Big Omaha - An Event Worth Checking Out!

I recently had the pleasure of speaking to Dusty Davidson, Co-Founder of Silicone Prairie News, about an upcoming event called Big Omaha.

In 2009, Big Omaha's inaugural event brought together 400-plus entrepreneurs, innovators and creatives to hear almost a dozen nationally-recognized speakers of the like. The goal of the event was simple: inspire attendees to follow their passions, build the businesses they love and strengthen their creative communities.

There seems to be a new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs who are passionately making their mark on their communities - and not waiting for the next government bailout to show them the way to economic success for themselves and the town they live in.

In Kansas City, the event that embodies this spirit is Think Big Kansas City.

In Omaha, it's Big Omaha.

This event brings together the region's best and brightest to motivate, challenge, excite and connect with one another, and in turn raise the bar on the level of work that they are producing. The Amercian Dream is alive and well in Omaha!

This year, Tony Hsieh is speaking. Tony Hsieh is the author of "Delivering Happiness" and the CEO of Zappos. In 1999, Tony sold LinkExchange, the company he co-founded, to Microsoft for $265 million. He then joined Zappos as an advisor and investor, and eventually became CEO, where he helped Zappos grow significantly while simultaneously making Fortune magazine's annual Best Companies to Work For list. In November 2009, Zappos was acquired by Amazon.com in a deal valued at $1.2 billion on the day of closing. Zappos is a model of customer service excellence, and a case study for every company that desires raving fans.

So, if you are in the area and willing to make the trip for a good dose of entrepreneurial inspiration, be sure to check out Big Omaha. Tickets are on sale now and worth checking out!

Announcing Think Big Baltimore!

The drum beat of entrepreneurism continues!


We are pleased to announce that a group of entrepreneurs in Baltimore wants to bring the message of entrepreneurism to their home town! It's all about creating new jobs, spurring new opportunities and not waiting for someone else to restore the spirit of the American Dream!

Think Big Baltimore is born!

Here is an interesting fact about Baltimore.

Samuel F.B. Morse, inventor of Morse Code, reportedly received the first telegraph message in Bladensburg, in 1844, before his famous "What Hath God Wrought" message between Baltimore and Washington. His telegraph wire had been strung along the railroad right of way. Ezra Cornell, founder of Cornell University, lived in Bladensburg and is said to have invented the telegraph pole.

With this story in mind, perhaps we can "telegraph" a message to our lawmakers on Capitol Hill from Baltimore that they need to honor those entrepreneurs that are vital to the economic lifeblood of this country. More than ever, Washington DC needs to help entrepreneurs succeed. But if Washington DC is tone deaf on this subject, perhaps this ambitious group in Baltimore can send a clear message to them on behalf of the rest of this country; much like Samuel Morse sent a message to Washington DC in 1844.

Baltimore, get ready for a strong dose of inspiration and education! Be sure to bring your aspirations and get ready for a bit of perspiration, on the way to your own version of the American Dream!

More details coming soon, but this Fall look for Think Big Baltimore!

The Think Big Mentality Spreads Across the Country

Some say that a good idea spreads like a virus....if that's the case, we hope to inoculate as many people against settling for mediocrity (and inaction in pursuing their own version of the American Dream) and sign up to catch the entrepreneurial bug!

We will be making an announcement later this week regarding another city that has chosen to Think BIG and host their own version of Think BIG Kansas City!

If you would like to see the Think BIG conference come to your town, please let us know. We have had several cities express interest in taking their economic recovery into their own hands and encourage successful entrepreneurism, and we are looking for more opportunities to spread this message.

Just like our keynote speaker, Chris Gardner, said....you have to Start Where You Are!

"The time for action is now. It's never too late to do something." - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

And don't forget to Think BIG!

11 Lessons Learned from Silicon Valley (By EdithYeung.com)

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

11 Lessons Learned from Silicon Valley (By EdithYeung.com)

View more presentations from edithsan.

Entrepreneurs gain another resource - KansasCity.com

Kansas City continues to inspire entrepreneurs, and with it, more organizations are committed to helping startups get on to the right path to success. Check out StartKC, and its latest efforts to address a void that exists in the Kansas City area.

Think Big Partners and Think Big Kansas City are big supporters of any group that can help make the Kansas City metro area a more fertile ground for blossoming, new startups. We hope StartKC will be successful in its efforts! Read more about StartKC at:

Entrepreneurs gain another resource - KansasCity.com

And remember to Think BIG!

StartUp Weekend - Kansas City Recap

I recently had the privelege of being a judge at the 2nd Startup Weekend Kansas City, which is the brainchild of Andrew Hyde and run by Marc Nager and Clint Nelsen.

For the uninitiated, Startup Weekend is a 54 hour intensely concentrated startup business ecosystem that begins with people pitching their ideas on a Friday night and ends with presentations of the executed business idea on a Sunday night, in which one winner is selected. On this particular weekend, there were 5 other cities that hosted the same event. Marc Nager told me that over 600 people had applied for the 100 spots in Istanbul (yes, as in Turkey), which to me is pretty amazing in itself.

I met some highly motivated, talented entrepreneurs at Startup Weekend Kansas City, and was impressed with their ability to Think Big. While it was a very close competition, the winner was Herd Map that built a near real time Google Map hot spot of cool places to go based upon checkins/posts from GoWalla, Bright Kite, Twitter and FourSquare. It seems that social media continues to find new uses, and for me that understands something about internet marketing, the possibilites seemed very compelling.

Go to the Startup Weekend Kansas City site to check out the interesting ideas, presentations and become familar with some of the names of the participants. While entrepreneurship is not for everyone, my guess is that you will see some of these names go on to do some good things in the Kansas City area.

Next time it comes to town, be sure to not miss your chance to take part. That is, of course, you don't mind 54 hours of little sleep but lots of great ideas, camaraderie and the chance to launch your next Big Idea!