Movers & Shakers: Jim Cuene, GoKart Labs

A look at the people behind the numbers in area business:

Title: President

Age: 46

Jim Cuene is helping companies look into the future to develop digital products as the newly promoted president of GoKart Labs, a Minneapolis-based digital invention company. Cuene joined GoKart in November 2013 as vice president of marketing strategy. As president, he now leads strategic planning, marketing and daily operations, working directly with key clients.

GoKart has enjoyed a year of unprecedented growth, which Cuene attributed to the company's talent ("a great mix of talented inventors"), unique processes generating creative ideas that drive business for clients and a rising national profile.

Cuene came to GoKart after seven years as the director of interactive marketing at General Mills, which brought him into contact with digital agencies across the country.

"In a lot of ways advertising isn't the solution any more, and marketers need new products, new services and in some cases whole businesses to get growth happening for them again," he said. To its work with clients such as Mayo Clinic and Target, GoKart brings experience creating or co-creating five companies since its 2009 founding, including educational platform Sophia Pathways (Sophia.org) and BringMeTheNews.com. "We're learning it ourselves to grow our own businesses and then we help our clients work like our start-ups," Cuene said. Cuene, a graduate of the entrepreneurship program at the University of St. Thomas, previously worked in interactive strategy for companies including Ameriprise Financial and American Express.

Q Was moving to a smaller company a goal?

A I knew that I wanted to be in a position where I was starting up or running a smaller company. I went to Ameriprise and General Mills with the idea of gaining experience that would help me be a more effective leader of a smaller business. This is the culmination of the long-term plan coming to life.

Q What are you goals as president of GoKart Labs?

A: The major goal is to continue to grow profitably. To position our team to do remarkable work so that we can continue to create relationships with companies that want to grow. If we do that we'll continue to grow in the right way.

Q To what do you attribute your entrepreneurial spirit?

A: I'm the son of a small-business owner. Small- to medium-sized businesses is really what makes America America. I've always wanted to be part of it.

Todd Nelson