The Question and Answer feature helps readers learn more about prominent people in the business community. This issue’s Q&A profiles Shantel Krebs, the owner of The Red Shoe and Le Peacock on Phillips Avenue and a Republican state lawmaker.
 Shantel Krebs owns The Red Shoe and Le Peacock and serves as a state representative. (Inertia/for the SFBJ)
Name: Shantel Krebs
Title: State representative for District 10 and owner of two downtown boutiques, The Red Shoe and Le Peacock
Hometown: Arlington
Age: 34
Background: “I was born and raised in Arlington, S.D., coming from a fourth-generation farm family, and received my business degree from Dakota State University. My belief in public service kicked in when I was elected to the South Dakota House of Representatives in 2005. Mom and Dad encouraged me at a very young age to contribute to your community (third grade to be exact by volunteering at the local nursing home), and now today I sit on the Xcel Energy advisory board, the foundation and media ministry boards at First Lutheran Church as well as numerous other boards.”
Family: Husband, Mitch, press secretary for Gov. Mike Rounds
Q: Tell me about your interests and hobbies.
A: “Politics, animals and being outside as much as I can. Sometimes they happen all at once!”
Q: How did you become interested in your field?
A: “Coming from a long line of entrepreneurs as well as farmers, it’s in my blood to be an entrepreneur. My grandfather owned and operated several businesses, including a John Deere dealership, and continued to horse-trade equipment until the day he died at 93. My parents run the family farm and own a small trucking company. I started my own lawn mowing business in the fifth grade and bought my first Briggs & Stratton (engine) lawn mower for $50. It was used.
“I realized there was an unmet need in our community by just listening to women and what they said wasn’t here in Sioux Falls. I opened my two designer boutiques downtown not because I like fashion but because I wanted to make people realize you don’t have to shop out of town. I now have been credited for bolstering business downtown because of that concept to keep our sales tax revenues in our state and shop locally. It was my entrepreneurial spirit that made me research the needs of our market and then answered them.”
Q: How did you become interested in politics?
A: “I learned the importance of community service at an early age, and serving as a page in the 1991 state legislative session showed me that average citizens really can make a difference when they work toward the common good.”
Q: What’s the biggest issue of concern to businesses that will be debated in the Legislature this year?
A: “Two issues that will directly affect small businesses all over the state are smoking regulations and liquor laws.”
Q: What issue will you champion?
A: “As vice chair of the Transportation Committee, I am concerned about long-term funding of this department and where the money is going to come from. Our state will be picking up more of the tab as less federal funds trickle down. I want to see us look at this more closely in 2008 and beyond with a long-term plan.”
Q: What do you enjoy most about your work?
A: “Meeting new people and watching downtown Sioux Falls thrive. Downtown shouldn’t be a ‘best-kept secret’ anymore. I’ll put our shopping and business climate up against any place in the country. I love listening to comments from people locally that have recently discovered downtown and from visitors about how impressed they are with our shopping.”
Q: What was your biggest lesson as the owner of a new business?
A: “Know your clients and gear the business toward them. You can’t be all things to all people. Once the hard work of gaining a client pays off, treat them more like a lifelong friend than a business relationship.”
Q: How do you find time to balance your job and your family?
A: “By knowing the difference between the two, which is very tough to do when you’re talking about running two businesses and legislative duties. Someone once told me, ‘Like your job, love your family.’ If you don’t make family a priority, it can show in your attitude at work.”
Q: Do you have a favorite charity or organization?
A: “No. There are so many good ones, we try and support as many as possible. In general, organizations that help kids – Muscular Dystrophy Association, Make-A-Wish, Southeastern Behavioral Healthcare – or animals – Second Chance Rescue Center, Humane Society – along with our church top our list.”
Q: What is something about you that people might be surprised to know?
A: “I am a pretty good roper on horseback; I can back up an 18-wheeler tractor-trailer; and I can hold my own working on engines.”
Q: What’s your favorite getaway?
A: “Anywhere outdoors. Whether it’s riding my palomino in Arlington or spending time in the Black Hills, I love enjoying the great nature God provides us. I even run outdoors this time of year.”
Q: What kind of music is in your car or what do you listen to on the radio?
A: “No iPod for me, I listen to local stations. Although I’m a country girl at heart and love to sing along with Faith Hill, I also like to rock out with Def Leppard. Maybe that should be in the ‘something that might surprise people’ category.”
Q: If you could have dinner with two or three people, alive or dead, who would you choose and why?
A: “My grandma Emma. She died long before I was born, but I’ve been told that I have a lot of her in me. It’s so important to learn from the generations that came before us. How can we move forward without knowing where we’ve been? Wouldn’t it be interesting to sit down with Benjamin Franklin and ask him if he thought the United States is where he wanted it to be?”
Q: What do you think are the best and worst things about living in Sioux Falls?
A: “The best thing about Sioux Falls is the opportunity. Today there is something for everyone, and we have the people, potential and resources to achieve even greater things in the future. On the downside, the naysayers who take every opportunity to bash our community and its leaders and continually say why we can’t do things instead of how we can.”
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