 |
|
| Newsletter Archive: The story of each speaker is generally contained in two newsletters. "Go to story" gives background information and the next newsletter usually highlights some of the speaker's comments. However, in some months there is only an introduction to the speaker.
To get all the education available from our REAL WORLD Entrepreneurs, you are encouraged to attend the meetings on the second Tuesday of each month.
|
 December 2002
David Kapell - Dec 12 A writers block leads to scraps of paper on the kitchen table. When a friend opens up the door and the wind blows the names away, the keywords wind up on refrigerator magnets and become the talk of the party and people rearrange the words into their own poems and one liners. That is how Magnetic Poetry was born. David Kapell asks the penetrating question: "Can you build a business you enjoy and still do good for society?" Can you? ... go to story. |
| November 2002
Scott and Bill DeWitt - Nov 12 American Financial Printing is a family owned business in transition to the next generation. From father to son. Other family members are also actively involved with its operation. Making the switch from one generation who founded the business 30 years ago to the next generation is a critical task. Scott and Bill DeWitt share the story of their business and the strategies they believe that will allow them to make the transition successfully ... go to story. |
|
| October 2002
Steve Brewer - Oct 8 Networking is a critical skill and also an important necessity in building any organization. Steve Brewer, the owner of Eureka Marketing Services, has conducted studies in how to grow organizations through networking. The study results ... go to story. |
|
| September 2002
Charlie Slater - Sep 10 Charlie Slater is the CEO of S.D. Industries, which deals with equipment for the spa industry. Charlie's story including a heart attack at the age of 39 and how it changed his life and the many entrepreneurial experiences he has had. Telling the story of his cash flow woes, Charlie likened the lack of cash to "being in hell with florescent lights and unable to breathe." Charlie related what it felt like to obtain some cash. A breath of fresh ... go to story |
|
| August 2002
Anita Ryan - Aug 13 Anita Ryan is the CEO of Family Business Success LLC, which helps family businesses deal with family issues in a way that ensures business success. Anita should know as family crisis found her leaving a teaching position and taking over as CEO of a St. Paul Brass Foundry. A quintessential old boys business all of a sudden had a female CEO. Anita provided the parameters of how families need to approach succession and other important issues. Anita says: "Family business and entrepreneurship go hand in hand..." go to story |
|
| July 2002
Joanne Benson - Jul 9 Joanne Benson is the CEO, Chief Education Officer of the newest Minnesota charter school, the Minnesota Business Academy. This ex-lieutenant Governor in Minnesota turned entrepreneur in the charter school business tells her story and entrepreneurial lessons learned along the way. "Follow your passion" says Joanne along with "I never knew the ..." go to story |
|
| June 2002
Bob Fayfield - Jun 11 Bob Fayfield is the founder and CEO of Banner Engineering. Named Ernst & Young's National Entrepreneur of the Year in the manufacturing category, Bob's business has now grown to over $100 Million annually and he is the sole stockholder. If you missed Bob's presentation on June 11th, you missed out on the story of how Banner Engineering was built as the number one provider in photoelectric sensors. You also missed Bob's advice to would be entrepreneurs and his RULE OF TWOs ... go to story |
|
| May 2002
Deb Hess - May 14 This night was packed with information on Intellectual Property protection for entrepreneurs. It started with Mark Litman, an intellectual property attorney who after his education presentation fielded questions from a crowded room for 30 minutes; then came the Young Inventors presentation. Mark was impressed with the nature of a couple of the inventions and offered to do the patent work free for two young inventors. Deb Hess, President of the Minnesota Inventor's Congress followed with the history and story of the group along with explaining all the services available to inventors and entrepreneurs. She also provided several stories that illustrate the importance of ... go to story |
|
| April 2002
