Lindsay Henn
Lindsay Henn is an entrepreneur and writer rooted in rural Minnesota who blends community-centered business ownership with a deep commitment to creative expression. A graduate of Anoka Technical College, she began her professional career as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, providing patient-centered rehabilitation services for nearly a decade. Her background in occupational therapy shaped her empathetic, service-driven approach—an outlook that continues to influence both her businesses and her writing.
In 2020, during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lindsay opened an ice cream shop on her small town’s Main Street. What began as a leap of faith quickly became a meaningful source of connection and joy for her community. More than a storefront, the shop serves as a first-job training ground for high school and early college students, reflecting her passion for mentorship and youth development. For Lindsay, entrepreneurship is less about commerce and more about creating spaces where people feel seen, valued, and uplifted.
Alongside running her business, Lindsay has embraced her lifelong calling to write. She is currently developing a memoir-driven creative nonfiction manuscript that explores the interplay of darkness and light, hardship and healing, and the courage it takes to live authentically. Drawing inspiration from personal growth and her work interviewing a triathlon coach for her first book project, Lindsay writes with curiosity, resilience, and emotional honesty. Whether serving customers, mentoring young employees, or shaping stories on the page, she leads with integrity, empathy, and a belief that shared stories have the power to heal.
• Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant
• Anoka Technical College - AS
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to finding my authentic self and pursuing what truly matters to me. After going through a very difficult marriage that was mentally and emotionally abusive, I needed something to escape and felt like I was dying inside. Training for a triathlon helped me spend enough time with myself again to learn who I was and find that person that felt like was missing for so long. Through that process, I realized I was married to my biggest energy vampire, and the experience was life-changing. Opening my ice cream shop during COVID wasn't just about opening a business - it was about serving people during a time that really sucked and giving the community a little bit of spark and hope. What's been most valuable is being able to teach and mentor high school and early college students in their very first jobs, which has given me purpose and meaning. I've also realized that my true calling is writing, and I've worked to make the necessary changes to allow myself the time and ability to do something that's really important to me and feels very authentic to who I am. I've found that harnessing those darker parts of us can really unlock our full potential and help us grow, and there's power in speaking those stories out loud.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is that I can build a career I truly love—as long as I keep going and never give up. That guidance has stayed with me, especially during challenging seasons. It reminds me that persistence, resilience, and consistent effort are often the deciding factors between giving up and achieving meaningful success.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to believe in yourself. You are strong, capable, and unstoppable—trust your abilities, stay persistent, and never let self-doubt define your potential.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge and opportunity for me right now is completing my first book, which I'm very excited about and have waited my entire life to write. I'm on track to have my full manuscript at least drafted by April 1st, which is the goal I have with my current writing coach and editor. In the publishing world, especially traditional publishing, having some sort of platform is one of the biggest things they look for. You can have a phenomenal book and no real platform, and that has a bearing on people's decisions. The person I'm writing about, my triathlon coach, does have a platform good enough to attract the attention of a traditional publishing agent, but I don't want to ride on those coattails. I want to be able to grow and accomplish things through my own abilities. It's become more of a priority to put myself out there in ways that normally I would not, in ways that make me incredibly uncomfortable, but that's the only way to grow. My personal brand is being authentic, and you can't be authentic without using your voice.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important values to me are authenticity, freedom, and finding purpose and meaning in what I do. I don't like the typical 9-to-5 or being told what I have to do - I like the free-flowing lifestyle of an entrepreneur that allows for so much freedom. I can adjust my schedule to my own needs and try to make things work. What matters most is being able to do something that's really important to me and feels very authentic to who I am. In my personal life, I really just like to take the time to appreciate the quiet and the stillness. Just being home in a quiet space makes me really happy. I enjoy spending time with my kids, reading, going for walks, and hiking. I'm a lifelong learner and love learning new things, taking online classes, webinars, and conferences around writing. When it comes to charity and giving back, I would much rather give directly to people in need because it's more rewarding to me - I can see the immediate impact rather than donating to organizations where you never quite know where that actually goes or how it's actually used.