5 Ways Entrepreneurs Can Do Their Part on 9/11 This Year

It's hard to believe that twelve years ago our nation suffered the tragedy of 9/11--a series of coordinated suicide attacks by al-Qaeda upon the United States on September 11, 2001. And once again, this year on 9/11, our nation will remember those who have fallen by raising the American flag at half mast and participating in volunteer activities and acts of service throughout the community.

Entrepreneurs, we know that you’re busy every single day of the year. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day and 911 Day are no exception. But if you have an extra 10 minutes in your day on September 11, we encourage you to honor those impacted by the terrorist attacks with any of these 5 easy activities:

1.  Educate: We are fortunate enough to live in a country that promotes freedom--and that includes the freedom to choose exactly what we with our lives. Entrepreneurs take the concept of “freedom” to a whole new level by choosing the startup road less traveled. The career path of entrepreneurship is a scary one, and a lot of people do not know how to begin. As an entrepreneur, offer some advice on entrepreneurship on 911 Day to encourage other budding entrepreneurs to embrace freedom. Participate in an educational event, host a lecture, mentor a younger entrepreneur or teach people your area of expertise for just a few minutes on this special day.

2.  Create the Right Jobs: If entrepreneurs create the right jobs with a focus on important technical skills, a large abundance of jobs will spring up across the nation and promote the newfound American Dream and an increase in opportunities. In addition, the notion of self-reliance can improve economic sustainability. We, as Americans, enjoy many freedoms including the availability of extremely low prices (from companies such as Wal-Mart). The economic reality of this is that it is not sustainable. By providing more jobs and paying more for everyday goods, we can create a much more sustainable economy.

3.  Promote Health: In order to promote a healthy America, entrepreneurs and small business owners must keep their physical health in check on a day-to-day basis and also make it an important matter in the workplace. Eating right, exercising, and getting an adequate amount of sleep benefits the body as well as the mind, allowing entrepreneurs and small business owners more creativity and energy while at work. It's a win-win situation all around. We challenge you, entrepreneurs, on 911 Day, to get out of the office and go for a walk with colleagues, hit up the gym for a jog on the treadmill or attend a yoga class. Free your body and your mind for a just a few minutes.

4.  Volunteer: Whether you're a large business or a small startup, all companies should be interested in becoming good corporate citizens. When entrepreneurs and their companies volunteer, they can achieve an enhanced public image with a cohesive and motivated workforce. Volunteer programs also help employees strengthen their leadership and interpersonal skills and increases interaction among different departments.

5.  Think Big Beyond Borders: The essence of being a patriotic entrepreneur is to look past the artificial borders of nationality, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and politics in order to address the most critical problems that we face as a global society. When entrepreneurs think beyond these artificial borders, we can promote a positive change in the workforce and in the world. Thinking beyond borders allows more people to achieve their own American Dream.

Entrepreneurs, what will you do on 911 Day? Will you do more than put your flag at half-mast? We encourage all entrepreneurs to Think Big on 9/11/2013 by educating, creating more jobs, promoting health, volunteering, and thinking beyond artificial borders.

Entrepreneurs Celebrate the American Dream on the 4th of July

Fireworks, barbecues, pool parties, family reunions and live music will mark the much anticipated 4th of July on Thursday. We are just as excited as the next entrepreneur to join our families and friends for a day of celebration (not to mention, perhaps a few hours away from emails and meetings!).  

While the 4th of July seems all fun and games (which it should be), as Americans we need to recognize why we have such a day to celebrate. This date marks when our country broke free from Great Britain’s rule and gained independence in signing the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. We celebrate with fireworks to remember our freedom and traditions that the United States holds. This day is a symbol of our incredible nation’s beliefs and independence. 

To entrepreneurs, this day should be regarded as especially important. We are allowed to have our own thoughts, ideas and dreams. Entrepreneurs are given a second chance when they mess up. Americans encourage growth and innovation in communities and that is exactly what this holiday allows us to celebrate.  We as entrepreneurs are especially thankful for our freedom.  Without it, we would not be able to ideate and build upon the incredible ideas that we have.  

