Blazing Pathways to Business Growth  

On March 14, Enterprise Minnesota's Pathways to Business Growth program kicked off its second year with three new companies and a multitude of past-year successes.

Enterprise Minnesota last week kicked off the second year of its highly successful Pathways program, a $515,000 grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NIST/MEP) through which companies receive hands on training for strategic planning, innovation and idea mining services, business assessments, organizational and leadership development, and marketing strategy.

Enterprise Minnesota uses its experience to develop an industry-wide series of best practices that help manufacturers drive growth within their companies. NIST/MEP will share results with MEP centers nationwide.

"Pathways to Business Growth is about assessment, discovery, where to start and what can really help an individual company the most," said Enterprise Minnesota President Bob Kill, speaking at the event. "[It] really does represent the entire state of Minnesota. It's a great connection, which I think shows the power of the public-private collaboration."

In 2011, Enterprise Minnesota worked with 10 companies on the Pathways grant, including The Aagard Group, Absolute Quality Manufacturing, Alexandria Pro-Fab Company, Akkerman Inc., Automated Equipment, Fiserv Solutions Inc., Ideal Aerosmith, Innovance Inc., Pequot Tool & Manufacturing, and Ultra Machining Company. This year's companies include Jones Metal Products, Harmony Enterprises and Hutchinson Manufacturing.

Tom Norman of Norman Consulting, the independent evaluator of the program, commended the program's focus on individually tailored solutions, calling it "uniquely effective, and uniquely trusting."

Jason Zoubek, sales manager at Absolute Quality in Minneapolis, says Pathways has reinvigorated his company with a new web site, new marketing plan, and newfound clarity around its mission and vision. It has also transformed Absolute Quality's perspective on employee empowerment.

"Now, what we're seeing is more interaction between our employees and management. They're not as afraid. We're really drilling down to the lowest appropriate level to make decisions within the organization," Zoubek said.

To learn more about the Pathways to Business Growth program, visit here

Practical Problem Solving - Removing Obstacles in the Way of Production Perfection

March 20, 2012
8:00am-11:00am
Mate Precision Tooling (Anoka, MN)
$110 Regular

What to Expect?
Practical Problem Solving is the turbocharger that powers early Lean efforts to create more value for customers. Practical Problem Solving makes manufacturers better, stronger, and more capable. Come and learn how your organization may benefit!

Speakers:

David Meier, President, Lean Associates Inc.

Jane Schlagel, Senior Account Executive, Fiserv, Inc.

Mike Braml, Business Growth Advisor, Enterprise Minnesota

Jeremy Guhlke, Machine Operator and Trainer, Alexandria Pro-Fab Co., Inc.


Moderator:

Bill Martinson, Business Growth Consultant, Enterprise Minnesota


For questions or more information email events@enterpriseminnesota.org or call our events line at 612.455.4239.

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