Colton and Natalia Maher, high school sweethearts and 2007 graduates of Pequot Lakes High School, have a deep-rooted connection to this wonderful town. After college, they moved to Minneapolis but returned to Pequot Lakes in 2018, seeking a closer connection to family as they started their own.

Colton and Natalia were surprised to find themselves starting multiple businesses in Pequot Lakes. Colton, a real estate agent, saw immense potential in the area to build a business and engage with the community. Now, with three children, they feel grateful for the opportunity to raise their family in the town that shaped them. Their ventures, Woods to Water Real Estate + Woods to Water Vacation Homes, joint ownership in MN Traders Co. and The Outpost, as well as Natalia's branding/design business, This+That Creative Co, where she has helped numerous BLA small businesses find their own brand image and voice, have brought a fresh vibe to the community, attracting both locals and tourists. The Mahers appreciate the warm and fuzzy feeling of running into people who have enjoyed their stores, making all their efforts worthwhile.

After graduating, Colton attended Concordia College in Moorhead and then transferred to Minnesota State University-Moorhead, graduating in 2013 with a degree in athletic training. However, his passion for entrepreneurship led him to a successful career in real estate in Minneapolis. In 2018, he fulfilled his dream of starting his own real estate brokerage, Woods to Water Real Estate, in Nisswa. “We are a company founded on true northern Minnesota living,” says their mission statement. “We appreciate, embrace, and love all that this area has to offer. Many of us grew up here, locally grown and raised in this beautiful place. Some of us have stayed, others have come and gone, but we always come back.”

Colton and Natalia believe in the unique beauty of the Brainerd Lakes area and are proud to call it home. For those considering a move to Pequot Lakes, they say, “Come experience the sense of community, the charm of small-town living, and the opportunity to make a real difference. Pequot Lakes is more than a place to live; it’s a place to thrive and create lasting memories.”