Coordination/Collaboration : Innovation + Job News

The Role of Diversity in a World of Opportunity
 
May 31
Walker Art Center, Skyline Room
5:30pm - 8pm
$35 (rsvp required)
 
What does diversity in business really mean? It goes beyond race and culture, and extends into creating meaningful messages that resonate with consumers. In this presentation by Chris Roberts, president of Cargill Kitchen Solutions, attendees will hear about how we can check our own biases in order to do good work. All proceeds go to benefit The BrandLab, a non-profit that brings students from diverse backgrounds together with people in the marketing industry.
 
Eyeo Festival
 
June 5 - 8
Walker Art Center
9am - 2pm
Pre-conference workshops: $125; festival ticket price: $549
 
Artists, designers, and coders come together for a series of workshops and mixers to transform digital culture. The festival attracts a wide range of talented individuals, including those interested in creative code, data visualization, design, experience design, 3D printing, architecture, and gestural computing.
 
d.school Crash Course
 
June 5
CoCo Minneapolis
6pm - 8pm
$50
 
A quick introduction to "design thinking" methods and mindsets. In this session, students will take a common experience and redesign it completely. This crash course is based on the original Stanford Design Program d.school curriculum. See The Line's coverage of CoCo's d.school here.
 
TechMasters
 
June 5
Benchmark Learning training facility
4510 W. 77th St., Suite 210, Edina
7:40am - 9am
free
 
TechMasters is a new Toastmasters chapter in the Twin Cities, dedicated to helping technology professionals improve their skills in public speaking and presentations, impromptu speaking, critical thinking, and communicating with non-technical people. Every week, the group rotates roles to practice speaking in a friendly and supportive environment.
 
Womens Excelerator Workshop
 
June 16
St. Catherine University
CDC401 Board room, 4th floor
8am - 12pm
$89
 
In this workshop, attendees will develop a level of comfort with pitching their business, and will learn to create a value proposition statement. Each entrepreneur will have 10 minutes to present her business to her peers and facilitators, followed by a feedback session to identify which parts of the elevator pitches need work.

School outreach and scholarship program The BrandLab has been growing steadily since its inception in 2007, and this year, the organization is kicking off its summer season with a whole new offering: a work-ready training week.
 
Started by OLSON and expanded to include other agencies, The BrandLab creates opportunities in the marketing industry for students with diverse cultural and economic backgrounds (see The Line's previous coverage here).
 
This year, executive director Ellen Walthour was chatting with a 3M executive about wanting to broaden the initial training that's done when the students arrive. Since the participants range in age from 17 to 20, most haven't had a professional job and sometimes have trouble adjusting to a business environment.
 
3M offered to pay for a week of training, and that kicked off a flurry of networking and workshop development, with a range of topics planned. Students will learn about how to act at a business lunch, what to wear, how to write in a professional manner, what to expect in an informational interview, and how to brand themselves.
 
"It's been amazing to see how this has all come together," says Walthour. "People are so eager to help, and we have workshop leaders from several agencies in town."
 
The main goal, she adds, is to give the students confidence when they're walking into their 7-week internship. From there, they can learn about how to eventually stand out in a competitive job marketplace and compete against a large pool of talented professionals.
 
If all goes well, it's likely that The BrandLab will implement the week-long workshop again next year, and keep the business insights buzzing for its fortunate interns.
 
Source: Ellen Walthour, The BrandLab
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Imagine being out with your real estate agent and expressing interest in a certain neighborhood. The agent holds up a smartphone, taps a few buttons, and voila! You have for-sale property listings for a multi-block radius, complete with the ability to arrange a viewing.
 
That future is now, with a mobile app called HomeSpotter, created by MobileRealtyApps.com and recently integrated into the technology mix at NorthstarMLS. The organization serves more than 13,500 realtors in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
 
"Using this app really increases the 'wow factor' for local agents," says Tom Flaherty, director of marketing and communications for NorthstarMLS.
 
HomeSpotter uses a technology called augmented reality, which can overlay property info on a device's live camera feed. Using an iPhone or iPad (with Android soon to come), an agent can get data on surrounding properties for sale, including photos of the interior, property specifics, and other relevant details.
 
