The Rise of 1 Million Cups in Bismarck-Mandan

By Grant Ayers

Bismarck-Mandan, known for its resilience and determination, has embraced 1 Million Cups—a national initiative—to foster innovation, connect local entrepreneurs, and drive economic growth. I sat down with two of 1 Million Cups’ community organizers, Evan and Ganya Anderson, where we discussed the journey, impact, and success of 1 Million Cups in Bismarck-Mandan. Here’s how you can get involved and make a difference!

1 Million Cups began in 2012 when the Kauffman Foundation introduced the concept as a means to support and nurture entrepreneurship at a grassroots level. Rooted in the belief that entrepreneurs learn best from one another, 1 Million Cups aimed to create an inclusive environment where local innovators could gather, share their stories, and receive feedback from a supportive community.

As news of 1 Million Cups spread across the nation, Bismarck-Mandan quickly recognized the value and potential of this unique initiative. With its rich history of embracing entrepreneurship and fostering a culture of collaboration, the region proved to be the perfect setting for the movement to take root and flourish beginning in 2013. Local organizations, business leaders, and community members rallied together, driven by the shared vision of supporting the dreams and aspirations of their fellow entrepreneurs.

“We knew that we loved the 1 Million Cups events. We decided that we wanted to give back to the entrepreneurial community since we work with so many of them. We felt as if we had a full Rolodex of business advice, so we wanted to help and give back to these entrepreneurs locally. Every week, though, we walk away feeling like we got more information than we gave to others, which helps us feel charged up about the business community and where it’s heading. It’s a really positive, uplifting experience,” Evan said.

After Evan's first speaking engagement at 1 Million Cups, they continued attending each week, sitting in the front row, asking questions, and making the speakers feel heard. When the original hosts began to feel burnt out, the Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC stepped in, pulling together people from different organizations to revive and sustain the event.

A wide range of people participated in the revival of 1 Million Cups, including an array of local entrepreneurs, representatives from the Chamber EDC, the NDWBC, the Downtown Business Association, ND SBDC, and more from other public and private sectors. Realizing the incredible opportunity to unite the community, they came to the agreement that no single group would dominate or lead the organization. Instead, they all became equal partners, working together towards the unified vision of a strong business landscape in BismarckMandan.

“One of the magical things about Bis-Man 1 Million Cups is that it’s truly grassroots and no one person or group owns it. Everyone pitches in, but it doesn’t belong to anybody with a set agenda. The only mission is to drive the community forward together. We've seen some really neat things in this community because we’re working together toward the same mission, which is to change the face of our startup community by connecting local entrepreneurs with one another over one million cups of coffee,” Evan said.