We tend to forget that not everyone has the freedom and liberties that we have. People from all over the world come to our country in hopes of living a better life. We are blessed and lucky that we can aspire to seek the American Dream.

So, this 4th of July holiday, we encourage you to be thankful for your freedom as you celebrate with firewords, hotdogs, boat rides and sparklers with your friends and family. From all of us at Think Big Partners, have a fun and safe 4th of July weekend and we will see you back at work on Monday!

What is “Seinfeld for Startups”?

Throughout the history of television, there have been thousands of successful TV shows-- most of them with short runs and quickly forgotten.  A show truly becomes a hit when it transcends past just having good ratings and enters into the culture of a society. The TV shows that tend to achieve this level do so because the audience isn’t just watching characters on the screen, they are relating themselves to the characters.  The characters become people the audience identifies with, sympathizes with, or perhaps even hate. 

The best TV shows teach things about everyday life that are often lost on us because we’re moving too fast.  These programs provide us with laughter when needed and make us feel emotions when we least expect.

In short, they are shows like Seinfeld. For nine seasons Jerry, George, Elaine, Kramer, and even Newman, entertained the American public with a show about nothing because it was about everything.

There are people who watched Seinfeld and then there’s the people that really watched Seinfeld and thanks to syndication, still do to this day. Think Big founding partner Tyler Prochnow falls into the latter. Tyler is a believer that every situation people face can be explained by a Seinfeld episode. So strongly, in fact, that he has created a blog, Seinfeld for Startups, to prove his point.

For a better description of how and why this idea came about, the new blogger explains:

“I can’t remember the last time I went through a day without some event triggering a Seinfeld memory.  I was discussing this with some friends at a dinner one night and a challenge was issued.  Could I come up with 5 relevant Seinfeld references before dinner was finished.  Let’s just say that was over before dessert was served.  So that got me thinking, if Seinfeld was such a big part of our everyday life, and my everyday life consists largely of working with entrepreneurs, could I use Seinfeld to assist startup companies as they grow.  And thus, ‘Seinfeld for Startups’ was born.  Each week we will feature two episodes of the show, a little synopsis and a lesson to be gleaned by entrepreneurs along with hopefully a lot of laughs and pleasant memories.  The goal right now is to tackle every episode--1 through 180.”

Now that Tyler’s theory has legs, his blog will begin its 18-month (if everything goes according to plan) trek into the bizarre, well-composed mind of an entrepreneur/Seinfeld fanatic. Will Tyler complete all 180 episodes? You’ll have to keep tuning in to find out.

On a personal note, we can’t wait for Tyler’s take on The Hamptons episode.

Get acquainted with the first five episodes of Seinfeld and follow along with Seinfeld for Startups right here!

Happy Thanksgiving! What We're Thankful For (As Entrepreneurs)

Happy Thanksgiving from Think Big Partners! 

Sometimes, we move so fast that we don't take the time to sit down and realize everything that we have to appreciate in life.  Lucky for us, Thanksgiving is just a few days away, and is the perfect time for us to say "thanks" to those who have helped us grow, succeed and have fun throughout our very own startup journey.

As a way to say "thanks", we will be making daily shoutouts to some of our biggest supports on Facebook for 40 days straight starting on November 22, 2012.  Although it's not much, it's our way of sending appreciation from our crazy world to yours.

What are some of the things we're thankful for this year?  We're so glad you asked...

• We're thankful for our entrepreneurs.  The people who show up to bizperc, call us for advice, meet with us for coffee and partner with us on projects.  If it weren't for these passionate, driven and sometimes crazy people, we would not be in business.
  
• We're thankful for bizperc, our coworking space.  With its incredible view of downtown Kansas City, killer coworking amenities and super fun (and frequent) parties, we are truly spoiled with an amazing workspace. But most importantly, we're thankful for the different people we meet in bizperc every day.
  
• We're thankful for coffee.  If it weren't for coffee, we would not have productive days, checked-off to-do lists and 2:00am conversations that often make or break our next idea.
  
• We're thankful for partners who have always believed in us and supported us throughout our startup journey.  If it weren't for our incredible support system, we would not be where we are today.
  
