Thank You, Kansas City! Think Big Named Top 4 Brand in KC

Although we are no longer competing in KCSourceLink's Battle of the Brands (we got beat out by one of our favorite Kansas City companies, The Roasterie), we have to say, it's been quite an exciting run.  

We were nominated to participate in the Battle of the Brands back in 2012 as well...and let's just say, we weren't nearly as successful.  Back in 2012, we were beat out in the very first round by Rainy Day Books.  We were sad, but it certainly didn't cramp our startup style. 

This year was different.  We are extremely proud to say that we claimed the title of most recognized brand in the Innovation-led category by squeaking by other innovative companies such as OverKC, MySmartPlans, Barkley and Integral Computer.  We were absolutely thrilled to make it to the Fighting Four...and we have you, our fans and brand advocates, to thank.

We cannot thank you enough for your support and votes.  It's because of you that Think Big Partners can continue to grow and strengthen the Kansas City entrepreneurial community!  So thank you, Kansas City, for naming us one of the top 4 brands in the metro area, and for the past three years of support. 

Follow us: @thinkbigKC  

Think Big Partners Enters the Fighting Four!

A huge thanks to all of our Think Big fans and brand advocates!  Thanks to you and your votes, we have officially advanced to the Fighting Four in KCSourceLink's Battle of the Brands! 

We have already claimed the title of the most recognized innovation-led brand in Kansas City...and now, we're ready to duke it out against The Roasterie to make it to the championship round.  Who would have thought that two Kansas City "percolators" would go against each other to claim this title?

We cannot thank you enough for your support and votes.  It's because of you that Think Big Partners can continue to grow and strengthen the Kansas City entrepreneurial community. 

VOTE HERE.

Love Think Big? Then Vote For Us in KCSourceLink's Battle of the Brands (Again!)

Your NCAA basketball bracket may not be lookin' so hot...but the KCSourceLink Battle of the Brands bracket sure is!  We are thrilled to be in the Elite 8 of this bracket and would be even more honored to advance to the Final 4!

How can you help us?  Simply visit www.kcsourcelink.com/kc-battle and vote for Think Big Partners and your other favorite local companies.  Your votes and support are greatly appreciated!

We would like to thank the entire community for supporting Think Big Partners, not just this month during the Battle of the Brands, but throughout our entire startup journey.  We love working with Kansas City entrepreneurs, startups and brands and hope that you like working with us too.

VOTE HERE!

Vote for Think Big Partners in KCSourceLink's Battle of the Brands!

KCSourceLink is shining the spotlight on the legacy and future of entrepreneurship in Kansas City by hosting the Battle of the Brands  bracket.  Mimicking a March Madness basketball bracket, the Battle of the Brands will honor one entrepreneurial company with bragging rights as the Aristo of Entrepreneurship, the KC Kahuna, the Innovator of Epic Awesome.

We think that winner should be Think Big Partners.  And now's the time to vote, Kansas City!

Vote for Think Big Partners today (we're up against OverKC) and help us advance further down the bracket.  Thanks for contributing and Think Big!

VOTE HERE!

Think Big Celebrates GEW with KC Entrepreneurs at Startup Waffles

Is there anything better than bringing passionate, driven entrepreneurs together during Global Entrepreneurship Week?

Yes, yes there is.

It's even cooler to bring passionate, driven entrepreneurs together during Global Entrepreneurship Week and add feed them waffles!  And then, top off the day with an exclusive look at the brand new Windows 8 platform with Microsoft's startup evangelist Taylor Cowan.  We think it's safe to say that Think Big had a pretty awesome day on Friday--and a lot of great entrepreneurs joined us in the celebration.

As a part of Kansas City's Global Entrepreneurship Week, Think Big Partners hosted two events, Startup Waffles and Windows 8 Kansas City Bootcamp on Friday, November 16.  Many entrepreneurs came together not only to enjoy the sticky sweetness of waffles, but to network with other entrepreneurs, collect business cards and get educated on the Windows 8 platform.

A big thanks to all of the startups who made it out to Startup Waffles and the Windows 8 Bootcamp last week!  And an even bigger thanks to KCSourceLink for being the true KC leader during Global Entrepreneurship Week. 

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

KCSourceLink’s Nosh and Networking...And Why You Should Go

Networking and food trucks.  Sounds like a match made in heaven, doesn’t it?  If you’re an entrepreneur who loves networking and also loves food trucks, KCSourceLink has the event for you! 

