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.
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.
Elsewhere in this issue, we talk about the recently coined phrase “Retail Apocalypse.” Well, I want to throw out another one that I’ve embraced for decades now…“Retail Therapy.” This is the counterpoint to the national phenomena that is happening as large national retailers continue to struggle.
The Greater St. Peter area receives an injection of $46 million dollars that will expand not only the hospital there, but the local economy as well. “Solid infrastructure and modern healthcare facilities play a key role in the economic sustainability of rural communities – attracting new businesses, retaining population and providing opportunities for future growth,” says Brad Finstad, State Director for USDA Rural Development.
This issue of Connect Business Magazine features three very different people, in three very different industries. However, there are two things they all have in common: they have great instincts and they have a great love for southern Minnesota.
A variety of business organizations and networks thrive in communities throughout south central Minnesota. One such organization, Women Executives in Business (W.E.B.), is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. W.E.B. is an area-wide networking and educational organization for women who are, or aspire to be, business owners, entrepreneurs, executives or managers.
Let’s face it, vacations aren’t what they used to be. It used to be, that they were regular occurances. Everyone took their yearly vacation! These days though, that is not the case. Americans just can’t seem to unplug. According to a report by the Project: Time Off Coalition, between 2000 and 2014, the number of vacation days U.S. workers took declined steadily from a long-term average of 20.3 days to 16.
The thing I admire most about the business leaders featured in this issue is that they are good at their jobs. Really, they are just good at life. They are moms who love their children as well as community advocates who embrace the region. They kick ass in their careers. They also just happen to be women.
