The ACTIVATE U Podcast

In this episode we talk with Patrick Metzger! Patrick is a Professional EOS Implementer and coach. Patrick is a great conversation, he has so much insights on how to grow your business by working with the people you have! Patrick shares stories on how he was able to transition into his own business from being a teacher. With being a coach himself, Patrick has so much to share with us! https://patrick-metzger.com/ “When it comes down to it, every business obstacle is about people or processes. Items like communication, organization and prioritization hold back even the best businesses. EOS® is a complete and proven system to help organizations overcome those challenges to develop sustainable and long-term success.”   

In this episode we talk with Joseph Hurt from Chaos Games in Minot ND. Joseph lends a fantastic perspective on how his love for gaming turned into a business for him. He also shares how he was able to learn from the industry and create a space in his community for his customers. Joseph is a true definition of doing what you love, and his passion for his business shines through in this episode! https://www.facebook.com/chaosgamesnd/ A MTG focused shop, BUT we do offer a lot of other products! Some of those are Yugioh, Pokemon, Board Games, Used Video Games, Warhammer 40k, D&D, DICE, & much more! Tournaments/events happening weekly!  

In this episode, we talk with Tiffanie Honeyman from OpGo Marketing. Tiffanie is lighting rod of information when it comes to helping marketing for your small business. She takes to time to figure out your exact needs, even if you do not see them! She is a wealth of knowledge and she shows that in this conversation. Tiffanie loves helping others understand the numbers, and showing them how they can go further! https://opgomarketing.com/  OpGo was founded in 2015, with the goal of becoming the ideal partner for those who seek insight, transparency, and control over their marketing budget. Our mission is to give businesses access to a dedicated marketing expert for a fraction of the cost it would be to hire a CMO. OpGo arms businesses with marketing intelligence, true marketing channel performance, and the power to make marketing decisions with confidence. We protect our clients marketing budgets from being dwindled away in meaningless channels or shiny marketing options. We make marketing perform. Our team specializes in marketing analysis, planning, and holding the budget accountable to goals.  

On this episode of The ACTIVATE U Podcast we will be talking with Kylee Geer from Minot Center for Pediatric Therapy! Kylee gives a great perspective on how she was able to create and sustain a business. She also talks about how she was able to look at her business from different perspectives and shift the focus of certain areas as she has grown! This is an amazing conversation that you can take a lot from! http://www.minotcpt.com/ We offer individualized therapy services for children and adolescents with special needs. Our clinic opened in 2012 with the goal of offering quality speech-language and occupational therapy to children in our community. We are honored to be invited into the lives of our patients and enjoy helping children learn new skills A person's a person, no matter how small. — Dr. Seuss

In this episode we will be talking with Kara Jorvig from Allegro Group. Kara is a amazing person to talk business and leadership with! All of the items she speaks about, she also lives it and that shows through in this conversation. Kara works with highly driven individuals and is positioning herself to climb even higher, and she wants the same for you! https://allegro-group.com/ Allegro Group is hired by businesses to partner on their growth strategies and succession plans. The company is committed to understanding where their clients are today, identifying where they want to be and then partnering with them to define what leaders and talent structure will allow them to reach their full potential. Allegro Group clients are growth-minded, focused on being best-in-class industry leaders and know the way to achieve success is through their people, processes and culture.  Over the past two decades, Kara Jorvig and members of the Allegro Group team have worked with hundreds of businesses and thousands of professionals throughout the United States, giving them unique perspectives regarding proven business and talent strategies that increase profits. They believe that businesses are only as strong as their people and that organizational growth and development is dependent on leaders and teams reaching their full potential.  

In this episode of the ACTIVATE U Podcast we talk with Rob from Spartan Firearms and we talk about his journey to starting his business. Rob provides a great perspective on how he came from the commercial lending industry and was bale to use that knowledge to adapt to his business. He shares how going through economy and business issues can be stressful but also how you can adapt to them! This is a unique conversation with a great business owner! http://www.spartanfirearms.us/ https://www.facebook.com/pg/SpartanFirearmsMinot/about/?ref=page_internal  

In this episode we talk with Rachelle from Spectrum Fitness! She shares about how she made her way into the fitness industry with no idea at all she was headed there. She talks about how she was able to take many lessons from her past to help her on the journey of business. She also mentions some of the helping hand she was able to get along the way! We are COURAGEOUS in our commitment to change lives through our example. We are ACTIVE in our pursuit to build finishers. We are RESPECTFUL towards everyone, regardless of where they are in their fitness journey. We are POSITIVE in our attitudes towards challenges we face while helping others. We are ENGAGED in every call, and in every personal interaction. We are DEDICATED in our desire to bring meaningful change to Minot. We are INNOVATIVE in our approach to group and family fitness. We believe EVERYONE matters. We are MOTIVATED to making our members fall in love with Spectrum. We want you to leave our facility feeling better than ever. Our holistic approach to fitness training sets us apart from other exercise facilities. Our core values look at the big picture to embody this approach and redefine what a gym can be. Spectrum's goal is to be on the cutting edge of fitness trends, while making you unique apart of our community. Visit us and you will see for yourself. https://www.spectrumfitnessminot.com/ https://www.facebook.com/spectrumfitnessminot

