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2007 Small Business Expo & Conference
Keynote & Featured Speakers

Welcome and Announcements Ballroom B	, Entertainment Director, Blue Chip Productions - 952.440.1617 Ron P. Wacks, President, American Association of Microbusinesses - 612.721.4249 Co-chair, Minnesota Small Business Expo & Conference 2003 SBA Homebased Business Advocate of the Year, Midwest Region - eWomenNetwork Managing Director, Minnesota - Today's Woman in Business - High Touch AND High Tech
Special Guest Keynote Introduction Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie	Creators, Customers, Citizens - We Are in This Together So often we think about our day-to-day challenges from just one of the many vantage points that make up our society. Today we are gathered primarily to consider our role as entrepreneurs -- creators if you like. But we all know that our creation must connect to customers - and that we operate our businesses in the context of the rule of law, constitutional protections for our property and our rights, and from the underlying goals of liberty, justice, and sustainability -- for all. Today's keynote speaker, my good friend and colleague Tom Gegax, has lighted the path on this journey for many. I want to share with you for just a moment what I have learned along this path in my job as the state's champion for democracy.
Keynote Presentation and Q & A Tom Gegax - Former Chairman and CEO (Head Coach) of Tires Plus Stores, Author & Management Consultant	What Goliath Doesn’t Want You to Know: All the Little Things That Build Entrepreneurial Success A dynamic, hour-long entrepreneurial checkup that delivers practical action steps for improving market share, beating the competition and growing the operation. Tom Gegax shoots down the silver-bullet theory of success suggested by so many business gimmicks. The message: Success hinges on doing hundreds of little things right—and they’re all do-able. Based on lessons from Gegax’s “Big Book of Small Business,” new from HarperCollins, and his 25 years of growing Tires Plus from an idea on a napkin to a $200 million dollar retail chain, learn how to: Dazzle clients so they keep coming back and telling others Recognize and deal with corrosive conduct from employees – and yourself Cultivate six winning traits in yourself and your people Discover “The Six D’s” for uncovering extra time in the workday Supercharge your selling success ratio You’ll walk away with a clear path to raising profits and lowering stress. The English is clear, the steps are practical, and the metrics are easy to monitor.

Tom Gegax served as Chairman and CEO (Head Coach) of Tires Plus Stores for twenty-four years. By the time Tom sold the company to Bridgestone/Firestone in July 2000, it had mushroomed from a concept sketched on a restaurant napkin to a market leader with 150 upscale stores in ten states and $200 million in revenue. The company was so well managed and profitable that Tom was able to bypass outside investors and retain ownership control.

Tom was a pioneer of the tough-minded, warm-hearted "coaching" style of management. Tires Plus' healthy corporate culture was legendary for its focus on the well-being of its employees and customers (or, as Tom preferred to call them, teammates and guests). The unique pairing of hard-nosed efficiency and a caring environment was a core ingredient in the company's secret sauce. Tom's comprehensive, no-nonsense management system catapulted Tires Plus to the top in a competitive industry populated by some of the largest companies in the world.

Tom's groundbreaking management methods have been featured in the New York Times and Fast Company magazine, and on CNN, CNBC, and PBS. He was named a 1995 Midwest Entrepreneur of the Year by Inc. magazine and Ernst & Young, and is the youngest person to be inducted into the Minnesota Business Hall of Fame.

Tom's first book, Winning in the Game of Life: Self-Coaching Secrets for Success, is a blueprint for creating a productive, well-balanced life. It received critical acclaim from publishing industry bellwethers Publishers Weekly and Booklist, from self-help and spiritual guru, Deepak Chopra, and from national business and political leaders, including Curt Carlson, Founder/Chairman, Carlson Companies, and former vice president of the United States, Walter Mondale.

