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.
Finalists share 30 best ways to build a business
by Beth Ewen When Upsize set out last spring to find the smartest ways to build a business, we went to the best source: the owners and top managers of growing small companies.
In the pages that follow, we report their 30 best practices in hopes that you can apply their ideas to 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 five finalists in each category based primarily on the impact of the best practice on company performance.
On Oct. 27, 2005, those CEOs, presidents, directors and managers gathered for a remarkable day: the first Upsize Business Builder Awards & Seminar, presented by Wipfli.
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.
One CEO, Louise Anderson of Anderson Performance Improvement Co., wore a witch’s hat to drive home her lesson that it’s OK to have fun in the workplace. Another, Michael Haider of BioE Inc., discussed how failure, managed well, can ultimately lead to success. A third, Steve Shapiro of French Meadow Bakery, detailed how the company’s founder had been driving innovation since its origins a couple of decades ago.
The day wrapped up with an awards luncheon, in which a winner in each category was announced. They are: Best Practices in Finance & Operations: Intertech Software/Intertech Training. Best Practices in Customer Relations: UpNorth Consulting Inc. Best Practices in Technology & Innovation: BioE Inc. Best Practices in Community Impact: Greer & Associates. Best Practices in People & Workplace: Resource Training & Solutions. 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. The Protomold Co. Inc. is this award winner, and CEO Brad Cleveland details his strategy in our cover story inside.
Sponsors of the event provided expert panelists and moderators throughout the morning: Alan Boyden and Vicki Johnson of Wipfli, the Twin Cities accounting firm; Kirk Hoaglund of Clientek, the Minneapolis technology consulting firm; Carol Wirsbinski of Integra Telecom in Bloomington; Paul Savereide of Patterson, Thuente, Skaar & Christensen, the intellectual property law firm in Minneapolis; Elin Raymond and Shelly Warnke of The Sage Group, the Minneapolis marketing and communications firm; and Dean Kloeckner and Phil Novisky of Swenson Anderson Financial Group, the personal and business financial planning firm in Minneapolis.
Two outside judges assisted Upsize magazine and the sponsoring companies in selecting winners: Anne Rodenberg of WomenVenture in St. Paul (www.womenventure.org), and Mike Ryan, of the Small Business Development Center, University of St. Thomas (www.stthomas.edu/sbdc). Both organizations offer resources to help growing companies.
Joe duBord and Brian Hagen of MediTech Communications Inc. in St. Paul (www.gomeditech.com) produced the video presentation of all finalists, sponsors and award winners.
Complete coverage follows of 30 best practices and tips from six experts. We've also included more than 60 Toolkit Tactics, advice published throughout 2005 in Upsize e-tools, our electronic newsletter.
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