On Wednesday October 10^th, KCSourceLink is having another installment of its popular Nosh and Networking entrepreneurial series. This is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs of all types—from the established to the startups.  Nosh and Networking aims to be a great meeting medium to tap into KCSoureLink’s excellent network of experts willing and able to help an entrepreneur progress throughout the startup lifecycle.   

Here’s the vital details you’ll need in order to attend:

When: October 10, 2012 at 4:30pm
Where: Enterprise Center of Johnson Country (8527 Bluejacket Lenexa, KS 66214)
What: Nosh on food from two of KC’s hottest food trucks while you network with KC business experts and fellow entrepreneurs.
What you’ll need to bring: Just some general entrepreneur things such as curiosity, ambition, passion for meeting new people and learning new ideas and a few shekels so you can nosh on the awesome grub available.
Why you should register: Register beforehand so you can win the awesome prizes that are available!

This is KCSourceLink’s 10^th anniversary celebration kick-off and what better day to do it than 10/10? A videographer will be on hand to document the occasion as KCSourceLink unveils some of their fun plans to celebrate their 10^th anniversary in the coming months. This can’t-miss networking event series is always a blast and a fantastic venue to meet fellow startup entrepreneurs.

So what are you still doing here? Go sign up already!

Think Big Partners and bizperc Prepare for Battle: KCSourceLink's Battle of the Brands

KCSourceLink is shining the spotlight on the legacy and future of entrepreneurship in Kansas City by hosting the Battle of the Brands bracket.  Mimicking a March Madness basketball bracket, the Battle of the Brands will honor one entrepreneurial company with bragging rights as the Aristo of Entrepreneurship, the KC Kahuna, the Innovator of Epic Awesome.

We think that winner should be Think Big Partners and bizperc.  And now's the time to vote, Kansas City!

So what's it going to be?  Shatto or Cerner?  Christopher Elbow or SKC?  Bo Ling's or Russell Stover?

Vote for Think Big and bizperc today (we're up again Rainy Day Books!) and help us advance further down the bracket.  Thanks for contributing and Think Big!

Follow Think Big! @ThinkBigKC

Follow bizperc! @bizperc

Kauffman Sketches Kansas City as the City of Entrepreneurs

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

Have you ever seen a Kauffman Sketchbook?  It's a new YouTube initiative brought to you by the Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City.  In the Sketchbooks, Kauffman literally draws the important entrepreneurial movements that are occurring in and around the Kansas City area.  

From defining entrepreneurial "Magic Sauce" to teaching how to play the "Money Game", the Kauffman Foundation Sketchbooks teach anything and everything that entrepreneurs may need to know in an artistic and creative way.

Narrated by Mayor Sly James and Mayor Joe Reardon, the "City of Entrepreneurs" Sketchbook provides more than KC entrepreneur education.  It tells the story of Kansas City entrepreneurship in the here and now.  From covering the Google Fiber initiative, the history of entrepreneurship in Kansas City and the companies that KC entrepreneurs can find inspiration from (for example, Kauffman Labs, Think Big Partners, KCSourceLink and many others), the video proclaims Kansas City as the City of Entrepreneurs. 

In the video, Mayor Joe Reardon may have stated it best: "What's really being built here is the worldwide platform for entrepreneurship and the bridge that will take us into the future.  Together, we are committed to making Kansas City the City of Entrepreneurs, where we celebrate those who take risks, apply new technology and have the imagination and ingenuity to create something new." 

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

What is Think Big Partners Thankful For?

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

What are we thankful for?  We're so glad you asked.

We're thankful for the amazing entrepreneurs who we have the opportunity to work with every day; from experienced techaholics to dedicated social media gurus.


We're thankful for our inspirational coworking space and the ideas that percolate within the bizperc walls.


We're thankful that Kansas City is exploding with entrepreneurship and collaboration with initiatives from KCSourceLink, the Social Media Club of Kansas City, Google Fiber and the Kauffman Foundation.


We're thankful for Twitter.


We're thankful for the 113 contestants who entered into The Gigabit Challenge and their dedication, passion and courage to put a business idea on the line.


We're thankful for our partners and all of our supporters who have helped make TBP what it is today.


We're thankful for other startup accelerators and business incubators out there that are leading the way for entrepreneurs and innovators. 


We're thankful for coffee.  


We're thankful for the precious time we get to spend with our friends and families.


We're thankful that our company is made up of driven, innovative and rockstar entrepreneurs who have been, there done that and are willing to help others do the same.


We're thankful that our office has one of the best views of downtown Kansas City.


