Connect Business Magazine

When Marv Kottke started mowing lawns 45 years ago, he didn’t imagine his customer base would eventually grow from two dozen to 12,000. He didn’t imagine he’d possess the help of more than 60 employees. He didn’t imagine running a fleet of 35 trucks, each with Spring Touch Lawn & Pest Control emblazoned on the side and equipped with tablets and printers. He didn’t imagine having anyone besides his parents to answer the phones, much less a call center with half a dozen employees doing only that.

Growing up in a racing family in Mapleton, it was weird for Jesse Olson if he wasn’t spending a weekend at the track. Whether it was him, his brother, his dad or his mom, someone was always competing. However, he was just as excited about gunning it down the tracks in Arlington and Fairmont as he was about fiddling with his car’s throttle or suspension at home.

Dr. Steven Parnell shows off Dulcimer Medical Center like a proud homeowner giving a tour to a guest. Each room at the Fairmont, Minn., clinic has a title and distinct theme. This, he explains, keeps the clinic from seeming too, well, clinical. The Sports room features athletic equipment and memorabilia from local teams, including assorted red and white Fairmont homecoming buttons dating back to 1951 that a patient gave to Parnell.