Every wondered how the Minnesota State Fair actually works? It's so much more than corn dogs, Sweet Martha’s cookies, and rides.

It’s a $77 million operation that becomes Minnesota’s third-largest city for a magical 12 days every summer – with hundreds of vendors, thousands of workers, major concerts, livestock, overnight logistics that include hundreds of people spending the night, and millions of visitors.

On this episode of the Twin Cities Business Show, we sat down with Renee Alexander, CEO of the Minnesota State Fair, to go behind the scenes of The Great Minnesota Get Together.

Renee explains how the fair makes money, why Sweet Martha’s has become such a phenomenon, how the Grandstand lineup gets booked, what happens after the gates close at 11 p.m., how vendors are selected, and what it takes to run an organization that operates year-round for an event that lasts just 12 days.

She also shares the story of how she went from her first State Fair internship (a job that she originally lost out on) to becoming CEO.

In this episode:

• 00:00 Intro: The $77 million business behind the State Fair
• 00:51 Why Sweet Martha’s is so successful
• 06:09 How the State Fair makes money
• 06:38 The State Fair gets 15% of food sales and 18% of beer & wine sales
• 07:56 The State Fair is a $77 million operation
• 08:10 For 12 days, the fair becomes Minnesota’s third-largest city
• 08:28 How Renee measures a successful State Fair
• 09:45 State Fair ticket prices and affordability
• 11:00 How to experience the fair for less money
• 11:50 Renee’s guide to a great day at the State Fair
• 15:27 Who books the State Fair concerts?
• 16:40 How Rod Stewart, Salt-N-Pepa and other acts end up on the lineup
• 18:54 The story behind the TLC/Shaggy/Bone Thugs-N-Harmony lineup
• 19:54 Renee’s journey from State Fair intern to CEO
• 29:04 The business of the State Fair Midway
• 29:22 Why Minnesota has an independent Midway
• 30:46 The Great Big Wheel is getting even bigger
• 33:32 The business lessons of 4-H
• 35:18 Why Renee says 4-H looks good on a résumé
• 36:07 The “whole other fair” that happens overnight
• 38:46 What it takes to become a State Fair food vendor
• 40:46 How many people work year-round to make the fair happen
• 57:39 What makes a good CEO—and why leadership can feel lonely
• 58:14 How the Minnesota State Fair stays on top
• 59:34 The State Fair’s new recipe book

You might not have heard of bioindustrial manufacturing, but it's time that you changed that. Biotechnology is poised to transform manufacturing, national security, and the global economy — and their Maple Grove facility will play a major role in that vision. She tells us how they can turn corn into cement that can be used to lay down a landing strip in hard-to-reach places of the planet.

In this episode of the Twin Cities Business Show, we sat down with Jill Zullo, Chief Operating Officer of BioMADE, to discuss how microbes can turn corn, sugar, and other agricultural products into everything from plastics and chemicals to aviation materials and even cement.

Before joining BioMADE, Jill had a long-running career at Cargill where she helped with the commercialization of scientific products and served as CEO of NatureWorks, a Cargill joint venture to help build plastics from petroleum-free sources.

This episode also explores why the U.S. Department of Defense is investing hundreds of millions of dollars into bioindustrial manufacturing, how Minnesota landed one of the country's largest pilot-scale biotechnology facilities in Maple Grove, and what it will take to turn breakthrough science into billion-dollar businesses.

Whether you're interested in manufacturing, startups, biotechnology, venture capital, supply chains, or the future of American industry, this conversation offers a fascinating look at one of the fastest-growing sectors in the economy.

In this episode:

• 00:00 Introduction
• 00:28 How does a cucumber become a pickle?
• 01:29 What BioMADE does and why it matters
• 03:46 Why the Department of Defense is investing in biotechnology
• 06:23 How do you turn corn into cement?
• 07:50 What is synthetic biology?
• 09:00 Why even Cargill had to pilot new technologies overseas
• 11:22 Why Minnesota is becoming a biotechnology hub
• 13:19 What it will take to attract more bio-manufacturing to Minnesota
• 16:17 The airplane tire made from dandelions
• 19:53 How Minnesota landed BioMADE's flagship pilot facility
• 21:37 Why building pilot plants is so difficult
• 27:14 The race to replace petroleum-based plastics
• 30:52 What BioMADE hopes to accomplish over the next decade
• 33:00 Why America can't let these factories move overseas
• 36:39 Jill Zullo's career — from the University of Minnesota and Cargill to BioMADE
• 39:39 How to turn science into money
• 41:39 Building the biotechnology workforce of the future
• 43:03 What success looks like for BioMADE