We're thankful for 37signals and its mysterious ways of organizing our chaotic lives.  


We're thankful for all of the small businesses, entrepreneurs and organizations that have collaborated with us to throw events like Entrepreneur Corner, Think Big Kansas City, The Gigabit Challenge Finale and Entrepreneur Bootcamp.  


We're thankful for entrepreneurs, just like you, who have become living and breathing proof that Think Big Partners is making a difference in the Kansas City community and beyond.

What are you thankful for? 

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

How to Celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week 2011 in Kansas City

The much-anticipated Global Entrepreneurship Week is here.  That's right; from November 14 until the 20th, you will find entrepreneurs across the globe celebrating their startup ventures by attending entrepreneurial events, participating in business plan competitions and spreading the word of entrepreneurship.

But what will entrepreneurs be doing in Kansas City to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week?  There are a lot of events going on this week, but here are some of our favorites:

1. Entrepreneurs Unpluggd 

Entrepreneurs Unpluggd is bringing their popular Chicago event to Kansas City for the first time.  The event will feature three successful Kansas City entrepreneurs for an intimate evening of storytelling.  Ticket prices have dropped to only $10, so why not celebrate entrepreneurship with Entrepreneurs Unpluggd on Tuesday night from 6:00-9:00 PM?  Register here.

2. Congratulate Startup Weekend Kansas City Finalists

The past weekend, Kansas City's 4th Startup Weekend took place at the Cerner Innovations Campus.  This 54-hour event produced some amazing new businesses.  The top three included Horsebot3k, Bold Predictions and a tie between Dawg BnB and Merry Plate.  Want to read about these companies?  Check out this article.  Although Startup Weekend Kansas City did not occur during Global Entrepreneurship Week, it was the perfect way to kick it off the weekend before.  Congratulate those who participated in Startup Weekend Kansas City during GEW!

3.  GEW Kickoff Event

This event is today--so get out there!  Kansas City is kicking off Global Entrepreneurship Week at Union Station with Curbside Consulting sessions for emerging entrepreneurs.  Join civic leaders and experienced entrepreneurs and learn why entrepreneurship is so important to Kansas City.  Learn more here.

4.  Kansas City Cradle of Entrepreneurs Series: Danny O'Neill

The Kansas City Public Library has been hosting the Cradle of Entrepreneurs for a few weeks now.  During Global Entrepreneurship Week, the series will feature Danny O'Neill of The Roasterie.  The event takes place on Tuesday, November 15th at 7:30 AM.

5.  Kauffman FastTrac Global Women's Summit

In conjunction with Global Entrepreneurship Week, Kauffman FastTrac is hosting the FastTrac Global Women's Summit targeted to aspiring and existing women in business.  The event will drive support for women owned businesses and foster the growth of the number of women entrepreneurs.  This event takes place on Wednesday, November 16th.  

A huge thanks to KCSourceLink for posting all of the events during Global Entrepreneurship Week in Kansas City!  


Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

SMCKC and Brainzooming Announce Give Us a Gig! and the Google Fiber Roadmap

A lot came out of yesterday's second session of Building the Gigabit City, hosted by the Kansas City Public Library and put on by the Social Media Club of Kansas City and Brainzooming.  And when I say a lot, I mean A LOT.  

How about a 119-page document that outlines ideas from the community about what to create with Google Fiber?

Or a brand new initiative spearheaded by the Social Media Club of Kansas City that will unite neighborhoods with their technological community?

Or breaking news from KCSourceLink, the Kauffman Foundation and Think Big Partners?

All three came out of the hour-long session that brought together influential thought leaders from the Kansas City community.  The meeting started off with an introduction from Joe Cox, the President of SMCKC, who asked a very important question: "Sure, Google Fiber has given us a voice, but what do we want to say?"

The Google Fiber Roadmap 

Mike Brown, Founder of Brainzooming, was next to take the mic, where he introduced the crowd to the 119-page document which has become known as Building the Gigabit City: Brainzooming a Google Fiber Roadmap.  The document, which can be downloaded here, is made up of hundreds of ideas, opportunities, challenges and concepts for Kansas City to use with Google Fiber.  Mike made note of some of the highlights:

• A culture cache time capsule so that we can see what our loved ones did and thought when they visited the same Kansas City landmarks and historical sites when we do
• Microloans for the urban core
• Libraries as a data and entertainment center
• A Kansas City Master School District that offers online and night learning options
• A program that offers "sample" courses for students who want to learn a little more about the classes they take before they sign up for them 
• A Facebook-like functionality to enable sharing (with privacy settings) for doctors and patients 

Give Us a Gig! Initiative

SMCKC has created the Give Us a Gig! initiative to help the Gigabit City ideas excite the imagination of communities and neighborhoods throughout the Kansas Cities.  The initiative will educate area residents about how emerging technologies like social media and Google Fiber can help transform their communities.  According to Silicon Prairie News, Give Us a Gig! will also provide resources, including a "virtual toolkit," to empower neighborhoods throughout the metro to tell the story about how gigabit speed can benefit them.

