Inside Kansas City’s Google Fiber Space

This past Saturday, I was fortunate enough to tour Kansas City’s newly-established Google Fiber Space. Located at 1814 Westport Road, right in between KC’s Wesport and Plaza areas, the Fiber Space is a ridiculously awesome, nerd drool-educing neat, techy place that allows Kansas Citians to experience Google Fiber before it becomes commercially available.  The space is open to the public by reservation, which can be made here. I highly recommend checking it out.  The technologies on display are remarkable and exciting to say the least. If you can’t make it however, I took plenty of pictures and some video for your enjoyment.  Take a look: 

"Let's do this for..." is the rallying cry to encourage visitors to pre-register.

The stage doubles as a waiting room and event speaker space.

Inside the Fiber Space, glass walls carry the theme of "100 times the..." to get patrons to think of all possibilities. 

Speed test shows just how fast Google Fiber really is.

This small toy car world serves as an analogy to show how the internet has evolved and where it is going. 

(Top) The 2 terabyte storage box. (Bottom Left) The network box that provides fiber to the home. (Bottom Right) The TV box that will provide endless hours of entertainment.

This was the “Nerd Bot” art piece—an ode to Google’s Android platform. 

This live map keeps track of how many people have pre-registerd per Fiberhood.

A fiber space rep shows how you are able to mimic a laptop screen via in-home wireless.

The OnLive cloud gaming system's full potential can finally be exploited finally (thanks to Fiber!).

This cool mosaic is comprised of Chiefs and Royals player cards. 

A display from Sporting KC shows how Kansas City's soccer team will use Fiber when it becomes available.

Nerding out on so much tech can make a person hungry!  Refreshments and treats are provided by Mud Pie Vegan Bakery. 

Watch the video above for even more Fiber sneak peeks!

Kansas City's All-Star Game Hits a Social Media Home Run

For hundreds of years, baseball has been all about tradition.  Ballpark hotdogs.  Take Me Out to the Ballgame. The 7th inning stretch.  Baseball is one of America's most beloved pastimes--and we don't see it transforming dramatically anytime soon.  But a popular technology was implemented in this year's All-Star game in Kansas City and it elevated the buzz of the entire week to a whole new level.  What was the technology, you ask? Social media, of course.

According to many, the All-Star game in Kansas City was the most social All-Star game ever.  But why wouldn't it be?  Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Blogger and even Instagram have grown exponentially since last year.  To learn that the 2012 All-Star game was an extremely social one should come to no surprise to fans and social media gurus alike.

The Social Media Command Center.

image via Kansas City Star

But it was surprising when Kansas City Mayor Sly James commented that his favorite part of the All-Star game was the social media center, which was made up of a small group of volunteers at the H&R Block World Headquarters, about 15 minutes away from Kauffman Stadium.  The center quickly became known as the Kansas City Social Media Command Center.  The Center was used to monitor content posted from social media users in Kansas City using specialized software.  Volunteers also responded to questions about tourism, travel, KC, and all activities circulating the All-Star game.

Hashtags including #ASG and #HRDerby decorated Kauffman Stadium throughout the week.  The hashtags were even printed on each and every ticket sold.  A Twitter feed was rolling near the outfield in which 290,000 comments were posted with #ASG in the first inning alone!  That number alone surpassed the total posts from the entire All-Star game in 2011.

Twitter may have hit its peak when Robinson Cano (New York Yankees) stepped up to the plate during the Home Run Derby.  As the player was surprisingly booed by a plethora of Kansas City fans (much to the disapproval of Cano himself), the Yankee responded immediately with none other than a 140-character tweet.  And it was a tweet heard 'round the world.  That tweet alone caused an onslaught of both positive and negative attention on KC fans.

Although we still love the classic bag of peanuts, a coordinated "wave" from the crowd and those once-in-a-lifetime home-run catches from the stands, we are ecstatic that Kansas City went above and beyond with its social media effort during the All-Star game.  Next up?  The Olympics.

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Entrepreneur Corner Brings Out the Inner All-Star in All of Us

It may have been over 100 degrees outside during last week’s First Fridays, but that didn’t stop Think Big from throwing a killer party! Last Friday, Think Big Partners held their first-ever All-Star baseball inspired Entrepreneur Corner as part of First Fridays. There was pitching (baseball-style and entrepreneur-style!), music, popcorn, pictures, chalk and of course, ice cold beer (we had to cool off somehow!).   

