Top 10 Fears Entrepreneurs and their Startup Companies Face

Happy Halloween, Kansas City entrepreneurs!  Sunday night is almost here—the perfect night for walking through Kansas City haunted houses, pumpkin carving with the family, telling ghost stories, and of course, Trick-Or-Treating.  And although most successful entrepreneurs are not afraid of Grim Reaper costumes, “haunted” cemeteries, and scary music, there are other fears that haunt Kansas City entrepreneurs every day in the workplace.  So, in honor of this spooky holiday, I have compiled a list of the Top 10 fears for entrepreneurs.  Don’t be afraid, take a look:

1.  The Fear of Failure

Without a doubt, most entrepreneurs have a fear of failure.  When 50% of new businesses fail within the first five years, it’s difficult to overcome the fear of failure.  Instead of letting this fear define who you are and where your company is going, use the fear to push yourself beyond what you thought you could do.  Prove yourself (and the statistics) wrong—do not let failure be an option.

2.  Economic Uncertainty

Five years ago, economic uncertainty was probably not a major fear of most entrepreneurs.  The times have changed, however, and companies big and small, young and old, are worried about what the declining economy means for them.

3.  Being Your Own Boss

Being your own boss can be terrifying.  Not only do you have to keep tabs on your company, but you also have to keep tabs on yourself and make sure that you are doing everything it takes to create a successful startup business.  Entrepreneurs must be able to motivate themselves throughout each workday to see that all necessary tasks are completed.

4.  Raising Capital

Having enough money for establish a startup is one thing—staying afloat is another.  You will need money to start up, operate, and grow your business.  To ensure that you have enough money to develop a successful startup, seek capital from a venture capitalist, angel investor, and the like.  Recently, the development of online funding platforms, such as peerbackers, has helped many entrepreneurs reach their American Dream.

5.  The Job Will Consume Your Life

It’s true: entrepreneurs can spend anywhere from 50-72 hours a week on their businesses.  In order to overcome this failure, be sure that you have your work-life balance in place even before your business starts up.  This means to prioritize what’s most important to you.

6.  High-Wire With No Net

When you have been in your own small business and survived the early years that weed out most startups, you have the fear that you can never turn back to “the devil you knew” (i.e. traditional employment). The struggles of entrepreneurship make you forget why you left corporate America in the first place and your memories become revised to dwell on how easy and happy it all was “back then.”

7.  The Length of the Process

Many entrepreneurs fear the overall longevity of a startup venture.  It takes time to grow a business so an entrepreneur must be extremely patient throughout the entire process.  And although your business may be getting more profitable every year, you look at your old car in the driveway and then your neighbor’s new Lexus and feel that if only you’d stuck to corporate, you’d have new toys, too.  Patience is virtue!

8.  The Merry-Go-Round Stopping

Entrepreneurs who already have an established company often fear that their company will slowly begin to fail.  Even though everything may be going well in the beginning, entrepreneurs always fear that the phones will go silent and that no one will want what they sell anymore.

9.  Getting Stuck

Although many entrepreneurs fear that their businesses will stop all together, even more seem to worry that their company will merely never make it to the top.  This entrepreneurial fear is that the company will never break through the wall of the business by being just“okay”.

10.  The Competition

Entrepreneurs always live in fear that someone else out there may be smarter than they are and therefore, develop a better product or service, consequently, blowing theirs out of the water.  It’s best to use the competition as a driving force for your company to become a better, more successful one instead.

During this Halloween, don’t let your fears impose on your entrepreneurial dreams.  Continue to reach for your goals, never let your fears bring you down, and of course, Think Big.  Happy Halloween, entrepreneurs!  

Written by Allison Way.  Allison is a writer and videographer for Think Big Partners and bizperc, two of Kansas City's newest entrepreneurial resources.  To read more of Allison's work, please visit the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner.

Disney and Soli Printing to Come to Kansas City to Teach Entrepreneurs How to Strengthen Their Small Businesses and Motivate Employees

Any entrepreneur who has seen the movie Office Space has witnessed a fictional company that does not know how to manage and motivate employees.  In the movie, three employees of the firm Initech Software despise their nine-to-five number-crunching jobs so much that they will do anything to leave—even if that means stealing directly from the company.

Astonishingly, however, the attitudes and characteristics portrayed by these three depressed employees in Office Space may not be too far off.  In a recent survey, 2,000 workers were asked what type of job they would prefer—one that paid more money that they hated or a low-paying one that they enjoyed.  Half said that they would choose the low-paying job that they enjoyed.   It has also been found that 50% of employees only put enough effort into their work in order to keep their jobs.  This indicator of employee demotivation comes from a variety of reasons; 18% say that it is from an unreasonable workload, 18% from feeling underpaid, and 17% from the lack of a clear career path.  Overall, the average American worker wastes 2 hours and 5 minutes a day, which can add up to $759 billion a year lost in productivity.  When the numbers are this high, it’s companies like Soli Printing and Disney that want to actually do something about it.

