Fargo INC! May 2022

Entrepreneur Spotlight: John Ostos

RDO's Beautiful Office

how does a lawsuit start?

PG.36

PG.84

PG.96

Leah Dalton, may 2022

Operations Manager, Patterson Dental

Vernae Hasbargen, Former Sr. Policy Analyst, MN Rural Education Association

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// MAY 2022

FEATURES

28 15

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Sponsored Content: The Transformative Power of the Right Business Loan

24

A Neighbors Helping Hand

28

Big Time Mentorship Form The Big Apple

36

Entrepreneur Spotlight: John Ostos

48

Golf's Suite Life

54

Creating CoSchedule

70

Q&A With Ben Hendricks

76

Go Promo's Expansion Out West

84

A New Era of Office Design

92

10 Questions With John Machacek: Golden Path Solutions

96

How does a lawsuit start?

98

Ladyboss of the Month: Sarah Skedsvold

100

Pricing Your Product

104

A New Mantra For Your Sales Organization

106

Academic Insight

108

Awesome Foundation Grant Award Winner: REC

110

Awesome Foundation Grant Award Winner: Professional Lunch

MAY 2022

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Extra video content

E d i t o r ’s n o t e

Mentorship T in my life.

his month I was able to meet and hear stories from a handful of mentor and mentee duos, it reminded me that I've been fortunate enough to have a lot of mentors

In the earlier part of my existence, I was lucky to participate on a lot of athletic teams and learn from great men who gave their time for little to no pay, all to make a positive impact on young people. I've also been extremely lucky to have a fantastic grandfather

and a number of professional relationships that I see in a mentor-mentee light as well.

Some, but not all of the people I would like to thank are: Clayton Mannausa, Dave Thune, Adam Campbell, Curt Kellen, Brent Potvin, Matt Watson, Donn Groth, Andre Zimiga, Freddie Smith III, Barry Davidson, Brandon Schlenner, Jason Thielges, Wayne Werremeyer, Ben Hendricks, Paul Lean, Brian Mistro,

John Marsh, Karla Knutson, Catherine McMullen, Josh Bucholz, Chad Ekren, Chase Miller and Mike Dragosavich.

If you coached me as a youth or mentored me professionally and do not see your name listed, you mean nothing less to me. I simply have a word count (or shamefully, can not remember your name).

Brady Drake Fargo INC! Editor

Brady Drake, Fargo INC! Editor

fargoinc@spotlightmediafargo.com

EDITORIAL BOARD

KRISTINA HEIN-LANDIN

Lead Content & Public Relations Strategist

United Way of Cass-Clay

Coming together to achieve a common goal is a hallmark of what makes a community great. At United Way, we are so fortunate to get to see that happen time and time again. From turkey sandwiches to backpacks, the ways to get involved and advocate for those in poverty in our community is endless.

One common thread many of us share is our empathy for our neighbors – especially children.

Right here in our community children under 5 years old have the highest rate of poverty – one in seven.

Our UNITED Fore Kids Golf Scramble is a great way to come together with friends, family, or co-workers and enjoy our beautiful spring weather, all while supporting proven programs to help children move into adulthood with every choice and opportunity available to them.

When we come together to achieve a common goal, that’s the power of community. To sign up for the golf scramble, or to learn about other ways to get involved, visit unitedwaycassclay.org.

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MAY 2022

KURT MCSPARRON Founder and Director

The Executives Club of Fargo - Moorhead

There are two keys to any great mentor-mentee relationship, requisite for both parties.

1. SELF-AWARENESS. Both the mentor and the mentee must be able to hold up the mirror. The mentee must have the ability to see themselves as others see them; being able to embrace and strengthen positive perceptions, while accepting and shifting negative ones.

The mentor must be able to reflect on their own past weaknesses, plus relate their own challenges to those of the mentee. The desired result of this relationship is growing. Growth is impossible without selfawareness.

2. GREAT QUESTIONS. Both the mentee and the mentor must show up prepared.

The best questions don’t just happen at the moment, off the top of your head.

They are strategically thoughtful and carefully worded. Great questions elicit stories, recall specific situations, increase selfawareness and bring about a natural flow of advice, insight and resources.

GREGORY WALD

ERIC WILKIE

Moore Holding Company

FM Area Foundation

Acquisitions/Communication

It was a blast writing this month’s feature on Suite Shots, a golfer’s dream that recently opened on the northeast corner of the I-29 and 52nd Avenue intersection in Fargo. Along with its neighbor, Kingpinz, expect traffic to increase in that area.

Those two businesses are part of the metro area’s exploding entertainment scene. They join The Lights on 32nd, Broadway Square, Fargo Brewing, the Drekker complex and other venues that are adding to the activities offered for years at Sanctuary Events Center, Bluestem, the Fargodome, restaurants and bars, recreation and wellness centers, and many other attractions.

These new and modern quality-of-life entertainment options are all exciting developments in the metro area’s effort to attract people, bolster the workforce and drive economic activity.

CEO

I met my mentor in 2010, his name is Rev. John Andreasen.

John was an established professional who after a long career of leading organizations and fundraising, took on a role to lead a local nonprofit in their efforts to raise dollars to build a brand-new facility in south Fargo. John had a lot on his plate and had to start from scratch with his efforts.

I had little experience and choosing me to work with him was certainly a risk… one he took, and I couldn’t be more thankful. For the next two years, John took me under his wing, not only leading a successful campaign, but also taking time each and every day to teach me, encourage me, and coach me to be better. For the last 12 years, I continue to lean on John for support and advice, and he is always there for me. I consider him a true friend and value the lessons he has taught me. Today, whenever someone new in this field reaches out to visit, I always take the time…because someone took the time with me.

If you are a local leader in this community, take the time to come alongside our young professionals, you never know what kind of impact they might have on our future.

Thank you John!

SHANNON FULL

JOHN MACHACEK

JENNY SHEETS

FMWF Chamber of Commerce

Greater FM Economic Development Corporation

Founders Programs

I want to share this brief story to showcase how truly impactful mentorship can be. In my early 20s, I started engaging with my local chamber as a member and volunteer. This allowed me to form meaningful connections, and I was eventually approached by the chamber president who insisted that I apply to take over her president/CEO position. I didn't feel ready or even slightly qualified, yet she took me under her wing for six months of mentorship. At age 24, I was officially running the Fridley Chamber of Commerce. I share this story because it was her commitment, mentorship and investment in me as a young professional that shaped and elevated my life and career path. I'm sure that many of you reading this have a similar story or memory, and we must emphasize our commitment to the emerging leaders in our organizations and community.

I’ll use my space this month to give a shout-out of congratulations to Moorhead entrepreneur Aaron Halik and his startup Trimyxs. On April 13th, Trimyxs won first place in the West Central MN Trailblazer Challenge pitch competition in St. Cloud. Not only did he win $5,000, but Trimyxs may also automatically earn a qualified spot in the annual MN Cup competition.

When I was in first grade we all got paired with a fifth-grade buddy who would help us learn to read. Most importantly, they said hi to us in the hall and gave high-fives. They were our heroes.

I now realize that my fifth-grade buddy was my first mentor. My mentors evolved over the years: patient professors, blunt business owners and inspiring women.

Mentors listen without judgment and offer advice when needed.

Mentorship is critical for societies to flourish. If you don’t have a mentor, seek one out. If you have time, be a mentor yourself. When you see mentorship from both sides you’ll understand how much we all have to give and learn from one another.

President and CEO

Chief Innovation Officer

Trimyxs is currently manufacturing their universal weed trimmer & edger push lawn mower attachment. I encourage you to find them online and watch for updates as they publicly launch their product soon. You can then show your support by buying a Trimyxs, helping spread the word of their launch and/or sending them a word of encouragement on their launch and participation in the MN Cup.

Manager

The best way to support an entrepreneur is to pay for their product or service, but other ways to help include advice, connections, hype and moral support.

FARGOINC.COM

13

SPONSORED CONTENT

The Transformative Power of the Right Business Loan

D

Debt is an important and sometimes misunderstood part of a business’s balance sheet. Owners may mistakenly assume all debt is bad and should be avoided. The truth is more complex.

The key to good debt is to have a strategic reason to take on debt— don’t just borrow because rates are low—seek out lenders offering terms that work for you. In today’s low-interest environment, there can be pressure to take on debt without thinking long term, but the structure of the loans may be variable or not in an owner’s best interest.

Work with an advisor to take on good debt that serves a purpose. Here are some ways debt can be useful:

Use good debt to improve your balance sheet

Take advantage of low-interest rates to refinance older, higher interest debt. This may also provide an opportunity to restructure debt to serve your business strategy—lower interest rates and extend terms to free up cash flow and increase liquidity, or you may be able to pay the debt off sooner. Some companies are using debt to buy back stock or as an alternative to issuing stock because of the low cost of debt.

Borrow to expand or improve your operations

Debt is often a critical ingredient in expansion, whether by acquiring another business, adding territory, upgrading equipment or facilities, or by hiring. The key is to have a good plan for using the funds and ensure the expansion or improvement will generate cash flow to cover the repayment of the loan. This may seem obvious, but when interest rates are low, the temptation to obtain and spend money can lead decision-makers to borrow first and ask questions later.

Seek out special lending opportunities for longterm improvements

The U.S. Small Business Administration and other government agencies sometimes offer special, highly advantageous loan programs to support initiatives. Examples include low-interest, long-term loans or waived fees for construction and renovation projects. Programs and criteria vary, which underscores the importance of working with experienced SBA Preferred lenders who can make a good match for your business.

Use debt to transfer ownership of the business

There has been a notable increase in business ownership transfers in the past year, as some owners are retiring while others are using available liquidity to acquire businesses. There has also been an uptick in the use of employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) to transfer business ownership to its employees. Whether selling, passing down, or changing the structure of a business, debt often plays a critical role in ownership transfers.

Whatever the strategy behind your debt, be sure to work with a trusted partner who understands your business. Alerus has worked with businesses of all sizes for decades, with a focus on helping organizations position themselves over the long term to realize their purpose and vision. Alerus business advisors help owners keep a close eye on their fundamentals and understand the implications—and opportunities—that borrowing presents. Talk to an Alerus business advisor today.

Protect your business from the unexpected

Debt played an important part in keeping doors open and employees paid during the COVID-19 pandemic, and many owners are rethinking what their financial safety net should look like. Having available lines of credit to weather short-term shocks is one strategy; another involves the balance sheet refinements described above to cushion cash flow or increase cash reserves.

The information contained herein is general in nature, is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal or tax advice. Alerus does not provide legal or tax advice. Always consult an attorney or tax professional regarding your specific legal or tax situation. Alerus Financial, N.A. is Member FDIC.

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MAY 2022 Volume 7 Issue 5

Fargo INC! is published 12 times a year and is available at area businesses and online at FargoInc.com.

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FARGOINC.COM

21

Leah Dalton,

Operations Manager, Patterson Dental

Vernae Hasbargen, Former Sr. Policy Analyst, MN Rural Education Association

24

MAY 2022

THE POWER OF MENTORS

A NEIGHBOR'S HELPING HAND A cup of sugar, shoveling a driveway in the winter and dogsitting are all examples of a neighbor offering a helping hand. Vernae Hasbargen went a few steps further in providing her neighbor, Leah Dalton, with a few valuable lessons and mentorship that have lasted her a lifetime.

"I

D

alton and Hasbargen lived about a quarter to a half a mile away from one another in a rural area outside of Breckenridge, M.N.

"I was actually lucky enough to watch Leah's family for about two generations of farm families," Hasbargen said. "It was a beautiful thing watching the parents adopt Leah. They had wanted children for so long.

Every child should begin life with such an advantage of having loving parents like Leah's and that's what I was lucky enough to witness as her next-door neighbor."

The relationship between Dalton and Hasbargen began to take shape when Hasbargen hired Dalton to mow their lawn at the age of 13.

"I had never mowed a lawn before in my life," Dalton said. "Even living out at the farm I'd never done it. They had a very nice John Deere riding mower and I managed to run over a very large branch on the first day. The very next day, they told me, 'we actually hired your cousin to mow the lawn, we'd like you to do some cleaning in the house.' " Thankfully, that didn't stop the mutually beneficial relationship from blossoming. Hasbargen had to travel often for her job as a political lobbyist for the rural schools of Minnesota and her husband, a farmer, needed help around the house due to his demanding workload, meaning Dalton was a huge help to the family.

71% of Fortune

500 companies have mentoring programs.

"When she was home, there were times where I would bike over to her house and she had made lunch for her husband and the team of farmhands," Dalton said. "So, I would eat lunch while I was on the clock and then I would help her do the dishes and she would give me a set of tasks to do."