Today we talk with Travis Gerjets of Prairie Sky Breads. Travis talks about his story on how his love for baking with his Grandmother helped him find the creative juices to start a bakery in Minot ND. He is just getting his store front open and also talks about how he plans to become integrated to the community. Really cool story and some great insights!  My passion for breadmaking began with my Nana. She always made the loveliest baked goods when I was growing up -- the breads and rolls and sweets that were a fixture at every family function and holiday celebrations. When I was a little older, I noticed that no one in our family had taken the time to master her recipes. As Nana grew older and baking became harder for her, our family risked loosing these breads -- and the traditions they were a part of. I decided that I would do my best to learn these recipes and carry forward the baking tradition in our family. So I baked with Nana. I learned her methods, her recipes... and I have treasured the memories of her sharing stories while we baked bread. One story Nana loves to tell is for one of our most popular recipes: our Oatmeal-Molasses Pan Bread recipe came from her neighbor who sold the loaves of bread for 10 cents during the Great Depression.   Having a bakery was not a plan I had in mind. But as we have sold bread at the Minot Farmer's Market over the years, the response from you, our community members, has been remarkable. Your support has shown me the recipes I grew up with are as delicious today as they were then.   Please join us on this journey from Nana's kitchen, to farmer's markets, and finally to our new home here in downtown Minot.    https://www.prairieskybreads.com/our-vision https://www.facebook.com/prairieskybreadsminot/

In this episode, we talk with Jonah from The Good talk Network out of Minot! Jonah talks about how he was able to create an idea and execute on it! He built The Good Talk Network up from being a side hustle to be a daily part of his life. He mentions the hard time he had to go through to make it to the good times, great perspective in this episode! www.facebook.com/pg/thegoodtalknetwork http://www.thegoodtalknetwork.com/ Exploring the world through dialogue, aiming to increase the perspective of those willing to listen. Conversation driven content fueled by compelling and often times funny questions. A vast and colorful mural of guests paint the tapestry of the Good Talk - scientists, teachers, musicians, business owners, entrepreneurs, students, athletes, authors, political officials, storytellers, non profit leaders, and many prolific conversationalists. We love to chat with great storytellers and our topics range widely from serious conversations on subjects like public education, space exploration, and government to philosophical explorations of time, sexuality, and the human mind. Of course we also love cinema and pop culture which occasionally manifests into it's own show. In between live episodes we love to fill the page with inspiring stories, hilarious memes, comedic tales, and meaningful content. Please feel encouraged to explore, laugh, and interact with us. After all, humans - who we are, what we are, and what we may become is the catalyst which drives us to share the Good Talk with you.

Make sure you have had your morning coffee for this episode, because it is a exciting one! today we talk with the co-owners of Thunder Coffee Dexter, Skyler and Nicole. They talk about how they got into the idea of starting a coffee shop and how much they have learned along the way. It is a great conversation with some inspiring business owners!  Thunder Coffee started as a mobile coffee company. We brought the coffee shop experience to our customer through catering, pop-ups and special events. Thanks to our awesome and devoted customers, we now have a place to call home. Thunder Coffee is now located at 300 Sheyenne St at Pioneer Place in West Fargo. Customers can find us here and get all the same great coffee and service, even in the drive-thru! Our goal remains the same, to provide great service and serve our community through coffee. Stop in or book your next event with us!   https://www.thundercoffeefargo.com/ 

In this episode we talk with Warren Sai of Grand Forks ND. Warren is a small business owner who has a passion to bring the French culture to North Dakota. Warren is a man with many hats, but is a great example and story how to keep fighting on in a business! French Taste LLC aims to spread the French culture though traditional food in different locations and events in the Grand Forks community. Our drive is to make a difference in the community. https://www.frenchtastellc.com/

Lets take a couple mintues to celebrate and refect on how much entrepreneurship effects our daily lives!  Facebook: @DakotaBizLend Twitter: @DakotaBizLend LinkedIn: dakota-business-lending - www.linkedin.com/company/dakota-business-lending  

