This will be my fourth year organizing Global Entrepreneurship Week events in the Mankato, MN area.

My first experiences as an entrepreneur were working for my parents companies - restaurants, canoe rental, mini-golf, motel, antiques were all part of my childhood and teenage years.  I saw first hand how much work is involved and how great it is to create a company, give people jobs and do something the community needs.

I started a company in 1993 that brought Internet access to south central Minnesota.  We grew to 25 employees and served seven counties before selling in 2001.  We started a web site development business that we sold in 2017.

I currently am the Director for the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Minnesota State University, Mankato's College of Business and an Assistant Professor in the Management Dept.  I mentor student entrepreneurs from across the university to help them research and launch businesses.  We also run entrepreneurship education events and assist students with venture competitions.  

1 Million Cups Mankato was founded in Nov, 2017 by myself and a group of organizers in our community. We have had terrific success using that as a regular point of connection for entrepreneurs and those that serve and support them.