Welding An Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs expect to take risks. It is a characteristic defined by taking actions that have unknown consequences. Chad Gollnick epitomizes the definition in his business ventures that he began in 2010.

By all standards, Gollnick was rising up the corporate ladder in Colorado’s satellite uplink industry. Educated as an electrical engineer, he quickly advanced to managerial levels. But at age 28 he wanted to control his own destiny. Feeling there was only a short window of opportunity, he left the corporate lifestyle in 2011 to acquire his first business.

Gollnick and a former partner purchased a warehouse full of welding and metal manufacturing equipment and launched Iron Outfitter in Black Hawk, SD. Ironically, Gollnick does not know how to weld. He does know how to hire the right people and increased the employee count to 10.

“If you have the right people on the bus, the bus will drive itself,” says Gollnick, adding that contracts have been secured from across the nation.

The path to entrepreneurship has not been easy. Early on, Gollnick found himself more than half a million dollars in arrears and debt. But six months later Gollnick turned the business ledger into black. He says profits continue to double every year since that rocky start.

Even when business slowed at Iron Outfitter, Gollnick made sure that his employees remained on the payroll. It is a strategy, but also a sacrifice. He wants to find an ethos that is a “net win for everyone.”

“You end up making more money,” he confirms.

Gollnick states that business owners do not necessarily need partners, but they do need stakeholders. His stakeholders are first his employees, customers second.

“Happy employees means happy customers, which means happy bankers,” says Gollnick.

He invests in employees by not only ensuring adequate pay and benefits, but providing them with a 15% profit share every quarter. Referred to as “Dollar Days,” Gollnick meets with employees to discuss the profit/losses and what worked and did not work before distributing their share. He believes in transparency in his business.

Gollnick was born in Aberdeen but has lived in Montana, Colorado and South Dakota. He believes that South Dakota is the best place to operate a business. Although he considers himself a “national guy,” he has discovered many people in other areas do not have the talent or the desire to do the work.

“In South Dakota, we make a list of all of that needs to get done, and we do it,” says Gollnick.

And he exemplifies that business posture. Not only does he own and operate Iron Outfitter, he has three other companies that he has either helped start or is in partnership—and he still consults for satellite uplink services. When asked if he ever sleeps, he said no. Through his involvement with Dakota Rising, he is learning to find time to do things not work-related. 

“I feel 10 to 15 years older than I am,” says Gollnick.

He has no regrets about his choices. He runs a young crew and the long term looks good. He wants his employees to believe that he cares. Gollnick believes his actions impact more than himself. He says that he has to know what the down sides are and to focus on the up sides, and he realizes that it is just not about him but also his employees and their families.

One of Gollnick’s employees described him as energetic and affirms that Gollnick gives them the resources, sets up a strategy and expects them to get the work done.

“I am not anti-process. But I believe that if you have the right tools, right people and the right hands, you can stay out of the process,” says Gollnick.

 

He likes to quote Henry Ford and is a self-proclaimed information junkie—reading everything from space exploration to metal fabrication to project management. He enjoys talking with accountants, bankers and other professionals about industry. However, his role models are his parents. His father is a painter and his mother worked for social security administration, and he grew up seeing them work hard and setting the stage for his entrepreneurial mind.

Gollnick sees entrepreneurs as recutting the same pie or making a bigger pie. “I want to make bigger pies,” says Gollnick. It looks like there could be a lot more pies coming from Gollnick’s kitchen in the future.

On the Wheels of Adventure

What all started as a renter-owner relationship has developed into an entrepreneurial adventure. DeadWheels Bike Rentals is the newest bicycle renter on the Mickelson Trail with an opening scheduled for May 21 in Deadwood at the trail’s entrance on St. Charles Street. DeadWheels Bike Rentals is a comprehensive, one-stop full service bike rental company with a vision to provide opportunities for fun on the Mickelson Trail for the entire family and individuals of all ages.

Stacey Phillips, Piedmont, was looking for a renter for a home she owned. Through friends, she met Jobie Wagner who moved into the home. Soon the two began a friendship that allowed them to stretch their imagination. Stacey loves to spend time outdoors with her daughters and also wanted to start another business.  Stacey, a mother of four girls, and a thriving business owner already, saw a need. “I went and researched what was available for bicycle rentals [and] only found one business with a very limited amount of bikes to rent. Also, I knew of a woman who worked for the Deadwood Chamber and in conversation she mentioned the number of calls she would receive families interested in renting bicycles for the Mickelson Trail.”

