SSB Strategists & Experts
Steve Fredlund, MBA, FSA, SWP
Founder and Lead Strategist – North Branch, Minnesota
Although a life-long resident of rural Minnesota, I spent 30 years bringing clarity and innovative solutions to large corporations (Allianz, Medtronic, Thrivent, 3M) in functions such as actuarial, capital markets hedging, and workforce analytics. I have earned an MBA, a degree in mathematics, fellowship with the Society of Actuaries (FSA), and certification in Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP). I have an overlapping 20 years of nonprofit leadership experience including service on six boards and 11 years as volunteer Executive Director doing humanitarian work in Rwanda. I have spent the past few years focused on helping owners of small businesses optimize their results by guiding them toward the clear vision, aligned strategies, and effective execution.
Phone: +1 651 587 5435
Email: steve@smallsmallbusiness.com
Personal website: stevefredlund.com
Mark Praschan
Websites / Ecommerce – Caro, Michigan
I help small businesses succeed on the internet.
I’ve been building websites professionally for 20 years and I specialize in WordPress, Ecommerce, and membership/subscription websites. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Fortune 500 companies, main-street solo-preneurs, and everybody in between.
As an owner of a small small business myself, I know how to work through the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities that small businesses and entrepreneurs encounter. I’d love to talk about your next website project.
Lena Scullard, LMS Productions
Performance Consulting | Learning and Development Program Design | Virtual and In-Person Training
I’ve been designing and delivering engaging training programs for over a decade. I have facilitated programs from FranklinCovey, The Pacific Institute, Achieve Forum, and DiSC/Insights, and I love traveling the country as a professional keynote and motivational speaker. I have multiple certifications in facilitation and design, and I hold degrees in English Literature and Theater. Because I’m passionate about training and the science of learning, my programs have lasting impact, because I challenge participants to take action and be accountable, and provide applicable tools and strategies to help them succeed.
I am available and excited to help small businesses up their training and development game, starting with an in-depth needs analysis and strategic plan, all the way through measurement and evaluating the effectiveness of the training. I understand the investment and am dedicated to helping you prove ROI.
Phone & Email: 651-788-6320 – lenascullard@gmail.com
Roger Scherping
Fractional Integrator/GM – St. Paul, Minnesota
My background in finance and marketing led me to a career managing and turning around small companies. Along the way I read Traction and learned that, according to EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System), there is a name for what I do: Integrator. The Integrator frees up the Visionary/owner of the business by taking over day-to-day responsibilities so that the Visionary can use their superpowers to grow their business. So today I work as a fractional (part-time) Integrator at small companies that use EOS. My side gig is founder of ProjectionSmart, a web-based software tool that helps small business owners and entrepreneurs make better decisions by using a business projection to understand the numbers of their business.
Phone & Email: 651-247-1993 – roger@rogerscherping.com
Personal website: https://rogerscherping.com/
LinkedIn Page: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rogerscherping
Elizabeth Peak
Brand Coach, Visual Identity Designer & Photographer – Crystal, Minnesota
I have owned my own photography business for over 12 years and have always been a determined entrepreneur. My husband and 6 children are a great priority in my life. Having a small business has given my husband and I the opportunity to spend so much more time with the people we love, doing the things we enjoy and helping lots of people along the way. This is why I am so passionate about helping people grow their own business! If you work with me you will learn a lot about visual brand design, styling your personal image, creating consistent messaging, a little bit about photography and creating images that sell. I love helping businesses create authentic, consistent messaging and visual designs people resonate with.
Phone & Email: +612 298 9959 – elizabeth@yourauthenticreflections.com
Instagram & FB: @yourauthenticreflections
Casey Peak
Brand Coach, Creative Director – Crystal, Minnesota
I have over 20 years of sales and marketing experience with an emphasis on technology and technology design. I started my first enterprising business at 16 yrs. old in 1995, ONSITE technical support. As I have grown in experience I found I enjoyed helping others succeed by assisting in creative design elements and helping find and customize solutions to fit their individual needs. Small businesses often make names for themselves by turning their unique products and offerings into experiences. As a top tier manufacturing support agent I had to find solutions to unusual and undiscovered problems. Sometimes this entailed creating, suggesting, and heading up new products and design elements. This lends itself to small business support in many ways and lets me see things from different angles than others. Another passion of mine has been writing. I have written a novel, and designed many training elements for various corporations. I am excited to apply my unique skills to help entrepreneurs gain control over their messaging and their business elements.
