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Thank you for visiting the Think Big Partners Blog. In an effort to simplify, we’ve moved this blog in-house to www.thinkbigpartners.com/blog. Feel free to read through our posts here, or join us over on the new blog for the latest news, thought leadership and great advice for entrepreneurs. Thanks for visiting!

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Think Big Partners

11 Things to Know Before iKC 2013

iKC: The Unconference is right around the corner! We’re ramping up for what promises to be a day full of unexpected collisions with unimaginable outcomes. In order for you to prepare for the unexpected, we’ve put together a list of everything you need to know so you can make the best of iKC 2013:  

1. Check-in starts at 8:00am.  Check-in at H&R Block World Headquarters on the first floor (and come early to guarantee your free t-shirt!). 
2. Welcome presentations will begin at 8:45am.  From there, the day will be divided into 4 sessions (to be determined the morning of the unconference). 
3. The agenda will be voted on and created live from 9:30am-10:30am. This hour may seem a little chaotic, but it allows plenty of opportunity for collisions and conversations to happen! Attendees will be able to submit ideas for session topics as they arrive and register.
4. Free parking is available in the Annex Garage off 13th & Grand (but you must print a parking voucher beforehand!).
5. Attendees can make the unconference whatever they want it to be.  We suggest having an open mind and to be prepared to discuss, learn and contribute to conversations happening. 
6. Attendees have the opportunity to get facetime with some of the leaders of Kansas City by applying for the UnMentor Program.  Apply here.
7. Dress casual! 
8. Walk over to Alamo (1400 Main) after the last iKC session for the Closing Session, brought to you by Google Fiber. 
9. Your iKC ticket doubles as your free pass to the world premiere of Tech Trek at 6:30pm at the Alamo Drafthouse during the Closing Session. 
10. You have the chance to participate in the Open Mic Awards and personally recognize and award another iKC attendee on their participation and ideas during the Closing Session. 
11. And never forget the 4 (un)written rules of the unconference:
1. Whenever it starts is the right time. Whenever it is over, it is over.
2. The people who come are the right people.
3. Whatever happens is the only thing that could have happened.
4. If you are not learning or contributing, it is your responsibility to use your own two feet to find someplace where you are. 

iKC 2013: The Unconference wouldn’t be possible with our great sponsors. A big thanks to H&R Block, Husch Blackwell, Garmin, Mazuma, Sprint, Red Bull and Google Fiber. We can wait for iKC 2013 and hope you’re just as anxious as we are! 

The Entrepreneurial Story of Kansas City’s Solomon Consulting Group

Anyone can be an entrepreneur: File some paperwork, pay for office space and embrace the culture of a startup. But the problem with this simplistic mentality is that there is a big difference between “being” and entrepreneur and actually being and entrepreneur.

The difference is doing things. Here at Think Big, we love companies that are doing real things. One company that is making a name for itself here in Kansas City is Solomon Consulting Group. Solomon Consulting group was just named #3 in Inc. Magazine’s fastest growing companies in Kansas City. To learn more about Solomon Consulting Group’s story, we connected with President and Founder of the organization, Grant Gordon.

Can you tell us about Solomon Consulting Group's beginnings? How did it all start? Do you consider yourself a startup?

Yes, I consider us a startup and entrepreneurial company as we blossomed from really nothing to now almost a team of 30. We are adding jobs and providing opportunities for people each month. I started this firm to focus on the niche area of business intelligence back in 2008, however, it was playing second fiddle as I was wrapping up the sale of Intronic Solutions to Premier Alliance, and didn’t spend much time growing the business. After my 2 year contract at Premier was winding down, I jumped in with both feet and joined Karen Blue and Darci Crow at Solomon and now we are making our mark!

What is your take on life as entrepreneur, specifically as an entrepreneur in Kansas City?