So mark your calendars for December 2^nd, Kansas City entrepreneurs: on this day, Soli Printing and Disney are coming to the Crowne Plaza of Overland Park to give Kansas City small business owners, company leaders, and entrepreneurs the opportunity to understand that motivated employees who feel secure in their positions are key to productivity, sound decision-making and outstanding performance. 

This one-day workshop in conjunction with Peoples Bank will feature Disney’s Approach to Business Excellence as an effective program full of rich insight into the leadership excellence, people management, quality customer service and outstanding brand loyalty that has made Disney a worldwide success. 

To learn about how to use Disney’s Approach to Business Excellence, I would like to highly encourage Kansas City business leaders to attend this beneficial workshop.  With the implementation of some of Disney’s advice, many companies have seen improvements on employee performance, higher sales, improved brand recognition, and increased customer loyalty. 

Avoid employees like those found in Office Space, see how to motivate your employees, and learn from the best: Disney.  To attend Disney’s Approach to Business Excellence workshop on December 2, 2010 at the Crowne Plaza of Overland Park, visit or register at www.KeysKC.com.  The entry fee is $395 per guest, with discounts for parties of 10 or more. 

Written by Allison Way.  Allison is a writer and videographer for Think Big Partners and bizperc, two of Kansas City's newest entrepreneurial resources.  To read more of Allison's work, visit the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner.

The Importance of YouTube Marketing and Its Impact on Kansas City Small Business

Video marketing has become one of the most important advertising tools in small business and entrepreneurship today.  In fact, a number of marketers are using video marketing in the place of any other marketing tool, not to mention, small business owners prefer to choose video promotions as compared to any other form of marketing.  And the strongest form of video marketing today is through none other than YouTube.
  
Millions of people visit YouTube every single day.  To date, there are more YouTube videos watched each month (10 billion) in the US than there are searches on Google.  This exposure and speed are what attract many marketers to uploading small business promotional videos to YouTube.  According to Mike Lundgren, a writer for the Kansas City Business Journal, YouTube is the fastest growing site in Internet history, streaming more than 100 million videos a day (two Super Bowl audiences each day), receives 7,000 uploads a day, and YouTube site visits average a whopping 30 minutes.  And that's only the beginning of the outrageous YouTube statistics.


YouTube views nearly double the prime-time audience of all 3 major U.S. broadcast networks combined, not to mention, there has been more video uploaded onto YouTube in 60 days than on these networks combined in 60 years!  24 hours of YouTube video is uploaded a minute.  And if you're looking for small business and YouTube stats, 94 of Advertising Age's 100 top advertisers have run campaigns using YouTube.
 
To learn more about the importance of YouTube marketing and to implement it into Kansas City entrepreneurial marketing, watch this YouTube video of Greg Jarboe, the president and co-founder of SEO-PR, an SEO firm that specializes in optimizing press releases and videos, and his take on the importance of YouTube marketing for small business. Greg is also the author of YouTube and Video Marketing: An Hour a Day.  To access the video, click here.

Right now, a new Kansas City small business has been using YouTube not only to promote its own company, but also to develop videos to benefit their very own marketing strategy.  The company is called DealBug, an online daily discount shopping site that also supports schools, charities, and non-profit organizations.  And right now, locals in Kansas City are invited to participate in DealBug’s video contest for first, second, and third place prizes.  But this video contest does not only benefit its participants and winners; it may benefit DealBug even more.  Why?  Because DealBug will be able to use the posted YouTube videos to promote their business—and quite inexpensively! 

YouTube marketing is rapidly growing in importance. It is one of the most effective social media marketing tools that can be utilized by virtually any Kansas City entrepreneur and businesses. Its breadth of scope in reaching users all over the world make it an extremely powerful and efficient marketing tool.


Written by Allison Way.  Allison is a writer and videographer for Think Big Partners and bizperc, two of Kansas City's newest entrepreneurial resources.  To read more of Allison's work, please visit the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner.

Can Online Deals Save The World? Susan G. Komen and Hereford House Partner Up to Fight Breast Cancer

Many Kansas City entrepreneurs may not have known that Saturday was Make a Difference Day—an opportunity that arises on the fourth Saturday of October in the encouragement for neighbors to help neighbors.  This day has been established in order to create camaraderie and friendliness throughout the world, whether that be through the small acts of individuals or the fundraising efforts done by Kansas City small businesses.  And Make a Difference Day could not have come at a better time; right in the middle of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which just so happens to be an ideal opportunity to make a difference in the community.  Need a new way to make a difference this week?  One way is to participate in the "2 for Tuesday" deal going on tomorrow in Kansas City.  

