Lost & Found: Small Business Stories from the Rural Midwest

Betsy Bonnema
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Monthly

Betsy Bonnema is the creator and facilitator of collaborative marketing workshops built for small businesses in rural communities. In these workshops, people start out feeling lost and Betsy has one goal... to help them fall back in love with their business and find a renewed passion for their work. And they do. And that changes everything. These are their stories.

  1. Pink Apron Bakery with MacKenzie Dohmann

    11/12/2024

    Pink Apron Bakery with MacKenzie Dohmann

    MacKenzie Dohmann believes in being unique and making the ordinary extraordinary. She has always felt the desire to be her own boss and at a young age pursued a degree in business and entrepreneurship. After school, she worked at a large bakery and grew her childhood passion of baking that was ignited by her mom in their home kitchen. During the pandemic, MacKenzie learned about sourdough and perfected the process. Soon she was setting up at farmers markets and community events selling her baked loaves. Customers fell in love with her and her baking, and the demand grew. Just last year, MacKenzie opened a brick and mortar bakery in Spicer Minnesota where she creates extraordinary baked sourdough magic. Her creativity is soaring and her talent continues to grow as she combines art, precision and baking. Listen in to hear MacKenzie's start up story and her unique business model of customer ordering, creating excitement, scarcity and skyrocketing demand. Learn more about Pink Apron Bakery Learn more about the marketing un/academy

    54 min
  2. Compass Rose with Hannah Peura

    07/25/2024

    Compass Rose with Hannah Peura

    Hannah Peura believes in celebrating life's moments, big and small. Her love of celebrating, keen eye, and want for unique gifts led her to starting Compass Rose in Bemidji MN almost 7 years ago. Hannah is a young entrepreneur who is not afraid to fail. Her grit and determination have allowed her to pivot and grow her business from an extra bedroom in her home, to a 500 square foot retail space, to her current downtown two story location. It is in this location where she now operates her retail store, Compass Rose, and Creative Compass, a wholesale business where she puts her design skills to work creating product and offering custom designs for other retailers and clients around the midwest. Listen in as we talk with Hannah about taking calculated risks, growing a business and a family, and being a retailer in a community centered around tourism. Learn more about the marketing un/academy

    1h 18m
  3. Walnut Grove Mercantile with Nicholas Klein

    06/05/2024

    Walnut Grove Mercantile with Nicholas Klein

    Nicholas Klein believes in generosity and equal opportunity. He believes that all people should have the chance to follow their ambitions and is working to make those dreams possible one piece of fudge at a time. Listen in as we talk with Nick, a third generation business owner in training, who is working to make a delicious difference through his family business Walnut Grove Mercantile and Klein Foods in Marshall, MN.  In this episode, Nick walks us through the evolution of Klein Foods from its beginning with Grandpa Raymond in 1951,  evolving with his parents Steve and Kay to include Walnut Grove Mercantile, to its successful fudge fundraising programs impacting hundreds of community groups across the country.    Learn More about Walnut Grove Mercantile and their work to make a delicious difference @  walnutgrovemerc.com Learn more about the marketing un/academy

    56 min
  4. Gnometown Grounds with Emma Weber

    04/30/2024

    Gnometown Grounds with Emma Weber

    Emma Weber believes everyone has a place at the table and deserves to be seen.  She believes that each person brings something unique to share and our differences make a beautiful impact.    Emma is a young entrepreneur that has traveled across the globe doing mission work and returned home to Dawson Minnesota where she took the leap and purchased a main street business to start Gnometown Grounds, a coffee shop & retail space.    Listen in as we discuss the challenges around being a young business owner in your hometown and the aspirations Emma has to own a successful coffee shop and so much more.  Learn more about the marketing un/academy