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SHE USED TO WEAR THIS DENIM SHIRT AND PULL HER HAIR BACK WHEN I WAS KID. BACK THEN, I REMEMBERED THINKING SHE LOOKED JUST LIKE MARTHA STEWART. WHEN I WENT TO WORK FOR HER, SHE COOKED ALL OF THIS STUFF THAT WAS FANCY, IN MY MIND BECAUSE I CAN'T COOK, AND I THOUGHT, 'WOW, THIS WOMAN CAN DO EVERYTHING, THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO BE LIKE.' I THOUGHT I WAS LIVING NEXT TO MARTHA STEWART." -LEAH DALTON

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MAY 2022

THE POWER OF MENTORS

"Yes, she has been a mentor to me, but I also see her as a very significant role model," Dalton said. "Growing up in a rural town, there are not a lot of businesswomen to look up to. And being able to see someone so confident and so respected and really good at what she did was really inspiring. For me, that's where things started. It was the best job I could have asked for."

At that same time is when Hasbargen developed real care for Dalton. However, Dalton began to take a real interest in her professional development as she moved on past high school.

"She went on to attend the North Dakota State College of Science (NDSCS) and immediately grew into a leadership role on campus," Hasbargen said. "That's when I really began to take an interest in her. That made me realize how special her career was going to be because that's when she started doing uncommon things for her age."

At NDSCS, Dalton was part of student leadership and as part of that, she would travel with her fellow classmates to different schools and speak with them about different things going on in the larger, overarching North Dakota education system. On one occasion, NDSCS was hosting one of these events and Dalton invited Hasbargen as a keynote speaker at the event.

"That was really special," Hasbargen. "Throughout that time, we tried to really watch each other from afar and kept in touch. I wouldn't say it was quite a direct mentorship relationship yet, but it was developing."

However, that journey to college was aided by Hasbargen and her husband who gave Dalton a scholarship to attend college.

"That really meant a lot," Dalton said. "That's encouraging to feel that type of support. Growing up, my parents were always telling me how great I was and being really supportive, but when you see it from someone else, it's really significant."

"You get that job and you really want to put your best foot forward," Dalton said. "In trying to do that, I was working too many hours a week and had too much on my plate.

I called Vernae and I really needed validation that it was okay to leave a job that I was making decent money with and something that I felt relatively successful with. I felt really accomplished having earned that role at the age I was at, so it was really hard to leave. But, I felt like it was something I needed to do for my family and for my mental health. Vernae made me feel very encouraged. She let me know that I'd be fine and that I could do that."

Dalton and Hasbargen share another personal connection as well with both having given birth at a young age. Dalton had her child early on in college, and, not surprisingly, Hasbargen was there to offer support and guidance.

"I was very lucky to have the support of so many friends and family members at that point in my life," Dalton said.

As for what Hasbargen thinks of Dalton.

"Leah really just needs to be herself because she's great," Hasbargen said. "I'm really proud of the skillset that she has developed because she is way ahead of a lot of people her age."

"I've really tried to model her and some of the things she has been able to do. She has been very invested in not only education but also nonprofits. Because of her, it has been on my bucket list to serve on the board of a nonprofit, and for the last three years, I've served on the Town and Country Credit Union board. She has also been very engaged in politics, and that's something that's very important to me. Recently, she has been serving on the board for Planned Parenthood of Minnesota and I believe that is something super significant, to be doing something somewhat controversial and being a real advocate for women."

Naturally, the relationship has continued as Dalton has progressed into the professional world.

"We don't really have a formal cadence to our relationship, but whenever I've needed her or had something significant happening in my life, she has always been there," Dalton said. "I never really even saw myself as a mentor to her," Hasbargen added. "It's very touching though and it means a lot for me to be considered that."

When Dalton was working at her first job out of college, she experienced what many recent college graduates do— she found herself taking on everything.

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Stephanie Schroeder, Chief Customer & Marketing Officer Forum Communications Co. GENEVA NODLAND

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MAY 2022

THE POWER OF MENTORS

BIG TIME MENTORSHIP FROM THE BIG APPLE Mentor-mentee relationships take all sorts of different shapes and sizes. Stephanie Schroeder's particular mentor relationship with former New York Times executive Denise Warren actually started with an interview.

Stephanie Schroeder's Advice For Other Mentees

Take away your pride and do not get defensive when someone is telling you the things that you need to hear. If you're truly going to get as much as possible out of a mentor-mentee relationship, you're going to have to listen to some things you fear to be true about yourself. But sometimes you need to hear some of those things so you can improve upon them.

t the time she met Warren, Schroeder was coming off the heels of two years spent as the Vice President of Marketing for Discovery Benefits a WEX company. She was looking to switch careers and was applying for a position as Forum Communications Co.'s Chief Digital Marketing Officer and it just so happened that Warren was working with the Forum as a consultant to provide guidance and technical training in the company's effort to pursue new initiatives. Because of this, Warren was highly involved in interviewing and selecting Schroeder for the position that would be most heavily involved in spearheading the company's digital efforts.

A

"In the interview, there were a lot of things that stuck out to me about Stephanie," Warren said. She was quite professional, quite buttoned-up and really poised. However, what really stood out to me about Stephanie, and why I really enjoy our mentorship relationship, is the fact that she is insatiably curious. She is really interested in learning and really interested in improving her skills and being the best in class. I saw that in the interview and I still see it to this day."

"I was super intimidated when I met her," Schroeder said. "I heard she used to work for the New York Times and that just brought up all sorts of feelings of impostor syndrome. But, I just kind of threw caution to the wind and the conversation went great."

FARGOINC.COM

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THE POWER OF MENTORS

PROVIDED BY DENISE WARREN

Denise Warren, CEO & Founder Netlyst, LLC

About Denise Warren

Denise Warren is the founder of her own consulting company, Netlyst, which focuses on catalyzing digital business growth and scaling consumer and enterprise recurring revenue streams.

In her work with her own company and on the various boards she serves on, Warren utilizes a knowledge base that she has built through her extensive list of professional experiences that include more than 26 years spent at the New York Times, where she held roles such as Executive Vice President of Digital Products & Services, General Manager ofNYTimes.com, Chief Advertising Officer, Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning and more. Since leaving the New York Times, Warren has helped over 15 newspapers throughout the country develop their online subscription platforms.

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MAY 2022

Schroeder was offered the position and started working with Warren on learning the technical skills necessary to build out a robust online presence at a media company—something Schroeder had no previous experience with.

"We hit it off really quickly," Schroeder said.

Because they "hit it off" so well, and because the company saw such substantial professional growth from Schroeder, Forum Communications offered her the opportunity to work with Warren in a structured mentormentee relationship.

"Early on in the position, I would say I needed a lot of guidance," Schroeder said. "I struggled a lot with confidence in my abilities to perform the role that I was in. I really struggled a lot with imposter syndrome and feeling like I was fooling people. She really helped me understand that every single person goes through that. One piece of advice she gave me that has really stuck with me is that the best leaders she's ever met are those who are really great at embracing ambiguity. That has, sort of, become my mantra and I've become a lot more comfortable with not knowing all of the answers all the time."

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THE POWER OF MENTORS

PART OF WHAT HAS MADE OUR MENTORING SESSIONS SO SUCCESSFUL IS THE EFFORT THAT STEPHANIE PUTS IN. SHE ALWAYS HAS REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS. IF SHE DOESN'T KNOW SOMETHING, SHE REALLY DOES HER HOMEWORK AND SHE GETS UP TO SPEED. SHE REALLY DIGS IN." -DENISE WARREN

According to Schroeder, the relationship with Warren has bettered her in just about every way possible— personally and professionally.

"I think I've grown more in this position than I have at any other point in my career," Schroeder said.

Although Schroeder has been with Forum Communications for almost four years now. The pair still meets just about every other week and they still have a very strong relationship.

"I consider her a friend," Schroeder said. "I sent her a Christmas gift and a little note in the mail. I truly appreciate all that she's ever done for me personally and professionally."

"I think we will always have a relationship, even beyond Forum Communications," Warren said.

"I think that's the nature of good mentoring relationships—there's that bond there and that bond should continue."

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MAY 2022

Big-Time Touring When touring across the United States, Ostos performed alongside famous acts including Young Jeezy, Paul Wall and Chamillionaire.

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MAY 2022

Entrepreneur Spotlight:

John Ostos Owner of Metroflex Fargo

By Grant Ayers

Metroflex Fargo is a 24-hour gym facility on a mission. Placing determination and dedication in training at the forefront, Metroflex’s mission statement “is to provide a platform for all genres of fitness and athletic training; from the business professional to the high school athlete.. or the hardcore enthusiast to the pro athlete. Metroflex has the atmosphere for it all.” Metroflex Fargo owner John Ostos has ambitious plans for the future of Metroflex that rival his past accomplishments. It’s an understatement to say that Ostos has come a long way since his youth, with a journey like no other.

Ostos grew up in a challenging neighborhood in California, stating, “I come from a gang-related family. My dad, my mom and all of my father figures were from street gangs. I grew up in the ghetto and in some real deal poverty. Low income, Section Eight housing, where they wouldn’t deliver pizza to the place I live and stuff like that. When you live like that, you feel like that's just life and you never step outside of that zone. When you live in that kind of a situation, you barely go to other neighborhoods, let alone out of the state or anything like that."

Not seeing a clear path ahead if he stayed in his neighborhood, Ostos decided to make a change and move forward from his troublesome environment. "I left California and got a new perspective on the reality of what exists outside of the small hole that I lived in. And it changed my whole perspective. And that's when I started to aspire to do bigger things," Ostos said.

After graduating high school, Ostos made the decision to move north, as he had a few connections to the Fargo-Moorhead area prior to living here. Not long after, he realized that there was a goldmine of opportunity for him in the area.

"When I first came here, there were no real gangs or violence or real serious crime,” Ostos said. “You know, just crazy stuff. It was boring to me. I was confused why there wasn't graffiti on the walls. I thought that everywhere in America, there was a ghetto and poverty. When I realized that I could ease up and didn't have to watch my back and all that stuff, it allowed me to take more in than I normally would, and consume more of the society that I was living in."

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Once Ostos came to Fargo, he began working at a call center through a temp agency. Ostos’ position consisted of training people on airline reservation systems and customer service across the globe. Through a mixture of determination and proving himself to those above him, he worked his way up the corporate ladder to become a supervisor and then a training manager of the company.

Climbing the ranks to higher positions allowed Ostos the opportunity to travel to places in the world that he never would have imagined before, including Mauritius, Africa.

Along Ostos’ journey, he also got into music while traveling the world. Ostos used to be a battle rapper, doing freestyle competitions to improve his craft. He said that as he was getting into music while in Africa and, coincidentally, his younger brother was also developing a love for the craft back in the United States. From there, Ostos developed a vision for his next project.

“I remember telling [my younger brother], ‘When I come back from Africa, I'm gonna fly you to Fargo. I'm going to buy all kinds of studio equipment and you're gonna learn how to use it and we're gonna make

music. We're gonna start a group and we're gonna get a record deal within five years.’

I just knew right away that I was going to take that to the next level. I wasn’t trying to be just some local rapper. I was a battle rapper and I had a skill set that I believed in.”

Ostos and his brother formed a rap group known as “The Lost Angel Crew,” as well as the their own record label.

The label, known as ILL-EGO Entertainment, was an entirely independent record label that Ostos started and licensed out of North Dakota. Similar to Ostos’ other passion projects, his pursuit of music through ILL-EGO was filled with determination and effort.

In 2007, three short years after the birth of the idea, Ostos and his brother caught the attention of rapper B-Real, a member of famed hip-hop group Cypress Hill, at a rap competition. B-Real offered to sign them and promote the release of “Hello My Name Is,” the new album from The Lost Angel Crew. As they quickly climbed the ranks, the group signed to him and promoted their new album soon after. “Hello My Name Is” was released digitally worldwide and the crew went on to perform across the country.

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However, after touring for years and being on the road often, Ostos was slowly becoming disconnected and wasn’t as close with some of his family members as he once was.

Ostos made the decision to step away from touring, and the music industry as a whole, when he received unforeseen, devastating news from back home. Sadly, Ostos received word that his father had unexpectedly passed away in 2011.

A New Venture Ostos took ownership of H&I Nutrition, a nutritional supplement outlet, in 2018 and sells a variety of supplements within Metroflex Fargo including protein, creatine and pre-workout.

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Ostos said, "That kind of just sent me on a spiral and I just kind of lost it. So, I quit music intentionally. I guess that I just needed to find myself and get my life together and reboot." After making the decision to step away from the music industry, he went back to working in the travel industry, focusing on being there for those in his life around him and training in bodybuilding. Ostos has long been interested in exercise and general health, as he was in football and ROTC in high school, and has been lifting weights and

training since his 20s. While there are varying forms of bodybuilding training and intensity levels with different goals, Ostos’ training has focused on full-body improvements with a focus on diet, exercise and an overall increase in strength.