• We're thankful for our gadgets.  From our iPhones to our laptops, from our Windows Surface tablets to our electronic whiteboard, these gadgets make our chaotic days a bit more organized.
  
• We're thankful for humor--it's what gets us through our not-so 9-5 days.  From office pranks, team bets, wearing prom dresses to work, and caricatures drawings on our windows, we're thankful that we can build something incredible and have fun while doing it.
  
• We're thankful for our team.  Although we've been referred to as "an Island of Misfit Toys" or a "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" company, we are the glue that holds Think Big together--and even though we may be a bit nuts, we believe that we are doing big things that wouldn't be possible without every single team member's involvement.

A BIG thank you to you all.  And happy Thanksgiving.

- The team at Think Big Partners 

(Ahhh..that's more like it.)

bizperc Member Spotlight: IM For Solos

Meet Shea Glenny—Internet marketing strategist and founder of IM For Solos.  Launching her own business happened the way it does for many entrepreneurs out there—with a passion. Shea decided she wanted to help people, but not the way her pre-med degree would suggest. After a few years in the nonprofit workforce, Shea decided to make a major life change.  She wanted to make the life of a small business owner easier after discovering that marketing can add value to people’s lives.

Her company, IM For Solos, does just that.  Formalized a year ago, Shea and a group of hardworking contractors help startups with everything from SEO to web banner advertising. 

So why should you put your business in the hands of IM for Solos? This company focuses on business owners who are hands-on. Shea’s goal is to become your trusted advisor.  She’s always available to phone, email, text or Skype her clients and attempts to get to know them like the back of her hand.  Plus, if you live in Kansas, Missouri, Florida, Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas or Nevada, she’ll come meet face-to-face with you for a reduced travel fee (she gets to visit family while you get to meet the brains behind the biz. Win-win!).

Her favorite part of coworking at bizperc? “It’s a great hub for business activity. It’s quiet, you can meet with clients and network and it’s a positive environment. You realize you’re not alone.” Being an entrepreneur can be tough at its worst, but being surrounded by other startups, people who are going through the same problems, really helps Shea stay sane.

Shea Thinks Big when she has a high vantage point or view of an expansive body of water. Physically broadening her perspective, like on the rooftop at bizperc, gives her brain has freedom to come up with a big solution.

Gold Medal Lessons: 3 Tips Your Startup Can Takeaway from the 2012 Olympics

Unless you have been living under a rock, it is safe to assume you have caught a few minutes (or in the case of very dedicated viewers, a few hours) of the 2012 London Olympics.  The 2012 Games produce the same emotions that every Olympic event does—tears of joy, cheers of celebration, and even the pain of defeat and disappointment.  But what has been different about this year’s Olympic Games...and what can you take away from it?

The 2012 London Olympics can teach us some extremely valuable lessons in the startup world.  And lucky for you, we are here to fill you in with 3 gold medal tips: 

Don’t Let the Critics Bring You Down

Beginning with faultfinders of the Games’ Opening Ceremonies and carrying on to critics of NBC’s coverage, this year’s Olympics have been under much scrutiny.  But regardless of the criticism, the Games are still underway and NBC continues its coverage with fans and supporters all around the globe.  So how does this relate to the world of entrepreneurship?  

From the get go, criticism has been prevalent in the 2012 Olympics but that did not interfere with the determination and work ethic of both the Great Britain Olympic Association or NBC. Early-stage criticism should not bring entrepreneurs down either.  In fact, entrepreneurs should use this negative feedback to their advantage.  Use the criticisms to make your startup a better one. From there, it’s important to believe in your startup and let your confidence carry it through.

Team Is Most Important

Gabby Douglas, otherwise known in the 2012 Games as the “Flying Squirrel”, was expected to add another medal to her accomplishments in her performance on the uneven bars just as Jordan Weiber, former AA world champ, was expected to advance to the individual all around competition.  Unfortunately, both girls did not achieve what they may have expected.  And while both Olympians did not succeed on their own, it was in the team finals where they achieved the most satisfying gold of all. 