David Kristal - Apr 9 If you missed David's presentation on April 9th, you missed out on the strategy that a family owned restaurant business uses to go head on against much larger competitors. David explained how the Embers Restaurants are being revitalized and brought back from the brink of collapse. David explained the bold strategy that will carry the corporation forward ... go to story |
|
| March 2002
Jim Dolan - Mar 12 How do you take the investment of a single newspaper and turn it into a $100 Million media empire? Jim Dolan, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Dolan Media Company, shared the lessons he has learned the hard way. When it comes to offering entrepreneurs good advice, Jim Dolan ought to know. A quintessential entrepreneurs Dolan states: "It is not the business plan that counts, it is your thinking in the business plan that really matters." ... go to story |
|
| February 2002
Sven Wehrwein - Feb 12 "In the beginning, it's all about the dream; the idea; the product; or the technology. But as the months wear on, the entrepreneur must focus on winning -- doing what it takes to get their company across the finish line." Sven states he is not an entrepreneur. However, he has worked with entrepreneurs raising money and knows what it takes for one to be successful. Sven presented a laundry list of very important characteristics of successful entrepreneurs. Character was at the top of the list. ... go to story |
|
| January 2002
Andy Ouderkirk - Jan 8 "Andy is a 3M Scientist that works with new product development. If you missed his presentation on Jan 8, you missed a great matrix that 3M uses for new product analysis. One of our goals is to stack your entrepreneurial toolbox with some great tools. Andy is one of the top five inventors in 3M having 63 patents to his name. Yes, there is a way to analyze your new product introduction is a way that can leverage the technology and minimize costs ... go to story |
|
| December 2001
Harlan Jacobs - Dec 11 "A long time supporter of Entrepreneurs in Minnesota, Harlan Jacobs explained how he was able to make Technology Transfer work at the University of Minnesota in one of his ventures. Harlan provided his perspective on Minnesota capital by stating "There needs to be more Minnesota seed investors." He went on to further explain how his new venture was able to attract Wisconsin investors even after the technology was helped along by the U of M. Strange thought isn't it ... go to story |
|
| November 2001
Simon Foster - Nov 13 "The key to our success will be the kind of service-oriented culture we are able to create within SimonDelivers.com -- ordinary people feeling empowered to do extraordinary things and having fun in the process. What makes SimonDelivers.com a successful food delivery business when dot coms are falling by the wayside? Simon Foster spills the beans to" ... go to story |
|
| October 2001
Nancy Stephan - Oct 9 "The art of networking ... and it is an art ... is practiced by successful entrepreneurs with regularity. October 9 offers networking facilitator, Nancy J. Stephan, of Synergy Resources, Inc. presenting: "Optimal Networking Attracts Success" ... go to story |
|
| September 2001
The Sep 11th meeting was canceled due to the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. |
|
| August 2001
Dr. Dileep Rao - Aug 14 "There are three kinds of entrepreneurs who go to the cliff. Those who jump, those who jump and measure on the way down, and those who measure before jumping" Dileep Rao told the MEI at the August meeting. If you missed this meeting, you didn't learn how to avoid some critical financing mistakes. Yes, you can find financing intelligently and Dileep's presentation resonated with the crowd at the meeting ... go to story |
|
| July 2001
Dorothy Dolphin - Jul 10 "Don't be afraid to take risks," Dorothy Dolphin told the MEI at the July meeting. She also told them that "You can't ever give up." Her story as a struggling unemployed housewife who had just lost her young husband and had three young children to raise was inspiring. She is a testimony to entrepreneurial grit. Today she heads Dolphin Enterprises, a family conglomerate doing a huge business ... go to story |
|
| June 2001
Mayor Norm Coleman - Jun 12 "I love entrepreneurs because they are risk takers," Mayor Norm Coleman told the MEI at the June meeting. Just as entrepreneurs have to generate confidence in themselves, the mayor has to convince investors and companies to believe in St. Paul. It wasn't always easy for an elected official ... go to story |
|
| May 2001