After settling down again in Fargo, Ostos didn’t wait long to find a place where he could practice one of his passions, bodybuilding. Ostos has never competed in bodybuilding but rightfully takes pride in it being a large passion of his. However, the unexpected closure of the gym that he and other members of the bodybuilding community attended left them searching for a new location.

After gym-hopping for a few years trying to find the place that was just right for them, Ostos had the idea to open his own gym to house the athletes with a mindset similar to his. He stated, "I waited a couple of years, and no one did anything. I just got this itch

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to research and see what it would take to open a gym." Through this personal passion project, Metroflex Fargo was born.

He personally worked with the owner and founder of the Metroflex franchise, Brian Dobson, to form his own location. Thankfully, he also felt encouraged by the creative freedom that he was allowed to take. "There weren't a lot of crazy rules and it was just super laid back as far as a franchise goes. [Brian] didn't tell me what to do or how to run my business, and doesn’t intrude at all.” Ostos used the shocking level of creative freedom to his advantage, but ensured that he did his homework before launching.

"When we were building our business plan, we did our market

research. I went to every gym in town and scoped out what they had.

However, we had a smaller budget.

When we first opened, we needed to fill the space with as much equipment as possible. I think it was roughly around $200,000 worth of work to get a lot of equipment at the beginning. I wanted to do it the right way first, but I knew it had to be a little smaller at the beginning.

I knew that we had to be unique to stand out." Not long after launching, word of Metroflex Fargo spread like wildfire around the FMWF area.

However, as the success of Metroflex Fargo grew, so did the entrepreneurial roadblocks that Ostos was forced to deal with to get to the successful position he’s in today. One of the more recent problems that had to be overcome

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was the forced closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic temporarily restricted them with no way around mandated restrictions and closures. With many clamoring to get back into the gym to continue training, the temporary closure felt like a lifetime. While the closure did come and go in due time, it was one of the business's most worrisome times to date.

Also due in part to the pandemic, there have been major supply chain issues with many health supplements, which affects Ostos as he owns H&I Nutrition as well.

Ostos stated that, "There are so few companies that can manufacture currently. Sometimes you can get protein, and sometimes you can't. Sometimes you can get creatine, and sometimes you can’t.

Sometimes it just depends on the brand, or what the supply chain has to offer." Furthermore, the size of their current gym and parking lot has brought them occasional capacity limitations as well.

Metroflex Fargo was forced to go as far as limiting their New Year's resolution promotions, as they needed to avoid overcrowding with the size of their current gym.

While overcrowding isn’t the worst problem for a business to have, Ostos is looking forward to the exciting next phase of the Metroflex business plan. “Our next phase is that we're going to be building a new gym that's roughly double the size of our current one. Plus, we’re going to have a healthy, fit and inhouse restaurant known as Alpha Kitchen. The kitchen will feature all protein-based foods, including bison burgers, steak, chicken bowls, protein shakes, smoothies and espressos and a lot more.”

Originally, aspects of this next phase of Metroflex were supposed to begin in 2020, but the looming COVID-19 pandemic held their plans up. He continued, “Alpha Kitchen will be our first launch of the new space that we build-out. It'll be a 30,000 to 40,000 square-foot gym with a full fast-acting concept restaurant inside and a full H&I Nutrition. It’s a fascinating concept.” Furthermore, the next phase will also include drop-off childcare for customers during their training sessions, which has been one of the most highly requested amenities in the past.

Looking away from future plans

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for the Metroflex brand, Ostos discussed what core values have mattered to Metroflex Fargo in the past and present. He emphasized that all are welcome at Metroflex, no matter your size, strength or skill set, as the training community is there to help you learn. "People often tend to say that if you've never competed in bodybuilding, then you're not really a bodybuilder.

If someone competed, then that would be a competitive bodybuilder in my opinion. You have to become a bodybuilder to be able to get on stage and compete against others. So, I believe you can be a bodybuilder so long as you’re living the proper lifestyle.”

While “the proper lifestyle” may be hard to grasp at the beginning, Metroflex athletes often encourage others to push themselves to their limit, distinguish themselves and smash previous records in a healthy and safe manner. He continued, “If you’re training full body, legs, and everything with complete intention, you’ll be living a bodybuilder lifestyle and cherishing it. You’ll take whatever supplements you need or work best for you, consuming protein is high on your list and more.

Those encompass a bodybuilder’s

Sure, there are less expensive steaks.

There are also smaller cars and nose-bleed seats.

needs in order to get on a bodybuilding stage and become a competitive bodybuilder. If you train and live that lifestyle, then you're doing it."

Another core value that Ostos remains focused on is keeping a stable culture within the Metroflex brand that represents honesty, integrity and loyalty. Whether it be representing the Metroflex name and encouraging others to not wear competing brands in the gym, or being completely transparent with what the best supplements are for an individual's goals, Metroflex Fargo aims to help everyone achieve their goals and create a tight-knit community amongst one another. Finally, another core value is to act like an owner. Ostos said, "You should treat this like it's your business because it could potentially be one day." With plans to grow and expand Metroflex in the future, showing a sense of loyalty and care for the culture is a big value for Ostos and the rest of the Metroflex team.

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Phone: (701) 356-0420 Email: metroflexfargo@illegoenterprises.com Web: www.metroflexfargo.com Address: 4041 Main Ave, Fargo, ND 44

MAY 2022

As Ostos aims to expand the Metroflex empire he envisions, he's continuing to emphasize the value of sharing said culture with one another, no matter the setting or people. He explained, "You'll see cops, military guys, doctors and nurses. When they come through these doors, they're like a different breed of humans, you know what I mean? They come in with a purpose and give it everything they’ve got. It’s something that you might see and think, 'That doesn't look like somebody that would go here.' And then you watch them train and you think, ‘They definitely belong here.’ You know, they're here to train."

At Metroflex, Ostos shares his bodybuilding and athletic culture with anyone, no matter where the athletes come from. "I come from a culture that I feel is unique to this region.

It stands out as a mass appeal. All I did was create something that has helped me, but it has a lot of culture within. Between the music, the graffiti on the walls, the ruggedness of the way we run and operate the business, as well as the content that we create, I try to make it a culture that we can grow through together."

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On its face, Suite Shots is an indoor/ outdoor golf emporium modeled after the successful Topgolf franchises scattered across the country. Patrons populate semi-enclosed suites where they hit golf balls into a vast open area bordered by nets, kind of like a traditional driving range at a golf course. The suites are heated, when needed, offering nearly year-round outdoor golfing opportunities.

“It’s North Dakota, so there are days it’s too cold,” Johnson explained. “But it’s a very comfortable environment for a vast majority of the year.”

Customers can play challenge games to hit targets, blast the longest drive, hit it closest to the pin and more. They can work on their swing all by themselves, take advantage of the experts available in the Suite Shots academy or just hang out with their group and enjoy the food and beverages from the restaurant and bar.

And there’s no need to leave the suite; servers roam the area and deliver everything straight to your bay. It’s kind of like bowling, except patrons are hitting golf balls into a vast expanse instead of tossing 16-pound rocks down a narrow alley.

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“When people think about what’s fun to do around here, we want Suite Shots to be at the top of their list,” he said.

Johnson knows how much golf time is lost to cold weather in this part of the world. A golf junkie since his youth, Johnson was the head golf professional at Fargo Country Club for 15 years before leaning into a new branch of the game that competes much more directly with other entertainment options in the metro area.

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Suite Shots has 60 total golf bays, four of which are indoor setups dedicated to the golf academy Johnson and crew developed. The academy provides personalized instruction, along with club fitting and other services traditionally provided by golf professionals.

There’s also a putting green with tracking technology to help you hone your flat stick skills.

For non-golfers, Johnson says the simulator environment is no pressure, low risk, laid

back and relatively less expensive and timeintensive than a traditional round of golf.

“I know from experience traditional golf is intimidating for many people,” Johnson said. “It prevents them from taking up the game. They don’t want to spend the money and take the time to endure the pressure of hitting bad shots or playing slowly. Simulator golf relieves all of that and may just spark an interest in some people to try a traditional round. If not, that’s fine, too. We want people to have fun at Suite Shots, whether they’re serious golfers or not. That’s the point.”

Phone: (701) 532-4653 (GOLF) Email: info@suiteshots.com Address: 3400 James Way S. Fargo, ND 58104

Customers don’t have to golf at all, in fact.

Suite Shots is home to a full restaurant and bar that seats 100, in addition to an outdoor terrace that seats another 80 people. The menu is unique and full of flavor. Suite Shots golf tees act as sandwich pins.

“If people want to come here to get some instruction and work on their swing, we have that. If people want to come here and have a great time for a few hours and enjoy some amazing food and drinks, we have that, too,” Johnson said.

They also have two large meeting rooms seating 185 and 87, respectively, for birthday parties, business meetings, family reunions, company holiday gatherings and more.

Johnson sees endless possibilities and opportunities to use their space to create family-friendly community entertainment.

“And we’re a great place for a company’s team-building event,” he added. “Come here for lunch. Meet in one of our conference rooms. Then, take your team to the golf bays for a couple of hours of relaxation, fun and bonding.”

Topgolf facilities similar to Suite Shots report a full 65% of customers are non-golfers.

Johnson has hired 180 people so far to deliver all the services Suite Shots offers. Finding employees has gone pretty smoothly so far, which Johnson partially attributes to the novelty of a fun new entertainment venue.

But he’s also very focused on building an employee group that functions as a motivated team, working to provide service and develop solutions together. He believes that kind of environment will encourage longevity in his team.

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Golf is a family business for Mark Johnson. His late father, Don, was the long-time Shanley golf coach. His brother Chuck is a partner at Suite Shots. Mark’s son Lucas is in the PGA professional program and a leader in guest services at Suite Shots. And Chuck’s son Zach also works in Suite Shots guest services.

For the Johnson family, there has always been a lot of overlap between life, work and golf.

“I’ve been around golf my entire life,” he said. “With Dad coaching, it’s just what we did. It was part of life. I love it.”

Johnson says Suite Shots was the perfect next step in a career that began at Village Green Golf Course in Moorhead while he was in high school. He cites Larry Murphy as a golf professional role model in his early days.

“I’m really grateful to the golf community in this region for giving me opportunities,” Johnson said. “Everyone here is so generous and encouraging.”

While Johnson can talk lie angle, shaft length and clubhead speed with the best of them, he is thrilled to try his hand at a more expansive business opportunity like Suite

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Shots.

“It’s great for me because it’s golf … and a restaurant with stellar food … and a meeting venue … and a wedding hall. We can do so much here, and it’s all wrapped around the general concept of golf,” Johnson gushes.

“I’m excited to see what kind of golf-themed weddings we’re going to host.”

Brides with veils attached to visors? Grooms in knickers and a tam o’ shanter? “Anything’s possible, I guess,” Johnson laughs. “We’re looking forward to the creative ways people choose to use this space and these facilities.

I have a feeling we’re in for some fun surprises.”

Suite Shots opens a new world for Johnson. He’s still doing traditional golf pro things like selling merchandise, giving lessons and sending people out to hit some balls. But everything at Suite Shots is amplified. The technology is bigger and more ubiquitous. The physical structure is imposing and requires new expertise.

The restaurant and bar are at a new level.

“In the end, it’s not that different from being the country club golf pro, in the sense that it’s all about service. We aim to provide our customers a great experience,” Johnson explained. “With Suite Shots, it’s just on a much bigger scale.”

For Mark Johnson, golf pro, entrepreneur and facilitator of memorable experiences, it’s a “suite” life, indeed.

Facilities like Suite Shots are possible because of new and continually evolving sensory and imaging technology that has taken golf swing analysis to new heights. Suite Shots employs Toptracer technology to track golf club angle at impact, clubhead speed and more to project how the ball flies after impact – its height, distance, speed, curve and more.

It’s the same technology you see on national broadcasts of professional golf tournaments, where a graphic arc traces the ball’s path. The ball is tracked from impact to when it comes to rest. Toptracer is the market leader and Mark Johnson is proud to tout Suite Shots’ partnership with the elite technology provider.

When Topgolf first started in Europe in the early 1990s, the facilities used special balls with radio frequency (RF) chips implanted in them. They were limited distance balls in real life, but could project the path of a regular golf ball onto a screen as the RF chip recorded and transmitted feedback.

Since then, the technology has taken gigantic leaps forward.

Suite Shots golf balls are regular golf balls. If you’re using one of the outdoor bays, you can see the ball’s flight into the distance, just like on the course or a traditional driving range.

But the golfer can also see the shot recreated on a screen with the ball’s arc tracked. Plus, the Toptracer technology provides remarkable analysis to show the golfer exactly how they swung the club and the impact the swing had on the golf ball.

Suite Shots plans to use Toptracer technology to full effect to entertain and educate their customers.

Golf simulators and their video game ancestors have been revolutionizing golf for years, allowing golfers to play courses they would previously only be able to experience in their minds.