"These days, everyone expects a realtor to have information at their fingertips, and with this app, we can meet that expectation," notes Flaherty. "We're finding it to be very beneficial."
 
The developer is working on a consumer version, but it would only be available if the user is working with a licensed real estate agent.
 
Since its introduction at NorthstarMLS earlier this year, Flaherty is seeing robust interest and numerous downloads. He says, "Agents tell us that it makes them look good to clients, because it shows that they have the latest technology tools available."
 
Maybe in the not-too-distant future, people will be be able actually buy a house with a few clicks of a smartphone...
 
Source: Tom Flaherty, NorthstarMLS
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

What happens when a former executive "fails" at retirement, longing for the type of daily success that only work can bring? Or when a senior director wants to make a switch to another company, but hasn't updated her resume in decades?
 
In situations like these, Navigate Forward is ready to assist.
 
Started in 2008 by management consultants Teresa Daly and Mary Kloehn, the firm works with executives in transition. Daly says, "We really saw an opportunity in the marketplace to help this group of people. In the big firms, transition services have changed, they've become more standardized. We felt people needed more personalized services to meet them where they're at."
 
She adds that many of those in the Baby Boom generation are at a particular crossroads right now in their careers. They've been used to trailblazing, and are now seeing work change as they get older. In the later stages of their careers, they may prefer to switch industries, work longer into their supposed retirement, or even shift into starting their own companies.
 
"Careers aren't always a straight line," says Daly. "Because of that, making career transitions isn't just about updating a resume or tapping into a network."
 
Navigate Forward specializes in helping executives to "build their brand," which means packaging themselves based on where they're going, not on where they've been. Daly notes that a resume is helpful for detailing experience, but it's a "look  backward" that doesn't usually capture the essence of a person.
 
The firm prefers to create a "brand profile" instead that captures someone's interests, passions, and personality. Clients often tell Navigate Forward that they come out of the process with more clarity than they've ever had.
 
"They're able to tell a story about who they are, and what unique contributions they can bring to an organization," Daly says.
 
The firm currently employs nine people and expects to grow organically as it develops an even stronger foothold in the local executive transition space. Daly notes, "There's such a big trend of seeing the value of a whole generation of executives, and understanding what they bring to the business world."
 
Source: Teresa Daly, Navigate Forward
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Founded in 1991 by entrepreneur Tom Salonek, Intertech has grown from a one-person operation to the largest combined software-developer training company in the state.
 
The firm's consulting services and software development give the company an even greater edge and now with more facility space, Intertech is making a splash nationally as well as locally.
 
Recently, the company moved to a new building, and although it stayed in its hometown of Eagan, it nearly doubled the amount of square footage of its offices and training rooms.
 
In addition to expanding geographically, the company took the opportunity to boost its virtual technology as well, giving its training spaces a high-tech flair that's increased its client base as a result.
 
"People have greater ability to attend classes virtually, and that's significantly increased enrollment for us," says Salonek. "Also, it's driven our consulting to a higher level as well." For example, the company just signed a consulting contract with a firm in South Korea, and will conduct business via the virtual technology at the new facility.
 
Salonek believes that the growth will remain robust, and he predicts that the company should bring in about $12.5 million this year. Several new employees have been added just in the past month, and hiring should continue at a steady pace, Salonek notes, especially in the sales and technology departments.
 
"We're looking forward to building out additional offerings and bringing on more clients, in addition to serving existing clients," he says. "It's an exciting time for us."
 
Source: Tom Salonek, Intertech
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Finding skilled employees is always a challenge, but what about staffing a short-term project that requires expertise on thin polymers or medtech regulations? Then it's time to call Talencio.
 
The staffing firm, founded in 2008 by Paula Norbom, specializes in contract and direct-hire professionals in biotech, pharmaceutical, healthcare, and medtech. Norbom had been an executive in the medical device industry, and found that there was a particular need in the life sciences field for shorter-term experts who could lend their experience to projects.
 
"The life science industry is really strong here in Minnesota, and there's some great talent," says Norbom. "So, we're all about making those connections."
 
The company has five employees, and maintains a database of about 2,000 contractors, with around 80 percent located in the state.
 
