entrepreneurship : Innovation + Job News

Although there are now plenty of tech experts at Apple stores, Martin Thomas was a lone Mac guru when he and his wife, Kate, started Lotus + Lama in 1995.
 
"At that point, you didn't see everyone with Apple products like you do now," he says. "There was just a smaller, dedicated group of people who loved the technology."
 
Thomas had been a recording engineer earlier in his career, in an industry where Apple found early adoption. When he showed an aptitude for fixing the computers, people began to find him and ask for help. He says, "At some point, it became obvious that I'd have more work if I focused on computers instead, and since I was only using Macs, that's the direction I went."
 
The consulting firm has gotten more robust over the past 17 years, particularly with remote log-in ability, freeing Thomas from doing extensive on-site work. Kate provides project management services, and the firm does website design as well. Clients range from advertising agencies to recording studios, non-profits, and graphic designers.
 
Even with the Apple store Genius Bars offering technical assistance, Lotus + Lama continues to establish a larger client base, mainly due to Thomas' ability to give technology advice with a long-term vision, not just a quick tech tweak.
 
"With clients, I get to know their frustrations, and how they organize their files," he says. "Every client has a different approach as to how they use their computers and networks. If they go to an Apple store or other tech, they have to tell their story again and again. With me, I already know their story because I've been part of it."
 
Source: Martin Thomas, Lotus + Lama
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Most college students are focused on class schedules and grades; but Kyle Jordahl and his business partner John Ziemann used the time to buy apartment buildings and then become real estate brokers. Before they graduated, they started their own property management company. So, it's no surprise that only a few years later, they'd be thriving with their own startup, VanquishAP.
 
The company is unique, Jordahl notes, because it runs on distinctive technology. The pair designed a software tool to make the property management process easier, and they now extend that capability to clients.
 
"We're able to do tasks more accurately with this technology," says Jordahl. "We can make use of our resources more effectively, and that gives us an advantage."
 
VanquishAP has seven employees, with offices in downtown Minneapolis and St. Cloud, and expects to keep growing in those areas and eventually extend into other markets. The company is a full-service real estate firm that does everything from automated rent collection to property analysis. The app lets the company take on more properties without adding employees right away, Jordahl says.
 
"We're still a young company, and we experience the kind of challenges that any young company does," he notes. "But we feel that there are many factors driving our growth and that makes us excited about what's ahead for us."
 
Source: Kyle Jordahl, VanquishAP
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

A few years ago, 3rd grade teacher Matt Hardy became interested in using blogs to help students express themselves. But there was one problem: he couldn't find a software solution or website that met his needs.
 
Because his students were so young, the blogs had to be simple to use, as well as secure so that he could moderate comments and block potential creeps. When he couldn't find what he needed, he developed a version himself, and his efforts had an immediate impact on students, who loved their new blogging abilities.
 
After sharing the application with other teachers, he decided to join forces with entrepreneur Dan Flies and start Kidblog, which now boasts over 1.6 million users, in 80 countries.
 
"This technology is at the intersection of programming and pedagogy," says Flies. "Matt understood how tools could be effective for students because he'd been a teacher, but he also has an intuitive understanding of web development and business startups."
 
Although the company is still just the two business leaders, Flies anticipates growth in the near future, as more and more schools adopt the technology. After only a few years, there's been significant expansion, without any marketing.
 
"Right now, we're the largest educational blogging service in the world," he says, adding that technology access is exploding in the United States and other parts of the world.
 
"The opportunity to grow this will only get bigger," says Flies. "It's really fun to see how much this is catching on."
 
Source: Dan Flies, Kidblog
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The craft beer scene in the Twin Cities is going strong, to the point where it feels like a new brewery or taproom is opening every week. Distinguishing them from each other can sometimes be a challenging (if delicious) task for craft beer drinkers.
 
To introduce some rigor into all the efforts, the Better Beer Society (BBS) offers some expertise. The agency focuses on promoting craft beer and every aspect of its service, including staff training for bar servers so they can chat about beers with confidence.
 
One major focus is certification; the organization awards a "BBS Certified" label to establishments that prove they have a high level of beer service, selection, storage, and server knowledge. So far, only three bars--Bryant Lake Bowl, The Happy Gnome, and Republic--have gotten the BBS stamp of approval, but founder Rob Shellman is working with others to get them to that point.
 
"We've been pretty hard at work these past few months auditing and meeting with bar and restaurant owners about the certification program," he says. "Most of the response has been very encouraging, with owners and management wanting to get involved and improve on their practices."
 
Certification isn't an easy task, he notes, but it's not impossible. The BBS works with each establishment closely to track areas of improvement, so that every pour is a clean, predictable one.
 
