Experience

Winona State University

• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Director, Community Engagement & STARTUP Winona State

  • Jul 2021 - Present

  Lead program development and delivery of Entrepreneur Program serving students, faculty, staff, and startups/small businesses. Explore and build Entrepreneurship skills/mindset, launch new ventures, 1-on-1 and group coaching. Experiential learning augmenting in-classroom teaching across University. Internships (find and connect). In-classroom teaching. Lead program development and delivery of Entrepreneur Program serving students, faculty, staff, and startups/small businesses. Explore and build Entrepreneurship skills/mindset, launch new ventures, 1-on-1 and group coaching. Experiential learning augmenting in-classroom teaching across University. Internships (find and connect). In-classroom teaching.



Clear Water Nitrate Reduction

• Austin, Minnesota, United States

• Business Coach/Advisor

  • Aug 2020 - Present

  Startup delivering a constructed wetland solution eliminating nutrient pollution from agricultural runoff. Product/solution development, initial sales, solution delivery, and $100K in funding. Startup delivering a constructed wetland solution eliminating nutrient pollution from agricultural runoff. Product/solution development, initial sales, solution delivery, and $100K in funding.



Marshall Erickson

• United States

• Business / Startup Accelerator

  • Jan 2013 - Present

  Advisor, Coach, Fractional Leader, and hands-on problem solver for Startups and SME's (up to $50M sales and 500 employees. Creating/launching new ventures (standalone and within companies). Business development and everything supporting that – solution development, sales/marketing, operations, solution delivery. I sell, have P & L responsibility, and understand operations, financials, technology, legal, the bottom line, and developing people. Advisor, Coach, Fractional Leader, and hands-on problem solver for Startups and SME's (up to $50M sales and 500 employees. Creating/launching new ventures (standalone and within companies). Business development and everything supporting that – solution development, sales/marketing, operations, solution delivery. I sell, have P & L responsibility, and understand operations, financials, technology, legal, the bottom line, and developing people.



University of Minnesota

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Startup Advisor

  • Jan 2017 - Present

  As part of the Business Advisor Group within The Venture Center, I review software and technology based service offerings moving through the University's commercialization pipeline and provide thoughts, guidance, coaching and other assistance to professors, students, researchers, and others within the University.

• Startup G-T-M (Go-To-Market)

  • Oct 2018 - Dec 2019

  Led initiatives commercializing a R & D project within the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). Created/refined solution to make it commercially viable, closed early customer deals, created/deployed successful solution delivery. We closed $1M in funding.



Red Wing Ignite

• United States
• Civic and Social Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Entrepreneur Lead

  • Jul 2020 - Jun 2021

  Led the Entrepreneur Program: Early-stage funding, Startup School, and coaching/consulting. Grew program from 10 entrepreneurs to serving over 200. RWI became a go-to resource in SE MN for Startups and small businesses. Led the Entrepreneur Program: Early-stage funding, Startup School, and coaching/consulting. Grew program from 10 entrepreneurs to serving over 200. RWI became a go-to resource in SE MN for Startups and small businesses.



Bauer Welding & Metal Fabricators, Inc.

• United States
• Machinery Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Vice President Business Development

  • Aug 2017 - Aug 2018

  Hired by CEO to (1) find new sales channels, (2) find/close business with new customers, and (3) manage independent sales reps. Spearheaded evolution from a component to complete product manufacturer. 4 new customers resulting in $500K booked sales and $3M annual budgeted sales for new business operation. Captured new Fortune 1000 customers - Harley Davidson, Rockwell, and Polaris Industries. Hired by CEO to (1) find new sales channels, (2) find/close business with new customers, and (3) manage independent sales reps. Spearheaded evolution from a component to complete product manufacturer. 4 new customers resulting in $500K booked sales and $3M annual budgeted sales for new business operation. Captured new Fortune 1000 customers - Harley Davidson, Rockwell, and Polaris Industries.



Synergos AMC

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Chief Operating Officer

  • Jan 2015 - Dec 2015

  12-month engagement to turnaround a recently purchased business process outsourcing (BPO) company that lost 50% of it's customers and was hemorrhaging cash. Reorganized company, fixed customer, service delivery, and accounting problems, refocused sales, and reduced burn rate 57%. Business stabilized, and we executed a path to profitability in 2016. 12-month engagement to turnaround a recently purchased business process outsourcing (BPO) company that lost 50% of it's customers and was hemorrhaging cash. Reorganized company, fixed customer, service delivery, and accounting problems, refocused sales, and reduced burn rate 57%. Business stabilized, and we executed a path to profitability in 2016.



Accessability Inc.

• Greater Minneapolis-St. Paul Area

• General Manager / VP Sales / CEO Problem Solver

  • Apr 2011 - Oct 2012

  Social enterprise running 4 businesses employing people with disabilities. Worked as embedded consultant fixing problems. As GM of 50-person document destruction/recycling company, turned business profitable without reducing staff after years of losses. Closed $500K contract with Wells Fargo and expanded business with Wal-Mart and State of MN. For other businesses, I put out operations, customer, and HR fires and brought in new sales. Social enterprise running 4 businesses employing people with disabilities. Worked as embedded consultant fixing problems. As GM of 50-person document destruction/recycling company, turned business profitable without reducing staff after years of losses. Closed $500K contract with Wells Fargo and expanded business with Wal-Mart and State of MN. For other businesses, I put out operations, customer, and HR fires and brought in new sales.



Paragon Strategic Solutions Inc. (A Benfield co. acquired by Aon)

• Bloomington, MN

• Vice President Sales and Marketing

  • Jul 2002 - Dec 2003

  $18.5 million reinsurance administration service provider with no revenue growth in three years. 3 different CEOs and 2 previous Sales VPs in past 3 years. Increased sales 61% ($11.5M to $18.5M) and doubled customer base while company in turmoil and going through strategic review. Key negotiation team member in the sale of $5M software company to Fiserv Inc. $18.5 million reinsurance administration service provider with no revenue growth in three years. 3 different CEOs and 2 previous Sales VPs in past 3 years. Increased sales 61% ($11.5M to $18.5M) and doubled customer base while company in turmoil and going through strategic review. Key negotiation team member in the sale of $5M software company to Fiserv Inc.



SPS Commerce

• United States
• IT Services and IT Consulting
• 700 & Above Employee

• Vice President Business Development

  • Jan 2000 - Mar 2001

  Emerging, venture funded, web-based EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) service provider. Launched a strategic alliance program that signed leading Supply Chain, Procurement, Retail, and ERP solution providers as partners, and SPS became the #1 SCIS (Supply Chain Integration Services) provider in the marketplace. Emerging, venture funded, web-based EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) service provider. Launched a strategic alliance program that signed leading Supply Chain, Procurement, Retail, and ERP solution providers as partners, and SPS became the #1 SCIS (Supply Chain Integration Services) provider in the marketplace.



Firstlogic Inc. (acquired by Business Objects, then SAP)

• La Crosse, Wisconsin Area

• Director, Software Business Development

  • Aug 1993 - Sep 1999

  $40 million developer and marketer of data quality and postal automation software and services. Hired as first business development sales person. Closed the first partner deals, built a program and team, and progressed to director leading the entire software alliance program, generating $20M annual revenue (50% of company revenue). $40 million developer and marketer of data quality and postal automation software and services. Hired as first business development sales person. Closed the first partner deals, built a program and team, and progressed to director leading the entire software alliance program, generating $20M annual revenue (50% of company revenue).