Other Announcements

Announcements from KCSourceLink, the Kauffman Foundation and Think Big Partners centered around the topic of entrepreneurship and job creation from Google Fiber. Many entrepreneur resources are collaborating in order to enhance startup companies on the Google Fiber network, from the development of GoogleConnectsKC.com to KCGigIdeas.com to The Gigabit Challenge.  All initiatives are hoping to generate more ideas and produce more companies on the Google Fiber network.

Google Fiber is coming, Kansas City.  So what's your "gig" idea?

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Kansas City Recognized as Innovation and Technology Hub

It's no secret that Kansas City is experiencing a tech boom.  With the announcement of the Google Fiber implementation as well as many other startup and technological initiatives, there is something special going on in Kansas City.  It's something...well...big.
How big?  Why don't we take a look at some of the recognition that Kansas City has received in the past year alone:

-  Kansas City was declared "where the action" is by the Wall Street Journal back in August.  The WSJ announced KC as a city that lures entrepreneurs and trumps other cities in the information technology industry.  In fact, the number of KC tech companies rose by 5% in 2009, outnumbering the growth rates of hubs like Silicon Valley, Boston and Austin.

-  Back in May, Kansas City was also announced as a top market for IT talent by site-selection advisory form KLG Advisors.  The city ranked "very strong" for concentration of IT talent and growth of the IT labor force.

-  Shortly after the KLG recognition, Kansas City was named an information technology hub by Wired Magazine and was recognized for adding thousands of jobs in the infotech industry between 2003 and 2008. 

-  Entrepreneurs Unpluggd then named Kansas City, Missouri one of the four entrepreneurial cities to keep your eye on, mentioning startup initiatives such as Think Big Kansas City, Zaarly, KCSourceLink and Kansas City IT Professionals. 

-  Kansas City was named one of the highest Android App Producing Cities (per square mile) in the U.S. by AppsGeyser in August of 2011.

-  TechAmerica ranked Kansas City the 8th city in the U.S. for telecommunications employment and proclaimed KC to have a higher growth rate for infotech businesses than Silicon Valley, Boston and Austin. 

-  Kansas City ranks among the top 10 "clean-tech" metro areas according to the USA Today. 

-  Even back in December of 2010, Kansas City was named one of the fastest growing startup cities in the world by Startup Digest. 

The recent spur of innovation and technology in KC is allowing the city to become the place for entrepreneurs and startups.  As a business incubator and startup accelerator in the Kansas City region, we see KC as a booming place not just for technology and entrepreneurship, but for job growth and opportunity.  It all starts with Thinking Big (and now, with a gig!).

Written by Allison Way
@AllisonThinkBig

Startup Weekend Begins Tonight!

54 Hours.  503 Startups.  27,000 Entrepreneurs.  1 Startup Weekend.

Think Big Partners and bizperc are proud to sponsor Kansas City's Startup Weekend, which begins tonight and runsthrough Sunday.  Thanks to other sponsors like Adobe, the Kauffman Foundation, the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Mildred's Coffeehouse, KCSourceLink, and many others, Startup Weekend Kansas City is helping entrepreneurial dreams become a reality.

Startup Weekend starts tonight at bizperc!  We're excited to see the power of creativity and innovation explode in our own collaborative workspace this weekend.  Think Big!

Learn more about Kansas City Startup Weekend!

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A special thanks to the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring Think Big Kansas City!  Without our sponsors, the event would not be possible!  For sponsorship information, click here. 

Written by Allison Way.
@AllisonThinkBig

How to Take Your Kansas City Business Mentoring to the Next Level

It has been proven that an entrepreneur can experience greater success when they have a business mentor by their side. A business mentor can provide guidance, advice, and even much-needed vent sessions. But where can you find a business mentor in Kansas City? And more importantly, how can you take your business mentoring to the next level?