Golf simulators take them one step closer to the real thing—a virtual game without the walking, lost balls or several hundred dollar green fees.

Of course, you also don’t get the fresh air or smell of the grass with a golf simulator. That’s the advantage of businesses like Suite Shots with their open-air suites and vast hitting field, compared to their enclosed environment competitors.

At Suite Shots, golfers get the best of all worlds – fresh air, watching the ball fly in real life and getting the swing analysis programs like Toptracer provide.

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Justin Walsh grew up on a ranch north of Bismarck and raised horses, but he always had computers within reach.

“My father was a computer programmer so there was technology available very early on,” Walsh said. “I was always able to ask questions and learn from him. Both of my parents also started businesses so I had the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship as well.”

To be fair, Walsh also did a lot of self-learning.

“I started a number of small businesses before I even turned 18 and left the house,” Walsh said. “I would make for a really bad employee. The whole idea of creating and making is something I enjoy.”

His list of businesses included everything under the sun, even selling wrapping paper door to door. However, Walsh found his true calling at the age of 14 when he began coding and realized he wanted to be a developer more than any of the jobs he’d tried before.

The lifelong Bismarck native would go on to stay in the same city, graduating from the University of Mary before going on to work at a marketing agency, where he met the other piece of the puzzle: Garrett.

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Garrett Moon grew up in Beulah, ND before pursuing his passion for graphic design at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

While there, he would also begin sharpening his abilities as a developer.

“I was always sort of the ‘IT person’ in the group,” Moon said.

“I taught myself how to code and I was always building websites for people on the side.”

However, graphic design remained his focus for some time. Eventually, Garrett and his wife, Katie, moved to Bismarck and both worked as graphic designer freelancers.

During that time, Garrett realized he had an entrepreneurial itch that needed to be scratched, he just needed to find the right partner.

“I needed to find someone with a skill set that could compliment my own,” Moon said. “I knew there were certain things that I didn’t want to be my strong suit and didn’t enjoy as much.”

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What are some things you know now, that you wish you would've known when you were dealing with the significant learning curve that comes with fundraising?

“It takes more money than you think. That’s a lesson we learned that I pass on to startups very frequently.

We thought we only needed $250,000. Because of some state programs, we were able to double that to half a million and I’m very glad we did. If we did it again, I think I would’ve gone after even more. It can be difficult to justify larger amounts to investors and that’s why entrepreneurs typically back down and settle. But founders and investors should know that it usually takes more money than you’d think. It also is important for them to know that it can be much harder to raise money when you’re in the middle of your growth milestones as opposed to when you’re at the beginning of the startup cycle.”

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According to Moon, he and Walsh quickly noticed a difference between the passions that they both brought to the table.

“That first project we worked on at the agency, we both noticed that we brought a passion to it that you didn’t always find around the company,” Moon said.

“We wanted to do things well, but we also wanted to be on the cutting edge as far as what the technology could do. It was pretty quickly into our friendship that we were having some exciting conversations about starting a business together.”

In addition to the business conversations, Moon and Walsh also found themselves spending a lot of time brainstorming different web apps they could create. And it wasn’t long before they began to build them.

“A lot of the time, it’d be 9 or 10 o’clock at night, and I would put the kids to bed and put on a pot of coffee,” Moon said. “Then, Walsh and I would hop on a Skype call with one another and work until 2 or 3 three in the morning or whenever we’d fall asleep. We’d rinse, repeat and do it all over again the next day.

And we did that for quite a long time.

It was definitely the hobby of choice

for both of us though. It was a blast.

Getting up and going to a regular job, that was the frustrating part, not programming until two in the morning.”

Overall, the pair estimates that they created around 10 products together.

Some were made for fun, some made some money and several were very successful, including daux.io, a documentation generator that uses simple folder structure and Markdown files to create custom documentation on the fly.

“It really changed our perspectives on how apps can scale and build,” Moon said. “It also helped us learn a lot about content marketing which we utilized when rolling out some of our products.”

Those products helped the dynamic duo get their feet wet in the industry, setting them up to found their first company, Todaymade. That project was the precursor to CoSchedule, which, between 2010-and 2015, focused on web design and custom web application development.

According to both Moon and Walsh, Coschedule would have never been possible without their experiences in creating products for fun or for Todaymade.

“We built up a really good team at Todaymade and that allowed us to be able to run with the CoSchedule idea,” Walsh said. “If we didn’t have that experience that we gained through building large software projects for clients all over the state with Todaymade, as well as the experience Garrett and I had taking several smaller products to market, CoSchedule could’ve had a much different storyline.”

The “CoSchedule idea” came to the young entrepreneurs in January of 2013 while on a flight back from Atlanta, GA. They had been talking about creating something like CoSchedule, which originally was a social media scheduling software, for quite a while; but during that flight, Moon and Walsh fleshed out what CoSchedule would look like in enough detail that they were able to actually start the work on it.

From there, they created a Skunkwors team within Todaymade to launch the product, which they ended up doing in September of that same year.

Being part of the content marketing business,

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the two knew the importance of pushing their company to an audience and had been updating their blog about the program consistently. So, once CoSchedule launched, they started acquiring customers very quickly. Their simple and affordable price of $10 per month also aided the quick acquisition of customers.

“Our first price was really to see if people would pay for the product,” Moon said. “Once we had paying customers, the prospects of scaling the business became very exciting for us.”

However, it didn’t take long before Moon and Walsh realized that they’d need help in scaling the business. CoSchedule was making money, but not a lot of it. And a significant amount of time was being spent on the product by the Todaymade team. They needed more people and funding.

So, they started an angel round with hopes of using the funds to build a team solely for CoSchedule, raising about $500,000 in the process before closing their angel round in April 2014. Those investments allowed Garrett and Justin to assemble a team of about a dozen and also step away from Todaymade which continued to operate until it was sold to Agency MABU, a local Bismarck agency in 2015.

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SIDE CONVERSATION

What significant challenges did you face along the way?

How did you tackle those challenges?

That first round of angel funding was very difficult.

Of course, there is always a big learning curve. Plus, we were raising capital in 2013 when the oil boom was well underway. A lot of investors were considering more traditional opportunities on the western side of the state things that they were used to, like apartments and hotels.

There weren’t a lot of us tech startups raising money, so you had to really know who the major players were. We spent a lot of time gathering referrals and making phone calls. There was also a lot of pressure from our families at that time because we had bootstrapped the initial part of the company which caused significant changes in our take-home pay. Back then, there were a lot of things that needed to go right in a short period of time and fortunately they did.

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Throughout the last 9 years, CoSchedule has kept itself at the cutting edge of technology while finding a substantial amount of success all over the country. The product has evolved from a social media scheduling tool into a full-fledged marketing project management suite. The business has managed to find financial success while garnering a large following including over 3,000 followers on Instagram, nearly 60,000 followers on Twitter and over 16,000 likes on Facebook.

In fact, the company has been so successful that Moon and Walsh were recently able to buy back the business from its investors a move they say was aided by the strong relationship they kept with their investors.

“We had always assumed a five to sixyear timeline in mind for transitioning

the business,” Moon said. “Once we got there, we started wondering, ‘Should we raise more money? Should we sell?’ We got into some pretty in-depth discussions about an acquisition and got a pretty good understanding of what that would look like. However, we realized there were a lot of challenges that come with that. We were afraid of what would happen to the company’s North Dakota roots.

Our team was 100% North Dakota driven, our investing group was 100% North Dakotan, and that was important to us.

We didn’t want anything to change. So we approached our investors about reacquiring the business.”

With a high gross startup, the expectation is usually that the business is going to be sold or there’s going to be an IPO. Investors aren’t making money because the startup is profitable. Oftentimes, a healthy startup

is burning cash. This is also, partially, why the original investors were willing to turn the business back over. They needed the business to sell in order to make money, it didn’t necessarily matter who it was sold to.

“We view buying this back as an investment,” Walsh said. “We see this as our first angel investment.”

And they’re hoping to make more.

Since the purchase, Moon and Walsh have begun to transition into more of advisory roles within the company, allowing them to pursue other passions including consulting, which they hope will transition to investing.

They’re looking to help companies that need help with pitching to investors, advice on how to segment products, advice on how to sell to larger customers and also help with simply connecting people to the local

entrepreneurial ecosystem that they’ve grown so familiar with.

“We have a really unique perspective because we’ve been on both sides of the fence,” Moon said. “We’ve sold to investors and we’ve acquired a business from investors. We can be a real asset to these businesses and I think, eventually, we could help financially by investing as well.”

I think our greatest impact as a company is going to be seen through our team.

Not through us individually. There have been a lot of past employees that have gone on to start businesses, nonprofits, social events, things that add incredible value to the communities that we live in. In many ways, much of our legacy will be felt through the team we have built.

Hopefully, we’ve also created a path for future software companies in the state to have similar or more success.

We want to cheer them on and maybe be involved in their growth.” -Justin Walsh 68

MAY 2022

“Culture” has really become a buzzword in the business community.

Its importance and significance in the company is emphasized again and again. However, that’s not without good reason, and the founders of CoSchedule agree.

“One thing that we were very intentional about from the beginning was not making bad hires,” Walsh said. “When you’ve raised money and the only thing stopping your business from becoming as big as it could be and growing the number of customers is the size of your staff, it can be tempting to hire everyone that applies that is halfway qualified.

We have a very rigid hiring process that we implemented during the Todaymade years that allowed us to not compromise. I think the culture of the company is at a huge risk when someone is brought on that isn’t a good fit. I’d rather wait and hire the right person instead of hiring just to fill a seat.”

In that hiring process, CoSchedule, as a company, spends between 10-15 cumulative hours of team time on a candidate from intro interviews to project challenges to culture interviews to even demoing the software for the candidates. With this method, they have grown, into a team of 50.

“We’d hate to like everything about a candidate, have them join the team, only to find out the work isn’t really what they were hoping for,” Walsh said. “Our process takes a lot of people. The candidate will spend time with anywhere from 6 to 10 team members at CoSchedule at different interview steps. We kind of use the whole tribe of CoSchedule to figure out if a candidate would be a good fit or not.”

Once the employee is in the door, they’re treated to a culture that offers a great deal of autonomy, allowing employees to make decisions and operate independently which they believe is important for employee motivation.

“Even with CoSchedule’s significant growth over time, we’ve kept a pretty flat organizational structure,” Moon said. “We also really embrace failure around here.

We encourage new employees that are a couple of months in to start trying new things. We want them to take risks, make mistakes and understand that we’re giving them a lot of latitude to fail. There are a lot of cultures out there where perfection is expected. We think that if we’re not failing, we’re not pushing forward.”

CHAPTER 4:

CoSchedule could have planted its roots anywhere, or at least that's what it seems from the outside. Why Bismarck?

“We moved back for all of the reasons that people move back to North Dakota,” Moon said. “It’s a great place to raise a family. We’re closer to our family here as well. We also really appreciate a lot of the things that the western side of the state has to offer. I love mountain biking and there are great trails here. We really enjoy the Missouri River and the beauty and landscape of the area as well. We started a business here because we wanted to live here.”

“We have family here as well,” Walsh said. “Also, when you’re starting a business and it’s just you and your partner, you aren’t necessarily thinking about having to relocate to a tech hub to be closer to potential employees. It’s just not one of the first things you think about.”

It just so happens that North Dakota is also a fantastic place to do business according to the CoSchedule creators, who say that the majority of the roughly $5 million they have raised over the course of the business’s history has come from different local economic groups like the North Dakota Department of Commerce and the Bank of North Dakota.

And that’s exactly why they’ve taken steps to keep the business in North Dakota, to invest in North Dakota companies and to help continue prosperity in the region.

“I think our greatest impact as a company is going to be seen through our team. Not through us individually,” Walsh said. “There have been a lot of past employees that have gone on to start businesses, nonprofits, social events, things that add incredible value to the communities that we live in. In many ways, much of our legacy will be felt through the team we have built.

Hopefully, we’ve also created a path for future software companies in the state to have similar or more success. We want to cheer them on and maybe be involved in their growth.”

Ben Hendricks, 5 Start Storage COO 70

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Q&a It's safe to say business is booming for 5 Star Storage which has opened 7 new facilities since the start of the new year. We caught up with Chief Operating Officer Ben Hendricks for a quick chat.

JOSIAH KOPP

with

Ben Hendricks of 5 Star Storage

It seems like 5 Star Storage is really expanding!

Correct, we've added seven locations since the start of the year and we're at 27 total locations right now. We should eventually have 13 in the Fargo-Moorhead soon and 28 total. We also have another facility that we started construction on in Rochester, Minnesota in October.

That seems like a very aggressive expansion.

In terms of the number of facilities, definitely. But the size of them always varies greatly as well. So, it can sound crazy at first, from a surface-level perspective. However, you may have one location with 350-400 units, but another location only has 63.

