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Makers of Minnesota — Society & Culture
Makers of Minnesota

The Makers of Minnesota podcast, hosted by Stephanie Hansen, features products and services uniquely made in Minnesota — and conversations with makers, entrepreneurs and innovators in Minnesota about how they conceive of their products and bring them to market.

Latest Episodes:

Making your passions work in business and life (ep. 18) Nov 08, 2016

Show notes

From IT Recruiter with On Demand Group to Heathers Dirty Goodness Spices and Crooked Water Spirits, Heather Manley is a serial entrepreneur who has made her 3 loves all work for her in business and in Life. When you ask Heather Manley how she started her companies she will tell you she structures her life around three things: family/friends, food and booze. Her first endeavor was growing her families business On Demand Group. From there she created Heathers Dirty Goodness Spice Blends that she sold into grocers. The final feather in her cap came with the launch of Crooked Water Spirits Company. Hear about her journey and how being a woman business owner who isn't afraid to pick up the phone has served her well.

Support the show (https://paypal.me/StephanieKHansen?locale.x=en_US)

Meet the couple that is helping secure the Bee future of Minnesota (ep. 17) Nov 01, 2016

Show notes

Chiara and Tony Bolton fell in love with bees first then each other. This husband and wife entrepreneur team learned the bee keeping trade from Chiara's experience on a farm in China. Once bitten by the love of bees, they started mating queens and genetically selecting them for the best characteristics for Minnesota to create more thriving bee colonies. From bees to their bee by-products of Bolton Honeys to the Finalists in the Minnesota Cup their bee story is fascinating.

Support the show (https://paypal.me/StephanieKHansen?locale.x=en_US)

Canvas Back, the manufacturer keeping your car clean from your dirty dog (ep. 16) Oct 25, 2016

Show notes

Manufacturing in Minnesota is alive and well on the shores of Lake Minnetonka where we found Brooks Chandler and her growing company, Canvas Back. Canvas Back makes custom bed liners for your car. Dirty dogs, leaves or wood logs can all stand up to the wear and tear of these waterproof and durable liners custom made for cars in Minnesota.

Support the show (https://paypal.me/StephanieKHansen?locale.x=en_US)

Mark Levine and his self publishing success story (ep. 15) Oct 18, 2016

Show notes

Mark Levine can see a good opportunity when it happens. After helping a client self publish a book he realized there were not very many good resources or "how to manuals" so he created one and it propelled him to be the self publishing expert! Hear his story here

Support the show (https://paypal.me/StephanieKHansen?locale.x=en_US)

Dean Phillips on vodka, gelato, and entrepreneurship (ep. 14) Oct 11, 2016

Show notes

Dean Phillips comes from a long line of successful entrepreneurs. In his world, that success comes with responsibility. From his early days of college he worked in his families distillery and gradually worked his way up to be on the team that reimagined many of Phillips recipes from the 1950's including the flavored vodka line we now know as UV Vodka. Other brands followed like: Revelstoke Whiskey and Prairie Vodka as the grain to glass movement took hold. After the death of his father, Dean joined the Talenti Gelato Company that eventually was sold paving the way for his current pursuit, Penny's Coffee. Penny's Coffee shop specializes in high end coffees with sweet and savory crepes opening soon in Downtown Minneapolis and Linden Hills.

Support the show (https://paypal.me/StephanieKHansen?locale.x=en_US)

Laura Hlavac Design (ep. 13) Oct 04, 2016

Show notes

Laura Hlavak started designing clothing when she was 10 years old. Throughout her career she designed active wear for Rollerblade and NordicTrack before she started her own retail store and designed children's clothing. After running the store for 5 years, where she designed, manufactured and sold her clothes she took a break to have her third child and closed the store. She felt she needed to regroup and go a different direction. That direction was the competitive women's clothing market! Laura creates, manufactures and sells her designs directly to local boutiques and stores. Laura Hlavac Designs are currently in over 250 stores.

Support the show (https://paypal.me/StephanieKHansen?locale.x=en_US)

How Julia Moss turned old possessions into a new business (ep. 12) Sep 25, 2016

Show notes

We have all heard of upcycling or re-using possessions in new creative ways but Julia Moss did it and turned it into a business and a retail shop in Uptown. Do you have plated silver in your buffet that you haul out every Thanksgiving or Christmas and beg the kids to polish so you can eat off it? Julia Moss did too until she found a way to powder coat it in fabulous colors that allow you to repurpose your family heirlooms in a way that you will use them for years to come and actually enjoy looking at them in your dining room. From a creative idea to a store front Julia Moss designs are a one of a kind way to bring your heirlooms back to life!

Support the show (https://paypal.me/StephanieKHansen?locale.x=en_US)

How Nick Kosevich became a player in the craft cocktail industry (ep. 11) Sep 18, 2016

Show notes

Nick Kosevich went from Town Talk Diner bartender to hospitalitarian to Minnesota maker. As a partner in Bittercube he helped create and launch the 8 flavors of Bittercube cocktail bitters. What started out as improving on the craft cocktail scene became a movement as they expanded the Bittercube brand identity of these products and helped refine and define the evolving craft cocktail movement in the Twin Cities and beyond.

Support the show (https://paypal.me/StephanieKHansen?locale.x=en_US)

How Chad Gillard helps food producers get to grocery stores (ep. 10) Sep 11, 2016

Show notes

Chad Gillard was a food carney turned entrepreneur who saw so many great food products being produced but very few making it to supermarket shelves. How could he take the knowledge he learned about packaging and marketing and help food producers scale their products for the grocery store? Maybe if they collectively shared their ideas and brain space they could shorten the time to get to market. This was the genesis of his food distribution cooperative called Midwest Pantry.

Support the show (https://paypal.me/StephanieKHansen?locale.x=en_US)

From selling pencils to helping people find their favorite products (ep. 9) Sep 04, 2016

Show notes

Ryan Furness started his entrepreneurial career selling pencils from his school locker. A frustrated foodie who had a hard time finding his favorite local products, he began noodling on store locators and their platforms. He created the web site and store locator NearestYou to help answer the age old question, "Where can I find your products?"

Support the show (https://paypal.me/StephanieKHansen?locale.x=en_US)

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