A certified Cicerone (the beer world's equivalent of a sommelier), Shellman started the BBS last year after moving back to Minneapolis from Los Angeles. He's seen the strong beer scene in places like Portland and San Diego, and believes that the craft beer movement in the Twin Cities could be just as robust.
 
"We could really be a major beer destination here," he says. "Our mission is to help make that happen."
 
Source: Rob Shellman, Better Beer Society
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Exporting 101
 
July 11
 
St. Michael City Center
11800 Town Center Dr. NE, St. Michael
11:30am - 4:30pm
free
 
Exporting isn't just for big companies; more than 97 percent of exporters are small- to medium-sized businesses. This seminar focuses on strategies that can increase sales and profits, minimize seasonal sales fluctuations, and connect businesses to the many trade resources available through the federal and state governments.
 
Software Quality Forum: Buyer Beware
 
July 12
Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Bloomington
7800 Normandale Blvd.
5:00pm - 7:00pm
free
 
Put on by the Software Quality Forum, this seminar looks at third-party software, and issues tips on how to purchase without getting burned. By applying due diligence upfront during the vendor and selection process, companies can defend against quality problems during implementation.
 
Crowdfunding: Using Digital Media to Directly Access Capital
 
July 17
CoCo Minneapolis
400 South 4th Street
3:00pm - 4:30pm
$75
 
Thanks to sites like Kickstarter.com, crowdfunding is fast becoming a viable way for many startup companies to gain funding from a range of sources. Speaker Patrick Donohue provides an interactive presentation on why digital media is changing the world of finance, and offers some tactics for achieving business goals and raising capital.
 
TopCoder Roadshow
 
July 25
Humphrey Institute
301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis
1:00pm - 5:00pm
free
 
TopCoder is a community of developers, algorithmists, and digital designers, coming together from private enterprise, academia, and government agencies. On its spin through the Twin Cities, the group will offer an afternoon of sessions focused on open innovation for enterprises, education, and government.
 

Forget the image of the lonely gamer in the basement rec room, spending hours playing an elaborate game alone. With the huge boom in multiplayer options, gaming is more like a college campus these days, where everyone is rushing around together and having conversations along the way.
 
But that environment can feel fragmented, believes local technology company Echobit. CEO Adam Sellke says, "Believe it or not, the act of gaming can represent a fair amount of work. It's like downhill skiing without a chairlift; the skiing is fun, but getting to the top of the mountain is tough."
 
Gamers need to be able to manage their game profiles, find other players, do online chat as they're playing, and coordinate other tasks to streamline their play. Echobit makes it all easy with their product, Evolve, which acts as an online matchmaking engine for gamers in the same way that Facebook aggregates content under single profiles and allows people to "meet" others who share their interests.
 
The company got kicked off in 2008, but has only been in open beta since the beginning of 2012. Word is spreading fast, though: since January, they've doubled membership for Evolve, and hope to have 100,000 members by the end of the year.
 
In addition to Sellke are two other co-founders, Soren Dreijer and Michael Amundson, and it's likely that they'll  garner more seed capital and look toward hiring in the near future.
 
"As gaming becomes more and more popular, we all need for it to become simpler," says Sellke. "This is a way of connecting people, making gaming more social, and taking the management out of it so people can enjoy their games more."
 
Source: Adam Sellke, Echobit
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Paper is so yesterday. The steady march toward digital information is changing the publishing industry, making photo labs increasingly obsolete, and even prompting emailed receipts instead of physical ones.
 
At Burnsville-based CoraCove, that evolution is taking shape for forms processing, giving professionals the opportunity to replace paper forms with digital ones on tablet computers.
 
The uses are broad, notes CEO Chris Zweber. An insurance agent might use CoraCove to process a claim instead of pulling out a stack of forms, or a repair person could tap into customer history instead of sorting through a paper-filled file.
 
In addition to saving time during initial input, the application can create efficiency because it significantly reduces data entry later. Analytics in the software can show field reps important information, such as time spent on service calls.
 
"In many ways, we're like a combination of Oracle and Salesforce.com," says Zweber. "But we're also unique, since we can customize applications for clients. Basically, we're taking what people already do and making them 10 times faster."
 
The company got its start in 2011, and Zweber sees plenty of growth ahead as the application gains traction. He says, "We're fine-tuning our ability to scale out already."
 
Source: Chris Zweber, CoraCove
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Imagine being on a business trip and talking to your dog at home before the next meeting, and even giving him a treat for good behavior. Welcome to PetChatz.
 
