Second Generation Entrepreneur

Lancer Fabrication

Aaron Blacklance spoke at TREK on June 11, 2023. Aaron owns Lancer Fabrication, a metal fabricating business that specializes in building aftermarket replacement body panels for the racing industry.

Aaron’s love of, and experience with, the racing industry came from his father, Terry Blacklance, who had been involved in racing through much of Aaron’s growing up years. “Motorsports is a very big part of how I grew up,” Aaron said.

An Entrepreneurial Family

His parents, Terry and Tammie Blacklance, were a big influence on him. “They showed me what entrepreneurship looked like,” Aaron said. He was impressed by the knack his dad had for making money, whether it was flipping cars or lawn mowers. “If he could buy it and sell it for more than what he paid, he loved doing that sort of thing.”

What Aaron saw in his dad really caught his attention, and he found that he was wired much the same way. As a young person, he found himself selling items to other kids when he was able to turn a small profit. “While I was in elementary school, we used to have a store where we could buy candy. If I could be the first one to the front of the line, I would buy candy and sell it to the kids at the back of the line,” Aaron laughed.  “I’ve always had an interest in being able to make money.”

Foundations

He graduated from Lincoln High School in 2011 and went to school at Northland Community and Technical College. After graduating from Northland, he went to the University of North Dakota where he earned an entrepreneurship degree. His studies at UND affirmed his decision to pursue entrepreneurship.

Although Aaron unofficially started the business at the age of 16, he formally launched Lancer Fabrication as an LLC with the State of Minnesota in 2013. After ten years in business, he has built a strong base of clients and fulfills about 50 orders a year, with customers from 48 contiguous states.

Aaron also has a full-time job as general manager for the Fastenal company.