The space is cool, the enthusiasm of the director is infectious and the concept behind Mogwai Collaborative is starting to catch on. “We are not your run of the mill rentable office. We are a cool and inspiring atmosphere that you can use to come and work from for a day or monthly fee,” explains Stephanie Braun, director of Mogwai.
Out of college at the University of Minnesota, Pemberton native Jon Jamieson had not only a passion for personal training, but a passion to establish his own brand in the field and break the mold of what a gym could be in a city like Mankato. He took a few years to develop his skills and learn about the business end of the industry as an assistant manager at a Lifetime Fitness in the Twin Cities.
There are self-help books, motivational blogs and leadership symposiums to help the business and entrepreneurial-minded make the most of each day to maximize productivity. Connect Business Magazine, though, recognizes we have great resources right in our own communities.
The local café has been a staple of the small town landscape as far back as anyone can remember. But with all of the challenges facing small town rural America, keeping these institutions operating or finding people willing and able to invest in these businesses is becoming more and more difficult.
For 24 years, Connect Business Magazine has brought to life the stories of business and community leaders in a nine-county region of southern Minnesota. We’ve discovered, though, the characters and stories that shape our business community don’t recognize county or city borders.
In the game of football, linebackers are often regarded as a key position in defense. Linebackers are known to be versatile, either providing hard hits on running plays or providing an additional layer of pass protection, whichever the situation calls for. Linebackers are required to use their judgment on every snap, to quickly determine their role after “reading” the offensive play. Why the sports primer in a business magazine? Because linebacker is a position that Mankato City Manager Pat Hentges knows well.
It’s being dubbed a “Retail Apocalypse”. The term refers to the closing of a large number of North American, large chain, brick-and-mortar retail stores. The trend started in 2010 and shows no sign of slowing in 2018. “As I look at these large retailers and department stores struggling, I feel as though so much of it comes from losing touch with their customers and worrying more about the statistics,” says Ashleigh Moelter.
If there’s one thing that is evident about Jen True, it’s that she has a definite growth mindset. “After 15 years as a local residential sales agent, I decided to open a boutique real estate brokerage called True Real Estate. After just 2.5 years in operation we have satellite offices in Henderson, Lake Crystal, and Saint Peter,” says Jen True.
Toppers and Trailers Plus has expanded and opened a new location in Le Sueur. With a soft opening in January, the Le Sueur location officially held its grand opening in April. “In Mankato, we do not have great street traffic by our location but in Le Sueur, there are so many people that drive by the store daily. This location allows people to see all of the trailers we have on display,” says Ella Andreasen.