Why make such a big push right now?

We've kind of been in a growth phase for quite a while here. We restructured our company about five years ago and things

have really taken off. We're constantly looking for new opportunities. We even hired a new acquisitions and development director based in the Twin Cities.

Does that mean most of your facilities are at capacity?

It really depends upon the market and what's going on in that market. You are dealing with month-by-month renters. Most people are not renting storage for over a year. So it can be a longer process to get to a good stabilized level. It can be two steps forward and one step back. So it can be a little bit of a challenge, especially for those that haven't been in the industry before, but it's fun.

This is our core business and there are not a lot of other operators in self-storage in our region. For most other businesses similar to this, it's almost like a side job.

They might have had extra land and they decided to put up 100 storage units or whatever. For that individual, they're going to kind of have a different business model.

They don't necessarily care about revenue management and providing top-notch amenities and services. They just care about having their facility full and having good-paying renters in there because then they don't have to do any work. They're not spending any money on advertising. That's what makes us a little bit different.

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How much more expansion is on the horizon?

So, we expand in two different ways. One of those primary ways is through acquisitions.

In that case, we're buying an established facility that already has renters in place.

The other way we expand is through new developments.

Interestingly enough, there are going to be some increase in needs for the FargoMoorhead community, meaning we may be looking at developing in the area. But, we need to do our due diligence before pursuing those sorts of things.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions you run into in the industry?

When you're talking about storage facilities, you have to use the term very loosely.

Unfortunately, a lot of people hear the term "storage facility" and if they're from a smaller, more rural community, they may think of a facility with a few garages, a gravel driveway and weeds up to their knees. When in reality, a lot of the very urban storage facilities in the country have very high-end amenities like office spaces, conference rooms and coffee bars. Because of this, it can be very difficult when you're dealing with municipalities and trying to get your neighbors and city officials to understand what we're bringing to the table.

We feel that the type of product we want to develop is just as aesthetically appealing to the eye as an office space out there.

30s and 40s that needed to move back because of financial issues. And they need somewhere to put their belongings, at least for the short term.

What's interesting right now is that we're seeing that millennials are actually one of the largest users of self-storage. However, we have all sorts of people using our facilities from 18-year-olds to parents of college students to businesses.

Who would you say your main customer is?

Our number one customer is somebody in the middle of a move, whether they are moving for good reasons or bad reasons.

We're dealing with people that had a life event happen—they got married, they got divorced, they had a kid, they had a death.

Those events happen every day, but they make a big impact in people's lives. We're there to help in those transitions.

What's it like working with family members?

I wouldn't have it any other way. It doesn't mean that it works perfectly for all families and it doesn't mean that we haven't had issues here, but I love working with my family. Bill Schneider is also a very key member of our team and he isn't blood, but he really is family.

Do you think storage needs have increased lately?

Definitely, especially with the pandemic.

We've had a lot of people starting to move back with their parents—people in their 20s,

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Minnesota

5 Star Storage Locations Hermantown, MN Moorhead, MN Rogers, MN St. Michael, MN St. Paul, MN Bismarck, ND Dickinson, ND Fargo, ND Grand Forks, ND West Fargo, ND Sioux Falls, SD Tea, SD

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Go Promo’s

By Grant Ayers

Expansion Out West

Casey Glandt, General Manager & Partner

Dual Ha Warmer/Phnd on Charger e

Ashley Wooledge, Account Manager

Jane Halverson, Sales Executive

Promotional agencies are oftentimes thought of as companies that simply put a logo on a hat or T-shirt and make a profit through one-time transactions. While this may sometimes be true, Go Promo is here to do much more than that.

Go Promo is a creative promotional agency with offices based out of West Fargo, Hope and Bismarck, ND. When sitting down with Go Promo’s General Manager and Partner Casey Glandt, he spoke about the company’s history, some of their wackiest products and what they’re doing to go the extra mile.

Go Promo’s early beginnings date back as far as 2012. The company first began as a side gig for Glandt while he was working at a marketing firm. However, the sales for his “side gig” grew beyond expectations over time and the decision was eventually made to take the endeavor full-time by 2014. By 2018, Go Promo reached $1 million in sales.

Now, a recent business acquisition has pushed the Go Promo name further out west, allowing them to break into new markets

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and form new business partnerships. “The business that we took over earlier this year was Dakota Promotions & Printing. They’ve been in business for 12 years, and there’s such a huge market here with a lot of potential,” said Glandt.

Quick to address similar business models and competition in the area, Glandt was more than confident in the differentiating factors that justify their expansion. “We do online stores for efficiency in our business and we do them

Photos Courtesy of Go Promo, LLC

very well. We also warehouse products for the clients. And then there’s the creative, ‘corporate branding’ side of things.”

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For example, they often help set up online stores for many different organizations that have multiple locations. He explained that “approved buyers that are allowed access to the store can go in at any time and order any of the products that are all preprinted with their logo, pre-approved by marketing and HR and warehoused at their office. For instance, they have an event coming up that requires 300 bags with lip balms and notebooks.

Go Promo can have their product delivered with a quick turnaround time and lower price per unit, since they’re ordering in bulk. I don’t see many other people doing this type of work in North Dakota, especially Bismarck.”

Today, Go Promo is on track to do $4 million in sales this year, having passed $1 million in the first quarter of 2022.

Customized Scrunchie

This recent expansion isn’t their first, however. At the beginning of 2019, Go Promo acquired Green Street Promotions. Since the expansion, Go Promo’s client base, operations and sales have all increased immensely, while also bringing friendly competition together. Now, Glandt and his team are ready to go even further with their journey to Bismarck.

Having maintained consistent success during its expansion, Go Promo is still able to focus on relationships with customers as much as it did before. According to Glandt, they view themselves as a “partner” to other companies, rather than a “vendor."

Go Promo’s relationship with clients goes much deeper than a simple one-time transaction. Focusing on the service and value that they can bring to the people they partner with has continually helped them receive referrals for their service and work.

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Glandt stated, “In our discovery meetings, we will ask ‘How many employees do you have? What's your promotional product budget for the year? How much do you want to give to each employee to spend on your online store?’ We want to learn about their staff, what they like and how we can be productive in helping them.”

This extra step of care appears to be working for Go Promo, as over 500 North Dakota businesses partner with the company on projects of various sizes.

Personalized Headphones

When questioning Glandt on what separates them from their competition, he was quick to say “creativity” and elaborate on the unique and outlandish products they can offer.

Essential Oil Diffuser

Light Up Bubble Gun “You name it and we can put a logo on it,” Glandt said. Products that immediately came to mind for Glandt ranged from the kitchen (air fryers and crock pots) to the outdoors (Rapala fishing lures and pop-up canopy athletic tents).

Customized Hangover Kit

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According to Glandt, the secret to popular products lies within the desire and uniqueness of the product. He stated that, “A product has to be either very functional, something that someone is going to really appreciate and use, or very memorable, like something that you wouldn’t see every day from any other promo supplier.”

After speaking with Glandt, it’s clear that they’ve come up with some products you don’t see every day from many other places.

Some of the “memorable products” Go Promo has helped produce include light-up bubble guns, bubble wrap fidget pads and customized rocks. Yes, you read that correctly, bubble guns and rocks. While some of these may not be the most essential products, they’re widely popular due to their catchy, lighthearted memorability.

When Go Promo works with school programs, they often donate a percentage of sales back to the program. In 2021, they donated nearly $40,000 back to high school athletic teams!

On the other hand, highly functional products include something for everyone. For the outdoor enthusiasts, they offer gardening gloves and tools, flip flops, durable picnic baskets and Yeti coolers. For those focused on offering self-care-oriented products, they offer essential oil diffusers, custom socks, slippers and highquality headphones. Other highly functional products advertised include Bluetooth speakers, Yeti tumblers and mugs, along with first-rate backpacks and briefcases.

Put Your Logo on Socks!

Durable To-Go Baskets

Customize Your Very Own Rock!

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Some products are even blurring the line between functional and memorable. One of the most useful, yet unique products is the personalized hangover kit they have available. It’s filled with earplugs, Advil, Mentos, lip balm, a sleeping mask and much more; complete with your logo advertised on the front.

Another line-blurring product that they offer is a hand warmer that doubles as a portable phone charger. It’s a product that is just unique enough to stand out from the rest, yet also acts as a highly functional tool when in need.

Another one of their most creative products helps solve a very real nuisance. Most people have gone through the stress and frustration of dropping their phone in between their car seat and the center console.

Now, there’s a gap-filling pad that can be inserted to prevent that from happening again. Best of all, it can be distributed with your logo advertised across the top.

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Own

Go Promo works with a majority of high schools in the Fargo-Moorhead area, along with colleges including NDSU and VCSU, to create pop-up shops filled with embroidered team gear, fanware and more!

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Go Promo prides itself on sticking to its roots. An estimated 90% of business is local, with 10% being further out-of-state, according to Casey Glandt.

thletic Durable Ats Ten

No matter how large or unique the request may seem, Go Promo has emphasized that they will do everything they can to complete a request and exceed the partner’s expectations. According to Glandt, “Go Promo’s minimum for embroidery is 12 pieces, and our screenprint minimum is 24 pieces.” With the company’s recent expansion to Bismarck, they’re opening themselves up to new areas of business that they never could have before. Rather than prioritize a one-time transaction to “take the money and run” from these relationships, they’re focused on longterm partnerships that solidify a future between them and their partners for years to come.

d Drink Customizeters Coas

Go Promo orders@JustGoPromo.com 701-751-8007 justgopromo.espwebsite.com

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A NEW ERA

BY TAURA MAY & LINDSAY PAULSON PHOTOS BY JOSIAH KOPP

RDO Brings Aesthetics & Technology to their New Offices

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From integrated white-noise to a full-on food market, RDO is setting the bar for a new era of workspace in Fargo. From new state-of-the-art technologies to aesthetic design to synergistic workspaces, we toured the new offices in the Block 9 Tower, sharing some of the most notable and aesthetic features and designs along the way.

One of the most thoughtful building design choices that speak to the RDO culture is the central staircase. It represents a culture of openness and collaboration and is a common space for informal conversation among team members.

Goals in Creating a Synergistic Work Environment The RDO culture is focused on partnership and collaboration. The first goal of the office design was to bring all team members together. Previously, RDO team members were spread out across four locations in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Their goals with the overall office design were to foster both organized and informal collaborations. So they have spaces for more formal meetings, such as their conference rooms and café booths, but they also have more social spaces including their coffee bars and casual seating where they can have a quick chat with someone.

The RDO building is plumbed with white noise, which can be controlled on a quadrant level.

That way, each area and department can tailor their white noise to their department's needs.

RDO was also intentional about an opendesign work environment. The majority of team members work in stations in a larger room. For their offices, the internal walls are all made of glass so there’s a high degree of transparency across the organization.

These features all work together to create an environment where they are working together toward their shared goals.

Floor 3 Coffee & Booths Booths on each floor with connection-ready screens serve as a place for both formal and informal collaboration, or an alternate place to get work done.

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Creating Work Efficiencies Having all team members in the same place was the first step toward a more efficient environment for RDO. The second step was enabling connectivity in all their rooms so that they can easily host meetings, share screens, and print from anywhere in the building.

They also wanted to make sure their environment continued to support creative work, so RDO made sure there were comfortable and alternative spaces to facilitate the free flow of ideas and connections.

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The light above the focus rooms will illuminate green when available, and automatically switch to red when occupied.

While the open floor plan and collaboration spaces are essential to support the culture, there are also Focus Rooms that can be used by team members needing a private space to work.

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Culture is Everything "This building was about reinforcing our culture of collaboration," said RDO Vice President of Communications Tara May. "The design was intended to offer team members a variety of unique spaces to do their best work." At the end of the day, RDO wants to attract and retain team members who enjoy coming to work, working with each other and working toward RDO's goals. "We think this space is designed for us to do just that," added May.

To keep team members up and running, the Tech Bar provides help and troubleshooting with computers, phones, or other devices.

Team members can enjoy complimentary beverages, as well as use the ample fridge and freezer space for their own meals. The Market offers local favorites like Blackbird Pizza and PowerPlate Meals, as well as a variety of products that are part of the RDO family, including Idahoan mashed potatoes and SpudLove potato chips.

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Favorite Spaces & Features Throughout the design process, the RDO team took great lengths to use every opportunity to reflect their values and their business, including the type of artwork that was selected. Each floor has unique artwork, including mosaic tile murals, sculpture and photography that tie back to the RDO culture, history and whom they serve as a business.

Another way RDO integrated their culture into the design is that every meeting room name holds special importance to them. For example, there is the Harvest conference room that speaks to their agricultural business, while there are several rooms named after states that RDO does business in, like Arizona and Oregon.

