Brodie Mueller
Brodie began his journey in Minnesota, where he grew up and attended college in St. Paul, studying communications. A pursuit of further education brought him to South Dakota, where he worked toward a master's degree in social work. From there, he spent four years living in St. Louis before ultimately settling in Aberdeen, a city he has called home for the past eleven years. Despite this seemingly nomadic early career path, Brodie was determined to make wherever he is home; he never treats any place as transitionary.
Brodie's entrepreneurial journey began unexpectedly. After being fired from his job as a bartender, which he described as the best thing that ever happened to him, he joined Hub City Events and eventually co-founded the Dakota Territory Brewing Company with his partners. Although this business closed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was his initial foray into business ownership and taught him a vital lesson: know when to quit. Brodie often speaks about the fine line between delusion and determination, noting the importance of business owners evaluating when to either remodel or pivot their business venture. I asked Brodie how he is able to discern when a venture is not working and when to let it go. He says that the answer is one word: "growth." When evaluating your business, do you see the potential for growth? Then, keep going. Growth is not limited to finances but progress, which includes built-in potential and pivot points. When a business starts to negatively encroach on one's personal life, it is the moment to pause, re-evaluate, and pivot.
While some might have been deterred by the closing down of his first venture, Brodie remained committed to the potential he saw in Aberdeen. As the third-largest city in South Dakota and known as the "hub city," Aberdeen has long been a place of untapped opportunity in Brodie's eyes. He strongly believes that the grass is greener where you water it, encouraging locals to cherish Aberdeen for its potential rather than dismissing it as a place to pass through or where there is nothing to do. Brodie often challenges members of the community who state there is little to do in Aberdeen to attend more community events. "If a business goes through the task of organizing an event and no one shows up, there is no incentive to put together more events," he says.
After the Malchow building burned down in 2019, Aberdeen's Development Corporation sought a commercial business to help revitalize the space. In response, Brodie opened The Market on the Plaza in 2021. In this interview, Brodie reflects on how opening a business is often romanticized, but no one tells you about the behind-the-scenes challenges. From managing operations to fostering a sense of community among local business owners, he embraces both the hardships and rewards of entrepreneurship.
Building on his commitment to empowering others, Brodie launched The Rural Revolution Podcast Studio in 2020, lowering the barriers to podcast production. Starting a podcast usually requires significant investment and technical knowledge. But with his studio, all you need to do is sit and talk. His studio has supported the creation of popular podcasts, including Shrink Rap, SD Sportscene, and Growing Small Towns – two of which have been featured on the Startup and Innovation success stories page.
Beyond his own ventures, Brodie champions the importance of mentorship and collaboration in fostering an innovative, business-minded community. Although he has not formally pursued mentorship, he acknowledges the value of finding individuals further along in their journeys and building a network of trusted peers. "You need people you can call and a group of business owners with whom you can share ideas," he says.
For Brodie, entrepreneurship is about more than just starting businesses—it is about fostering community, adapting to challenges, and knowing when to pivot. The work of building a successful, vibrant community is one that we should all have a hand in. It requires vision and action, and he is excited to be playing his part in it.
