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.
by Beth Ewen When Upsize began its second annual search this spring to find the smartest ways to build a business, we went to the best source: the owners of growing companies.
In the pages that follow, we report their 30 best practices and tips for applying those ideas at your own enterprises.
We asked for best practices in six areas crucial to operating a business. Our judges considered the flood of nominees, and chose in July five finalists in each category based primarily on the effect of the best practice on company performance.
On Oct. 26, 2006, those CEOs, presidents, directors and managers gathered for an energetic day: the second Upsize Business Builder Awards & Seminar, presented by Employers Association.
In each of six panel discussions throughout the morning, five finalists detailed what works for them and answered questions about how to make it work for others. A sixth panelist, an expert on the topic, helped attendees apply the best practices to their own firms.
The day wrapped up with an awards luncheon, in which a winner in each category was announced. They are: Best Practices in Finance & Operations: Restoration Professionals. Best Practices in Customer Relations: Stork Twin City Testing. Best Practices in Technology & Innovation: College Nannies & Tutors. Best Practices in Community Impact: Western Bank. Best Practices in People & Workplace: Orbit Systems. Best Practices in Communications & Marketing: Lancet Software Development Inc.
Finally, we named the Upsize Business Builder of the Year, based on revenue increases over three years and overall approach to driving healthy growth. Digineer Inc. is this award winner, and CEO Michael Lacey details his strategy in our cover story inside.
Sponsors of the event provided expert panelists and moderators throughout the morning: Diane Hinds and Sue Eskedahl of Employers Association, a Plymouth organization offering human resources and management consulting services to members; Kirk Hoaglund of Clientek, a Minneapolis information technology consulting firm; Ken Worcester of Integra Telecom, a Bloomington provider of voice, data and Internet communications services; Stacey DeKalb of Lommen Abdo, a law firm with offices in Minneapolis and Hudson, Wisconsin; and Elin Raymond of The Sage Group, a Minneapolis marketing and communications firm.
Three outside judges assisted Upsize magazine and the sponsoring companies in selecting winners: Anne Rodenberg of WomenVenture in St. Paul (www.womenventure.org), Mike Ryan, of the Small Business Development Center, University of St. Thomas (www.stthomas.edu/sbdc); and Debbie Stewart of the International Institute for Women Entrepreneurs, College of St. Catherine, in St. Paul (www.stkate.edu/iiwe) All three organizations offer resources to help growing companies.
Joe duBord and Brian Hagen of This Clicks Interactive, a new division of MediTech Communications Inc. in Roseville (www.gomeditech.com) produced the video presentation of all finalists, sponsors and award winners.
Complete coverage follows of 30 best practices, six expert outlooks, six winners’ philosophies, plus detailed advice and “lessons I learned” from the Upsize Business Builder of the Year.
Cannabis-based products have been increasingly available in Minnesota over the last six years. The opportunities in that space became even more prominent last year when the state legislature voted to become the 23rd state to legalize adult recreational use of marijuana for Minnesotans over 21.
When Super Bowl LII was played at U.S. Bank Stadium in February 2018, Alex Tittle didn’t play a down on the field, but he had more than three-years of impact on the experience.
Unemployment in Minnesota sits below 3 percent. Labor market participation is high. Airport traffic counts across the country are approaching and even surpassing pre-pandemic levels, so consumers are still spending money. Consumer confidence, reportedly spurred by the strong labor market, also seems at least cautiously on the rise.
