Amplifying stories from the Rochester, MN entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Q&A with Local Artist Ben Daniels
Collider is passionate about sharing the stories of local entrepreneurs and small business owners! Today on the blog, we share a Q&A with local mixed media artist, Ben Daniels!
Q: What is your background in work and/or education?
A: My background in work mostly consists of customer-service work. I was in the coffee industry for 7-8 years, my last 4 being at Café Steam here in Rochester. Intermixed, I spent around 3 years tattooing and piercing at Seth Snell Tattoo Studio. After I had to stop tattooing/piercing, I found a breath of life in painting again. I now balance my artistic endeavors with my reception job at Mayo Clinic.
Beyond my tattoo apprenticeship, I am a self-taught artist. My sophomore through senior years in high school opened my world to abstraction, art history, and design. I have since continued to develop my style, especially in painting.
Experimenting with new paint or materials continues to invigorate my creativity, fueling my artistic drive. Revisiting classical techniques with newer ones, alongside creating some novel methods of my own have become rewards of their own. Lectures, biographies, and art books have been useful tools in my development; understanding the history and the people who helped forge it gives a humble base to work from.
Incorporating a new physicality into my work has been another recent venture. I have been exploring assemblage and sculptural elements the past year. Bringing this new dimension gives a different perception towards the work and offers another aspect of space that I can work with. I am excited to see where these ideas take my art.
Q: What initially sparked your interest in art and painting and at what point did you decide to start selling your work? When did you begin selling your work and what have been some milestones or important events relating to your art between then and now?
A: I have been interested in art and creativity for as long as I can remember. In painting, found my interest piqued during my freshmen year in high school. A Kandinsky print hung on one of the art room pillars – my first introduction to a purely abstract work. From then on, I began exploring early 20th century abstraction, later delving into Abstract Expressionism.
I had my first painting commission when I was 16 or 17. This was a set of acrylic paintings on canvas that I did for a friend. Since then, I have sold around 20 pieces and have had 2 exhibitions. As my ideas about art continue to evolve, I now paint with intent to satisfy my creative vision, rather than to make profit; to create a painting with mind for them to be experienced.
Q: What inspires your paintings and what is your creative process like?
A: Articulating my creative process is an ever-challenging task. Putting into words the totality of the process that takes place (both in one’s mind and on canvas) is difficult. I’ll attempt my best!
My influence’s primary range is from 1910-1960 art. Abstract Expressionism continues to fuel my ideas about painting; an art based on individuative style, experimentation, and personal expression.
The creative process will change depending on each piece I work on, or if there is a series in mind with the project(s). Painting is a dialogue – a physical and mental dance between the artist and the picture plain. Each added brushstroke and color articulate the next step needed. Music (compositions and longer classical pieces) plays a large role in much of my work, particularly in my Lyrical Series. I work in 20 to 40-minute painting intervals, anywhere from 1-3 times a day. Each session will begin and end with a meditation of the work. This examination helps the work develop, seeing what edits and layers are required to help the painting get to the next step; allowing it to visually speak to its fullest potential.
I work with traditional and non-traditional materials: brushes, palette knives, paint, and canvas – spoons, sticks, sponges, fire. The variety of tools I use help create a texture or impasto more than I ever could. Using different viscosity and fluid mediums atop these dried textural paints has become a cornerstone of my work. The formed layers attract light and shadow. If the painting hangs in a natural lit area, the full life of the work comes through, changing with the day.
Q: What are some of your thoughts about the intersection of art and entrepreneurship? What challenges are involved in bridging the gap between creating works of art and selling them?
A: This answer really depends on the person, the medium(s) they work with, and their ideals of art. I stray away from doing prints and mass production of my work, focusing on original, textural work. Working on original paintings can be an obstacle for sales. These works typically take months or more to complete, and my prices need to reflect both material and time spent.
I would consider myself a rather poor entrepreneur – who could make attempts to be a better one. A difficult hurdle to overcome between art and entrepreneurship is exposure (be it locally or through social media). Getting one’s work out in public, being willing to have these personal pieces displayed for all to see can be daunting. I would equate this angst to sharing a deep secret.
As Rochester grows, so does the art/gallery scene! The Rochester Art Center, Public Library, Threshold Arts, Fagan Studios and others, are connecting local artists to a wider audience. These groups, alongside the amazing people who run them, give me hope for continued growth in the art programs around the city.
Q: What are some activities and hobbies you enjoy in your spare time? Do you have any favorite local businesses you like to frequent?
A: Outside of work/art I enjoy a few different activities. My daily walks or occasional swim have become very important to me. Incorporating mindfulness during these activities helps process my thoughts. I enjoy reading on a semi-regular basis, alongside mediation. Practicing piano and playing some online games with friends are among my other enjoyments.
My favorite local spot to go is Café Steam. I am a regular there and love starting my mornings at Steam if the time allows. I like to read, write, or journal on my days off – starting the morning with a cup of coffee, following up with a day of painting!
You can find more of Ben’s work on Instagram at ben_daniels_design.