Well, nobody ever said that a mentor has to be just one person, right?  And what better way to enhance your business than by utilizing the "two heads are better than one" strategy?  Or in this case, "three heads are better than two!" 

Utilizing more than one business mentor may be another key to business success. That is why The Kansas Small Business Development Center at Johnson County Community College has formulated the ever-popular CEO Roundtables. At these roundtables, CEOs and business leaders with companies over 5-years old (past the startup stage) are invited to sit in on a roundtable in which participators address issues, seize opportunities and overcome business obstacles. In essence, these roundtables are giant pods of mentors who are able to provide knowledge and expert advice. Led by a facilitator and entrepreneur, the collective knowledge and experience of the group provides for lively and effective discussions.

“The CEO Roundtable provides life-long learning so that people can build high performance businesses that are sustainable,” says Sally Smith, facilitator of the CEO Roundtable and Founder/CEO of Smith & Associates, Inc. “These businesses become each other’s advisors and help one another get outside of the box.”

With expertise with high performance companies, Smith reiterates the importance of business mentors and how they can strengthen any business, no matter how large or small it may be. “Leadership is leadership and business is business,” she says. “The industry that these businesses come from is not as important as helping one another solve the problems at hand.”

Tomorrow, from 8:00AM until 10:00AM, the Kansas Small Business Development Center at Johnson County Community College is hosting one of these CEO Roundtables to help a rich variety of businesses answer the question “How do you work on your business, not in your business?” The participating businesses will discuss the importance of strategic planning through a formalized process that is more than just an open format. During this two-hour roundtable, business leaders will be able to lean on one another for opinions, advice, suggestions, and solutions about the ever-changing business environment around the world.

“In today’s age, a leader must understand that business and technology are always changing,” Smith says. “The CEO Roundtable helps keep things fresh and refreshed. It adds to the knowledge of business leaders.”

If you’re interested in joining a CEO Roundtable, please fill out an application or call 913-469-3878. All attendees of the roundtable must fill out an application and pay the event fee. To learn more about the CEO Roundtable events, visit KCSourceLink.

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 check out the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner.

As part of our countdown to the New Year, Think Big Partners would like to know what entrepreneurs want to see happen in the Kansas City community in 2011. Take our poll at the top of this blog and let us know!

How Do I Network? Tonight, KC Connect Has a Solution

Networking is a vital business strategy that every entrepreneur must develop.  When small businesses connect with others, tight-knit bonds can form and morph into enduring relationships with the right people.  And when entrepreneurs network with the right people, more businesses can flourish.

But how does an entrepreneur network?  Networking can come in many different shapes; from the power of LinkedIn and other social networking sites, to the joining of networking clubs.  But most importantly, the best networking opportunities come in the form of networking events.

Tonight, entrepreneurs and small business owners have a Kansas City networking opportunity that can potentially lead to a powerful string of relationships. At 5:30pm this evening, Congressman Emanuel Cleaver is hosting KC Connect—a new networking event series that occurs every fourth Friday. KC Connect is all about uniting today’s hard-working, young, urban professionals and so that they have the opportunity to network, connect with one another, express themselves, and find common ground.  Tonight’s event takes place at the American Jazz Museum from 5:30-7:30 with hor d’eurves, a cash bar, and the sounds of DJ Beatbroker, all the while connecting Kansas City business professionals to one another. 



Entrepreneurs are encouraged to attend KC Connect
in order to network with business professionals.



Networking is an effective business strategy, but only when done right.  When entrepreneurs network, they must step outside of the box and connect with people of various businesses, not just those that are within their own particular areas.  It's best to never let anyone go without talking to them, even for a few minutes.  It's important to chat with a neighbor, a person waiting in line, an old professor, or friends of friends.  When networking, be sure to keep in touch with your particular network on a consistent basis whether that be through phone calls, e-mails, LinkedIn messages, or events. 

The cliche phrase "it's not what you know, it's who you know" does stand true.  However, for entrepreneurship, we must tweek it to "it's what you know and who you know".  So seize this opportunity, Kansas City entrepreneurs, and attend KC Connect.  This is the perfect chance to meet the right people, develop a strong network, promote products and services, and tap into wider business groups.  Besides, you never know who you're going to meet!

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

10 Kansas City Entrepreneurial Resources that are Worth Checking Out

Written by Allison Way, writer and videographer for Think Big Partners.