Norbom expects that Talencio will keep growing its contractor roster, and expanding its services. Part of that growth will come from a pool of contractors who appreciate the flexibility that a project-based arrangement can bring.
 
"Many people just want to do what they love and what they know how to do best," Norbom says. "They don't want to be stuck in meetings all day. This way, they can just step in and get the job done and move to the next project."
 
She adds that companies are changing how they view employment as well. Many of her clients have a core group of talented employees, and bring talent in as needed from Talencio. Norbom expects this strategy to keep booming, and the firm will grow as a result. So, for those in the life science industry who need help with everything from risk management to clinical research, Talencio is ready.
 
Source: Paula Norbom, Talencio
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Some companies are particularly well named. Here's an example: On-Demand Group, which is bringing such fresh energy to the IT consulting realm that it's driving high client demand.
 
Helmed by Heather Manley, with her brother Sean acting as COO and partner, the company was started by their father 16 years ago. Manley signed on in 2006 and bought out the firm just two years later.
 
Over the past five years, they've worked to revamp technology and processes, and as a result, they've seen consistent growth. Last year, the company grew 75 percent, Manley says.
 
On-Demand Group fuels that surge by distinguishing itself from other IT consulting firms, Manley notes: "We're doing a ton of things that add value. We do a multitude of steps that companies don't do when they're on-boarding." She adds that the firm also has a global component, since it does some work in Latin America and Southeast Asia.
 
"Every year, we add something that's different and unique," she says. "Whether it's a new perk or more social activities, we create a culture that draws people to us."
 
The company has about 50 consultants in its pool, and within the next year, Manley expects to double the consultant roster, and to continue expansion of offshore offerings. With second stage growth just around the corner, On-Demand Group is likely to keep creating more demand.
 
"This is a really exciting time, and we're implementing some fantastic things," Manley says.
 
Source: Heather Manley, On-Demand Group
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Sometimes, the decision about whether to "build or buy" can lead to even greater things than a more efficient software system.
 
At least, that's what happened when convention and visitors association Meet Minneapolis began looking for a better database system in 2003. The organization found that a solution didn't exist that was specific to the destination marketing industry. After deciding to build their own, the phones started ringing.
 
"We heard from other convention bureau leaders who told us that if we built a solution, they were interested in buying it," says Mark Lynch, vice president of sales and marketing at iDSS (Internet Destination Sales System), the company that was formed to market the subsequent system.
 
Recently, iDSS noted a significant new enhancement that will provide destination marketing organizations with the ability to measure the economic value of an event, and calculate the return on investment to the local community. In other words, if a city wants to know how much sales tax and lodging tax a certain convention would generate, iDSS could give the answer. Other factors can also be reported, like the anticipated number of jobs created as a result of an event.
 
The advancement comes as part of a technology partnership with Destination Marketing Association International, the trade association for Meet Minneapolis and other convention bureaus. Lynch notes that it should help iDSS get even more traction as it continues to expand.
 
"We're adding new clients every day," he says. "Many organizations have been waiting for the capability that we have to offer. So, we're looking forward to what's ahead."
 
Source: Mark Lynch, iDSS
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

At accounting and advisory firm Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, industry experts advise clients on a range of issues, such as management, taxes, transactions, and international expansion. However, when the industries intersect, things can get even more interesting.
 
That's what's occurring among three to four practice areas within the firm, says John Jackels, Renewable Energy Development and Finance Manager, who notes that the energy group and waste management group are crossing paths with the food and beverage group. The result: huge potential for turning food waste into renewable energy.
 
Baker Tilly recently spoke at the International Cheese Technology Expo, on the topic of cheese waste becoming an energy product. Although it would take an awful lot of cheese to create a major energy source, when you consider the amount of other food waste that results from manufacturing, the impact could be formidable, Jackels believes.
 
"Food and beverage manufacturers all have waste as a result of production," he says. "This is called 'high-strength waste' because it requires more time and energy to process. Right now, manufacturers are paying a surcharge for this service, but what if we can use that by-product for energy? Then it would be prevented from going into the watershed, and we'd have a renewable source of energy."
 
Baker Tilly is looking into tax credits and other federal incentives, and plans to bring together clients from its multiple industry groups to begin working toward more food-to-fuel solutions. Jackels notes that in the near future more treatment facilities could be built to handle the conversion process. Baker Tilly will look at the financial support needed to handle these projects, and play a lead role in shepherding the process.
 
