Venture Boldly

Send us your feedback! What makes a downtown truly come alive? It’s the small businesses that create experiences, build connections, and turn visitors into loyal customers. In this episode of Venture Boldly , we sit down with Beth Kornick, co-owner of Princess & Buck, to talk about building one of downtown Kalispell’s most distinctive retail destinations. Beth shares her journey as an entrepre...

Send us your feedback! In this episode of Venture Boldly , we sit down with Katie Pfennigs of Flathead Electric Cooperative to break down the forces shaping the future of electricity in Northwest Montana. From rising rates and growing demand to new power generation investments and the impact of AI and data centers, Katie explains what members need to know. We also unpack the difference between ene...

Send us your feedback! The Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo is back for 2026, and summer in the Flathead is about to get a whole lot louder. In this episode, we sit down with Flathead County Fairgrounds Manager Sam Nunnally and Event Sponsorship Coordinator Kelsi Hansberry to preview everything coming to this year’s fair—from Walker Hayes, rodeo action, and carnival favorites to new attractions li...

Send us your feedback! The Glacier Range Riders and Glacier Bank Park have, in a few short years, become an integral part of the Flathead Valley's sports and recreation scene.   Glacier Bank Park is a pro ballpark, built fast, built right, and built Montana — with locally sourced materials, authentic Flathead Valley food, and a design that makes visitors feel like they're somewhere, not...

Send us your feedback! Mike Sullivan planted lavender in Northwest Montana and lost it all. Twice. What kept him going is a story about more than farming. At Longview Lavender Farm in the Flathead Valley, Mike turned a stubborn specialty crop into a thriving agritourism business, one that creates local jobs and keeps farmland open.  We talk about how he cracked the code on Montana's soil and...

Send us your feedback! Infant child care is one of the biggest hidden barriers to workforce participation—and one of the hardest services to sustain. In this episode, Corinne Kuntz of Bird’s Nest Early Learning Village shares her transition from in-home care to a purpose-built center and what it reveals about the real challenges facing child care in the Flathead. We break down the numbers behind t...

Send us your feedback! In this episode, we sit down with Eric Harry of the Wachholz Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center at Flathead Valley Community College to tackle a key question: how do we help founders build and stay in Northwest Montana? Eric shares insights from his work in global entrepreneurship and local startup development, highlighting what actually moves the needle—strong mentorshi...

Send us your feedback! Downtown Kalispell is evolving quickly, and community leaders are working to ensure that growth happens with intention. In this episode, Brenden Craig of First Interstate Bank sits down with Lorraine Clarno, President and CEO of the Kalispell Chamber, and Gabe Mariman of Bias Brewing to discuss Downtown Kalispell Forward —a new alignment that brings the Kalispell Downtown As...

Send us your feedback! Kalispell is growing, and the decisions we make now will shape the next decade. In this episode, City Manager Jarod Nygren breaks down how the city is planning for infrastructure, housing, and downtown vitality to stay ahead of that growth. We discuss long-range planning, permitting timelines, and how clear policies create predictability for residents, businesses, and invest...

Send us your feedback! Childcare is essential workforce infrastructure. In this episode, Leigh Ann Downie-Economy, Director of Growing Roots Early Learning Center in Kalispell, shares what it takes to create a high-quality early learning center—from facility upgrades and safety requirements to hiring and retaining strong educators. We discuss how ARPA funding supported launch and expansion, the re...

Send us your feedback! Public funding covers the basics in Montana schools, but targeted donations drive innovation. In this episode, Dorothy Drury of the Kalispell Education Foundation shares how Montana school funding really works and how the KEF's fast, teacher-driven grants are turning small dollars into real classroom impact.  She shares the growth of the foundation’s impact—from under $...

Send us your feedback! A bitter cold snap can turn the grid into a high-wire act, and few people understand those stakes like Mark Johnson, CEO and General Manager of Flathead Electric Cooperative (FEC) and the 2025 Kalispell Chamber Business Person of the Year . Mark's 25+ years at FEC brings decades of steady leadership to keeping power reliable and rates stable as the Flathead Valley grows...