In honor of this important month and trailing behind Make a Difference Day, Susan G. Komen for the Cure will present “2 For Tuesday” tomorrow—an unbeatable Hereford House food and drink special in which proceeds will go directly towards the support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the hope of saving lives, empowering people, and finding a cure. 

The drive behind the development of “2 For Tuesday” came from the collaboration of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Hereford House and DealBug, an online daily shopping site dedicated to offering coupons towards products and services from community merchants while supporting schools, charities, and other non-profit organizations.  Through these three organizations and in the support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Susan G. Komen for the Cure invites Kansas City locals and friends to the Leawood Hereford House location for a cup of the famous steak soup, a roll and a soft drink for only $2.00.  In order to receive this unbeatable deal, supporters must visit DealBug.com, sign-up, print out the voucher and present it to the Hereford House.  As a result of the purchase, DealBug will donate $1.00 to every new sign-up that occurs between October 25^th and 26^th.  It's an easy and fun way to give back to the community, enjoy a hearty lunch, and do your part by making a difference during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  

The three companies who have come together in order to continue with the ongoing support of cancer awareness have decided to make a difference in Kansas City, and you can too!  During Breast Cancer Awareness Month and in honor of Make a Difference Day, I encourage you to think about what you and your small business will do to make a difference. 

“2 For Tuesday” is being sponsored by ClickSpeed.  For more information, please visit DealBug.com or contact Robin Gearheart at (877) 467-5401.

Written by Allison Way.  Allison is a writer and videographer for Think Big Partners and www.bizperc.com, two of Kansas City's newest entrepreneurial resources.  To read more of Allison's work, check out the Entrepreneurship Examiner.

1102 Grand: a Kansas City Data Center Hub Expands Itself and KC Startups

Kansas City’s data center hub 1102 Grand, is not only the largest carrier neutral facility in the Kansas City Metro area, but it is also one of the fastest growing of its kind in the Midwest.  The services provided by this voice and data traffic hub seem endless with the means necessary to provide Kansas City startups, savvy enterprise organizations and Fortune 500 and Inc. 500 companies with cost-effective infrastructure for carriers, service providers, and enterprise customers.

Darren Bonawitz, co-owner of 1102 Grand, describes the company as a trusted partner and extension to many organizations' IT operations.  "Since we invest in and manage the data center infrastructure, collocation customers are able to focus on their core business as well as free up precious capital to reinvest elsewhere in their business," he says.  This is especially beneficial for Kansas City entrepreneurs and startups!

The ownership group of 1102 Grand has invested nearly $13 million to transform the building into a full service carrier hotel and colocation center that houses multiple data centers.  All colocation areas are connected to one central point; the Meet Me Room, via Ethernet, coax, fiber, etc.  This Meet Me Room area has become known as the heart and soul of the facility where all of the interconnections take place.  The space has prided itself on the notion that it is a neutral facility, as tenants are allowed to purchase their own space, power, and cooling directly from the building owners and then arrange for the bandwidth and any other desired services separately.

"The best part of our job is that we have the opportunity to work with a diverse mix of customers with their own unique challenges and objectives," says Bonawitz.  "Our team really enjoys the opportunity to work closely with our customers to create tailored solutions ensuring their specific needs are met."

So what’s next for the Kansas City data center hub?  1102 Grand is expanding its collocation area, adding 5,000 square feet of additional caged space for carriers, service providers, and enterprise customers.  The new collocation area is expected to be finished by the end of 2010.  Even with the new collocation space expansion underway, 1102 Grand is also hosting its 1102 Grand IT networking series with KCnext on Thursday, November 18^th from 5-8pm.  One month from today, join 1102 Grand and 300 Kansas City innovators, IT professionals, and upper-level executives at the Press Bar and Panini Grill at Crosstown Station for a beneficial Kansas City networking opportunity.

With its 5,000 square foot expansion to be completed in December 2010, over $7 million already put forth to transform the building into what it is today, and the ability to help bootstrapping Kansas City startups and enterprise organizations better themselves, 1102 Grand knows what it means to Think Big!

Written by Allison Way.  Allison is a writer and videographer for Think Big Partners and bizperc, two of Kansas City's newest entrepreneurial resources.  To read more of Allison's work, please visit the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner.

peerbackers: A New Small Business Helps Entrepreneurs Raise Capital and Achieve the American Dream

Andrew Rachmell's life has been an adventure.  And with an ambitious lifestyle that is all about trying something new, finding inspiration in life experiences, and of course, thinking big, it’s no wonder Rachmell wound up as a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of startup company, peerbackers.




peerbackers is an online funding platform that helps entrepreneurs
achieve that sought-after American Dream.



