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The materials and tools needed to build or replace a roof may seem basic: an underlayment, shingles, roofing nails, a nail gun and roofing knife. But it’s the tools you can’t see that Mark Ballman really believes makes a difference in his company. “The typical roofer has had some type of tough situation in their life,” says Ballman. “But most have got a good soul and a big heart.”
Diet and weight loss centers seem to pop up daily, but as Tina McClain watched this happening, she could see a few things that could be done better. “I want to offer people an affordable diet/wellness plan along with the family grab and bake at-home meals to complete what I feel teaches people healthy living without the large yearly fees or initial fees,” she explains.
The city of New Ulm can boast many unique opportunities: Herman the German, The Grand Center for the Arts, Schell’s Brewery and now its own speakeasy. What is a speakeasy? According to the Urban Dictionary, Speakeasies are inspired by the hidden spots to get a drink during the Prohibition in the 1920s.
Jeremy and Jacque Whiteford met each other while attending college at Minnesota State University Moorhead. The two became partners in life, getting married, but didn’t know at the time they would also become partners in business.
For Nathan Stolt, being a successful entrepreneur means knowing how to use mistakes to identify your strengths. It means asking questions of those that came before you. And it means offering a helping hand to others. “We’ve been fortunate because we get to meet a lot of other small businesses of all types,” says Stolt. “We get to interact with so many different types so we can start introducing them to each other which is fantastic to see.”
Twenty three years ago, Kathy Sanger was a new college graduate working as an evening admissions representative at Rasmussen College. Today, she leads the campus in Mankato that now serves more than 700 students. She has filled a variety of roles in her tenure at Rasmussen including Admissions Manager, Director of Admissions and Director of Campus Operations.
New Ulm-based Big Ideas Hopes to Bridge the Gap The Big Ideas initiative in New Ulm actually started as a
When writing this issue, a theme quickly popped out at me: all of our featured characters know the value of good, old fashioned hard work. They all came to learn that at a very young age. Our cover story, Wu Lin, epitomizes what it means to have a dream and do what it takes to make it come true.
For James Hebl, medicine and a positive patient experience are not only professional pursuits, but are very personal as well. “When I was a sophomore in high school, my youngest brother was diagnosed with diabetes mellitus at age 5. I saw the impact diabetes had on not only my brother – but the entire family. The pediatrician caring for my brother was so kind, patient and knowledgeable when describing the condition and what we needed to do as a family. This life event, in addition to my passion for pharmacology and the biologic sciences, played a major role in my decision to enter medicine,” he reflects.
