Luke Carlson never thought he’d be running a fitness company. His education was in kinesiology and exercise science and, at 23, he was an assistant trainer for the Minnesota Vikings. But when a friend recommended it, he embraced the idea of starting a strength...
Cover Story
To be or not to be
Kevin Groves faced a dilemma two years ago, when the majority partner at Alpha Video wanted out. Although Groves could have sold his minority stake, too, for a nice payday at age 54, he decided to instead go for it. So he got a bank loan, bought the company and now is...
Cover Story: Upsize Business Builder of the Year
Tom Salonek has experienced it all while building Intertech from a spare bedroom in his house to a 70-employee firm with more than $14 million in revenue. From chaos to calm, from ‘gunslinging’ to well-developed systems. Tom Salonek has experienced it all while...
Upsize Growth Challenge – Finish line
About this project The Upsize Growth Challenge, presented by Winthrop & Weinstine, is a contest created by Upsize magazine to match two winning business owners with the expert advice they need to reach their goals. From nominations, judges select two winners...
Workshop: Upsize Growth Challenge
This year’s two Upsize Growth Challenge winners, TimeSolv and Way Cool Cooking School, came to the experts searching for answers to specific questions. What they got was a new way to look at their businesses, which is a point of view useful to every entrepreneur....
GENERATION juncture
What generation gap? At SkyWater Search Partners, an executive search firm founded in 2013, they’re aiming to close the divide between millennials all the way up to the Greatest Generation, and counseling clients how to do the same. Co-founders Kurt Rakos, Tony...
STUFF HAPPENS
How two athletes are making custom sports apparel in the heart of St. Paul, and competing well in a new arena. By Beth Ewen ™He's a history major; I’m an English major. So it makes sense we’re in manufacturing,” says Jessica Lutter with a laugh, about her business...
Worldview
They met via match.com, she in Ukraine and he in Minnesota. They blended two families with five children when she moved to America, but found it challenging to communicate well. They formed a consulting firm called HUElife but struggled to find a focus. Today, Richard...
Center stage
Take four finalists, 13 key executives and even an improvisational hand-clapping exercise, and what do you get? Best practices for building a business, useful for any entrepreneur. ABOUT THIS PROJECT The Upsize Business Builder Awards, presented by Winthrop...
Shot in the arm
HealthSource Solutions provides wellness services to corporate clients, but it was the company’s own health that needed attention a year ago. Strapped for cash and with morale in the dumps, CEO Mary Kruse bought out her business partner, tapped her retirement savings...