Influential Women Profiles Lisa Makowski: Transforming a Family Recipe into a Thriving Community Brand with Maks Mix
Hanover, Minnesota — Lisa Makowski is a dynamic entrepreneur and marketing professional, best known as the Founder and Operator of Maks Mix, a small-batch snack brand she launched in August 2024. Built on a foundation of family, creativity, and community, Maks Mix has quickly become a Midwest favorite—bringing people together from cabin weekends to football Sundays, gift baskets to late-night snacks.
At the heart of Lisa’s work is a commitment to building people as much as products. She leads the day-to-day operations of Maks Mix, overseeing product preparation, managing a growing team, and collaborating with local businesses to co-brand ingredients and expand community-driven sales channels. Her leadership style emphasizes empathy, teamwork, and partnership, ensuring that both her team and the broader local business community grow alongside the brand.
Lisa’s professional journey is rooted in a strong creative and strategic foundation. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, a background that has shaped her approach to brand development, storytelling, and marketing. Prior to launching Maks Mix, she spent more than 15 years in the hardware industry, where she held leadership roles in marketing and customer experience at United Hardware and Do It Best Corp. During this time, she developed expertise in brand management, internal and external communications, B2B and B2C strategies, and integrated digital and print campaigns.
Her ability to deliver results while fostering collaborative team environments earned her recognition as a Rising Star – Top Women in Hardware in 2023. That experience laid the groundwork for her transition into entrepreneurship, where she could fully align her passion for creativity, community, and meaningful impact.
Lisa attributes her success to building strong, authentic relationships—with her team, her partners, and her community. She believes her diverse background across design, marketing, and customer service provided the tools necessary to successfully pivot industries and build a brand from the ground up. Equally important has been the support of her family and team, who have played an integral role in growing Maks Mix and expanding its reach.
Guided by the belief that success is built through connection and persistence, Lisa embraces challenges as opportunities. She credits the advice to follow her passions, rely on mentors and collaborators, and take bold steps—even when the path is uncertain—as instrumental in her journey. This mindset has allowed her to navigate the evolving landscape of entrepreneurship while staying focused on long-term growth and purpose.
Lisa is also passionate about encouraging other women to pursue their ideas. She advises aspiring entrepreneurs to start now, rather than waiting for the “perfect” moment. In her view, taking the initial leap is often the most difficult step—and once that step is taken, progress begins to unfold naturally.
The values that guide Lisa’s work and life are centered on recognizing potential, uplifting others, and fostering growth. She is dedicated to helping her team build skills and confidence, while continuing to expand Maks Mix as a business inspired by her father’s legacy. Family remains at the core of everything she does, from supporting her daughter’s and son’s passions to sharing meaningful moments with her husband and loved ones. This foundation provides the strength and purpose that fuel her entrepreneurial journey.
Featured in the 2026 edition of the Influential Women Network, Lisa Makowski continues to blend creativity, strategy, and community connection to grow Maks Mix into a brand that is as much about people as it is about product—proving that with passion, purpose, and partnership, even a simple family recipe can become something extraordinary.
Learn More about Lisa Makowski:
Through her Influential Women profile, https://influentialwomen.com/connect/lisa-makowski or through her website, https://www.maksmix.com/
Influential Women
Influential Women provides a platform where women from all backgrounds can connect, share their perspectives, and create content that empowers themselves and others. Through storytelling, thought leadership, and creative expression, Influential Women amplifies voices that inspire change.
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