"This type of effort is just going to continue to get larger as people look for more ways to cut down on waste and find renewable energy sources," says Jackels. "As a result, we can drive more jobs and expansion as well."
 
Source: John Jackels, Baker Tilly Virchow Krause
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Many brides have fond memories their wedding days, but Meghan Phillips has an unusual recollection: the power of the photo booth.
 
She and her husband Jacob (founder of RoadTab, which was previously covered in The Line) had a photo booth at their nuptials, since she's always had an affinity for the quirky kiosks, and the French film Amélie just deepened that love.
 
In November 2011, they decided to create a side business, to help other wedding parties and guests, as well as corporate workshop attendees. VP Booths was born, and Phillips says it's taken off nicely.
 
"I've been surprised at how many people want booths at their events," she says. "We'll be busy for quite some time."
 
In order to accommodate more people in the booths, she and Jacob designed a kiosk that would be larger inside, and have a partition rather than a curtain. Because she missed having video clips from her own wedding, Phillips made sure that users could record short video messages as well as opt for traditional photo strips.
 
In terms of growth, Phillips has been talking with relatives in other states, as well as an entrepreneur in Canada, but nothing has been decided yet about possible expansion.
 
"Right now, we're just having fun with it, and enjoying creating the business together," says Phillips, then she laughs. "We now have a one-year-old, so working on VP Booths is like date night."
 
Source: Meghan Phillips, VP Booths
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Google Workshop: Get Your Business Online
 
May 3
Rasmussen College
3500 Federal Drive, Eagan
10am - 11:30am
free
 
Create and publish a website for your business in less than an hour. Presenters will also teach attendees how to customize their Google Places online listing, and how to optimize their new websites. Participants are encouraged to bring their own laptops. For more insight, stick around for the afternoon, when another free workshop, "Grow Your Business Online" will be presented.
 
International Conference on Robotics and Automation
 
May 14 - 18
RiverCentre, St. Paul
Rates vary; visit conference website for more info
 
The theme for this year's ICRA conference is "Robots and Automation: Innovation for Tomorrow's Needs." Some of the top researchers and entrepreneurs in the field will gather for numerous discussions on topics like nanorobotics and bio-integrated robotics. There will also be six "robot challenges" in which teams compete to solve problems in areas like integrated perception.
 
RailsBridge

May 20 & 21
Guthrie Theater, 8th floor classrooms
free
 
RailsBridge workshops were started about three years ago as a way to create more female Ruby developers in San Francisco. Now the organization will bring its expertise to Minneapolis, giving attendees a chance to look at every step involved in deploying a Ruby on Rails application.
 
Tech.2012
 
May 22
The Metropolitan
5418 Wayzata Blvd., Golden Valley
$25 for members of The Collaborative, $75 for non-members; rates increase after May 11
 
As part of The Collaborative's Vanguard Series for this year, the Tech.2012 event features a series of conversational sessions, breakfast, and networking opportunities. Speakers will focus on areas like cloud computing and how it's changing business, the app economy, and changing Minnesota business models. Scheduled to participate in panels are entrepreneurs and established business leaders from companies like Code 42 Software, UnitedHealth Group, and Split Rock Partners.

In a January opinion piece in TechCrunch, entrepreneur Jon Bischke suggested the most successful urban leaders are those who view cities like startups. CEOs for Cities, a national network of urban leaders dedicated to creating next-generation cities, will examine that premise at its 2012 Spring National Meeting: The City As a Startup--Creating Demand, Attracting Talent, Taking Risks, and Going to Scale.

The meeting is set for May 17-18 at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati and is made possible with support from The Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation. Former AOL Chairman and CEO Steve Case will deliver the morning keynote and also sit on a panel conversation about Startup America.

CEOs for Cities will also release its latest City Vitals report, a framework for measuring the success of cities. Other panels include considering Songdo, South Korea as the planet's smartest city and using the collective-impact approach to catalyze social change. There will also be opportunities to tour Cincinnati attractions and examples of success.

Register here. View a draft agenda here.

