Some things Todd’s been working on
2021
On the Radio
AM950 – The Progressive Voice of Minnesota
Todd has been guest hosting for “The Matt McNeil Show” periodically. Hear those shows here
2020
On the Radio
AM950 – The Progressive Voice of Minnesota
Todd has been guest hosting for “FYI Politics”, sitting in for Brett Johnson lately. Hear those shows here:
Thurs. Dec. 3rd, 2020
Wed. Nov. 25th, 2020
Thurs. Nov. 19th Guest co-host @23:50 on the timeline
Local Politics (Minnesota Senate District 33)
Todd continued as the Chair of the Nominations Committee. Of course our very own incumbent House Rep. Kelly Morrison became our second time winning candidate in HD33B. In addition, two more very promising candidates ran.
It’s difficult to predict how the election results may have turned out had it not been for the MN DFL party forbidding their candidates to door knock because of the pandemic. But it seems like the House candidate for HD33A, and the Senate candidate for SD33 would have fared much better, possibly winning. They are both poised to run again in 2022 when they can use their full skills to win.
Todd had the pleasure of laying out – along with 3 other experienced operatives – an independent expenditure graphic and messaging campaign to assist these three stellar candidates in the election.
2019
Small Business Voice at the Capitol
May 5, 2019
Todd headed up a delegation of small business owners at a meeting with Minnesota Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan in the Governor’s Cabinet Room. He expressed small business support for Paid Family and Medical Leave before the Minnesota House voted and passed the legislation. Todd also urged the Governor to call on the group for backing in order to argue for the bill’s passage in the Senate.
Upsize Magazine Cover Story
March – April Edition
Todd was featured in an article about being a small business owner who’s gotten involved in political policy in order to benefit small businesses.
2018
Small Business at the Capitol
Todd continued working on testifying and recruiting other small business owners to testify on issues at the St. Paul Capitol. Paid Family and Medical Leave remained a high priority.
Local Politics (Minnesota Senate District 33)
Todd continued as the Chair of the Nominations Committee and this time recruited a stellar candidate to run for the Minnesota House seat in district 33B. Kelly Morrison won the election and became the first Democrat to hold the MN House seat in the district’s area in Minnesota history.
Todd ran the first few months of her campaign and consulted messaging for mailers and other campaign promotion. Although he was no longer involved, Representative Kelly Morrison went on to win the difficult 2020 election as well. She has been a very effective House Representative holding 16 public town hall meetings and authoring some of the most important bills of the 2019-2020 legislative session.
2017
Appearance on national HLN show
July, 2017
Todd appeared on HLN to talk about how the trump Paid Family Leave plan did not come anywhere close to being helpful for anybody, much less small businesses. It did not go far enough.
(He was speaking from his office in Spring Park, MN, not Spring Lake. Such details seem secondary in this fast paced media world.)
Republican Health Plan is a Disaster for Minnesota Small Businesses
Friday, June 23, 2017
Todd’s article was published today at MINNpost.com
TODD Mikkelson…Not TOSS Mikkelson. At least they put us on TV.
Standing Up for Local Government
Thursday, April 20, 2017
The Republican majority in the Minnesota Senate was trying to pass their bill that would disallow cities, counties and towns to pass their own ordinances and laws Thursday. Todd was there to stand against it along with other small business owners and Main Street Alliance (see video here). He spoke with various press both radio and TV. There were many others gathered to make their voices against this bill heard as well. Although there has been an overwhelming amount of dissent on both the House and Senate versions of this bill, the Republicans still voted to pass both on a purely party-line vote.
Tax Day Round Table Discussion – Small Biz Owners and Reps. Keith Ellison & Erin Murphy
Monday, April 17, 2017
Todd and other Main Street Alliance members had a great discussion between a dozen Minnesota small business owners and Congressman Keith Ellison and MN State Rep. Erin Murphy. It was made clear that the current tax plans within the budget proposals both at the federal and the state levels will not help truly small businesses at all. In fact the impact of both will be hurtful to small businesses.
