An advocate of slow growth, Sota Clothing founder Spencer Johnson stays true to the inspiration of his very first t-shirt design: celebrating state pride. On the brand's 10 year anniversary, he discusses the balance of running a locally focused business that is selling nationally.
Dori Graff
Kidizen Co-Founder/CEO
The secondhand clothing market is finally catching up with online resale marketplace Kidizen. Co-founder and CEO Dori Graff talks about being early to the sustainability trend and evolving to serve consumers as well as brands.
Alyssa and Paul Boswell
Turing Tumble CEO and Inventor
Two former teachers from St. Paul are making abstract concepts tangible with educational games like Turing Tumble, and they've bootstrapped the business through Kickstarter.
Dionne Gumbs
GenEQTY Founder
She left investment banking to create a fintech platform that would increase access to capital for women and people of color who are trying to scale small businesses.
Amy Langer
Co-Owner/Co-Founder
She believed professionals should be able to set their own work schedule 20 years before hybrid became the norm. Now the co-founder of Salo talks about creating a work culture that prioritizes relationships over transactions.
Robbie Harrell
Founder/CEO Minnesota Ice
Robbie Harrell started Minnesota Ice before he owned a freezer. Determination and problem solving has helped him build to a nearly $10 million company.
Kieran Folliard
Food and Beverage Entrepreneur
The man whose name is synonymous with Irish pubs in the Twin Cities is at it again with a new Irish whiskey called Red Locks. Serial entrepreneur Kieran Folliard, who founded and sold 2 Gingers whiskey, shares the process of launching new businesses, and why he’ll never retire.
Sally Mueller
Womaness Co-founder and CEO
Menopause inspired seasoned retail executive Sally Mueller to become an entrepreneur. The Womaness co-founder talks about the multi-billion dollar opportunity of marketing to women over 50.
Ian Grant
Culture Quest Creator/Host
Emmy Award winning TV host Ian Grant channels his love of travel, art, culture, and storytelling into business—through furniture making, and a new PBS series Culture Quest.
Justin Kaufenberg
Sports Engine Co-Founder/Rally Ventures Managing Director
The co-founder of SportsEngine, turned managing director with Rally Ventures, shares lessons learned from building the leading youth sports software platform used by 35 million monthly subscribers.
Chris Montana
Du Nord Craft Spirits Founder/CEO
Du Nord Craft Spirits is known in the industry as the nation’s first Black-owned micro distillery. It’s a distinction founder Chris Montana would like to shed. “I’m sick of being
Angie Tebbe
Rae Wellness Co-founder/CEO
Angie Tebbe is on a mission to make vitamins cool. “I believe that if you’re going to start something from scratch, dream big,” says Tebbe, who left the Target merchant
Ping Yeh
Vyant Bio Chief Innovation Oficer
“Is there a better way to find safer and more effective medicine?” That’s the question Ping Yeh pondered as he fought his way back from the brink of death in
Fueled Collective Co-Founder Don Ball
Fueled Collective Co-Founder
The pandemic called into question everything that made coworking desirable: shared work areas, in-person networking. But industry pioneer Don Ball has seen work culture trends cycle more than once before.
Jon Pearce
Zipnosis Founder
In March of 2020, as the U.S. shut down offices and clinics to guard against Covid-19, the telehealth platform Zipnosis saw an unbelievable spike in traffic, from around 1,800 visits
Sam Harper + Michael Mader
Hippy Feet co-founders
“When you bring someone to tears by describing what you do, that seems viable.” Michael Mader and Sam Harper started their sock business, Hippy Feet, with a mission: to support
Houston White
Serial Entrepreneur + Community Builder
Serial entrepreneur Houston White’s business endeavors include barber shop, apparel collection that has been featured by Target and JCPenney, a coffee cafe and product brand, and housing development. But he’s building
Marion Parke
Founder/CEO Marion Parke footwear
Manolo Blahnik. Jimmy Choo. Christian Louboutin. Marion Parke. It takes moxie, clear vision, and a major investment to launch a luxury footwear brand with no experience in the field. But