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The 5th Floor Commons The Commons on the fifth floor is a favorite among many team members because of the expansive views it offers of downtown, including the Fargo movie theater sign. During lunchtime, the area is pretty busy with many team members opting to eat there and catch up with others. During the day, it’s a more casual space for meetings or individual work.

The video wall on the 5th floor showcases locations and team members from across all RDO businesses, reinforcing the intention of the building is to serve others in the field.

Contact RDO Web: rdoequipment.com/forms/contact-us Learn More About The Building Web: block9fargo.com/the-project

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10 Questions

10

Questions ohn Machacek, Chief Innovation Officer for the Greater Fargo Moorhead Economic Development Corporation, has worked with countless startups throughout our community over the past nine years. He knows their ups, their downs, but most of all, he knows the questions to ask them. Here are John Machacek’s 10 questions for Patrick Mineer, CEO & Founder of Golden Path Solutions.

By John Machacek Photos by Josiah Kopp and Hillary Ehlen

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01 Will you please tell us your Golden Path Solutions elevator pitch?

Golden Path Solutions helps to identify a student’s natural talent and match them to careers and employers who need that talent. We use a student’s real-world school experiences to help them better understand their traits, skills, and potential career fits. At the same time, we work with employers to identify the qualities that lead to success in specific roles and communicate that to students to drive awareness and interest. Finally, we facilitate matches between an employer’s needs and a student’s skills. We can establish agreements where an employer might be able to influence a student’s educational path in exchange for a work agreement and tuition reimbursement. All this is done through our application “Compass” which is being rolled out to students across the region.

employer’s job qualities information into the system, so that students can learn about jobs that may suit them well?

We share what are called Career Profiles with students in Compass. The profiles are unique to an employer and describe the characteristics of a job such as a day in the life, what skills are needed, what school experiences might indicate a student would be a good fit for a role, career paths, educational needs, and other information. They are written from the context of a student wanting to learn more, to help see themselves in a role to determine if it’s a fit. How do we build these profiles?

We have one option where an employer puts this information together themselves and posts it in Compass. We can also build the profile ourselves by interviewing an employer’s best people in a role. When we do this, we work find out why they are successful, how they got to where they are and the path they followed. Once a profile is completed, it literally takes minutes for that profile to be in our application and visible to thousands of students.

03 What was the inspiration for creating this system and your startup?

Since 2012, I’ve owned a consulting organization called Blue Fire Consulting.

One of my clients had a unique role, something between a marketer and a software developer, and had a hard time finding a person who really fit the bill. At the same time, my daughter was asking questions about what she should do when she graduates high school and what career she should pursue. I realized she had the raw talent needed for success in this particular role, but she had no idea such a role even existed.

I thought “what if there was a way to help students understand careers they might be a great fit for but didn’t even know where a thing, and if an employer could partner with a student that has the raw talent needed and get them the education for that future job, and do that in a way that scales and benefits both?”

Golden Path was born!

02 Will you please elaborate on the process of getting FARGOINC.COM

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10 Questions 04 What were your early first steps to take that from an idea to developing a business around it?

We did a ton of research.

We talked to employers, co-workers, government leaders, students, teachers, family, etc. and got their feedback. We put together slides that helped articulate the process and share the vision. We reviewed that with more and more people to get feedback on the process, the name, even the data model used to help identify skills.

We got great feedback from everyone, we even down to features in the application.

I can’t stress enough how valuable it was to get so many different perspectives and use that feedback to get to where we are now.

All those people we talked to are now our biggest supporters.

05 From knowing you for several years now, you are really good about fostering genuine relationships

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and networks with many people. Can you tell me how you best go about that and why it’s important to you?

I must say that when we first started out, we didn’t hold back much in terms of who we would talk to. I remember talking to a retired local superintendent of schools about the idea and looking back I almost cringe at how raw our thinking was.

What got us through that and what I think resonated the most was the passion we had around solving this problem of helping students and employers plan for the future. It just seemed like such a better way of doing things, and I think people felt that enthusiasm and got on board. We started to see how this work doesn’t just help drive better awareness and outcomes for students and employers, but it became obvious how Golden Path could be one tool in the toolbox for workforce development, including playing a part in helping strengthen the connectivity between the different people in the ecosystem.

06 Are your stakeholder newsletters, which I really enjoy

receiving by the way, an example of building the connectivity within that workforce ecosystem?

The newsletter has been a great way for us to share our momentum, give credit to the folks who support us while highlighting what we’re learning as we go. One thing that is so fortunate for what we do is that we do get to connect with so many different types of individuals, whether that be school administrators, teachers or counselors, employers, government officials (both state, regional, and city), developers, other entrepreneurs, etc. It’s fun to share that information with our stakeholders in our newsletter. It also helps us maintain a connection to our network, communicating with them regularly. And we constantly expand our network; any event that I attend, even the ones I’m not sure I’ve got the energy for that day, always leads to a new connection or relationship that might come into play at some point in the future. We always ask if we can add them to our newsletter. At some point, we’ll go back through the updates and relive the journey.

07 It’s very exciting about your recent partnership with XAP to integrate your application Compass with their solution RUReady.ND.gov for students in North Dakota.

Will you please tell me more about what this integration is and what it means for students in the state?

RUReady.ND.gov has been used in schools across ND for almost 20 years and is very familiar to students and school administrators. As we were working on Compass, we were asked several times if we’d ever integrate with RUReady.ND.gov or single sign-on, and we found the perfect opportunity to do so with Work-Based Learning (WBL). For WBL to be successful, there needs to be strong partnerships between schools and employers, which is the ecosystem we’ve been building since we started so it was a natural fit. Our Compass profiling model, which is how students learn about their talents, will be shared with every single

student across the state as a component of RUReady.

ND.gov, as will our ability to share information about employer careers and workbased learning opportunities.

We’re super excited about it.

Having said that, Compass will also be able to operate fully stand-alone in schools that don’t have access to RUReady.ND.gov, such as Minnesota schools for example.

08 Can you give the Fargo INC! readers a basic primer to describe what is Work-Based Learning?

Think of WBL as a way for students to learn a bit more about a career or a company while they’re still in school.

It will also work well as a way for an employer to get students excited about their company or their industry and build a pipeline for the future workforce. WBL experiences might be related to what we call career exposure events, such as job fairs, field trips or informational interviews, as well as career engagement activities like summer jobs, internships and mentorships. The level of commitment for an employer varies. Our job will be to help employers figure out what’s best for them and get them connected to students that have the raw talents they’re looking for so they can start building a relationship with

those students. In some cases, a student might even get school credit for this. If we do this right, everyone wins—the student gets invaluable experiences to help them plan for the future, an employer gets to know students who might be their future employees, and schools are able to help students get real-world experiences and knowledge that will help them in the future!

09 If you could go back in time to Patrick from several years ago, what hindsight advice would you give yourself?

Gosh, that’s a tough question.

In some respect, getting to this point has taken a lot of energy and time that the old Patrick maybe didn’t fully appreciate, so it probably was a good thing he didn’t know that! But honestly, if I look back, the advice would probably be to “Go Faster!” In some cases, we did more research and paused on leveraging resources, like funding, as quickly as we should have, especially during COVID, but now we’re full speed ahead. We’ve got a state-wide rollout coming up soon to get ready for.

10 What can we do as a community to help Golden Path Solutions succeed?

First, this community has already been awesome. There are so many people offering such great advice, community, and resources, and we’re truly lucky to be part of it. I think for us it’s just getting the word out about what we do and facilitating us getting our ecosystem engaged—engaged employers, engaged students, engaged schools. A lot of our time is going to be spent making sure everyone knows who we are and what we do, and if the community can foster that it would be great.

About John

Golden Path Solutions Phone: (701) 866-2620 Email: info@goldenpath.net Web: goldenpath.net Address: 1854 NDSU Research Circle North, Suite 16 Fargo, ND 58102

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BY JOSEPH WETCH AND TOM KADING

How does a lawsuit start?

Most people have little idea about how a lawsuit works.

This is true even if they are currently involved in a lawsuit! Nevertheless, if you find yourself in a lawsuit you should know how the system is designed to resolve disputes between litigants.

M

A lawsuit is started with simple written papers. No fancy words are needed on the lawsuit papers, but you do have to follow some rules.

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The Summons and Complaint If you are sued, one of the first things you will be served is a “Summons and Complaint.”

The lawsuit is initiated with a document called a “Summons.” A Summons states that a lawsuit has been started. It states where the lawsuit will be heard, known as jurisdiction; and in what court, usually small claims or district court, known as venue. The Summons must tell you how long you have to respond in writing. It must say that if you don’t respond, a default judgment may be taken. This means the person who is suing you wins the case and will likely get all of the relief asked for in the lawsuit. So if you are being sued, you don’t want a default judgment.

The Summons is usually accompanied by another document called a “Complaint.” The Complaint is where the meat of the lawsuit is. The rules for lawsuits generally provide that all that is needed is a short statement

Thomas Kading Attorney at Fargo Patent & Business Law, PLLC Josiah Kopp

of the facts and a short statement of the claims made. This short statement of the facts and claims is supposed to be just enough so that the person being sued has reasonable notice of what the claims are.

This is the reason that a Complaint usually does not contain all the facts. This may be frustrating if you are the one being sued, or an advantage if you are the person suing.

For example, where there is a dispute about a contract. The Complaint will describe the contract, what the parties did to act under the contract, if the contract was broken, and the money damages. In another example, a Complaint may be used to “quiet title” in real property (real estate) where there is a dispute about the ownership of property.

The Complaint will describe the land in legal terms and then demand that title be determined in one person’s ownership and that the other is not an owner. A final example is in a lawsuit for personal injury, a complaint will state that one person was injured because of another’s fault. It will state what the fault was in some fashion and will demand money damages. These are only three examples, but there are many

Joseph Wetch Attorney at Fargo Patent & Business Law, PLLC

other claims that a Complaint can spell out, such as patent infringement, trademark infringement, trade secret misappropriation (stealing trade secrets), breach of duty, etc.

The person bringing the claim is known as the “plaintiff.” The person being sued is known as the “defendant.” Sometimes there are multiple plaintiffs and multiple defendants in a lawsuit. This means that a number of individuals may have the same claim against the same defendant and can bring their lawsuits together. Similarly, when multiple defendants are named as a party to a lawsuit brought by one plaintiff, the plaintiff believes that several legal claims exist against those defendants. Sometimes several defendants may have their interests aligned and may set up a joint defense against the plaintiff. The defendants will enter into written agreements promoting their joint defense and providing for the secrecy of shared information. This is called a “joint defense agreement.”

You must be “served” with the lawsuit, which means that it is placed into your hands (or in certain circumstances, the correct

person at a business or by sending it by mail) by someone who is not interested in the lawsuit. This person can be a sheriff or a private process server.

The Answer Usually, but not always, the response to a Complaint is called an “Answer.” An Answer is a legal document that sets out several things. First, it can deny outright or in part any fact or claim in the lawsuit. Second, it can admit things. For example, it can admit facts that are not in dispute or are incontrovertible. It can also admit that some claims are valid. Third, it can state that there is not enough information known about the facts or claims in the lawsuit to either admit or deny them. Finally, an Answer can set up several other legal things such as “affirmative defenses,” a “counterclaim,” or a “cross-claim.”

Now you know the basics about the papers that are used to start a lawsuit, how to serve the opposing party, and how to answer a complaint. If you are going to be

involved in a lawsuit in any way, contact us at Fargo Patent & Business Law for a consultation!

Fargo Patent & Business Law is an intellectual property and business law firm. We are always happy to talk to you if you have questions about trade secrets, copyrights, trademarks, patents, or other business law issues.

The information provided in this article does not and is not intended to constitute legal advice. All information, content, and material is for general informational or educational purposes only. Information provided may not be the most up-to-date legal information, and it is recommended that readers contact their attorney to obtain advice on any particular legal matter.

Fargo Patent & Business Law, PLLC Phone: (701) 566-7571 Email: info@fargopatentlaw.com Web: fargopatentlaw.com

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Q. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Sarah Skedsvold

A. I am the founder of Nine-Four Coaching. I have a hard time nailing down a title, but I help people build emotional and physical durability. I use movement, breathwork and getting out into nature.

Q. Where did the inspiration for Nine-Four come from?

A. When I was in high school, I wanted to be a high school English teacher, and a track and basketball coach. When I graduated high school, I joined the North Dakota Army National Guard and my life took a dramatic turn. I was a soldier for 16 years.

That career had run its course. I didn’t feel as fulfilled as I had. I wanted to go back to coaching and I had gotten my personal training certification.

I then found CrossFit and became a CrossFit coach. In 2019 I took part in an intensive course, which was the catalyst for a lot of change in my life. I left the gym and started Nine-Four. I took the best parts of CrossFit coaching and incorporated a lot of nature and outside activities.

