Terrapin Small Biz Connection Tim Gillen

It's all about hunting and fall this week as we hang with Chris Smith, local freelance author, illustrator, and waterfowl hunter. We talk dogs in hunting - including e-collars, a passion of Tim's- hunting with kids, Chris' experience illustrating the 2020 duck stamp, and more. 

We're hanging out this week with two of the founders of Thermavance, climate-controlled technology that revolutionizes heated and cooling wearables and fabrics. You'll have to listen to the episode to hear how this innovative product heats and cools according to YOUR temperature -for maximum comfort at all times, no matter your location or activity- but we also dig into the startup culture in Traverse City, including the incubators, angels, and investors that make it possible and growth-oriented. 

Small business owners: you're gonna need to bookmark this one! We're talking all things work at home, including how to migrate to a hybrid office (where half works at home and half comes in, then switch), as well as the setups you NEED in your home office to keep things running safely, smoothly, and consistently. It's not as simple as buying a consumer-facing backup system, and Tim explains why. This is an old-school style episode, with just Ruthy and Tim talking about a topic, no guests! 

This week we caught up with Sean Skarshaug of Traverse Repro and Copy Central in Traverse City. We had a fun convo all about how his company has morphed from doing strictly blueprints in the area to providing printing services of all kinds. Plus, how Sean and his wife Blythe have built a company culture that keeps his staff strong and loyal, as well as how they pivoted during the pandemic- and the messaging they've honed that gotten them through it.

*Please enjoy this encore presentation of one of our favorite past episodes. We'll be back with a brand new episode next week!* We sat down with Marsha Minervini this week, who is an absolute joy. If you weren't passionate about up north real estate before you listened to this episode, Marsha may just change your mind! We discussed not just what she loves (and finds difficult about) running her real estate and development business here in northern Michigan, but also how she's set up systems and processes with her technology to make her business run smoother and, ultimately, help her gain more profits. 

This week, Tim and I caught up with Nathan Griswold, of Inhabitect in Traverse City. Inhabitect designs and builds green roofs, which assist with stormwater drainage and cooling, along with providing the spaces for building inhabitants to use and enjoy. We chat with Nate today about what it’s like to run his green company in an area still embracing some forms of green infrastructure, the technology challenges he faces with his office in Leelanau County, managing staff, and more.