Todd made the point that if he pocketed his business’s profits and profit surpluses he would go out of business. Minnesota has a budget surplus and if it puts that back into its own pockets in the form of tax rebates or complete tax relief it will run Minnesota out of business. Like small businesses know, this surplus money needs to be reinvested into the state’s general infrastructure among other helpful things. Small businesses need to keep their own general infrastructure in good running order and up to date. Minnesota has done neither of those things.
The current budget and tax proposals in Minnesota are similar to those that have made the state suffer from budget deficits year after year for over a decade in our recent past. Why do legislators chose to forget that recent past when they should be learning from it?
Todd says that when you make things about people instead of just about the money, you then ironically create a more sustainable, long-lasting prosperity. Let’s not make the budget be just about the money. Let’s make it about people.
Small Business Voice at the MN State Capitol
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Small businesses were involved in local city legislation over the last year in Minneapolis and St. Paul. It was a significant breakthrough in getting small business involved in the actual writing of legislation that effects small business. But state Republican legislators want to disallow that legislation’s validity. They want the state to overpower local city council rulings. this would in effect stifle small business and local government.
Todd testified against this Republican authoritarian attempt to take away local power in both the Minnesota House and Senate.
here’s video of that testimony:
Small Business Owners Urge to Keep A.C.A.
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Todd spoke at a press conference organized by Main Street Alliance along with other small business owners who understand that the Affordable Care Act needs adjustments and repairs, but to repeal it without a replacement in place would be damaging to small businesses in Minnesota.
Todd pointed out that, “when I come up with improvements of a product I’ve developed for my small business, I don’t make that product unavailable until those improvements are finished. The A.C.A. needs improvements. Let’s make those improvements instead of pulling health care coverage completely until we make a completely new replacement product.”
Todd pleads with Rep. Erik Paulsen staffer to not repeal the ACA – Dec. 20, 2016
Rep. Erik Paulsen’s Office
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Todd represented small business owners’ wish to not repeal the Affordable Care Act in the office of his congressman, Rep. Erik Paulsen. Sorrily, Paulsen’s staffer told the large group of Paulsen constituents that they were of no concern of Rep. Paulsen because Trump won the election and the GOP took over the majority in both House and Senate. The ACA would be repealed without a replacement in place and the whole group needs to just eat it.
2016
Main Street Alliance Advisory Boards
Todd became a member of the Minnesota Advisory Board and the National Advisory Board of Main Street Alliance in 2016. He helps prepare small business owners who are also members of Main Street Alliance to voice their concerns at the Minnesota State Capitol. He also helps shape the message of the alliance of small business owners concerning policies being shaped at both the Minnesota Capitol and in Congress in Washington DC.
MUSIC! – New Emmaline Muchmore Songs and Video
The newest Emmaline Muchmore project was a large part of Todd’s focus throughout the winter of 2016-17. Her video for her single, “Solid” was released in October and her ep, “Back to Right” was released in early February.
Todd edited the video and engineered the recordings.
Local Campaigns
Todd was the chairperson of the Nominations Committee for Minnesota Senate District 33. After vetting and nominating candidates, he managed the two campaigns for candidates running for the Minnesota House in the district throughout the spring, summer and fall of 2016. He also worked for the State Senate candidate in consulting and planning a door knocking campaign.
Trying to get news sources to hear small business voices
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Todd’s article on the Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave bill that’s going through the legislature this 2016 session was published today at MINNpost.com
Small Business Voice at the MN State Capitol
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
It’s a short, busy legislative session at the Minnesota State Capitol and Todd is helping organize small business owners to be present at press conferences, testify at committee hearings and show support for issues that will affect small businesses.
Today, Todd testified himself at a Senate Jobs Committee hearing in favor of the Paid Family Leave bill, authored by Senator Katie Sieben, (seen introducing Todd in this video) and the House version of the bill is co-authored by Representative Jason Metsa and Representative Peggy Flanagan. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and other richly funded lobbying entities were there in full force against the bill and the interests of truly small businesses. Todd was there to throw sand into the expensive gears of their machine.
here’s video of that testimony:
(seems to take a few minutes to load. It’s on a Minnesota Senate server. Todd appears at 1:02:30 on the timeline)
Todd has also offered testimony Tuesday, March 22, 2016
on a package of bills originated by House Minority Leader Paul Thissen, and Representative Paul Rosenthal called “The Next Generation Main Street Act”. This package has been receiving bi-partisan support so far, and offers bills to help small businesses – actually all businesses – with simplifying tax filing and audits, helping with succession planning, and making small businesses more aware of the many benefits already existing for small business owners but are often not realized by them.
