Off the Record
Off the Record is a podcast exploring the lives and stories of Twin Cities executives. Join the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, in partnership with Platinum Bank, for robust conversations with local leaders as they share pivotal moments in their lives, some of their career highlights, and their goals for the coming years. You know their names and faces, now get to know their stories.
Off the Record
Kris Kowalski Christiansen, CEO of Kowalski Co., on learning from those you respect
Never miss an episode of Off the Record. Subscribe today on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Even though she’s now the CEO of Kowalski Co., Kris Kowalski Christiansen wasn’t especially passionate about groceries in her youth. She also never felt pressured to be a part of her family’s grocery business. But she did have a deep respect for the way her mom and dad ran things, she reveals in this episode of the Off the Record podcast.
“We were super close, a tight-knit, threesome family. I respected everything they did. I respected how they were with people (and) the way they went about their business, the integrity, all the good values — and they were fun,” Kowalski Christiansen says. “So I thought, well, OK, I’m going to do it for them. I’m going to learn from the people I respect most in the world. That’s what pushed me to say, ‘Sure, I’ll give it a try.’ Then I never left.”
Kowalski Christiansen takes a deep dive into her career journey and what sets Kowalski’s apart with Off the Record hosts Kathy Robideau, market president and publisher of the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, and Dave Faust, president and CEO of Platinum Bank.
Listen to the episode to hear more about:
· How the Kowalski’s team decided where its first stores would go and why.
· Store partnerships ranging in size from Starbucks to local brands, including those led by women or BIPOC entrepreneurs.
· Setting up a system for ongoing customer feedback.
· What it means to say Kowalski’s is a civic business.
· New partners and openings for Kowalski’s in the coming months.
Leaders like Kowalski Christiansen understand the value of moving quickly and acting creatively, just like Platinum Bank. Learn more about business banking with a different kind of bank.