From Cybersecurity to Economic Development: Brian Fleming’s Journey

From helping entrepreneurs get their first idea off the ground to supporting major employers expanding in the region, WGU graduate Brian Fleming spends his days focused on one mission: building communities where people want to live, work, and start businesses. As executive director of the Sherburne County Economic Development Authority (Minnesota), Brian works behind the scenes to strengthen local economies by connecting founders and companies with the resources, partnerships, and incentives they need to grow.

In this episode, Brian shares practical insights for entrepreneurs everywhere—from tapping Small Business Development Centers and SCORE mentors to identifying real opportunities by solving pressing problems. With an MBA and a master’s in cybersecurity from WGU, he also explains why protecting digital trust is now essential for every business. His perspective blends strategy, community connection, and practical action, offering a simple reminder: strong local economies are built when people invest their time, talent, and ideas where they live.

To learn more about the WGU Alumni experience, including events, benefits, and ways to stay engaged, visit wgu.edu/alumni.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:06

Welcome back to the WGU Alumni Podcast. We're thrilled to have you tuning in yet again, everybody. My name is Jeff Burton. I'm the senior manager of alumni engagement here at WG. And this season we continue to highlight graduates who show us that it is never too late to invest in themselves and to become engaged in their communities and to create meaningful impacts both professionally and personally. Now today we're joined by a fantastic graduate, Brian Fleming. Now, by way of introduction, Brian is the executive director of the Sherburne County Economic Development Authority in Minnesota, where he focuses on supporting entrepreneurship, advocating for existing businesses, and strengthening long-term economic resilience across the county. He's also deeply involved in his local business community, serving as an ambassador with the Becker area and the Big Lake Chambers of Commerce, and as a board member with the Anoka Technical College Foundation. Brian, we're thrilled to have you on the podcast. Thanks for the time today. How are you? I'm doing well. Thank you for having me. Awesome. How are things in Minnesota today?

SPEAKER_01 1:14

Oh, pretty well. I think we're expecting uh a few inches of snow, but I think that's just Minnesota. So it must be just another day here.

What County Economic Development Means

SPEAKER_00 1:22

Awesome. Well, I love your background, and I'm super excited to dive into the interview and to have you share the great work that you're doing there in the county, and again, how you're representing WGU as a great advocate and ambassador. But before we dive into your current role, I just want to say this your work sits at the intersection of business, community, and long-term thinking. And that's something we don't always hear about. I'd love to start by grounding us in the local picture. You currently serve as the executive director of the Sherburne County EDA. For listeners who may not be familiar with that role, what does economic development actually look like at the county level?

SPEAKER_01 2:02

I think that's a great way to start because when I tell my friends and family or when I got this role, oh, I'm I'm in economic development, unless you've heard of it or you're in it yourself, that's a meaningless phrase. A lot of people think I'm in uh like the uh economics like uh professor or something like that. But economic development is really looking at the economy of a region or area. And so for me, I'm centered on Sherburn County and looking at how we can be the county of choice for both our businesses and our residents and holistically make it a great place to live, work, and play. And so that's actually part of our tagline is making it the county of choice. And so economic development really dives into that. And through our strategic plan of our economic development authority, we have six different focus areas that help us to identify that. Namely, it's working with businesses on um making sure they are well established, they have the tools they need, and we can provide some tools and support from the county level.

Resources For Entrepreneurs Nationwide

SPEAKER_00 3:10

So, Brian, I I'm fascinated by entrepreneurs. I love that about like the American dream, right? You have people that have good ideas that that want to uh take some risk and try out their ideas. So, for those that are entrepreneurs, um, what insights would you provide to them? What resources are available to them, not just in Minnesota, but really throughout the country, uh, that would make them successful and that they should know about?

SPEAKER_01 3:36

Fortunately, I think we're in one of the best time periods for entrepreneurship in our country's history because over the years, different organizations have developed to be supportive. So I know nationally there are our small business development centers, the SBDCs. So if you Google your town, your county, and put SBDC behind it or small business development center behind it, you should be serviced by a small business development center, and they should be there to help you with your entrepreneurship goals. In addition to that, on the federal level, we have uh the SCORE mentor mentors. So SCORE, just S C O R E mentors, are mentors that are throughout the nation. And you type in your zip code and you find the one that's local to you, and they connect you with a business expert that is wanting to give back to their local community, and they will set up one-on-one time with you to explore your business idea and help get that off the ground for you. So those are two easy ones, and of course, you can always connect with your local chamber of commerce or reach out to your local city or county, especially if they have an economic development department.