Q. Do you feel like your experience in the Army informs your business now?

A. I wouldn’t be the person I am today had I not been a part of the North Dakota Army National Guard. It allowed me to be a citizen-soldier. I did logistics, which made me develop a very disciplined approach. Now I can see requirements and see multiple ways to achieve that goal. It really allows me the ability to flexibly problem solve and pivot. The world’s greatest plans fall on their face just 10 steps off the mark. It was an integral part of my being and how I now approach coaching.

Q. What has it been like to do Nine-Four through the pandemic?

Sarah Skedsvold is trying to set a new example for entrepreneurs. She talks with Ladyboss about her experience in the army, the practice of forest bathing, and why it’s so important to lead by example.

Written and photo provided by Ladyboss Midwest 98

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A. I don’t know anything different. The entire life of Nine-Four Coaching has been within the pandemic. What it’s really done for my practice has really drawn me out into the woods and solidified, for me, the importance of reconnecting with nature and getting outside, and even connecting with other human beings. One of the fundamental activities that I participated in was going for a

walk. I went on something like 200 walks in 2020. When I would meet people to catch up it would be on a video call or we’d meet in the park. Going for a walk or meeting at the park was a safe option. FargoMoorhead has some incredible parks. I found parks and green space I didn’t even know existed and I’ve been able to explore that and then introduce it to others.

Q. Where does the name Nine-Four come from?

A. It stands for September 4, 2019. That was the day I graduated from a 13-week course called Training Camp for the Soul.

It was an intensive group and individual course that taught me how to feel feelings and unlearn some really unhelpful coping mechanisms. I wanted to encapsulate the idea of a catalyst, and that’s what that training was for me. It significantly accelerated change, and doing that course and completing it helped me feel the agent of change. I wanted to honor that and allow Nine-Four Coaching to be the agent for change and growth for others.

Q. What do you do for your clients?

A. The first thing we do is we just sit and talk and I just listen. I do my very best to put myself in their shoes and feel the pain they’re in, or the unhappiness, or whatever brought them to me. I try to ask good questions and listen to what they say and what maybe isn’t verbalized. Then if I believe we’re a good fit to work together and they agree, then we put a plan together.

I specialize in physical and emotional durability. Sometimes that means movement practices like strength and conditioning and personal training fitness.

Some of that is going outside, taking walks, or training outside. Some of that includes breathwork, which could be integrated in a yoga practice, or on their own. What I’ve found with a lot of the clients I have recently is clients who are feeling unsteady or like physically squishy, when we incorporate that strength training that really translates

into emotional durability as well. I have some clients who are processing some heavy life things, and through our workouts or journaling exercises or getting into the woods, they then have more capacity to give themselves grace and be more compassionate to the people around them.

Q. You’re really passionate about what you do, and your work seems really personal. I’m wondering how you set boundaries doing work you care so much about?

A. I’ve definitely gotten better at it. In the beginning, I dove in with my whole body.

Like I mentioned in 2020 I went on like 200 walks and in 2021 that was cut almost in half. I found I just didn’t have that same fire. So, I’ve had to recommit to myself. I have my own nutrition coach and business coach, and I make sure that I am taken care of in those aspects as much as my clients are. If I’m showing up as less than the person I want to be, then I’m not fulfilling the agreement that I made with my clients.

I’m getting out in nature and making sure that I honor taking time with myself. I’m doing movement and doing the things that I profess to my clients.

You have to lead by example. And that’s tough! In the entrepreneurial world especially, and especially for women. We’re designed to be nurturers and take care of people, and then it’s really difficult for us to do that for ourselves. I want to be an example of an entrepreneur and a woman who also prioritizes taking care of my mental and physical health and, hopefully, that sets an example and gives others the permission to do that for themselves as well.

Q. Knowing what you know now, would you have done anything differently at the beginning of starting this business?

up a little bit, but from a professional standpoint and changing jobs, I felt a lot of shame and guilt around leaving a job that had been my dream job. I would have given myself the compassion and grace to be okay reaching out to other people and allow those relationships to help me through rather than doing it all on my own.

Q. You offer Forest Bathing sessions.

What does that mean?

A. Forest bathing is not what you might think. Everyone is fully clothed. It’s designed to be entirely immersive. Imagine immersing all of your senses as we walk and observe through the woods or another beautiful setting. It’s a group activity that’s very individualized. The intention is to emerge able to bring a little more nature back into the city.

I was introduced to forest bathing by a forest therapist. It was an Airbnb experience. We went into a park that was directly under the Minneapolis-St. Paul flight line, but in that two-hour experience I completely forgot that it existed. I imagine there were planes flying over us the whole time, but it was such a transformational experience to see how, if you take the time to notice and observe and appreciate, you get down into that cellular level of observation. When I left the experience I was like, more people need to do this.

We have those blue-collar, Midwestern sensibilities up here, so it feels kind of weird, but if you talk to hunters or bird watchers, those people are already doing this. I wanted to make that experience really approachable and let them know this is always available and you have the tools to do it yourself.

Support The Business Phone: 701-404-7909 Web: nine4coaching.com/contact

A. I would have done a better job maintaining relationships. Especially during the pandemic, everyone’s circles tightened

FARGOINC.COM

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Pricing Your Product

BY Paul Smith, ND SBDC

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recently met with several business owners who were seeking help with their company’s pricing strategy. One company sells consumer products, another markets a b2b technology application, and another provides professional services. Although the industries, products and services and revenue models were different, each company was dealing with the same challenge—how to price their product or service competitively in the face of high inflation, rising interest rates, the residual effects of the pandemic, socio-demographic changes (working from home), global geopolitical instability, increased government regulations, rising raw material costs and energy prices and supply chain bottlenecks. It’s no wonder many business owners are left scratching their heads.

Defining our Terms Price is an integral part of the marketing mix. Marketing has been defined as offering the right product, at the right time, in the right place, at the right price—or commonly referred to as the ‘4-P’s’ of

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marketing. Pricing strategy is simply a model or method used to establish the price for a product or service.

Setting up the right pricing strategy is important for various reasons. Customers generally want the best value for their money, and they will almost always make purchasing decisions based on the perceived value of your product or service.

If the price of your product is too high, then people won’t be able to buy your product, which will result in lower sales, and less profit margin. On the other hand, if the price is too low, you may increase sales but have little profit to cover your variable costs and fixed expenses. Determining the right price for your product or service at the right time is so important that just a 1% improvement in pricing raises profits by 6% (McKinsey).

Another important concept to consider is price elasticity, which essentially involves the ratio of the percentage change in quantity demanded of a product to the percentage change in price. Products and services for which consumers have many options generally have elastic demand and are more sensitive to price changes, while products and services for which consumers have few alternatives are most

often inelastic and are less sensitive to price changes. Knowing the elasticity for your products and industry can help reduce uncertainty when adjusting prices.

Pricing Methods There are dozens of ways you can price your products, and some will work better than others—depending on the industry, business stage, position you occupy and current environment. Below are just ten of the more common pricing strategies:

Each of these strategies offers different advantages and downsides. At the very

least, you must make sure your pricing strategy covers your costs and includes a margin for profit.

In certain situations, more than one pricing strategy can be used.

For example, when a company launches a new product in the marketplace, it might try market penetration pricing.

The Value Equation When determining how to best price your products and services, consider the following: • The current positioning of your products or services.

Are they positioned as lowcost options, luxury offerings, or somewhere in the middle?

The pricing of your products and services should be aligned with your brand positioning— the other p’s of the marketing mix.

• Your customers. How do your customers perceive your product or service, in terms of price and value? What is important to your customers

in terms of price, quality and value? Will your regular customers tolerate change to the pricing model for your products and services?

• Your costs. What are your current and anticipated input or raw costs, variable costs and production or distribution costs to produce your product?

• Your competitors. How does your pricing compare with your competitors? Can you justify higher pricing based on the perceived quality or value of your product or service?

Paul Smith is Director of the ND SBDC Fargo & Southeast Center. The SBDC helps empower North Dakota entrepreneurs and small business owners to thrive by providing no-cost business advising services and training in a range of areas. In 2021, the program assisted 1,800 clients across the State. The Fargo and Southeast Center is located in the NDSU Research and Technology Park Incubator. For more information or to register for services, please visit ndsbdc.org.

Ask Your Customers

Summary

If you don’t know what your customers want in terms of price, quality, and value, and how they perceive your product or service compared to your competition’s, it may be time to do some market analysis. Find out how much your competitors are charging for the same or similar products or services and assess how your offering compares in terms of quality. While the internet can be helpful in gathering competitive market data, we strongly encourage clients to survey customers or best of all engage with them directly. Find out how they go about making purchasing decisions, and how important price is in their decision.

Having a sound pricing strategy is key to a sustainable, profitable business. Striking a balance between sustaining demand while maintaining margins can be tricky. A winning pricing strategy starts with understanding your customers’ needs and wants, how they make purchasing decisions and discovering what they are willing to pay for your products or services based on their perceived value relative to the alternatives.

After you have made a change in pricing strategy, plan to monitor your sales. How do your sales compare to the previous period and to budget? Are your products moving? Is there more or less demand than anticipated? If you have too much supply and too little demand, your prices may be too high, and you may want to adjust them to keep your product moving. On the other hand, if demand is so great that you can’t keep up with the supply, this could mean prices are too low.

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If you have questions or would like assistance in starting, managing or growing your business, please seek help from the ND Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), or another SBA resource partner.

Phone: 701-499-5273 Email: paul@ndsbdc.org Web: ndsbdc.org

re you looking for a mantra for your sales team? The key to success for your sales organization starts with the 4 Ds of Dominance: Dream, Drive, Discipline and Double Down. These simple principles form the foundation for the characteristics of a successful sales team. Make the 4 Ds of Dominance a mantra you repeat often and reiterate the importance of these shared values for each of your team members.

Generate buy-in and belief through active participation with your team to keep the 4 Ds of Dominance top of mind. Daily and weekly sales team meetings present a fantastic opportunity to reinforce the importance of the 4 Ds of Dominance for your sales organization.

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Dream: According to Oxford Languages, a dream is a cherished aspiration, ambition or ideal. Each member of your team has unique dreams and motivations. Discuss with your team members to learn more about specific dreams and help individuals find how to make their dreams a reality. Use practical examples and sales math to identify targets, goals, and aims for your team members to achieve short-term and long-term goals to achieve their dreams. Whether you are helping to guide them towards results that will enable them to take their dream vacation, buy their dream home, provide financial security for their family, or retire comfortably, show them the path to get there and celebrate wins and achievements along the way.

Drive: Drive is an important and common shared trait of successful sales professionals. Internal drive and determination to succeed are deeply rooted in who a person is and how they react to both successes and failures.

Successful sales professionals push forward to overcome obstacles and achieve the next level of success.

They don’t stop when they achieve their quota for the month. They keep pushing to build and fill their pipeline and blow their quota out of the water for the following month as well. They don’t rely on a single deal closing and they don't crumble when a deal falls through, but rather, they have the confidence and belief that there are ample opportunities available to them.

They dig deep within to find a way to deliver against expectations, even if that means working extra hours and putting in extra energy.

Continually develop drive within your team. Start each team meeting with a celebration of successes. Pay extra attention to and ask team members to share outcomes and scenarios of when the cards were stacked against them, but they still came out on top and won the deal. Ask them how they did it.

Lift each other up and create a culture

Shawn Peterson is the CEO of Quantum Business Solutions. He comes with a decade of experience in the technology services industry as an executive. Shawn is a visionary focused on high growth and performance through sales, marketing, and client experience.

where drive is recognized and rewarded.

Discipline: Success in sales requires self-discipline.

You can help your team members by identifying and enforcing clear guidelines and expectations for specific sales activities.

This includes minimum activity expectations for the number of calls, emails, texts, social media posts, meetings, networking events, proposals, etc. This also includes proper use of and entry of information into your CRM. Work with individual team members to show specific areas where they struggle and help them to set up a plan to dedicate time and energy to making improvements in those areas.

The ABC Method originally developed by Alan Lakein can be a valuable tool in helping sales professionals to establish discipline, organize priorities, and keep on task.

Double Down: Every sales team and individual contributor is going to face situations where the cards are stacked against them.

A big deal fell through, the

customer who reassured you they were committed doesn’t sign on the dotted line, you are dealing with supply chain issues, a long-term customer has unexpectedly decided to go with a lower bid from a competitor, your quota

has been increased, etc. No matter what the scenario is, you will face adversity that you must overcome.

Dictionary.com’s Slang Dictionary defines double down as taking a further risk in a situation or passionately re-committing one’s efforts to a cause or course of action. When facing adversity, it is critical for your sales team members

to passionately recommit efforts to winning.

Encourage them to pull together several smaller deals to make up for the larger lost deal, take another shot at that lost deal with a modified proposal, 10X prospecting activity levels, be passionate, and get creative. Team members who have bought into your winning culture won’t hesitate to double down, go all in, and do whatever it takes to achieve sales targets and come out on top.

