Zehner Consulting

Twin Cities - Competitive Position

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 16:54:23 GMT

I am fascinated by the competitive position of cities and regions within the global and American economies. When I was being recruited by the University of Minnesota to attend business school, they sent me the publication, You Are Here: Minneapolis – Saint Paul a sales piece published by Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. I was immediately struck by this graph.

Welcome to Powderhorn Park

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 17:47:54 GMT

I have been living in Minneapolis for about three weeks. I am now settled enough to start “getting out there” and participating in my local community organizations. My first community meeting was Thursday night.

The State Fair - A Critical Visit

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:03:45 GMT

Last week I made a visit to the Minnesota State Fair well known as one of the nation’s best annual state-wide fairs. It was attended by 1.7 million people this year, only the State of Texas has a State Fair that attracts more people annually. I learned a few things, ate quite a bit and left thinking that something was certainly missing.

Dudes, Sports and Hot Dogs

Sun, 07 Dec 2008 15:41:26 GMT

Dudes, Sports and Hot Dogs are a classic combination for restaurant profits. But I was blown away on a recent trip to Atlanta, Georgia by the implementation of The Varsity’s restaurant layout.

How Long Does It Take For Innovations to be Un-Deployed? What are the crash points?

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:07:20 GMT

I enjoyed discovering this graph in class today. It leads me to think about how some innovations and technologies become “un-deployed”, obsolete or unsustainable.

In the real estate and development field, we are currently transitioning away from business models built upon automobile dependency, a technology innovation listed on this graph. Housing and Commercial markets are beginning to realize the benefits of dense, pedestrian-oriented development throughout the United States. But what is the crash point for this un-deployment of automobile technology? And how long will it take?

The Role of Constituent Input in Public Organizations

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 08:42:46 GMT

This point came up when I was living in Washington, DC. The Convention and Visitors Association was conducting a survey to solicit Washington residents’ ideas and feelings about what it means to live in DC. It was controversial in the economic development and cultural resources community because, maybe, the Bureau should’ve already known the answers to its own questions.

Online Shopping - The Gender Imbalance

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 23:48:36 GMT

A recently published PayPal report on online consumer trends has some relevance for in-line retailers. The growth of online shopping might not be such a threat, and in fact, might be an opportunity.

The Wedge Salad - A Note on Innovation

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:30:56 GMT

While eating out with a group of friends recently, I had a short conversation about the Wedge Salad. My friend told me that he had a low opinion of the Wedge Salad and wished that the trend had never happened. I informed him that the Wedge Salad is an excellent example of what business people mean by “innovation”.

A Local Food Marketing Angle - Price Stability

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 15:25:38 GMT

There has been a lot of talk recently about price instability, better known as inflation. Not only are inflation fears taking up headlines in the press, but they are also surfacing with my client base of small businesses and rural communities. My current thoughts about inflation fears is that they are an opportunity for marketing the goods of local, small businesses, not a threat to small business sustainability.

Is My Downward Dog Correct? - Yoga Becomes a Business

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 12:55:10 GMT

I do not have an ardent yoga practice, but I have been taking yoga classes on and off for the past 10 years, and I generally always have a 10 class pass. It is something that I feel like I have enough experience with to write a short article about. The other day I was having a casual conversation with my girlfriend about the general quality of yoga instruction that we now experience.

Wisconsin Public Worker Protests - A Note on Demand

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 17:07:13 GMT

I am absolutely fascinated by the public sector pay and benefits debate that is taking place in Wisconsin and across the country. In short, I feel that Americans are in for a lot more unrest like this over the course of the next 2 to 5 years. For the fist time, maybe ever, but certainly since the reform era of the first part of the 20th century, it appears that Americans are going to have a national debate about the role of the state and what exactly are the true benefits, and costs, of a free market economy.

Pittsburg - Always the Topic of Conversation

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 13:20:04 GMT

I was having a conversation with a gentleman the other day about Pittsburgh. He was arguing that Pittsburgh’s reputation as a down’n’out post-industrial town is not accurate. Instead, it is a hive of venture capital and innovation. This reminded me of how Pittsburgh will always be a topic of conversation with regards to economic development and the competitiveness of regional economies.

Serve the People You Care About - Businesses are Imbedded in Communities

Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:20:42 GMT

A small restaurant called Modern Times opened in my South Minneapolis neighborhood earlier this year. It is a modest place that was opened by people that already have small business experience and is based on the Midwestern “cafe” concept. It serves breakfast, lunch, and coffee from approximately 7am to 5pm. The menu consists primarily of short order meals and they do not serve alcohol. What makes the establishment worth writing about, it that it is firmly rooted in a strong, dedicated cultural community that has been existent in this neighborhood for many years. It is a prime example of the fact that every business, regardless of the product or service it sells, must know its customer intimately and show significant care when meeting its needs.

We Don't Go Out to Dinner Very Often - The Limits of Common Sense

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 18:28:10 GMT

“We don’t go out to dinner very often.”

This is a phrase that most of us have heard many times from people extolling the virtues of their household budget. They may not be making that much money, but they don’t spend a lot on the luxury of eating out so they are in good fiscal shape. These statements are often made with just a bit of patronizing pride in the tone of their delivery. But, these comments miss the point, reducing spending on restaurants is actually pretty unhelpful when the larger picture of the health of the American economy is taken into account. If one cares deeply about the future of the American economy, then eating out at restaurants is one of the best things that they can do with their money. Restaurants provide jobs, lease lots of commercial real estate, and purchase lots of American made goods – from meat and grains to natural gas and furniture.

Innovative Rich Barlow Mural

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 16:21:18 GMT

These are the Clean City Minneapolis funded murals that were completed by artist Rich Barlow.

B=Ih^2

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 11:53:20 GMT

My friend is a professional sound engineer and has his own micro-enterprise devoted to providing excellent sound and acoustics for public events ranging from lectures to performances. He recently worked a business networking event at the Walker Art Center. When we were discussing what he learned by listening in on the guest speaker’s talk we basically decided that we didn’t learn anything new, but we discovered the innate nature of business.

The Freeport Model for Red Wing

Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:46:46 GMT

Last month, I was fortunate enough to attend the Red Wing Idea SLAM, a competition to receive $12,000 in financing from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation for the best idea to further entrepreneurship in the City of Red Wing, Minnesota. Catherine Heywood, a wife and mother first and foremost, a writer second, and a “civic entrepreneur” about 23rd, based in Red Wing, proposed the idea of the Freeport Project, a corporate chain recruitment model catalyzed by the presence of a well known, strongly branded, locally owned apparel company.