It’s fun, it’s challenging, but I couldn’t ask for a better city to be in to grow a business. I have so many caring people around this town. The toughest part ironically is staying focused in KC. As this is a “small” town, when you have some success, you consistently get requests for coffee, lunches and happy hours to meet with people who want to pitch ideas and talk partnerships. Most have brilliant ideas…but you have to stick to your core competency otherwise your time gets away from you…and time is a resource I can’t get back.

What challenges have you faced with Solomon?

The biggest challenge is typically the ebb and flow of our business. The highs are fantastic – the lows stink! You have to be able to remain level headed through each to see consistently improving results. The biggest challenge is to remember that my “Chapter 2” might be my competition’s “Chapter 12”. You have to challenge yourself – not look around and try compete with others.

What surprises, good or bad, have you encountered given your location?

We are based in South Overland Park. Some would consider us closer to Tulsa than to downtown. I think that we may look to add an office downtown in the future as the startup community is hopping and making the old areas new again! It’s fun to see the growth and the potential of downtown and its surrounding areas – and we need to be in the middle of that!

What advice would you like to pass along to current startups on growth and handling that growth?

Create budgets – stick to budgets – watch your cash flow daily. Grad school never taught me that “too much business can be as damning as no business” if it’s not handled properly. If you are growing faster than you expected, make sure you communicate issues and challenges with your banks, your investors, your clients and your family!

What does it take to become one of Inc. 500?

It’s a fantastic honor to be on the list with amazing firms across our area and the country. To make the list as Kansas’ 3rd fastest growing company was a bit of shock – but testament to Karen and Darci doing an amazing job growing this firm over the last couple of years.

What does such a big accomplishment mean for the company?

Like any achievement, it makes you work harder, not less. We want to make the list again and again…which means we have to grow. I ask everyone to make progress each day in one facet of the business or another. If we all take at least one step forward each day, we will get to the goals we have set ourselves.

What does the future hold for Solomon Consulting Group?

Our collective goal is to expand nationwide with offices in several cities. We want to grow to a firm with over 100 consultants in the next 5 years. We love what we do, and have a ton of fun doing it. Keeping that culture and making this a firm that people want to work for (and clients want to work with) is the main goal for us.

With such a great beginning, one can only anticipate where Solomon Consulting Group will go next. We want to thank Grant for taking time out of his extremely busy schedule to sit down and talk about his entrepreneurial Kansas City business. As any entrepreneur doing things knows, that’s no easy task.

Keep an eye on Solomon Consulting group by following them on Twitter!

From Kate Spade to the Garment District: An Inside Look at Kansas City Fashion Entrepreneurship

We all remember (and envy) when KC native Kate Spade blew up as a fashion designer in the mid-1990s and made us proud entrepreneurial devotees and Kansas Citians. Why, you ask? Because as a budding fashion entrepreneur, Kate Spade had a dream and she made it happen in one of the most challenging industries in the world (not to mention in Kansas City!).

Fashion entrepreneurship holds a unique market for those involved...and a competitive one at that. This market is just as important as other entrepreneurial ventures. It focuses on developmental clarity, requires experimental vision and is also backed up by a strong network.

And guess what? Fashion entrepreneurship is booming right here in Kansas City.
The term “fashion entrepreneurship” may seem somewhat new, but creative design, innovative business plans and attention-grabbing marketing strategies have been a part of entrepreneurship since the early days of Chanel. (And even before that, especially in Kansas City!)

Our very own Kansas City Fashion Week Executive Director, Teisha Barber, thinks of fashion entrepreneurship as anything from starting a unique clothing line to owning a boutique to being a stylist (with even more subgenres too!). We see all of these genres becoming more and more prevalent here in Kansas City and in our surrounding areas.

Barber shares that there are several local and regional designers making a name for themselves in the industry by traveling around the country and participating in Fashion Weeks. It’s important though, to not overlook Kansas City’s styling history. Barber explains that within Kansas City history, fashion-related businesses are revered:

“According to the Garment District Museum, in the 1940’s, Kansas City's own Garment District was a major fashion hub known for well-made clothing and accessories using quality fabrics, second only to New York. But as the styles changed over the years, the factories began going out of business. People started dressing more casual for work and jeans became very popular in the fashion world. By 1988, all the factories were gone.”

