What The Pursuit of Happyness Means to Us

Stop 7 of the bizperc walking tour: The Pursuit of Happyness Poster in the coffee bar drop-in area

Stop 1: Richard Branson Autograph

Stop 2: "Do You Believe in Miracles" Poster and Autograph

Stop 3: The bizperc Business Card Scanner

Stop 4: Green Screen Studio and Audio Booth
Stop 5:  Unlimited Coffee

Stop 6: Electronic Whiteboard 

We have seen a lot of inspirational movies in our day (we've seen so many, in fact, that we've rated our top 10!).  But no movie seems to describe entrepreneurship, passion, innovation and determination quite like The Pursuit of Happyness, starring Will Smith.

There are more reasons than one that the Pursuit of Happyness poster hangs in the coffee bar area of our coworking space, where many entrepreneurs spend just $15 a day to get inspired and work on a new startup.

1. The Pursuit of Happyness embodies what entrepreneurship is all about.

We all get inspired by movies like Rocky, Remember the Titans and Forrest Gump.  But no movie tugs at our heart strings and encourages us to go above and beyond our own expectations than The Pursuit of Happyness.  Will Smith, who plays rags-to-riches entrepreneur Chris Gardner, shows just what it takes to become a success.  

2. The movie shows triumph after struggle.

One of the key ingredients to an inspirational film is its portrayal of triumph after a major struggle.  Chris Gardner was in poverty (and trying to raise his son while working just to survive).  Watching this struggle makes us want to see him succeed in the end (after all, the greater the struggle, the better the victory tastes).  When he pulls it all together in the end, we cannot help but be inspired by someone who had so little and then gained so much.  

3. Think Big's relationship with Chris Gardner.  

Although we were greatly inspired by Will Smith's portrayal of Chris Gardner in The Pursuit of Happyness, one of the greatest interactions that we had with this character was at Think Big Kansas City in 2010.  At our first entrepreneurial conference, we brought in Chris Gardner to deliver a keynote speech.  He left us with more than the movie ever could--an inside look at his real life, advice about what it takes to succeed and the inspiration to pick ourselves up even after our biggest struggles. 

Come get inspired at bizperc with us!  Call Sarah today to drop-in at bizperc's coffee bar for just $15!  Call 816-842-5244 or email us at info@bizperc.com for more information. 

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Entrepreneurs and Athletes Have More in Common Than You May Think

From June 11th until July 11th most people of the world only have one thing in mind: soccer. With the FIFA World Cup now in its third week of competition, everybody in the world, from the Polish to the Portuguese, the Algerian to the American, and the British to the Brazilian, is watching.

In addition, Americans are also focusing on one of the most anticipated sports events in the NCAA: the Men’s College World Series that is taking place from June 19th until June 30th.

This year, June is the month for sports. And as hundreds of athletes are gearing up for their time to shine, we, the entrepreneurs of the world, are watching.

Thinking about these buff players could take us back to a time when athletes were off sweating on the field, getting all the girls, and receiving praise from schools everywhere. In the meantime, we, the non-student-athletes, were busy cramming for the next accounting exam or polishing up on our drinking skills.

And although in high school and college, we may have felt different from the student-athletes, today, we actually have a lot more in common with those national heroes than we may think…

First of all, in the entrepreneurial world, just like in the athletic world, everyone loves when the underdog wins. Nothing can be more fun than watching a Cinderella Story unfold. Although we all root for our favorite team in the tournament, we all find ourselves leaning towards the team that started at the bottom and built their way up to the top. We also find ourselves cheering for those entrepreneurs who started with nothing and made themselves into something great. Take Chris Gardner, for example. A homeless man who was self-made into an extremely successful businessman is a story that everybody can smile about. It’s a story good enough to make into a movie (The Pursuit of Happyness), just like the sports stories that are good enough (Remember the Titans, Miracle, Friday Night Lights, etc.) as well. All of these movies have the exact same plot: the underdog wins.

Secondly, both athletes and entrepreneurs need to visualize. Both need to see themselves as a success each and every day. When athletes close their eyes just before a game, match, or meet, they are visualizing themselves reaching their goals. In essence, entrepreneurs are doing the same thing when they write out their long-term goals and business plans then strive for them in every minute of every day.

Finally, both athletes and entrepreneurs must have a support system. Although both types of people should be self-starters, they always need a support team to back them up. For athletes, this may be their team, their coaches, or maybe their families. Entrepreneurs may get support for their start-ups from family and friends. Either way, both athletes and entrepreneurs need tons of support in order to achieve their dreams.

So the next time you are watching an athletic event, whether it be Michael Phelps breaking another record, Tiger Woods sinking another putt, or Venus Williams smashing another serve, remember: you have more in common with these athletes than you may think.

Written by Allison Way, Writer for Think Big Partners