Over the course of any year, I have coffee with a lot of people. I do it for a lot of reasons. 1) To get out of the house! Being a solo can get lonely! 2) To cultivate new business connections, 3) To meet new people to feature on this blog, or on the Talking Points Podcast, 4) To identify new people to join one of the two mastermind groups I manage.

As I look back at 2018, I had 50-plus coffee meetings with all sorts of people. I met new people. Checked in with long-time friends. And, asked for introductions from people I already knew. Admittedly, there are a number of people I am probably forgetting on the list below–if that’s the case, I apologize in advance (I’m going by my calendar, and I know I had a number of coffees that didn’t make it on that calendar).

I’m thankful for each and every one of these coffee meet-ups–I truly took something away from every one of them. And now I’m looking forward to meeting a bunch of new people in 2019! Here’s the list of folks I met up with for coffee this past year. If you’re on this list–thanks again! If not, maybe we’ll be drinking a cup of coffee together in 2019!

Wendy Jacobson, Wendy the Pooh Communications

Jessica Rogers, Polaris (thanks to Holly Jo Spaeth for making the connection!)

Katie Bratland, Katie Bratland Communications (thanks to Ellen Van Der Linden for introducing us!)

Aaron Zaslofsky, Wheelhouse Communications

Cameron Potts, Deluxe (featured on the Talking Points Podcast in November)

Elizabeth Cooper, Second Harvest Heartland

Mark Hamel, Honeywell

Sue Serna, Cargill

Katy Epler, Richfield Tourism Promotion Board

Tara Olson Medina, Aveda (thanks for the thank you card and the wonderful Aveda products!)

Lindsay Stewart, Patterson Dental

Caitlin Rick, Explore MN

Sara Mulder, Blue Cross Blue Shield (featured on the Talking Points blog as part of my PR Rock Star series in November) 

Bruce Moorehouse, University of St. Thomas (thanks for the introduction, Aaron Zaslofsky)

Greg Zimprich, Medtronic

Felicia Johnson, MN Vikings (featured on the Talking Points Podcast in September)

Devin Harrington, student

Jay Olstad, United Health Group

Lynn Melling, Karwoski Courage (thanks for the introduction, Kim Insley!)

Nora Hayes, University of Minnesota

Chris Matt, imagination

Matt Woestehoff, MIMA president

Jennifer Krippner, Institute for Healthcare Excellence

Kate Metzger, Ameriprise

Kendra Klemme, United Health Group

Dave Folkens, Risdall

Jillian Froehlich, KNOCK

Brian Bellmont, Bellmont Partners (thanks for all the great advice you gave me this year!)

Susan Beatty, US Bank

David Feider, Wolters Kluwer

Kim Insley, Meet Minneapolis

Scott Broberg, Fast Horse

Meredith Weir, Abbott (thanks for the introduction, Susan Eich!)

Bryan Vincent, United Health Group

Pat Schaber, Intertech

Carrie Wyman, Brandpoint

Erica Webb-Belzer, Verde Technologies (thanks for the introduction, Christina Milanowski!)

Tammy Nysteun, Cargill

Bianca Jones, Best Buy (thanks for the introduction, Kirsten Wenker! Also featured on the Talking Points blog)

Chelcy Walker, General Mills

Krysta Larson, DTN

Kristin Sullivan

Jennifer Hannon, Patterson Companies

Julie Hurbanis, Macalester College

Betsy Andersen, University of Minnesota

Jen Bowring

Martha McCarthy, The Social Lights

Kimberlee Sinclair, HB Fuller

Katie Miller, Katie Rae Digital

Ianthe Zabel, 202 Strategy

Mike Walsh, Mike Walsh Communications

Lida Poletz, Genoa Healthcare

George Fiddler, OLSON

Ryan May

Cydney Strommen, Aveda

Aaron Pearson, Weber Shandwick

Sean Ryan, ie Network

Karla Hult, KARE-11

Mark Butler, Wayin

Matt Kucharski, Padilla

Alyssa Greve, Cambria (featured on the Talking Points blog back in April)

Brian Lucas, True Voice Communications

Julie Goetz, Goetz Results Communications

Jen Joly, Magid

Kendall Bird, Collegis (featured on the Talking Points blog as part of the PR Rock Star series in April)

Jon Ruzek, University of Minnesota

Theo Schweitz, BBDO

Traci Elder, Little & Co.

Jim Cuene, Fahren

Emily Negrin, G&S Business Communications (featured on the Talking Points blog as part of the PR Rock Star series in May)

Eric Lehnen, Redpath Consulting Group

Nick Lipetzky, AmpliFi Capital Corp.

Nicole Klang, Best Buy

Ava Bielke, Life Time

Melissa Neill, Be The Match

Gabby Griffin, US Bank

Kristin Zima, Optum (one of the 14 people I said I wanted to have coffee with in 2018!)

Whitney Swanson, Optum

Andrew Miller, OLSON

Heidi McGuire, Ingersoll Rand (featured on the Talking Points blog as part of the PR Rock Star series in February)

Joel Swanson, United Health Group

Chanel Schmidt, Sleep Number

Katie Heinze, Post Brands

Katie Thomas

Casey Hall, Lumberjack Social

DJ Hamm, Securian

Ryan Roddy, HealthPartners