    52 min
  5. Sunshine & Whiskey Filling Station with Autumn Lee

    02/29/2024

    Sunshine & Whiskey Filling Station with Autumn Lee

    Autumn Lee believes in transforming fear into freedom. She takes life on head first because "No one can take away your birthday". Autumn owns Sunshine & Whiskey Filling Station and the Salty Heifer Liquor store in Watson, MN, a town of 180 people. There is no better person who understands the struggle and importance of small business ownership in a small rural town. Autumn balances the schedules of business ownerships, farming, twin teenage girls and everything else life throws hers way.  She is a bad ass business owner that focuses on her customers, time management, mindset and understanding the in-and-out operations of her business.    Autumn joined the un/academy community when she completed Startup Bootcamp in 2023, where she left a lasting impact on us and continues to motivate all those she meets. She believes small business ownership is what small communities thrive on, they are the backbone of a community.    Listen in for a great story about grit, hope, hustle, putting in the work and rebuilding a community one step at a time. Learn more about Sunshine & Whiskey Filling Station Learn More about the Marketing Un/Academy  Learn more about the marketing un/academy

    55 min
  6. Emma Fretheim with Threedom, Willmar MN

    12/20/2023

    Emma Fretheim with Threedom, Willmar MN

    Emma Fretheim believes in the power of self expression. Emma values diversity, individuality and believes we are most fulfilled when we are being true to ourselves.  As the Product Specialist for Threedom, a direct-to-consumer company created by DI Labs, she is helping Jeep owners express themselves through personalized automotive accessories.. Emma joined the Threedom team in Willmar MN the summer of 2023, shortly after graduating from Luther College in DeCorah Iowa. Listen in to our conversation as we explore how Threedom captured the attention of Emma as a young professional on the hunt for a fulfilling career and and how the authenticity of the team and owners of DI Labs brought her to Willmar MN. Learn more about Threedom: https://mythreedom.com/ Learn more about the marketing un/academy

    41 min
  7. Metal Trade Solutions with Tobias Flood & Mark Eiden

    10/30/2023

    Metal Trade Solutions with Tobias Flood & Mark Eiden

    Tobias Flood and Mark Eiden believe creativity belongs in manufacturing.  As students, and as manufacturing employees, Tobias and Mark experienced first-hand the rigidity of typical manufacturing firms that are set in old processes with little opportunity for change. This is why they created Metal Trade Solutions and set out to create an environment embracing creativity and flourishing in the freedom to design, ideate and create. Together, Mark & Tobias have grown their business and are adjusting their operations model. Listen in as discuss the process from starting a business from the ground up, to establishing systems and preparing for growth. Learn more about Metal trade Solutions @  https://metaltradesolutions.com/ Learn more about the Marketing Un/Academy @ https://marketingunacademy.com/ Learn more about the marketing un/academy

    52 min
  8. Sandhill Mill with Brittany & Peter Haugen

    09/08/2023

    Sandhill Mill with Brittany & Peter Haugen

    Brittany and Peter Haugen believe in meaningful nourishment. Together, they have created Sandhill Mill in Canby MN, where they grow, harvest, mill and sell wholesome ancient grain flour and ethically grown food.  When Brittany and Peter attended Startup Bootcamp fall 2022, they each had their own reasons for wanting to start ‘the yet to be named’ mill.  Going through the program  process together they gained an understanding of each other's passion around the business, established a common goal and were able to combine their ideas to launch Sandhill Mill.  Listen in as Peter & Brittany tell us about their passion for learning, farming, cooking and educating others to connect them to their food source.   Learn how they worked together using each other's strengths, trusted their instinct and took the leap into small business ownership all while raising a family of three boys.  This is the story of how a big idea became reality in rural Minnesota. Learn more about the marketing un/academy

    1h 6m
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About

Betsy Bonnema is the creator and facilitator of collaborative marketing workshops built for small businesses in rural communities. In these workshops, people start out feeling lost and Betsy has one goal... to help them fall back in love with their business and find a renewed passion for their work. And they do. And that changes everything. These are their stories.

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