March 19-20, 2025 – Getting to Why Do You Do What You Do?
The Central/Metro Seminar Management team of Shane Wilhelm, Alexandra Oslund, Jen Althmann, Rachel Reisig and Melissa Holtz met in Little Falls to learn more about the city where the Mississippi pauses. We had the chance to meet with many businesses and leaders in the area to learn more about what Little Falls has to offer and the culture of the area. Melissa, a resident of Little Falls and first MARL participant from Morrison County, was excited to showcase the area and played a key role in setting up a great two days, despite missing out because of a great work-related leadership opportunity.
The group came together on Wednesday afternoon after the virtual portion of our MARL seminar with all of our classmates from across the state. During the virtual seminar, we discussed storytelling and finding our why, which served as a connection point and theme during all of our stops in Little Falls.
We started out with a visit to Smude Enterprises, where we were welcomed by Tom and Jenni Smude and their daughter Katelyn. The family started with (and still runs) a beef feedlot in the late 1990s. However, after facing several years of drought, they sought a more resilient crop to sustain their cattle. This search led them to sunflowers. What started as a feed source for their livestock soon evolved into a new venture. By pressing sunflower seeds for oil and utilizing the byproduct as a high-quality protein source for both cattle and humans, the Smudes have built a remarkable story, with plenty of great stories of growing pains and also opportunities along the way. We were able to tour the sunflower processing facility in operation, and were impressed with the process and Tom’s plans for the future. 
An entrepreneurial spirit was evident talking with Tom and his family. They continue to diversify and take advantage of new opportunities to grow their business. They continually seek ways to utilize the sunflower oil in consumer products, including microwavable popcorn, and partnering with other local entrepreneurs to create soaps and other beauty products. They also work with other companies as a co-packer, and run a mill shop where they produce custom wood pieces. There is no slowing down this family!
Their why and their stories show through their passion and dedication in everything they do. It was evident as we walked through the multiple businesses and even watched Tom talk with pride about a calf that was just born minutes before we walked through their calving pens that they put pride and care into everything they do not only to care for their businesses, but for the community that supports them.
Our next stop was White Wolf Custom Apparel. Joe and Nancy Berg came to Little Falls from the Twin Cities because they were looking for an affordable place to live. The property they purchased was attached with a cattle ranch, and after living on the property for a few years the ranch owner passed away unexpectedly, leading Joe into a new endeavor of raising cattle. He learned how to pivot and adapt along the way, researching and growing in his knowledge of nutrition, reproduction and general animal health.
Years down the road in the midst of COVID, Joe decided to start a business that would give his son something to be interested in, so they started a mosquito spraying business. As part of the process he tried to find his son fun attire to market the company, but at 6’3” and weighing 125 pounds, it was hard to find a company that would embroider one-off pieces that fit his son. So Joe bought an embroidery machine, and White Wolf Custom Apparel was born. They print, embroider and customize almost any product. Filling a gap in the custom apparel industry, White Wolf offers orders with a minimum of one piece, and free samples to make sure that colors and looks are correct before large orders are placed.
As we wrapped up our visit with Joe, his purpose and why seemed to be driven by creating businesses that fit the needs of the area, while also making sure those products and services were offered in the best way possible and to the best of his ability. His passion and drive for everything he does was very evident!
In the evening, we ventured downtown for supper at Ciao Thyme. The apps and food were superb. We decided to have a nightcap across the street at a local watering hole, where Rachel and Shane solved the world’s problems for a couple hours.
After a refreshing night’s sleep at a local Airbnb on the river that was small but modern in stature, we started our day by meeting with Carol Anderson, executive director of Community Development of Morrison County for breakfast. To say we were all impressed by Carol and her work in the community is an understatement. Not only does she play a significant role in her everyday work, but she also contributes to the community in a variety of ways, at one point prompting us to ask ‘what boards don’t you serve on?’
