THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE VISION

OWNER AND CEO

Born and raised on a farm in the small town of Shafer, Minnesota, Jason grew up alongside four siblings in a close-knit family. He went on to study Chemical Engineering at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, which set the foundation for a career defined by growth, reinvention, and entrepreneurial drive.

After college, Jason joined Select Comfort — now known as Sleep Number — during a period of explosive growth. A pivotal conversation with a colleague eventually drew him into the circuit board industry, and when that company closed its doors, he didn't walk away. Instead, he partnered with a fellow colleague to build something new from the ground up. That company has been thriving for over 25 years.

In October 2015, Jason expanded his entrepreneurial reach by founding a company that provides housing for people recovering from addiction — a venture that has introduced him to some truly remarkable people. Through those connections, he discovered a deep fascination with music and video production, sparked by friendships with artists and creatives in that world.

In October 2024, when a friend spotted the former Two Fish Studios building for sale in Mankato, Jason seized the opportunity — acquiring and remodeling it into what is now Vision Studios.

As Owner & CEO, Jason works alongside the Vision Team with a single guiding principle: helping artists accomplish their vision with the highest possible integrity. He is engaged, a proud parent of four young adults, and someone who leads with genuine passion for learning, creating, and — most of all — seeing people smile.

CREATIVE DIRECTOR + ENGINEER

Luck, says Colin Scharf, is simply being in the right place at the right time with the right skillset. And that’s how the lifelong creative became Vision Studios’ Creative Director: with a little bit of luck and a lot of talent.

Scharf brings his variety of artistic talents and decades of experience to our brand new facility, where he will be the lead producer/engineer of Electric Prairie Recordings and live events coordinator of The Ivy—two skillsets he’s been honing since starting Gold Mine Studios, his own recording and live events company, in 2020.

Through Gold Mine Studios, Scharf produced countless singles, EPs, and albums for local artists, as well as curated a variety of annual live music events highlighting the Mankato area’s original bands and musicians.

As Creative Director of Vision Studios, Scharf will continue using his talents and energy to help elevate and expand the creativity of everyone who enters our building.

LEAD EVENTS COORDINATOR

With nearly a decade of experience as the General Manager of a local wedding venue, Megan Felber brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for events to The Ivy as our Lead Events Coordinator. After being approached by Scharf in 2025 about an exciting opportunity to be part of The Ivy, Megan knew it was something she couldn’t pass up.

Specializing in weddings and intimate gatherings, Megan is excited to help bring a fresh, premier event space to the community. Whether you’re planning a bridal or baby shower, an intimate wedding, a business meeting or corporate retreat, a small fitness class like Pilates or yoga, or even looking for a beautiful space for photographers and videographers to create in, Megan is here to help bring your vision to life and create a memorable experience for you and your guests.

In addition to her role at The Ivy, Megan is also the Lead Planner of The Soul Creative Group, based in Mankato. Known for her attention to detail, calm demeanor, and genuine love for the event industry, Megan is dedicated to guiding clients through every step of the planning process to ensure their event feels seamless, intentional, and truly special.

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Zak is an award-winning Photographer, Filmmaker, and Musician from Mankato, MN. While his client base is largely from MN, he has adventured and shot in Zion Natl. Park, Mt. Hood, the MN Boundary Waters, Cambodia, Big Bear CA, and recently Nepal/Mt. Everest. 

Zak has been a part of a handful of Documentaries, Cinematographer on a dozen Feature Films, created hundreds of short films, commercial shoots, music videos, and delivered thousands of photo galleries to wedding, HS senior, real estate, families, newborns, and many more in the last 15 years.

Zak’s role at Vision is to provide a creative, cinematic media product to bands, businesses, individuals, and open the recording studio to helping with solutions for the filmmaking world in Minnesota and beyond.

BUILDING MANAGER + TECHNICIAN

With decades of experience in carpentry, fine woodworking, and professional musical instrument repair, Dave Begalka brings a rare combination of craftsmanship and technical expertise to the Vision Studios team. An active musician himself, he performs and records on guitar, lap steel, and electric bass.

As Building Manager, Dave oversees all facets of upkeep, repair, and maintenance of the Vision Studios building and property. As a Technician, he troubleshoots, maintains, and repairs studio electronics, audio gear, and musical equipment — keeping everything running at the highest level so artists can focus on what matters most.

Outside of work, Dave is passionate about music of all kinds, outdoor adventures including hiking, kayaking, and rowing, and spending time with his family and dogs. He especially looks forward to his annual trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA).

