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Erik Westra talks about Solo Team and the 1099-MISCletoe Bash - A Holiday Party for the Self-Employed.* We discuss why many good ideas start as jokes, the importance of setting clear expectations, and the difference between networking and connecting. *NOTE: this event was canceled after we recorded the episode. They are planning to return next year and promise it will be awesome. So just take everything Erik says in our interview and apply it to 2017. Music in this episode is Chiptune by THE MELCHIADES ESTRADA BAND  

Charles is the founder of bike poster festival ARTCRANK. He talks about building up the show into an international event, traveling a whole lot, then scaling down to focus on projects they are passionate about (like their newly launched website). We also discuss defining success on your own terms. What’s your definition of success? Show Notes & Links ARTCRANK: website, twitter, instagram Music in this episode is Teleporter

Ben is the Associate Director of Event Production at the Walker Art Center. His team does “all the work that supports the art at the Walker.” Ben tells how he approached his career as a practical learner and how his job and passion eventually merged together. We also discuss the logistics of larger events like Rock the Garden and the Internet Cat Video Festival. Show Notes & Links Sarah Michelson Music in this episode is Take Me Now! by Nick Chapman

Mike Kempenich talks about how his interest in hunting for wild food developed at a young age and his history as a commercial cultivator. As “Gentleman Forager” Mike hosts weekend getaway events that combine camping & foraging with incredible meals prepared by local chefs and live music from the best new artists in Minneapolis. The next event is Shroomapalooza on September 25-27. Show Notes & Links Episode 11: Darren Ennis Chester Bay Rob Wheeler River Market Co-op in Stillwater Sameh Wadi Kyle Gage Gentleman Forager on Facebook Music in this episode is Mushroom Boy by Qurtis

Kalsey is President of Do Good Events, a boutique event management company. She walks through the process of planning events with a client and bringing their visions to life, and we discuss the difference between introverts and extraverts in the event world. Music in this episode is Skyhawk Beach by Blue Wave Theory 

David Christie is Director of Events at Target Field. We discuss the huge variety of non-game-day events held at the venue (including the best one, the MN Monthly Food & Wine Experience), how modern sporting facilities are structured to double as event destinations, and what goes into planning a Twins baseball game... including the MLB All-Star Game they hosted in 2014. David also talks about how he got the job and gives advice on how to get started if you want a career in the sports industry. Show Notes & Links Target Field Events Music in this episode is “Troll Baseball” by Fanny Roger 

Maude Lovelle is Executive Director at the Uptown Foundation and CEO of Uptown Art Fair, one of the top ten juried festivals in the country. We discuss the history of the event, how they continue to improve and grow while maintaining the quality and diversity of artists, and what’s new in 2015. This year’s event is August 7-9. Show Notes & Links Uptown Art Fair Music in this episode is “Hot Summer Ukelele" by Akashic Records

Mike is a lead volunteer at the Midwest Comic Book Association (MCBA), a volunteer organization that hosts the long-running spring MSP ComiCon & Fall ComiCon. We discuss the history of their events and how they have changed over the years, plus one thing that hasn’t changed: their focus on keeping artists at the forefront of the show and treating all creators equally. Full disclosure: I was once an exhibitor at their spring event and am currently a huge nerd who loves comics and comic artists. Show Notes & Links: MCBA website Music in this episode is Super Powers by Grégoire Lourme 

Jenny King is the festival director of Autoptic, a two-day festival of independent culture featuring comics, music, zines, prints, and art.  We discuss the challenges of her role as a spreadshet-loving organizer on a board full of creatives, Jenny justifies the existence of the event, and we geek out about why comic conventions in general and Autoptic in particular are just so darn great. The next Autoptic is August 8-9, 2015. Show Notes & Links MIX - the Minneapolis Indie Xpo Tom K (Uncivilized Books) Raighne Hogan (2D Cloud) Bart King Robert Algeo (in absentia press) Evan Palmer Music in this episode is DIY by Wilson's Head

Jeff is the Race Director for Twin Cities in Motion, an organization that manages many local races including the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon. We discuss how Jeff started his career as a race director, the logistics of planning a new race, and his memories of working at the New York City Marathon. Show Notes & Links New York Road Runners Twin Cities in Motion Jeff DeckerMusic in this episode is "Running" by Lada Laika

Dustin is the founder of TEDxUMN and Co-Organizer of TEDxMinneapolis. By day he works as an IT consultant, but we met to talk about his long-running passion for events. We discuss how he began and what keeps him going in events, his goal of creating a legacy, and what it’s like starting the same event twice at two different points in your life. Show Notes & Links TEDx Minneapolis TEDx UMN Artcrank MN Morel Fest Music in this episode is Love Passion by Black Star

Vilay Dethluxay has been producing events for pretty much her whole life, and her resume includes work for CoCo, Playboy, and Vita.mn's 2011 Annual "Hotness" Party. We talk about her history and recent work with Sound Unseen, Cult Collective, and Pollen. Find out what inspires Vilay to continue working as a sought-after event designer and cultural curator, and what has brought her back to the Twin Cities after working in glamorous markets like New York and LA. Jamie Millard Meghan Murphy  Episode 14: Tricia Khutoretsky SXSW Black Hearts Ball Work Redux - Entrepreneurship (April 27 @ Turf Club)  Lucy & Co. 

