Building Nebraska

What does it take to turn a farm into a direct-to-consumer business?

Mindy McGrew of Little Red Farm shares what she’s learned about selling directly to families, pricing products, raw milk, customer relationships and making the numbers work — all while running a farm seven days a week.

For farmers and entrepreneurs building a business around what they produce, this conversation gets into what it actually takes to make direct-to-consumer agriculture work.

As Bruce Furniture continues to grow, Doug Bruce’s sons, Michael and David, are taking on a larger role in the family business. In Part 2 of Building Nebraska, the Bruce family discusses the transition to the next generation, expanding to new locations and adapting to a changing retail industry. They also talk about competing with online retailers, the value of personal service and why they continue to do more for customers, from delivery to service after the sale. The conversation offers a look at the challenges and opportunities of building a family business that can continue into its next generation.

In 1977, Doug Bruce moved to Alliance, Nebraska, with his wife, six-month-old son and a dream of opening a furniture store. With limited money and no home, the family lived in the store while Doug built the business from the ground up. Nearly 50 years later, Bruce Furniture has grown to six locations across Nebraska. In Part 1 of Building Nebraska, Doug joins his sons, Michael and David, to share the early sacrifices, the $178 first sale, and the customer-first principles that shaped the family business and continue to guide the next generation.

Karter Otte never planned on building a career painting parking lots. But after taking a chance on his own business, Pickup Lines Striping has grown into a blue-collar business serving customers across Nebraska. In this episode of Building Nebraska, Karter shares how he got started, the lessons he's learned along the way and what it takes to build a business from the ground up.

In this episode of Building Nebraska, fourth-generation owner Mike Hesse shares how his family’s Pender, Nebraska, company evolved from making cattle oilers into a diversified manufacturer serving agriculture, RV and automotive markets. Hess discusses knowing when to pivot, competing with much larger companies, investing in a rural workforce and finding growth even when an industry is shrinking. It’s a conversation about change, family business and building something that can last another generation.

Rod Giese has spent nearly 30 years with Mighty Giant, eventually taking ownership of the Beemer, Nebraska, company. In this episode, Rod shares what it takes to run a small manufacturing business through rising costs, supply chain challenges and a tight labor market—and why he believes quality, persistence and people are key to keeping Mighty Giant moving forward.

Rod Giese has spent nearly 30 years with Mighty Giant, eventually taking ownership of the Beemer, Nebraska, company. In this episode, Rod shares what it takes to run a small manufacturing business through rising costs, supply chain challenges and a tight labor market—and why he believes quality, persistence and people are key to keeping Mighty Giant moving forward.

She went from working at GoodyPop during high school to owning the business less than a week after graduation. Now, Emory Conrad’s story has earned another distinction.

Listeners selected GoodyPop of York as the Building Nebraska Season 2 Fan Favorite, followed by Oak Barn Beef and Eustis Body Shop.

In this special episode, we announce the results and revisit Emory’s decision to choose entrepreneurship, create a business plan during her senior year and take ownership of a downtown Nebraska business at just 18 years old.

GoodyPop receives a $2,500 Rural Radio Network advertising package through the contest conducted with the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Nearly 30 years after opening Emsud's Clothiers, the Deumic family reflects on the values that have sustained their business. In Part 2 of Building Nebraska, they share why treating customers like guests, building relationships instead of chasing sales, and leading with honesty and fairness has created generations of loyal customers. The family also looks back on the kindness they received after arriving in Nebraska and how it continues to shape the way they do business today.

In 1993, Emsud and Samka Deumic arrived in Lincoln, Nebraska, with their two children, Salko and Alma, carrying only a few bags of clothing and a determination to start over after fleeing war-torn Bosnia. In Part 1 of this Building Nebraska episode, Emsud shares how the tailoring skills passed down from his father helped the family rebuild their lives, from learning a new language and finding work in Nebraska to spending late nights in their basement doing alterations that would eventually become Emsud’s Clothiers. Hear how Emsud, Samka, Salko, and Alma turned sacrifice, craftsmanship, and hard work into a family business built in Nebraska.