First Base: The Life Equals photo booth was the beginning of the Entrepreneur Corner journey. There was a wide array of baseball props—from a Royals jersey to a baseball mitt. You could even write snarky messages on hand-held chalkboards.  Pictures from Life Equals will be posted on Facebook soon—stay tuned!

Second Base: Time to pitch! We gave each attendee just three attempts to throw their fastest pitch.  A radar gun read the exact speed of each pitch. Even Tyler Prochnow, one of Think Big’s cofounders, was spotted trying his fast pitch (and pitched 72mph!).

Third Base: After pitching (literally), attendees moseyed over to a different type of pitching experience. A camera was set up to record people pitching brilliant, wacky even outrageous ideas—ideas for business, ways of life, or even reasons why they should be the next president! Topics were written on tiny baseballs for those that couldn’t think of anything to pitch.  Stay tuned—winners of this pitching portion will be announced soon and will win tickets to Royals and T-Bones games!

Home Plate: Finally, it’s beer time! Think Big was serving free beer (3 kegs worth!), courtesy of Boulevard Brewing Company. It was such a hit there was always a line. In case you got hungry, popcorn was served—free of course! All this was going on while Bobby Miller (DJ BMJ) was laying down the tracks!

Hopefully, you made it to Think Big’s Entrepreneur Corner this month and enjoyed all the activities. If not, we’ll be here next month with more fun things in store for you!  Stay tuned on our blog for more pictures and an announcement of our pitching winners! 

Hai Chen and Tyler Prochnow of Think Big getting refreshments.

Alysa Tarantino of Think Big serving up ice cold Boulevard Wheat!

View of the crowd from the bizperc roof.

DJ BMJ spins some beats.

How Fast can you throw? We tested everyone's pitch speed!

A great crowd at Think Big's July Entrepreneur Corner!

VIP party on the roof.

Ready...aim...fire!

The pitching leaders.  Not too shabby! 

Think Big's Laura Goede gives it her best shot.     

Free beer, free popcorn, awesome networking!

Think Big employees enjoying the beautiful night.

The Think Big Team after successful entrepreneur corner! 
Thanks to everyone who came out! 

Get Your Pitching Arm Ready! All-Star Entrepreneur Corner is Friday!

Are you ready for a night of pitching, posing and partying?

In honor of the 2012 MLB All-Star Game in Kansas City, we’re throwing the ultimate Entrepreneur Corner party (with a baseball twist)! Think Big Partners’ All-Star inspired Entrepreneur Corner event is this Friday, July 6, from 5-9pm. Part of Kansas City’s First Fridays, this event is the place to be this Friday night! So warm up your throwing arm, practice your pitch and put on your dancing shoes—it’s almost time to come on over to 1800 Baltimore for a night of fun!

Pitch Here, Pitch There Contest

Have you ever wondered just how fast you can throw? Ever thought you could give the Royals a run for their money? Now you can find out! We have a machine that reads how fast your pitch is. Pitch Here and finally find out how much of an all-star you really are! The fastest pitch gets a prize at the end of the night!

Next, walk a few steps to Pitch There. You will be able to pitch any creative, wacky or just plain genius idea that you may have. Some of our favorite ideas will win prizes (even Royals tickets!). Having a hard time thinking of anything? We’ll have ready-made ideas for you to pitch your own way. See how creative you really are!

intevli Launch: First Friday app

Have you ever been wandering KC during First Fridays and wondered which place had the best activities, prizes or food? Well intevli solves that problem. This app tells you everything you need to know about all things First Friday (including parking)! We’re unveiling the intevli app during Entrepreneur Corner, so check it out and give us your feedback during the launch party from 6-9pm this Friday.

Life Equals Photo Booth

Remember our All-Star inspired Entrepreneur Corner forever! Stop by the Life Equals photo booth to take some pictures with baseball themed props!

Local DJs Dishing the Tunes

As if there weren’t enough to do, we’ll be blaring the tunes! We have 2 local DJs (which happen to be Think Big employees), Bobby Miller and Max Gall, spinning the tracks all night long! Don’t be shy; dance the night away!

Ballpark Munchies

We didn’t forget about the food! We’ll be serving baseball inspired snacks, for free! And we have beer—3 kegs, compliments of Boulevard Brewing Company.

So come on out (and bring your friends!) to 1800 Baltimore for our first All-Star inspired Entrepreneur Corner from 5-9 pm this Friday! You’ll be sure to have a great time pitching (literally!), dancing and taking tons of pictures! 