SPEAKER_00 4:45

So if if I'm listening to this and I'm thinking, man, all the good ideas have been taken, everybody's probably thought of something. Like, is that true? Or is there still room for those with new fresh ideas?

SPEAKER_01 4:57

It would be easy to say that that's true because often you have a great idea and you turn to the internet and yep, someone's already doing it. But if we started to embrace that, if we thought all the ideas are already taken, we'd still be back in the horse in buggy days. So we have to resist the idea that all the ideas are taken. You might need to change or pivot your idea or look at where people are having pain points or struggles. That's where the new ideas should be and can innovate is actually solving a problem that exists in the world. Yeah, it's really good insight.

Challenges For Local Businesses

SPEAKER_00 5:30

Thank you, Brian. Yeah, thank you. So, Brian, you've described your mission as supporting entrepreneurships, uh, advocating for existing businesses, and reducing barriers to growth. What are some of the biggest challenges local businesses are seeing in your community right now?

SPEAKER_01 5:44

The local challenges depend on the size of the business and where they're at in their stages. So a lot of the businesses I work with are what you'd call your mom and pop businesses that are uh one to 50 employees that uh have been in our community and service our communities. And so they rely on local business and our community showing up for them and shopping locally. And that's an interesting problem to work through because with all of our e-retailers being able to sell things cheaper, it's strong competition for our local shops. So we try to do community events uh very active in our local chambers of commerce and partner with them to do community events where the local businesses can show the community we're here to support the community. Your dollars to us get reflected back into the community. Uh, depending on the statistic you look at, it's anything from$1 invested is three to four to five dollars back into the community if you shop local. So that's the problem we work with on businesses of that size. We do have larger employers in the county that have more international or national clients. And I'm working with them to be a liaison to help them work with the state and federal level and understand what incentives, what programs, what grants they have available to them.

SPEAKER_00 7:11

Uh I could tell you're passion about your local community, and that's fantastic to hear.

SPEAKER_01 7:15

Yeah, absolutely. It it really comes down to having that local community feels good for individuals. Uh, we do a community health score for our uh county, and one of the highest things that people write back is that they they like our county because it's somewhere they can enjoy and they like the community events. So it's well worth the time and investment. And I think that's true nationally.

SPEAKER_00 7:40

Now, staying on that same thought, you've been active with chambers of commerce and education-focused boards. What has drawn you, would you say, over the years to that community involvement beyond your day job, even?

SPEAKER_01 7:51

Without our communities, I think people feel isolated and a bit lost. And I think we saw that during COVID, where sure it was great for everyone to work at home in your pajamas, but the the scales of isolation really rose up. And we saw that people felt disconnected. And while we can have something like this where we can be in two totally different areas, there's something to be said for doing things in person and knowing who your neighbor is and knowing what the community is is all about. So even here uh in St. Cloud, so I live in St. Cloud, which is a unique city because it's in three counties, but um, the community events are super important to bring those three counties together, to bring the desperate part of the communities together, um, and be able to see, again, who's who's living near you and be able to have that support when you need it. Because as we mentioned, it's snowy here in Minnesota, and sometimes you need some help shoveling out your drive, and you don't get that unless you've been out to the community events and know who's out there.

From Cybersecurity To Community Impact

SPEAKER_00 8:59

Now, looking back, what was there a moment or a season when you realized that this kind of community-centered work was what you wanted to be doing?

SPEAKER_01 9:08

You know, if you had asked me five years ago if I would be in this line of work, I'd say no and be very surprised that I am. And the difference has been when I was a student at WGU, I first went for my master's of business administration, and then I went back for my master's of science in cybersecurity and information assurance. And my goal was to just create my own cybersecurity company, work from home, have people working with me for me nationally, internationally, and just be at home all the time. And that was kind of the goal. And I pushed on that and I and I created my own company and was somewhat successful at doing that. It was a little bit trickier than I thought it might be. But I realized there's all this stuff happening locally that I know nothing about, yet impacts me significantly. You know, if I am not participating locally, if I get my tax statement, I really don't have any say in what I'm being taxed on, or if I I have no idea what's going on locally. And so I was able to look at the education I got from WGU and say, what else can I do with an MBA and with cybersecurity? And I have an interest in business. And you look around, and there's businesses all around you, wherever you are in the nation, just drive down the street, those commercial buildings are full of businesses. And I realized, you know, just driving here in St. Cloud, I'd never been in that business, I've never been in that business, I've never been in that business. And those are all people trying to provide a living for their families and provide for their communities. And so that shifted me into economic development. And I was lucky to get this position with Sherburn County as my first economic development role. And now that I've seen this side of it, I can't go back to just working out of my office by myself. That might work for some people, but seeing the value in community, it's it's hard to quantify.

