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Opening a New Door to Small Business Success

The Entrepreneur District brings together up to 9 business owners from various industries, giving them access to both the office space they need and the collaboration they crave to create, work, and grow…at no charge!

How It Works

1. Become a Resident

(This could be YOU!)

The Entrepreneur District is designed for business owners with one of the following two goals:

  • The desire and potential to grow and scale their business
  • The desire to maintain their business at its current level by creating a more robust, well-rounded business

2. Step Inside

(What's behind the door?)

The Entrepreneur District provides the following for Residents (all under one roof!):

  • Office space
  • Mentors
  • Capital
  • Free or low cost services
  • Networking
  • Education and Training

3. Create, Learn, and Grow

(We're all in this together!)

Together at the Entrepreneur District, Residents will:

  • Have their own office space to get work done
  • Benefit from idea generation and skill development from fellow Entrepreneurs in Residence
  • Gain access to valuable business resources and partners
  • Establish tangible ways to give back to their community
  • Participate in problem solving discussions with like-minded entrepreneurs

4. Be Transformed

(It's about who you become.)

The Entrepreneur District transforms Residents with not only trackable and tangible growth, but with:

  • Greater adaptability
  • Sharper judgement
  • Fresh perspectives
  • Attunement to cultural values
  • More developed instincts

Meet the 2024 Entrepreneur District Residents

We’d like to introduce you to the incredible business owners who are dedicating this next year to growing themselves and their businesses at the Entrepreneur District.

Andrea Engebretson

Andrea Engebretson

Giraffic Media

Andrea is a solo-preneur specializing in creating unstoppable brands, including messaging, logos, and websites, for mission-driven, story-rich, mom-led small businesses.

More about Giraffic Media

Darcy Bakkegard

Darcy Bakkegard

The Educators' Lab

Darcy is an author and change consultant who designs and facilities classes, workshops, and cirriculums to transform educators.

More about the Educators’ Lab

Eric Miller

Eric Miller

Dwel

Eric is a real estate guru, home inspector, and solution-seeker who is digitizing homeowner maintenance to ensure timely completion of routine tasks…all through his app.

More about Dwel

Erick Roder

Erick Roder

Rodemerica

Erick is life-long adventurer working to build an office on wheels so others can explore the world while working and become adventurers too.

More about Rodemerica

Glen Stevens

Glen Stevens

Mental Fitness Guy

Glen is a former pastor turned entrepreneur who coaches business leaders and their teams to strengthen their revenue and growth while improving their relationships and well-being.

More about Mental Fitness Guy

Hannah Bettenhausen

Hannah Bettenhausen

654 Business Strategies

Hannah is an advisor and resource for CEOs and business owners, working to empower leaders to fully harness the potential of their ideas and translate them into success.

More about 654 Business Strategies

Stephanie Drietz

Stephanie Drietz

Drietz Designs

Stephanie is a wife, mother, and full-time freelance graphic designer creating professional print materials for businesses across the nation.

More about Drietz Designs

Alumni and Accomplishments

Check our our previous Residents and all that they accomplished during their time at the District.

More Information

Please see our FAQs below or our interview with Michaela Schell, Head of District, for more information.

What is the Entrepreneur District?

The Entrepreneur District brings together up to 9 business owners from various industries, providing them with essential office space located at Dakota Business Lending. Through this physical community of Residents, the Entrepreneur District lessens common barriers for entrepreneurs to help them better generate ideas, create efficiencies, fill gaps, and serve the community with their talents – all while growing and sustaining their own businesses.

Who are the Residents?

The Entrepreneur District is for business owners who have one of the following two goals:

  • The desire and potential to grow and scale their business (such as hire employees, own/rent their own office space, expand to other cities, go from part-time to full-time business owners, increase revenue, etc.)
  • The desire to sustain their business at its current level by creating a more robust, well-rounded business (such as product development, service streamlining, etc.).

You must meet four qualifications in order to apply to become an Entrepreneur in Residence: 

  1. Must own a for-profit small business in full operation and registered with your state. 
  2. Must be a solopreneur working full-time on your business. 
  3. Must be in need of a physical office space and able to work from Fargo, ND Entrepreneur District office no less than 8 hours a week. 
  4. Must have a strong willingness to collaborate with other Residents. 
        How does the Entrepreneur District help?

        As part of the Entrepreneur District, business owners who were once siloed now have the opportunity to expand by working in fellowship with other Entrepreneurs in Residence.

        As neighbors under one roof, this residency encourages entrepreneurs to create partnerships that would have otherwise been unattainable.

        The Entrepreneur District Provides: 

        • Office space
        • Mentors
        • Capital
        • Free or low cost needed services (i.e. marketing, accounting, etc.)
        • Networking
        • Education and training
        • Business coaching

        The Residents Contribute: 

        • Volunteer hours donated back their community
        • Ideas, advice, collaboration, and partnerships to help others grow and succeed
        What do Residents gain?

        The Entrepreneur District can provide support for each of the above listed needs in the following ways:

        • Environment – A physical office space to better focus, host meetings, and connect with office neighbors in-person, fostering an atmosphere of ideas and collaboration
        • Mentorship – The opportunity to develop wisdom and insight from seasoned professionals
        • Education – Training to help Residents in subjects outside of their area of expertise, but critical for a high-functioning business
        • Collaboration and Partnerships – Idea generation and skill development outside of their own perspectives by tapping into the talents of other Entrepreneurs in Residence
        • Capital – Access to financing to expand their business if needed
        Who do Entrepreneurs in Residence become?

        By filling the above needs, the Entrepreneur District transforms Residents with not only tangible and trackable growth, but also with…

        • Greater adaptability to ever changing conditions, trends, and environments
        • Sharper judgement of how to handle situations, problems, and opportunities
        • Fresh perspectives to better think outside of the box and uncover new ways of looking at old problems
        • Attunement to cultural values and how to better understand and represent our community and our world
        • More development instincts to quickly solve problems, act on opportunities, and enhance speed of doing business

        Residents’ growth then ripples outward, having a multitude of effects on our community!

        How do I apply to be a Resident?

        Applications for the 2024 Resident cohort are now closed.  

        Important Dates to Note:

        December 2024 – Applications for 2025 cohort open

        Questions?

        Connect with Michaela Schell, Entrepreneurial Development Director via email or phone at 701-412-2928.