GROW A BUSINESS

Getting yourself in the right headspace to take your business to the next level is tough. In this five-episode series, Coven Co-Founder and Partner Bethany Iverson is here to walk you through the necessary steps to prepare you for the exciting tasks of selecting investors and developing pitch decks.

In this episode, you learn how to navigate the world of investing and fundraising, which really means finding the people that will help elevate and grow your business. Tune in to unlock networking tips and tricks and how to talk to potential stakeholders for your business.

Pitch decks allow you to visually tell the story of your business; they give you space to dream and be creative. Join Bethany in learning four of the eight ingredients needed to develop a standout pitch deck!

In this episode, we continue our conversation on the essential ingredients to creating fantastic pitch decks. Now that you know the building blocks, it’s time to really illustrate what makes your business compelling, competitive, and able to grow. Learn the remaining elements of creating an outstanding pitch deck that will make your business stand out and be memorable in this episode.

You did it! You completed your pitch deck and are ready to present your business plan to a potential investor. This may seem daunting, but lean into your feelings and believe in yourself. This last episode of the series gives you the tools you need to be successful and confident in your pitch meeting. Remember, you got this!

Building a product can be tough, that’s why we use the process of ideation to get our ideas out of our heads, onto paper, and then into the real world. Join Jasmine Russell, CEO and founder of Monicat Data and Sunsett.io in this three-episode series on product development. Our first episode tackles the important questions you should be asking yourself when developing your product in order to eventually take your plans from imagination to reality.

Now that you’ve ideated your product, it’s time to build your prototype. These models serve as important visuals and starting points to develop your product over time. Learn the skills necessary to draft, minimize and enhance your product, so you can get it to market in this second installment of the series.

In our final Product Development episode, you will gain key insights and tips on how to bring your amazing product to market. From user testing to identifying your target audience, learn the skills you need to effectively distribute your product and ultimately, grow your business.

At any stage in your business journey, it is important to reflect on the question: what do you want to achieve, and why? Assessing the success of your business is often tied to how well you adapt and grow. Join Coven co-founder and partner, Erinn Farrell, is this three-part series to dissect how, when and who to be in moments of growth to truly expand your business in the best ways possible.

There is no linear model for growth in a business. Sometimes growth means seeking depth with the tools you already have, or looking to bring new people onto your team. In this second episode, dive into some key processes to consider when it comes time to making hires like preserving your values, looking at folks outside of your expertise, and how to navigate risk.

The rapid-fire, multi-million dollar story of growth we are used to hearing about is rare, risky and pretty unachievable. While we all want to be successful quickly, this does not mean working at super-speed, but rather defining what success means for you, and really visualizing that. This last episode tackles how to scale your growth opportunities in a way that preserves your values, needs and goals to create a holistic growth model.

There is no easy way to put it, running a business is hard work and takes a lot of mental energy. Sometimes the love and passion you have for your business can push you past a breaking point, taking a toll on your physical and mental health. In this five-episode series, join clinical psychologist Dr. Sherry Walling to learn helpful strategies on how to better understand, avoid, and recover from seasons of entrepreneurial burnout.

Recognizing what burnout is and looks like is the first step in preventing it from happening. There is an odd conception that feelings of burnout should be used as a measuring stick for success, but this can’t be further from the truth. Tackle the facts from fiction of burnout in this second episode of the series.

Knowing the signs of burnout can help you manage your mental health before you hit a breaking point. Lack of support, unclear goals, long to-do lists, and feeling a lack of control are possible contributors to burnout, so how do we reckon with this? This episode of the series seeks to provide you with tips and tricks to remind you of the great work you are doing to combat signs of burnout.

It is important to know that experiencing burnout does not make you weak or unsuccessful. However, when in times of burnout, thinking of ways to get out of the funk you are in will allow you to return to working with a healthier mindset. Building your business should not make you miserable--lean into your feelings of burnout to work through them as opposed to living in them.

You may be thinking to yourself: am I feeling burnt out? Have I felt burnt out before? Seeking professional help is always the recommended option for those experiencing mental health challenges, but sometimes it is helpful to do some self-reflection to supplement that. In this episode of the series, learn ways to assess symptoms of burnout to navigate the best solutions for you.

Taking time to rest and decompress is something we can all do to help relieve stress. Breathing exercises are helpful to add to your toolbox when thinking of ways to prevent burnout. In the finale of the series, learn helpful techniques to reset your nervous system and counterbalance symptoms of burnout.

Planning for not only the start of your business but also the longevity of it is equally as important. In this six-part series, join the Bremer Bank team in figuring out your business’ continuity plan from learning about loans, navigating uncertainty, and insurance. No matter where your business is, it is always crucial to think about the future, and this series is meant to help you do just that.

