Coalition9 Community News - May 2025
Founder Message
Hi C9 Members + Friends!
There’s something about spring that kicks things into gear—longer days, warmer temps, and a sense of momentum that drives growth. It’s the perfect time to reset, refresh your routine, and build on the energy this season brings.
Spring has a way of helping us re-engage, both mentally and physically. So take advantage of the season—get outside for a walk-and-talk, enjoy your coffee in a local park, or meet up with your C9 Group by the lake. A change in setting can bring a boost in clarity, creativity, and connection. Fresh air can do wonders for your focus and energy too.
If you’re looking for a way to freshen up your wardrobe, today’s the last day to order from the C9 Spring Pop-Up Store—don’t miss your chance to grab some C9 Gear! The link to the store is below.
I’m excited to share that last month, we officially launched the C9 Gives Foundation, our way of harnessing the power of our C9 Community to support the growth, progress, and sustainability of emerging businesses. It’s been in the works for a while, and I’m excited for what’s ahead. You’ll find more information in this edition of the C9 Community News, or head to the C9 Gives website to learn how you can get involved.
Looking ahead, our next C9 SPARK Event is on June 5th at Loffler Companies—Safeguarding Business Innovation: AI + Cybersecurity. This event will dive into the power of AI and the importance of cybersecurity in today’s business landscape. Be sure to check out the event details and register.
As always, if you're ready to join C9 or want to learn more about our Member Experience, reach out. This season of growth is a great time to start something new and meaningful.
Cheers,
Aaron Eggert
Coalition9 Founder + CVO
C9 Spring Pop-Up Store - CLOSING TODAY!
TODAY is your last chance to get your spring C9 Gear from the Coalition9 Pop-Up Store.
We’re sure you’ve seen the emails and the social media posts over the last two weeks, but if you’ve been putting off ordering, now is the time!
It’s your last chance until fall to order some of our much-coveted C9 Gear.
Anyone can purchase our store, but Coalition9 Members receive a discount. Check your inbox before you order for your coupon code—a reminder email was sent yesterday.
We’re proud to support locally owned small businesses through this curated collection.
Learn more and access the store through our C9 Store page.
Member Highlights
MEET SOME OF OUR MEMBERS ON THE POWER OF NINE PODCAST
Episode 90:
The Law of Transactions
Ailana McIntosh | Watch on YouTube
Episode 91:
Strategizing Wealth
Robin Edgar | Watch on YouTube
Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts:
Spotify for Creators | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RadioPublic | Pocket Casts
All of our videos, including podcast episodes, event recordings, and everything C9, are now available on our YouTube Channel.
Check it out—and don't forget to subscribe. We would love a review from you as well! We take great pride in the community we’re building, and your reviews have a huge impact on welcoming new listeners.
C9 TEAM MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS
MEMBER NEWS
Any young adults in your networks looking for a unique summer job? Member Dave Berg announced that YouthWorks is looking for a few more staff to relocate to a new community and facilitate mission trips for teenagers from May 20 through August 6, 2025. Email Dave with questions. Learn more
Member Darin Lynch invites you to join Irish Titan, Shopify POS, Linnworks, Klaviyo, and Growave for a “SPEED DEMO” event at Pryes Brewing on Wednesday, June 4, 2025 starting at 4:00 PM. Expect hands-on demos with Shopify POS, rapid runthroughs, roundtable discussions, insider insights, and ecommerce camaraderie—all served with a side of good craic (that’s Irish for “a damn good time”). Learn more and register
Member Debbie Stewart and Mike Tonies are rallying support for two of the Carly May Foundation’s most impactful events of the year. The Foundation honors Carly’s legacy by supporting life-changing programs for individuals with Down Syndrome. Join them at the Impact Social on June 18, 2025, at OMNI Brewing in Rosemount, or the Carly May Golf Classic on September 15, 2025, at Brackett’s Crossing. Sponsor, donate, or gather a team to help create brighter futures. Learn more
Member Robin Edgar from Wealth Progression Group invites you to Ready.Set.Exit!, a business succession and exit planning event on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, from 3:00 to 6:00 PM at the Metropolitan Ballroom in Golden Valley. The event is designed to equip business owners with the essential knowledge needed to build a business with a successful exit in mind. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from leading experts in Mergers and Acquisitions, as well as local CPAs and Attorneys specializing in business succession planning. Additionally, the event will feature a selection of product sponsors who offer solutions to help minimize or eliminate taxes on capital gains when selling a business. Email Wealth Progression Group for more info and to register.
