Mountain Professionals seemed like a simple idea in 2000. That was the year that Ryan Waters and Dave Elmore met in South America, where both were working in the industry and both had the idea to start their own guiding company. As the guiding season progressed, so did the business plan, culminating with, what they call the "highest business meeting ever" on the top of Aconcagua. Mountain … [Read more...]

J. Byrne Murphy, MBA, is an entrepreneur who has created several companies across Europe over the last fifteen years. His book, LE DEAL: How A Young American, In Business, In Love, And In Over His Head Brought A Multi-Billion Dollar Industry To Europe, is best described as treatise on entrepreneurship with equal parts adventure, global economics, and political intrigue. What seemed like an … [Read more...]

Over the past few years, South Dakota has lured a number of small firearms factories, thanks to low taxes, minimal regulations and gun-friendly residents. While standing outside of the Bruce Bowen Company in Sturgis, I could see no less than five other businesses nearby that were engaged in gun manufacturing. “We’re looking for more 12 month businesses,” Bruce Bowen said. Bruce is a … [Read more...]

A top female rock and roll on-air personality, Dayna Steele spent years interviewing countless bands and rock stars like Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Aerosmith, Van Halen, Ozzy Osbourne, David Bowie, Bruce Springsteen, Sammy Hagar and Bono. Her book, ROCK TO THE TOP: What I Learned About Success From The World's Greatest Rock Stars takes you on an entertaining tour of backstage and into the … [Read more...]

Editor's Note: Northwest launched a regional economic development initiative, the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The Center is a combination of mixed-use incubator and an academic facility. The incubator can house several start-up companies while the academic facility will house the newly approved nanotechnology baccalaureate degree program. Northwest Missouri State University's … [Read more...]

Kennon Products was started in 1984 in a small rented garage in Temple City, California by Paul Kennon Chaney and Ron Kensey. Their flagship product was the Kennon Sun Shield. It wasn’t long before it became a best seller. It still is. Pilots like how wedges fit inside the window molding and stay without fasteners or suction cups. Paul left the company to focus more on his construction … [Read more...]

The Shatto Milk Company is a small, family owned dairy farm located just north of the Kansas City metro area. Known for "milk at its finest," they recently released a brand new line of premium ice cream. The line has two flavors, vanilla and chocolate, but boasts itself as the only local super premium ice cream option from this area. What started out as a way for Leroy Shatto to keep his cows, now … [Read more...]

Are you Vanilla? Maybe Chocolate? Ever try Avocado, Pineapple and Habanero? There’s a company in Omaha and on the Web that encourages you to express your inner Ice Cream Artist. (Without the messy clean-up.) eCreamery is an traditional ice cream store front in the historic Dundee area of Omaha. But the real growth potential is based on their ability to turn the whims and cravings of their … [Read more...]

Did you ever play “War” when you were a kid? The guys at Wide Awake Films did. No, I don’t mean the card game. (I guess this excludes most girls who might be reading this.) What I mean, is building forts, capturing the flag, firing cap guns at your enemies, planning an ambush or the other ways that we used our imagination when we were growing up. Outside…in the woods or nearby vacant … [Read more...]