When business partners Bradley Wohlers and Laurie Barger set out to fund their innovative small business idea – the young entrepreneurs faced immediate rejection. “We went through a lot of meetings with SBA lenders, and to be quite frank, we were laughed out of some meetings,” said Wohlers.

The Mahtomedi, MN native admits, their idea is different – but it had the potential to disrupt the entertainment market in the East Metro area of the Twin Cities.

The idea developed over time as Wohlers, an accomplished amateur golfer, realized the options for indoor golf practice was limited. Following his graduation from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and a few years in the workforce, the then 26-year-old set out to open a state-of-the-art indoor golf facility. He joined forces with his partner Laurie Barger, a Monticello, MN native with a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and another Master’s Degree in Leadership. The pair created a thorough business plan, developed accurate financial projections and sought funding – eventually meeting 21^st Century Bank’s Blair Oklobzija.