Presentation at RCI 31st Annual Convention
Monday, March 14, 2016
Todd gave his “ASTM in the Real World” presentation at the huge RCI industry convention and trade show in Orlando, Florida on March 14th, 2016. It was well attended and well received.
Press Conference on the MN Budget Surplus
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
On the first day of the 2016 Minnesota Legislative Session, Todd helped organize a group of independent small business owners to make their voices heard on how the legislature should deal with the $900 million surplus.
The menial tax cuts some legislators are suggesting won’t help small business owners at all. Instead the surplus should contribute to investments in the state’s neglected and crumbling infrastructure, help small biz owners with child care costs, education, maintaining LGA and the homestead tax credit that helps keep their private property taxes lower to name a few suggestions.
See the video of Todd’s statement
Press Conference on the MN Paid Family Leave Bill
Monday, March 7, 2016
Todd offered his independent small business owner’s perspective on why the 2016 DFL Paid Family Leave bill will benefit truly small businesses by creating an insurance pool that small businesses can use to offer their employees paid time off for personal or family medical care, or time off to start a family and bond with their newborn.
It makes it possible for small businesses to compete for the best employees by offering this benefit, leveling the playing field between small and large businesses.
2014 and earlier
| Todd testifies for small businesses in committee hearings at the capitol
Todd Mikkelson testifies as a small business owner on issues that effect small businesses. Small business owners cannot afford to hire lobbyists like large corporations can, so Todd is gathering small business owners to be their own voice at the Minnesota state capitol. |
Patents
Canadian Rain Maker patent finally issued
Todd Mikkelson’s Canadian patent for the Rain Maker spray rack was finally issued after more than seven years. His United States patent was issued in 2007.
Todd’s Music Publishing Company
Access to Archives
Todd has worked in the music industry for many years. Beginning in 2015 he’s been archiving the many pieces he’s worked on dating back more than thirty years. It’s a work in progress.
StarTribune/business
Big hurdles for small businesses
Article by: Adam Belz, StarTribune | Sunday, Jan 27, 2013 to article
Todd Mikkelson designs and sells a metal rack that sprays homes to make sure they’re watertight. He invented the contraption a decade ago, calls it the Rain Maker and sells it in 18 countries (35 countries in 2015). Now he wants to expand. He could…
2014 KARE 11 segment
Todd and Heidi talk about health care
coverage for small business owners
Most small business owners get health care insurance as individuals, including Todd and his wife Heidi. Heidi spends a lot of time annually searching for the best deal for their coverage.
Beginning in 2014, MNsure will make that search much easier, less time consuming, and eventually less expensive.
Mikkelson
for Minnesota House
Todd ran for the Minnesota State House of Representatives and brought the voting percentages for his party higher than any past candidate in the current precincts of his district.
click here to see the campaign website
Small Business MN Warriors Award
June 13, 2012
Small Business Minnesota (SBM), an association of small business owners presented Todd Mikkelson with their “Small Business Warriors” award Tuesday evening.
“We present this award to business owners who care enough about the real needs of small businesses to get involved and speak out,” said Kelly Guncheon, SBM president.
Westonka School District Renovation Updates
Video walk-throughs
In order to show the community what their tax dollars have invested in after passing three referendums, Todd walks through the work being done on the school buildings throughout the years (2012-14) with a video camera.
WeCAN
Video Marketing Campaign
WeCAN is a non-profit organization that provides emergency assistance to prevent homelessness. It also provides Meals on Wheels, and family support. And now they’ve added a food shelf on wheels that Todd produced another short video to promote.
Todd has been volunteering his time and video productions skills to help this incredible community organization.