with me. One full-time employee, as well as a parttime employee, would be great. I've begun discussions with some people about becoming an investor to help us make Big Stick Cigars a nice, really comfortable lounge. But again, additional funding is needed to properly carry that out. I would also like to launch mobile cigar units,” Dupree said. “What we'll do is travel around to different events including street fairs, weddings and bachelor and bachelorette parties. Folks can walk in and purchase their products, then use them in an outdoor smoking lounge. Cigars are a niche product that is growing by leaps and bounds and I’d love to sell my cigars at these events. So I'm working on that. I just want to keep re-establishing myself and I'm slowly getting there. The biggest thing, personally, is just to continue doing what I enjoy, and not ever let anybody take that away from me.”

As Dupree has faced a certain amount of challenges and hardships over her entrepreneurial career, it is impressive to see the lengths that have been taken to get multiple businesses off the ground and running with a mainstay audience. Through the obstacles she’s faced, Dupree has collected a wealth of knowledge, resources and advice for other business owners with the odds stacked against them.

“When you're self-employed, it's very hard. The first three years are the hardest when you're trying to get your name out there. It’s critical to always stay on top of daily tasks and look at financial numbers and forecasting coming in. For example, there's one type of cigar that I really enjoy. However, I need to

“I'VE HAD SMALLER TOWNS CALL ME ALL ACROSS THE STATE AND SAY THAT THEY HAVE 20 PEOPLE IN OUR TOWN THAT WANT TO GET THEIR CONCEALED WEAPONS LICENSE. WITH MY TWO DAYS OFF PER WEEK, I'LL BE CONDUCTING THOSE CONCEALED WEAPONS COURSES AND WORKING ON MY WEBSITE TO ADD AN ONLINE CIGAR SHOP.” - JOSETTE DUPREE

also remember that there are other things out there that other people like, so you have to be flexible. You need to have that variety and not give up,” Dupree said.

“Also, it’s important to stay on top of what the next month or quarter is going to look like, and if you have to do other little side things to keep that cash flow going. My biggest sources of advertising are currently my websites and Facebook because my money is mainly going back into inventory for both businesses. Keeping your money in the right spots and going towards what’s most needed for your business is so crucial.”

Big Stick Cigars can help any customer with their cigar or pipe tobacco needs!

Big Stick Cigars sells a wide range of cigars for any enthusiast’s taste preference.

JOSETTE DUPREE

Keeping a close eye on finances and where money should be going is important, as well as how to project your brand into the business community to increase awareness. Another aspect of entrepreneurial efforts not to be overlooked is mentorship, as well as the overall importance of having someone near you who may have gone through a similar situation in the past.

“I'm very fortunate that I have some incredible mentors who own cigar shops in surrounding states. Every now and then, I'll go to one of my mentors for help and they'll be extremely supportive, so having some form of mentoring is so valuable for any entrepreneur. Networking and creating a bond with other business owners around you can

help greatly,” Dupree said. “One of the biggest takeaways that I could give anyone reading this is to follow their passion. I did some soulsearching after losing my first business in the divorce. Life is way too short. I have so many things I want to accomplish yet I don't want to go away from my passion. It took me many years to discover what brought me joy, and that joy is the discovery of personal protection for community members.” CONTACT

Phone: (701) 751-1029

Email: dupreetraining2021@gmail.coma Web: dftnorthdakota.com

Address: 406 W Main St, Suite 5 Mandan, ND 58554

Dupree can assist in getting a hold of nearly any preferred cigar at ease to the customer!

JOSETTE DUPREE

Formed in 1987, Dakota Media Access is a North Dakota nonprofit, 501(c) (3) corporation that aims to give creatives a media platform to speak their voice. With a volunteer board of directors drawn from the community, the program is deeply rooted in the area and is supported by locals that are truly passionate about the cause. I sat down with Mary Van Sickle, Executive Director of Dakota Media Access, to discuss Dakota Media Access’ origins, what they aim to represent and the future of the organization.

Gives A Voice to the Bis-Man Community D

By Grant Ayers | Photos by Josiah Kopp

akota Media Access allows any and all people in the community to use their facilities to pursue a creative passion or take advantage of their equipment for a multitude of reasons, including launching their own television and radio programming. Due in part to the wide range of freedom and opportunities that are available and offered to community members and groups, the organization is classified as “fully public access, educational access and government access” by Van Sickle. While it’s safe to say that Dakota Media Access has hit its stride in opportunities offered to the public, day-to-day operations looked much different decades ago for the organization.

“When I started in 2000, our operations here at Dakota Media Access were not automated and everything was operated manually. Our staff would take VHS tapes, put them on a deck and hit play. The channel was only on the air officially from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., then it went into a message board,” Van Sickle said. “Since we launched in the late 80s, we've grown considerably. We recently upgraded and moved into our new building on July 1, 2021. It's a huge 7,500-square-foot facility that's absolutely

amazing for us as it's been a historic structure in Bismarck. We’re right next to Laughing Sun Brewing Co., so it's always very lively and fun being across the street from them. We’re certainly in an interesting district that's seeing huge regrowth and rebirth in the area.”

With seven full-time staff members contributing to the cause, Dakota Media Access has been able to expand its media mission to multiple forms of entertainment. Today, Dakota Media Access comprises four primary pillars: Radio Access (102.5), Community Access Television, Government Access Television and the Dakota Film Festival. The Dakota Film Festival was first launched in 2012 with a film selection committee and a group of advisory committees. While the Fargo Film Festival is different in terms of range and expansion, the Dakota Film Festival highlights short films spread across two evenings.

“Initially, we had started more educational and incorporated workshops for local high school and college students. Now, one night is local films and then the next consists of international awardwinning films from around the world on our short film list. We're so glad that we can feature local filmmakers from across the region,” Van Sickle said.

Dakota Media Access’ Mission

To foster free speech and public dialogue by making access to electronic media available to all citizens through media training, access to media tools and transmission paths on a nondiscriminatory basis.

1. 2. 3. 4.

To strengthen our community by building partnerships and networks to leverage emerging technology for nonprofits, government, education and other organizations that would not otherwise have this capability.

To enable, support, and promote the production and distribution of electronic media programs by and for education, government, charitable or other non-profit organizations, residents of, or members of a group that operates within the communities of Bismarck and Mandan.

To strengthen our community by using media to:

• Facilitate the sharing of information and democratic involvement.

• Enhance community dialogue and freedom of speech.

• Encourage community involvement and civic pride.

• Create awareness of local interests, views and cultures.

• Promote artistry and creative expression.

On average, the Dakota Film Festival receives roughly 150 submissions per year. With only two days to showcase the best of the best, judges have to be selective when deciding which short films make the cut to be showcased.

“They have to be very discerning in their choices. It's not a film festival that encompasses a whole week where you could put a lot of different stuff in there. They're instructed to find the best of the best,” Van Sickle said.

While the Dakota Film Festival has grown in both size and popularity since its initial launch, the growth doesn’t come without its troubles. One of the biggest challenges? They don’t own a theater to host the event.

“We have to create a theater downtown in the Belle Mehus Auditorium, which is a beautiful, historic opera house from 1914. While it's been very well cared for and looks flawless during our screenings, we have to bring in all of the equipment. This includes the projector, screen and cameras to record everything. We have a lot of technology that’s required for the Dakota Film Festival, so that’s one of the biggest challenges for us, but the end result makes it more than worth it,” Van Sickle said.

The Dakota Film Festival is just one of many ways that community members can get involved with Dakota Media Access. Whether

- Mary Van Sickle

it be a singular person, or an organization, Dakota Media Access has a plethora of equipment free to use by anyone.

“It starts with a simple orientation, where a group will come together and go over the rules. There aren't many, but there is some basic training on how to properly handle the equipment. It's not our role to judge the content that’s being created, as long as it's not selling a product or having excessive violence or gratuitous sexual content, as it's over the air and we comply with the FCC,” Van Sickle said. “It's not up to us to judge whether a program or someone's idea is not important. We've had a lot of different things that we’ve loved seeing over the years. In the past, we've had an individual that just did karaoke in his basement. We also go out in the community and our production staff capture as many entertainment-based events as we can to promote and air as well. We’re a public service organization, so we aim to serve the public as much as we can.”