Whether you are a promised member of the USA Women’s Gymnastics Team or a solo entrepreneur trying to build a successful startup, you need a team to help you achieve success.  Remember—we all achieve greater accomplishments when we do it together.  Share your ideas.  Find new talent.  Grow with others. 

Represent Yourself Carefully

The 2012 London Olympics were hyped up to be the first “Social Olympics”, and so far, they have proven to be just that.  Unfortunately, social media did not always capture the best of the athletes competing in the Games.  Greek triple jumper Voula Papachristou, along with many others, found out the hard way that 140 characters can destroy a reputation.  After sending an offensive tweet, Voula was expelled from the Games altogether.  While she affirmed it was a joke, others did not find the humor.

Just as Olympic athletes do, your startup also reflects itself through its social media usage.  Remember to mind your social media manners and represent yourself carefully and intelligently while staying true to your brand.

There you have it—three tips from the 2012 Olympics to send your startup on its way to achieving the gold! Move over, Michael Phelps; these entrepreneurs are on a mission!

    

What is Going on with Google Fiber (For Real)?

As we all know, Kansas City is on a mission to become the most entrepreneurial city in America. Why not start with lightning-fast internet from Google? 1,100 cities in the US applied and Google chose Kansas City to launch Google Fiber! The Jewish Federation of Greater Kansas City hosted an event (with pizza and beer!), called KC on the Map last night to learn more about what we can expect from Google. Rachel Hack (KC Google rep) and Adam Coomes (Kansas City serial entrepreneur) spent the evening discussing the possibilities of Google Fiber and what it means for KC.

Rachel Hack

Rachel Hack, the force behind Google Fiber in KC, explained Google’s vision for Google Fiber. “We’re supplying the infrastructure,” Rachel stated, “It’s [Kansas City’s] job to run with it”.

Google wants innovation; it’s pushing for it. “We want to inspire the next game changer, like YouTube”, says Rachel.

It has taken some time for Google to build its infrastructure, but Rachel says Google Fiber should be ready for business this summer. The gigabit of internet will start in residential areas and public buildings—like schools and libraries—with a possibility of commercial Google Fiber in the future. Google has had to build its customer service department from the ground up, since it hasn’t had to interact with individual customers in the past. Rachel explains, “This is the first time customers will see the face of Google so we 

want it to be good”.

What do we recommend you do right now, Kansas City?  Be patient. 

Adam Coomes

Adam Coomes is a repeat entrepreneur and now business consultant in the Kansas City area. He is also on the Chamber of Commerce steering committee to make KC the most entrepreneurial city in the US. Adam is excited about the possible innovations Google Fiber will inspire.

Adam’s personal startup, infegy, started in his house.  “We would sit in the living room doing hours of coding,” he explains. Since many startups begin in living rooms or basements, Google Fiber in residential 

areas may actually be necessary.

Adam has some advice for anyone looking to start his or her own business: “You need passion. You can learn the other things, but if you have passion, it won’t feel like work”. He also suggests participating in Startup Weekend or other hackathons in the Midwest. So get out there, entrepreneurs, and help KC with its goal!

Who would’ve thought a faster internet connection could spark so much innovation? Google foresaw this outcome, which is why it picked Kansas City. We are ready for the creativity that will flow from Kansas City with the implementation of fiber. With Google Fiber, KC is one step closer to its entrepreneurial goal—and if it’s on the horizon, we’re excited.  

Shaping Tomorrow’s Entrepreneurs Today: Exchange City

If you grew up in Kansas City, you’ve probably been to Exchange City. You might even remember your “job” while you participated—whether you were a cop, banker or server at the café.  Exchange City is a hands-on learning experience for middle school students.  And now, Exchange City has incorporated entrepreneurship into its curriculum.  Read on to discover the role that Exchange City has in shaping tomorrow’s entrepreneurs.

Terri Swartz-Shelton and Greg Swartz are the ambitious brother-sister force behind this project. Greg is the business mind behind the scenes and Terri is a retired teacher who designed the 6-week curriculum that is taught to the students. Exchange City students learn about different businesses and careers and fill out applications for their top picks (the students even elect the city officials!).  Every different job has its own storefront. The bank (sponsored by Arvest Bank) looks exactly like a real bank—line and all! There’s even a police officer that gets to ticket people for stepping on the grass (O.K. it’s really just green carpet)!

