‘Give grace, extend deadlines’ while our cities are in crisis

As the ICE surge in Minnesota gets larger and noisier, one group has been noticeably quiet: CEOs. Particularly, leaders of large companies, who have declined to make public statements as employees are detained (or even detained and dragged away, as captured on video and widely circulated on social media).

When current bosses won’t talk, my first call is always one of the most thoughtful experts on corporate leadership: Bill George. The former Medtronic CEO and Harvard Business School fellow spoke this week to my colleague Victor Stefanescu. George said a CEO’s first obligation is to protect employees. And we know companies large and small have their hands full right now just trying to keep workers safe and business operational. Shannon Watson, founder and executive director of Majority in the Middle, penned a piece pointing out the complexities a company can face in doing just that: “Minnesota companies are trying to strike the right tone. They are trying to communicate clearly without inflaming tensions. They are trying to support their employees without becoming political actors. They are trying to respond to community concerns without creating new risks.”

Still, George, who believes civic leadership is the obligation of a CEO, also encouraged employers to “make a statement” about ICE’s presence. Might there be power — and community appreciation — in our Fortune 500s banding together publicly?

In a complete 180 from where we were following the 2020 murder of George Floyd, CEOs see no upside in speaking out now, and fear retribution for doing so. As several interview requests were rebuffed this week, one insider assured me that behind the scenes, some executives are trying to broker a de-escalation, but they’re frustrated by a lack of consensus between federal and state officials and worried about their companies getting caught in the middle.

Smaller businesses are not immune. As my colleagues continue to cover myriad aspects of this unprecedented surge, Emmy Martin reports that ICE is shifting away from the larger-employer raids that once defined its approach to target small and mid-sized businesses. And Dee DePass reported that a staggering 80% of immigrant-owned businesses along key corridors like Lake Street have been shut down in the last week, as employees and customers stay home for fear of being detained.

And then there are small business owners like Angie Lee, who offered up her Moona Moono café and shop as a drop-off site for an emergency food drive (as if owning a business in Uptown wasn’t hard enough already). The response has been so overwhelming, she had to close donations on Tuesday while also reassuring customers they can still stop in for a coffee.

Others are processing their feelings online: Digital strategist Meghan Gencev felt compelled to share some of what’s been happening in the Twin Cities with her LinkedIn network and was surprised when the post went viral with hundreds of “likes” and shares. “Don’t get on your Teams call and carry on like nothing is happening,” Gencev wrote. “Help us feel seen. Show us you care. Ask your colleagues how they are doing. Ask them if they need anything. Give grace, extend deadlines.”

“When my co-founders and I started Nanodropper, we were focused on solving an immediate problem affecting patients’ access to vision-saving medication,” Song said in a statement on LinkedIn. “But as we grew, we realized that to truly address the systemic gaps in clinical eyecare and prevent barriers-to-care from arising in the first place, we needed a more comprehensive approach.”

Nanodropper’s partners in Mu Medical are Oregon-based Bedo Solutions, which manufactures eyedrop aids, and Viseon Labs, a Santa Clara, Calif. medtech company focused on AI-enhanced eye health monitoring. The founders of both brands will be active in Mu Medical: Viseon Labs’ Dr. Sina Fateh is chief strategy officer and board observer; Bedo’s Dr. Robert Kinast will serve as board observer and medical adviser.

“With Bedo Solutions and Viseon Labs, we’ll be bringing together drug delivery, home monitoring and AI to create a platform that is more personalized, more effective and more human,” Song said.

Song’s been on the fast track since she was in medical school. Nanodropper won the MN Cup in 2021 — the first startup from the student category to take top honors in the statewide competition.

King Brothers Clothiers, the custom suit brand popular with athletes and executives, just upped its visibility significantly, moving from a small studio in Northeast to a full retail store three times the size at 50^th & France. Twin brothers Kenny King and Danny King, who make dressing alike look like a power play, started the business a decade ago as a mobile service. They’ve bucked the athleisure trend by making it easy for men to invest in an “intentional wardrobe” and they’ve attracted high-profile brand fans along the way, including Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell.

That doesn’t mean a return to suits five days a week, but the King brothers say the modern wardrobe includes “suiting pieces” that can be mixed and matched.

Pop in to check out the new shop at 3926 Market Street in Edina, but make an appointment in advance if you want to get fit.

Sunny deal?: Sun Country CEO Jude Bricker says the purchase of the hometown carrier by Allegiant is good news for Minnesota travelers. “This is about growth. We’re going to see more seats and lower fares here in our home market.” But travel analysts warn of potential drawbacks, Bill Lukitsch reports.

Snow business: The impending Arctic plunge is great news in Stillwater, where Mayor Ted Kozlowski welcomed snow sculptors from around the world (even Peru and Thailand) for the World Snow Sculpting Championship. Now in its fifth year, the World Snow Celebration has made January a highlight of the year for downtown businesses, which are prepared for tens of thousands of visitors this weekend. Dress in layers — there’s a snow slide, too.

Down, not out: If you need a quick pick-me-up about doing business in Minnesota, read Groove Capital founding partner Reed Robinson’s commentary on our capacity for innovation and why he’s confident entrepreneurs will get us back in the headlines with good news.