Jeffrey O’Brien is a partner with the Minneapolis-based law firm of Mansfield, Tanick & Cohen, practicing in the areas of business transactions, real estate law and estate planning. He works with a variety of small and medium sized businesses including several startup businesses as part of the Firm’s INCubation Center program.

Licensed to practice in the States of Minnesota and Wisconsin, he is Certified as a Real Property Law Specialist by the Minnesota State Bar Association. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the American Association of MicroBusinesses (AAM) and was named to Minnesota Law & Politics “Rising Stars” list for 2008 and 2009.

Paul Flood is a Senior Vice President and Regional SBA Manager for Bremer Bank, NA, a regional, nationally chartered bank with operations in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota. He consults regularly with business owners from a variety of industries to recommend and implement strategic financial solutions. With more than two decades in the financial services industry, Paul’s roles have included Relationship and Portfolio Management, Business Development, Operations and Customer Retention.

Paul is actively involved in the direction of non-profit organizations and currently holds the role of Finance Chair for the Minnesota-focused manufacturing assistance organization, Enterprise Minnesota.

Over the past thirty plus years, Kevin Ryan has been involved in operations of companies from the consulting and management sides. He has been a turnaround manager, partner in a national CPA firm, turnaround consultant, plant accountant, and expert in operating systems for production.

Kevin has also participated in numerous deals, from the due diligence process to ownership, and from structure to organization. For the past three years, Kevin has been assisting clients in mergers and acquisitions, including fund raising for emerging companies as well as for existing operations.

Patrick Swanson is an associate with KLC Financial, Inc. based in Minnetonka. He is a graduate of the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul and has been with KLC Financial, Inc. since 2002. Patrick works with startup and developing companies as well as mature businesses to help structure financing for capital equipment. His finance experience encompasses a broad range of both industry and equipment types. KLC is an entrepreneurial organization that specializes in helping other entrepreneurs achieve their business goals.

Pamela Muldoon is President of Next Stage Business, a training and consulting firm that specializes in helping small business owners & independent professionals develop business & marketing plans, as well as develop strong networking skills to move their business forward.

For more than 20 years Pamela Muldoon has been successfully helping people improve their current situation by improving their own communication skills. As a Networking & Marketing Strategist, she helps people develop, strengthen and deepen their connections and relationships in business as well as in their life. Using the powerful tools of goal setting, strategy and action plans, Pamela will show you how to create a 100% referral based business! As part of her own network growth, Pamela is a member of the Board of Directors for the TwinWest Chamber, is active as a member of eWomen Network, and pursues personal and professional growth through the National Speakers Association. 

Bob Cummings is CEO of Cummings Consulting Group. His clients benefit from over 30 years of experience in marketing, consultative selling, product development, communications, incentive planning, promotions, business development, presentations, and copy writing in developing and implementing a wide variety of marketing strategies and tactics.

As Vice President of Marketing for Clark Consulting, he was the creative marketing force behind the “five practice” branding and marketing strategy, tactical communications deployment, marketing plan design and implementation, development of marketing concepts, creative writing of materials, web site content and video production, and creation of a variety of successful direct marketing campaigns and client satisfaction surveys.

Caroline Melberg has over 20 years of marketing experience working with some of the largest and most successful companies in the world. She is the author of the popular e-book series, “Small Business Internet Marketing Secrets” and her award-winning newsletter by the same name.

She is the co-founder of Melberg Marketing, a full-service marketing company specializing in Web Design, Development and Promotion Services and Training. A self-professed “marketing geek”, she specializes in “de-mystifying” the web and explains how you can affordably grow your business using Internet marketing tactics, search engine optimization, social media and business blogging in practical, easy-to-understand terms.

Tom Heller has been the owner of Soulo Design for fifteen years, Mori Studio for four years, and two years ago launched a parent company, Soulo Communications, that brought together the graphic design, book design and typesetting, technical writing, and royalty publishing companies in one enterprise. Tom began his career in publishing, then left to form his own graphic design company, and hasn't looked back since. An unrepentant entrepreneur, Tom enjoys growing his business by helping his clients grow theirs, striving always for a long-term relationship that is rewarding on many levels.