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Ladies Who Bring the Local Love

Creating community and growth with customer service and connection

Dr. Katee Apelgren

Dentist & Owner, Apelgren Dental

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I’m a naturally talkative person. I’m always super bubbly and happy. The team knows to give me a few extra minutes with patients because I want to get to know them. I love the relationships I’m building with patients and team members.

What lessons have you learned along the way?

I’m a perfectionist. Dentistry is a very unique profession. At first, I wanted to do it all myself. But now I lean on my specialists in the area so I can focus on the work I most enjoy. It’s about knowing your boundaries. I don’t have to say yes to everything. Early on, I wanted to say yes to everything and everyone. But there is enough for everyone and it all comes back around. 

How have you built confidence over the course of your career?

I do dentistry differently. From the second you call to make an appointment to the day of your appointment, we focus on the full experience and best technology. We know we must be willing to try new things and learn new skills, because modern dentistry requires experimentation. 

Fast Faves

  • Restaurant? Nakamori

  • Store? Nordstrom

  • Coffee spot? Caribou Coffee

  • Spa/salon/nails? Face Foundrié

  • Find me Instagram @kateeapelgren, @apelgren_dental or https://www.apelgrendental.com/

Melissa Clawson

Managing Partner & Realtor, Clawson Home Group

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I genuinely like helping people. The job can get boring if you only focus on the numbers and production. And it’s so much more than that. Whether I’m helping my clients or partners, I want to make sure everyone gets the most out of their transaction because that means everyone walks away happy. 

What lessons have you learned along the way?

Things rarely go as planned. I’ve learned it’s important to take everything in stride and always have a backup plan, just in case. When you are thinking about all the possibilities, you are always ready for whatever comes next. My grandma always said, “Hope for the best, expect the worst, and take what you get.”

One day it can feel like the world is collapsing around you and the next day, everything has turned around. So now I remind myself … it always gets better.

Fast Five

  • Restaurant? Red Rabbit

  • Store? Target

  • Coffee spot? Vendella Coffee Haus or Dogwood Coffee

  • Spa/salon/nails? LaBell Nail & Spa

  • Find me on IG @melissa_clawson_realtor or www.clawsonhomegroup.com/

Traci Leffner

President, Sovran

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I love client interaction and believe customer service is essential to success. This is why we stopped selling new services for a year and a half to focus on customer service and putting the client first. Now I meet with clients face-to-face on a quarterly basis to get to know them and their businesses, to build relationships, to solve puzzles and problems, and to help them to navigate the technology and security world. 

And I LOVE the win of a sale. Because I know it means they are getting the best possible solution and service to support them moving forward.

What does success mean to you?
For me, success is about contentment. I’ve always been the person who thought the grass is greener somewhere else. But this is the first time I’ve been content. I don’t feel like I need to push for more and chase more. I’m happy where I am and I still see opportunity and challenge in my future. 

What lessons have you learned along the way?

Take chances, because you can’t be told no if you don’t ask the question. When you have an idea, explore it. Brainstorm, throw it against the wall and see if it sticks. You can’t go forward without taking the first step.

Fast Five

Marcy Baumann

Owner, Vendella Euro Boutique & Coffee Haus

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The first thing that comes to mind is customers. When I’m interviewing someone for a job, I can’t help but rave about our customers and how great they are. I didn’t have any idea how much the customers would become a part of my personal life. They are now my friends.

And I’m always trying to figure out what the customer wants. When we first opened, customers kept asking for bagels. I didn’t feel like it fit the culture or my vision. But now we have bagels, because it’s what the customers wanted and that is what matters. 

Now I love the challenge of surprising and delighting customers. From simple changes like rearranging the furniture to shopping for the boutique with specific customers in mind, I’m always thinking about what they will love. 

What is something that inspires you daily?

This is my community. These are my people. These are the businesses I support as a customer. I want to make the south metro a destination for others living in the Twin Cities.  I am proud to be a part of Dakota County. Some might consider us a sleepy town. People are starting to realize we’re worth a visit. 

What was your ‘aha’ moment?

I didn’t build the coffee shop in a traditional way and some might say my timing was off. We started building in 2019, relying on the labor and generosity of volunteers to create the space you know and love. Because of that, we are kind of owned by the community. We then opened in February 2020, just in time to be shut down by the pandemic, but that was only the beginning. We just celebrated our third birthday! 

Fast Five

  • Restaurant? Volstead House

  • Store? Next Act in Apple Valley 

  • Coffee Spot? Vendella, obviously!

  • Spa/salon/nails? Hair Love in Eagan

  • Find us on IG @vendella_coffee_haus or www.vendellacoffee.com

Paula Overbye

Founder & Owner, The Laser Room; Certified Aesthetic Injector

What was your ‘aha’ moment?

For a long time, I was a solo practitioner. During that time, I struggled with the idea of letting others in, which hindered growth. Eventually, demand for my services exceeded our capacity; that is what ultimately led to our growth. If I wanted to do more, I needed to bring in more people and trust them to provide the level of service I strived for.

What is the best part of your job?

Success to me is happy and confident clients. The emotion around fixing something that has bothered them for some time makes the results even more meaningful. Sometimes, our clients didn’t even think what they wanted was possible and my team and I were able to give them back their confidence.

How have you built confidence over the course of your career?

Continuing education is important because there is always something new. I prefer to focus on one thing at a time, learning everything I can, getting comfortable and more importantly, getting results for my clients, before exploring what’s next. 

Fast Faves

  • Restaurant? Farmer & the Fish Monger

  • Store? Target & Nordstrom, it’s a tie

  • Coffee spot? I don’t drink coffee, but love kombucha

  • Spa/salon/nails? The Laser Room Med Spa, of course – I’m a fan of Dysport quarterly and the SkinPen with PRP therapy

  • Find me on IG @thelaserroombypaula, https://www.facebook.com/TheLaserRoomWithPaula or https://www.cosmeticlaserroom.com

Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth

Owner & Orthodontist, Dr. Jennifer Eisenhuth Orthodontics

Celebrating  20 years of creating beautiful smiles!

What’s the best part of your job?

I really think being an orthodontist is the best job in the world! So many lack confidence in their smile and in turn, worry about how it looks and what others think. On a daily basis, I have the opportunity to help my clients achieve something that will last a lifetime (assuming they wear their retainers as directed). 

I love working with patients. They give me energy. I love engaging with so many different people each day and helping them at the same time. I get to make their day just a little bit better.

What was your ‘aha’ moment?

The demand for natural toothpaste is high. But because it isn’t regulated by the FDA because there is no fluoride, it also doesn’t do what toothpaste is supposed to do (strengthen the enamel). I saw an opportunity to create my own toothpaste to meet the need and fill the gap. And it was a process, from the development of the toothpaste to testing and studies. I also learned that retail is a very different world from a service-based business. My toothpaste is now available at www.drjennatural.com/. 

Along the way, I’ve learned that running an orthodontics office is so much more than just orthodontia. On any given day, I’m guiding marketing, ensuring our accounting is up-to-date, hiring and managing people, and so much more. To that end, an accounting refresher isn’t a bad idea!

How have you built confidence over the course of your career?

Mentorship is key. Having someone who can help me learn, talk through my mistakes, and guide me has been essential. Now I’m also in a position to provide mentorship and that shows me just how far I’ve come.

Fast Five

  • Restaurant? Raag in Edina … the best Indian food!

  • Store? Home Goods or Nordstrom

  • Coffee spot? Vendella or Cafe Astoria

  • Spa/salon/nails? Juut Salon & Cole’s in Eagan

  • Find me at www.doctorjennifer.com/