MN Listens: Podcast features Small Businesses in Minnesota

UNDATED -- A popular Minnesota podcaster is featuring some of the state's entrepreneurs. Stephanie Hansen is the host of "Makers of Minnesota".

She says she's produced about 160 episodes over three seasons. She says she likes to talk to people making cool things around the state.

Makers of Minnesota Podcast

One of her most recent podcasts is with the owners of a company called Paddle North.

And they worked together on creating a paddleboard that is blow-up, but more substantial and isn't as prone to being punctured. It was so successful that they now have a paddleboard, a kayak, and a floating dock.

Another recent episode featured a product called the Crud Cloth.

Crud Cloth is a shower in a bag. So you crack it open and it gets foamy and inside there is a towel that is recyclable and can be washed and used again. It helps you to wash off your bike or yourself after you've been outdoors like if you're in the Boundary Waters or if you're camping.

She also talked with the owners of Nordic Waffles who gained popularity at the Minnesota State Fair and then opened a fast-casual restaurant in the Twin Cities. However, with no fair last summer and restaurants closed twice, the company had to reinvent itself.

So they really had to pivot and they figured out how to make this product frozen and then include the breakfast ingredients so it's like a breakfast sandwich, and they packaged it and started selling it in the local grocery stores. They've been extremely popular, and it kind of saved their business really.

Other recent episodes have featured Skaalven Distillery and Hairless Dog Brewing Company.

Hansen says she's working on a future episode with a company called Steam Mates which is a bag of seasoned vegetables. And she'll also be featuring some new local distilleries.

Hansen says, especially since the pandemic began, the buy local shop local movement has been growing.

Hansen hosts and produces three different podcasts and is also a radio show host.

Once a month on the News @ Noon Show on WJON we talk to a Minnesota podcaster in our feature series called MN Listens.