We were able to ask her many questions about the vitality of the area, and what makes it attractive for businesses. She pointed out many assets, including land, workforce development, strong community support, diversity of transportation and more. But what really stood out was how she brings together all of these individual assets into a single package when she meets with prospective businesses and organizations, giving them the full picture of what it means to be located in Little Falls, rather than them having to piece together the story on their own. That powerful storytelling makes the difference when showcasing a community.
Carol also talked about the strong backing quick response her organization and others have when businesses need help. It’s all about coming together and supporting each other to keep the community thriving, and it is clear that Carol and her network understand the importance of supporting businesses big and small to not only maintain the economy in this area, but continue to grow it sustainability.
Next, we had the opportunity to meet with Greg Johnson, superintendent of Little Falls Community Schools. Greg has spent 36 years in education, including roles as principal and now his second superintendent role.
Greg is very focused on bringing the community, businesses and schools together, focusing on what can be done to improve the outcome of education for their students and encourage them to want to stay in the area. One of his first priorities was directing a strategic plan to set goals and priorities for the district, which has helped to focus efforts.
A very recent accomplishment for the district was opening a childcare center connected to the preschool and the elementary school. This helped fill a significant need in the community along with creating ease for parents and desirability to keep their kids in the area. Beyond that, Greg is proud of the partnerships and career training the district provides for high school students. Little Falls offers unique programs such as an aviation simulator, a CDL simulator and programs through partnerships with Camp Ripley and Habitat for Humanity.
Greg’s why shows throw in his passion for the schools and community, and bringing everyone together to make the area stronger. He has two children that teach in the district and three grandkids in the schools that help drive his passion even more. We were also impressed when Greg asked us for leadership ideas and feedback before we left!
Learning about local food systems has been a topic of interest for several of our group members, so next we set out to the future home of the Purple Carrot Market. We met vice president Darlene Brand,who helped start this community co-op in 2016, aiming to bring fresh produce to its vibrant city. She shared the story of how developed the passion for gardening with her grandmother growing up and wanted to honor that when she retired and give back to her community…and that is exactly what she is doing.
The group is on its way to reaching its goal of $800,000 to be able to begin building its storefront downtown. There are equity opportunities available at $500 a share and currently there are 831 members that have contributed.
The final stop of our adventures in Little Falls was at Barrett Petfood. Barrett was started in Brainerd by Mike Barrett in 2006. It was formed by accident after Mike noticed that the machine he bought and intended to use for agricultural production was actually for pet food extrusion. He eventually brought in his daughter Sarah and son Tom to help run the business, and have seen tremendous growth adding the new Little Falls processing plant.
The company employs roughly 400 people between both plants and two distribution centers. Most of the produce used in the kibble is grown by the Barrett family themselves, including yellow snap peas, green snap peas, wheat and other organic ingredients. It is mixed with different proteins like chicken,turkey and salmon to create hundreds of pet food varieties for the customers. They have an amazing use of robotic automation tech in the Little Falls plant that can create different size bags and stack them in different configurations,palletize and shrink wrap them for transport all over the country and also the world, including clients found on the Chewy website.
One key takeaway from our trip to Little Falls was the strong entrepreneurial spirit and energy of the people we met. The businesses we visited were built by individuals who seized opportunities, even in unexpected moments. The owners shared the challenges they faced and emphasized how flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to pivot were crucial not only for survival but for growth. We also saw a commitment to the next generation, with younger individuals staying or returning to take over or start businesses, driving the economy forward.
Another strength of the community is its ability to leverage relationships and connections for the city’s benefit. Everyone seemed to know one another, understood their roles, and valued each other’s contributions. There was a strong sense of support during times of adversity. The community also demonstrated an understanding of how key elements such as housing, financing, infrastructure, workforce development, and transportation must collaborate with city and county government to foster growth. Rather than competing over resources, they united their strengths to move the community forward, making it an attractive place for both businesses and residents.
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