The program stresses social studies, finance and economics. The little entrepreneurs have to write business plans and determine how to budget so their products will be profitable. But most importantly, the kids participating in Exchange City learn the mistakes that businesspeople make when starting up a business.  According to Terri, it’s better when they fail at first. “We believe in experiential learning,” she says.  “The kids will learn to revamp their products to make them profitable. We want them to learn by doing.” 

  

Phillip McCann (pictured above), age 11, worked at the front desk of the bank. He informed me that his official title is “Retail Branch Associate”. He pulled up the database on the computer and showed how he deposits paychecks and check individuals’ balances. His favorite part is that he “gets to deal with money”. Phillip even mastered customer service skills; “I’m already a people person, but they taught me how to say stuff.”

Jennifer Morales, age 13, was a cook and server at the Corner Café. They served a wide array of snacks—from ice cream sandwiches to trail mix (yum!). When asked why she chose this job, Jennifer said, “I picked this job because I like food a lot and I like to cook”. Her least favorite part (besides sweeping) was when she got ticketed $10 for wandering off without telling her manager. “It was my whole paycheck!” she said. 

This not-for-profit organization will never turn a child away from the program, even if they can’t afford the $20 ticket. Exchange City is currently looking for sponsors and partnerships. Contact Terri or Greg if you’re interested!

In the future, Exchange City wants to incorporate Exchange City alumnus and add an international business presence to their program. Terri and Greg’s biggest goal is to make a lasting impression on the children. Ask anyone who’s been to Exchange City, chances are they’ll remember their role in the city forever.

Waffles Are Just Pancakes with Syrup Traps: Startup Waffles

I stepped into the elevator and instantly smelled bacon. I don’t know about you, but that’s the way I like to start my mornings! Think Big Partners hosted the feeding frenzy, Startup Waffles, as part of One Week KC last Friday and boy, oh boy was it a sticky success! 

The spread was something to behold. There were waffles (of course!), but you could choose between regular and blueberry. But there was also bacon, bananas, coffee and juice. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the scrambled eggs (mixed with cheese, onions, green, red and yellow peppers and bacon!). They were the best I’ve ever tasted.

Just days after iKC, Startup Waffles sparked some residual conversations about the conference (check out our blog to read recaps of the events!). I overheard some mumblings about the Fire Up contest, in which Think Big Partners’ co-founder Herb Sih participated. During Startup Waffles, Herb was spotted busily passing out waffles to everyone as he schmoozed with the crowd. Many entrepreneurs in attendance were deep in conversation. Even the bizperc office dog, Dante, graced us with his presence.

We laughed, we talked and we ate (a lot). A great time was had by all!  We had such a good time, in fact, that we plan to host more Startup Waffles events in the future!  Stay tuned—we’ll be sure to keep you posted on the next time we serve up a delectable breakfast for our favorite people; entrepreneurs! 

The Bustling Crowd During Startup Waffles

Sarah Snyder Serving Up Some Tasty Waffles

Herb Sih’s Fire Up: How to Get S*#! Done Fast (Plus a Recap of iKC’s Fire Ups)

iKC hosted Kansas City’s first Fearless Innovators and Ruthless Entrepreneurs’ Unconventional Pitch (also known as Fire Up). Fire Up is an intense 5 minute, 15 seconds-per-slide pitch contest. Understanding what these entrepreneurs were saying during their speedy spiels was the hardest part of these lightning-fast pitches. Here are some details I can recall from the pitching whirlwind.

Kevin Payne, Joel Stephens, Adam Coomes, Doug Richards and Kathy Pate were the entrepreneurs of “Fire Up: The Next Disruptive Innovation”. Five entrepreneurs gave their pitches about products or ideas that should be in the marketplace. The groundbreaking ideas ranged from “non-sexy stuff” to 7-Eleven’s gross profit split to re-engineered human data systems. The presentations and presenters couldn’t have been more different if they had planned it.