Member Mark Ostrom from Joy Collaborative is seeking volunteers for the Joy Mobile–a mobile sensory space that brings joy and inclusion to community events. Volunteers are needed for upcoming events such as the Special Olympics in June and the Minnesota State Fair in August and September. Shifts are in teams of three for 3–4 hours, with quick and easy training. Thanks to C9 Member Derek Gruber and Community Supporter Cox Insurance for being the first C9 Member company to join in! Learn more about the Joy Mobile. Email Mark or call 612-245-8453 to volunteer.
Member Abe Demmaj recently shared his perspective in the Star Tribune article “Keep the state and local small-business tax deduction,” urging Congress to preserve the state and local small-business tax deduction. In his opinion piece, he highlights how this policy has enabled entrepreneurs to reinvest in their communities, create jobs, and revitalize commercial corridors—and argues that eliminating it would undermine the very people driving local economic growth. Read the article here
Community Supporter All In One Accounting is proud to announce that Krystal Holmes, AIOA’s VP of Talent, is featured in Minneapolis St. Paul Business Journal’s "People on the Move.” Congratulations, Krystal! Read about it here. For more information about All In One Accounting, email Sarah Lauber or visit their website at allinoneaccounting.com
Member Chris Evenstad from Nevers announced that they are looking for a new Controller. Anyone who might be interested can email Chris for more information.
Member and Community Supporter Kelly Pedersen from CAISSA Wealth Strategies is pleased to welcome TJ Sigstad to their team as Director of Investments, bringing over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. A Chartered Market Technician, he specializes in developing and implementing investment strategies and managing portfolios for Registered Investment Advisors and high-net-worth individuals. Outside of work, he enjoys golfing, downhill skiing, and coaching his children’s sports teams. Welcome to CAISSA, TJ!
Community Supporter All In One Accounting has been selected as a 2025 Meaningful Capitalism Awards Honoree! This prestigious recognition celebrates businesses that exemplify the perfect balance of financial success while creating meaningful impact for all stakeholders. These awards were created to honor the legacy of Dean Bachelor of Platinum Group, who believed business should drive economic prosperity while always prioritizing what's best for clients and stakeholders. This recognition affirms AIOA’s commitment to using business as a force for good in the community. Email Becky Lewis or call 651-289-7671 for more info. Learn more about the awards
Do you have news you want to share? Submit the information through our C9 Member News Form, and we'll be sure to highlight you in future updates! Please note: This is exclusive to C9 Members, facilitators, and Community Supporters. Questions? Contact Brenda Harvieux, C9 Marketing + Communications, at brenda@coalition9.com.
Now Available: Coalition9 Subscribable Events Calendar
Stay up-to-date on all of our events + gatherings! Our new events calendar is powered by AddEvent and supports all major calendar platforms, including Apple, Google, Outlook, Outlook.com (online), Office 365 (online), and Yahoo.
When you subscribe, all Coalition9 events will be synced to your preferred calendar (may take up to 24 hours to populate). You can find directions on how to subscribe on our Events Page. Or check out our recent email announcement for more details.
June C9 SPARK Event - Safeguarding Business Innovation: AI + Cybersecurity
Join us at Loffler Companies in St. Louis Park for our next C9 SPARK Event - Safeguarding Business Innovation: AI + Cybersecurity!
Get ready for an immersive experience where you'll brainstorm, develop, and present a business startup concept live, using the power of AI tools and strategic prompts. You'll gain practical insights into leveraging both off-the-shelf and custom-built software solutions for your ventures and daily life.
But that's not all—brace yourself for a compelling real-time demonstration showing just how easily a small business's IT infrastructure can be compromised by cyber threats. This eye-opening session will reveal the methodologies hackers employ—and, more importantly, equip you with immediately actionable strategies to fortify your business against vulnerabilities.
Meet the Wizards
AI Wizard: Dustin Bruzenak - Modern Logic
Cybersecurity Wizard: Brian Johnson - 7 Minute Security - Certified Loffler Companies Partner
Experiences
AI Experience - Dustin Bruzenak, CEO of Modern Logic, has dedicated his career to helping businesses build and maintain software and websites. Embracing the AI revolution, Dustin will ideate, create, and pitch a business startup in real time using AI software and prompts. You'll walk away with a clear understanding of how to utilize both purchased and custom-built software applications to implement in your business and daily life.
Cybersecurity Experience - Witness a real-time penetration test of a small business to demonstrate how easily hackers can compromise IT infrastructure. You'll gain insight into the methods attackers use and learn immediately actionable steps to begin protecting your business from cybersecurity threats.