Batter Up! It's an All-Star Inspired Entrepreneur Corner on July 6

Just because most of the people we hang out with tend to geek out on techy, startup stuff doesn't mean that we don't have an athletic side to us!  In fact, we're going to prove to you just how jock-y we are during next First Fridays.  Introducing: Entrepreneur Corner...All-Star style!

We are counting down the days to the 2012 MLB All-Star Game in Kansas City...and we know you are too!  So, to help the countdown go down a bit faster, we decided to throw a baseball-inspired Entrepreneur Corner event during First Fridays.  Everything you see at Entrepreneur Corner on July 6 will be baseball themed...with a startup twist!

Pitch Here, Pitch There
We are excited to throw (literally!) our first ever Pitch Here, Pitch There event at Entrepreneur Corner.  On one side of our parking lot at 1800 Baltimore, we will have a machine that reads just how fast your baseball pitch is.  Go ahead--give us your best throw!  The fastest pitch will win a prize at the end of the night!

But that's only the Pitch Here portion.  We can't forget about Pitch There, too.  On the other side of the parking lot, you will have the opportunity to pitch a wacky, crazy, cool or brilliant idea to our video camera.  A few of our favorite recorded pitches will win awesome prizes (including Royals tickets!).  Can't come up with an idea? We'll have ideas already made for you...go ahead and try to pitch 'em!  Don't be shy...we want you to pitch both ways!

A Grand Slam App: intevli
During the All-Star Entrepreneur Corner, we are going to spotlight a brand new First Friday-focused app, intevli. intevli is a free interactive event mapping app created specifically for Kansas City's First Fridays.  The app will help you explore what art events, shopping deals, restaurants and entrepreneurial meetups are going on during First Friday (not to mention, where to park!).  Help us launch intevli right, check out the app and give your feedback during the launch party from 6:00-9:00pm on July 6.

Put Me in, Coach!
Be sure to swing by Entrepreneur Corner not just to pitch, but to capture a First Fridays memory!  Life Equals (as always!) will bring their baseball-inspired photo booth and will be snapping pictures all night long.


Jam Out!
A baseball game wouldn't be complete with pump-up music blaring while the batters approach home plate.  That's why we're featuring two (possibly three!) great DJs from the Kansas City area (and guess what? They're Think Big employees!).  Be sure to request a song from DJs Bobby Miller and Max Gall (especially if it's Hey Now, You're an All Star by Smash Mouth.  That's a given.).  

Ballpark Munchies
And if that's not enough, Think Big will also provide great ballpark munchies absolutely free!  With three kegs to tap courtesy of Boulevard Brewing Company, we promise that your Entrepreneur Corner experience will be a delicious one--you'll feel like you're in the ballpark!

We can't wait to see you during our All-Star Entrepreneur Corner event! The event will take place at 1800 Baltimore in Kansas City from 5:00-9:00pm. To learn more, visit our Entrepreneur Corner Facebook page or give us a call at 816-842-5244.


Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Ewing Marion Kauffman: From Entrepreneurship to All-Star Baseball

When many of us think of Kauffman, we imagine the Ewing M. Kauffman Foundation, a center for entrepreneurship, innovation, education and research.

Others think of the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, an architectural gem that has forever changed the Kansas City skyline.

But sports fans out there may not think of the Kauffman Foundation nor the Performing Arts Center. Instead, they think of the iconic Kauffman Stadium, home of the Kansas City Royals.

But this summer, Kauffman Stadium is more than just Kansas City's beloved baseball diamond.  It's also the home of the 2012 All-Star Game.  The stadium has not hosted an All-Star Game since January 24, 1973, the first year the stadium was opened.  So how did Kauffman Stadium come so far?

First and foremost, it was the work of Ewing Marion Kauffman himself.

Kauffman was first, a pharmaceutical entrepreneur; second, a philanthropist; and third, a Major League Baseball owner.  As an entrepreneur, Kauffman was able to establish the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in the mid-1960s, where he wanted to implement innovative, life-changing educational opportunities for young people.  Today, the Kauffman Foundation excels in advancing entrepreneurship and improving the education of children and youth.

But with his innovative mind, Kauffman also had the desire to see Kansas City, as a whole, succeed.  With this idea, Kauffman established the Kansas City Royals and brought major league baseball back to Kansas City.  The most innovative contribution that Kauffman may have provided for the Royals, however, was the initiative to build a unique stadium.  In 1973, Kauffman helped to open the Royals Stadium as a part of the Harry Truman Sports Complex in Kansas City.  The stadium was aesthetically pleasing with water fountains beyond the outfield fence and a 10-story high scoreboard shaped like the Royals crest.  After Kauffman's passing in 1993, the facility was officially renamed Kauffman Stadium and is the only stadium in the American League named in honor of a person.