Send us your feedback! Growth is here, and today’s choices will shape Kalispell for decades. In this episode, Kalispell mayor-elect Ryan Hunter lays out a clear, practical agenda: protect waterways, expand attainable housing, improve street safety, and apply predictable standards that support a vibrant Parkline Trail—without overbuilding or fragmentation. Drawing on six years on City Council and a...

Send us your feedback! Join us as we meet with Miles Terry, Vice President of Terry Homes and the Kalispell Chamber’s 2025 Rising Star.   As the VP of Terry Homes, a family-owned homebuilder that's been building homes in the Flathead for over 30 years, Miles discusses how a family builder can deliver attainable, high-quality homes without cutting corners—and his answer blends grit, data, and...

Send us your feedback! In this episode, we sit down with 2025 Flathead Legacy Award recipient Bob Nystuen to trace his path from North Dakota roots to leading Glacier Bank and shaping the Flathead’s business and education landscape. He shares how capital, culture, and service align: gather deposits, make sound loans, recruit great people, and share results so everyone rows together. When COVID-19...

Send us your feedback! A small clamp is making a big impact in Montana manufacturing. Founder Amber Pacheco Holm of Fiber Reaper, and her husband, Jeremy, turned a simple field frustration into a breakthrough tool now used by fiber splicing crews across the country. Built and tested in the Flathead Valley, her redesigned clamp helps technicians work faster, safer, and with greater precision. Throu...

Send us your feedback! Sheriff Brian Heino doesn't mince words about Flathead County's jail crisis. The 1987 facility is bursting at the seams, with failing systems, inadequate space, and mounting safety concerns. With over two decades of law enforcement experience, Sheriff Heino offers a compelling insider's perspective on why a new detention center represents not just a building p...

Send us your feedback! Meet Kisa Davison, Kalispell mayoral candidate and recipient of the Kalispell Chamber’s endorsement. She joins Drew Zagorski to share her journey from business owner and community leader to candidate for mayor. Since moving to Kalispell in 2007, Kisa and her husband have built several businesses while raising four children. She has served on the Kalispell Chamber Board, chai...

Send us your feedback! Kyle Waterman, downtown business owner and former city councilor, is running for Kalispell City Council Ward 3. In this conversation, he shares how his past council experience and decades of community leadership shape his vision for a growing, business-friendly Kalispell. We talk about downtown revitalization, including how asking tough questions about city-owned property op...

Send us your feedback! Join host Drew Zagorski as he sits down with Brian Gootkin, Director of the Montana Department of Corrections, and Jim Sanderson, Operations Manager of the new Flathead Valley Reentry Center, for a revealing conversation about  how we reintegrate formerly incarcerated individuals back into society. This isn't just another corrections facility – it's Montana's...

Send us your feedback! Montana’s outdoor recreation supports billions in spending while protecting landscapes, wildlife, and local traditions. Amber Steed, Region 1 Supervisor for Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP), brings deep knowledge to managing these resources and highlights new public access projects, including Somers Beach State Park and expanded fishing areas near Flathead Lake. Key efforts li...

Send us your feedback! This episode of the Venture Boldly podcast takes listeners behind the scenes of the Flathead County Fairgrounds—an iconic 60-acre hub in Kalispell that hosts over 750 events and draws more than 250,000 visitors each year. While many know it as home to the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo, the fairgrounds serve as a year-round space for community, culture, and connection. Fai...

Send us your feedback! Flathead Lake’s clean waters and mountain views aren’t just beautiful—they’re essential to our region’s economy, culture, and future. For over 100 years, the Flathead Lake Biological Station has worked to protect one of America’s cleanest lakes. Associate Director Tom Bansak shares the story of the station’s start in 1899, when it operated out of a borrowed cabin, and how it...

Send us your feedback! "Young entrepreneurs can teach us all a thing or two about business," is the lesson that shines through in my conversation with Parker and Lucy, the young founders of Two Sisters Lemonade and winners of the 2024 Youth Entrepreneurship Award for Lemonade Day Flathead. Over three years of participation, these sisters have transformed from novices with a simple setup...

Send us your feedback! What does it take to build a construction company that shapes a community? Bill Goldberg, founder of Compass Construction, shares how he went from a 20-year-old entrepreneur to a leader in Flathead Valley development. Raised in a family of builders in Whitefish, Bill took a hands-on path—starting his own company at 22 and focusing on projects that meet real community needs....