We've been live streaming our channels at our website (FreeTV.org) since 2015. Now, we're also on Apple TV, Roku and other major platforms!”

Mary Van Sickle,

The Advantages to Dakota Media Access

1. Dakota Media Access extends the arm of local government subdivisions and delivers content to the public in different ways.

Our local news departments tell me frequently that they watch these meetings on our systems so that they can get their reporting done. They use it a lot to review meeting content and discussion. It's our service to the community to deliver and allow government transparency.

2. Dakota Media Access is a way for people to express themselves by producing their own creative programming.

We've seen a large number of community producers step forward through our radio operation, as radio is oftentimes a lot less intimidating than being on camera. A lot of really creative people want to do their podcasts and radio programming with us, so it's been really interesting. Most of them are people who love music, and we have some amazing DJs.

We also have some very interesting talk-oriented radio programs. One of them is called The Red Gaze, brought to us by the Executive Director of the Sacred Pipe Resource Center. She brings a group together primarily Native Americans from the area, and then they critique and analyze films with Native American components to them. Whether it's written or produced by, acted in or any other component of filmmaking, the group dissects and observes it from their perspective. It's really interesting and I've learned a lot from listening to them.

We also have another program that's being produced by Parkview, an addiction counseling service in our community. The host, Shannon Huber, interviews people in recovery and discusses their journeys and experiences very candidly.

Executive Director of Dakota Media Access

I believe that radio has opened that door to discussion, as many of these people most likely wouldn’t want to be on camera. Huber also hosts talks with other addiction counselors and people in law enforcement about how they handle addiction within the community. The radio operation has exploded and our new building has allowed us to create a really nice studio that people enjoy being in.

3. Dakota Media Access makes it as easy as possible for the community to be creative. The equipment is completely free to use! People interested just have to sign it out, be a resident of the community and take good care of the equipment. We have a lot of experienced individuals in the Bis-Man area that will come and get our equipment as well, which greatly demonstrates our position as a nonprofit. Furthermore, we can't sell any of our services to the community for a profit, or else we'd be competing with private businesses in the community.

4. Dakota Media Access is focused on positive relationships.

We work very closely and we're part of the beginning of the North Dakota Film and Media Association. They've also worked with the State of North Dakota about opening up lines of communication regarding filming in the state. So we kind of are that comfortable central place. We don't compete with them, so they're okay. Different professional organizations and groups are all in contact with us as we support and lift one another up. We all learn from each other and that's a nice position to be in when others are all kind enough to help us with the film festival. We are undoubtedly lucky to have positive relationships with one another both here and across the region.

- Mary Van Sickle

While community members have the freedom to create as they please with freedom of guidelines or judgment, there are still a few setbacks within the company. However, none of these setbacks should be considered permanent, as they can all be worked through with community support. One of the biggest setbacks that Dakota Media Access faces is funding as a nonprofit.

“[Funding] is always going to be front and center in our needs because of all the shifting in technology and how people access their content. We ask ourselves often, ‘How do we stay relevant and how do we stay funded’? Some cities and states have passed legislation to tax streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu based on the usage there in their community, which is often how they come up with funds. However, we’re always open to donations and help from those around us that we can make an impact on locally,” Van Sickle said.

As they look for support in the community to continue the mission, they also look ahead at the future within the organization. In 2023, Mary Van Sickle will be exiting her position as Executive Director on the Board of Directors within Dakota Media Access. The group is currently mapping out an exit strategy together as she looks to move on to her next adventure, leaving Dakota Media Access in a strong, stable position.

“We're just starting a strategic planning process with our board and the community to talk about the upcoming transition. We went through a huge move last year into the new building and we have this great facility now. We're in the process of finishing off our new studio, so now it's time to figure out what exactly we're gonna do with this moving forward,” Van Sickle said.

As Van Sickle begins to move forward, she appears to be confident that Dakota Media Access will be left in good hands, as she can count on the rest of the staff to uplift the organization’s reputation and legacy.

“Our staff is the biggest we've had for quite a while. They're so reliable and support and understand the mission and, because of that, we're able to do what we do. The staff is critical to this operation and by far the most important thing here. I think our relationships are probably the other big thing that we strive to perfect and take pride in,” Van Sickle said. “We have an intimate relationship with city departments, including the City Administrator and Assistant City Administrator. We also certainly have to have positive relationships with the arts community, the other nonprofits, as well as the schools. If you don't have relationships with those groups, it's really tough to do what we do and be a service to them. We’ll continue to work with all of them for as long as we can, as we enjoy giving back to them and being able to support one another in our projects.”

Donations are always welcome by anyone to support Dakota Media Access’ endeavors and success in the area. While the organization could always benefit from further donations and assistance as a nonprofit, Van Sickle appears to be happy

Even though we're our own nonprofit, we aim to serve a lot of other nonprofits in the area. We work with a wide range of unique organizations, such as the Humane Society.”

as long as the community’s various groups are receiving the necessary support from its citizens.

“We always love when people support us in the area. Whether it be through donations or by supporting us through engaging with our platforms, we’re just happy to be involved in the community. While we greatly appreciate the support from community members, we’re always just as happy to see other nonprofits and organizations in the community receive support from people far and wide. It’s good to see the community giving back to businesses and groups that are there for them,” Van Sickle said.

Phone: 701.258.8767 Email: info@freetv.org Web: dakotamediaaccess.org Facebook: @dakotamediaaccess YouTube: @dakotamediaaccess Instagram: @dakota_media_access Address: 1101 E Front Ave Bismarck, ND 58504

BY GRANT AYERS | PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE CITY OF MANDAN

MANDAN’S INCENTIVE PROGRAMS ARE REVITALIZING THE CITY

A DISCUSSION WITH ELLEN HUBER

S

ince 2006, Mandan has been on a mission to change their business landscape through Ellen Huber, the Business Development & Communications Director of Mandan. I sat down with Huber and discussed what some of the most useful economic development programs and incentives are for business owners, what’s next for the city of Mandan’s business landscape and the most crucial resources for business owners in the Bis-Man area.

Mandan has a long history of cooperation and collaboration with Bismarck. When their Chamber of Commerce merged into one, they found there were still things that needed to be focused on specifically within Mandan, including the revitalization of the downtown area. The City Commission decided to create a business development position as a department within the city to focus on some of those economic challenges and needs—Ellen Huber started that position in February 2006.

“At the time, we had a tremendous amount of retail leakage and there were some areas that needed extra attention within the community. There’s a philosophy that if you grow your primary sector, the businesses within it will grow and create wealth,” Huber said.

Since they evaluated what the challenges and needs within the community have been, one of the biggest factors they noticed was that many business owners weren’t fully aware of the tools and resources that were available to them. Huber emphasized that these incentive programs can greatly increase the public benefit to our community, whether that's through the construction or

BUSINESS

improvement of a commercial building and adding important jobs to the community, providing needed products and services or generating additional sales and tax revenue.

“A hardware or home improvement store would be an example of something that was underserved in the community, but we created retail and business concepts that are either new or expanding as we fill those gaps in our community retail market profile,” Huber said.

Many of the incentive programs that Huber has had a significant hand in creating have made positive long-term effects and impacted the city for the better. For example, the city of Mandan ran the Restaurant Rewards Program, which had a wide impact on the future of the city’s restaurant industry.

