Mike Rynchek is an entrepreneur and the company that he started, Spyder Trap, has continued to grow year after year. Mike is the President and CEO of his company that offers online marketing to a growing number of companies. Though his company had primarily focused on the the healthcare industry in the beginning, it has since expanded into other fields. Get to know what makes Mike tick and what he hopes to do, along with his company, in the near future. In Part 1 of Mike interview, he shares why he decided to create Spyder Trap and what it’s niche is. He talks about how Social Media has changed things for Spyder Trap and his strong interest in Foursquare.  (Come back to see Part 2 on WED and Part 3 on THU.)

In Part 2 of Mike Rynchek’s interview, he talks about his vision for the future of his company, Spyder Trap. Mike shares his view of the marketing industry in Minnesota and answers some questions from Twitter and Facebook. He ends with talking about what he does in his spare time and his view of how rural areas are using technology.

In Part 3 of Mike’s interview. Get a guided tour of the expanded Spyder Trap headquarters, located in Minneapolis.

So you’re at a restaurant with someone that you really enjoy spending time with. You’ve both had a long week and so you’ve made plans to go out and share a meal together. Once you’ve both arrived at the restaurant, your hostess brings you to your table to seat you, and then hands you your menus to review all of their options. Once you know what you want to order, you put down your menu and. . . take out your smartphone?

Where’s the conversation? More and more people are probably in the habit of doing this. Going out for a meal with friends or family, and after following the customs of eating out, instead of actually talking to the person or people that their with, they pull out their smartphone to find out what people, who they aren’t with, are doing? Wasn’t the reservation made for you and the person or people that you’re with? Why does your smatphone have more control over yourself than you have over yourself?

It’s not a bad thing to take a moment and check your messages, or social media updates, especially if you have something urgent or pending that you’re waiting for. If though you’re doing it to break the silence that you’re currently experiencing, don’t make a move for your smartphone, make a move to start a conversation with the person or people that you’ve scheduled time to be with and eat with. They’re the priority. They’re real, and they want and deserve your attention. Your “smartphone people” will be there to check in with after your meal or at another time. Live and eat in the moment!

Good morning all! Welcome to today’s @MNMOmag Twitterview with #DaraCo blogger/contributor, @reetsyburger. Lets roll!

To start with @reetsyburger, tell us a little bit about your background. Where did you grow up?

Marie:    I grew up in a small(ish) town near Milwaukee, West Bend.

What kinds of things interested you as a child and what did you want to be when you grew up?

Marie:    As a kid, I just HAD to be a chef. As a young adult, I wanted to be a writer. Later, I got the civil service bug.

I loved cooking in my mom’s kitchen (when she wasn’t looking) and making up Pogoball routines to top 40 jams.

So what were some of your first jobs, and what formed your interest in food, especially sustainable food?

Marie:    I worked at a pizza/sandwich shop in high school and college. I learned that I was too short for commercial kitchens.

As a kid, I watched cooking shows more than cartoons – mostly on PBS. My mom was -and still is- an urban homesteader.

Mom’s urban garden fed a family of 8 with plenty to spare. We feasted all summer while we canned and packed soup jars.

It wasn’t until I was hired by the @SAREProgram that my interests in food, writing, and civil service converged.

Interesting. So your childhood really influenced who you are today. :) How did you get connected with #DaraCo?

Marie:    I started blogging in 2005. I moved to Minneapolis in 2006, and was charmed by the food scene, so I blogged about it.

At some point, @DearDara must’ve started reading my blog because in 2010, she emailed me. I was pumped.

I can imagine. So what would you say are the main topics that you cover for #DaraCo with @MNMOmag?

Marie:    Every day, farmers, ranchers, and chefs in MN develop innovative strategies to produce and distribute food .

Great! To close, what do you hope your blog moves people to do?

Marie: I hope it will help bring more attention to all the great producers and chefs in MN who care about sustainability.

Joel:    Thank you very much for your time today with #MNMOtv. Have a great week and keep up the good work!

Marie:    Thanks for having me. That was my first twitterview!

Katie Dohman is the Lifestyle Editor for Minnesota Monthly magazine. She does a lot of writing about what the latest styles in fashion are, the best places to shop for that fashion and also helps people look their best. How though did she get into the fashion/lifestyle world? What does she think of the local boutique scene in the Twin Cities? Those questions and more will be answered in Part 1 of a 3-part interview with Katie.

In Part 2, Katie Dohman answers if Minnesota is a trend setter when it comes to fashion, shares what people should consider when wanting to dress comfortably and shares some trends for men’s fashion.

In Part 3, Katie talks about the biggest problem people generally have when picking clothes for themselves, what stores to look forward to in 2012 and her thoughts on thrift store shopping.

Greetings everyone! Today’s #MNMOtv guest today is @jiwanicki (Jennifer Iwanicki) of the @curationstation. Lets get to know her!

Jennifer:    Hello Everyone! Glad to be here.

Share a little bit about your early years. Where did you grew up, attend school and what job did you want as an adult?

Jennifer:    I’m from Massachusetts. (Go Pats! @patriots) I thought I would be a lawyer when I grew up.

But I even changed that and played music in a rock band for a while before entering a career in management.

You’ll get the hang of it. So what kinds of companies did you first work for? When did you get the entrepreneur bug?

Jennifer:    I began managing a clothing company.Where I began writing code as a developer. I had a side business: Hullabaloo.

Hullabaloo created multimedia events in the city of Boston.

Great name! re: Hullaboloo – What got you to move to MN from the East Coast?

Jennifer:    The cold :)

Seriously, there was an opportunity for my family here, and we moved for that.

When I got here, I was incredibly impressed with the marketing community and went to my first MIMA event @mimatweet

When did you start with @HelloViking, and how did the idea of @CurationStation come to you?

Jennifer:    Ahh, yes! HV was started in 2007

My partner @tbrunelle and I started the company after winning a project with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Curation Station was birthed out of Hello Viking. Through working with marketers, we noticed a need.

So we spent some time doing alpha & beta testing with some key groups and developed Curation Station based on the feedback.

The need we identified was in how to put digital content to work and be more efficient in doing so

What kind of response have your gotten with @curationstation?

Jennifer:    The response for content curation has been huge. We are fulfilling the needs of agencies, CMO’s, etc

We are doing this through engagement, content management, gained efficiencies, etc.

The tool is quite flexible and powerful. We continue to be excited by the possibilities for use.

What did you think when @MNMOmag approached you about being included in their “the Revolutionaries” magazine section?

Jennifer:    So many emotions! Shock, excitement, flattery. The list goes on. And I wondered what it meant, right?

I mean, it’s an honor and someone I have aspired to- to think outside of the box and try new things.

So to be recognized for that within the group of Minnesotans who were also recognized is thrilling.

But there are so many people who have helped and guided me to this place. And I thank them all.

Congrats! So what’s on the radar for you now? More new Biz ideas? Got any professional goals you’re striving to achieve?

Jennifer:    Today, I have my hands full with the current businesses. My focus right now is on growth.

But I am always thinking about ways to become more efficient professionally.

I do have more ideas for projects and products. And suspect I will get to those eventually

Joel:    Sounds like some good plans Jennifer. Thanks for your time today and thanks for being a part of #MNMOtv!

Jennifer:    Thank you Joel. It was my pleasure. And a truly unique experience!