Fortunately, she had met Jobie whose interest in entrepreneurship began a few years ago when he enrolled in an entrepreneurship course in the Creighton MBA program. Jobie, a Marine veteran, says he returned to the Black Hills because he has a true appreciation for the area. “My love for the Black Hills comes from my mother and my Native American brothers and sisters. As a child growing up on the Rosebud Reservation, we hold the Black Hills as sacred and spiritual; awe inspiring for its beauty and glorious history. The Black Hills is not merely a vacation destination; it is a way of life.”

The DeadWheels Bike Rental owners hope to give families an adventure.  Quality family time is important and bicycling the trails has an added benefit of exercise and personal fitness. People can experience many educational opportunities on the trail through the historical markers and nature found on the trail.

DeadWheels Bike Rental has bicycles and helmets for rent for children, adults and individuals with disabilities. Along with the rental, riders will receive a day pass to be on the trail. When the ride is over, DeadWheels will pick you up and transport you back to the starting point.

Stacey and Jobie are co-owners in this enterprise. They divide their time and labor to ensuring that this business is a success for the riders and the community of Deadwood. Whether riders come from the Black Hills area or another state, they will not have to worry about loading their bicycles. All they have to do is show up in comfortable clothes and enjoy the ride!

You Make It Look So Easy

Do you remember the last time you had to stand in front of a group of people and explain a concept or share an idea? Did your palms get sweaty? Did you have anxiety for hours, maybe days before, thinking about the humiliation you may be subjected to? Did you decide not to eat before the presentation in case you were not able to hold it down? It may sound ridiculous, but EVERYONE has had this experience one time or another. If they tell you they have not, then they have not been challenged enough.

I joined Toastmasters two years ago despite the fact that I had experience presenting in front of large groups of people. The first time I gave a speech to the 10 people in attendance, I was anxious and could barely concentrate until the 6-8 minute speech was done. The people in the room said, "You make it look so easy." Really? I was faking it the entire time! I was just hoping I remembered to keep my knees bent so I did not faint in front of these people. 

The truth is that no matter how many times you speak in front of people you get a little anxiety over the thought of forgetting a key point, mispronouncing a word, or absolutely becoming tongue tied. It is said that with practice comes perfection. The key is practice. There are several things I have learned from Toastmasters: draft it, write it, practice it, and then time it.

I can make it look easy. But easy is not the message I want portrayed. I want it to be heard not seen. If I am going to expend the time to craft a lofty vision or share an inspirational moment, then I want the words to be what people remember, not me sweating or passing out from the lack of oxygen. 

Hence, my tip of the day: Write the word "BREATHE" between paragraphs.  Then at least if you can not remember your key point, you will remember to get some air.

It's Been A Long Time

At a recent national conference, I learned that you are supposed to update your Google+ account. Then I was told at another presentation to make sure your LinkedIn profile was updated. At yet another meeting I heard that I need to check my privacy settings. During this infinite updating, I came across an annotation that I had a blog! Oh my, it has been a long time.

I started the blog as a principal of an elementary school. I saw it as a way to journal my experience as a principal. Interesting reading, but I am not sure if it was because I wrote it, or if truly is. Either way, the theme is the same for my blog...Leadership For Life. Now I am working for a nonprofit as a Vice President. The principal in me still comes out every once in a while, especially when I see coworkers running in the hall. When the fire alarms went off though, I was not for sure if it was a fire drill or a tornado drill. Do I exit the building or do I tuck myself against an interior wall? Wrong decision could be fatal.

Seems like many of the decisions I make in my current role still fall under the category of leadership. I continue to speak about leadership, but I have not made a deliberate attempt about blogging about it since 2013. Two years may seem like a long time, but in the fast paced and ever changing social media updates and profile changes and upgrades, it is a VERY long time. Hopefully, you won't have to wait another 2 years for a blog post.

Until the next time..

Life Long Learning aka Professional Development

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak to a group of up and coming women leaders.  These are women who are interested in expanding their leadership skills.  They come from every industry and every level of expertise.  The topic I shared with them was continuing professional development after the leadership course.

The concept of professional development is sometimes considered frivolous or extraneous to the work being done. In some arenas such as education, law, and health care, professional development is required in order to maintain certification.  In any case, professional development should be the personal acquirement of information, trends, and strategies to improve performance personally and professionally.  Ways to continue to learn are through workshops, training, professional associations and memberships, and reading.  Another way is through online networks such as LinkedIn that allow you to join groups.  