“We had a community survey prior to the implementation of the program that showed us citizens wanted to see the restaurant field improved upon and have money invested towards it. In the first five years of this program’s operation, new and expanding restaurants that were willing to step forward received a 1% local sales tax rebate in those first five years and so the better they do, the more aggressive the return. The Restaurants Rewards Program ended in 2019 solely because it ran its course and the

ELLEN HUBER,

DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE CITY OF MANDAN

Old 10 Bar & Grill

at 417 E Main St— this renovation of a former shop for a heating and air business was renovated in 2019 to become the home of Old 10 Bar & Grill, a casual dining, full-service restaurant. The building project costs were offset in part by Renaissance Zone and Storefront Improvement programs. The restaurant business is receiving a five-year sales tax rebate through the Restaurant Rewards program.

mission was accomplished, yet we certainly still welcome new and expanding restaurants in our community,” Huber said.

“When we finished the Restaurant Rewards Program, there were more successful restaurants in the city. We're kind of getting frustrated with losing those deals constantly to Bismarck as our larger sister city. Some businesses gravitate toward the larger population center even when they look at the population and surrounding areas within the county that are of significance and have gone underserved. That was happening in our community, but the Restaurant Rewards Program allowed us to focus on something that was a specific need for our community that could result in improvement for Mandan.”

As many businesses across the country could relate to during the pandemic’s peak, Mandan in general didn't get the supply and demand they were hoping for because of market-driven forces. During the pandemic, the city of Mandan assisted businesses with a wide range of tools and resources. This included giving assistance to and teaching business owners how to have a better online presence for E-commerce and other online solutions.

“In general, our business community has done quite well. Still today, the aftereffects of global supply chain issues and the workforce are having a much bigger impact on businesses across the nation, impacting us right here in Mandan,” Huber said.

As they face issues from external events across the globe, the city of Mandan is currently focused on highlighting an incentive program with immense benefits that can be completed locally.

City leaders noticed that some of the more dated buildings weren’t being purchased and updated, so they considered different ways to incentivize purchasing those buildings.

Mandan Motor Co. Auto Detail Center—an approximate $3 million investment in the renovation of these properties at 905 E Main St. and 805 E Main St. is being assisted in part with Mandan’s Storefront Improvement and Renaissance Zone programs. The project was completed in August 2022.

THE STOREFRONT & LANDSCAPE IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

The City of Mandan offers a Downtown Storefront Improvement Program, with the source of support for the program being the Mandan Growth Fund. The City launched the program to add momentum to the central business district revitalization process by offering matching funds to downtown businesses and commercial property owners for improvements to the exterior of buildings on street-facing sides. Over 40 commercial projects have been completed with nearly $500,000 awarded as matching funds for more than $1.9 million in improvement projects.

Storefront funds are provided in the form of a maximum $30,000 forgivable loan for up to 50 percent of the investment in rehabilitating a building façade. Up to $60,000 may be considered for a corner building depending upon the extent of the project and the amount of surface wall to be renovated. The interest-free loans are pro-rated and forgiven over the course of five years contingent on project completion and the building’s improvements!

One common reason that some buildings weren’t being purchased was the rehab that they would require to get up and running as it would require heavy overhead costs from the start, particularly when a fire suppression system wasn’t installed and required to be up to code. Through the Fire Sprinkler Assistance Program, the city of Mandan aims to lower those costs for fresh or expanding business owners.

The Mandan City Commission approved a recommendation by the Mandan Growth Fund Committee to establish a fire sprinkler assistance program for those that can’t afford such a critical, life-saving tool at a moderate cost. Interested commercial property owners may apply for a forgivable loan, not to exceed $10,000, for up to 50% of their

The new, infill office building at 222 E Main St—this building, owned by Dan Anderson, was constructed on a long-vacant corner lot but now provides professional office space for two expanding businesses: Legacy Law Firm & ICON Architectural Group. The project received Renaissance Zone five-year property and state income tax exemptions. The building was completed in 2021.

investment in the installation, upgrade or retrofit of fire sprinkler systems. The program is available citywide for buildings constructed before 2004.

“Some restaurants and indoor gathering entertainment concepts in particular trigger those requirements and can become expensive. If buildings go through a change in ownership or use change, reopening under new ownership can require codes and standards that are ensured to have proper safety. We strongly encourage new adaptive uses for buildings that are already available so that those can be fixed in the process with some assistance in doing so along the way,” Huber said.

“Through this program, we aim to assist with community development, support business retention and expansion,

Hyundai Dealership and Bismarck

- ELLEN HUBER

encourage private sector capital investment in fire safety improvements and upgrades to existing commercial structures and reduce commercial property vacancies and otherwise optimize the use of existing buildings, thus improving community vibrancy.”

As city leaders continue to come up with ways to incentivize business owners across Mandan, they also look toward the future of Mandan’s business landscape. It’s evident that they’re aiming to revive the different business areas or districts in Mandan, as the Main Street area just received an 8,000-square-foot addition, as well as enhancements to the public gathering space and parks that are adjacent to our communities to host many festivals and events. This expansion gives business owners more reasons to want to be located in that area as there’s more traffic now.

In another sector, one of the most important factors in the city’s maintenance and improvement is the confidence of Mandan’s citizens and their willingness to invest in quality projects, such as the new elementary, middle and high schools in development around the area.

“These schools and the future of the youth’s education is so important to the community and I’m glad that the majority of the community is backing decisions on putting money into those projects,” Huber said. “Lastly, the Memorial Highway, known as ‘The Strip’, is another important area that we’re always looking to progress. Businesses located in that area are able to serve households with some of the highest per capita incomes in the state. There are a handful of business opportunities to be pursued that are located near the Missouri River and its surrounding areas. Furthermore, agribusinesses are on the rise in that area, which Mandan looks to assist in their growth in the coming years.”

“You see a number of agribusinesses located in that area because of our customers, producers and friends supporting local businesses. There’s also anything with big wheels in that area, whether it be dealerships for cars, motorcycles, ATVs, trailers and more. In Mandan, there's a location for any type of business. It just depends on what their plan is and who they aim to serve,” Huber said.

I BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE BIGGEST BUSINESS RESOURCES IS SIMPLY HAVING THAT LINE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM THE CITY, WHETHER IT’S GETTING PEOPLE THROUGH APPROVAL AND PERMITTING PROCESSES, CHANGES IN ZONING OR

Elaborating on the various locations being inspected for involvement in forthcoming plans, Huber continued to discuss plans involving the integral state highway in the area and its highly-anticipated plans for the next few years.

“We're going to see the state highway reconstructed soon in 2023 or 2024. Engineers are making a plan with what to do regarding the ditches near the highway, as we’ve run into issues during rainstorms in the past. It's going to be reconstructed in a fashion that lowers the roadway and puts in curbing to assist in stormwater drainage. I think it's going to really bring about additional development. The plan will make it last for years to come and will greatly improve the attractiveness of those surrounding areas too,” Huber said.

While these incentives shouldn’t be seen as the means to profitability or success, they can most certainly help minimize risk, particularly for those businesses in their ramp-up years. When asked about what advice could be given to local business owners, or business hopefuls, regarding minimizing that risk, Huber had words of experience to share.

504 W MAIN BEFORE AND AFTER

“I would encourage business owners to take a look at the value that [the incentive program] provides. We aim to make sure that there's transparency between the city and business owner, and let them know if there's going to be a change in zoning required or modifications needed to meet today's building or fire code requirements,” Huber said. “The opportunities or perks that can be provided to the workforce are there. We’re just trying to make them more transparent and beneficial for the business owners of Mandan as we keep trying to improve this city. The needs and current situations with every business within the community are always changing, so we’re just trying to stay one step ahead and always explore what would help them the most.”

The city of Mandan is working with business owners and employees for any services they may need. Whether their goal is to start up, expand or launch childcare services, they’re always exploring and making different programs available to take the proper course of action for their local businesses.

CONTACT ELLEN HUBER AT THE CITY OF MANDAN

PHONE: (701) 667-3485

EMAIL: ehuber@cityofmandan.com

WEB: cityofmandan.com/businessdevelopment

FACEBOOK: @CityofMandan

ADDRESS: Mandan City Hall 205 Second Avenue NW Mandan, ND 58554

420 W MAIN BEFORE AND AFTER

Evan and Ganya Anderson are the “Mad Scientist” and “Resident Geek” founders of Gizmonics, a service business that aims to support others in their creative endeavors through kickstarting new products, patents and prototypes. The two business creatives have always preferred taking the path less traveled.