This episode of The ACTIVATE U Podcast will be one like you have not heard before! This is an episode you can use to find local FREE resources to start your small business in your state! Below will be the links to each location so you can connect with them get started! https://www.score.org/ For over 50 years, SCORE has served as America's premier source of free business mentoring and education. As a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), SCORE has helped more than 11 million entrepreneurs through mentoring, workshops and educational resources since 1964. With SCORE, you are not alone on your business journey. https://ndsbdc.org/ We use our expertise to help you make your business successful. Our professional business advisors have years of experience and know what it takes to start a business and operate it successfully in our state.  http://trainingnd.com/women-owned-business/nd-womens-business-center SBA's Office of Women's Business Ownership (OWBO) is the only federal government office charged to help women become full partners in economic development through small business ownership. OWBO provides programs to support women entrepreneurs from business start-up to expansion through a variety of services and resources. https://und.edu/dakotasvboc/ The Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) program is a one-stop-shop for service members, veterans and military spouses looking to start, purchase, or grow a business. Located nationwide, VBOCs provide training workshops, including Boots to Business and Boots to Business Reboot, as well as business development assistance such as training, advising and mentoring, and resource referrals.   

This episode of The ACTIVATE U Podcast we talk with Troy Derheim who is a local small business owner who was awarded the 2019 SBA Small Business Person of the Year! Troy has a great story he was able to share and gets into great detail about it. He also talks about his passions and how he has been able to support them throughout his business life. Aquatics Empowered connects people to water. The primary focus is assuring rural communities as well as all charities have access to safe and compliant facilities for aquatic therapy. The secondary focus is finding aquatic resources for all who are in need of aquatic therapy.  www.aquaticsempowered.org I'm spreading the word about our charities inaugural event. The charity is the only one of its kind supporting aquatic therapy and other non profits worldwide. Our goal is to have people from every state and from every country spend time with friends or family in a hot tub pool during our 2 day event. Please check it out and spread the word, it should be fun! We are looking for sponsors and we are hosting a contest for the best photo or video submission during the event. The event as well as and awards banquet will be live streamed online. Set up a team and submit pics or short videos, you could win an award and some international recognition just for sharing a smile and a good time in a pool or spa with the rest of the world! Check it out! https://ssl.charityweb.net/aquaticsempowered/hottubbingforhope/

Today we talk with Cory Oberlander about how he was able to grow a company to a point where he could expand his entrepreneurial aspirations! Cory took lessons he learned from his first business and transferred them to another business. His second business was also able to fill a void in his community, which was a plus for all involved!  At Agveris, we work with progressive growers in ND, SD, MN & WI to help balance soils, maximize fertilizer efficiency and deliver higher profits. Computer generated fertility recommendations are a great place to start, but because of numerous variables in the soil, they are inadequate for the progressive grower. Through the use of complete and accurate soil tests, field tested recalibrated algorithms and other soil chemistry intricacies, we can deliver a fertility package that will bring the grower to the next level. By doing this, we are able to lower weed, insect and disease pressure, allow for better water utilization, more efficient nutrient up-take and availability, which gives the growers more flexibility of picking hybrids and varieties. https://www.agveris.com/  Are you ready to be in the best shape of your life? At TruCore Fitness we can help you achieve your fitness goals on your schedule. 24 hours a day, year-round. Take control of your life and reach your goals today! https://trucorefitness.com/

Jay Evans from Off color Productions stops by to chat about how he has been able to build a business from the ground up to where he is now. Jay talks about his big breaks and battles he has had to fight through to get his business to where it is today! Off Color Productions provides a team of talented and consistent individuals that are here to help through all of your video production processes. We follow through on every job all the while creating long lasting relationships as well as content that will forever be a staple in your media presence. Offering competitive pricing supplemented by consistent shooting and finished products, we vow to produce the highest quality production on every project. We simply enjoy all aspects of what we do at OffColor Productions! Seeing the many delighted faces during our photography sessions or the smiles from our clients as we review their production has to be the biggest highlight of what we do. Not only is it inspirational for us but also allows us to keep progressing in our profession. Capturing timeless moments for your wedding or getting the perfect content for your business, we guarantee to provide the best services every time. https://www.offcolormedia.com/    

In this episode we talk with Kari Weigel of the Sylvan Learning Centers in North Dakota. Kari was awarded the SBA Small Business Person of the year award in 2018, and it was no fluke. You will see why in this podcast! Kari is a dedicated owner to a company that serves a huge need in the state. Kari talks about how she go started and how she is able to keep going at such a high rate. We also dive a bit into the work life balance and how she keeps everything fun! Sylvan Learning Center: We have tutoring programs for math, algebra, reading, writing, study skills and more! At Sylvan, you get the best in certified teachers and interactive technology, so your child feels fully engaged and gets the exact learning he or she needs. We also have a team of college-readiness experts ready to help teens with individual SAT and ACT test prep. When school's out, Sylvan's in! If you're looking for ways to introduce your child to new and fun experiences, our camps and workshops not only engage the mind, but are designed to have a lasting impact outside the classroom. We have great options for school breaks, summer camps and special weekends. We offer a small group environment, your child can bring friends or make new ones. https://locations.sylvanlearning.com/us/fargo-nd 