Issue Media Group, the parent company of The Line, partners with CEOs for Cities in exploring new options for urban growth.

About 13 years ago, business partners Cameron Henkel and Dave Gooden were both looking for lake property and shared their war stories about going through newspaper listings and calling multiple realtors.
 
"We wondered why there wasn't a one-stop shop for that kind of thing," says Henkel. "So, we decided to create it for ourselves." The pair had been selling computer equipment online, and began adding cabin rentals on their site as well. About a year later, they had about 600 realtors and thousands of properties on their site, LakePlace.com.
 
They decided to expand in 2006 and become a real estate brokerage. That meant giving up their classified-ad revenue and taking a big chance. Henkel says, "We had to make a bet that being a brokerage would be better. It was hard to make that gamble, but it paid off."
 
They added another site to the lineup, LandBin.com, and opened offices in Brainerd, Hayward, and Wayzata. They employ 30 real estate agents and LakePlace.com has become the second most visited site in the Midwest, with 1.5 million visitors a year.
 
"We're growing every day, I'm not kidding," says Gooden. "Hopefully, we'll be making some exciting announcements this year. We have a solid roadmap of where to go."
 
The founders, who've been friends since kindergarten, foresee abundant growth through acquisitions and hiring. And for site visitors, there's finally a place to shop for cabins and land without resorting to the classifieds.
 
Source: Cameron Henkel, Dave Gooden, LakePlace.com
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

As more companies focus on providing preventive health services to employees, RedBrick Health is finding itself in constant hiring mode.
 
"As we expand our ability to innovate, we're seeing growth in client numbers and in employees," says Eric Zimmerman, the company's chief marketing officer.
 
Founded six years ago, the Minneapolis-based firm offers health improvement platforms designed to increase employee engagement and provide reporting and analytics to clients.
 
"There's a rising tide of interest in these types of platforms right now," Zimmerman says. "If you look at health care costs and insurance costs, you can see that it's imperative to create high-performing work forces, particularly in a rapid timeframe."
 
As a way to get employees more involved in health initiatives, RedBrick recently launched a mobile version of its platform. The app allows people to check in with a health coach, track progress with a personalized plan, and play games related to health. For example, a company that's sponsoring a weight loss contest might create teams, and an employee can use a mobile device to see how the team is doing on the leaderboard.
 
"The market is very hungry for this type of approach," says Zimmerman. "Employers are frustrated with the slow-moving 'legacy' approaches."
 
RedBrick has seen triple-digit growth for the past three years, and the strong emphasis on innovation means that it's hiring most within its technology departments.
 
"We'll continue on this trajectory," Zimmerman notes. "We're seeing robust growth, and we're looking forward to keeping that going."
 
Source: Eric Zimmerman, RedBrick Health
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Crowdsourcing is a technique that allows tasks to be outsourced to a wide array of people simultaneously. A project that might normally be sent to one individual for help on a specific issue can be sent to "the crowd," where it benefits from numerous perspectives and skill sets.
 
Minneapolis-based Brand Ninjas brings this concept to design contests, giving clients the ability to create a design brief and set a project budget, then send it out to a crowd of design professionals (which the company calls ninjas).
 
The artists submit designs and give feedback, and the client can choose the design they like the best. Every time a designer places in the top three rankings for a client, he or she earns a "belt" similar to a martial arts ranking.
 
Created by entrepreneurs David Throldahl and Brad Haymaker, the company is already gaining traction, even though it was started just a few months ago.
 
"It's been shocking to us, how much it's taken off," says Throldahl. "People are really honing in on their ability to find reliable resources through this method." He adds that the design ninjas are worldwide, so the "crowd" that sends in designs might include people from Indonesia, Texas, or Eastern Europe. Becoming a ninja is free, which is part of what's driving the growth, Throldahl notes.
 
"We just wanted to create a platform where artists can get recognition and jobs, and clients can get more access to an international design community," he says.
 
Next up for the site will be the creation of a brand toolkit, where site users can store multiple brochures and ads, giving designers a better reference point for bidding on projects.
 
Throldahl says, "We're very excited about the future with this. The fact that it's so well received already gives us a great starting point."
 
Source: David Throldahl, Brand Ninjas
Writer: Elizabeth Millard