Quantum Business Solutions Phone: 712-389-4639 Email: heidib@thequantumleap. business Web: thequantumleap.business

FARGOINC.COM

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Academic Insight

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started working in my first managerial position in the year 2000, right after graduate school. And during those first weeks on the job, I spent a considerable amount of time developing relationships with my staff and colleagues and learning as much as possible about the building and areas I would oversee. One day, I remember going to the central office area of my building complex to get additional information, and I had a memorable conversation with the front desk worker whom I was meeting for the very first time. After introducing myself and exchanging pleasantries, I proceeded

BY Shontarius D. Aikens, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Management at Offutt School of Business at Concordia College

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to ask if it would be possible for me to get keys and access to one of the areas in my building. The front desk worker said: “You are the manager.

You can do whatever you want here!”

I chuckled, and then I responded by saying: “Just because I have the authority and power to do something, doesn’t mean that I should do it.”

Upon reflection, it is interesting that the front desk worker believed that I had unlimited power. However, in my mind, I viewed myself as a new person trying to learn and to ensure that I was following procedures and protocols.

Whenever I transition into a new role, I often refer to this experience.

It serves as a reminder to me about the importance of using power and influence in a responsible and ethical manner.

Power and influence are defined in the following statement: “Power is the potential ability to influence the behavior of others. Influence is the effect that a person’s actions have on

GARY USSERY

Power and Influence: Guidelines for New Managerial Leaders the attitudes, values, beliefs, or behavior of others. Whereas power is the capacity to cause a change in a person, influence may be thought of as the degree of actual change” (Daft & Marcic, 2020, p.

430).

Managerial leaders should understand and distinguish between six distinct types of power used in organizations as defined

by Peter Northouse (2019),: • Legitimate Power: “Associated with having status or formal job authority.

A judge who administers sentences in the courtroom exhibits legitimate power.”

• Reward Power: “Derived from having the capacity to provide rewards to others. A supervisor who compliments employees who work hard is using reward power.”

• Coercive Power: “Derived from having the capacity to penalize or punish others. A coach who sits players on the bench for being late to practice is using coercive power.”

• Information Power: “Derived from possessing knowledge that others want or need. A boss who has information regarding new criteria to decide employee promotion eligibility has information power.”

Dr. Aikens can be reached at: saikens@cord.edu

• Referent Power: “Based on followers’ identification and liking for the leader. A teacher who is adored by students has referent power.”

• Expert Power: “Based on followers’ perceptions of the leader’s competence. A tour guide who is knowledgeable about a foreign country has expert power.”

Four of these power types (legitimate, reward, coercive, information) come from the manager’s formal position or rank in the organization, while the other two power types (referent, expert) are given to the manager by their followers and at times by their colleagues. And it is possible that two or more managerial leaders could achieve the same results or organizational outcomes even though they used different power types.

It was necessary to share this background knowledge and operational definitions first because it leads to what I want to discuss next. For quite some time, I have been thinking more about ways to help new managerial leaders think about power and influence. While the declarative knowledge (the “know what”) about power and influence is readily available, I have wondered if new managerial leaders possess the procedural knowledge (the “know how”), situational knowledge (the “know when”), and reflective knowledge (the “know why”) as well. To assist me in this matter, I reached out to my colleague Dr. Tim Peterson, Professor of Management at the College of Business at North Dakota State University. During our conversation, we determined that a set of guidelines and reflective questions to help new managerial leaders to think deeply about their power and influence would be beneficial. The goal would be to help them 1) understand the types of power they have and 2) reflect on how those power types have been and/or should be used. Below are some reflection questions to help begin this introspective process:

• Legitimate Power: Am I using my legitimate power solely for my benefit or also for the benefit of individuals I have power over?

• Reward Power: Are rewards provided equally to all individuals I have power over? Or are rewards given to avoid trouble and/or to appease difficult supervisees?

• Coercive Power: Am I being fair when using coercive power? For example, is it fair to reprimand and punish one employee after only a single negative behavior/ performance incident while another employee is reprimanded and punished after multiple incidents?

• Information Power: Is the information shared equally with all people, or is information selectively shared with specific individuals?

• Referent Power: What characteristics do people ascribe to me? Will others do things simply because of my personal characteristics?

• Expert Power: Do my employees and colleagues view me as an expert in my field? Do individuals routinely seek me out for advice and recommendations on a particular topic?

Reflecting on these initial questions is an especially important first step for new managerial leaders who want to understand their power and influence in an organization.

Additional steps might include determining if one’s power and influence are concentrated in one power type or across various power types, getting feedback from a trusted mentor, or assessing the degree to which one’s power and influence enable them to access and control the four types of organizational resources (see my article in the August 2020 issue of Fargo INC! that discusses this in more detail).

AWESOME FOUNDATION GRANT AWARD WINNER

rec ay 2022 featured the grand opening of Recovery Engaged Communities (REC)’s physical space with an event featuring food, drink, live music, games, and art. As an organization devoted to promoting recovery from substance use, the celebratory event highlights REC’s goals to continue as they’ve begun—with a focus on building connections and community.

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Faith4Hope is looking to tackle big community problems with an ambitious plan—a 37,000 square foot community center geared toward offering area teens a safe place to be after school and on weekends.

When a small group of people working with addiction and recovery gathered together three years ago to discuss the barriers existing for individuals struggling to sustain long-term recovery, they knew only that they saw a huge, unmet need in the community. Conversations led to efforts to begin bridging the gap that exists between clinical and non-clinical recovery support services.

They had termed their project, the Recovery Community Alliance unaware, until a couple of years later, that what they were working toward had an existing structure—that of a recovery community organization (RCO). The group had disbanded for a time during the pandemic, but a few members decided to revive the project this past year under the name Recovery Engaged Communities (REC).

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Malarkey

With The Lotus Center as their fiscal sponsor (REC is not yet a separate 5013c organization) Recovery Engaged Communities was conceived and implemented. REC began offering peer recovery support services to individuals on the journey to recovery from substance use disorders.

“Our peer recovery support specialists mentor, listen and help provide linkages to resources. They really help empower the individual to find whatever wellness means to them, and support them along the way. Be that cheerleading squad.

Many of our staff and founding members are people in long-term recovery. That’s not just a cool piece of information, but a crucial piece of what it means to be an RCO—being a true community effort led and governed primarily by people in long-term recovery,” says Jaurdyn Gilliss, Director of REC, who is in longterm recovery from alcohol use disorder herself.

“There is no one set way a person has to recover,” continues Jaurdyn. “What we want to do with our peer supports and our space is provide an opportunity for the community to come together and cheer each other on the path to recovery, regardless of which path a person chooses.”

After a nine-month application process, REC received accreditation from the Association of Recovery Community Organizations earlier this year, making it the second RCO currently operating in the western part of Minnesota (the other operating out of Bemidji).

REC was named one of the Cass Clay chapter of the Awesome Foundation’s April grantees, with the $1000 gift going toward the recent grand opening celebration.

“The event was not only to introduce us to the community,” says Jaurdyn. “But to show what we hope to provide to the community moving forward. We want to create events that bring people together to show that recovery and those who identify with it are awesome, and that we're stronger together and when we're having fun.”

REC is leasing a space from the First Presbyterian Church of Moorhead where, in addition to events and programming, it offers a recreational room for people to gather and have fun with like-minded people and several offices geared toward providing additional services.

“One of the needs we are trying to address is the fragmentation of care that exists in recovery support services.

For example, if someone comes to a facility to speak with their counselor but also needs assistance with housing sometimes, they have to be directed to a completely different organization.

For someone with limited means of transportation, that can be not only difficult but devastating,” Jaurdyn states.

“That lack of collaboration is a longstanding national issue. We’re trying to address that by creating a recovery ecosystem where people can get all the care they need in one spot.”

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Photo provided by Brandi Malarkey

As a start toward creating that environment, REC is creating memorandums of understanding with other organizations.

As one of the main supporters behind REC’s creation, The Lotus Center provides operating assistance and advice, volunteers, and some harm reduction programming. In addition, there is a licensed addiction counselor, a housing case manager, and an overdose response coordination program on-site.

“It’s a challenge learning how to operate together as separate entities, but we are figuring it out as we go,” laughs Jaurdyn.

“We’ll have normal operating hours where we are all here, and what we are hoping to do with our rec room is provide a space where people in different modalities of recovery can come together to support each other. As we grow, we’d like to have some of the support groups in the area operate here during both the day and evenings. Eventually, we’d love to grow to have programming going on daily: meditation, yoga, art classes, occasional larger community events. We’d love to create one unified voice of recovery in the FM area with a coalition of people who can

educate and advocate on behalf of their recovery community.”

“What it really boils down to is that we are all in this field because we want to save lives. When we’re disconnected it is easier to stigmatize a group or a type of person, it’s easier to isolate ourselves too. We really need to bring people together. We need to support each other. We need make it the norm to admit when we’re struggling, and to help each other through those struggles so that we don’t continue to lose people.”

Website: https://mnrec.net Facebook: @REC56560

The Cass Clay chapter of the Awesome Foundation awards a $1,000 gift each month for awesome ideas of all sorts. Grant recipients do not need to be associated with a non-profit. Applications can be made at awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/ cassclay.

jerseymikes.com

833 24th Avenue E. West Fargo • 701-561-0800 5050 Timber Pkwy. South Fargo • 701-929-6550 1970 South Columbia Rd. Grand Forks • 701-732-3200

AWESOME FOUNDATION GRANT AWARD WINNER

Professional lunch icot Aladin is proving that sometimes the simplest ideas can have the greatest impact by turning the common act of going out to lunch or coffee into a widely sharable learning opportunity.

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Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in the field of Communications, Ricot initially started inviting people he knew out to lunch to discuss their varying professions as a way to build his personal network and practice his communication skills.

“When I started Professional Lunch, it was just me being curious. I wanted to know what other people’s careers were like, and I wanted to develop my listening skills. It was a way to help me learn,” states Ricot.

As Ricot shared with friends what he learned as his professional lunches continued, people urged him to share his lunches on social media, telling him that whatever tips or tricks his guests shared with him would be useful to those in other professions. He posted his first video a year ago on Facebook and LinkedIn, and has been continuing to do so ever since.

Over time Ricot has developed a format for his lunch conversations, inviting his

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Malarkey

guests to talk about their profession, how they got into that profession, and if it was something they always wanted to do or discovered later. He then asks them to share things about their job that they love, as well as things they find challenging in their field, and how they navigate those challenges.

“It’s always a surprise. You’d think people from the same profession would have the same problems and general ways to deal with them. But different people see the situation completely differently. Every conversation is completely new.”

While it started with people he knew personally, the lunches have since expanded to people he meets in the community that he feels would be a good fit for the program (his guests must have a minimum of five years’ experience in their chosen profession).

“I think I have only ever had two people turn me down so far. People love to talk about the things they care about. When people talk about things that they love at work—it’s just a joy to listen,” Ricot says of the project.

Professional Lunch posts a new video sometimes once a week, sometimes once or twice a month, depending on Ricot’s school schedule and finances.

While he has been fortunate enough to have someone sponsor a month or two,

most of the funds to pay for the lunches and the equipment to film them come out of his own pocket. Meeting over lunch or coffee has become a cultural norm to doing business, but many individuals don’t have the funds or time to participate. Ricot’s project allows people to access the videos on their own time at no cost, and still share in a measure of the value of those experiences.

With a year’s worth of experience to look back on, Ricot’s vision is to eventually expand his project to be an online platform connecting less experienced professionals with more experienced ones. He wants to develop a website where all the Professional Lunch videos are available and serve as a connection portal to link the subjects of those videos directly with newer professionals seeking to better navigate their careers.

The idea is to expand on the basic video concept by adding a relationshipbuilding component as another way for experienced professionals to transmit some of their knowledge and experience to those just entering their fields.

For now, however, he is starting small by working to improve the videos he currently publishes. To help with that mission, Ricot applied for a grant from the Cass Clay chapter of the Awesome Foundation who named him one of two April 2022 grantees. With the assistance of the $1000 gift awarded to him, he will

Photo provided by Brandi Malarkey

be able to purchase software, a camera, and a ring light to increase the video quality of his lunches.

“I want to improve,” Ricot says earnestly.

“The videos that I post, I realize myself that they need some work. But this is where I am and I’m working with what I have. Because I see the value of it, I am not waiting for perfection to share and tell people about it.”

Professional Lunch conversations can be viewed by the community on LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube, and by NDSU students, professors, and staff on the Bison Information Network (channel 3.1).

FB @professionallunch https://www.linkedin.com/company/ professional-lunch

The Cass Clay chapter of the Awesome Foundation awards a $1,000 gift each month for awesome ideas of all sorts. Grant recipients do not need to be associated with a non-profit. Applications can be made at awesomefoundation.org/en/chapters/ cassclay.