In this episode we talk to the 2019 Fargo Moorhead West Fargo ChamberChoice Entrepreneur of the Year! You will hear the reasons why Jeff Shipley was awarded this honor. Jeff talks about how he was able to get into the Real Estate game and how he has kept himself driven at such a high level! Jeff shares how he learned to empower who he works with and how he was challenged to be the best he could be! We understand that buying or selling a home is more than just a transaction: it's a life-changing experience. That's why our team of highly-seasoned real estate professionals is dedicated to providing exceptional, personalized service for all of our clients. We take great pride in the relationships we build and always work relentlessly on the client's behalf to help them achieve their real estate goals. Our team of experts represents the best and brightest in the industry, and we're always striving to lead the field in research, innovation, and consumer education. Today's buyers and sellers need a trusted resource that can guide them through the complex world of real estate. With our extensive knowledge and commitment to providing only the best and most timely information to our clients, we are your go-to source for real estate industry insight and advice. OUR MISSION STATEMENT: Our philosophy is simple: clients come first. We pledge to be in constant communication with our clients, keeping them fully informed throughout the entire buying or selling process. We believe that if you're not left with an amazing experience, we haven't done our job. We don't measure success through achievements or awards, but through the satisfaction of our clients.

Dave and Anne Larson talk about how they made the dive into owning and operating their own event business. It was a rocky beginning, as many new businesses are, but they were able to weather a few storms along the way to be where they are today. they have used all of the resources available to them to create a great customer experience to create special days!  {weddings} We are honored and excited that you are considering Rustic Oaks to be a part of your wedding celebration!   From your first tour...throughout the planning process...and for the duration of your wedding celebration, our staff sincerely shares in your joy!  We strive to act as the perfect liaison between your wedding vision and reality. Rest assured, you are in the best hands; we are eager {and happy!} to assist you in making your wedding a magical and memorable occasion! {events} We do WAY more than just weddings!!  If you're looking for a creative location for your next event, let us help you plan something exceptionally memorable! At Rustic Oaks, we offer a creative environment for retreats, special events, business gatherings and more!  Enjoy 40 serene acres of wildflowers, ponds, rock gardens, and a wealth of nature overlooking the Red River!  Our event center and B&B are open year-round and are the perfect mix of rustic and modern.  Rustic Oaks also offers customizable lodging and gathering options to fit the needs of a wide variety of events!    

Chelsey talks to us about how she got her business started and a few of the many things she has learned in the process. This story has many innovative changes to it, and you will see that in this interview! Chelsey's passion for helping and assisting shines through in this episode! Bright Futures Learning Center is dedicated and committed to our children by providing exceptional education and quality child care. It is our philosophy to focus on the needs of the individual child by providing a stimulating atmosphere for learning along with a secure loving environment. It is our belief that a childcare facility should be an extension of each child's family. Bright Futures Learning Center teachers and parents are encouraged to work together to provide the love and support needed as your child reaches developmental milestones and his/her own personal achievements! We are passionate about education and providing our children with the tools to be successful in life.  

Seth Carlson explains his story of how he went from being in theater school to owing a successful wood working company! He was able to make hard decisions to make his business into what it is today. Be sure to listen closely to the choice he made to make his business start. COMMITTED TO MAKING A POSITIVE IMPACT DAKOTA TIMBER COMPANY IS THE REGION'S LEADING URBAN & RECLAIMED WOOD PRODUCER We strive to provide sustainable, affordable, and high quality urban & reclaimed wood products to builders, contractors and homeowners in our area. Dakota Timber Co. offers a full line of flooring, paneling, trimwork, beamwork, mantels, live edge slabs and more.  We are the area's only lumber producer that is dedicated to saving our nation's forests.  Join us in making a positive impact within the commercial and residential building industry!

In this podcast, Preston Braathen will take you on a journey of The ACTIVATE U Podcast. He will breakdown what you can expect from the podcast along with great ways to better grasp the ACTIVATE acronym he will break down. This is a great starting point for the future episodes we will be coming in the future. We hope you enjoy this episode and join us on our journey of Small Business.   Be sure to subscribe to get the newest episode!    Leave us a review on Apple Podcast!