Building Nebraska

A Lincoln startup is taking on one of the pork industry's biggest challenges: detecting disease before it spreads.

On this episode of Building Nebraska, Bryce Doeschot sits down with DARO COO Josh DeMers to discuss how the company got its start, the technology helping producers identify disease earlier and its growth from a startup idea to working with some of the nation's largest pork producers.

Josh also shares his experience going from leading Nebraska's Combine accelerator to helping build a startup himself, including the challenges of raising capital, earning customer trust and growing a business in the ag-tech industry.

A used mail truck outside Memorial Stadium helped launch a Nebraska business that generations of families have grown up with. Runza President Donald Everett Jr. shares how the company grew from its early days into a Nebraska staple—and what it takes to expand a family business while staying true to its roots.

Topics Discussed:

- Turning a family sandwich recipe into a Nebraska institution

- How Runza makes small-town restaurants thrive

- Taking calculated risks and expanding beyond the original menu

- Planning for the next generation while keeping a family business growing

At 23, Vickie Ference owns two businesses in Ord, Nebraska: Vickie’s ExtraORDinary Pork and Grateful Adventures. She shares how she started her pork business in college, expanded into individual cuts and bundles, purchased two downtown buildings and grew an event décor business. Vickie also discusses why she chose to return to her hometown and how the Engler Entrepreneurship Program at UNL helped shape her approach to business.

What started as a truck stop in Grand Island in 1948 has grown into a multi-state family business. On this episode of Building Nebraska, Kinsey Bosselman shares how Bosselman Enterprises is expanding Pump & Pantry, bringing more than 400 new employees into the company and building customer loyalty. She also discusses learning the business from the ground up, leading by example and the goal of reaching 200 Pump & Pantry locations by 2030.

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.