Tom's The Big Book of Small Business: You Don't Have To Run Your Business By The Seat Of Your Pants is receiving rave reviews from top business leaders across the country, including Ken Blanchard (The One-Minute Manager), Harvey Mackay (Swim with the Sharks) and Richard Schulze, Founder and Chairman of Best Buy. Tom's guide connects the dots between all aspects of a business with unprecedented breadth and depth.

Featured Speakers

Dave Anderson is the founder of Famous Dave’s of America, the legendary BBQ franchise, with over 120 restaurants and growing. Voted the “Hottest Restaurant Concept in America” by Nation’s Restaurant News, Famous Dave’s has received unprecedented recognition. Ernst & Young, sponsored by NASDAQ and USA Today, recognized Anderson as Minnesota’s “Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year.” Anderson is also known for helping found the Rainforest Caf?, another highly successful nationwide restaurant company. Anderson has helped found three publicly traded companies on Wall Street and created over 20,000 new jobs. In Dave’s own life, he has experienced adversity, frustration, and bankruptcy as well as tremendous success. Dave’s life story is featured in two New York Times bestsellers. He has served two Presidents and three governors in advisory positions. David has provided key testimony before Congress and the U.S. Senate. Always tackling the impossible, this bottom half of the class high school student has earned his Master’s Degree from Harvard University without an undergraduate degree! He has appeared on all major networks including: Regis and Kathy Lee, Oprah Winfrey, Crook & Chase, the Discovery Channel, the Food Network, National Public Radio and over 200 radio shows.

As a Native American, Dave devotes his life to making a difference in his community and in the lives of others less fortunate. Oprah Winfrey’s Angel Network recently recognized Dave’s leadership development work with at risk youth. Dave serves on the National Board of Governors for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America.

Dave's book, Famous Dave's Backroads & Sidestreets won the National Barbecue Associations' "Award of Excellence" for being the "Best New Barbecue/Grill Cookbook!" Dave was also honored as an Olympic Torch carrier for the 2002 Winter Olympics held at Salt Lake City, Utah.

Introduction:

, President - Bakken Building

Featured Presention #2 - Ballroom B Millard Fuller - Founder, Habitat for Humanity International Founder & President of the Fuller Center for Housing

Success in Business and Beyond Mr. Fuller will talk about the launching of a very successful small business venture while he was still in college and how it grew over eight years into a multi-million dollar conglomerate. He will then share stories about the launching of Habitat for Humanity, which, over 28 years, expanded to 100 countries and built houses for a million people. He will also talk about the beginning of The Fuller Center for Housing which continues his work of providing housing for the poor. You will gain insights on how to successfully build your business while keeping in balance other aspects of your life. You will also gain valuable insights on how to operate in the non- profit sphere.

Millard Fuller is the founder and former president of Habitat for Humanity International. His 29-year leadership forged Habitat into a worldwide Christian housing ministry building 200,000 homes with projects in 100 countries worldwide. Fuller founded Habitat with his wife, Linda, in 1976. . This organization is well known for building modest houses on a no-profit, no-interest basis, thus making homes affordable to families with low income around the world. He travels and speaks worldwide and has earned international recognition for his work advocating decent, affordable housing for all.

After 29 years of devotion to Habitat for Humanity International, Millard and Linda left Habitat to pursue another dream which has become known as The Fuller Center for Housing which raises money for housing efforts around the world.

In 2002, Fuller and his wife, Linda, were awarded the Bronze Medallion from the Points of Light Foundation in Washington D.C., honoring their pioneering work in service. Fuller was also awarded the Overcoming Obstacles award from the Community for Education Foundation in New York, N.Y. He was named Georgian of the Year and received the Auburn University Lifetime Achievement Award as well. He also received the Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award from both the state of Georgia and the King Center. In 1996, President Bill Clinton awarded Fuller the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest award that can be given to a civilian. Fuller has received many achievement awards and more than 50 honorary doctorate degrees for his outstanding leadership toward meeting the goal of eliminating poverty housing worldwide.

