Meet our Owners
Branden & Mary Beth Fessler
Branden and Mary Beth are the founders of Heart & Hands, a business built on compassion, service, and a genuine desire to help others. Branden grew up in the Twin Cities and brings over 20 years of experience in the automotive industry. In addition to his technical background, he also spent several years performing maintenance at residential treatment facilities, homes, and apartments, where he developed a deeper appreciation for the importance of safe, supportive environments for those receiving care.
Mary Beth grew up in Northern Minnesota and has dedicated more than two decades of her career to working in mental health and chemical dependency services. Her professional experience has been centered on supporting individuals and families through some of life’s most challenging moments, and her passion for helping others has always been at the heart of her work.
Together, Branden and Mary Beth started Heart & Hands with the goal of providing compassionate care and meaningful support to people in need. Their combined experiences—both professional and personal—shape the values and mission of the organization.
Outside of their work, they enjoy spending time with their daughter, Sloane, and their dog, Koda. As a family, they love staying active, cheering on their nieces and nephews at sporting events, and proudly supporting the Minnesota Vikings.
Why choose us?
Our Story
Heart & Hands was built during a season that asked us to slow down, reflect, and realign with what matters most.
After years of hoping to grow our family, welcoming our daughter Sloane changed everything. Like many parents, we began asking bigger questions about how to build meaningful careers while also being present for the life we worked so hard to create.
Mary Beth had spent over a decade in behavioral health leadership, driven by purpose and a deep commitment to the work. Earlier in her career, she made the intentional decision to step away from a role in order to prioritize balance and family. But like many high-capacity professionals, over time she found herself pulled back into a pace that no longer aligned with that original intention.
Around the same time, our family was navigating personal challenges—including Mary Beth’s mom receiving a cancer diagnosis—which brought everything into sharper focus. It became clear that something needed to change.
We found ourselves at a crossroads—needing to make thoughtful decisions quickly, while also asking a deeper question:
What would it look like to build something that truly reflects who we are, what we’re good at, and the life we want to live?
The answer became Heart & Hands.
A business built on both of us—our strengths, our passions, and the belief that meaningful work doesn’t have to fit into a single lane.
Mary Beth leads the Heart—partnering with organizations to strengthen programs, support teams, and navigate complex systems with clarity and integrity.
And just as importantly—she works differently.
Consulting allows her to be deeply focused, highly efficient, and fully accountable to the work in front of her—without the layers of distraction that often come with traditional roles. She works throughout the day in a way that is both flexible and intentional—showing up when it matters most for clients, while also being present for her family.
That autonomy creates something powerful:
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The ability to support multiple teams and projects at once
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The space to think strategically, not just reactively
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The freedom to work hard and live fully
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And the capacity to show up not just as a leader—but as a mom and a daughter, too
Branden leads the Hands—bringing practical, reliable solutions to homes and projects, helping people take care of the spaces that matter most.
It may not be the most traditional business model—but it’s ours. And it works because it’s grounded in what we value most:
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Family first
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Work that matters
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Doing things well
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And building a life that feels sustainable, not just successful