Whether it be an unconventional career path or collaborating with others on an entirely unique and new business model, the two creatives will always look to support business owners with a vision for something daring and new. I sat down with Evan and Ganya Anderson to discuss what they do for their clients, managing expectations and how people can better prepare for launching their product.

By Grant Ayers

Evan and Ganya Anderson, Founders of Gizmonics Josiah Kopp

Evan and Ganya Anderson both graduated with Master’s Degrees from UND, starting their post-education lives in the corporate world. While it may not have been the ideal dream life right away, they focused on financial health and putting themselves in a comfortable position for the journey ahead.

“I was with Boeing and Ganya with US West. We always knew we wanted to do our own thing. We both grew up in a farm background which is very entrepreneurial. I think we were smart enough to know that we needed to go out, get some experience, money and work on important things first,” Evan said.

Years later, the two pursued a passion project revolving around a bicycle repair stand that doubled as a bike rack. As they were engineering and prototyping their invention, they began attracting other people that were trying to bring their ideas to the market.

“They would come to us for prototyping or advice on anything from material selection to intellectual property protection. We ended up taking on some clients and doing some machining work. Our new business wasn't cash flowing very positively so it was kind of nice to have the income and that was really where we started consulting and helping others do what we were trying to do,” Evan said. “When we licensed that bike product to a much larger company, we realized that now there wasn't anything holding us back. The idea was that we were going to help people go from a scribble on a napkin to something that's essentially ready to find a licensing or manufacturing partner. We bought a building and spent a lot of time getting it fixed up and filled with our equipment.”

According to the Andersons, there was no shortage of North Dakotans with bright ideas that were filled with potential. However, there was a budget constraint on many of these people’s ideas, which left the two mildly disappointed. The two were ready to help anyone in need, but wanted to support those that were ready to take larger leaps with a heavier commitment to their vision.

“They come up with this great idea and they're ready to become a millionaire with it, and then they would only have $50 to invest. We're fortunate that we made some connections with Bobcat and a few others in town to be able to help them do some of their prototyping work, as they have larger budgets that will help our cash flow better. We also did some work with an engineering consulting company in Bismarck. They really liked our whole prototyping capability,” Evan said. “They offered to work with us and keep me on to lead a prototyping division, so we signed a three-year employment agreement. But at the end of three years, it wasn’t really working and I ended up buying the company back. Ganya and I decided that we weren't doing all the fun stuff anymore. I was more of an administrator. She was doing all the accounting and I was worried about making payroll and wasn't getting to build stuff anymore and it wasn't as fun.”

Moving forward and striking out on a trail of their own, Evan and Ganya created Gizmonics with the idea that the company would never be bigger than the two of them. The two built their shop and headquarters on Evan’s parents’ property near the University of Mary in Bismarck. The location gives them a country setting with wildlife, as well as plenty of space for tools, equipment and blossoming ideas.

“We're able to do fewer projects because we have a lot less bandwidth with only two of us. We created Gizmonics with the mindset that we were going to be a lot more selective about the projects that we took on. The people we're working with have projects that are fun to us, and they have a budget. We like the ones that push the edge of our knowledge of materials or an industry. I just got a call that I'm going to be building an electron beam gun, so it's really crazy stuff on the edge of Applied Physics,” Evan said. “Other client projects include ethanol fireplace fuel, as well as some nutritional health products and bars, so we had to learn FDA requirements. We do laugh that it seems a number of our products have either an element of imminent death or extremely tough regulations, but we like climbing those learning curves as it keeps it interesting.”

With a wide range of ever-intriguing projects and clients coming their way, selecting them can be daunting when there’s only so much time to work between two people. According to Ganya, one of the biggest obstacles admittedly has always been finding the right clients to work with. While it can be exciting

Take a look around the Gizmonics Shop!

to always have a new project on their hands, it can potentially become overwhelming at times. Furthermore, as much as they want to help, some clients may not be at the level of pursuit for their project that the Andersons are expecting.

“In hindsight, we've said yes to some things that we shouldn't have, mainly in the interest of keeping busy. We've worked with a lot of people and witnessed their obstacles, whereas we did the whole corporate stint to save our money. We both come from fiscally conservative families without being borrowers. When a $500 investment is insurmountable for some, it's really hard to be an entrepreneur,” Evan said.

“There are plenty of sources of financing, funding and grants out there. But quite often, people don't have the appreciation for it that pushes them to those next levels. We help manage their expectations without crushing their hopes and dreams. A lot of entrepreneurs start with their passion, meaning their side hustle,” Ganya added. “Many of their dreams will never become more than that, where they'll be able to walk away from their day job

The duo behind Gizmonics is currently involved in a project with Gateway for Science involving their new location in Fargo, ND!

Essentia

Together—with the doctors you know and trust—we’ll face the challenges of healthcare, believing that with community and commitment we can build something better. Something brilliant. Something rare.

Our promise to you is to continue delivering the high quality and personalized care you and your neighbors deserve. Because this place, these people—are like nowhere else.

and benefits. When we sit down with a new client, we talk about the realities. It probably won't work out the way you hope it will and it's going to cost three times as much as you think it will.”

While not everyone may be up for the challenge, the Andersons have created a plan that gives entrepreneur hopefuls a “test run” of sorts to determine their level of ambition for the project. While it may deter some, it proves that others are up for the challenge and have the motivation and drive to find success.

“We tell everybody to make their first model out of cardboard and duct tape

Impressive Community Involvement!

Between Evan and Ganya’s accomplishments, the Andersons are involved with The Idea Center, the Chamber EDC Board, Capital Gallery Board, TedXUMary, Leadership North Dakota and more!

to keep it as cheap and inexpensive as possible. Oftentimes, we'll take that first step with them and 3D print something inexpensive. We'll then give them an assignment to get feedback on. If they don't have that passion or drive, we'll never hear from them again. They will self-reflect that they don't have the grit that it takes,” Ganya said. “It's never a big assignment, but it's often just a little thing that shows them that they aren’t up for it. It's nice though to see these people try. I think it's fun for people to have this idea that they've had for years. Even if nothing came out of it, they can go away feeling like they pursued it and didn't just forget about it. We have a lot of folks that just get

Evan Anderson is hard at work in the Gizmonics shop.

The Gizmonics Mobile Lab allows them to bring their work on the go as needed!

that very first prototype and we never hear from them again. And I think they love that it's in their hands.”

While these clients love their idea and potential success, bringing the product to life takes much more time and effort than many expect. While challenging, Evan and Ganya state that it’s far from impossible with the right determination and ambition.

“We want to help them with their ideas as much as we can. Between Gizmonics and other resources in North Dakota, most people aren’t lacking any resources. [North Dakota] is so different from other places in terms of support of the entrepreneurial community. It's easy to get help and support, so there’s a real benefit for up-andcoming entrepreneurs,” Evan said.

Contact Gizmonics

Web: gizmonics.biz

Phone: (701) 202-7203

Email: evan@gizmonics.biz

Prototyping with a 3D Printer is oftentimes a make-or-break test for entrepreneurs, according to Evan and Ganya Anderson.

Shop ND

By Grant Ayers

Shop ND (shopnd.com) is an online marketplace that spotlights the North Dakota business community with no cost of enrollment to the retailer. The program was launched with the mission of connecting local small business owners to shoppers across the state. The platform aims to encourage and promote efficient online shopping from local business owners across North Dakota. I sat down with Greg Syrup, CARES (Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security) Program Director, to discuss how he and his direct reports pushed life into Shop ND, its biggest challenges to date, the future of the program and more.

s the COVID-19 pandemic worsened and heavily impacted the business community,

the CARES Act was launched. The CARES Act is a $2.2 trillion stimulus package that was launched by the US government in March of 2020. When North Dakota received roughly $1 million to spend over the following two to three years, a variety of programs were created with those funds to support local businesses.

customers, they reached across a few state lines for an extra hand.

