Cover Story
Survive & thrive
Shifting on the fly gives business owners a chance to pull through difficult times In early 2020, things were looking good at Andy’s Garage, an American food diner at the Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis. Following a strong 2019, the company was off to another good start. “We were going for our best year ever,” says […] Continue reading →
Letter From the Editor
Upsize 2.0
When Upsize co-founder Beth Ewen wanted to take a step back from editorial duties a few years back, she reached out to me and a couple others to measure our interest in taking over. I’ve always loved the magazine, so I immediately replied back in the affirmative. That earned me an interview with Wes Bergstrom, […] Continue reading →
Back Page
Remembering Upsize Minnesota co-founder Wes Bergstrom
When Wes Bergstrom was in college in the 1960s, he turned in a paper late. The professor had given him an incomplete, but wrote him a letter saying he could go get his grade changed. He didn’t do it right away, but did take care of eventually. “He saved it for like 20 years and […] Continue reading →
Focus
Local organizations offer financial, practical advice to small businesses hit by Covid-19
Since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the U.S. about a year ago, several organizations have stepped up trying to help business owners navigate the resources and programs available to help them survive. Continue reading →
Business Builders
Crafting non-compete agreements that are fair, beneficial and enforceable
Employers want to ensure that their customer goodwill and valuable confidential information don’t walk out the door when an employee resigns. One method of protecting — or attempting to protect — a business’s interests is use of non-compete agreements or other similar types of agreements, which are collectively known in the legal field as restrictive […] Continue reading →
Management
Contingency planning for disasters can make or break a company We routinely read news stories about tornados, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, fires, computer viruses, ransomware blackmail and the list goes on. These events should provide sufficient motivation for business owners to create business continuity plans. Yet, many do nothing. If you are old enough, ponder […] Continue reading →
Navigating the second pandemic
As recently conveyed in a conversation with my boss, I’ve hit a proverbial wall with COVID-19. The accumulative stressors we all feel are starting to take a toll — even now, at a time when we are on the cusp of large-scale vaccination. My guess is this may resonate with you and the people who […] Continue reading →
Five ways to find your brand’s “X-factor”
When was the last time you looked hard at — really zoomed in on — your company’s brand? If it was before the pandemic hit, you’re due for a change. It’s no surprise that the seismic shift in the way we live, work, consume information, shop and make decisions is also impacting the way […] Continue reading →
Catching up
New training methodology, virtual skillset expanding reach at HueLife
In the five years since Upsize Minnesota visited with Irina and Richard Fursman much has changed. COVID-19 wiped out a significant amount of the pro bono work the facilitation training company had been doing internationally, though that will soon be re-emerging virtually – perhaps a stronger and more efficient way of providing that business than […] Continue reading →