When Rachmell met Sally Outlaw, a partner from their previous production company in the mid 90's,the two found that their experience with producing television shows transformed into an obsession with entrepreneurship.  The two went on to create other businesses only to find themselves back together recently when they each realized a need to support the entrepreneurial community in light of the economic climate.   Only a year ago, Rachmell was involved in discussions with Florida Atlantic University’s Adam Center for Entrepreneurship for the production of a TV and web series profiling successful entrepreneurs.  At the same time, Outlaw had found that the process of raising capital from angel investors or venture capitalists tend to consume precious time that could be better spent on building a businesses.  After discussing the growth of startup companies and new small businesses, Rachmell and Outlaw put their heads together and created a business to help entrepreneurs raise money through a crowdfunding model by utilizing social networking.  peerbackers was born with the goal of saving entrepreneurs significant time and reducing the awkwardness associated in asking for money from family, friends, and even angel investors. 

  
peerbackers is an online funding platform that allows business owners and entrepreneurs to raise capital from their “peers” in small increments in exchange for tangible rewards for those who contribute.   peerbackers can save entrepreneurs significant time in raising growth or startup capital, not to mention the awkwardness that is, at times, associated in asking for money from family, friends and one’s professional circle of contacts.   For many entrepreneurs, the amount of money being sought after does not even meet the minimum level that angel investors or VCs require.  Most entrepreneurs start their business with $25,000 or less, making peerbackers a more viable solution for this type of startup company.

   

Within peerbacker’s first week of business, every entrepreneur featured on the site had obtained at least one “backer”, and most had anywhere from two to four.  With the smart utilization of social media marketing, peerbackers hopes to help thousands of entrepreneurs on a yearly basis reach their own dreams of owning a business by successfully reaching their fund raising goals.  In order to prove peerbacker’s future success, the company actually utilized its crowdfunding initiative utilizing a "mock up" information site in order to raise money for the launch of the peerbackers’ website.  The company raised several thousand dollars to build the current site and became one of twelve finalists in the Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge.

 

As a serial entrepreneur with companies such as NetViews Inc. and peerbackers under his belt, Andrew Rachmell attributes much of his startup success to the passion he has for adventure and exploration.  His many life-changing experiences, such as biking across the country at the age of 20 and hiking up Mt. Whitney through a snow storm, have led him to think “if I can do that, I can do anything.”  This is exactly how the mind of an entrepreneur works.  According to Rachmell, an entrepreneur must maintain a vision for the business, continue to accomplish one small goal after another, and be passionate, persistent and patient.  All of these attributes are instilled into peerbackers as well as Rachmell’s own entrepreneurial life.  Congratulations to Andrew Rachmell and the launch of peerbackers – an entrepreneur and a company that are here to help others Think Big!

Allison Way is a writer and videographer for Think Big Partners and bizperc, two of Kansas City's newest entrepreneurial resources.  To read more of Allison's work, please visit the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner.  

5 Tips To Be a Better Boss on Boss's Day 2010

It’s that time of year again, hard-working employees—Boss’s Day—a day that lands every year on October 16^th in which we thank our loving bosses who help us strive to be the best in business.  But what does Boss’s Day mean for people who start their own business?  How can entrepreneurs celebrate the day?  If you start a small business, even a home-based business, can you celebrate Boss’s Day?  Of course you can!  After all, you are your own boss!

Starting your own business is a risky business venture, which is all the more reason for successful entrepreneurs to celebrate the October holiday.  Entrepreneurs, small business owners, and innovators, are more likely than not, their own bosses.  They must motivate themselves each and every day to check off all to-do’s, excited all weary employees, and accomplish long and short-term business goals (usually by following their own strategic business plan).

When you’re an entrepreneur, you are not only the boss of yourself, but you may also be the boss of the employees of your business.  So where are the boxes of chocolates?  The bouquets of flowers?  The thank-you notes that simply state “Thanks for being a great boss”?  If you want employees to celebrate Boss’s Day happily with you, take these 5 tips to be the best boss—not only for your employees, but also for yourself and your startup.

1.      1.  Realize that there are 3 bosses: you, the employee, and the customer

As the owner of a small business, yes, you are the boss.  But employees have to make the right decisions at the right times as well.  The employee needs to be self-motivated to get the job done and, in essence, be their own boss.  Without customers, your business is irrelevant.  Therefore, there needs to be a symbiotic relationship between these three “bosses”--entrepreneurs, employees, customers--is extremely important for a startup's success.

2.  No secrets allowed

Entrepreneurs should not keep hidden agendas, closed doors, or a chamber of secrets from your employees.  Be sure to keep everyone involved in the small business in the know.  This can come in the form of human resources or weekly meetings with employees.  The more involved your employees are, the more effective your business will become.

