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.
Launch Minnesota will not only house many ongoing programs but also will provide funds for training and assisting the businesses they hope will be major employers in the future.
Tellijohn: Why is Launch Minnesota important?
Grove: We think economic development needs to focus on the businesses of the future and creating a great ecosystem for innovation in Minnesota. When we came into this administration we talked to a lot of entrepreneurs and venture capitalists to figure out how Minnesota’s start-up ecosystem is good and how it could use some help?
Tellijohn: What does the initiative do?
Grove: It has three main pieces at its core:
The first is a series of innovation grants to help entrepreneurs get started, whether it’s R-and-D grants, (Small Business Innovation Research) matching funds or business liquidity grants to set up shop.
The second pillar is a series of educational grants that help entrepreneurs get training and guidance to create a start-up: how to pitch a venture capitalist, how to create a technology team. We want to create an outreach arm that allows entrepreneurs to build their companies with some help from experts.
The third pillar is an office outside government in a local co-working space that becomes a centralized outreach center for all that we are doing.
More than that, it’s going to become the umbrella under which all the start-up activity we do exists. The Angel Tax Credit is a part of it, some of the broadband work we’re doing is part of it, the emerging entrepreneur loan program is part of it. We want to put a stamp on our work to help entrepreneurs and high-technology companies succeed. And we hope it’s not just government that’s doing this, but that we’re partnering with the private sector and other players.
Tellijohn: Rather than working at the Capitol, your director will be working in co-working space. Why?
Grove: Part of it is to ensure that people are aware of the effort. Having an office not in the halls of government, but out in the community where entrepreneurs spend their time, is critical. It’s also about giving us access to other community leaders and key startup figures in the community so we’re building the right program.
Tellijohn: How can people find out about Launch Minnesota?
Grove: There will be an official kickoff in the fall. Once we do, you’ll be able to navigate to us at a specific URL where you can apply for grants and all that good stuff.
contact:
STEVE GROVE,DEED Commissioner: 651.259.7114;
DE******************@******mn.us; mn.gov/deed.
The use of fractional executives — those hired by companies on contract to work a fraction of the hours at less cost than full-time hires — has been on the rise for years. That accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. John Arms, co-founder of Voyageur U, helped establish the organization to help educate free agents on what it takes to make it as a fractional executive. He’s now put that knowledge into print, recently releasing the book “Consult Your Way to a Full-Time Job.” Arms joined Upsize Minnesota Editor Andrew Tellijohn to talk about how the book can help potential fractional executives carve their new paths.
Branding expert Kate DiLeo wrote a book about how branding agencies need to do less storytelling and more listening to better meet their clients’ needs.