PRESIDENT

Born with music coursing through his veins from a great grandmother who played piano and organ for the silent movies and World War I fight songs, Dan Frost has been playing music in one form or another since he first sang along with Jim Croce's Bad Bad Leroy Brown on 8-track cassette.  With his first instruments being violin, piano and trombone, Dan has since branched out to learn and play all the instruments in the Rock 'n' Roll family tree to include drums, bass, guitar, harmonica, moog, theremin, accordion and of course piano & organ.  He has six full studio albums of all original material to his name (under his artist name d*fRost), four out of San Diego, one out of Japan and his most recent out of Nashville, TN.

He fronted his namesake band, d*fRost, out of San Diego, CA for 15 years and was considered one of the the music scene's top "go to" acts for national touring artist live support.  During his time in S.D., he and his five piece band opened for musical juggernauts such as 311, Slightly Stoopid, The Black Crowes, Snoop Dogg, BuckCherry, The Roots, Unwritten Law, Guttermouth and Social Distortion.  In the 2000's and amongst the weighty who's who crowd of the San Diego music scene, he was nominated for four San Diego Music Awards and brought home two for best album and best live band.  He was initially signed to the independent record label DOM Records and later went on to put out his second album with the larger and more established San Diego indie label, One Dop Entertainment.  During his San Diego tour of duty, he was also fortunate enough to tour Japan and had the absolute honor to play New York City's punk Mecca C.B.G.B.'s for a major label showcase literally one month to the day before America's tragedy of 9/11.

Prior to his Southern California days, he was neck deep in the alternative music explosion out of Minneapolis, MN playing all the Twin Cities premiere and dive bar venues with multiple bands (Jackass and 13 Grand).  He has had the good fortune to play everywhere from the 7th Street Entry and First Avenue to the 400 Bar, The Fine Line, The Cabooze and Lee's Liquor Lounge ensuring his tour of the Minneapolis rock scene was thorough and complete. 

He has since called the modern musical megalopolis "It-City" of Nashville, TN home for the last 13 years; this time as bandleader for the world famous "Nashville Burlesque" troupe led by the legendary burlesque industry queenpin, Miss Shannon Million.  The only burlesque troupe to boast a live band, Nashville Burlesque enjoyed a house band residency in the basement speakeasy room of "BB King's Juke Joint" as well as playing every major venue and music festival in town.

Dan views his newly announced position at Vision Studios and Raise the Sky Records with respect and reverence and as the logical next step for a life spent in pursuit of elevating the artform of music.  He also thrives on seeing all those involved with our beloved artform elevated as well.  He brings a keen, laser focused awareness of ensuring the big picture is realized while meticulously paying heed to the myriad finer details that must be respectfully attended to to ensure all projects are as successful as possible.  He brings his years of front-line live performance, studio recording and album writing and touring experience as well as hard won life experience of having lived in three musically diverse, major American cities with thriving music scenes, back to his smaller but fiercely creative birth town of Mankato, MN to assist and lead his staff to their ultimate goal in this magical musical process, to RAISE THE SKY!

AUDIO ENGINEER

Kevin is a passionate audio engineer with hands-on experience in recording and live sound. He began recording independently in 2017, and has continued to take on personal or collaborative projects since.

He attended Hennepin Technical College in Eden Prairie MN, expanding his skills and knowledge on many aspects of production. After graduating, he immediately began looking for opportunities in the world of recording. He worked as a stagehand and live sound tech for Skyway Theatre in Minneapolis.

He found his way to the Electric Prairie by way of interning at Colin Scharf’s Gold Mine Studios from 2021-2023. 

His studio and live sound internships provided real-world experience assisting and independently engineering sessions, reinforcing his technical skills and collaborative approach.

He is always eager to continue gaining more real world experience and contributing to professional audio environments.

Ryan’s career as a professional musician began at 18, starting with regional tours along the West Coast before transitioning to the national circuit for over a decade. This extensive time on the road provided him with a comprehensive, foundational perspective of the music industry. Having worked across a vast spectrum of musical styles, Ryan developed a unique ability to understand the mechanics of a song regardless of the genre. He focuses on the core elements that make a track work, bringing a wealth of real-world experience to every project.

Since relocating to Mankato in 2006, Ryan has continued to lend his talents as a drummer to various local groups and connect with the regional musician community. He is recognized for his deep musical intuition—a sharp ability to dissect a song and understand how each instrument and performer contributes to the overall sound. As A&R Manager, Ryan acts as a creative guide for artists at Vision Studios. He excels at identifying a song's hidden potential, whether that means refining a tempo or adjusting the structure to ensure the final recording has a professional, polished impact.

After years of the fast-paced life on national tours, Ryan now appreciates a more grounded pace. While he remains deeply immersed in music history and the nuances of the craft, he finds his balance in the quiet of home life. He brings that same sense of calm, focused perspective to the studio, helping artists navigate their own creative journeys with a steady and experienced hand.