3.  Get involved

The best bosses don’t sit in their offices, behind their desks and chat on the phone all day.  Great bosses are involved in the startup’s activity and walk around during the day, talk with customers, make sales, and become a role model for customer service.

4.  Be nice and treat everybody equally

The stereotype of a typical boss portrayed in most television shows and movies is usually a mean, nagging, rude boss.  No one wants a Mr. Lumberg, the annoying boss portrayed on the comedic film, Office Space.  Or Dr. House on House who seems to care about no one but himself.  Or Montgomery Burns from The Simpsons, Dr. Bob Kelso from Scrubs, Gordon Ramsey from Hell’s Kitchen, Michael Scott from The Office…you get the idea.

Good bosses utilize the Golden Rule: treat everyone the way you would want to be treated.  Sometimes, it’s just as simple as that.

5.  Don’t use “Us vs. Them”

Pitting the entrepreneur, supervisors, managers, or the small business owner against the employees is a recipe for trouble.  To avoid the “Us vs. Them” environment, the best boss will get a sense for how employees feel about managers and supervisors.  Allow all employees to have a chance to state any concerns.  There should always be an air of mutual respect and cooperation between management and employee, working toward one common goal. 

As an entrepreneur, innovator, or small business owner, you will be your own boss and the boss of your entire company.  Take these 5 tips to heart, and you will improve your “boss-like characteristics” and who knows?  Maybe your employees will buy you a cake and celebrate Boss’s Day! 

Allison Way is a writer and videographer for Think Big Partners and bizperc, two of Kansas City’s newest entrepreneurial resources.  To read more of Allison’s work, visit the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner.

The Chilean Miner Rescue, Post-it Notes & Apollo 13 - Innovation and Failure Was Not An Option

Today, Wednesday, October 13th, 2010, marked a great day in humanity, innovation and was witness to the awesome power of the "failure is not an option" mindset.

Chile's 33 trapped miners were shuttled up a narrow escape shaft to freedom and joyous reunions in a meticulously planned rescue operation that ended the longest underground entrapment in human history and showed the true power of forced innovation.

One after another, the miners climbed into a missile-like steel capsule barely wider than a man's shoulders and took a 15-minute journey through 2,000 feet of rock to the surface. Dubbed the Phoenix I capsule, it was the result of a joint collaborative effort between the Chilean Navy and NASA that created a 924 pound rescue capsule with an interior height of 6 feet 4 inches and a 23 inch interior diameter.

The red, white and blue (painted in the colors of Chile's flag) empty capsule was lowered by a winch over 2000 feet into the earth. With each successive run the operators learned how to operate this new innovation marvel and the capsule-rescue operation got faster as it went along. All the men were safely above ground in 22 hours, 37 minutes, after it started.



This example of human achievement with real people's lives at stake, very much reminds me of the fateful Apollo 13 mission that intended to land on the moon in April, 1970. When the oxygen tank ruptured, severely damaging the Service Module's spacecraft's electrical system, the focal point of the mission quickly went from a successful lunar landing to simply the safe return of astronauts James Lovell, Jack Swigert and Fred Haise.

This forced the crew to shut down the Command Module to conserve its batteries and oxygen needed for the last hours of flight, and use the Lunar Module's resources as a "lifeboat" during the return trip to Earth. Despite great hardship caused by limited power, loss of cabin heat, shortage of potable water, and the critical need to jury-rig the carbon dioxide removal system, the crew returned safely to Earth on April 17, 1970 and the mission was termed a "successful failure".



Apollo 13 (15th Anniversary Edition) [Blu-ray]

Harnessing the power of forced innovation can produce incredible and useful results, such as the Chilean miner rescue capsule.. Innovation in history has produced a wide range of results, ranging from the truly absurd and silly, to deadly serious and critical to human life.

Even inventions that were not successful sometimes have produced the most remarkable outcomes. The same year as the Apollo 13 "successful failure", another failure was in the works.

Spencer Silver, a 3M chemist trying to formulate a stronger adhesive than the one that 3M currently had on the market, created an adhesive that ended up being super weak instead of super strong. This produced an adhesive that, in the lexicon of science, consisted of “inherently tacky elastomeric copolymer microspheres.” On the molecular level, this substance resembled the pebbled skin of a basketball. This characteristic sabotaged its bonding power; the tiny spaces between the microspheres made it impossible to get complete contact between the adhesive and another surface. In layman’s terms, it was glue that didn’t stick very well. Simply put, it was a failure.

No one knew what to do with this stuff, but Silver was smart and didn't discard it. Then four years later, on a fateful Sunday morning in the North Presbyterian Church in North St. Paul, inspiration struck. Another 3M scientist named Arthur Fry was singing in the church's choir. He used markers to keep his place in the hymnal, but they kept falling out of the book. Remembering Silver's adhesive, Fry used some to coat his markers. Entrepreneurial success! With the weak adhesive, the markers stayed in place, yet lifted off without damaging the pages. The modern day Post-it Notes was born.