“We partnered with Member Marketplace, an organization based out of Iowa that creates websites for several different communities. In the past, they’ve created websites similar to Shop ND in different states including Ohio, Wyoming, urban Nevada, rural Nevada and so on,” Syrup said.

Did You Know?

14 businesses (and counting) in the Bismarck and Mandan area alone are enrolled in the Shop ND program!

Of those programs, the Shop ND program was one of the first to officially launch and find success across the state. The money to build and back the program, market for the program and the force behind the launch of the Shop ND campaign were all there. However, creating a website proved to be a bit more difficult than Syrup first imagined. To provide the most efficient online shopping experience for both retailers and

The primary goal behind Shop ND is to provide access to small businesses’ products through an online marketplace, no matter the struggles that communities face, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

“A lot of small business owners felt like they were sitting in the middle of a lake without any way to move during the pandemic. We saw this and wanted to create a very easyto-use, turnkey, complementary service for businesses to be able to continue making sales in their community,” Syrup said.

Greg Syrup, CARES Program Director

Photo provided by Greg Syrup

“This program really helps out business owners if they faced certain restrictions at the height of the pandemic, as well as those that don’t have a brick-and-mortar location. Plus, many of these people can now showcase and ship their product(s) much further than before, as people from across the state are discovering products that they wouldn’t have.”

Furthermore, the CARES group works with several programs that are dedicated to the care of the client, including the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and Shuttered Venue Operators Grant (SVOG). Not only are they looking to advertise and support local businesses’ products, they can refer you to the proper organizations to assist you with other questions or concerns.

As with any online marketplace, there are certain restrictions in place regarding the sale of independent products. “We comply with certain regulations on what can and cannot be sold online that sellers should be

aware of. There are regulated industries such as alcohol and tobacco. There are cottage food laws in North Dakota that place restrictions on homemade food products sold in large amounts. But if they have any questions about their product, however, we can answer them in a heartbeat,” Syrup said.

With “thousands of dollars in sales being made through the platform so far,” according to Syrup, the ever-growing Shop ND program is described by Syrup as a “very broad, openended” way to connect retailer and customer, even in the toughest of times. Despite the challenges that the business community may face over the coming years, the future looks hopeful as Shop ND and those behind the program aim to assist North Dakota business owners in any way possible.

Today, there are over 520 businesses enrolled in the costfree Shop ND program across North Dakota, with that number expected to increase as the program finds more recognition.

An

Allow customers to choose local pickup, delivery, or shipping

Selling support from a live team assisting with your shop, products, and orders

Benefit from 'marketplace effect' with shared promotion from multiple local businesses & partners

Sell products, services, events, virtual or customizable products through the site

Sync Shopify web stores to allow products to import and sync inventory. (other integrations coming soon)

Sell online without listing or commission fees.

(includes up to 50 items listed in your shop)

*No fees paid for listing products or selling products. Merchant processing fees apply (2.9% + $30 per order)

Online training and resources to help you manage and market your shop.

Questions Asked Frequently

Does it cost to participate?

• There is no cost for sellers to join Shop North Dakota!

• Shop North Dakota is an initiative of the North Dakota SBDC enabling small businesses throughout North Dakota to sell on the platform.

Can you tell me more about listing products?

• Sellers can list products individually or connect their existing Shopify store to sync their products and inventory into the platform.

• You must list a minimum of one product and up to 50 products for free! Email info@shopnd.com if you're interested in listing more than 50 products.

How long will it take to get set up on the site?

• It only takes a few minutes to register your business. Once your account is approved, you can have all of your shop settings and your first few products added in under an hour.

• If you already have products listed online elsewhere, we may even be able to assist you with a product import to get your shop started.

I've never sold online before. Can someone help me?

• Yes. There are ongoing trainings, how-to videos and a knowledge base with resources to guide you, but there's also a live team ready to assist you with whatever questions you have. Reach out to us at any time and we'll be happy to work with you.

• This platform is catered to an audience that is interested in buying local, and they're specifically coming to the website to browse and buy from North Dakota businesses.

• Buying on a marketplace website is incredibly convenient for customers. They can visit one website and buy multiple products from several different vendors with one checkout.

• Selling in multiple channels (i.e. your website, in-store, a marketplace

I already have a website, why should I sell on this platform?

website, etc.) increases your chances for more overall sales.

• Marketplace visitors can buy your products without knowing of your business first, something that is often harder to convert on individual websites.

How do I get notified of orders?

• You will get an email notification to the registered email address on your account.

• You may also sign up for text alerts in your account.

How do I handle shipping?

• Sellers handle all fulfillment and shipping requirements and can charge shipping to customers.

• Sellers can set free shipping for all products or just for specific products.

• Sellers can set their own shipping rates on their overall store or on a per-product basis.

• Sellers enter shipping, carrier and tracking information that is then communicated to the customer.

How and when do I get paid for orders?

• Stripe is the preferred payment processor. Orders are paid out to

your bank from Stripe typically within two business days. Payment processing through Stripe is 2.9% + $.30 per order.

• Alternatively, businesses could choose PayPal payments if they prefer. There will be an additional $.25 processing fee for PayPal (2.9% + $.55 total), and payments will be dispersed once the order has been shipped to the customer.

• Products should be updated as needed, or at least every few weeks. Shops should be updated to make inventory changes, add a new product or two and delete old products.

Get in touch with Shop ND

Web: shopnd.com Email: info@shopnd.com Phone: (701) 777-3700 Facebook: @shopnorthdakota Instagram: @shopnorthdakota

How often do I have to update my shop?

VETERAN OWNED

Cassandra Mosbrucker Owner/Founder

GROWING A BUSINESS WITH

Ginger Leaf Garden

By Grant Ayers

GINGER LEAF GARDEN LLC

Cassandra

perspective to the business world.

Tell me a bit about Ginger Leaf Garden. What inspired you?

I grew up in Mandan city limits without any farm or agriculture experience. My childhood home had a small backyard garden and a large wrap-around flower bed in front of the house. Year after year, I looked forward to planting flowers with my mom. I always looked forward to going around town to scope out different flowers at the greenhouses. I still get just as excited about stepping into a greenhouse now as I did when I was a kid.

Growing up, I also spent quite a bit of time in my grandparents’ garden. Their garden was significantly bigger than my home one. They were always open to me planting different things. I remember saving seeds from fruit and vegetables and experimenting to see if I could make something grow. I specifically remember saving cherry seeds. These started planted in a cup, then a flowerpot and eventually, after a couple of years, they were big enough for the garden. Our family no longer owns this property so I can’t be sure, but as far as I know, those trees are still growing.

All these little moments in the garden just stuck with me. Since I have lived on my own, I have always had my own garden whether it was just flowers on the apartment balcony or a few raised garden beds in the backyard. In 2018, I built a house in Mandan (Lakewood area). That year, I didn’t get a garden since the house was under construction. In 2019, I spent half the garden season deployed, meaning that was on pause for another year. Finally, in 2020, I added six raised garden beds to my backyard. Then in 2021, I added six more. This year, I turned the garden into a business and added another 13 along with a watering system! As of right now, my family is always joking that I may as well turn the whole backyard into a garden. Honestly, I would love that.

Right now, the business is operated out of my backyard garden. The focus is to sell starter plants in the spring, produce a variety of different canned items such as jams, sauces, salsas and pickles, and share my experience with others. We have also been experimenting with different gift basket sets this year. Our garden-themed easter baskets were a huge hit!

Right now, I still have another full-time career, but in the next few years, I would like to transition into running Ginger Leaf Garden as my full-time business. My garden is my happy place, and I never can get enough. I want to move toward the job that I love wholeheartedly.