Phone & Email: +612 770 1400 – casey@yourauthenticreflections.com
Liz Miller
Online Presence Expert, Coach, & Super Nerd – Burnsville Minnesota
I am Liz Miller, and I’m a small business owner. I left corporate America in 2017 to help other small business owners simplify their operations by building LEAN systems and creating automation using new technology. When the pandemic hit, many of my clients began struggling because of the lack of online presence. I have since become obsessed with helping small business owners establish, automate and grow their online presence using my simple systems. I have various solutions all centered around making all things online presence and digital marketing related easy and accessible to all business owners.
Email: Lmiller@levelupbusinessservices.com
Website: LevelUpBusinessServices.com
Stev Stegner, MBA
Business Leader – Forest Lake, Minnesota
I ran a small business for over 30 years, during that time I expanded to three locations and ultimately sold the business in 2019. I have extensive experience in marketing, time management for owners, maximizing profits, and getting your business ready to sell. The most important lesson I learned in the first 15 years of business was how to reduce my work hours from 45 to 20 hours per week while increasing sales.
My business coach changed my life. The one thing that matters is that you find success in this journey we call life. Success is always defined by you. Along our journey, I will keep you focused and grounded as your business evolves and grows.
Phone: +1 651 503 1337
Email: Stevstegner@aol.com
Michelle Koch
Storyteller and Content Creator – Lexington, Minnesota
For over twenty years I’ve been helping small businesses with their marketing needs. Every person has a story and so does every business. I ask a lot of questions and listen in order to learn yours. My goal is to write copy and create content to tell your story in an authentic way that engages customers.
Website: www.mainstmarketers.com
Brielle Bredsten
Professional Writer, Editor & Photographer – Aitkin, Minnesota
I am an award-winning writer, photographer and editor based in rural Minnesota. Over the past decade, I’ve contributed more than 1,000 articles, feature stories, non-profit press-releases, photographs and columns published in several small-town newspapers. Currently, I work from home on a freelance basis to produce print and digital content for clients. A writer at heart, I specialize in shining a light on communities, businesses, people and nature. By crafting authentic, impactful stories into professional digital and print content, I can help you attract more traffic, leads and customers.
Phone & Email: 763-479-9769 – briellebredsten@outlook.com
LinkedIn: Brielle Bredsten
Website: www.briellebredsten.com
SSB Blog Contributors
Stacie Carroll – Executive Leadership Coach – Destin, Florida
Stacie Carroll is an Air Force Officer and Navigator in Special Operations with over 16 years experience. She served in 6 combat deployments and 1 advising deployment. She brings her leadership and mentorship success in her military career to her coaching clients. Stacie, both in combat and at home has herself been able to develop devoted, competent, and successful teams. She is an International Coaching Federation certified professional leadership coach with a passion for growing strong female leaders and helping small teams to create inclusive leadership cultures.
stacie.carroll@leadingwithkillerinstinct.com – leadingwithkillerinstinct.com
Alex Bulmer – Bookkeeping – Forest Lake, Minnesota
My aim to be that trusted partner and consultant (CFO if you will) to aid in the financial, payroll and human resources part of the business so you can focus on why you got into business for yourself in the first place – enjoyment.
763-464-6408 – 3pillarsbookkeeping@gmail.com
Jay Rasmussen – President of Rasmussen Consultants – St. Paul, Minnesota
Dirty Laundry Expert, Speaker, Author, Business Building Coach.
jay@rasmussenconsultants.com
Stacey Brown – Award-Winning Author/ Speaker/ Podcast Host – Charlotte, North Carolina
Multiple award-winning author of Generating Business Referrals Without Asking, host of the Roadmap to Grow Your Business podcast and national speaker. Stacey’s programs are uniquely tailored to help small business owners and solopreneurs take control of their referrals, their client experience and their business.
Lynne Beverly Strang – Freelance Writer – Clifton, Virginia
I am a seasoned writer who can help you meet your marketing and communications goals. When you work with me, you get excellent customer service. I keep you posted on how things are going. I respond promptly. I meet deadlines. I stay within budgets. I go the extra mile to exceed your expectations.
703-867-4154 – lbstrang@gmail.com – www.lynnebeverlystrang.com
Katie Conroy
Katie Conroy is the creator of Advice Mine. She enjoys writing about lifestyle topics and created the website to share advice she has learned through experience, education, and research.