In celebration of Small Business Saturday, I interviewed one of Harmony’s older businesses, Solberg Welding and Ironside, both of which are owned by Dennis Solberg.

Solberg Welding was founded on September 1, 1985. He enjoyed welding during his college years and saw the opportunity to begin his career, starting with the purchase of the building that Solberg Welding is currently located in.

Ironside began its life a bit later. Ironside Trailer Sales began on July 1, 2007. Dennis purchased it from a local who wanted to leave the trailer business. The building was small, but Dennis eventually built more to it to be able to accommodate more room for the repair of vehicles and trailers.

When I inquired about the pros and cons of owning a business, Dennis said to me that the greatest things about owning a business are that he gets to stay local, spend more time with his family, and there isn’t too much traveling needed. But, the cons of having a business are the long-term commitment involved, the unpredictable income, and the absolute need to understand cash flows.

The businesses don’t do much for the holidays. Employees get to have an extended period of time off to spend time with their families during the Christmas season.

“You need to be very committed [to your business]. . .The financial understanding is very important for your business,” said Dennis when asked if there were notes and pointers he’d like to give for anyone wanting to start their own business. I believe that he’s an important figure in understanding Harmony’s business world, and I hope that anyone looking for advice on starting their own business will talk to Dennis Solberg. He’s more than qualified in guiding young business owners to success.