Developed by Minneapolis-based Anser Innovation, the web-based "pet phone" is a unique product that's poised to tap into the enormous pet accessory market. CEO Lisa Lavin notes that even though the product isn't on the market yet--look for it this fall--the reaction has already been strong.
 
"We did national consumer research, and the response was amazing," she says. "About 76 percent of people we polled said they'd have high interest in PetChatz. We thought the product would be popular, but that number blew us away."
 
The idea for PetChatz comes from Mark Kroll, a medical device inventor who holds hundreds of patents. During lunch with him, Lavin asked if he had any patents that he wasn't using, and he talked about the "greet and treat videophone" that he'd envisioned for pet owners. The pair worked together, along with others on the Anser team, to make his vision into a working prototype.
 
The applications for the technology are broad, Lavin believes. For example, a pet boarding facility might install it in suites so that owners can check in on their pets and reduce separation anxiety (on both sides). Anser has teamed with KLN Enterprises' Tuffy's Pet Foods to design treats that can be given via the device.
 
The company anticipates hiring leading up to the launch in a few months, and growth after the product hits the market. In the future, this type of technology could be used for other markets, like communicating with seniors for elder care, or checking in with children in daycare, Lavin notes.
 
"We're building a platform for products that enhance remote communication," she says. "We're starting with the retail pet market, but there are so many directions we can go from there."
 
Source: Lisa Lavin, Anser Innovation
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

The Twin Cities beer revolution continues: a new brewery and taproom, 612Brew, takes its name from the classic Minneapolis area code, and has announced plans to move into a busy intersection in Northeast Minneapolis.
 
On the auspicious date of 6/12/12, founders Adit Kalra, Robert Kasak, Ryan Libby, and Jamey Rossbach signed a lease for a brewery at the corner of Central and Broadway, in a historic building called The Broadway. The building has exposed brick and timber, as well as polished concrete floors and an outdoor patio, making it an ideal place to hoist a brew, the founders believe.
 
The taproom should be open by late fall, with growlers planned and two beers ready for launch: a pale ale called "SIX" and an IPA called "Rated R." Another beer, "Mary Ann," is a nod toward Gilligan's Island (complete with freshly grated ginger) and will be served as a summer seasonal beer.
 
Kalra notes that there's been a trend in the craft beer movement toward aged beers that have high alcohol content, but 612Brew will go the other direction into what he calls the "sessionable" category, with beers that feature moderate to low alcohol content. "That means you can drink a few and not feel over-served," he says.
 
The booming craft beer scene in Minnesota is bringing the state in line with other beer-friendly places like California, Oregon, Washington, and Colorado, adds Libby. He says that with other breweries starting up in Northeast Minneapolis, the 612Brew team is hoping the area adds "Brew District" to its reputation to go along with "Arts District." Cheers to that.
 
Source: Adit Kalra and Ryan Libby, 612Brew
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Can you make the world a better place by building software for companies that do great things? Casey Helbling and his team at Software for Good are willing to give it a shot.
 
Helbling started his own software consulting firm in 2003, and found success over the next handful of years, but as he brought on more clients, he felt like something was missing.
 
"I realized that I wanted to create alignment between my need to do good in the world and my day job," he says. "Then, everything would be perfect."
 
He came up with a model that became Software for Good, a startup firm he runs in addition to his regular consulting work. The new company builds software for progressive companies, nonprofits, and companies that focus on world-changing work.
 
Recent projects have included revamping the website of the Minnesota Ovarian Cancer Alliance, creating software for a diabetes prevention program, and doing bug fixes on the registration site for the National Down Syndrome Congress annual conference.
 
"We're still too young as a company to pick and choose our projects, so we do some clients that aren't part of the model," Helbling says. "But we hope to get to that point soon."
 
The company employs five full-time software engineers, but expects to bring on more in the near future. Helbling notes, "I think people are getting the message about what we do, and they like the idea of doing something more with their time than the usual 9 to 5 tasks."
 
As Software for Good increases its pace over the next couple years, Helbling is hopeful that he'll find the alignment he seeks, and do good while doing well.
 
Source: Casey Helbling, Software for Good
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Forget the Olympics: for a truly ferocious competitive environment, take a look at the Minnesota Cup.
 
The annual competition seems to keep gaining prominence and momentum every year, and recently announced the semi-finalists for its eighth go-round.
 
Designed to accelerate the development of the state's most innovative business ideas, the Minnesota Cup gives applicants the opportunity to compete for a share of $200,000--up from $185,000 last year--and to network with individuals and organizations that can help turn a business plan into a reality.
 
