Building Nebraska

Presented by the Engler Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. In Part 2 of our conversation with Hannah Klitz, founder of Oak Barn Beef, we move beyond business strategy and into life behind the storefront. Hannah and her husband Eric met through the Engler Entrepreneurship Program and now run their West Point-based beef company together — while raising two young daughter...

Hannah Klitz was just 20 years old when she launched Oak Barn Beef as a sophomore in college. Today, the West Point, Nebraska-based company raises cattle, operates a storefront, and ships dry-aged, Nebraska-raised beef to customers in all 50 states. In Part 1 of this conversation, Hannah shares how she built a direct-to-consumer beef brand from scratch — including learning how to ship a perishable...

As more farm families retire and look to reduce risk, Big Iron Auctions is seeing continued growth in its online auction model, according to co-founder Mark Stock. Stock discussed the company’s evolution and current business dynamics on Part 2 of the Building Nebraska podcast, powered by the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Stock, who started the...

In Part 1 of the Building Nebraska podcast, Mark Stock—co-founder of Big Iron Auctions—shares how a willingness to experiment with technology years ahead of the curve reshaped the auction business. Long before online bidding was widely trusted in agriculture, Mark and his brother Ron were testing real-time internet auctions. This episode dives into the importance of timing, trust, transparency, an...

Most people don’t think about restrooms — until they need one. Grant and Erin Stahla built Stahla Services LLC, a Nebraska-based company that provides high-end mobile restroom, shower, locker room, and specialty trailers for construction sites, commercial remodels, disaster response, and major events across the country. What started as a college startup operating out of a metal shop outside Lincol...

Before Amigos became a familiar name across Nebraska, it was just a husband and wife with an idea. In this episode of Building Nebraska, we sit down with Roger and Jan Moore, the founders of Amigos, to hear the full story behind one of Nebraska’s most recognizable restaurant brands. From opening their first location in Lincoln in 1980 to growing the business to 30 stores statewide, the Moores shar...

Entrepreneurship doesn’t care where you come from. It doesn’t care about your GPA, your hometown, your age, or your background. And in Nebraska, wherever you go—from a kindergarten classroom in Omaha to the wide-open rangeland near Cody—you’ll find people with a shared belief: Nobody’s coming to rescue us, so let's get to work. That no-nonsense spirit is at the heart of the latest episode of the B...

When cattle prices crashed during the farm crisis of the 1980s, rural Nebraska faced a hard question: what’s next? For farmers and ranchers near Valentine, the answer came not from the pasture, but from the Niobrara River. In this episode of Building Nebraska, host Rebel Adamson visits with Mary Mercure of Brewers, Canoers, and Tubers to learn how a simple idea to boost local tourism turned into a...

In the quiet Sandhills town of Cody, Nebraska, something extraordinary is brewing—or rather, fermenting. What began as a retirement hobby for George Johnson transformed into George Paul Vinegar, a nationally acclaimed maker of handcrafted, old-fashioned vinegars now shipped to all 50 states. In this episode of Building Nebraska, George and his daughter, Emily Johnson, share how they have turned a...

Entrepreneurship can take many forms. For Nick and Kristen Ryan of Central City, Nebraska, it’s entrepreneurship has been a vessel to give back to their hometown while creating abundance for themselves. In this special live episode of the Building Nebraska podcast, recorded at an Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneurship Program event at UNL, the Ryans shared how they built two thriving hometown busine...

On this episode of Building Nebraska, we travel to Cherry County to visit the Circle C Market, a one-of-a-kind student-run grocery store that has become the heartbeat of the community. A Community’s Big Idea The Circle C Market began as a bold experiment. Two business teachers dreamed of giving kids hands-on learning opportunities while solving a critical problem: the nearest full-service grocery...

For Jim Pinney, owner of Husker Meats, the journey from raising cattle on his family ranch to running a full-service meat processing plant has been a full-circle experience. Pinney grew up in Ainsworth, worked in the old butcher shop during high school, and later earned a meat science degree at Kansas State University. After working in plants across the country, he returned home to ranch, and even...

In a town of just a few hundred people, you might not expect to find world-class craftsmanship tucked in a small storefront in Cody, Nebraska. But step inside the Sandhills Boot Company, and you’ll meet Kyle Rosfeld, a man who has spent the last 25 years turning leather into art. Kyle doesn’t just sell boots. He builds them from the ground up, starting with a customer’s footprint and ending with a...