Event Schedule
8:30-9:00 AM: Check-In + Relationship Building
9:00-10:30 AM: AI and Cybersecurity Experiences
10:30-11:00 AM: Relationship Building (Optional)
Other Details
A light breakfast will be provided.
C9 Members attend for free and may bring 1 guest. The email invite with your free tickets was sent on April 29, 2025.
General admission tickets are available for $14.99 each (plus fees). Refunds are available until May 29, 2025. Eventbrite fees are nonrefundable.
Limited to 175 attendees.
Registration deadline: Friday, May 30, 2025 by 5:00 PM
SAVE THE DATE! July C9 Well Event
Come together with other C9ers to enjoy a summer morning in nature in St. Louis Park—all while building some new relationships.
We'll meet near The Interpretive Center, then break off into small groups for some walking, talking, and making new friends. Take a self-guided tour of this beautiful 160-acre natural area featuring marsh, woods, and restored prairie as you enjoy the benefits of some light physical exercise.
Walking and talking can have many benefits, including improving mental health, boosting creativity, and improving digestion.
We might even make friends with some local critters—the nature preserve is home to many animals, including deer, turtles, fox, mink, and owls.
C9 Members: Watch your inbox for the official invite!
April C9 SPARK Event Recap
For this SPARK Series Breakfast Pop-In event, we brought the Coalition9 Community together at C9 Community Supporter Tradition Capital Bank in Edina for breakfast, relationship building, and the official launch of the C9 Gives Foundation!
When Coalition9 started, the peer groups were always the heart of it—because real change happens through deep, lasting relationships. No matter your industry or where you are in your journey, this community brings people together in a way that transforms business for the better. From the beginning, it was about building something meaningful. But over time, it became clear that something was missing: a way to positively impact the greater SMB community.
So we built it.
The C9 Gives Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit designed to reinvest in the small business community by helping emerging businesses and leaders thrive. It’s built to take all the talent, generosity, and energy of our C9 Community—and beyond—and focus it on the future of small business in the Twin Cities.
THE VISION of C9 Gives is the same as Coalition9’s: Changing Business Nine Leaders at a Time™
THE MISSION: Leverage the Coalition9 Community as a force multiplier to mobilize the progress, growth, and sustainability of emerging businesses through support and resources.
Whether it’s through donations, volunteering, mentorship, or offering pro bono services—you are the ripple effect that will help strengthen the whole business community. Because when local emerging businesses succeed, we all do.
If you’ve got something to give—a service, your time, your insight—let’s dig in. We're building something that changes the landscape for the better. Check out the C9 Gives website to learn more, donate, sign up to volunteer, and request support.
May C9 Well Event Recap
A chilly morning didn’t stop us from tapping into spring's energy of renewal on Friday, May 2.
The C9 Community gathered at Beard’s Plaisance overlooking Lake Harriet for a rejuvenating morning of mindfulness and connection during our C9 Well Event, Spring Renewal: A Five Elements Mindfulness + Meditation Experience led by Meghan Foley, local yoga therapist and Ayurvedic health counselor.
We slowed down and tuned in—exploring ways to reconnect with nature, ourselves, and the season of growth through practices inspired by the five elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Space. It was a perfect opportunity to reset and reflect.
Highlights include:
Churning of the joints to awaken the body
A 5-elements mindfulness exercise
Forest bathing + walking meditation
Joyful expression
Deep rest in savasana under the open sky
Meaningful relationship building
Big thanks to our C9 Well Event Series Partner Mike Jones, Professional EOS Implementer, and to all who showed up to share this special morning with us.
Become a Coalition9 Member!
Are you ready to invest in your personal and professional development this spring? Now's your chance to join the Coalition9 Community!
We have a few spots available in current groups and would love to welcome you to the Community.
If you’ve been thinking about joining C9, let's connect! Contact C9 Founder + CVO Aaron Eggert at aaron@coalition9.com to learn more about the C9 Member experience and apply online for C9 Membership.
About Coalition9 Membership:
Do you want to connect with other leaders who share your mindset? Coalition9 provides peer to peer advisory groups with a focus on growth and development. Our memberships are designed to promote interactive learning regardless of what stage you’re at on your journey while connecting you to the resources and people that will help you be your best. We provide a community where a diversity of experiences in business and life is celebrated. You’ll build relationships with your fellow Members by sharing experiences and investing in one another to create a positive impact.
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