Collider Foundation Startup Services Report
BARRIERS AND MOTIVATORS
January – June 2023
Through the Start-up Business Support Services, Collider was able to serve 48 entrepreneurs during the first half of 2023, assisting them in refining their business ideas and providing resources to enable them to navigate and plan the next steps to implement their ventures.
Through 130 hours of support, we individually assisted entrepreneurs from the Rochester, MN area with this demographic distribution:
One of Collider's purposes for this 2023 has been to promote the participation of women and minority groups in the Rochester entrepreneurial ecosystem.
A misunderstanding about the virtue of a free and confidential service and trust building issues in the community are obstacles this service faces, especially when it comes to BIPOC entrepreneurs.
For this, some marketing efforts were considered such as visiting places of congregation for the Hispanic community, offering free events on business education topics that were relevant to the entrepreneurs, and participating in other social events organized by third parties.
Thanks to the information obtained in the intake form, it has been possible to identify that as the business idea matures, the barriers decrease, and the motivators change.
In general, the most common barriers and motivators are an interest in finding specific business education (22%); the location of a specific business resource (22%); they want to start a business but are unsure how (16%); the need of general startup business consulting (11%); business funding (10%).
Despite the barriers they must face, entrepreneurs have motivations and needs to meet.
As for the Hispanics, it was common to hear that they want to start businesses either because their immigration situations do not allow them to have a formal job, or because they have the expertise in a specific industry and want to become independent.
Miguel Valdez and Enrique Nunez during Festival de la Mariposa, where they launched their food business endeavor La Receta, a peruvian street food pop-up restaurant. They started working with Collider in June at the ideation stage.
For this ethnic group there is a common interest in food businesses, home cleaning services, and construction and remodeling.
In other communities, it is more common to hear that the desire to start a business comes from recent changes in their work situations, such as layoffs, maternity, or retirement. Worth noting is the recent interest by businesses in the cannabis industry since recreational marijuana was approved by the state of Minnesota. Since then, it has been a topic of frequent interest among entrepreneurs looking for specific information to open dispensaries or agriculture businesses.
As of June 2023, most entrepreneurs who have received 1:1 startup business support is concentrated in the following industries:
To conclude, the efforts of the second half of 2023 are aimed at attracting a greater number of entrepreneurs through events sponsored by Collider that meet their needs for business education and access to ecosystem resources.
Startup Services Report by Juliana Silva, Director of Startup Services
Q&A with Sam Gill - Collider Community Manager
Collider Foundation is so excited to welcome Sam Gill to the team as Community Manager! Check out this Q&A to learn more about him and his journey so far!
Q: What brought you to Rochester and what are a few things you love about it?
I first moved to Rochester back in 2017 to work at the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce after my wife (then fiance) Chloe got a job at Mayo Clinic. What we both thought was going to be a temporary stay turned into a long-term commitment to this community thanks to wonderful colleagues, fulfilling careers, and an appreciation for the quality of life here. We did briefly move to Sioux Falls while Chloe pursued a Masters in Genetic Counseling, but now we are back to stay! The people, outdoor amenities, close proximity to fly fishing in the driftless region, and fun downtown are all things that I enjoy and appreciate about Rochester.
Q: What is your background (in work, education etc.)?
I studied Political Science, History, and Communications at the University of Minnesota, Morris, and translated these degrees into working for a variety of non-profit organizations throughout my 7 year career. These organizations included the Initiative Foundation in Little Falls, MN, the Rochester Area Chamber and, most recently, telemedicine-provider Avel eCare, and my public affairs work ranged from copywriting and message development, to social media marketing and event programming. The few constants in these various experiences were my passion for service, a desire to start my own business or initiative, and the sense of fulfillment that came with helping entrepreneurs and family-run businesses. That is why I recently enrolled at St. Thomas to pursue a MBA degree, because my ultimate goal is to support my family business and the eventual transition from my dad to me and my brother.
Q: What about being on the Collider team excites or inspires you?
I am motivated to help others, and I want to serve at organizations where I can act on this motivation. Collider fits the bill perfectly. The first interaction I ever had with the Collider team was at 1 Million Cups - a fun event where a community of supporters and stakeholders gathered to listen to an entrepreneur's business story and help them refine and evolve their idea, product, or service. This 'give before you get' mentality had a deep impact on me, and it is exciting to see this mentality continue to this day. From inclusive programming and capacity-building events, to offering collaborative coworking space where everyone from early stage entrepreneurs to remote workers for large companies can come together to achieve their goals in a supportive community, I truly believe that Collider is an essential hub for our local entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Q: What are some of your hobbies, interests, and pastimes?
I think my hobby is to have hobbies! I am always tinkering and trying new things - from drone photography and fly fishing, to golfing and making my own wine. I get inspired by reading, and I have a great group of friends who indulge my various pastimes. Lately, I have been working on building a golf simulator in my garage for when those cold winter months inevitably descend on us. I am sure this freetime will become scarce once my classwork picks up, though!
Q: What is one unique or interesting fact about yourself?