Jim Kopp, Founder of Wizmo, Inc. - May 8 Jim Kopp started his entrepreneurial journey as a mere child selling candy as did many entrepreneurs. If you missed this meeting, you missed one of the most inspiring stories of entrepreneurism I have heard. With his house on the line, no salaries and only a bonus program [for support] that his bankers said was crazy, Jim Kopp made Wizmo fly. In a world of dot com crashes, Wismo is still going forward with some big name backers ... go to story |
|
| April 2001
Paul Duncan of Vezone.com - April 10 Paul Duncan is the guy with his hand on the pulse of Minnesota Business and he has created Vezone.com to be the premier site for entrepreneurism in the State of Minnesota. Want to know what is really going on behind the scenes? Check out Vezone.com. Paul surprised a lot of people who thought they knew it all when he cited several activities going on in Minnesota's entrepreneurial climate such as ... go to story |
|
| March 2001
Steve Knight of Ziga Systems. - March 13 "Actions speak louder than words" according to Steve Knight. For instance, Ziga Systems was created by three engineers who hired other engineers, leaving decisive gaps in the company's structure. "My wife said we were three Geeks in a garage with an idea," said Knight who raised $1 Million in capital in the first round... go to story |
|
| February 2001
Brian Shiffman of Integrated Power Solutions. - February 13 Brian Shiffman is no stranger to developing Business Plans and getting financing. Brian has a long history of assisting small businesses in this area. His current company has investors wanting to invest millions. How does he do it? Brian says "the business plan is critical and needs certain info" ... go to story |
|
| January 2001
Matt Noah, CEO of Netsuds, Inc. - January 9 Matt Noah, the founder of NetSuds has created a business out of networking. Noah brings high tech entrepreneurs face-to-face with potential investors in NetSuds settings that include drinks (i.e. suds) and appetizers. Besides Noahs quarterly ... go to story |
|
| December 2000
Richard Schulze, CEO of Best Buy, Inc. - December 5 "Think Revolution, Pursue Evolution" was Schultze's motto at the December meeting. Schultze revealed Best Buy's strategies for keeping ahead in his talk about Retailing in the New Millennium and it was solid "G2" for all Entrepreneurs. See the January 2001 newsletter for more information. go to story |
|
| November 2000
Dorothy Bridges, CEO of Franklin Bank - November 7 After being turned down by an estimated 28 banks, Jesse Ventura received a loan for his campaign from The Franklin Bank. Self described as an "entrepreneur" by CEO Dorothy Bridges, the bank looks at businesses through different lens. Often, banking on character and taking chances where other banks won't. go to story |
|
| October 2000
Paul Douglas Creates Personal Weather Channel - October 3 While Paul Douglas is a familiar face on WCCO-TV, few know that the popular meteorologist is also an entrepreneur. His former venture EarthWatch, created software responsible for the 3D weather graphics used in the movies Jurassic Park and Twister and in the Gulf War. Now there is My-Cast.com --- Wow! ... go to story |
|
| September 2000
MailiWant.com, A Not-By-The-Textbook Success - September 5 Todd Brown is a born salesman and marketer. At 18, he joined Best Buy, Inc. in its "Sound of Music" days and quickly learned a premise that became the cornerstone of MailiWant.com: "Everybody likes to buy something, but nobody wants to be sold something. There's a difference between ... go to story |
|
| August 2000
Entrenaut Incubates Web Start-Ups - August 1 Paul Crawford began his presentation with the statement "I am a consummate entrepreneur!" Proof of that statement can be found in his rise from bankruptcy to his latest venture, Entrenaut, Inc. His new company uses experience, speed and cutting edge online marketing technology to launch internet ventures. ... go to story |
|
| July 2000
Krank Cranks Out $$$ Flow Advice - July 11 Pamela Krank of The Credit Department, Inc. began here presentation at the end. "What's your exit strategy?" She asked the MEI audience as she spoke on "Maximizing Opportunities in Your Small Business." Answering her own question, she ... go to story |
|
| June 2000
Shhhhh! Secrets To Growing Your Business Don't tell anyone but a top-notch panel of seasoned entrepreneurs will reveal, "Secrets to Growing Your Business" at the June 6 MEI meeting. Attend this meeting and hear each of these experts reveal their personal secrets to business success. Then ask them how you can deal with the entrepreneurial challenges you face. The expert panel is comprised of ... go to story |
|
| May 2000
