Betsy Lindgren Owning Her Destiny
E ntrepreneurship runs in Betsy Lindgren’s
family. Born and raised in Wisconsin, Betsy knew from the start she wanted to own her own business. “My father is an entrepreneur. He was a pharmacist and had a string of drug stores,” Betsy said. “So, I think it’s in the blood.”
For Betsy, it was not only the entrepreneurial spirit that drove her on her career path. It was also the opportunity to provide for her family. “I wanted to make sure I could give my children the same opportunities I was provided. I wanted to take them to Disney World because that’s where they really wanted to go,” Betsy said. She a was single mother with two daughters when she decided to take a risk by quitting her job and taking a loan out on her car to start her business.
Early in her career, Betsy began looking into the growing staffing industry for opportunities to run her own business. Her search led her to Express Employment Professionals. Already negotiating a contract with a different staffing company out of California, Betsy had a chance encounter with a Regional Developer for Express. The two had met once before, but Betsy had turned down the opportunity in an effort to pursue her other offer. “I had a ticket in my hand to hop on a plane to meet with the other staffing company when the Developer said, ‘You owe me another meeting.’”
After meeting with the Express Developer and speaking with Express CEO, Bob Funk, Betsy’s decision was made. “The next day, I was headed to Express International Headquarters in Oklahoma City,” Betsy said. “On Monday, I was signing the contract. By Wednesday, I was back home planning the launch of my new business.”
Betsy became the 27th Express franchise when she opened her Owatonna, Minnesota, office
47
in 1985. Since then, she has become the owner of two additional Express offices in Albert Lea, Minnesota, and Cedar Falls, Iowa. The hope and support Express offers those seeking work is what Betsy loves most about her job. “My favorite part of being an Express franchisee is seeing a plan come together and helping people help themselves,” she said. “At Express, we are enabling everyone to be profitable by providing career opportunities and staffing solutions.”
Express has seen substantial growth during the last 30 years, and Betsy has been part of it all. She has enjoyed meeting new people and gaining lasting friendships, something she says has been the best part of her career with Express.
Due to the success Betsy created for herself and her franchise, she was able to take her children on that trip to Disney World. “It took me three years to get them there, but I did it!”
Today, Betsy enjoys spending time with her children and grandchildren. She also does a lot of volunteering within her community and is an active member of several organizations and community boards, including the Owatonna Foundation, Relay for Life, and Chamber of Commerce. Betsy is a past president of several community clubs and is on the Board of Directors for the Steele County Food Shelf. “I like doing that,” Betsy said. “If I ever decide to retire, I would still volunteer.”
Betsy looks forward to seeing Express continue to grow. “I love watching the younger generation come in and seeing the excitement they have to declare their own destiny and own their business,” Betsy said. “It’s a major success point for Express.”
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