In 1975, the Muralt family moved from Kansas City to Missoula, Montana, taking over a bankrupt 4-lane truck stop on the outskirts of town. Walt Muralt, just 9 years old at the time, began his business career by mowing the weeds outside the family start-up.
27 years later, Walt took over the operation of the travel plaza with energy, determination and an optimistic entrepreneurial spirit. Since then he has expanded the original family business, adding restaurants, a casino, a hotel, a truck repair station and even a beer ice cave.
Today on Can Do: Lessons from Savvy Montana Entrepreneurs, Walt Muralt reflects on the trajectory of his business growth, the challenges of competing against national chains with huge marketing budgets and the need for family-run businesses in small-town America.
Production support for this podcast comes from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, dedicated to investing in people to improve the quality of their lives. And from the Greater Montana Foundation, encouraging communication on issues, trends and values of importance to Montanans. And from Blackfoot, providing communications solutions for Montana businesses. Plus opportunities like C2M Beta, an innovation lab aimed at helping startups thrive. C2Mbeta.com.
