June 2015


Current Issue: June 2015
Serial entrepreneur Abir Sen offers a kinder, simpler way to buy health insurance.
A look at what makes these Minnesota company workplaces so great

Great leaders are simultaneously teachers and students, influencers and facilitators.

There is no doubting the importance of volunteering; it provides services otherwise left undone while also providing volunteers with a sense of accomplishment and community.

Be it a distributor, agent or supplier, the right foreign business partner could be the key to your success; the wrong one could be very costly. But how do you find the perfect international business partner, and where do you go from there?

The Midwest Farm Energy Conference, June 17-19 at the West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) in Morris, focuses on showcasing renewable energy and energy efficient technologies in agriculture, but also presents practical information for home and business owners who are considering installing renewable energy sy

The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) is the only national dues-based organization that represents women entrepreneurs across all industries.

The world of medical devices is a confusing one, and China’s FDA has changed the game by introducing new legislation imposing different regulations on that industry.

Left: Elliot Ginsburg, Hop Law. Right: Jim Watkins,Co-founder, Sociable Cider Werks.
Breweries are all the rage in Minnesota these days. From taprooms to growlers to booze-funded block parties, the Twin Cities drinking scene is experiencing a renaissance.

Eric Faust, a Stillwater native, dreamed of moving to Duluth and opening a coffee roastery on the shores of Lake Superior. He always had a passion for coffee, and had worked for years as a barista and coffee journalist (yes, that job exists). He also knew that the specialty coffee market in Duluth was virtually untapped; nobody was roasting high-end, single origin coffee beans with care.

"Starting a business is really sexy and fun,” says Paul Krumrich, a manufacturing entrepreneur who has tried his hand at everything from digital signage to solar panels.
SpyeWorks is the division of the company that focuses on hardware, software and digital signage.
SpyeWorks is the division of the company that focuses on hardware, software and digital signage.
Note: This page is part of the 2015 100 Best Companies to Work For. Make sure to check out the full list of companies as well as the recipients of the Ultimate Office Awards.
Note: This page is just one part of the 2015 100 Best Companies to Work For.
Note: This page is part of the 2015 100 Best Companies to Work For. Make sure to check out the full list of companies as well as this year's Best in Class winners.

Michelle Courtright and Kristin Hollander of Made
Imagine a world where, as a consumer, shopping for health insurance wasn’t complicated and frustrating. For Kristin Hollander and Michelle Courtright, co-founders of Minneapolis-based creative product agency Made, this sounded too good to be true.
Perspectives

You would think that a dirty, common job like waste removal couldn’t experience any new innovation. The costs alone of trucks and fuel and people would make most entrepreneurs look for something cleaner.
In Minnesota’s southwest river valley, one ambitious guy thought he could do better.
In Minnesota’s southwest river valley, one ambitious guy thought he could do better.
Perspectives

It’s a poorly kept secret that Minneapolis is one of the fastest growing cities in the country. In fact, a recent report showed that Minneapolis is growing at almost five times the rate of Chicago.

Nobody wants to say it, but the problem with our healthcare system is the price. In Minnesota, the average health insurance premium consumes 7% of the median household’s income, for very skimpy coverage. That’s not including the deductible, which can be as high as $6,000 in some cases. Does it make sense to spend 7% of your income on something that you probably never or rarely use?
Perspectives

Everyone in the Twin Cities, whether or not we are parents, has a vested interest in ensuring our schools are adequately funded, teachers have the time and resources to do their job, and administrative staff has the training and passion to lead.

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area is probably Minnesota’s most defining and sought-after natural wonder to both lifelong Minnesotans and visitors looking for a wilderness adventure. The true boundary waters experience lies on the water, and to capture this essence, one needs a canoe.

In 1990, with only one machine and working two jobs on the side, Fridley native Richard Boelter started Complete Tool Grinding. A few years later his wife, Linda, joined in.