Running a small business is anything but small. In each episode our host, Sam Bauman, asks small business owners about their challenges, triumphs, and the passion that keeps them going. Through this, Not So Small seeks to spotlight and strengthen the small businesses that are dedicated to their community and care about more than the bottom line.
Sam is the President of Mellowlark Labs, a Twin Cities-based small business consulting agency. She has a masters degree in counseling psychology, a field she worked in for several years before applying her skills in business, and is certified in Organization Development.
Adam has an aptitude for harnessing the power of technology but his background in sociology reflects his true passion – connecting people. He’s able to understand people’s pain-points and automate manual work, freeing up their time and improving their experience. His creativity continually reveals itself as he finds clever ways to inject fun and humor into his work. After work, he’s usually building custom apps to facilitate his friends’ hobbies, playing board games, or listening to his vinyl record collection.
Andy is a self-taught artist with a passion for visual communication and storytelling. He loves finding new ways to capture a brand’s authentic voice and create memorable customer experiences. He has a keen attention to detail, which can be seen in the printmaking business he operates in his free time. In the winter you might find him on the ice playing hockey, though during the rest of the year he’s likely to be exploring the Minnesota wilderness in search of rocks and fossils.
Alyssa Lund-Kyrola is a Minneapolis-based boudoir, wedding, and family photographer.
Alyssa has two brands to her business: Illuminate Boudoir, where she creates body-positive portraits for clients of all genders. Her goal is to celebrate their natural beauty with an affirming, impeccable experience.
She also photographs weddings and families at Alyssa Lund Photography, where she captures emotional and storytelling images. With more than half of her clients in the LGBTQ+ community (and a member of that community herself), she prides herself on creating a safe, celebratory, and affirming space.
Learn more about her work at illuminateboudoir.com and alyssalundphotography.com
Andrea has been in the nail industry for 20 years. After graduating from Scott Lewis in 2004, she spent the majority of her career at Spalon Montage in Edina before branching out on her own as the creator and original artist of Nail Ninja.
Andrea prides herself in her fierce attention to detail and passion to provide a flawless service each and every time. Her meticulous cuticle work, color application and longevity of her service is what sets her apart. Andrea specializes in gel manicures with hand-painted nail art.
Cameron Gillette is the Vice President of Operations and co-owner at College Muscle Movers, where he has spent nearly 13 years transforming the moving experience through strategic leadership, operational efficiency, and a strong focus on team development. With a background in legal studies, philosophy, and political science from Hamline University, Cameron brings a thoughtful and analytical approach to business. His expertise spans logistics management, scheduling, and operations administration, all of which have helped him drive growth and innovation within the company. Passionate about fostering a positive work culture and continuously improving processes, Cameron is dedicated to providing top-tier service while creating meaningful connections within his community.
Cary Hakam is a licensed Acupuncturist and Traditional Chinese Herbalist with over two decades of dedicated experience. He holds a Doctor of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (DAOM) and a Master of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine from AAAOM. Licensed by both the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice and the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM), Hakam has maintained a close relationship with his mentors of over 22 years.
Hakam's practice is motivated by a sincere desire to alleviate suffering and support wellness. He embraces the philosophy that the body possesses an innate capacity to heal and thrive, and he sees his role as facilitating this natural process. His approach combines technical expertise with the compassionate wisdom imparted by his teachers, whom he credits for their generous sharing of knowledge.
Cody is a Twin Cities based esthetician specializing in results-driven skincare services, brow artistry and lash lifts. He graduated from the Aveda Institute of Minneapolis in 2019 and started Drop Dead Gorgeous in 2020. His business is now located in the charming Northeast Minneapolis area. In his 5+ years of experience, he has garnered numerous certifications. He has trained with the incomparable Damone Roberts - The Eyebrow King of Los Angeles - and has been a trainer for his lash lift brand, Elleebana.
His goal and purpose at Drop Dead Gorgeous is to provide clients with luxury services and results that are sure to leave them feeling as good as they look.
Your neighborhood queer realtor and old home expert that lives in the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood of St Paul, MN in a 1920’s bungalow with her wife, son, and two cats. She uses she/they pronouns, and has a passion for thrifting, design, the outdoors, and the Midwest.
She became a licensed Minnesota real estate agent in 2019 and has been a full-time realtor serving folks in St Paul, Minneapolis, and the Greater Twin Cities region ever since! In 2024 she obtained her broker’s license and formed Hamm Real Estate Co, one of the only queer-owned real estate brokerages in Minnesota.
Their main goal as a queer realtor is to create an inclusive and comfortable home buying and selling experience. They want their clients to feel seen and validated from start to finish.
Bringing a passion for unique and vintage home decor (especially the pieces that garner an ‘is that a gum ball machine in the corner’ or ‘tell me the story of that piece’), Owner + Curator, Rebecca Sansone, is excited to bring Mustache Cat to Saint Paul. She believes in empowering people with pieces and guidance that add interest to their current style mix and bring new stories to their home, however big or small.
When she’s not ‘picking’ for her 100+ year old home in Saint Paul or the shop inventory, Rebecca can be found soaking up the sunshine hiking or paddle boarding (also a favorite of her big dog, Duke), taking a Peloton ride or local yoga/dance classes, reading mysteries, or binge watching one of her favorite shows (list toppers: Golden Girls, Psych, and NY Yankees baseball).
In March 2024, Samantha Hueman and her husband Luke became the new owners of Honour Coffee, a beloved fixture in NE Minneapolis for nearly eight years. After years in corporate marketing, Sam followed her true passions by making the bold leap to small business ownership, a decision that aligned perfectly with her love for wellness, health, fitness, and creating genuine connections.
For Sam, Honour Coffee represents more than just a career change. It's the manifestation of her dream to create a space where rituals matter. She envisions the coffee shop as a place where great coffee meets meaningful connection, where wellness encompasses both what's in your cup and the community around you.
Sam believes small businesses can transform communities. She's dedicated to fostering an environment where conversations flourish, innovative ideas emerge, and strangers become friends.
Sarah has worn many hats. She started her career working with young people, their families, and administration in a high school. After completing graduate school, she held two positions within the Hennepin County Children and Family Services division. She started to feel pulled towards individual therapy work so she joined a therapy practice in a rural setting on a horse farm. Today, she runs a solo-private practice. Out of office, she enjoys being active with her family–playing board games, gardening, and perpetually hoping to read more.