Mosbrucker, Owner and Founder of Ginger Leaf Garden LLC, is currently serving in the North Dakota Army National Guard and has served for the last 12 years. Due to her service she brings a unique

It depends on the day. I will either be in the garden, kitchen or at the farmer’s market. While my full-time job has my attention Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and one weekend a month, all of my expendable time is spent on Ginger Leaf Garden. With this being the business's first official year, sleep has been very limited. I’m often working late into the night on different projects. This spring, I spent a lot of time starting seeds indoors, building raised garden beds, installing a water system and planting the garden. Over the summer, I spent most of the daylight hours caring for the garden. The nights away from the garden were spent in the kitchen canning. Over the summer and fall, Ginger Leaf Garden participated in the Lincoln Days Farmer’s Market on Tuesday nights. Not only is it an opportunity to sell my goods, but it’s also great to connect with other vendors in the Bis-Man community.

What made you want to choose the Bismarck-Mandan area to start Ginger Leaf Garden?

Along with growing up here, I think that we have a certain sense of pride in our North Dakota growers and producers.

What was the hardest challenge for you when opening Ginger Leaf Garden?

I think a lot of people were very surprised when I decided to join the National Guard. I was a quiet, small, softhearted female. This isn’t exactly what people picture when they think of a “soldier.” I had never even shot a real gun until I went to basic training. These skeptical opinions just made me more determined to prove myself.

As for starting my business, my friends and family were excited for me. They’re happy to see me doing something that I love and they’re even happier when I bring them new recipes to taste test!

What do you remember about your first days in service?

I remember operating on mental and physical exhaustion but somehow still enjoying every bit of the experience. I was actually sad when basic training was over. There is something special about the way you bond with your battle buddies through these experiences. Some of these bonds turn into lifelong friendships.

What do you remember about your first days when launching your business?

With the business, I was also operating on mental and physical exhaustion but somehow enjoying every bit of the experience. Also, I remember constant excitement and a sense of accomplishment as little pieces fell together. I think I am still a bit in shock that I own my own business and am solely responsible for it!

The hardest challenge was navigating through all of the paperwork to make sure everything is licensed properly, and taxes are being done properly. Luckily, there are many helpful resources out there that business owners can use to their advantage. I received assistance from the ND Women’s Business Center, as well as the Veterans Business Outreach Center.

Who are your biggest mentors that you can attribute some of your successes to?

My biggest mentor would be my father. He’s a problem solver and just seems to know how to do everything. This has come in handy more times than I can count. He has never doubted any of my ideas and always shows up when I need him. He has always taught me to do things the right way and if something doesn’t work, try again. I don’t know what I would do without him.

This year, we decided to enter our Peach Heat Salsa in the Lincoln Farmer’s Market Days and TR 4 Heart and Soul Salsa Showdown. There were 13 different entries and we took third place.

We also received a new vendor grant from the North Dakota Farmers Market and Growers Association. The grant is available for new farmers market vendors participating in their first or second year of farmer's markets. Our grant funds were used for supplies, equipment and marketing material related to vending at a farmers market.

What does a normal day on the job look like for you?

What were your friends’ and family's reactions when you told them you were pursuing service, and what was their reaction when you told them about your business?

Have you or your business achieved any awards, accolades or accomplishments in your first year of business?

We also love taking special requests for canning. It gives us a more personal connection with our customers as well as a new challenge!"

- Cassandra Mosbrucker

Gift Baskets

Galore

Ginger Leaf Garden makes gift baskets for various holidays and events. To date in 2022, baskets have been made for Easter, Mother’s Day, Father's Day, May Day, Administrative Professionals’ Day, Teacher’s Day and birthdays. Watch out for their upcoming holiday baskets!

What does being a veteran symbolize to you?

To me, it’s just my job. I choose to do it and I get paid to do it. It also comes with great benefits. I have been able to travel all over the country and the world. I was deployed to Africa for six months and that was a part of the world I may never have gotten to see otherwise if it weren’t for that experience.

How has your service experience changed your business mindset?

It taught me resiliency, as well as that it’s okay to fail sometimes. If you fail, you still learn something. Resiliency is so important when starting a business because you are learning something every day.

Some

Does the dream of opening your own business sound like an amazing idea to you?

By Wendy Klug, Program Manager, and Julie Hinker, Veterans Business Specialist, Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC)

About the VBOC

The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) program is designed to provide entrepreneurial development services such as business training, counseling and resource partner referrals to transitioning service members, veterans, National Guard and Reserve members and military spouses interested in starting or growing a small business. U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has 22 organizations participating in this cooperative agreement and serving as VBOCs.

Are you tired of your annoying boss and ready to be your own boss? If so, you should start your own business! If taking a vacation whenever you want sounds like a good idea, you should start a business! Would you like to go to work and love what you do every day? Then, you should start your own business! It’s that easy, right? NO, it’s not. Before you decide that business ownership is right for you, take a deep look into the advantages and disadvantages of business ownership.

You must be ready to commit a lot of time and energy to getting the job done if you want your business to survive. You must wear at least 100 hats daily while you run the world’s longest marathon. Let’s have a discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of starting your own business. I am not going to sugarcoat this for you; I want you to get a true picture of what owning a business includes. Let’s look at some of the pros and cons of business ownership so you can start to feel if it’s the right career path for you!

I want to let you know that I am not just sitting here talking about information that I have learned from reading textbooks. I, myself, have always been an entrepreneur. Ever since I was a little girl, I have had an entrepreneurial spirit. I was always one to do special projects or create something to turn an extra buck!

By age 15, I already owned and operated a craft business as a side gig. This love for selling my art turned into much more after graduating from college with a degree in photography. I soon opened my own small photography business. I successfully ran my own photography business for over 15 years. Today, I no longer have a photography business. It isn’t because I didn’t have clients or I no longer like taking photos, but because I was ready to have my family time back on weekends. You could say the disadvantages were outweighing the advantages.

There are many reasons people start their own businesses. Some of these may be personal, but entrepreneurs seem to have a few ideas and characteristics in common. Here are some of those commonalities comparing advantages to disadvantages.

Advantages:

1. The Sound of Freedom: As a small business owner, you are in control! How much effort you put into the business is what you are going to get back. You get to make your own decisions on what you want to pay yourself, what hours you want to work and what work you want to complete. You get to be your own boss. This is the sound of freedom to many people!

2. Make the World a Better Place: One of the reasons one may start a business is because they can’t find the service or product they need. An entrepreneur will see this gap in the marketplace as an opportunity and will capitalize on it by creating a business to solve the problem they have identified.

Photos Courtesy ofVBOCoftheDakotas

The long hours that go into running a business are easier to bear when at the end of it all, you realize you have been the catalyst for something new and made a difference in someone’s life. It can be very rewarding.

3. Healthy Work-Life Balance: When you are the boss, you get to take a vacation whenever you want. If you want a long weekend, you can deem yourself time off. But you must remember that this isn’t going to happen right away when starting a business. Most businesses need to operate during normal business hours which are typically 8 p.m. to 5 p.m. With that being said, as long as you are transparent with your customers, they will understand and respect the hours your business chooses to operate under, giving you the freedom you want. Once you are more established and the business is up and running smoothly, you will see the work-life balance even out.

4. Do What You Love: For some people, it’s a way of life to do what they love. Do you have a passion or skill that you want to turn into a small business? Owning a small business will give you the ability to be successful and follow your dream. Maybe you’re the type of person that isn’t satisfied working for someone else and you would prefer to be your own boss. If you feel this way then you need to follow that dream of doing what you love, instead of feeling like you are just working to make a living. It will give you a certain satisfaction that no one else could ever put a dollar amount on.

5. A Lifestyle that Fits Your Style: Working the classic 8-5 job may not be your style of work and you may feel unhappy doing so. By owning a small business, you can do what you love and feel like you are making an impact on something you care deeply about. You are also able to adapt your business around the lifestyle you want to have. This is a great positive for many new small business owners as they see a big opportunity in remote work and the ability to travel while still getting their work done.

