Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Ugstad. They and their team shared their story with us below:
How did Michelle Ugstad, Pearl Ridge Cake Shop and R.A.D.A.R. Designed founder, embark on her entrepreneurial journey? As the owner of two businesses, (i) Pearl Ridge Cake Shop, a Grade B Dairy Ice Cream Manufacturing Plant, Distributor, and Retailer, and (ii) R.A.D.A.R. Designed, a property damage claims adjusting company primarily contracted by fiber utilities, Michelle’s story unfolds.
Adopted at the age of one month, Michelle comes from a lineage where adoption is a recurring theme—her mother and grandmother were also adopted. Despite knowing little about her biological parents, Michelle has given two of her children up for adoption. Currently raising two children, her belief in the generational nature of wealth and the importance of passive income has inspired her to establish flexible businesses that can benefit her children and others.
Michelle’s journey is marked by resilience, fueled by her Sagittarius zodiac sign and unwavering tenacity. With a natural affinity for computers and business law, she attributes her success to her personal history and educational background, including multiple business degrees and certifications. Michelle’s professional path began with an entry-level job in her early twenties, where she absorbed knowledge like a sponge, climbed the corporate ladder, switched companies, and learned from various role models.
Her investment journey reflects her commitment to financial growth. After investing five years in her first career, she walked away with $6,000 in retirement savings. In her second career, spanning six years, Michelle’s investments yielded over $120,000 in retirement funds. She advises seeking supportive business owners who can help you achieve your goals and provide security on your journey. Here are some key lessons she’s learned:
- Maintain Your Composure: Your ability to stay calm is powerful. Make decisions and communicate in a way that aligns with your goals.
- Seek Support: Don’t hesitate to ask for help. Working towards common goals with others yields better results. Even in moments of defeat, taking small steps is better than doing nothing. Rest, but remain focused—many worthwhile endeavors take years.
- Long-Term Perspective: Understand that significant achievements often take time. Commit to the long-term journey, whether it’s 5, 10, or 25 years.
- Professional Relationships: Recognize that relationships with coworkers and clients usually end when you leave a job.
- Choose Role Models Wisely: Select your role models, bosses, and employers carefully. Your actions may shape you to become more like them.
- Embrace Change, Preserve Connections: Don’t fear change, but avoid burning bridges. While the grass may seem greener elsewhere, leaving the gate open allows for a potential return.
- Prioritize Health: Keep moving and pay attention to signals from both people and your body. The right supplements can address nutritional gaps and energize you.
- Invest Wisely: Opt for investments over accumulating material possessions. Aim for a debt-free lifestyle and seek opportunities that empower you to self-direct your qualified trust account.
- Company Culture Matters: Look for a company willing to invest in its employees through profit-sharing initiatives.
Returning to Business: I began crafting and decorating ice cream cakes in my late teens—a passion I always envisioned revisiting in my older, retired years. Before the onset of COVID, I made a significant move from my suburban hometown to rural Minnesota, where I purchased a lake house. The allure of a clean lake just an hour from the cities and affordability drew me to Kimball. Amid the pandemic, my employer changed ownership, leading to the dissolution of the management team. Contemplating my next move, I found myself on the lake, pondering possibilities. A few months later, I plunged into entrepreneurship by launching a dessert food truck. Despite my unfamiliarity with the industry, my education and work experience instilled confidence in my ability to succeed. Opting for a food truck eliminated the burdens of a brick-and-mortar location, aligning with my preference for a mobile, adaptable, and independently operated business. Recognizing that change is constant, I decided it was the opportune moment to pursue my dreams. I understood that failure might mean a return to the workforce, albeit with a newfound appreciation for traditional employment. While the food truck generated income, it fell short of my previous salary. A previous client had asked me to return to my roots in claims work. I cherished the claims work I excelled in. After months of contemplation, I designed an online damage reporting website, an invoicing user interface, a payment portal, and a financial backend. I was ready to start recovering damages. A year later, the utility was prepared to report damages.
Acknowledging the challenges, it took three years to achieve a positive operating income, with mistakes along the way. The journey wasn’t easy, but my love for what I do and my family’s support made it worthwhile. The endeavor led to losing some friendships, and while I work harder for less money, the lifestyle change is profound. The question of whether I’ve “made it” remains open, and only time will tell where the next ten years lead.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Pearl Ridge Cake Shop Journey:
- Locating a Home for the Food Truck:
Seeking a place to park my food truck, I introduced myself to local business owners in Kimball. With no existing bakery, ice cream, or coffee shop in town, I set up at a gas station, operating stationary for the initial seven months. - Transition to Wholesaling:
As the business expanded into wholesaling, I needed a manufacturing location to accommodate growth while controlling costs. The shift introduced fixed costs such as rent, labor, and additional insurance. Generating enough sales to cover overhead and cost of goods sold (COGS) became a challenge. - Commission Adjustments and Pricing Challenges:
A year into the venture, I encountered a request to raise commissions and lower prices. This prompted a thorough inventory assessment, price adjustments, and the issuance of free products to bridge the gap. - Operating with Minimal Capital:
Managing with minimal capital, I navigated tasks ranging from drafting contracts, financial statements, and business plans to negotiation, marketing, labeling, invoicing, delivery coordination, hiring, order management, shelf checks, and inventory control. - Dealing with Opposition:
Overcoming active opposition, I safeguarded my advocates and avoided getting entangled in drama. Staying focused, maintaining concise communication, and keeping accurate records were essential. This approach allowed me to secure my position, negotiate effectively, make informed business decisions, and move closer to profitability. - Challenges and Future Goals:
Increasing sales is needed to surpass fixed costs and achieve the desired operating income.
