Cover Story
Keeping it personal
Studio M Architects has helped design some funky, iconic restaurants, bars and retail spaces in the Twin Cities and across the country. It’s a small team of five, though Principal Adam Meyer has a team of contractors and another company he can call to partner with when the workload gets heavy. Prior to COVID, Studio […] Continue reading →
Letter From the Editor
Together in loss and in business
I had expected a rollicking good time when I called up Craig Kruckeberg, one of my favorite Minnesota entrepreneurs, who took over his father’s company, heavy-duty truck supplier Minimizer, when it had less than $1 million in revenue and grew it to a $60 million sale to a private equity firm. I had just read his […] Continue reading →
Focus
All onboard
F3 Wireless employs a team of engineering experts that partners with clients on anything from wireless technology certification test plans to complete device development. It’s been set up from the start where people can work remotely because such engineers tend to work best if they have long stretches of quiet time. Until recently, the company was small enough where staff could collaborate or have questions answered through Google Chat or other online tools. But often times, information most new hires would get early in their time on a job fell by the wayside due to the lack of formal processes. “There was no process associated with ‘How do I find someone, how do I document.’ There was no process for the job description,” says Chris Anderson, chief technical officer. He would find someone interested in a new role, they would negotiate compensation, he’d send them a letter and refer them to the company wiki, which contained information about how to punch in to work, access the time tracking system and start getting paid and fill out the paperwork for getting paid. Once that was filled out, he’d hand the new hire off to a project manager and they’d get to work. Continue reading →
Business Builders
The next act: prepping for retirement
When you think of the word retirement, what comes to mind? For many it’s 401k planning, travel, new hobbies, giving back, more golf, family time and being untethered to the hustle of what has been. As we think of our own retirement, it can also be uncertain, uncharted territory. The closer we get, the more […] Continue reading →
Ins and outs of family business succession planning
The transition of a family business to a younger generation is an exciting, but nerve-wracking time for both sides of the deal. The older generation (sellers) is spending more and more time away from the day-to-day operations of the company and enjoying the fruits of their labor but is also confronted with the fact that […] Continue reading →
Making your website work for you
Every business needs a home on the web and technology has gotten good enough that almost anyone can create a decent page using tools like HubSpot, WordPress, Squarespace and many more. The trick is to create a site that helps you grow your business. Here are the most important things to know before you build […] Continue reading →
Selling your business without a price in an M&A auction
Do you know the value of your business? Many small business owners don’t, plus it’s not uncommon for them to have the majority of their net worth tied up in their business. So, it’s important they receive top dollar for their “baby” when they decide to sell. When a business owner decides to sell, their […] Continue reading →
Catching up
Rapidly growing Renters Warehouse sees infinite opportunities ahead
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. The growth has never stopped, though a […] Continue reading →
