Ever since he saw the "The Lego Movie," my son, Bryce, has been riveted by little pieces of plastic. And these aren't your father's Legos. Every set builds a scene from a well-known movie, superhero or television show, and they go for a premium price at your local toy store.
Bryce's dream vacation: LEGOLAND in San Diego. His birthday theme: You guessed it. Marketing mission accomplished.
A few weeks ago, he was watching the movie at home. I was only half paying attention. When the evil character (voiced by Will Ferrell) made his first appearance, I asked Bryce his name. "That's Lord Business," he said. As you might expect, Lord Business was driven by money, power and greed, stopping at nothing until he froze the universe.
It's a familiar plot line and one that has been marketed to all of us since childhood. From the heartless CEO to the merciless banker, business leaders are portrayed as villains that can't be trusted.
Those aren't the businesses I know.
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Three out of four Brainerd Lakes Chamber members have less than 10 employees, and each has a similar story.
Like all of us, they dreamed of owning their own business. Unlike most of us, they took action. They worked ridiculous hours and put everything on the line. They argued with spouses and untied knots in their stomachs when they barely had enough to pay employees and vendors.
Hard work led to a big break. One sale led to another. "Maybe," they thought, "just maybe, this thing might fly." And for a lucky few, it did.
But like pushing a rock up a hill, small businesses can never stop or it tumbles back down.
Working for someone else is often easier, safer and more lucrative.
Businesses support our nonprofit organizations. They volunteer. They jump through hoops and pay taxes, sometimes more than their fair share. Ask successful leaders their secret to success and they all say the same thing: "Great people." They created the jobs, but they credit their employees first.
The Bottom Line: Our local businesses don't deserve to be portrayed as villains. Remember that!
Kudos to the Dispatch for publishing this special Progress Edition. In the future, my monthly columns will celebrate business success and what it takes to be successful. I'll also try to sneak in a few chamber notes. Speaking of which ...
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Capitol Hills?
In early September, the chamber and Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corp. are moving our offices about a half-mile down the street to the Tyrol Hills Shopping Center, west of Ace Hardware. The new space will include a 40-person training room that we invite members to use often. The best part is the new address on Washington Street. I'll finally be able to say that I work in the West Wing of Washington. Maybe we'll paint it white.
Hover on over!
In her "88 Networking Tips" handbook, Darcy Rezac refers to the "28-second hover." That's about how much time a person will awkwardly spend outside a tight-knit group before moving on. Ever been there? Be the first one to invite this person into your circle at chamber events. That's how business happens.
When the Force is with you ...
Mike Bjerkness from ProStaff is one of our famous, red-coated chamber ambassadors. The ambassadors recently met at the 371 Diner in Baxter when Mike noticed NHRA racing legend, John Force, walk through the door.
An avid racing fan, Mike straightened his bright red jacket, walked up to John and welcomed him to the Brainerd lakes area on behalf of the chamber. He was stunned. They talked for a while and before shaking hands and parting ways, Mr. Force said, "I've never seen a chamber welcome people to a restaurant before."
Smooth move, Michael. That's the unforgettable impression we're trying to make.