SPEAKER_00 11:09

Yeah, that's a great insight and a great point. Uh, you mentioned your WGU degrees, so you earned two from WGU, which is fantastic. Congratulations.

SPEAKER_01 11:19

Thank you.

Why WGU’s Model Worked

SPEAKER_00 11:20

I know that you're a strong supporter of WGU and adult education. What did the WGU model represent for you at the time that you earned your degree?

SPEAKER_01 11:28

For me, WGU represented a school that finally understood and appreciated me as a single student that has individualized learning preferences. And so I liked being able to say I am comfortable with testing the on the final exam of this course, finishing it, and moving on to the next course, and then moving on to the next course, and being able to set my own pace for education. My first career path was as a high school English teacher, and so I can appreciate uh teaching styles and what good teaching looks like. And when you allow a student to actually go at their own pace and either accelerate or decelerate based on their needs, that's the best type of learning you can offer. And that's exactly what WGU does. And I'm on a budget just like everyone else is. And so for me to be able to finish my MBA in one semester and my master's in cybersecurity in two semesters, that saves me dozens of thousands of dollars.

SPEAKER_00 12:35

Yeah, that's fantastic. I'm glad you were able to save money, go at your own pace. Uh, but as a WG graduate myself, uh I know the rigorous uh the curriculum that is there. So you must have been like working on that degree night and day, I would imagine.

Cybersecurity As A Business Advantage

SPEAKER_01 12:50

Well, yeah, I and that is true too. I I often caveat if if I mention to anyone that the program is an accelerated course, I quickly say it is accelerated because you are working your butt off to make it accelerated. It's not because it's easy, it's not because it's any less rigorous. And I know that WGU has accreditations from multiple bodies, and that was one thing that was important to me was hey, if you're offering this being self-paced, I wanted to make sure it's rigorous. And there's a few courses that I tried to go really fast and had to pull back and say, Oh, I don't understand that concept yet. I'm I'm not ready for the final exam. So I had to pull back, get ready for that. And at least on the cybersecurity side, there were outside certifications that you earned in the process, and you had to pass those outside certifications to keep moving forward in the courses.

SPEAKER_00 13:42

How has continuing your education influenced your confidence as a leader and advisor to others?

SPEAKER_01 13:47

I like that with going through WGU, because I was able to do it quicker than a traditional program and for less cost, I was able to go back for the cybersecurity masters. And that has helped me in approaching entrepreneurs and businesses because any business right now is somehow connected to the internet, it's somehow connected to technology. And so having that cybersecurity side of my education has helped me to say, as you're setting up your business, be considering your security. If you're starting to save client or in customer data, how are you protecting that data? What are the laws surrounding that protection? And I wouldn't have had that just with one of the programs alone. So I do often say to individuals going through cybersecurity programs, whether they be at WGU or another school, there are other um types of careers that you can really use your cybersecurity degree, even if you're not like a cybersecurity specialist. It's helpful in everything. Everyone needs a cybersecurity degree nowadays. So it's very beneficial even when working with businesses.

Redefining Success In Economic Development

SPEAKER_00 14:59

Now I want to pivot a little bit and talk about success and what that looks like to you. So a lot of people probably look at economic development and they think it's about big projects and ribbon cuttings, right? All of the things associated with that. To be honest, Brian, as you're talking, your work sounds a lot more like it's relational and long-term and creating a vision. How would you define success at this point of your career?

SPEAKER_01 15:24

In economic development, in this particular role, I would define success as if I stop somebody on the street in Sherburn County and I said, How does how is it working and living in this county? Or if you're a business owner, how is it uh owning a business here? And they say, It's great. I love living here, I love working here. This is my county of choice. They may not use that exact phrase, but if I can get them close to that, then that's a success. Um, and that's true from your entrepreneurs, people that are just thinking about business ideas and and don't know where to turn to, to our biggest employers that have been established in our county for uh decades and want to succeed. So, really that's how I see success is um having individuals want to stay and be a part of the community.

SPEAKER_00 16:14

This is a great interview, and you're providing such great insight and information into community and and business and all of that. So, if somebody is listening to this interview right now and they want to serve their community, they want to become active, but they don't know where to start, what would you say to that individual?

