Lost & Found: Small Business Stories from the Rural Midwest

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 BakeryLearn more about the marketing un/academy

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

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.comLearn more about the marketing un/academy

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

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 StationLearn More about the Marketing Un/Academy Learn more about the marketing un/academy