Today, a fashion revival is sweeping Kansas City. Designers and boutiques again populate the city, bringing a new age of fashion to the heart of the Midwest.

With events like Barber’s Kansas City Fashion Week on October 2-6, 2013 at Union Station, how could we not be proud of all of the new blossoming couturiers and designers?

KC Fashion Week's director, Teisha Barber, had a few things to say about the event. According to Barber, the new Kansas City Fashion Week was established in 2010 and has been thriving ever since. Each season, the crowd has grown and Kansas City residents have jumped completely on board. In fact, both show dates for 2013 were declared by the city of Kansas City, enhancing the flourishing expression of designers, stylists, models and photographers to show the public their collections, talent and entrepreneurial drive.

But Kansas City Fashion Week (with presenting designers such as Baldwin Denim, Birdies Panties and many, many others) is just the tip of the iceberg for fashion entrepreneurship in Kansas City. We cannot overlook Fashion on the Fringe, a sub-genre of Kansas City Fringe Festival or the 13th Annual West Eighteenth Street Fashion Show that took place in June.

As each KCFW comes and goes, Kansas City reaches closer and closer to the heart of the fashion industry’s map. Here at Think Big Partners, we are proud to be supporters of Kansas City Fashion Week and will even be hosting an event at KCFW in our parking lot during October’s First Friday (October 4, 2013). After all, we support entrepreneurs in every industry--from technology to fashion. Stay tuned on our calendar for more information!

What Happens in Vegas...Was Laundered Through Kansas City

To the average citizen, Las Vegas and Kansas City don’t have a whole lot in common.  Kansas City’s Power & Light District will never live up to the pulse and energy of the Vegas strip.  Vegas will never have the succulent, lip-smacking barbecue that Kansas City is famous for.  Kansas City will always have insane summer humidity while Vegas boasts a nice, dry heat.  And Vegas won’t ever have the same wholesome, Midwestern mentality that is always found in Kansas City.  To the naked eye, Vegas and KC can’t get more opposite. 

But believe it or not, Kansas City and Vegas have more in common than one may think.  The commonality that the two share lies within the power of entrepreneurship.  Both cities are booming with startup success stories, entrepreneurial initiatives and powerful leaders.  From Tony Hsieh’s Downtown Project to KC’s own LaunchKC initiative, both cities are on the verge of becoming the nation’s next startup hubs.

Which is why members of the Think Big Partners team are heading west to Vegas for the first SXSW V2V.  SXSW V2V offers entrepreneurs from across all creative industries a place to learn the skills, make the connections and find the inspiration to take their ideas and talents to the next level.  Over 1500 thought leaders will be in attendance at the first ever SXSW event in Las Vegas.

Think Big Partners’ involvement in SXSW V2V is more than just attendance.  Herb Sih, Managing Partner and Co-founder of Think Big Partners, is hosting a mentor session on creativity and inspiration from 10:15AM-11:15AM on Monday, August 11 at the Cosmopolitan.  At the session, Herb will be providing expertise and knowledge via a one-on-one career council to SXSW V2V attendees.  Sign up for a one-on-one session with Herb here.  And be sure to tweet #mentorsih on Monday! 

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Another great opportunity for Kansas City entrepreneurs is the private networking reception that will be hosted at THEhotel.  The event is KC@V2V, a penthouse party with plenty of tempting cocktails, exceptional talent and powerhouse networking on the evening on Tuesday, August 13.  To learn more about the event, click here.  For further information, please contact Rachel Scott at info@singlewingcreative.com. 

Meet the Google Glass Tech Trekkers

Last week, Chris Shaw (Think Big’s Entrepreneur in Residence) began what is known as The Tech Trek: an 8-day roadtrip to some of the most well known startup hubs documented through the frames of Google Glass.  Chris traveled by vehicle with 8 other lucky “Trekkers” from Silicon Valley to Kansas City.

