Cover Story
Coming soon
With companies like Nike making big VR splashes through conducting virtual shoe try-ons via the Facebook’s Metaverse and equipment price points coming down, it’s only a matter of time, says Berenjian. He left a corporate banking career to help start the REM5 Virtual Reality Laboratory in St. Louis Park, where anyone can go experience a virtual reality headset while having drinks and dinner. Continue reading →
Letter From the Editor
Growing a food brand takes gusto
Sporting bright goldenrod pants on a gray day, Angie Gustafson strides into a Minneapolis coffeeshop to catch Upsize up on her natural food brand, Gustola Granola. “I love the word gusto. I think it’s full of energy and vibrancy,” she says, while perhaps unwittingly displaying two of her signature personality traits. “We’re trying to put […] Continue reading →
Back Page
Global Leaders Organization coming to Minnesota
Entrepreneurs looking to network and grow their businesses might consider joining one of many coaching organizations available to them in the Twin Cities. A local husband and wife team are bringing another to town, the Global Leaders Organization (GLO), a nationwide community aimed at helping with growth, connection and the raising of capital. The organization […] Continue reading →
Focus
Augmentation examples: AI & VR at work
Presenters, whether pitching a banker, a potential investor, in a competition or elsewhere, go into the Brevity platform and type in the pitch goal, audience and duration of the presentation. The software then recommends the number of statements and slides necessary to keep the pitch to an appropriate time — and it customizes the details to the type of pitch, so a three-minute speech for a startup fundraising opportunity would look different from a similarly timed pitch for a networking event. Continue reading →
Business Builders
IT security protections for every growing business
Cybercrimes are increasing in intensity and hackers are setting their sights on small and medium businesses who are more vulnerable for not fully investing in their network security. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, at least half of the 82,000 new malware threats released daily to steal credit cards, sensitive data and money are aimed at SMBs. Take steps to implement critical IT security protocols and protect everything you have worked to build. Continue reading →
The surprising thing about uncertainty
What I have discovered over the last two years is that uncertainty has actually increased my customers’ appetite for change. With so many outside influences on our daily lives, making a big change feels like self-determination. My customers are as motivated and impatient as I have ever seen them and uncertainty has increased their desire to have as much influence as possible over the events around them. Continue reading →
The growing role of technology in human resources
For a long time now, large businesses have used a variety of applications, software tools and technology systems within their HR departments. Their reason for doing this is simple: there are more people, as well as infrastructure and paperwork required to support them, than these companies’ HR teams can handle manually. So, they use technology to automate routine tasks, streamline processes, ensure compliance and more. As a result, they increase efficiency and minimize their need to spend valuable resources on additional staff. Continue reading →
Strategies for becoming a data-driven company
We are in the era that data experts are calling the Age of Big Data. In fact, we have been for several years now. The data craze has driven us to a widespread state of what we like to call “Analysis Paralysis.” It’s that point where you collect every piece of information that is, will be or may become important. And for most business owners, that means you’re now sitting on an enormous pile of data without any real insight. Continue reading →
Catching up
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. Continue reading →
