Jay Sachetti joined Jeff O’Brien, partner at Husch Blackwell and Dyanne Ross-Hanson, president of Exit Planning Strategies talked about the market for mergers and acquisitions, exit planning opportunities for companies that don’t end up for sale and how companies can maximize their eventual sale price during an early October panel at the first Upsize on Tap event at Summit Brewing Co. in St. Paul.
When the state Legislature passed a law requiring employers to provide paid leave and safe time for employees, Justin Bieganek started hearing differing details from friends, colleagues and peers.
This month, Upsize begins an exciting new project: a search for the best ways to build a small business, with a big party in October to recognize smart business growth and the people who make it happen.
We’re launching the Upsize Business Builder Awards & Seminar, presented by accounting firm Wipfli. Every Minnesota-based business with under 100 employees can take part, so no excuses: This is your chance to get recognition for your company’s brilliant moves.
Here’s how it works. You tell us about your company’s best practices in one of six categories.
For example, maybe you’ve developed a great way to retain outstanding employees, or remodeled your offices to be ergonomically correct. Enter the people and workplace category.
Maybe you’ve retired mounds of debt, or raised piles of money, or beefed up your operating systems to the delight of your board. Enter the finance and operations category.
Maybe you and your employees volunteer hundreds of hours for a neighborhood cause, or employ people who typically have trouble finding work. Enter the community impact category.
Maybe you’ve patented a new product, or are using technology in a way that dramatically cuts costs. Enter the technology and innovation category.
Maybe you’ve launched a new system for tracking customer orders, or cut your delivery time in half. Enter the customer relations category.
Maybe you started a new internal newsletter that branch managers love, or launched a new marketing campaign that’s boosting orders. Enter the communications and marketing category.
A panel of judges will select this summer finalists in each category. Plus, every entrant that also supplies required revenue information will be considered for the overall award: the Upsize Business Builder of the Year. That award is reserved for the small-business owner driving overall growth in the healthiest manner.
All finalists will be invited to share their best practices at a morning seminar in October, followed by an awards luncheon at which winners in each category and the overall winner will be revealed. Coverage of all finalists will appear in the December issue of Upsize magazine.
How to enter: Send an e-mail to no*********@*******ag.com to get a nomination form. Also, check page 47 in this issue for more information. The form gives all the details and criteria, and it’s not too difficult to fill out, I promise. You can nominate your own company or one you admire.
In every issue of Upsize, we include dozens of smart ways in which small-business owners are building their companies. Every one of those examples, and hundreds more that we haven’t gotten to yet, deserves recognition.
The Upsize Business Builder Awards & Seminar is your chance to share what you know: how you and your employees are building a great small business.
— Beth Ewen
Editor and co-founder
Upsize Minnesota
be***@*******ag.com