Victoria is a long-time volunteer with the Friends School Plant Sale. She has had a lot of roles with the event, and is currently on the buying committee and general oversight committee. We talk about how the sale has grown, how you sustain a totally volunteer-run event of this magnitude, and how you fall in love with an event. Friends School Plant Sale music in this episode: "Let's Be Friends" by Ben K Adams

Patrick is the Founder and Executive Director of Ignite Minneapolis, a “a high-energy evening of 5-minute talks by people who have a burning idea—and the guts to get onstage and share it with their hometown crowd.” We talk about the history of Ignite, the unique talk format, and how Patrick got the ball rolling in Minneapolis and continues to develop the event here. We also talk about what’s coming up in the future (two events in the next two months!) and why Patrick believes Ignite is so important for local leaders. Pecha Kucha Lars Leafblad  Episode 19: Mykl Roventine  Episode 7: Live at Ignite 7  Surly   Chris Menning: Internet Memes vs. Flash-in-the-Pan Microtrends Bush Connect Ignite Minneapolis: @ignitempls on Twitter & Facebook; watch talks on YouTube  music in this episode: booster.ignite by by Floating Isle

My guest this week is Greg Flanagan. Greg talks about the upcoming Mini Maker Faire, his background at The Mill, and his work with Leonardo’s Basement, the University of St. Thomas, and Tree on a Hill Workshop. Hack Factory - Twin Cities Maker  Nordeast Makers  Steve Jevning  Music in this episode is Bicycle Ride by 8-BITchintendo 

Betsy and I talk about how her background in education and experience teaching English in Japan prepared her for her job as Visitor Services Coordinator at Summit Brewing Company. We also talk about the details that go into planning some of the events that are held at the company, including their annual Backyard Bash. Show Notes & Links Summit Brewery Rathskeller Minnesota Music Coalition Lizzo Charlie Parr Secret Stash Soul Revue Doomtree Sam Adams JET Gustavus Adolphus College Backyard Bash Music in this episode is Victor Record - Beer Barrel Polka 1939

Sarah Edwards is the founder of I AM MPLS, I AM St. Paul, and I AM Kindness. Sarah and I talk about the positive side of failure, the frightening moment that you commit to an event, and some advice for anyone who’s thinking of trying something new but doesn’t know where to start. Show Notes & Links Sarah Edwards I AM KXNDNESS Jesse Draxler  Kim King  Motion 504 Music in this episode: Kind of Love by Cherry Daikiri 

Evva Kraikul is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of Glitch. Glitch is a non-profit organization at the University of Minnesota that hosts numerous video gaming initiatives and activities throughout the year, including GlitchCon, which was the focus of this episode. Why did they decide to start this event, how did they attract major gaming companies and personalities to participate, and what’s next for Glitch? Insert coin and press start to find out. Show Notes & Links GlitchCon  Light Grey Art Lab All Your Base Are Belong To Us (original) Music in this episode: Videogame Theme, by The J. Arthur Keenes Band

Get to know all three Captains of Grown-Up Club: Taylor Baldry, Tim Lovett, and Victoria Nohl. Since 2013, Grown-up Club has hosted a series of ridiculous, participatory events for wayward adults. Perhaps the most ridiculous--and interesting--is the Singles Exchange, where participants gave terrible powerpoint presentations about their single friends as a means of playing matchmaker. We talk about all their past events & plans for new events in the upcoming year, and how the individual team members’ strengths combine to make Grown-up Club so dynamic and unique. Show Notes & Links Grown-up Club Facebook page Newsletter

Ahoy! Join me as we set sail for this week’s podcast with special guest Sarah Peters. We talk about how she helped to create Open Field at the Walker, the genesis of her Floating Library project, and Northern Spark: how the festival has changed over the years and their vision for the future. Show Notes & Links Walker Open Field   Sarah Schultz - Director of Education at the Walker   Steve Dietz - Founder, President, and Artistic Director of Northern Lights.mn   Northern Spark Nuit Blanche  Art Shanty Projects  Sam Gould - Red76   The Floating Library   Music in this episode is “Great Open Sea” by Wellington Sea Shanty Society