Fuller has written ten books about his life's work: Building Materials for Life, Vols. I , II and III are a collection of inspirational essays featuring devotions such as "Forgiveness," "Generosity" and "Peace Within." More Than Houses (2000) tells inspiring stories of families whose lives have been changed through the gift of homeownership. A Simple, Decent Place to Live (1995) surveys the history of Habitat for Humanity. The Theology of the Hammer (1994) explains the belief that true religion puts faith and love into action. Fuller's other books are The Excitement Is Building, co-authored with his wife Linda, No More Shacks!, Love in the Mortar Joints and Bokotola.

Introduction:

, President - Evolve Systems

Featured Presention #3 - Ballroom B Sue Lindgren, CMEC YESS! - Your Extraordinary Success Strategies, Inc. 2007 Minnesota and Midwest Regional Women in Business Champion of the Year S.B.A. Award Winner

Discovering the Keys to Becoming a World Class Leader, Manager and Coach Are you responsible for attaining results through other people? If so and more importantly, are you good at it? What sustains excellent performance? Would you like to expand your capacity for learning, innovation and flexibility with change? If you’d like to learn the difference between managing and leading, Sue Lindgren will share the distinctions and explain how coaching is integral to excellence at both. Through interactive discussion and exercises, we’ll explore how coaching is the catalyst for sustainability and excellence. Anyone who’s accomplished anything extraordinary has had a coach. You simply can’t see where you’re blind. Learn from the coach’s coach how to go beyond the trend and sustain excellence for yourself and others. We’ll utilize the Worldview model from ideal Coaching’s Ontological coaching framework. We’ll discover the keys to becoming a world class leader, manager and coach. We’ll touch on learning to learn and the value of being a beginner. We’ll talk about what coaching is and isn’t.

Sue is a best selling author, Certified Management Effectiveness Coach, internationally recognized seminar leader, speaker and entrepreneur with 15 years experience. Her experience includes working across industries with all sizes of organizations. Sue specializes in the domains of communication, leadership, coaching and organizational effectiveness.

Sue Lindgren is an entrepreneur who works with individuals and companies committed to fulfillment and excellence. In 1995, Sue co-founded Vistar Integrated Programs, an international training and consulting company. Sue currently owns and operates YESS! – Your Extraordinary Success Strategies, Inc. an innovative training, consulting and coaching organization and co-founded Ideal Coaching, a world-class coaching organization offering the first certification program based in Minnesota. Sue also is the facilitator for the three Minnesota Chapters of the Women President’s Organization.

As a seminar leader, Sue has lead experiential, transformational courses and seminars for thousands of people internationally. A dynamic and inspiring woman, she has facilitated experiential effectiveness seminars and workshops in the domains of leadership, communication, coaching and organizational effectiveness for thousands of people in Mexico, England, Canada, Africa and the United States.

Her work has contributed to organizational and personal breakthroughs in effective communication and sustained productivity in multi-national and American organizations such as Best Buy, Xcel Energy, Starkey Laboratories, Fallon Worldwide, Green Mill Restaurants, Pawn America, St. Jude Medical, Allied Executives, deBeer Law, Twin Cities Human Resources Association, Bruce Lenzen Homes, Twin Modal, Premium Waters (a division of Coca Cola), Eli Lilly and many others.

Sue has been featured in The Business Journal and the StarTribune, on KARE 11’s Today show and the Sunrise show, on the Pat Miles show and FM 107 and has been a contributor in Women’s Business Minnesota magazine.

Sue graduated Magna cum Laude from the University of Minnesota.

Sue Lindgren is the 2007 Small Business Administation's Women's Champion for Minnesota and the Midwest Region. In 1999, Sue was the proud recipient of the Dream Keeper award as recognized by the Governor's Commission on the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Observance for her efforts to bring about peace and harmony in the community with her leadership teams. She is also co-author of the best selling book Create the Business Breakthrough You Want with Brian Tracy, Mark Victor Hansen & Robert G. Allen.