Do you remember your first hire? There is so much that goes into building a company, but few things matter as much the quality of the team you assemble. Given the immense importance of team building, we wanted to create a series where we ask entrepreneurs who have been there and done that, to share their stories and lessons with the community.

Tara Coleman

I am originally from Chicago, and all of my experience in restaurants is there. So I didn’t have much of a network in Saint Paul. Upon opening Hot Hands, I asked the people closest to me here if they knew anyone with restaurant experience or anyone willing to help open a restaurant. A few of our opening employees were old high school friends of my husband’s and a couple college kids in the area. We had a very bare bones team and everyone did a lot. Cashiers would help prep food; cooks would help run food and sometimes take orders. It was a great team effort, but the busier we got the more it became clear that it wasn’t sustainable. We’ve had our staffing ups and downs, that’s for sure. We opened October of 2019 right before everything got shut down because of covid. Read more>>

Carley Schwab

I Knead Coffee began as a one woman baing operation out of my parents’ kitchen early in 2020. I named the business with the reach goal of one day opening a cafe, but for the first 1 1/2 years of the business it was just me baking custom cookies, cupcakes, cakes, buns, and honestly any items my customers requested. I spent the years perfecting my recipes and growing a customer base. In 2021, I ran a Go Fund Me campaign to crowd fund an expansion to my business — a mobile coffee cart. My dad, uncle and I did the bulk of renovations to the trailer to get it up and running. At this point, I required more help and relied predominantly on my family to keep things running smoothly. My parents and siblings put in many hours of volunteer work before I was ready to bring on help in an official capacity. Read more>>

Anna Mcchesney

In the beginning, The Center for Creative Healing, formally Healing Sounds provided only music therapy services. Prior to that, I had spent thirteen years working as a music therapist within State Operated Programs in Virginia, collaborating with art therapists and teachers. That experience helped me see the power of different creative modalities, and when I transitioned to private practice, I knew I wanted to offer more than just music therapy. Read more>>

Kelly Jeanmaire

As a wedding planner and the founder of The Main Event by Kelly, I started the business completely on my own. In the early days, I was responsible for every aspect of the company, from creating my logo and branding to designing my website, managing my own marketing, and handling all accounting and administrative work. On top of that, I was also fully dedicated to client management and the detailed process of planning and executing weddings. It was a demanding and exhilarating experience, but it laid the foundation for the high standards and personalized service that The Main Event by Kelly is known for today. Read more>>