The challenge I put to the women was to identify one professional development goal.  It could be to read a professional book a month or a week.  The goal could be for a year or three years.  The final question posed, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"  Your professional development should lead you in this direction.  What goal have you written down today to help you acquire professional growth?

The excitement of learning separates youth from old age. As long as you’re learning you’re not old.  Rosalyn S. Yalow

Surviving Unfriendly Skies

One of the perks for work is getting to travel almost every other week.  I realize that not everyone considers this a perk, but for those of us who love avoiding cleaning their own houses or working every day in an office, it is a perk.  I admit that some travel days are better than others.  That is why I am writing today.  Today, April Fool’s Day, has not been the best travel experience of my life.  I have to write about it though just so I can remember the good points about travel.

Many travelers will tell you to expect delays in airports, so I try to come prepared.  One magazine, one book, Smartphone, and tablet and I am prepped with reading material.  When they say "all electronics must be turned off," I am ready with another option.   I have learned also to remember the charging cord and not pack it in my luggage that usually has to be stored under the cabin because we fly on small planes.  One of the best airports I have found for recharging your devices is Minneapolis.  The airport I was stuck in today had very few outlets once you pass security, so make sure you charge your things before you go.  I also learned of a backpack that charges your electronics on the go.  http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/powerbag_charging_backpack_review

I believe in packing light.  My version of packing light is typically not the same as others.  One person's "must have" item may not be another's.  For me, toothbrush, underwear, socks, and a sweatshirt are the items to not forget.  I can always shop for the other stuff.  Today I chose not to check my luggage.  With all the cancellations and changes in flights I was glad to have a small suitcase.  Going overseas requires a whole different strategy but in the US you can typically get away with a small suitcase.  I found a resource for packing at http://corporette.com/2010/07/12/how-to-plan-for-your-first-business-trip/.

Remember to bring your smile.  I was beyond frustrated today and posted a few things on social media about the airline.  (@heusera)  I will be sure to compliment the pilot and flight attendants though.  The delays are usually not their fault.  The pilot attempted to make us laugh.  One passenger was very "short" with the flight attendant.  I wonder if she realized that the flight attendant has the power to remove her from the flight and delay her longer.  The power of a smile or a tasteful joke can reduce tensions on a plane.  After all, you do have to be thousands of feet above ground with these people in an enclosed capsule.

The April Fool’s Day may have been a test on how well I can handle stress.  I think the airlines should consider giving us double points on days like these where your flights are cancelled or delayed continuously.  But then again today's adventure gave me something to write and now I can concentrate on what needs to get done when I finally arrive at my destination.  Just remember to plan for the unexpected and smile!

Communicating through Action

Recently, I traveled to Nicaragua with Habitat for Humanity International Global Village Build Louder.  My expectations were to work on homes, advocate for housing policy, and get to know new people from Nicaragua and the other 12 individuals from the US who also went.  What I gained and learned was that and so much more.

Providing housing for individuals who have gone from a makeshift home of corrugated sheet metal and whatever items look like they could serve as a wall to a concrete block home as seen in these two pictures was definitely inspiring.  The main purpose of the trip was to build and work on homes.

What I learned is that these extremely poor individuals (living on less than $150 per month) have ingenuity and adaptability beyond what I could conceive.  And the end result...individuals incredibly gracious and visibly committed to improving their communities.  What was even more amazing was that even though I can not speak their primary language of Spanish very well (muy mal), the smiles on the children and adults' faces was universally communicated.

As we moved from home to home, the 15 individuals with whom I shared this journey taught me even more about communication.  Despite the fact that we had varying degrees of Spanish speaking skills, we were able to communicate with each other on several levels.  We did not all agree on every policy solutions for making changes in the communities, but we never disrespected one another's opinions.  We each came from diverse backgrounds and experiences that provided different perspectives and approaches.  When we reflected on our days on the sites and after visiting with policy makers and organizations, we shared our interpretation of the events that unfolded.  Like the professional photographer who captures perspective based on positioning of the camera and himself, we all saw things from different lenses.  Hearing how each individual comprehended the information or engaged in a moment with a child or a home owner gave us an opportunity to see a larger picture than just what our personal experience was.

Communication was a key component of our trip.  We talked with home owners, Habitat for Humanity employees, government officials, nonprofit organizations, and many others through the best language skills we knew.  The most important form of communication was through the nonverbal: smiles, gestures, and dancing.  (Yes, we even squeezed in a flash mob!) My expectations were surpassed, but more importantly I learned that communicating through action exemplifies the saying, "Actions speak louder than words."