Small business owners give 10 tips for entrepreneurial success – ​​InForum

FARGO – October is National Women’s Small Business Month, a time to celebrate women-owned businesses and their impact on the economy. According to the Small Business Administration, more than 13 million businesses are now owned by women, accounting for 42% of all U.S. businesses and generating $1.9 trillion in revenue.

The Forum recently spoke to three women from the region about their experiences as entrepreneurs. They talked about their challenges and successes and gave their best advice to other aspiring entrepreneurs.

Robin Swanson founded her own insurance agency in 2014 at the age of 47. The former stay-at-home mom admitted she feared she was too old to start selling insurance, but soon saw it as an advantage.

“I remember thinking that maybe people would want to take insurance from someone whose sump pump broke down, who built a house, lived in a house, rented a house, did all these things,” Swanson said.

She worked independently for years, but at some point she realized that she could not continue to expand the business on her own.

“You have to build your tribe or your network and then leverage those connections” to grow, she said.

In 2018, Swanson met Jenna Crabtree and the two founded the Robin Swanson Agency | A joint agency of the Farmers Union in Moorhead in 2020. Crabtree became a co-owner of the agency in 2023.

Alyssa Goelzer/The Forum

The Robin Swanson Agency offers all lines of insurance and is licensed to sell in the states of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Arizona.

The small agency has made a big name for itself in four short years. Robin Swanson Agency was named Best Insurance Agency in the Forum’s 2023 Best of the Red River Valley publication and is nominated again this year.

Swanson said they place a high value on personal and professional growth at the agency.

“There is always something we need to work on to get better in and out of the office, whether it be through business coaching, continuing education, an office book club and conferences we attend,” she said. “We have high expectations of ourselves and each other. Why not be the best independent agents on planet Earth?”

Crabtree added that what sets them apart from other agencies is that their agents make it a point to review policies with their clients annually.

“As our customers grow their families and their lives change, we want to ensure the policies they have with us continue to meet their needs,” Crabtree said. “We really care about people. Even if we have X number of customers, no one here is just a number.”

Paula Klein’s first foray into small business was Grandma’s Attic, an antique store she ran with her mother, Shirley Bestge, in Fargo in the 1990s.

In addition to antiques, the store also carried gifts and home decor, so Klein went to the market to look for different selections for the store. She quickly discovered that she had a flair for design. Although Grandma’s attic didn’t last, the experience helped her land a job running InterOffice, a commercial furniture and design company founded by local developer Kevin Bartram.

Klein spent 12 years there, learning about architecture, design and the construction industry. Although she admired Bartram and “absolutely loved” the work, Klein knew she wanted more.

In 2011, Klein became a certified DIRTT contractor and founded Smartt Interior Construction. The company specializes in prefabricated interior solutions that are easy to move, reduce construction waste and typically offer a short production window.

At first, Klein said she was afraid of acceptance in the construction industry. She knew education was key.

They must first train the architecture and design team to ensure their design solutions work for the client. Then they have to convince the contractor that it will work.

Smartt Interior Construction was recently recognized as a 2023 Small Markets Top Volume Partner of the Year by DIRTT Environmental Solutions. The company also received the 2023 Complete Solution Project Innovation Award for its work on the Bell Bank Tower in downtown Fargo. The award was given to the best DIRTT partner who designed and implemented a complete DIRTT solution in a new or innovative way, while demonstrating an understanding of the customer’s vision and bringing it to life by thinking outside the box.

Contribution / Paula Klein

“It was a great honor to be recognized by all DIRTT construction partners across North America for our work on the Bell Bank Tower. “It was truly a historic project for our company and we couldn’t be more grateful to Bell Bank, TL Stroh Architects and general contractor Olaf Anderson for the opportunity to be a part of it,” said Klein.

Swanson, Crabtree and Klein shared the following tips for other aspiring small business owners:

1. Use your knowledge. Klein said she received this advice from a customer when she doubted herself and her new business early on. At the time, she was considering getting a job in marketing, which she studied at Minnesota State University Moorhead. He noted that she already has 12 years of experience in the design and construction industry. Furthermore, he reminded her of all the connections she had made during that time. What you know includes who you know.
2. Hire someone before you can afford it. After years of working independently, Swanson said she realized she couldn’t continue to grow the business on her own. “You have to build your tribe or your network and then leverage those connections” to grow, she said. Klein agreed. “The balance sheet will never tell you that now is the time” to cut off help. She also warned that it’s easy to burn out if you try to go it alone for too long.
3. Network, network, network. Crabtree credits much of her success to networking, which includes memberships in organizations like the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce and volunteer work with local nonprofits. “We like to be remembered,” Crabtree said. “When people think about insurance or ever need something, they might think of us because we’re top of mind and we’ve built that trust,” Crabtree said.
4. Find a mentor. Crabtree and Klein both benefited from mentors. Crabtree said she appreciates Swanson for helping her learn the ropes and for her continued support. Klein said she has had several mentors along the way, including Kevin Bartram, who encouraged her development in the design and construction industry, and her accountant Dan Hoefs, who also served as a key advisor. She also said countless customers, some of whom were general contractors, were among Smartt’s biggest supporters as the company grew.
5. Customer service is key. Crabtree balks at even using the term “customer service.” She said she truly cares about people and that she cares about more than just a sale. Swanson illustrated this point with a story about something they did for a woman who wasn’t even a customer: Swanson had learned that the woman had been in a serious accident while visiting Arizona. Although she was not a customer at the time, they had reviewed her policy in the past and knew that it included travel protection, a type of travel insurance that would pay for the woman’s daughter’s flight to Arizona and repatriation home. They contacted the woman to let her know, and that extra effort ultimately landed them a customer.
6. Collaborate when you can. Swanson said it’s important to support other small businesses and work together when possible. “We love working with women leaders and new entrepreneurs,” Swanson said. “We can compare systems and processes and gain a competitive advantage by sharing our successes.”
7. It’s a 24/7 endeavor. Klein said a common misconception is that owning your own business allows for a more flexible schedule. She said that couldn’t be further from the truth. Owning a business means you are essentially on duty 24/7, especially in the early stages.
8. There is “wealth in niches”. Klein said she appreciates that her business is not based on a commodity that is readily available elsewhere. Since DIRTT interior solutions were a relatively new concept to begin with, she said she thought about selling a commercial furniture line as well to hedge her bet. She said she was grateful that she remained solely a DIRTT contractor because it kept her motivated. She said not to be afraid to focus on a niche because “niches are where the riches are found.”
9. Be committed. Klein shared that securing financing was one of the most daunting aspects of starting her own business. Because she was single, banks could only consider her finances for loans that she had to personally guarantee. “So that was great, but I also think it actually made me hungrier because if it didn’t work, I had nothing to fall back on.” She encouraged women, even unmarried or without a partner, to get involved and their Passion to follow.
10. Use all available resources. The Small Business Administration offers a number of programs and resources for small business owners. For more information, see Women-Owned Business on sba.com.