But many people don't realize that if it hadn't been for Silver's persistent optimism in his failed product, combined with Fry's belief in this new found application and 3M's long-standing policy that permits employees to spend fifteen percent of their time working on projects of their own choosing, the Post-it Note may never have happened.

3M began distributing Post-it Notes nationwide in 1980 -- ten years after Silver developed the super weak adhesive. Today, over 6 billion Post-it Notes are sold in more than 150 countries around the world.

So let us rejoice in the successful Chilean miner rescue and safe return of Chile’s 33 miners, relish in the wonder of space exploration through the Apollo 13 near disaster, and thank Art Fry and Spencer Silver for the Post-it Note’s that we all use every day.

Had failure been an option in these historical lessons of forced, purposeful innovation, our lives would all be very different today. Now that’s Thinking Big!

Written by Herb Sih, Managing Partner of Think Big Partners and bizperc, Kansas City's newest entrepreneurial resource.

Startup Company Marathon Digital Services Wins "Be the VC" at KC Biz Live and Shows Kansas City Entrepreneurs What it takes to be an Innovative Business

Think Big Partners would like to congratulate Marathon Digital Services, the winner of the “Be The VC” contest that took place last week at the annual KC Biz Live event at Union Station.

 

Four finalists from StartKC’s recent GrowFest competition conducted demonstrations in “Be the VC” at the Kansas City Chamber’s KC Biz Live Event.  Sponsored by Trabon Solutions and StartKC, “Be the VC” allowed attendees to receive “bucks” when they checked in, and then had the opportunity to “invest” in the startup business of their choice.  “Be the VC” quickly became an extremely beneficial opportunity for the creation of a demo space for emerging entrepreneurs and serious startup companies.  After the “bucks” were counted, Marathon Digital Services, a new small business that creates accountability, transparency and efficiency in the construction process, was announced as the winner of the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce’s “Be the VC” contest last Thursday.

According to Chris Lester, Senior Vice President of Business Growth for the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, the “Be the VC” competition was not the only highlight of KC Biz Live—especially for Kansas City entrepreneurs and small business owners who are member of the Chamber.

The Kansas City Chamber of Commerce had been working with 360 Architecture for some time in order to create a display that gave chamber members a better sense of how they will use the unique spaces at their future home, Union Station.  During KC Biz Live, attendees were given the opportunity to look at the Chamber’s new boardroom, located in Union Station, as well as other public spaces that the Chamber will occupy

. 

So what’s next for the Kansas City entrepreneurs, small business owners, and innovators?  StartFEST!  StartFEST is a social gathering with an aim to create relationships among growth-oriented entrepreneurs, innovative companies, and members of the investment community.  StartFEST will feature 10 new and growing businesses, allowing them to demo their innovative solutions.  Keep your eye out for more information on StartFEST from us in the weeks to come.  If you’re already interested, the event will take place October 28, 2010 from 6:00-9:00PM at the Downtown Underground. 

A big congratulations to Marathon Digital Services and a big thank you to The Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and StartKC for putting on such inspirational and beneficial events.  Thanks, most of all, for Thinking Big each and every day and showing Kansas City what entrepreneurship is all about! 

Written by Allison Way.  Allison Way is a writer and videographer for Think Big Partners and bizperc, two of Kansas City's newest entrepreneurial resources.  To read more of Allison's work, please visit the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner.

Futurallia Kansas City 2011 Brings Together Hundreds of Small Businesses and Thousands of International Entrepreneurs

Imagine an international experience for the Kansas City entrepreneur in which everyone has the opportunity to interact with 800 businesses from 30 countries in two days.  That’s Futurallia, and it’s coming to Kansas City May 18-20^th of 2011!  

Check out the Futurallia KC 2011 business event!

Futurallia is an event for business leaders, entrepreneurs, and startup companies to develop their business internationally through strategic, commercial, financial and technological partnerships.  The event is a fast-paced business match-making event where everything is done to optimize an entrepreneur’s small business development efforts and maximize their time.  Check out everything that Futurallia has to offer you and your small busines

• Up to 16 pre-selected, 30-minute one-on-one B2B meetings per participant
• Businesses from 30 different countries and key industry sectors to converse with
• Interpretation services as needed
• For the first time in the USA—and in Kansas City, the heart of America!
• Match-making system perfected in over 20 years of experience
• Unique networking opportunities with 800+ businesses from around the world
• Access to exhibits, including many export specialists
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner for two days
• Up to three nights hotel accommodation (depending on package)

If you’re an entrepreneur looking for business relationships, have an interest in international markets, or are looking for worldwide and Kansas City networking opportunities, Futurallia is for you.  The process is simple: visit the Futurallia KC 2011 website and register to attend the event.  Next, input your business profile into the proprietary online Futurallia Catalog.  Then, look at the catalog and select your potential business connections.  You will then receive your meeting itinerary with your 16 scheduled meetings upon arrival, and finally, complete your meetings and use your free time at Futurallia KC 2011 to have even more one-on-ones!