Barbara King: Landscape Structures As one half of the Landscape Structures husband-wife team, Barbara King plays at her work and works at her play. The King's unorthodox business began in a rather unorthodox way In 1970, the duo borrowed $1,000 and began to erect playground structures in their driveway. They took a crash accounting course and wondered how they would pay the rent. By 1998, Landscape Structures had sales of $48 million and a staff of nearly 300 during the peak season. Barbara says ... go to story |
|
| April 2000
Creating A Real Business in the Virtual World - April 4 Digital River, one of the world's largest Web commerce outsource companies is located right in our own backyard. Founder and CEO Joel Ronning resembles a modern day Huckleberry Finn, navigating his $65 million E-commerce success with Digital River. You won't want to miss Joel's adventure in high finance, super charged growth and Internet commerce pioneering. go to story |
|
| March 2000
Brewery President Brews Success - March 7 The MEI audience will get to sip a brew while hearing the story of the James Page Brewery unfold. David Anderson's company just finished the first successful SCOR offering in Minnesota raising $855,000. Are you raising money? If so, you won't want to miss David's "how-to-do-it" in Minnesota story. go to story |
|
| February 2000
Agiliti CEO, Tom Kieffer, Predicts: Tom Kieffer, founder and CEO of Agiliti doesn't need a crystal ball to forecast "A New Age of Entrepreneurship." Kieffer is garnering a lot of attention in his new E-commerce enterprise. go to story |
|
| January 2000
Start the New Year Off With A Geek! - January 4 Robert Stephens is the genius behind "The Geek Squad" - a computer support task force making big headlines in the Twin Cities. On Y2K week, it was Stephens' face all over the television as anxious reporters sought his expertise and comments. Find out how he created a huge business success starting with only $200 in 1994. go to story |
|
| December 1999
UnderWater World: Todd Peterson made his initial entrepreneurial splash with Chippewa Springs, a bottled water company. Petersons' latest venture, UnderWater World at the Mall of America raises many questions. Is it a White Elephant or White Shark? go to story |
|
| November 1999
O'Connor: At 49, Mike O'Connor - a consummate technological entrepreneur - has retired. At least that's what he claims. Mike cofounded and developed "gofast.net", the leading business to business Internet service provider in the Twin Cities. go to story |
|
| October 1999
Got Money? Raising Capital On the Internet! - October 5 For 13 years, Ed Palmer has struggled to gain financial backing for his idea of using heat trapped in the attic to heat swimming pools. After going the standard route of seeking investors for Solar Attic Inc., Palmer got creative. Not only did he sell “stock on a stick” at the 1999 Minnesota State Fair, but he has tapped into the largest potential audience of investors possible - the World Wide Web. Doing so makes him a financial E-commerce pioneer. go to story |
|
| September 1999
Glass Ceiling No Barrier for Construction Giant - September 7 In 1991, when President George Bush honored Gae Veit as National Female Entrepreneur of the Year, he said, “Gae shaped her vision by naming her company Shingobee, which means beautiful evergreen tree. Her beautiful evergreen tree has grown from a small sapling into a thing to behold.” go to story |
|
| August 1999
Mark Peltier, AromaSys, Inc.: Mark tells his "startup" story of how he succeeded in getting his company off the ground. With no resources and even time living in his automobile -- Mark's has a real entrepreneurial story that you won't want to miss hearing. go to story |
|
| July 1999
Bill La Macchia Jr., CEO of Sun Country Airlines: Going head to head with Northwest Airlines is a piece of cake if you believe Bill La Macchia Jr., CEO of Sun Country Airlines. You won't want to miss this opportunity to find out how "upstart" Sun Country plans to do battle against the formidable Northwest Airlines. |
|
| June 1999
Ben Taylor, CEO - The Pelican Group: An immigrant from Africa, Ben Taylor started from scratch and built a group of companies now doing $70 Million a year in business. Find out how he did it and what values he used to make it all happen. go to story |
|
| May 1999
Governor Jesse Ventura: George Magazine profiles Governor Jesse Ventura as one of the 20 most fascinating men in politics. Find out why The Minnesota Entrepreneurs selected him as Entrepreneur of the Year for 1999. go to story |
|
| April 1999
Esperanza Guerrero Anderson, Milestone Growth Fund: "When I see a lousy business plan, it's like they're begging me not to give them money." Esperanza go to story |
|
 |
|
|
|
|