Scott Stallman, President of Dunwoody College of Technology, joins the Twin Cities Business Show to discuss why higher education is facing generational challenges, what Minnesota needs to build the workforce of the future, the careers that have salaries that might surprise you, and where the economy is headed.Dunwoody partners with corporations across the state to help build a pipeline of skilled workers. While many colleges have seen their enrollment drop, Dunwoody's is up 45% since 2015. From the coming enrollment cliff in higher education to artificial intelligence to automation to skilled trades to young people today, , Stallman explains why Dunwoody is taking a dramatically different approach to preparing students for high-paying, high-demand careers.In this episode:00:00 – Introduction00:42 – What makes Dunwoody College unique?03:48 – The highest-paying careers people overlook04:08 – The $80,000 surveying job (plus a signing bonus)06:43 – How Dunwoody partners directly with industry09:58 – Why higher education is undergoing a seismic shift17:20 – Why many colleges will become smaller or disappear18:24 – The tough decisions that transformed Dunwoody19:28 – Why today's engineers need to know how to use a wrench22:40 – The real return on investment of a college degree23:46 – Do electricians really make as much as lawyers?25:30 – Why technical education costs so much to deliver28:36 – How students build real products not just classroom projects34:48 – Student inventions solving real business problems37:48 – The future of AI, automation, and Minnesota's workforce41:35 – The one thing Scott would change about American high schools

Greiner Construction CEO Josh Helgesen started his career counting nuts and bolts at his family's lumberyard in small town Wisconsin. After dropping out of college and becoming an apprentice carpenter, he worked his way up at the company until becoming a CEO and part-owner.Josh joins the Twin Cities Business Show to discuss the future of commercial construction, where downtown Minneapolis is headed (he's optimistic), the biggest trends shaping the industry, how technology is changing the job site, and what it takes to lead a company with more than a century of history.The company has several exciting new projects in the works, including the remodeled 20 Washington and the Minnesota Hockey Hall of Fame.Chapters00:00 Intro01:34 Growing up around construction05:58 Becoming CEO of Greiner11:47 The state of Minnesota's construction industry18:26 The future of downtown Minneapolis24:53 Building great company culture31:40 Labor and workforce challenges38:18 Technology on the job site45:21 Tariffs, costs, and the economy51:46 What's next for Greiner Construction56:18 Getting to know Josh; Green Bay Packers

What if the future of rocket propulsion was printed instead of molded?On this episode of the Twin Cities Business Show, we sit down with Cora Leibig, founder and CEO of Chromatic 3D Materials, a company based in Golden Valley that's pioneering advanced 3D printing technologies for industrial applications — including a breakthrough approach to 3D printing solid rocket fuel.Cora explains how Chromatic went from printing industrial rubber parts and medical components to working with the defense industry, why 3D printing could reshape American manufacturing, and how Minnesota is becoming a hub for defense and advanced manufacturing innovation.

Topics covered in this conversation include:

• 00:00 Introduction: 3D printing rocket fuel in Golden Valley
• 00:31 Why 3D print solid rocket fuel?
• 02:40 How Chromatic entered the rocket fuel business
• 05:35 Pitching breakthrough technology to the Department of Defense
• 07:26 Minnesota's growing defense and national security ecosystem
• 09:21 What is additive manufacturing?
• 13:23 From Dow Chemical to Minnesota entrepreneurship
• 16:09 Founding Chromatic 3D Materials
• 19:29 Why 3D printing can transform manufacturing
• 23:27 Can 3D printing rebuild America's manufacturing base?
• 25:09 Why Chromatic pivoted toward defense applications
• 27:52 America's manufacturing capacity and defense readiness
• 29:04 Why U.S. manufacturing slowed compared with China
• 33:03 Operating a technology company in the U.S. and Germany
• 34:27 Chromatic's future growth plans
• 38:01 Solving impossible problems: the future of rocket technology
• 41:19 Testing rocket technology at Camp Ripley
• 42:17 Cora's path from MIT to entrepreneurship
• 45:20 Lessons learned from Dow Chemical
• 48:00 Building a deep-tech company in Minnesota
• 52:16 Investing in people and the future of Chromatic
• 55:06 The technical problems Cora loves solving
• 56:27 The science of baking sourdough bread

