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.
STEVEN SCHUSSLER, creator of the Rainforest Café, talks a mile a minute, and about every fifth thing he says makes you laugh out loud.
Joe Heron, CEO of Ardea Beverage, likes to press a six-pack of his company’s airforce Nutrisoda into every visitor’s hands.
Steve Bloom, CEO of the fast-growing Pragmatek, hugs business colleagues that he hasn’t seen for a while, and will do the same for strange reporters upon request.
These are three things I know about these local business owners because I have the best job in the world: I get to call up anyone and request an interview, and almost all will say yes. (Note to the 1 percent who have rejected me so far: Please see the words “so far” in the preceding phrase.)
Now all Upsize readers have the chance to meet these fascinating people and eight more scheduled to speak at the first Upsize Small-Business Summit, presented by Highland Bank, March 5, 3-7:30 p.m., at the Earle Brown Heritage Center.
All of these folks have graciously agreed to share their stories at the event, during three panel discussions that will allow plenty of time for Q&A.
Phil Soran, CEO of Compellent Technologies, will tell how he deliberately structured his second data-storage company in light of what he learned at his first: Xiotech Inc., which he took in five years from zero to a $360 million sale.
Monica Nassif, president of Caldrea and Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Day, will detail her two-pronged approach to penetrating the consumer market for her company’s aromatic cleaning products.
Amy Langer, co-CEO of SALO LLC, will share how she and her business partner grew their young company rapidly by tapping knowledge at universities.
We’ll cover everything they have to say in upcoming issues of Upsize, of course, but there’s really nothing like hearing and talking to people in person.
You can ask your own questions about the economic outlook to Toby Madden, regional economist for the Federal Reserve Bank in Minneapolis, or David Vang, finance professor and Ph.D. in economics at the University of St. Thomas.
You can grill Marcia Ballinger, principal of KeyStone Search, for her advice about how small-business owners can create succession plans and strong management teams as they hurtle toward retirement age.
Maybe over a cocktail and some delicious food at the speakers’ reception, you can ask Schussler how he continues to come up with creative idea after creative idea, the latest being T Rex, the mega-restaurant concept he sold to the company that operates restaurants for Disney.
Or you can find out how Heron managed to sell his company, Ardea Beverage, to PepsiAmericas to access their distribution muscle.
I hope to see you there, and find out what your company is doing, too. If you have to miss the event, we’ll catch you up in the pages of Upsize — but then for sure you won’t get a free soda or a big hug.
— Beth Ewen
editor and co-founder
Upsize Minnesota
be***@*******ag.com