Entrepreneurship, philanthropy and baseball: three movements that Ewing Marion Kauffman represented each and every day.  If Kauffman were to look down on Kansas City today, what would he see?  We think he would see a city aiming to become America's Most Entrepreneurial City.  We think he would see a city representing American baseball by hosting the All-Star Game.  And we think he would see dedicated, passionate and collaborative community members who have made it all possible.


Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Top 5 Things to do in Kansas City...with Coworkers

The season for outdoor grilling, sprinklers, and popsicles is here.  Get outside with the people who you’re inside with the most...your coworkers!

Who says you shouldn’t spend time with coworkers outside of the office?  Treat your employees, partners and fellow entrepreneurs this summer with one of the top 5 things to do in Kansas City this summer!

1.       Royals Baseball Game

There’s nothing like getting a group of people together to tailgate, bake in the sun, and cheer on the home baseball team.  Why not treat some of your coworkers to a Royal's baseball game this summer?  With numerous home games at the K filling up the Royal’s schedule, it’s easy to find an ideal Thursday or Friday night to indulge in Sheboygans,  Boulevard Wheat, and peanuts.  Who knows?  Maybe the web developer can sing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” better than any other person you’ve ever heard.  I bet our web developer can.

2.      Schlitterbahn

If the thought of your coworkers in swimsuit doesn’t make you cringe (of course it doesn’t!) then consider taking the group out to Schlitterbahn Waterpark.  Located in Kansas City, Kansas (which is becoming a hotspot), Schlitterbahn is the ideal waterpark to take your family...but why not take your coworkers?  There is a swim-up bar, mud slide, lazy river and gigantic wave pool.  If you feel like your employees need a day off, take them out for a day of sun and surf—Kansas City style.

3.      Boulevard Brewery Tour

If you need a break from the great outdoors, the Boulevard Brewery Tour will cool you off—in more ways than one.  Tours are free to the public with a reservation.  Reserve a group tour today with your coworkers and try out some of Boulevard’s best and more unique beers.  A great way to bond with the officemates...cheers!

4.       Starlight Theatre or Theatre in the Park

Want to treat your coworkers to something really special?  Buy them tickets to one of the shows being featured at the Starlight Theatre or at Theatre in the Park.  Tickets can be found at kcstarlight.com or theatreinthepark.com. 

5.      Loose Park

If you want to treat your coworkers (but you’re on a budget), why not take them to a park?  Loose Park is one of the top attractions that Kansas City has to offer.  With gardens and fountains, Loose Park is a great place to encourage your coworkers to unwind and bond through activities or a barbeque. 

BONUS!  We can't leave out First Fridays, one of Think Big's favorite summer activities!  Join Think Big Partners every first Friday of the month for a drink and to chat about what we've been up to.  The Kansas City Crossroads District will be open this Friday for First Fridays.  Bring your coworkers!

Let's get this summer started!  Treat your employees, fellow entrepreneurs, and coworkers before the chilly September breeze rolls into Kansas City!

Written by Allison Way

@AllisonThinkBig

In 2011, What Can Think Big Partners Do For You?

The New Year is quickly approaching—and with a basement full of presents to wrap, a tray full of cookies to devour, and a refrigerator full of champagne to pop, we are asking for one tiny favor from you. We need you to answer one simple question as you ring in the New Year: What do you need to help you succeed in 2011 as an entrepreneur or small business?

Although we may not be able to make the Royals win the World Series or change Sporting Kansas City back to the “Wizards”, we can help change the entrepreneurial and innovative community here in our beloved home of Kansas City. So what do you want from us this coming year? We want to know what your dreams, hopes, wants and expectations are. 

Whether it be access to capital, more business events, or updated news and insights, we want your opinions!  So jump for joy, spin in circles, and start Thinking Big! This is your opportunity to tell us what you want to see from Think Big Partners in 2011.

Take our poll featured above and tell us what you want in 2011.

Or, if you're thinking even bigger...

Leave a comment below and tell us what's on your business wish list.

If commenting isn’t your thing, shoot us an email at away@thinkbigpartners.com.

Thanks for your input—we wouldn’t be able to Think Big without contributors like you!