The winner of the this Fire Up contest was Doug Richards. His idea was Gamification. The next disruptive innovation that he proposed was a way for a game to produce work-like results. This program is based on experiential psychology. Users will choose an adventure and then receive results based on their performance. Richards believes this new program will replace social media and render the term obsolete.  

This process of super-quick pitches is mind-blowing and bound to boost creativity and innovation. I know I’m motivated to think outside the box, but I’d never be able to pitch anything at Fire Up speed! Kathy Pate let out a huge sigh when she was finished and said, “That was the most stressful 5 minutes of my life!” The entrepreneurs kept the crowd engaged throughout the presentations and we all left Fired Up!

To catch a glimpse of Herb Sih’s Fire Up called How to Get S*#! Done Fast (he participated in Fire Up: The Answers to Questions You Didn’t Know You Had), take a look at this video below (it’s bound to make your mind race!): 


(We apologize—this isn’t the FULL presentation and it also doesn’t have the best quality!  Also, please ignore Allison Way’s random giggles and high pitched shouts at the end).  

Steve Jobs “Got it”... Will You?

“Authentic”. “Relentless Passion”. These are some words the panelists used to describe Steve Jobs during the iKC session “The Communication Secrets of Steve Jobs: Mastering the Message”. The four panelists (speakers from Trozzolo Communications, KEM studios, Meers Advertising and Fleishman-Hillard) gave their ideas about why Steve Jobs was so successful in captivating his audience.

The moderator, Chris Olsen (FinditKC), brought up Apple’s innovative marketing strategy. Steve Jobs knew it wasn’t just about targeting the consumer. It was much deeper. You have to find out what drives the consumer to make these decisions and target these motives. One panelist gave an excellent example of how Apple targets consumer motives. When the iPhone 4 came out, Apple ran a commercial that promoted a new feature without talking about it, but it highlighted a relationship. This is an example of how Steve Jobs “got it”.

The panelists gave great insight to Steve Jobs’ success and how we, the entrepreneurs, can achieve our own success. Here are some things the iKC discussion left me with:

• You have to find what you're deeply passionate about. Steve Jobs found it and changed the world.
• Get to know your user. What motivates your user? Why does he or she do the things they do? It's necessary to find the answers to these questions so you can market them successfully. 
• Become an evangelist for your product. People say, "the product will speak for itself", but if you're not willing to speak for your product, why should anyone else?
• Be consistent with your brand. Apple changed up their products but they kept the same core values since the start

bizperc Hosts Venture Fridays with Red Nova Labs

Venture Fridays, hosted by Red Nova Labs, is coming to bizperc! If you’re craving some good conversation with like-minded individuals and a few adult beverages then this meetup is for you. As a startup itself, Red Nova Labs knows entrepreneurs. The web marketing meta-company has been working out of Westwood, Kansas since 2009. Red Nova Labs understands the importance of bringing both existing and aspiring entrepreneurs together...which is exactly how Venture Fridays came to be. Venture Fridays is a meeting of the minds; gathering tech entrepreneurs from all over Kansas City for an afternoon of networking, collaborating and celebrating our startup world. 

This time around, the event is being held at Kansas City’s coworking space, bizperc. It’s the perfect setting for a Friday happy hour complete with a ping pong table, beer-stocked fridge and the most amazing view of Kansas City. Be sure to reserve your spot for Venture Fridays on May 18^th!  Join us from 4:00-6:00pm for a couple hours of entrepreneurship, networking and brainstorming. Register today. Cheers!

Follow bizperc! @bizperc

Entrepreneur Corner Spotlights 4 Startup Weekend Kansas City Companies During First Fridays

Do you enjoy good company and rooftop cocktails while watching the sunset reflect off of the Kansas City skyline? Of course you do! Who doesn't?  And these are just three of the many reasons to join us for Entrepreneur Corner at bizperc during First Fridays.


April’s Entrepreneur Corner was an undeniable success and this month's event is shaping up to be just as amazing. Each month we will feature a different startup company from the KC area, but this month we are featuring 4 different companies. What a coincidence...4 companies on May 4^th!


