Today we’d like to introduce you to Kaaren Grabianowski.
Hi Kaaren, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I have spent the majority of my career in the event planning and non-profit arena. The first large event of my career was while I was working at the Greater Mankato Area United Way. It was September 11, 2001, and we had 225 business leaders at the River Hills Mall to kick off our Annual Campaign. It was a surreal moment when I found out a plane flew into the World Trade Center.
We didn’t make any announcements at the event because I didn’t have any details, but I knew when everyone got into their cars and turned on the radio, they would hear about it. Since then, I have worked on several community events through my work and my business, Events & Expos. I have executed trade shows, golf tournaments, galas, and so much more! A few of my favorites have been the MN Vikings Training Camp when it was held in Mankato, being a volunteer at Super Bowl LII, and Hockey Day MN in 2022.
I am currently working as the Executive Director for the MN River Builders Association, which allows me to wear many hats and still do events throughout the year, including Trivia for the Trades and Raw Fusion. In addition, I have a hockey fan clothing business, The Puck Drops Here, and I sell window coverings for Rickway Carpet. I love the variety in my professional career and helping others in our community. I have lived in the Mankato area for over 30 years and have been an active member of our community through my work and volunteering.
In my free time, I love spending time with my family and friends. My husband, Joe, and I have been married for 11 years and we have a daughter, Ally, who is attending MN State University. We have a great relationship as a bonus mom and bonus daughter. Our family is a hockey family and we cheer on the MSU Mavericks each weekend. I am also an avid Vikings fan. In the summer we enjoy our time at the lake.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not always been a smooth road during my career. I have a piece of art on my wall that says Always Look for Your Window of Opportunity. I have been fortunate when I changed jobs it was when an opportunity presented itself.
When I launched my event planning business, it was because the radio stations I was working for were being sold and my marketing job was being eliminated. I took a risk. I was single, so no one else to depend on, I invested my dollars in myself and started my business, Events & Expos. There were times that it was feast or famine, but that was 17 years ago now. I have left a couple of jobs because I no longer enjoyed my work.
Your job is where you spend the majority of your time and if you don’t like what you are doing or the people you work with, it is not worth the struggle and being unhappy. This is another reason I wear many hats and am entrepreneurial. I am not the type of person who wants to sit at a desk and work at a computer for 8-10 hours every day.
As you know, we’re big fans of Events & Expos & The Puck Drops Here. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Events & Expos is an event planning business. I will come in and help a business, organization, or individual plan and execute a successful event. I have helped organizations with a variety of fundraising events, from developing sponsorships to marketing, decorating, and executing events. I also help couples with their wedding planning.
I can assist a couple from the day they start their planning and help with vendor selection and negotiating contracts, to helping on the day of their wedding and providing them with a professional service so they don’t have to worry about a thing! I will make sure the vendors arrive when they are supposed to, assist the wedding party with their needs, and make sure they stay on their timeline, help with getting items from the ceremony to the reception and once we get to the wedding toast, I know my job is done.
I just wrapped up one of my favorite events, the Baby & Kids Expo. It is a free event for families that features health information, family information for all ages, and a Kid’s Zone full of activities. This was my 13th year doing this event and families are so appreciative of this free outing in the doldrums of winter in Minnesota. I had a dad ask me this year, if I do this multiple times a year or just once a year, as they loved it. It is just once a year though!
My clothing line, The Puck Drops Here, started during COVID. I woke up one night at 4 a.m. with the idea. I started searching online for anything with The Puck Drop and couldn’t find anything. I made it a Federal Trademark and started my clothing line in July 2020. Since it is more of a hobby, I haven’t spent a lot of time growing the business yet, but have it trademarked, so I can change out the state, as the clothing line grows.
I typically will attend youth hockey tournaments and sell my merchandise onsite and then donate a percentage of the proceeds back to the local youth organization. I have also done a pop-up store during the holiday shopping season, which was a great opportunity to showcase my clothing locally. But I do have an online store and can customize items too!
What do you think about happiness?
I love spending time with my family and friends. It fills my cup. I am grateful for all of the opportunities and relationships I have had throughout my career. Being part of something bigger makes me feel good and executing successful events for the greater good of our community makes me happy.
With Hockey Day MN, we were able to get every Mankato hockey player from youth, high school, and college on the ice during our week of festivities and raised money to grow the game of hockey. I love giving back to the community I have lived in for over 30 years. I encourage everyone to give their time, talent, or treasures to their passion and make their community a better place.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.eventsandexpos.com and www.thepuckdrop.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eventsandexpos; https://www.facebook.com/thepuckdrop
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaaren-grabianowski-88649310/