6. Reaping the Financial Benefits: When you are a small business owner, the generated revenue goes into your business bank account. You benefit from your own hard work. The more you put into your business, the more financial return you will see from your work. You are turning your skills, interests and passion into your own income instead of somebody else’s income.

Disadvantages:

1. Time Commitment: As a new small business owner, you are going to have to put in a lot of time. There is going to be a lot on your plate with very little time in a day. You will wish there were 50 hours in a day so you could get more done. It takes a lot of time, patience and perseverance to start and run a successful small business. As a small business owner, you will likely work more than 40 hours a week. You have the freedom to take time off, but in reality, you may not be able to get away at the beginning of this journey. That trip to Hawaii just might have to wait!

2. Into the Unknown: You can complete as much research as you want before you start your business, but you still will not know if your business is going to survive. There are some variables you can control, and other variables you cannot. When someone opens their doors, there is no guarantee that they will survive. It takes a lot of work to get a business started, but it also takes just as much work to continue growing that business. Markets change and so do people’s interests. As a small business owner, don’t find yourself in a world where you just continue to do what you started off doing. You need to constantly research what customers are looking for, who your competitors are and what is trending online. If you don’t keep hustling after you open your doors, your business will be at risk.

3. Investing Your Money: Everyone is looking for this thing called free money. In all honesty, grants are few, far and in between for business startups. While there are options available, you will still need to rely on having your own skin in the game to get started. You will need to have a well-written business plan, good credit history and working capital to secure a small business loan. (Unfortunately, there is no

simple answer to securing financing, but we do have a team of SBA experts that can assist you along this journey.)

4. Stress: As a business owner, you are the business. You personally feel responsible for the company’s success or failure. Aside from that, there’s an overwhelming array of other things to worry about too including competition, employees, bills, equipment breakdowns, customer problems, etc. Keep in mind that just because you are the boss, it doesn’t mean the decisions will always be easy!

With every advantage, there will always be a disadvantage. When I first opened my photography business, I loved everything about it! The fact that I was away from my family on every nice summer day didn’t even phase me. You could say I was in my zone! I loved getting to capture moments of life for my clients so they could remember those special events for years down the road.

As I continued my photography business for 15 years, a lot changed. The service gap in hiring a professional photographer to capture photos, people no longer wanting to develop photos to put on their walls and even the competition for photographers were just some of the reasons my business slowed down. The need for professional photographers changed immensely throughout my career. Not only that, but I was unhappy missing my own family events to take photos. I no longer had the drive to continue my journey, therefore, I closed my business.

When looking to start a business, there are many things to consider. While weighing the advantages against the disadvantages, you will find that this is just the beginning. Starting a business is a lot of work and requires a team to get the job done. Do know that there are resources, a team of cheerleaders and a community there ready to support your future venture.

Today, I am grateful to spend my time teaching others how to start, grow or sell their business. I am honored to train and advise veterans, military spouses and active military members throughout the Dakotas. I have been able to use my experiences as an entrepreneur to help others achieve their goals. My cup is full! I am very happy working for the Veterans Business Outreach Center of the Dakotas. I get to serve those that have served our country.

Are you tired of that boss and ready to start your own business? Let’s get you started by weighing the advantages versus the disadvantages. Let us help you do some market research to see if your business idea is a needed service or product. If you are ready to get started, contact the VBOC of the Dakotas team at dakotas.vboc@und.edu. We offer nocost client advising. Register for advising at: sba-vboc.ecenterdirect.com/signup

Women You Should

Know:

Brooke Leno

Empowered by Ladyboss Lifestyle

Courtesy of Layne Pfliiger Haag

Q. Tell me a little about yourself.

A. I’m originally from Dickinson. I went to school in Minneapolis at the University of Minnesota for retail. I kind of knew from a young age that this is what I wanted to do. I always wanted my own store. When I graduated, the oil boom was happening in Dickinson, and it was a great time to go for it. I had a mentor of mine tell me, since I was scared to open a store out of college, “What’s the worst that could happen? Just do it.” In that time, I got married. My husband is also from Dickinson, and we moved together to Bismarck about five years ago and opened the Bismarck store.

Q. You started your business right out of college! That is incredible. It must have been really scary.

A. It was! It was nerve-wracking, but I had a lot of support and mentors who were encouraging me to do it.

Photos

Q. We hear a lot from women that the first step in starting their business or getting their career off the ground is just having support and encouragement from other women. Why was it important for you to have that mentorship early on?

A. It’s one of those things where you just attract like-minded people. I’ve always been really driven and motivated, but I have been fortunate to be surrounded by similar people. I worked at a store called Evereve during college and the owners were always huge supporters of me and are to this day. I reach out to them with business questions. It was cool to work for a company that so closely supported and believed in their employees. I also did a mentorship program with a buyer from Macy’s while I was in school and she was always helpful. She is someone I feel I can always lean on. Funny enough, the photographer from our wedding was heavily involved in the retail world before she got into photography and she has been a great resource. She was the one who said, “What are you waiting for?” There have been these great influential people in my life. My family has also always been supportive. My parents are always in my corner and my husband too. It’s not luck, you really attract like-minded people.

Q. Now that you’ve been in business for 11 years, what would you say to that 22-year-old version of yourself just starting out, or someone just graduating who is ready to hit the ground running?

A. I think that you have to know how much work you’re getting yourself into and be willing to put in the work. If you’re willing to put in the work and create something and do it well, those people that have helped you along the way are more than willing to keep helping if they see you’re driven and work hard. Reaching out to those people who’ve been there for you in the past is a great way to keep those relationships going. When you have questions, they’ll be there rooting for you. I have leaned on the people who have been supportive of me. I’ve even reached out to those Evereve owners for help on negotiating recently. It’s been 15 years since I worked there. So, it’s about working hard and keeping connections.

Q. There are so many things you aren’t taught in college, and as a young business owner and especially as a woman, so much is gatekept. What are some of those things you had to learn by trial and error that you wish you’d known earlier on?

A. For me, the biggest thing was leadership. Coming right out of school, I had never led a team or been anyone’s boss. I worked in retail and understood that, but the leadership side of running a business was new to me. After 11 years of doing this, I just feel like I have a handle on this. It took a long time to figure out what kind of leader I wanted to be, and how to effectively lead a team.

Q. And that’s something you can’t learn on paper.

A. You really have to learn as you go. Now I’ve been through most situations and navigated them.

Q. I’m sure owning a clothing store in a pandemic has been one of those challenging situations.

A. It’s all about the people who are on the journey with you. As you grow, you learn that you can’t do it all yourself, and need a good team to make that happen. Keeping those people and keeping them satisfied is something that has been really important to me, so even just in the last year I’ve worked with a business coach to work on the leadership side of things. We’ve nailed down core values and those things you don’t consider when you’re more of a small business.

Q. We’ve been talking a lot about balancing parenting and having a career, and especially these last few years, child care and caring for the home on top of work has been difficult for a lot of women. I’m wondering what those challenges have been like for you and how you’ve kept things going?

A. It’s very difficult! I have a 5-month-old and a 4-year-old. The first one I felt I could handle, but having two has rocked my world. Part of it is having a supportive husband. I wouldn’t be able to work the way I do if I didn’t have a partner who is equally involved with our kids. I have also realized that giving up some of our profits to hire more team members and to get help is what I’ve had to do to make things work. It’s something where I’d rather give more to have the help I need. On the more personal side, we need help too. We have a cleaning lady, and so we’re spending money for help because we need it.

Q. I think that’s something that doesn’t get spoken about often, you know, the help you need to keep things going. There’s such pressure on women to do it all and do it all well and without help.

A. Everyone talks about work-life balance, but it’s truly important to me. I’m not willing to let my kids grow up without spending time with me. I want to be there at night and on the weekends, and it wasn’t always like that. Now I have managers who can be there on the weekends, and I’ve worked hard to be at a point where I don’t have to be there all the time. That takes having good people around you and a good team who can really help you.

Did You Know?

