My Special Place

Everyone needs a special place – that place you go to relax and get recharged. That could be a favorite coffee shop, the gym or maybe even your own backyard.

Zorbaz-2I recently was reminded again how much I enjoy mine – our cabin in Perham, Minnesota. It’s where I can drive around on my scooter with my hat on backwards, enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and even conduct a little business along the way. 

We purchased our cabin back in 1995 and it became a favorite place for our family gatherings. Today, it’s where we retreat almost every weekend in the summer. I know, after 20 years, it’s still a special place because my kids (and grandkids) aren’t ready to leave at the end of the weekend.

My Second Home and Office
I never dreamed when I bought the cabin that the area would become such a solid business community for Marco, too. Because I had become so familiar with the area, we made our first acquisition in the nearby city of Detroit Lakes back in 2005.

ZorbazToday, many people may know me in the community as the CEO of Marco, but most of them knew me first as a cabin owner who lives in St. Cloud.

I believe making our first acquisition in my “special place” helped make it more successful. I already had a strong connection to the community with friends and acquaintances, which motivated me to develop business relationships in the area as well. Detroit Lakes was the catalyst to our track record of continued growth and acquisitions.

Making a Local Connection
Entering the Detroit Lakes market made me realize how important the local connection has been to our company’s success. The more we localize ourselves in our markets, the better we seem to do.

Chamber_Golf_PhotoAlmost every Friday in the summer, my calendar is scheduled for a visit to Detroit Lakes and the Perham area. On a recent Friday, I played in the area’s Chamber of Commerce golf outing with three of our employees, two from our local office. I also had the opportunity to mingle with many community business leaders.

There’s nothing I like more than when someone in one of our markets says they like buying local and see Marco as a local business.

I see myself as a local in Perham, too. I enjoy shopping at Nick and Katie’s hardware store, chatting with Tom and his two boys at the bait shop and being a regular at Zorbaz, the family restaurant on the lake.

No, my special place is not just for relaxing. I do business there, too. I feel different when I am there. It’s more low-key. I’ve never worn a tie or a dress shirt, even while doing business.

Everyone should have a special place – a place that takes you away from your normal routine. If you don’t have one, I encourage you to find one – even if it’s not far from home.