Before the Tech Trekkers set off on their innovative, tech-inspired walkabout, Think Big was able to ask them all a few questions such as why they’re doing what they’re doing and what they’re most excited about.  Since we’ve already met the head Trekker Chris Shaw, it’s time to meet the rest of the gang:

Spencer Walsh

Owner of Piscator Media

Tech Trek Videographer & Producer

Why do you want to go on the Trek?

“There are two reasons why I want to go on Tech Trek. First, I was asked to produce the video content for the trip. Secondly, I would never miss a chance to mix bleeding edge technology with doing what I love”.

What stop are you most excited for?

“The Tech Trek stop I'm most excited to see is the Grand Canyon. Cities come and go. Technology changes every day. This excerpt from Wikipedia explains why the Grand Canyon is the total opposite of that, and therefore the perfect juxtaposition for the trip: ‘Nearly two billion years of the Earth's geological history has been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateau was uplifted’”. 

What unique way do you imagine using Google Glass while there?

“I'm excited to get my hands on the technology and start playing with Glass - that's when I think the really good ideas will surface.”

Blake Miller

Partner at Think Big Partners
Serial Entrepreneur & Tech Trek Supporter

Why do you want to go on the Trek?

“I want to be immersed in other startup community cultures in an effort to bring back and implement best practices.”

What stop are you most excited for?

“Vegas, Duh.”

What unique way do you imagine using Google Glass while there?

“Experiencing the stratosphere with Glass.”

Jason Grill

Owner of JGrill Media. Host and Producer of Entrepreneur KC Show – KMBZ.

Tech Trek Media & Public Affairs Expert

Why do you want to go on the Trek?

“Great group of individuals involved. Great cities. See Google Glass up close. Share the Kansas City entrepreneurial story.”

What stop are you most excited for?

“San Francisco Bay Area through the eyes of Google Glass.”

  

What unique way do you imagine using Google Glass while there?

“I’m looking forward to hopefully using them at the Dodgers stadium. I’d like to see what Zack Greinke can do away from KC and what this Yasiel Puig talk is all about up close.”

Erik Wullschleger

Manager of Product Marketing at Sprint

Tech Trek Intrapreneur, Blogger/Social Media Producer, Mobile Connectivity Provider and Spotify DJ

Why do you want to go on the Trek?

"I’m excited to better understand the piece parts of the tech eco-systems in each of the cities.  I want to find new ways a big corporation like Sprint can serve the community in KC. 

I also love road trips and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be in close quarters with all of these innovative people!”

What stop are you most excited for?

“Hard to say…but probably Boulder just because of the success in this small community and the close analogs to KC.  I would say Vegas is a close second because I know there’s a lot going on there that is overshadowed by the city’s casinos.”

What unique way do you imagine using Google Glass while there?

“I’m hoping to capture some candid moments of general shenanigans along the road.  When you lock 9 people up for an extended period of time, there’s bound to be something happening that won’t wait for you to take your phone out of your pocket, launch the video camera and begin filming.  Other than that, I just want to explore the current app eco-system and see what kind of things we can dream up on the way back.”

Tom Brantman

Imagineer at Hallmark Cards Inc.

Tech Trek Observer, “B” Team Documenter (role includes interjecting questions, points of interest and pit stops)

Why do you want to go on the Trek?

“Feel the energy of these awesome entrepreneurs. Meet and listen to the new masterminds who are shaping tomorrow’s interactions. This is a crazy fantasy trip, who won't want to be part of it?”

What stop are you most excited for?

“I'm interested in a transition more than a stop. My expectation is that people will approach Google Glass with excitement, familiarity and awe while we are out in the Bay area. But as we progress towards the center of the US, excitement will be replaced with fear and lack of context or no reaction at all…I guess if I were to pick just one place it would be Amazon. I spent a lot of time in Bentonville with Walmart and I love the way Amazon has completely changed the way I shop. They have changed retail more than any other digital company and they will continue to change it. Seeing the Amazon Locker is a cool way to see what might be next. Maybe even see something else they have cooking.”

