This is a paid piece from Midco.

Simplified: Supporting business owners starts by meeting them where they are, building strong relationships and showing up when they need it most. To recognize National Women's Small Business Month, we chatted with a local business owner about how Midco has helped her along the way.

Why it matters

• Lisa Esser, owner of Papa Woody's Pizza, knew she'd need a reliable internet, phone and TV connection as her restaurant moved to a larger location earlier this year.
• Midco's goal in supporting businesses, both large and small, is to look at their needs and find the right combination of services to help them succeed. That approach is the same whether it's a small local business or a large industry.
• When Esser announced the move, it was Midco Account Executive Melissa Schmiedt who reached out to her first to help her figure out how her needs were changing.

"It was nice to not have to worry about some of those technical things that, frankly, I don't know anything about," Esser said. "I relied on Melissa and the experts at Midco to figure that out for me."

Tell me more about Papa Woody's experience

Esser began working with Midco when Papa Woody's first opened in the Jones building downtown about two and a half years ago.

• When her business outgrew its space and found a larger location further north on Phillips Avenue, Esser was relieved to have already built a relationship with Schmiedt and Midco.

"There were so many things on my plate that I didn't know I needed," Esser said. "It was nice to have Melissa come in and say, 'You tell me what you think you need, and I'll tell you what we can provide for you.'"

Construction delays meant Papa Woody's opening date was bumped from August 2021 to October 2021 and then, ultimately, to Feb. 14, 2022.

• Through those delays, Midco was ready to act when services were needed.

"We were just waiting in the wings," Schmiedt said. "We just hit the ground running when she said it was go time."

When it came time to open, Esser had the tricky experience of moving the 2,000-pound pizza oven to the new location. The transition also meant on-the-spot rewiring – meaning Midco technicians were on-site at both the old and new locations during the entire move process.

• This way, she never worried about her phone line, TV or internet.

"I had so many other things that I had to make decisions about in the moment," she said, and even when they hit a couple snafus in setup, she wasn't worried. "I didn't know why it happened, and I didn't have to know. Melissa just took care of it."

Throughout the whole process, Schmiedt said it was an honor for her to be able to support women in business in her role at Midco.

"It's great to see women supporting women," Schmiedt said. "You feel really supported when you’re working with a female team."

How can I learn more about Midco's business offerings?

If you're running a small business (or even a large enterprise), Midco business solutions come with perks such as dedicated account services, onboarding and support.