Stephen Regenold is the founder of GearJunkie and a leading voice in outdoor media, entrepreneurship, affiliate commerce, and digital publishing.Stephen built GearJunkie from the ground up, starting as a newspaper column to review new gear before turning it into one of the most influential outdoor media brands in America. Along the way, he sold the company, helped spearhead a $40 million media rollup involving the company at All Gear Digital, traveled the world as a journalist, and learned firsthand how digital media has changed over the last two decades.In this episode of the Twin Cities Business Show, Steven shares lessons from building and selling GearJunkie, the future of media in the AI era, affiliate marketing, startup investing, outdoor culture, and why he thinks many media companies failed while GearJunkie survived.00:00 Introduction00:18 Building GearJunkie Into a Media Powerhouse02:34 The First Gear Review and Early Journalism Career04:11 Creating a Media Business While in College06:17 How Affiliate Marketing Changed GearJunkie07:58 Staying Ahead in Digital Media09:29 Selling GearJunkie and the $40M Rollup Strategy12:24 The GearJunkie Hammer and Branded Content13:56 The Sales Lesson That Transformed the Business16:04 Do You Need Passion to Build a Media Company?17:48 Why Niche Media Is Winning19:32 Can Media Brands Still Be Built Today?21:02 Why Print Is Making a Comeback24:15 How Steven Would Build GearJunkie in 202626:01 Why GearJunkie Survived When Other Blogs Died29:01 The Moment Entrepreneurship Became the Focus31:31 Advice for Journalists Going Independent32:30 Raising Five Kids While Building a Company35:34 Can Journalism Be Fixed?37:54 Bringing Outdoor Retailer to Minneapolis40:02 Life After GearJunkie41:49 What Founders Bring to Investing43:03 The Craziest Adventures and Finding a Kidney in Patagonia45:47 How COVID Changed the Outdoor Industry47:48 The Rise of Run Commuting49:22 Getting Started in Outdoor Adventure51:25 What Makes Minnesota's Outdoor Culture Unique54:31 Closing Thoughts

How does Dairy Queen create new Blizzard flavors? Why do some menu items go viral while others never make it to stores? And could a Mango Sticky Rice Blizzard ever come to America?In this episode of the Twin Cities Business Show, we sit down with Jane Friedrich, Executive Vice President of Research & Development at Dairy Queen, to go inside one of Minnesota's most iconic brands.Jane is a food scientist with a Ph.D. in flavor chemistry and a former Cargill executive. In this episode, she explains the science behind creating new menu items, how consumer trends shape innovation, and why social media has become a powerful force in determining what ends up on the menu.

Topics include:

• 00:00 Introduction
• 00:35 How New Blizzard Flavors Are Created
• 02:15 How Many Flavor Ideas Does Dairy Queen Start With?
• 03:13 The "Blizzard Freezer" and Bringing Back Fan Favorites
• 05:03 Food Trends Shaping Dairy Queen's Future06:19 Why Dairy Queen Invests in Food Beyond Ice Cream
• 07:31 The Science Behind a Perfect Chicken Strip and Blizzard
• 09:13 Why the Oreo Blizzard Is Still No. 1
• 10:47 How GLP-1 Drugs Could Change the Food Industry
• 11:13 Jane Friedrich's Journey from Cargill to Dairy Queen
• 13:42 What It's Like Working at Berkshire Hathaway-Owned Dairy Queen
• 15:01 How Franchisees Influence New Menu Items
• 16:29 Cocoa Prices, Inflation, and Food Costs
• 18:11 Products That Flopped—and Ones That Went Viral
• 19:58 How Dairy Queen Monitors Social Media Trends
• 20:45 The Science of Taste, Smell, and Flavor Chemistry
• 22:45 Why Dairy Queen Creates Powerful Childhood Memories
• 24:54 Why Dairy Queen Introduced the Mini Blizzard
• 26:38 Where Dairy Queen Is Headed Next
• 28:24 International Expansion and the Mango Sticky Rice Blizzard
• 31:01 Why You Can't Build a Menu Based on Your Personal Favorites
• 32:30 Closing ThoughtsIf you're interested in food innovation, consumer trends, branding, or the business behind iconic products, this conversation offers a rare look inside the R&D engine of Dairy Queen.