This is a hard one! I'll have to go with the fact that I play the baritone saxophone and that I once played in a sax quartet called "The Sons of Sax." We played plenty of gigs around my hometown of Northfield, and I think we were the only sax quartet to ever be asked to play quieter because we were disrupting the visiting and 'conversational spirit' of a local VFW dinner event.
Photo by William Forsman.
Fall Learning Series Presented by St. Mary’s University and Collider Foundation
St. Mary’s University Kabara Institute of Entrepreneurial Studies and Collider Foundation to Facilitate Fall Learning Series for Early Stage Entrepreneurs
Collider Foundation and St. Mary’s University of Minnesota Kabara Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies are pleased to announce that they will be facilitating a Fall Learning Series, designed to give early stage entrepreneurs an opportunity to build their confidence and develop strategies to launch their businesses.
The Fall Learning Series will be presented over three sessions on October 17th, 24th, and 31st from 10am-12pm and will take place at Saint Mary’s University Rochester Campus-Cascade Meadow. Registration includes access to all three sessions and will cost $25 per participant. Session 1 will focus on writing a sales plan and developing business narrative, Session 2 on articulating a value proposition, and Session 3 on preparing, presenting, and pivoting sales meetings. All three sessions will be presented by Mary Jacobs, MA-Assistant Dean, Graduate Programs and MBA Program Director.
Mary Jacobs has been working with entrepreneurs for the last 17 years and has taught, consulted and mentored hundreds of entrepreneurs. She focuses on sales strategies and building the sales acumen of new entrepreneurs.
She speaks regularly on two key topics: Women’s Entrepreneurship and Closing the Confidence Gap-Getting Comfortable Selling Yourself.
She published her book on Amazon, Sales Strategies for New Women Entrepreneurs-Getting
Comfortable Selling Yourself. In 2020, she was a guest on 11 national radio, podcast and tv programs speaking about starting a business during the pandemic.In addition to her own practice, Mary has been involved with SCORE for 17 years as a mentor and workshop facilitator. This is her second year working with Collider Foundation.
Collider Foundation and St. Mary’s University of Minnesota Kabara Institute are individually dedicated to providing support and education to Rochester area entrepreneurs and are excited at the opportunity to partner together to facilitate this event for the community. Entrepreneurs interested in participating can register here.
For additional information contact Mary Jacobs at mjacobs@smumn.eduor Amanda Leightner at amanda@collider.mn.
The Collider Cup: Celebrating Emerging Rochester Entrepreneurs
Collider to Host Community Celebration for Third Cohort of CO.STARTERS Graduates
Rochester 501(c)3 nonprofit Collider Foundation is excited to announce that we are hosting our third Collider Cup pitch event, which was designed in 2022 to celebrate our CO.STARTERS graduates, give them the opportunity to share their unique business ideas with the Rochester community, and compete for a cash prize, provided by CO.STARTERS sponsor, Minnwest Bank.
This summer, 14 different participants graduated from CO.STARTERS programming, facilitated by Collider. This included a 10 week cohort based program as well as an intensive two day business bootcamp, in conjunction with the City of Rochester. Our CO.STARTERS participants have worked hard within the program to fine tune their business ideas and determine next steps they need to take to move forward.
The Collider Cup will take place on Tuesday, September 26th at Collider’s space in the Minnesota BioBusiness Center from 5:00-7:00pm. This event will serve as a business pitch competition as well as a community celebration for these emerging entrepreneurs in Rochester. Three of our CO.STARTERS graduates will be verbally pitching their business ideas. A panel of judges will determine the winner of the pitch competition and the public will be asked to vote for their favorite idea. Six of our summer CO.STARTERS participants will also be presenting their business ideas in an expo format, giving attendees a chance to ask questions and give feedback to each entrepreneur.
As a new addition to this event, Collider will be hosting a gallery event in conjunction, featuring five portraits of local business owners in the community and sharing words of experience from their entrepreneurial journeys. These portraits will remain on display in the Collider space following their initial release at the Collider Cup.
Interested individuals can learn more and register for the event here.
“We are proud to host an event such as the Collider Cup here in Rochester. For many of the participating entrepreneurs, this is the first time they’ve ever spoken about their business in public. This event not only gives them exposure for their business, it also serves as a space for them to receive feedback about their early stage ideas and to connect with community members who can help them take the next steps in their journey,” said Amanda Leightner, Collider Foundation Executive Director.
Collider Foundation believes that the support, education, and growth of our entrepreneurial ecosystem is a pathway to a more prosperous and inclusive future for the Rochester community. We as an organization aim to identify and assist local innovators in overcoming barriers to success by empowering an impactful, inclusive, and entrepreneur-first ecosystem. We are excited to have had the opportunity to fulfill our mission through CO.STARTERS and offer assistance to 7 entrepreneurs through this cohort.
The Collider Cup is sponsored by Altra Federal Credit Union, the Mayo Clinic Department of Business Development, and Minnwest Bank.
For additional information contact Amanda Leightner at amanda@collider.mn or call (507) 722-0306
Spring 2023 Cohort Collider Cup Celebration