Judges chose 49 entrepreneurs, inventors, and innovators for the second round of the competition, and Cup co-founder Scott Litman notes that this year is full of exciting and strong business ideas.
 
"We love seeing all the excitement around the program, and it does seem that we see more applications every year," he says. "Everyone is very supportive of the competition."
 
The range of semi-finalists is broad, from a yoga studio that specializes in pre- and post-natal classes to a holistic treatment company to a web application developer for forms processing. Companies include BuyerCurious, Omnicron Health Systems, QuadROI, and EnergyPrint.
 
During this round, the semi-finalists will be paired with entrepreneurial mentors who will help them refine their business plans and presentations. Finalists will be chosen in late August, and winners announced in early September.
 
Source: Scott Litman, Minnesota Cup
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

For Christine Kropp, inspiration came in the form of a thought-for-the-day calendar.
 
"It sounds so cheesy, but my dad gave me a page from one of those calendars when I was going through a crossroad in my career," she says. "The next day, I founded a company."
 
The page read, "When you look back on life, you'll regret the things you didn't do more than the ones you did."
 
That was back in 1998, and since then, Kropp has been aiming toward a regret-free life with Bluewater, a firm that combines brand strategy with smart technology in order to grow brands.
 
Recently, the company launched a new branding initiative for itself, to reflect the latest evolution of its capabilities and offerings. A new logo, images, and messaging blended together for a revamp of the company's website, and Kropp and her team have been infused with new energy as a result.
 
"The whole rebranding effort is geared toward showing clients how Bluewater can help them grow their brands by using one-to-one marketing techniques," she says. "We want to show that we're not just marketing automation tools; we're real people who love our jobs."
 
In the past few years, Bluewater has expanded its service offerings to introduce more multi-channel marketing programs. The company debuted a platform, Fusion, that combines mobile, web, email, and direct mail in order to help clients connect more closely with their customers.
 
"It's really fun to help a client grow, and then to watch them build on their strategies," says Kropp. "We're looking forward to what's ahead."
 
The company is on its own growth track, and has added eight employees in the past year. Kropp expects that they'll keep expanding, and continue to ditch any regrets.
 
Source: Christine Kropp, Bluewater
Writer: Elizabeth Millard

Although mobile devices like the iPad are wildly attractive to children, local app developer Christopher Black found that the tools don't have many apps that are geared toward that audience.
 
"You can find some storybooks from major brands like Disney, but there didn't seem to be many options for kids' books, especially from small local publishers," he says. "We wanted to create something people hadn't seen before."
 
About two years ago, Black founded his own contract work and app development firm, Blacktop Interactive. When his girlfriend had an idea for a children's book, the pair realized it could lend itself well to an online storybook, and "Turtle's Day at the Beach" was born. The interactive storybook, designed for ages 3 and older, is available as an app for Nook, Blackberry, and Apple devices.
 
That app has been followed by "Rainbows are Colorful," an app to help children learn about colors, and coming soon is a painting app that allows kids to digitally color illustrations of animals.
 
"Now that we have the platform, we wanted to continue reusing that and going down that path," says Black. "It just makes sense in terms of our strategy and our interests."
 
Black hopes to have at least eight apps on the market by the end of the year, and to keep going strong after that. So the next time kids reach for a coloring book, they'll want to make sure it's got a full battery charge first.
 
Source: Chris Black, Blacktop Interactive
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

For most business owners, having a website is essential, but they can be tricky to manage for those who aren't IT-savvy.
 
Local web technology firm Origin Eight believes that it doesn't have to be that way. The company, which brands itself as a consulting group rather than an agency, specializes in a core set of technologies based on Drupal, an open source framework.
 
(Quick primer for non-techies: "open source software" involves freely available source code that anyone can use for building applications, and Drupal is an open-source content management system that's used specifically for developing websites.)
 
Because of the use of Drupal, Origin Eight's clients have more power to tweak their own sites, notes company founder Seth Viebrock.
 
"A lot of existing sites are built on solutions that make it difficult for users to edit their own content," he says. "Redoing these sites in Drupal is worth the effort, because it allows the end user to embrace this new way of doing things. Basically, our growth comes from people looking to make their lives easier."
 
Founded in early 2010, the firm has built some high-profile sites, including ones for Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, and Rihanna, as well as Boston entrepreneur hub Greenhorn Connect and social networking site swapbeats.com.
 
For the future, Viebrock notes that the company wants to grow in a sustainable and consistent way, and expand into other sectors like education. "We're always looking at other ways to differentiate ourselves, in addition to building awesome websites," he says. "But of course, we'll keep doing that, too."
 
Source: Seth Viebrock, Origin Eight
Writer: Elizabeth Millard