How To Get Involved Locally

SPEAKER_01 16:33

That's an excellent question. It would depend on the type of way they want to be um active in their communities. If they are looking for volunteer opportunities, what I would recommend first for them is to research their local United Way. So they can look up either their city and then end it with United Way or their county united way. And United Way is national and it's across every state, from my understanding, and they connect people with nonprofits and nonprofits with each other. So they're often the aggregator for different volunteer opportunities. So you might be able to tell them, call up your local United Way and say, Hey, I'm interested in volunteering with people with horses or animals. And they might say, Great, we can connect you with your uh humane society or something like that. Now, if they're a business and you want to get connected, or if you're an entrepreneur and you're thinking about starting a business, I would strongly recommend reaching out to your local chamber of commerce or your local BI group, which are our business networking international groups. Um, so both connect businesses, business leaders, and are immensely supportive, no matter the industry you're looking into.

Rapid Fire: From The Nest

SPEAKER_00 17:47

Great information. Thank you. That's very helpful, I think, to those tuning in and and uh and want to get involved. So uh, well, Brian, um, we have a segment we call From the Nest, and it's intended to be rapid fire. So if you're willing, I'd like to just fire some quick questions off at you and just respond with the first answer that comes to your mind. Does that sound okay? We'll do our best. Okay. So, Brian, are you an early bird or a night owl? Early bird, even though WGU is night owls. Coffee or tea?

SPEAKER_01 18:20

Coffee, unfortunately.

SPEAKER_00 18:21

What's one word to best describe your community in Minnesota? Supportive. What's the best advice you've ever received?

SPEAKER_01 18:30

If people's hair is on fire, they reach for the closest thing, which is often a brick. And if you can beat out that brick and give a better solution, then that's where your business should be. So it's business advice that look for the pain points of what people are using terrible solutions for and focus on that.

SPEAKER_00 18:48

How about a skill that every entrepreneur should develop?

SPEAKER_01 18:51

Persistence. You will face more adversity in entrepreneurship than anything else in your life.

SPEAKER_00 18:57

Brian, what makes you proud to be a WGU graduate?

SPEAKER_01 19:00

It makes me proud that I received a quality education on my time, and I can turn around and help convince others to do the same because it really did change my educational journey.

Connect With Brian And Final Advice

SPEAKER_00 19:13

Awesome. Thank you, Brian. You're off the hot seat. Yeah, thank you. Well, Brian, it has been so great to connect with you today, to hear about all the great that you're doing in your local community. And uh again, thank you for representing WGU so well and being such an advocate for us. Uh, we appreciate that. If people are listening into this today and they want to connect with you or uh maybe have a side conversation with you, where can people reach out to to find you?

SPEAKER_01 19:38

Yeah, I'd love to connect. Uh, that's the great part about economic development, is connecting is right in there with top priorities. So uh one of the easiest ways would be just through LinkedIn. I'm at Brian Fleming. Uh, you should see this same face with something saying Sherbourne County Economic Development. I believe the handle is actually Brian Fleming-MN, as in the state of Minnesota. But again, if you search, you should be able to find me there. Uh, would love to connect. I'm probably on LinkedIn too much, arguably, but uh, would love to connect. And then on our, if you're interested in Sherbour County Economic Development, I would just throw that into your favorite search bar, Sherbourne County Economic Development, and our county website will pop up with our economic development page, and you can see all the resources we provide, and we can connect that way too. So either way is great. Would love to connect.

SPEAKER_00 20:30

Awesome. Thank you, Brian. As we conclude the interview, I'd love to give you the final word. So, what message would you have uh for our listeners, especially those who are trying to make a difference where they live and work?

SPEAKER_01 20:42

My advice or my parting words would be that just get started somewhere, even if it's a little community event here or there, often go into your local farmers market is a good way of dipping your toe into seeing what the community has to offer. And or take a walk around your block and maybe knock on a door or two and say, Hey, I live two doors down. I just want to say hi. My name is Brian, just so you have my first name. Because in a world of increasing technology and internet usage and globalization, which is all good, we can't lose knowing who lives to our left and who lives to our right and being there for each other in times of need.

SPEAKER_00 21:28

Very good insight, very good information. Great having you, Brian, and continued success in all that you do.

SPEAKER_01 21:34

Yes, thank you. I appreciate the uh opportunity.

Alumni Offerings And Close

SPEAKER_00 21:36

Thank you for tuning in to the WGU Alumni Podcast. We were thrilled to have Brian join us and impart some wisdom and to talk about the great things that he is doing in his part of the country. If you would like to learn more about the alumni offerings here at WGU, visit wgu.edu slash alumni to learn more about local events, benefits, and resources, and ways that you can stay engaged. Thanks everybody and stay.