To register, visit www.futuralliakc2011.com or email info@futuralliakc2011.com for more information and open the door to a world of business.

Written by Allison Way.  Allison is a writer and videographer for Think Big Partners and bizperc, two of Kansas City's newest entrepreneurial resources.  To read more of Allison's work, visit the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner.

Top 10 Small Business Ideas for Startup Companies in 2010

There’s only three and a half months left of 2010, which, believe it or not, allows entrepreneurs enough time to establish their own startup company before the first of the New Year.  There are tons of innovative small business ideas out there, but which ones have been the most successful in 2010?  Here is a list of the top 10 small business ideas for startup companies in 2010, according to noobpreneur.com.  It’s not too late for any entrepreneur to use one of these business ideas before 2010 ends!

1.  Online Business

Online business is #1 on the top 10 small business ideas for many reasons.  The main reason, however, is the fact that Internet business and online business opportunities allow for low competition but high demand, which is every entrepreneur’s dream. 

2.  Green Consultancy

2010’s biggest fad was “going green”—and green small businesses are no exception.  As more and more small businesses are going green, it is wise to develop a startup company that helps other businesses to go green.  Examples of this may be implementing green practices, reducing inefficiency in high energy consumption, and the like.  A very successful green consulting company in Kansas City, Small Planet Partners, is an environmentally-sound profitable business located in our own backyard.  

3.  Outsourcing

As businesses continue to cut costs, outsourcing service providers have become a sought-after business.  Small business operations and startup errands have become high-priority and in the long run, become astonishingly profitable. 

4.  Everything Organic

Whether it’s organic food, organic clothing, or even organic grocery bags, the word “organic” is all the rage, which can result in a profitable and successful small business idea.  Organic products are in high demand and offering an organic version of your own niche can provide a startup with small business success. 

Parisi Artisan Coffee is dedicated to making organic coffee and sustaining the environment--that's combining two great business ideas into one!

5.  Internet-Related Services

Starting up a web hosting company is not only a brilliant 2010 business idea, but it also is cheap.  An Internet startup usually costs no more than $500, yet it can make you $2,000 or more per month.  Some more niche-oriented business ideas for the Internet include web design business, SEO/link building services, and social media marketing businesses.  Kansas City’s new small business, Something Creative Inc., provides focused online marketing resources for other small businesses who need help with Internet-related services. 

6.  Green Construction

Much like the organic fad and the increased demand for green consultancy, green construction is another profitable 2010 business idea.  Green homes and buildings are in high demand and have started to gain momentum in construction business trends. 

7.  DIY Green Energy

Along the same lines as green construction is the small business idea of DIY (Do It Yourself) green energy.  By providing a startup business that advocates the importance of green energy, for example, through wind or solar energy, you are giving customers a high-demand product and saving the planet.  Not only is DIY green energy a profitable business idea, but it is also a sustainable one.

8.  White Label Fundraising

White label fundraising is when a small business partners with non-profit organizations and charities to provide a chance for someone to raise funds or his or her favorite charities or non-profits without the hassle of resource management and reporting.  An online Kansas City white label fundraising business is DealBug, in which deals and discounts are offered to customers and when they pay for the deal, a portion goes to the charity of their choice.  

9.  Freemium-Based Business

Freemium is a business model (mainly for online businesses) that allows free but limited access to a product or service in which a premium is charged if you want a full-featured access (like Twitter and Flickr).

10.  Personalized Products and Services 

Personalized products are all about specifications—they feel special and everyone likes them.  There is a growing interested in everything personalized.  Startup businesses with design-your-own, make-your-own or choose-your-own products and services are a profitable business opportunity.  The many self-serve frozen yogurt shops, such as Orange Leaf, that have been popping up all over Kansas City are a great example of personalized products and services.  Orange Leaf promises to promote community and family by providing great tasting, sensible frozen desert made just for you, by you.
  

Believe it or not, it’s never too late to start up your own new business.  Use one of these smart 2010 business ideas and you will may have a new company up and running by January 1^st!

Allison Way is a writer and videographer for Think Big Partners and bizperc, two of Kansas City's newest entrepreneurial resources.  To read more of Allison's work, visit the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner. 

