Jon Oppold

Jon is a serial entrepreneur and experienced marketing and communications leader that specializes in brand strategy, customer experience, restaurant operations, workplace culture and all things creative. As the Owner/Founder of Sunny's Pizzeria and The Orion Pub in Sioux Falls, Jon has cultivated two unique local brands centered around providing a relaxed neighborhood feel and warm customer experience. Prior to founding his restaurant and pub, he had a twelve year career in marketing and communications, including three years leading Profile by Sanford's communications team during a period of rapid expansion and a three-year stint as the Founder and President of Homestead Design Company, a local web and graphic design startup.

Experience/Perspective as an EIR: "I have great experience with branding and marketing businesses, particularly startups. Additionally, I have first-hand experience in launching and scaling unique, successful and immediately profitable local brands debt-free. I am a lifelong learner and hands-on leader that leads from the front lines and have experience in all aspects of my businesses. I know first-hand the type of grit, determination, and effort that it takes to launch a new concept and nurture it to success as both a sole proprietor and strategic partner. Perhaps most importantly, I have created two very culture-focused staff-friendly operations that operate very lean with very limited staff turnover."

Areas of Expertise: Marketing & Branding, Sales & Business Development, HR/People/Culture

In his owns words: I love to give back to other founders because I know how much community matters when you're starting a new business, as most people in our lives have never launched a new business and it can be isolating and scary. It also reinvigorates me to be around other founders that are creating new concepts and solving problems because it is such a creative and fun environment and anyway I can be a steward to that is something I am interested in!