Some of the best financing options for starting a business come from taking out a small business loan, otherwise known as SBA loans. It can be tricky to fully understand all the terms and conditions of these loans, which is why Kim Ellingson of Bremer Bank is here to help! Tune in to this episode to learn if SBA loans are the right choice for you and your business.

Instant Approval Loans can be really helpful when you don’t want to go through a long, drawn out approval process for other types of financing options, but there are definitely aspects to consider before going this route. Join Bremer Bank’s Sarah Kinkeade in discussing key questions you should ask yourself before clicking “approve now.”

If COVID has taught us anything, it is that we can overcome challenges and accomplish great things. As much as we may try to prepare, there will always be times of uncertainty that we must work through. For business owners, sometimes finding the capital to keep your business afloat is what you need. Tune into this episode to learn how to weather uncertainty and plan for the future of your business.

Figuring out how to manage risk goes hand-in-hand with managing times of uncertainty. Coming up with a plan to combat risk is essential when creating a strong business. In this episode, Perla Kruse tackles the world of cybersecurity and the ways you can protect your business against fraud and other sorts of transactional risks.

Adding an extra layer to your business' protection plan is always a good idea, which is why there are all sorts of business-specific insurance plans that can work for your unique needs. Insurance is a key part of keeping your business growing when something unexpected happens. In this last episode of the series, join Commercial Insurance Advisor Rachel Werdin in dissecting insurance rates, coverage options, plan flexibility, and most importantly: what options are best for you.

Groups of diverse thinkers provide a wealth of important perspectives needed to assemble any great business or team. In this eleven-part series, join DEI expert and founder of The VIP Lab, Andraya Lund, in learning all of the necessary components to create the diversity we all need in our business. In this first episode, gain some key insight on the first step of this process: understanding the importance of inclusivity, and how to foster a sense of belonging in the workplace.

When companies build inclusivity into their culture, this impacts the hiring process greatly. From advertising job descriptions, recruiting, and ultimately selecting job candidates, the way you present key information matters greatly. Tune into this installment of the series to gain tips on how to neutralize and use inclusive language to attract the diverse thinkers you need on your team.

To attract a diverse candidate pool, it is important to incorporate inclusive, measured, and repeatable practices to eliminate bias. In this episode, dive into five strategies you can build into your hiring process to engage with potential additions to your business.

Inclusive hiring does not just mean hiring those from underrepresented backgrounds or those with disabilities, but really thinking about how to level the playing field in fighting against recruitment bias in any form. As a business leader, you must be aware of anti-discrimination laws in the workplace while simultaneously working toward building a culture that understands the breadth of diversity in the human experience. Tackle important topics regarding bias that are necessary for creating fair and comprehensive hiring processes.

When created thoughtfully, hiring rubrics and interview questions give everyone involved in the hiring process an equal voice. Evaluation methods need to be objective in order to level the playing field and reduce bias. Tune into this episode to learn important strategies needed to make traditional hiring processes more equitable and inclusive.

Compiling diverse interview panels helps reduce the chance of unconscious bias creeping into the interview process and also reflects to interviewees your company’s commitment to inclusivity. Success in bringing on diverse talent begins with your personal goals for inclusivity. Reflect on how to adapt your selection processes to be consistent, precise, and objective in this installment of the series.

Great job on completing the interview process, now it is time to debrief and discuss your thoughts on the candidates with your team! As one of the final steps in the hiring process, this is your chance to discuss how those you have interviewed align with the job parameters needed for the position. In this episode, gain insight on creating an equitable and objective debriefing method.

Now it’s time to put together all the great lessons learned throughout this series and build your own unique inclusivity plan. There is no one size fits all approach to creating a plan for inclusivity, but every plan must acknowledge actions you and your team can take to reduce bias and recognize the myriad of diverse experiences that exist in this world. Remember, these plans are not static and they should constantly be reflected upon, but coming up with actionable steps to make your team more inclusive is the best first step.

Looking to make our teams more diverse, often means actively recruiting talent from different places, spaces, and backgrounds. Learn how to leverage professional and personal networks, social media, and industry-specific affinity groups to develop a more inclusive and diverse team in this episode.

Extending interview invitations to candidates is so exciting; it’s one of the first steps in meeting with a potential new hire! While these emails must include important interview-specific details, it is also a chance for you and your hiring managers to express your excitement about someone’s candidacy. Before you send your next interview invitation email, make sure to tune into this episode to gain some helpful tips.

Congrats! You have selected the best person for the position and now it’s time to seal the deal with an awesome and fair offer. Making an offer is something that should consider many factors, like compensation, benefits, job expectations, and so much more. In this final episode of the series, understand six important things you should consider when extending an offer and negotiating them.