Entering the Best “Season” of the Year

Calendars everywhere are about to turn over to October, meaning the country has officially entered, for my money at least, the best season of the year. Although light jackets, vests, and pumpkin spice lattes are certainly an added bonus, the best season of the year has little to do with the weather and the seasonal menu changes that come along with it and everything to do with sports, business transactions, and the jolt of excitement they inject into everyday life from mid-September through the ball drop at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Autumn in Minnesota: Where Apples Meet Entrepreneurship

Autumn in Minnesota is a season of contrasts—moody skies, sudden temperature swings, and the unmistakable buzz of Vikings football. But for many Minnesotans, fall also means one thing: apples. Whether you're strolling through a grocery store, browsing a farmers’ market, pulling over at a roadside stand, or wandering through a picturesque orchard, you're bound to encounter one of the state's most beloved seasonal treats in peak form.

Growing up in neighboring South Dakota, I knew Minnesota had apples. But I didn’t fully grasp the depth of the state’s apple obsession until I lived here. It’s a passion that rivals the fervor for the Minnesota State Fair—and perhaps it’s no coincidence that these two institutions intersected back in 1866. That year, the Minnesota Fruit Growers Association was founded at the State Fair, with a mission to develop apple varieties hardy enough to survive the state’s brutal winters. Just two years later, it evolved into the Minnesota State Horticultural Society, which still thrives today, supporting growers and gardeners across the state. 

The Tricky Nuances of Rebranding

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store recently attempted to redesign its well-known logo for the first time in 48 years.  The redesign was part of a larger corporate effort to modernize the restaurant and its brand in competition with other popular fast-casual restaurant chains.  Many restaurant chains, like McDonald’s, have been preferring simplified logos and brand imagery, as well as homogenous, box-style architecture emphasizing a neutral, interchangeable aesthetic instead of unique décor, like McDonald’s old iconic sloped-roof style.  Cracker Barrel is well-known for its old-school Southern atmosphere, replete with an old-country store for browsing while waiting for a table to become available and complemented by a massive menu heavy on comfort food standards.  Each traditional Cracker Barrel restaurant includes an inviting old country-styled porch with rocking chairs and its ubiquitous large sign over the entrance with its popular logo depicting a man leaning on a barrel next to the restaurant’s name.  Everything about Cracker Barrel’s classic style has always leaned heavily on nostalgia for lifelong customers. 

Labubus: The Toothy Toy That Took Over the World

In the ever-evolving world of collectibles, few phenomena have captured global attention quite like Labubus. What began as a quirky character in a storybook has transformed into a billion-dollar brand, a pop culture icon, and a symbol of modern collector culture. Labubus was born from the imagination of Kasing Lung, a Hong Kong-Belgian artist inspired by Nordic folklore. Originally featured in his illustrated series The Monsters, Labubu—the mischievous elf with sharp teeth and a scruffy charm—was brought to life as a vinyl figure in 2015. But it wasn’t until Lung partnered with Chinese toy giant Pop Mart in 2019 that Labubu truly found its audience.

You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

My parents are in the middle of winding down their farm operation in Northern Iowa. The idea was simple: sell the land; retire and walk off into the sunset. But as they began the process, so too came layers of complication. The deal involved land that had been in the family for decades, the estate of my grandmother, multiple siblings (nine total, to be exact), and complex tax treatment. It was to say the least – complicated.  

At some point in the process, they realized they needed help—not because they lacked capability, but because there’s no clear-cut blueprint for navigating situations like this. You can only go so far on your own before the complexity outpaces what you can manage without professional help.

Joy: The Musical: An Entrepreneurial Story

People who know me, even just a little bit, know that I’m a passionate fan and supporter of musical theatre. Truth is that my wife and I (two lawyers with a spreadsheet) have seen just under 800 unique musicals together in our adult lives. 

Even if you don’t know me but have been a regular reader of entreVIEW (are there any regular readers?), you’d also know this because I have frequently written about musical theatre for this blog, including my very first real post on this blog over 14 years ago, which was about the Spider-Man Musical. I’ve also written about other musicals, including "Finding Neverland," "Ernest Shackleton Loves Me," "Matilda," and couple of favorites, "Here Lies Love," and, of course "Hamilton." In case that isn’t enough to show my passion for musicals I’ve also written about the musical I wrote, "Pickle-Chiffon Pie: The Musical," which has now been produced three times!  

Mentorship in Motion: Reflections from a Summer with Our Summer Associates

This summer, I’ve had the privilege of working more closely with the Lathrop GPM class of summer associates as one of the work coordinators. Having experienced a summer program disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic firsthand, I’ve especially appreciated the chance to help this talented group navigate what is, in some ways, a two-month job interview—all while also exploring career paths, learning about different legal practices, locating the printers and bathrooms, and hopefully enjoying a bit of the beautiful Twin Cities summer in between.

Maybe it’s a bit of nostalgic projection for an experience I didn’t fully get to enjoy, but I genuinely hope our summer associates walk away feeling supported during this unique and formative stage of their legal journey. To me, that’s the essence of mentorship.