Upsize is a magazine with a single mission: to help Minnesota's small-business owners build bigger and more profitable companies, and to connect CEOs with the people, products and ideas they need to grow.
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HOW TO Finance are willing to educate us about all aspects: products and services, management teams, position in the industry, what-if scenarios, in addition to the financial picture, such as cash flow forecasts and underlying assump- tions. The more that we can understand our borrowers' business, the more effective the relationship is, and the better position we are to put together a package of financial services that meets their needs. 5. MARK ETHEN, Northeast Bank: ACTIVITY IN 2012: "Everything is relative. Going back a couple of years, when there was really nothing going on—the volume and activities are up from then, from 09 and 10, and up from 11 as well. It seems like some things are happening. So there are positive trends, but not really that close to what it was years ago." WORKING CAPITAL REQUESTS: "On the working capital end of things, it's a litte more stable, like if you have a million dollar line right now we're not seeing a lot of requests to a million and a half. Owners are pretty modest on those requests, and I think there are less troubled companies. Things went through a phase where borrowers would ask for more, just in case they needed it. That was kind of the model maybe a year and a half or so ago. It's filtered down to every- body, that things are very stable now. On the loan side, we've seen some new requests on the commercial real estate end of things. Buyers are out there, and they're getting some good deals on properties, and there are folks willing to do a deal." HOW TO GET LOANS: "I know that our banking group in general really respects a long-term relationship. The bank succeeds when the customer succeeds. If there's one thing I'd like our customer to embrace, it's we want your numbers to look strong, we want your financials to be strong. Nobody really wins when you don't succeed. If we have thoughts and ideas to help, we'd like to have them be open to hearing those." 6. CHRIS BOHL, Bremer Bank: ADVICE FOR OWNERS: "No. 1, business owners need to have a plan, to really have all the information available for the banker to review. It's changed. Banks have been requir- ing more than before. What's been amazing is many people's memories are pretty short. They got so used to easy credit, and we got used to not requiring so much information. It's kind of flipped. The other piece is just being able to dem- onstrate that the business can continue and can afford to pay back the loan. If they're looking to grow, do they have enough base that even if they take on additional debt, the existing business doesn't have to necessarily grow to pay it back? YOUR EMPLOYEES WOULD LOVE A HEALTHIER CHOICE. MY PLAN BY MEDICA. SM Now you can give your employees the kind of coverage they really want, and manage healthcare costs, too. Because now My Plan by MedicaSM is available from Doherty Employer Services. My Plan is a defined contribution health plan. You choose your contribution, your employees choose their own coverage from a wide range of plans. My Plan by Medica is a sweeter deal for everyone. And Doherty is the only HR outsourcing firm that has it. If you're a small business, call Doherty at 952-835-8888, or visit dohertyhro.com. Your employees will love you for it. www.upsizemag.com DES1005B1 4.6875x7.5.indd 1 THE GROWTH GUIDE 2012 UPSIZE ONLINE3/22/12 5:58 PM 19