
163 | Matt Dennis and Michael Stepp of Handlebend
From Rural Revival by Rural Revival
November 15, 2024 · 45 min · Season 7 · Episode 163
About this episode
Matt Dennis and Michael Stepp discuss their handcrafted copper mug business, Handlebend, and its impact on their small town.
On today’s episode of the Rural Revival podcast we're with Matt Dennis and Michael Stepp of Handlebend in O'Neill, Nebraska (pop. 3,575), where they make handcrafted copper mugs and use their space to bring new creative and entrepreneurial ideas to life. They're sharing how the resurgence of the moscow mule inspired an accidental business that brought them back to their hometown. Plus, how they’ve navigated an ever-changing business, how they refined their process and streamlined production, the move to their current building and their vision for this big space, and what it means for their small town to have this kind of space to build community. These guys have built an incredible business these guys have built! You’ll love their focus on community and their intentionality around expanding and growing this business. This is a fantastic episode and I know you're gonna be inspired! I know there's so much more to come from Matt and Michael, so be sure to go give them a follow. And if you're looking for a great Christmas gift, a Handlebend mug makes for a great gift! You'll find this and other ideas on our Rural Makers + Creators Gift Guide . Check out more on the blog. SHOW NOTES…
People in this episode
Host: Rural Revival
Guests: Matt Dennis, Michael Stepp
Topics covered
- entrepreneurship
- community building
- handcrafted products
- small town business
- copper mugs
- Moscow mule
Keywords
- Handlebend
- copper mugs
- Moscow mule
- entrepreneurship
- community
- small town
- business growth
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Handlebend, Normal Roasting Company
Places: O'Neill, Nebraska, Omaha World Herald
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