Kris Lindahl is one of the most recognizable business leaders in Minnesota. From his iconic billboard campaign to his Guaranteed Cash Offer program, he's built one of the largest real estate brands in the Midwest—and sparked plenty of conversation along the way.In this episode of the Twin Cities Business Show, Kris sits down with Twin Cities Business to discuss how he built his personal brand, why he's invested so heavily in marketing, and what he's learned from nearly two decades in real estate.They also dive into the future of the housing market, the rise of cash-offer programs, how his company manages a massive portfolio of homes, and why he believes affordability is the biggest challenge facing homebuyers today.

Topics include:0:00 Intro: The Man Behind Minnesota's Biggest Billboard Campaign0:30 The One Billboard Kris Lindahl Would Never Give Up1:25 Why Kris Lindahl Made Himself the Brand3:14 Is There a Difference Between Kris Lindahl the Brand and the Person?4:31 Getting Comfortable Being Everywhere in Minnesota6:19 How Kris Lindahl Deals with Critics and Haters8:26 Advice for Building a Personal Brand in Public10:05 How Real Estate Agents Actually Make Money11:33 Why the Traditional Home Selling Process Is Broken17:57 How the Guaranteed Cash Offer Program Works18:17 Why Kris Lindahl Is Holding Thousands of Homes22:30 Managing Risk in a Changing Housing Market27:48 Why Home Affordability Is Minnesota's Biggest Housing Challenge31:51 Is America Headed for a Housing Correction?35:13 Why Keep Buying Homes if a Correction Is Coming?36:56 Inside Kris Lindahl's 35-Company Real Estate Empire39:12 Why He Is Looking at Acquisitions40:36 The Massive Marketing Budget Behind the Brand45:31 How Kris Lindahl Took the Leap and Bet on Himself46:46 "I Worked My Freaking Ass Off"48:08 The Truth About Building a Business From Scratch

From a single location in Edina's Galleria to more than 170 committed locations nationwide, FACE FOUNDRIÉ has become one of Minnesota's fastest-growing franchise success stories.In this episode of The Twin Cities Business Show, we sat down with FACE FOUNDRIÉ founder and CEO Michelle Henry to discuss how she built the company, why she chose franchising from day one, and how she has scaled the business while remaining debt-free and retaining 100% ownership.Michelle shares the surprising story of scrapping half of her original business model just 10 days after opening, the lessons she learned from her first company, Primp, and how FACE FOUNDRIÉ evaluates franchisees, maintains quality across dozens of markets, and uses AI to personalize skincare recommendations.She also also discusses:• How franchising really works• What makes a successful franchisee• Why FACE FOUNDRIÉ launched its own esthetician school• The economics behind a growing franchise system• Building a company without outside investors• The future of skincare, wellness, and AI• Leadership, entrepreneurship, and what it takes to be a founder Whether you're interested in franchising, entrepreneurship, retail growth, consumer brands, or Minnesota business success stories, this conversation offers an inside look at how a local concept became a national brand.

AI is going to transform every workplace, and that makes a lot of people afraid. At the first live taping of The Twin Cities Business Show, we asked Jaime Montemayor, the Chief Digital, Technology & Transformation Officer at General Mills, about this fear. No, he does not think AI is going to wipe out millions of jobs – but he thinks it will change them. It will change how businesses work, and the people that can use it to reinvent business processes will drive a lot of value in the months and years to come. He also believes that it will create new categories of jobs that don't yet exist. If you want to drive change at your organization with AI, you need to have a human in the loop. Jaime shared that at General Mills, there are processes that require more human touch than others, but the bigger the decision, the more critical it is to have someone making the final call. Their company has overhauled its tech stack and built an internal AI tool called MillsAI which contains a toolbox of approved, secured tools that their employees can use. Finally, he shared that cats are one of the biggest growth areas for General Mills. Cat ownership is growing faster than any other pet in the U.S., and Jaime shares how the company is capitalizing. They expanded from human food to pet food with the $8 billion purchase of Blue Buffalo in April 2018, and increased their footprint by buying Tiki Cat for $1.45 billion in late 2024.