When Renters Warehouse won the 2014 Business Builder of the Year award, the company had just eclipsed $5 million in revenue. A couple years later, when CEO Kevin Ortner spoke on a panel hosted by Club Entrepreneur, it was up to 15 offices and $15 million in revenue....
Catching up
Thread Logic still sewing its own way
In the early days of Thread Logic, Jeff Taxdahl had no interest in becoming an e-commerce company. He figured if the internet was going to work for an embroidered product company that someone would already be doing it. But he also had told his wife, Wenda, who also is...
Still building: Blanski left corporate America, never looked back
It’s been 22 years since Tim Blanski and Lisa Catton sold what had been their dream house in St. Paul, left their busy jobs and re-settled in Spring Grove, nearly three hours to the southeast and not far from both the Wisconsin and Iowa borders.
Still brewing
Twenty years ago, Skip Fay and Chris Eilers had just transitioned from Dunn Brothers Coffee franchisees to franchisors. They were enamored with the opportunity to build the coffee shop brand as a place where folks could sip away the day in a smoke-free coffee shop with free Internet access.
Optimism, adherence to fundamentals keeps Kam Talebi growing
Kaskaid Hospitality Description: Parent company of restaurants including Crave, Brit’s Pub, Blvd Kitchen & Bar, Union Bar & Grill and Butcher’s Tale Headquarters: Bloomington Founded: 2007 CEO: Kam Talebi Employees: More than 1,200 Website:...
Discover Strength discovered franchising for its next round of growth
When Luke Carlson spoke to Upsize in 2017 about Discover Strength, his strength training company was generating the highest revenue per square foot of any fitness concept in North America through its three Twin Cities-based locations. After surviving — perhaps even...
Johnston joins several banking vets in opening EntreBank
Long-time readers of Upsize will recognize Melissa Johnston from the many Upsize/Club Entrepreneur panel discussions she took part in while serving as senior vice president and senior business banker at Highland Bank. Truth be told, she says, she wasn’t looking to leave that role, even after learning of a new opportunity that would allow her to become a co-founder.
Kruckeberg still busy despite maximizing Minimizer sale
In September 2018, Kruckeberg sold Minimizer in an eight-figure deal he says exceeded expert expectations “because they bought a brand,” he says of the company’s new owners. “It was a brand and a distribution model. They didn’t buy a manufacturing company.”
Barking up the right tree
John Sturgess had more than two decades of experience managing and operating human hotels when he got the idea to create one for pets. Adogo Pet Hotels opened in 2011 and, when Upsize visited with him in 2016, he had three locations open in Minnesota with plans to expand locally, regionally and nationally.
TitleSmart still growing quickly via focus on customers
Six Januarys ago, TitleSmart Inc. was one of five finalists for the Upsize Business Builder of the Year award. Renter’s Warehouse eventually won the prize that year, but TitleSmart and its founder have proven worthy participants for that title in the years since. By...