What unique way do you imagine using Google Glass while there?

“I want Google Glass to augment my current shopping experience real time. I want to look at items on the shelf and see where I can get it at a better price, how long it would take to get it, is there better or greener product options, what are other customers saying about that product. Some of this would be awesome if it were automatic, for now I assume I can direct that experience with basic search and Amazon shopping tools. From a Hallmark perspective, I want the story behind the products. I want to know who manufactured those products, why, where did the ideas come from, what are the people who created these products like? There is a strong emotional connection between a product and its maker and I want to feel that some way in the future.”

Hampton Stevens

Writer for The Atlantic, ESPN Insider and Large

Tech Trek Journalist

Why do you want to go on the Trek?

“To explore the device as a consumer object and a sociological phenomenon, and explore the present and future of wearable computers.”

What stop are you most excited for?

“The Lightening in a Bottle Festival outside of LA.”

What unique way do you imagine using Google Glass while there?

“Shots of aerialists over the crowd, describing what they are doing on stage.”

Andy Olson

Innovation Leader at Hallmark.

Tech Trek Observer

Why do you want to go on the Trek?

“I'm tagging along to learn as much as possible and to help out capturing this awesome experience (any way they'll let me). In terms of learning, I'm specifically interested in:

Entrepreneurship - Is there anything in the way these start-ups/entrepreneurs work that I can take back to Hallmark (ways to develop the most innovative/relevant ideas, ways to make good decisions faster...)

Google Glass Capabilities - The Glass product is an amazing tool for storytelling (as evidenced by our documentary) and for connecting people. As Chris uses Glass, I want to learn how we might adapt/use this capability back at Hallmark (as we consider future products and/or services).

I also wanted to join this trip because it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. I'm a techie at heart (my undergrad is in mechanical engineering - I graduated from Santa Clara University in the Bay area).  The opportunity to get my hands on this technology while it's still hot from the oven is pretty amazing. I also love to hang around smart people; between the people on our team and the people we get to interview/meet, I'm going to hear from a lot of great minds. Finally, it's an adventure...I like adventure.”

What stop are you most excited for?

“I'm excited about this entire trip. I think I'm most interested in seeing how different communities live entrepreneurship and how different communities experience Google Glass.”

What unique way do you imagine using Google Glass while there?

“In terms of unique applications, I can't help but think about how I might use it (or see it used) on a bicycle. I'm a cyclist (as our fellow teammate, Tom Brantman); my head always goes there. There are a couple of existing cycling applications that could easily be incorporated into Google Glass. It would make a safer experience for the rider AND provide more/relevant data.

Finally, I'm looking forward to serendipity. Between the people and the new technology, we're going to come across stuff we didn't anticipate (and we'll find uses that we never imagined). The unexpected is where we're going to have the most fun (and find the most insight).”

Rodrigo “Rigo” Neri

Co-founder of Instin

Entrepreneur selected by Head Trekkers to join The Tech Trek

Why do you want to go on the Trek?

“Over the past couple of years I've been getting more involved with the startup & tech community in Kansas City.  I'm currently one of the lead organizers of KC Startup Weekend. Throughout this time I've seen Kansas City's startup & tech community grow but I feel that it can be even bigger. The reason I want to go to Tech Trek is so I can see with my own eyes what makes these top communities in the US special and bring the lessons back to KC to help it grow and make it a well-known startup and tech hub.”

What stop are you most excited for?

“I think I'm most excited about Boulder, CO. It's a place I've never been before, they have a small and powerful community which I believe is similar to what Kansas City can become.”

What unique way do you imagine using Google Glass while there?

“I haven't really thought much on what unique way I imagine using Google Glass in the trip. I'm curious to see how it performs on the road and low internet connections. However, when it comes to Google Glass in general, I'm excited about the possibilities of soon being able to use facial recognition to learn about who is around you, especially in entrepreneurial and tech parties.”

Now that you know them and why exactly they’re doing what they’re doing, learn more about the Tech Trek experience here.