Maybe Jimmy Carter Had It Right? Thoughts On The "Vicious Cycle" That Is Holding Back Small Business

According to today's Wall Street Journal article, "Held Back by Vicious Cycle", small businesses aren't holding up to their reputation for jump-starting economies that are coming out of recessions. This time, it is not working as historically advertised. This time it feels very different.


Well perhaps it IS different.

It seems that even the economic recovery, once a unifying theme among all citizens, has become politicized to such an extent that both the Republican and Democratic Parties have forgotten that at the end of the day we are all on the same team. If I have to listen to one more political advertisement that bends the truth into a shape that even a contortionist would be proud of, I might have to grab the nearest dimpled chad I can find and slit my wrists. Death by paper cut, one slit - one advertisement - at a time.

The Wall Street Journal has it right, but it stops short of saying a few important points.

1 - Can we put aside the political rhetoric and focus on what we are really trying to achieve? Last time I checked, it was putting people back to work in more jobs. And let's be sure to put people to work in our own home towns - or at least US soil. Politicians listen up - "Read my lips - no new slanderous advertisements" that get the voters so worked up that they forget they have been out of work for months on end.

2 - Can we stop lumping every business owner into the "millionaire that needs to pay their fair share of taxes?" It seems this current administration is hell bent on vilifying every business owner that has missed-more-dinners-than-they-care-to-count on their way to some level of economic success. I am a patriot and want to pay my fair share of taxes like everyone else, but do I have to subject myself to the mental abuse that I might be freeloading by paying our current tax rates and I should pay much more with no end in sight?

This leads me to my final point.

3 - Given this careless election season rhetoric that emanates from both Parties and the current administration’s disdain for anyone who has ever achieved any level of the American Dream, is it any real surprised that business owners and entrepreneurs are reluctant to spend money and hire people as they fear the dreaded "double dip?" But here is a shocking idea. Perhaps some politicians are hoping for the double dip to blame it on the opposing party? Or even more shocking....maybe some political animals are actually TRYING to create the double dip. Now I am not saying that I think anyone REALLY wants anyone to get hurt. But given the seemingly total disregard that the current administration has to recognize the real danger that small businesses face daily on their way to the American Dream and the rewards that should come with success, why would any smart business owner want to hang their neck out there to get chopped off?

Perhaps we should all try to Think Big and remember the wise words of President Jimmy Carter.

"The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the Social and the Political fabric of America. The confidence that we have always had as a people, is not simply some romantic dream, or a proverb in a dusty book that we read, just on the Fourth of July. It is the idea of which founded our nation and has guided us in our development as a people. Confidence in the future has supported everything else. We've always believed in a thing called, progress. We've always had a faith, that the days of our children, would be better than our own. Our people are losing that faith. For the first time in the history of our country, a majority of our people believe, that the next five years, will be worse than the past five years. We were taught that our armies were always invincible and our causes were always just, only to suffer the agony of Vietnam. We respected the presidency as a place of honor, until the shock of Watergate. We've got to stop crying and start sweating. Stop talking and start walking. Working together, with our common faith, we cannot fail."


Hmmm…working together. What a novel concept. Is anyone out there up for THIS challenge?


Written by Herb Sih, Managing Partner of Think Big Partners.

Midwestern Small Businesses Turn to Silicon Prairie for Startup News, Entrepreneur Opportunities, and Business Ideas

Today, we would like to spotlight Silicon Prairie, a blog and event producer founded in Omaha, Nebraska in July of 2008.  The company posts interviews with entrepreneurs and small business owners, gives updates about startup companies, announces and hosts business events, and provides entrepreneurs with business opportunities and startup advice. 

Silicon Prairie provides entrepreneurs and small business owners with numerous startup opportunities and business events, including Creative Capital Pitch Session, the Big Omaha conference, Omaha Tweetups, The Omaha Blog Co., Barcamp Omaha and Highlight Midwest.  All of these entrepreneur events are designed to bring together the region’s startup companies and the people who envision them; serious entrepreneurs.

So if you want to read up on the latest startup news, successful business ideas, and Midwest entrepreneur opportunities, visit the Silicon Prairie website.  On the site, you will be able to watch interviews with successful entrepreneurs, creatives, and investors, read features such as the Weekly Wrap Up, Five in Five, and the Tools for the Trade. 

In addition, Silicon Prairie displays other business events that are taking place in the Midwestern region.  This week, Silicon Prairie highlights the Iowa Venture Capital and Entrepreneur Conference taking place today at the Hy-Vee Hall Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. 

Visit Silicon Prairie and read up about what our neighboring entrepreneur promoters and advocates are doing to enhance entrepreneurship in the Midwest and give recognition to successful Midwestern startup companies and small business leaders! 

Written by Allison Way.  Allison Way is a writer and videographer for Think Big Partners and bizperc, two of Kansas Citiy's newest entrepreneurial resources.  To read more of Allison's work, check out the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner.