Bridgewater Bank’s unique approach to banking is the secret sauce that secured its status as a go-to partner for entrepreneurs. Focused on responsive support and simple solutions, the bank has become a trusted destination specifically for women leaders and business owners. Here, three notable local female entrepreneurs take us inside their partnership with Bridgewater, sharing the impact the institution has made for their businesses and professional goals.
Photography by Spacecrafting
Maddie Ehrich of Discover Strength
In 2019, Maddie Ehrich started as a Discover Strength trainer in Northeast Minneapolis, which led to a stint as general manager at the St. Louis Park location. During that time she trained Bridgewater Bank CEO Jerry Baack and Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Mary Jayne Crocker, with whom shared her dream of owning her own franchise. “It felt like the next natural step to partner with the bank right next door,” the entrepreneur notes. Together, Ehrich and the Bridgewater team arranged a financing deal to make her dream business a reality.
It was Bridgewater Bank’s personal touch and dedicated service that resonated so deeply with Ehrich. “Like Bridgewater Bank, I’m passionate about guiding my clients and helping them achieve their goals,” Ehrich says. And so, just a year after opening her Edina location, she began working with Bridgewater to expand into Hudson, Wisconsin. “Bridgewater truly cares about its clients and offers a personalized banking experience,” she says. “They have been fantastic partners every step of the way.”
Now, with two locations and a flourishing business, Ehrich credits much of her success to the relationships she’s built — with her clients and with Bridgewater Bank. “This journey has been about more than growth; it’s been about finding partners who believe in my vision as much as I do.”
Photography by Spacecrafting
Cristen Incitti of Habitat for Humanity
In early 2020, Cristen Incitti stepped into the role of CEO at Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota. With a mission centered on addressing Minnesota’s racial homeownership gap — one of the widest in the nation — the organization supports 24 local affiliate offices with training, lending services and grant programs. The team’s need for a savvy banking partner to support their diverse initiatives in innovative public policy work, affordable mortgage resources, low-cost construction, and financing and down payment assistance programs, is what brought them to Bridgewater Bank.
“We were looking for a local banking partner that understood affordable housing and was really in tune with the dynamics of our community,” Incitti explains. “Bridgewater’s mission, goals, and values were directly aligned with ours.”
Access to Bridgewater’s robust women’s network was the cherry on top of a perfect partnership. It has provided Incitti with a ready-made community of female leaders to lean on and collaborate with. Through its dynamic programming, she’s had the opportunity to share invaluable insights on organizational leadership and help close funding gaps for women leaders. It also gives her a fresh perspective on bridging the poverty gap for Habitat clients, sparking innovative ideas and impactful solutions.
“Homeownership can help break the cycle of generational poverty,” she emphasizes. Incitti’s story highlights the profound impact of housing. “This work is about more than building homes; it’s about building communities and empowering individuals to achieve lasting stability and success. We must continue working together to create a world where every family has a safe, stable and affordable place to call home,” she says.
Photography by Spacecrafting
Aly Silva Mulgrew and Stacy O’Reilly of Plunkett’s Pest Control
Plunkett’s Pest Control also struck gold with Bridgewater Bank. Plunkett’s CEO Stacy O’Reilly praises the institution for offering the “resources of a big bank with the personal touch of a local banker.” O’Reilly and Plunkett’s President Aly Silva Mulgrew are deeply involved with Bridgewater’s women’s networking circles, finding both inspiration and camaraderie.
“Bridgewater has done an excellent job creating a space where female leaders can come together and build their own network,” Silva shares. It’s a network of peers who truly understand the balancing act of leading at work and at home. Success isn’t one-size-fits-all, and the network proves it every time they gather — sharing ideas, supporting each other, and shepherding dreams into reality, both professionally and personally.
“We have an esprit de corps with other women executives, because we’ve all managed to work our way through challenges that men simply don’t have to work through,” O’Reilly adds. “We can skip that part and help each other and provide a source of counsel, advice and laughter.”