R.A.D.A.R. Designed Journey:
- Innovative Financial Proposal:
Crafting a distinctive financial proposal was essential to address my recovery challenges—the proposal aimed to provide practical solutions to intricate problems encountered in the field. - Establishing Legitimacy and Access:
Proving the legitimacy of my company was a crucial step in gaining access to essential tools vital for success. The challenge lay in showcasing my company’s credibility and the dependence on recoveries to validate its value. The intricacy of some instances and that I am a new company contributed to delays in establishing access to these tools. - Investing Time in an Uncertain Terrain:
The journey involved investing time without guarantees, mainly as I focused on a low-volume, high-margin model. This approach required patience and resilience, especially in cases where complex issues could take months to resolve.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Pearl Ridge Cake Shop and R.A.D.A.R. Designed?
Pearl Ridge Cake Shop specializes in crafting soft-serve ice cream cakes and novelties. Our offerings extend to wholesale accounts, serving grocery stores, gas stations, pizzerias, restaurants, floral shops, and more. We provide a range of delivery options, including a food truck, a mobile food cart, and even a bouncy house. Our delectable creations, such as mini ice cream cakes, chocolate-dipped sandwiches, root beer floats, hot/cold coffees, cappuccinos, smoothies, cocoa, and more, are available for various occasions. We cater to diverse gatherings, from private parties and corporate events to schools, churches, festivals, and everything. Renowned for our flavor-bursting sweets that delight all ages, Pearl Ridge Cake Shop is distinguished for staying open late, accommodating last-minute orders, and creating a lively atmosphere with good tunes and an optional bouncy house—a true treat for any event.
R.A.D.A.R. Designed specializes in third-party property damage claims, primarily focusing on serving fiber utilities. I am recognized for my unwavering persistence and intelligence in identifying negligence and liability in such cases. Proficient in online research, I boast excellent connections with local agencies, possess a comprehensive understanding of dig law, and pride myself on working swiftly without compromising accuracy. One of my distinctive strengths is the ability to immediately implement changes in database design, as I do not rely on third-party interventions. Taking on the most challenging damages is a point of pride for me, and I have achieved an impressive 87% recovery rate in these cases.
Who else deserves credit for your story?
My parents played a pivotal role in supporting my education and instilling a solid work ethic. Even when they assisted with bills during job searches, they expected me to dedicate eight hours daily to employment pursuits, emphasizing the importance of hard work despite my desire for flexibility.
Gables Exteriors deserves recognition for contributing to building the food truck and promoting the business, garnering attention and customers. Country Store and Deli and Kim Built Propane in Kimball generously provided a parking lot with electricity access for seven months. This prime location at the intersection of two major highways significantly contributed to visibility.
I am grateful to all the customers who gave my business multiple chances, even in mishaps like the first cone falling on their shirts; special thanks to Tri-County News for featuring my business and maintaining visibility among their readers. Son of a Butcher Bar & Restaurant played a pivotal role by making me a wholesaler, with other wholesale accounts following suit. These include J & R Family Market of Watkins, The Butchery of Maple Lake, The Marketplace Stores of Annandale and Cokato, Cub Foods in St. Michael and Buffalo, Brothers Markets in Carlos and Osakis, Jimmy’s Pizza of Annandale, and more.
Appreciation goes to all the fairs, festivals, schools, churches, corporations, and neighbors who supported the business, subsequently supporting my family. Ice cream socials have been particularly enjoyable, and I now have a quiet generator! The Marketplace in Annandale deserves special mention for allowing me to rent their cafeteria space and providing everything needed. Their fantastic team made the experience even more memorable. A heartfelt thank you to Custom Towing in South Haven, A and G Produce/ Corn Maze in St. Joe, and my friends who consistently show up, exhibit patience, contribute excellent work, have fun, watch my kids, and exemplify true teamwork. I am fortunate to have a legion of good-hearted individuals helping me grow and navigate daily.
Pricing:
- Pearl Ridge | We can find our frozen soft-serve ice cream products at grocery stores, gas stations, pizzerias, restaurants, and other locations.
- Pearl Ridge | No booking fee is applicable for the Ice Cream Cart or the Hot Coffee/Cappuccino/Cocoa Cart. Additionally, we extend a generous offer of a 10% donation for sponsored events where one person covers the expenses for 40 or more guests.
- Pearl Ridge | $200 commercial inflatable bouncy house rental; save $50 by including a sponsored food event!
- R.A.D.A.R. | A flat quality assurance fee is applied to each reported damage, with discounts based on the quality of information reported.
- R.A.D.A.R. | A contingent flat rate and fixed percentage are offset from monthly recoveries. The demand for payment aims to cover the cost of repairs, including expenses associated with seeking reimbursement. Legal services are provided and billed directly to the responsible party.
Contact Info:
- Website: Pearl Ridge @ https://linktr.ee/pearlridgecakeshop and https://radarclaims.square.site/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/%E2%9A%A1%EF%B8%8Fmichelle-ugstad-%F0%9F%91%A9%E2%80%8D%F0%9F%92%BB-73993a5/