There are a lot of entrepreneurial resources out there, even in Kansas City alone. In order to help you narrow down the most important resources, Think Big Partners has developed a list of 10 Kansas City Entrepreneurial Resources that are Worth Checking Out. Some of these resources are located near Kansas City, while others are located in the heart of downtown. No matter where these entrepreneurial resources are located, however, one thing is for sure: they were all created to help entrepreneurs launch successful businesses. So if you’re a serious entrepreneur looking for small business help, check out one (or all) of these resources to determine which one is right for you and your percolating ideas.

1. The Kauffman Foundation
http://www.kauffman.org/   |   816.932.1000

The Kauffman Foundation provides Kansas City with entrepreneurship education and training efforts and also promotes entrepreneurship-friendly policies to better facilitate the commercialization of new technologies. With programs such as FastTrac and the Entrepreneur Fellows Program, The Kauffman Foundation uses practical hands-on lessons in business development to help entrepreneurs become a success.

2. bizperc
http://www.bizperc.com/   |   816.842.5244

bizperc is Kansas City’s newest entrepreneurial resource located in the thriving Crossroads District of downtown Kansas City. As a collaborative, rentable workspace, bizperc provides serious entrepreneurs with all of their startup needs; from a vast rolodex of networking resources to an inspirational and creative environment, from beneficial core services to entrepreneur education and events, bizperc has exactly what the modern, yet Midwestern, entrepreneur needs.

3. Missouri Enterprise
www.missourienterprise.org   |   800.956.2682

The Missouri Enterprise helps small- and medium-sized businesses in the United States with manufacturing productivity improvement, ISO/quality management systems, and growth and business strategies. The Missouri Enterprise offers a variety of seminars, events, and core services.

4. Hispanic Economic Development Corporation of KC
http://www.kchedc.org/   |   816.221.3442

The Hispanic Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City helps aspiring and current entrepreneurs to start, sustain and grow their own businesses. This service comes complete with bilingual information, education, services, and assistance to develop business plans and feasibility plans to increase the probability for success and minimize the risk of failure in business.

5. Ozark Foothills Business Incubator
www.ofrpc.org   |   573.785.6402

The Ozark Foothills Business Incubator may be further away from Kansas City than most (located in Poplar Bluff, Missouri), but that doesn’t mean that it cannot provide entrepreneurs with an innovative facility to enhance business startup and expansion. With six industrial spaces, a wide variety of business services (such as seminars, tenant placement assistance, financial planning, and conference rooms), as well as discounts on many of its services, this business incubator has been professionally administered by the Ozark Foothills Regional Planning Commission.

6. FAMEE
http://www.famee.org/   |   785.554.3050

Located in Topeka, Kansas, the Foundation for the Advancement of Marketing Excellence in Entrepreneurs provides entrepreneurs with free resources, training programs, and guidance to help small businesses address key marketing and development challenges and to, of course, help grow their firms.

7. First Step Fund
www.firststepfund.org   |   816.235.6116

First Step Fund of Kansas City offers general business courses, childcare business courses, as well as on-going support after the entrepreneurial company has been launched. First Step Fund is a 36-hour program with a full feasibility plan for business or business concepts. It is taught by an experienced team of facilitators, coaches, and small business professionals.

8. Kansas and Missouri Universities and Colleges

Many entrepreneurial resources can be found in the universities and colleges of Kansas as Missouri. Check out the following schools to improve your entrepreneurial knowledge:

Kansas City Kansas Community College, Entrepreneurship Program
Johnson County Community College, Entrepreneurship Program
Missouri Western State College, Dept. of Business
Small Business Development Center at JCCC
Small Business Development Center at KU
Small Business Development Center at Northwest Missouri State (Extension)
Small Business & Technology Development Center at UMKC
Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies and Development

9. Women’s Business Center
http://www.kansaswbc.com/   |   913.492.5922

The Kansas City Women’s Business Center, located in Lenexa, Kansas, offers mentoring, resources, and counseling to women who wish to become an entrepreneur or who are currently operating their own business. The center provides business counseling, seminars, classes, workshops, networking, and peer mentoring.

10. Ennovation Center
www.ennovationcenter.com   |   816.463.3532

Located in Independence, Missouri, Ennovation Center focuses on three core areas for the development of new business: bio-tech, kitchen, and finally, business & technology. Ennovation Center provides professional facilities, administrative services, business & financing assistance, as well as a vast list of resources such as receptionist & message services, janitorial services, conferences & training rooms, and copy and fax machines.

More entrepreneurial resources can be found by browsing KCSourceLink. 
We would like to thank all of the above Kansas City resources for Thinking Big and providing help for all of our entrepreneurs.