Mentorship, soccer give Schmidt an entrepreneurial spirit

By Michael Linnell
University Communications Director

MINOT, N.D. - Noah Schmidt is the ultimate entrepreneur.

Spend even a little time with the Minot State junior, and you can see the drive, determination, and imagination that make up the core components of a self-made man.

So, what was the motivation for Schmidt to enroll in MSU's entrepreneurship program instead of forging forward with his next big idea?

"I have accepted the fact that I don't know everything; that's a big thing," he said. "And my dad (Mark '93) went to MSU. He's said multiple times some of the best business decisions he made were straight out of the book. And then Clint (MSU graduate Clint Severson) was a big part of that. He was always telling me I should go back and at least try it."

While Schmidt's father serves as one of his earliest role models and a constant inspiration, his association with the Severson and the mentorship he has provided has catapulted Schmidt's career.

"Honestly, when I first met him, I was just so nervous to talk to him," Schmidt said. "I remember basically just telling him I have no idea what I'm doing. I've been able to get to this certain point, but how do I keep it going?

"I grew up watching my dad grow his company, and that's how I got the foundation of how to start a business. I got to watch him and learned a lot from him. Once I decided to take it national, I needed to figure out who else to talk to. That's when Clint came in. Working with him has changed my life."

Severson - who is the namesake of the Severson Entrepreneurship Academy and retired chairman of the board, chief executive officer, and president of Abaxis, a medical devices company based in northern California - acts as advisor, mentor, and confidant.

"Whenever I have a question or I think I'm in trouble with some aspect, I can call him up and we mostly just chat and brainstorm," Schmidt said. "He has always been able to explain things in ways I can comprehend, dropping it down to my level when I needed it. It started with basic financial advice and then how to set things up before I started moving forward. It's saved me a lot of hardship."

Through his association with his father, Severson, and now Randy Conway, director of MSU's Severson Entrepreneurship Academy, Schmidt launched and grew Guardian Safety Nets. The company manufactures cargo nets originally designed for oilfield vehicles.

"It's been exciting to see the company grow," Schmidt said. "Of course, it never goes as fast or as slow as you want. When I started out, everything just flew by. We were working on getting the delivery of the product, and it seemed like just weeks, when in reality, it took a year and a half.

"It was difficult at first. This is my first company, and the expectation was I was going to get it right away and be a millionaire right away. I had to learn that it's going to take time, and honestly, I'm still trying to learn that; you must be patient."

The advice Severson gave as he began the company continues to resonate with Schmidt.

"I learned from Clint that you have to keep going and going and going," he said.

Schmidt started Guardian out of an idea and some good timing. While working with his father's family-owned automotive company, Harley's, multiple customers from the Bakken Oil Field ask for a product to secure cargo in their pickup truck beds. When the company that supplied Harley's with the product folded, Schmidt knew the market was right to take up the mantle.

"We had multiple customers ask for accessories, and one that constantly came up was a better cargo net," he said. "The company that manufactured them for us before COVID ended up shutting down during the pandemic. They had a good product, and we liked what they were doing, so we got a design team together - some of the main design people on my team worked for them - and learned from their mistakes to make a better product.

"It was perfect timing, and I have the best design team around because of it. It was a great place to start because there isn't anything like it on the market."

His early success with the company was tempered by sage advice from his team and his mentors. While he wishes things could move forward faster, he knows longevity comes from making smart decisions.

"I have to keep that in mind all the time; I can't get ahead of myself. I'm hungry, I want to have a good life and all that, and there is that part of me that is always thinking, what is going to make me the most money fast," Schmidt said. "But we focused on a great product, and, honestly, I get my tail kicked all the time. I can't say enough about the team I have around me. It's something I learned from my life in sports, you are only as good as your teammates around you."

Schmidt knows a thing or two about the life of an athlete as he lived a lifetime prior to coming back to his hometown.

As a 16-year-old, he enrolled in one of the most prestigious preparatory boarding schools in the country, IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, with the dream of becoming a professional soccer player.

His dream was shattered microscopically close as during a professional tryout in Minnesota as he suffered a hip injury during the second of a three-day practice. With a contract nearly in hand, he was instead heading to surgery.

"They came to me on the second day and said they wanted to offer me a contract," he said. "I'm at the next practice, it's supposed to be the high point, and I feel something in my hip. I went to the doctor, and I completely tore my labrum, and it was pretty much over."

He doesn't regret what has transpired since.

"That was the only goal for so long," Schmidt said. "I'm right here, right where I should have been, and mentally, it was tough for a while. About three or four months after surgery was probably the lowest I've been in my life. But it was during that time that my business mindset started clicking."

Fast forward to enrolling at Minot State with Guardian beginning to take off, and a second chance at the pitch presented itself as MSU announced plans to start club men's soccer.

While it might not quite be a professional contract, his second life as a soccer player has been just as rewarding.

"I don't know how to explain it, but I feel like it was more meaningful being a part of a club program than a Division II national championship (during a year with the University of Tampa following his time at IMG)," he said. "Because we were a brand-new team and were working towards something big, it was like starting a business.

"I think we did alright to make it as far as we did and to do as well as we did, not losing a game except to the No. 1 team in the country. To make it that far was super sick, especially because it was my hometown. So, losing like that to Minnesota at the end of the year was tough, maybe the worst I've felt after a game in my career."

Schmidt returned to MSU Beavers FC for another season and is excited for yet another chance to play.

"So, yeah, growing up, soccer was everything for me; it was my only plan; I really didn't think about anything else," he said. "I think I picked up my work ethic from soccer, and it has translated into the business world. IMG was really intense, and I had to find ways to stand out.

"Obviously, I have other things going on in my life, and it isn't just soccer now. But it was something special to put on that hometown jersey."

About Minot State University
Minot State University is a public university dedicated to excellence in education, scholarship, and community engagement achieved through rigorous academic experiences, active learning environments, commitment to public service, and a vibrant campus life.

Published: 08/30/24

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