The vision of Gusaas Signs all started at a lunch meeting during a work conference. Another gentleman and Gusaas were new to their jobs and discussed business ideas. “He started telling me how he wanted to put a billboard on I-25 near Denver, and that's where it all started.” - Joe Gusaas

Did You Know?

Gusaas first got his start in the billboard advertising industry by offering portable, neon signs that could be placed virtually anywhere in town.

The Latest Update! Gusaas Signs newest location at 605 E Main St in Mandan is currently complete and accepting new advertising contracts.

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 startup innovators to salon founders, 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 journeys.

By Grant Ayers

Photo by Josiah Kopp

Owner of Gusaas Signs

Joe Gusaas, Owner of Gusaas Signs, has been operating in the outdoor advertising business for over a decade. Gusaas Signs is an outdoor advertising company that specializes in both static and digital billboards in the Bismarck-Mandan area. Here, Gusaas discusses his journey to the large billboards he has today, the hardest steps, as well as what he’s learned along the way.

We started Saas Signs, a portable billboard company, in 2011. I wanted to get into the industry with bigger billboards, but couldn't afford it at the time. We started with one small, homemade portable sign. Soon after, that number grew to two, then we had seven portable signs rented out after the first year. In 2015, we decided to make the leap to larger billboards and sold the Saas Signs company. We then started Gusaas Signs and put up our first static Billboard on Main Street in Bismarck.

During the construction of our first billboard, the City of Bismarck was going through some sign code changes, which forced us to re-evaluate our business plan. After doing so, we continued to lease out the existing space. In 2021, we put up our first digital billboard, also on Main Street in Bismarck. With that project completely operational, we’re proud to announce that Gusaas Signs is launching our newest location at the end of the year. This new location will be another digital billboard located on Main Street in Mandan. We are hopeful this location will prove to be successful and that we will be able to offer more locations in the future.

business name and phone number on a small plate fixed to our first portable sign. Not long after setting it out near Advantage Appliance, we got a phone call and the person wanted to rent two signs. At that moment I only had one. After that call, however, I got to work welding two more in my garage for customers.

What would you have done differently if you could go back and start again, knowing what you know now?

If I could've predicted everything that was going to happen back when I was starting, I would have jumped right into the larger billboards right away. After all, that was my dream all along.

The hardest part at the beginning was the overhead cost and the unknown possibilities. I was wanting to enter a space that had been dominated by large companies for years and was told by countless people that I simply could not do what I wanted to do. That was the main reason for starting the portable sign company first before taking the leap into the much larger permanent billboards.

What was a typical day in your life like when you were beginning Gusaas Signs?

My wife Michelle and I were young, just married and looking to start a family. As you can imagine, we were both working fulltime to make ends meet. With this business forming, I was working nights and weekends to make it successful. It got to be very busy and stressful at times, but we made it through together.

What advice do you have for readers considering taking this leap?

No matter the business you’re running, make sure you do your research, know exactly what you want to accomplish, as well as how you're going to accomplish it. When you couple that with hard work and persistence, you’re bound to succeed. Taking risks is never easy and can be very stressful sometimes. Being knowledgeable and never giving up is what has proven to be the difference for us.

The most memorable moment was my very first phone call for the business. We had our

What was your journey like for you to get to the position you're at today?

Which parts of taking this risk will stick with you forever?

What steps were the hardest when taking the leap to start Gusaas Signs?

What do most people not know about Gusaas Signs?

We’re still a smaller company and still growing every day, so some people might not even know about us! Every day, we try to spread the word as far as possible about Gusaas Signs and what we’re doing around the community. We’re a truly local company as we’re locally owned and operated. I was even born and raised right here in Bismarck!

What is a day in your life like for you now?

I’m just as busy today as I was when we began, as I’m still working full-time and continually trying to expand and operate Gusaas Signs. While we’re excited to be expanding into Mandan this fall, we’re also looking to expand in the near future to other areas within and around the community.

The response we have gotten from our peers in the local community has been great! Getting our name out into the Bismarck-Mandan area and to the public through word of mouth is huge for us.

What’s one thing the local business community could do to help Gusaas Signs?

Photos Submitted by Gusaas Signs

Did You Know?

Stacy Leigh Voegele, Owner of The Critter Sitter, has been operating her in-home pet care service business for 10 years, offering a variety of services including in-home pet and house sitting, dog walking and much more.

Voegele discussed her journey with us, finding true happiness in her job and a typical day in her unique career!

Did You Know?

Did You Know?

Pet visits usually last 20 minutes in length and take care of all of your pet's needs!

Voegele has the distinct honor of winning the Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018!

A large portion of Voegele’s job consists of pet visits, where she goes to the owner’s house, checks in on and takes care of the animal(s).

By Grant Ayers

Photo by Josiah Kopp

It has been tumultuous. Self-employment seems glorious to outsiders. It’s very hard to get past the business side of things and weave your way back to doing what you came to do. Not many self-employed business owners survive the business landscape after three years for this reason. There are many behind-the-scenes struggles, including long hours, costs and administrative things. For me, it has been particularly hard on my family to buy larger items such as homes and cars. Taxes and insurances were, and still are, astronomical, then throwing COVID-19 into it just as we became the biggest we'd ever been didn’t help. Thankfully, I have a commercial cleaning business that helped me sustain a flow of income along with the PPP loans to get us by until we recovered.

Owner of The Critter Sitter

I remember my friend telling me that I was nuts for doing this and had me thinking it may not take off, but I took a risk and it paid off. Luckily, I was able to hire staff because I HAD to hire staff. I was growing exponentially and it was extremely hard for me to say no to clients. My books were filling up and we, at one time, had over 400 visits during the Christmas weekend. The most memorable part so far was when my mom came and witnessed me win Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018.

other people's homes. It is hard to navigate the steps of opening your own business, but I knew the right people to ask, as I worked for 28 years in the restaurant business. It's not what you know, it's who you know. I had an extreme amount of assistance in opening the business.

paycheck. Just because you are busy, that won’t make you successful, it just makes you stressed. Hire a good team and an assistant (when you can) that knows you in and out. Lastly, make time for self-care and making memories with your family. Those you will remember more than how much money you made or how much work you did!

What was a typical day in your life like when you were beginning The Critter Sitter?

In the beginning, a lot of my days consisted of marketing myself and developing a brand on social media. I know a lot of people so it wasn't hard and it helps that people love seeing pictures of animals! It was easy to grow by word of mouth. I would go to pet visits before work, head to my regular job, head to more visits, then, sometimes, have supper in the car or at home, if I was lucky. At lunch, I would leave as well if I had to. On weekends, I would do pet visits and clean six to eight businesses on my own, until I hired staff for that as well.

What would you have done differently if you could go back and start again, knowing what you know now?

I would absolutely change a lot of things, including making more time for my personal life. I would start by having a business plan, better software for accounting on my end and a better system for tracking the client base. We’re working on fine-tuning things now after 10 years and have recently rebranded. In the end, it’s never too late to get a hold of it.

What else would you like to add regarding your personal experience in taking this risk?

Not everyone is going to like you. You will have bad experiences, but you can chalk it up to learning. Do what you can to make it right and move on, as that's all you can do. Don't let negativity make a space to live in your head.

What is something you wish more people knew about The Critter Sitter?

We also house-sit for people! We water flowers, check the mail and do minor chores. We make sure that all is right for when they return home, including the basic groceries.

What steps were the hardest when taking the leap to start The Critter Sitter?

Not seeing my family is still the hardest part of my day. I wake up earlier than them most days and get home after they are in bed. I spend most of my day in my vehicle and in

What advice do you have for readers considering taking this leap?

It’s important to really think about how to keep your work and personal life separate. Your family means more to you than a

What was your journey like for you to get to the position you're in today?

Which parts of taking this risk will stick with you forever?

Speed. Reliability. Local services. All things your business needs. And all things we consider our specialties. Because if it matters to you, it matters to us. Big or small. Local or global. You can trust Midco® to give your business our all. And then some.

Internet. Phone. TV. Advertising.