In rural Nebraska, child care is more than convenience, it’s survival. When COVID-19 left Ainsworth families without options, a kitchen table conversation sparked a $2 million community effort to open the Ainsworth Child Development Center. On this episode of Building Nebraska, Haley Miles and Karen O’Hare share how local grit, collaboration, and Main Street pride transformed a crisis into a corne...

In this episode of Building Nebraska, we head deep into the Nebraska Sandhills to a place where cattle and grapes grow side by side. Host Rebel Sjeklocha visits with Tim and Greg Nollette of Niobrara Valley Vineyards, a family-run winery in Nenzel, Nebraska. While some may consider Nenzel the middle of nowhere, to the Nollette's- it is home. The Nollette brothers share their journey of transformin...

In a world dominated by online orders and big-box stores, there’s magic in stepping into a place where you’re greeted by name - and so was your grandpa. In this week’s episode of Building Nebraska, we travel to Ainsworth to visit with Joe McBride of Ranchland Western Store, a business that’s been a cornerstone of the community since 1959. Joe shares the story behind his family’s multi-generational...

“If you want to be a millionaire, take $10 million, open a winery, and soon you will be a millionaire…” That tongue-in-cheek line from Jim Ballard says a lot about the grit it takes to grow grapes, and a business, in Nebraska. But for Jim, the owner of James Arthur Vineyards, Nebraska’s oldest and largest winery, it’s never been just about the money. “We don’t do this to become… it’s not because o...

In the heart of Cortland, Nebraska, population just under 500- a little bakery with a big heart opens its doors once a week. Every Saturday, the charming vintage-style Paper Moon Pastries draws locals and travelers alike with the scent of cinnamon rolls and the warmth of community.  Lindsey Oelling, the baker behind the counter, has always dreamed of opening a gathering place for others, but had t...

What happens when cutting-edge technology meets one of the oldest industries in the world? You get Marble Technologies: a fast-growing ag tech startup working to modernize meat processing through automation and AI.   Jordyn Bader, Director of Industry Partnerships, says Marble develops robotics and automation systems powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. Their mission? Make meat...

In the heart of downtown Lincoln, Cody Schmick sits inside Bierhaus Maisschäler, just one piece of the Nebraska-spun craft beverage empire he’s helped build. Schmick recalls a humble beginning: a backroom homebrew meeting in Broken Bow, a small town many might overlook, unless you’ve tasted the beer that launched there in 2014. “We just celebrated our 10-year anniversary,” Schmick says. “It’s craz...

In the tiny town of Burr, Nebraska, population 52, one woman’s faith and love of baking has turned two backyard sheds into a community destination. Amy Oswald, owner of Adeline’s Bakery, didn’t follow a traditional path to entrepreneurship. “I’ve been baking since I was probably 16,” she said. “But, you know, life happens, and you gotta wait. I always said you have to wait until God tells you, you...

In 1995, Craig and Lori Gana took a leap of faith and started Gana Trucking & Excavating, a venture that began by hauling out of their sand pit with a single dump truck. These days, the business has grown to include over 100 trucks, 200 machines, and a crew just shy of 300 to operate them. Craig says a key to their success has been hiring the right people at the right time. “We’re just big on high...

The Building Nebraska Podcast is bringing a special live episode straight from Engler’s Fireside event. This conversation highlights the journeys of two Nebraska entrepreneurs who turned small ideas into thriving businesses. Featured Guests: ➡ Eli Vedral, founder of Kookaburra Cookies – A homegrown baking business that has seen rapid success. ➡ Aaron Rerucha, owner of Oxbows Furniture – A Nebraska...

A journey that started on the big island of Hawaii’s Kona Coast now finds itself on main street of Oshkosh, Nebraska. The dream of Mark Ferrari Specialty Coffees began with Mark Ferrari’s childhood, where he grew up working on his family’s coffee farm.   Ferrari became a student of coffee roasting, learning from valued mentors and accepting the process of trial and error. His experiences in Hawaii...

For over 40 years, Brown Sheep Company has been spinning high quality, natural fiber yarn near Mitchell, Nebraska.  The now third-generation business was started by Harlan and Janet Brown. Harlan, a sheep farmer, got the idea to spin his own yarn when his daughter asked for a spinning wheel for Christmas.  At this same time, many textile companies on the east coast were struggling to get by. Harla...