The 4 companies who will be showcased at Entrepreneur Corner all originated from Startup Weekend Kansas City:


Gruple makes group payments simple; it creates grups, invites grupies, notifies grupies, and provides grupies with a simple and quick way to reimburse others for tickets through debit, credit, and e-check.  But Gruple is useful for so much more than ticket reimbursement! Gruple is useful for any group activity, which requires the collection or reimbursement of money. Imagine group gifts, group trips, fantasy sports, recreational sports, group t-shirt purchases, etc.


Keyzio finds your location, allows you to verify your dream home address and then sends a postcard to inform the homeowner of your interest.


LunchUp is “the simplest way to share what you’re doing for lunch.” It’s an app that broadcasts when and where you’re going to lunch and who you’re going with. It’s a time-saving, inclusive, convenient virtual concierge that pushes you to discover.


Tuthopper is Startup Weekend’s big winner! Tuthopper teaches programming and system architecture through games. The app features a Code Dojo and fun game-play environment that will help kids learn coding through games.


We are beyond excited for the upcoming Entrepreneur Corner and we hope that you share our enthusiasm. Come have a drink, a snack, and a laugh. Make some connections and create some memories with us and our featured companies on Friday, May 4^th.

Follow bizperc! @bizperc

bizperc Proves Entrepreneurs Cannot Live Without Coffee

Stop 5 of the bizperc walking tour: all-you-can-drink coffee from bizperc

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

If there is one thing that entrepreneurs can't live without, bizperc believes it's coffee.  Take away an entrepreneur's computer and he can use his smartphone to answer emails.  Take away an entrepreneur's desk and he can sit on the floor or head to the local coffee shop to work.  Take away an entrepreneur's daily calendar and he'll just be late to meetings anyway. But take away an entrepreneur's coffee...and prepare for fury.  


Coffee and energy drinks are essential for most workers' day-to-day lives, but especially for that of an entrepreneur.  Entrepreneurs often work crazy hours, sometimes working until 3:00 in the morning  just to finish an important project.  Coffee helps the entrepreneur stay awake and feel invigorated during those late-night projects.  Coffee runs through the veins of entrepreneurs...and we believe that every entrepreneur should have access to all-you-can-drink coffee.


That's why bizperc's atmosphere revolves around coffee.  Why do you think it's called "bizperc" in the first place?  The name "bizperc" came for a combination of "business" and a coffee "percolator".  


In order to provide our entrepreneurs with all-you-can-drink coffee, bizperc provides an instant Bosch/Tassimo coffee machine with a wide variety of pods (coffee at the touch of a button!).  Hundreds of coffee mugs are available as well as a large coffee percolator, an old school coffee machine and a coffee bar where entrepreneurs can socialize over a good old cup o' joe. 

Welcome to the bizperc coffee bar! Come network and collaborate over a good cup of coffee.

bizperc provides freshly ground coffee and an old-school coffee maker next to a percolator.

Percolate with us!

A Bosch instant coffee maker with pods are always available. 

Check out rule #3: caffeine deprivation is a cruel and unusual punishment!

There is always a wide variety of pods available at bizperc.

We even have Think Big mugs!

Tired of paying $5 for a cup of coffee at Starbucks?  Then come check out bizperc and drop-in for just $15!  You'll get the chance to network, collaborate and down all of the coffee you possibly can!  Call Sarah today for a tour at 816-842-5244.

Follow bizperc! @bizperc
Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

How Does a Coworking Space Impact an Entrepreneur?

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR 

These days, it seems like you can cowork anywhere.  Coworking spaces have been popping up across the globe and the movement is only growing stronger.  But when it really comes down to it, do they truly impact entrepreneurs and help startups succeed?  We decided to take a look at bizperc tenant Coty Beasely, who has worked in this Kansas City coworking space for about five months now.


Since joining the bizperc coworking space, Coty has undergone a lot of positive change within his business.  He attributes most of his growing success to the strong networking he has received while working in bizperc.


Since Coty joined bizperc, he has:

• Effectively continued to grow his design startup, Beasley Creative
• Increased his connections to other Kansas City businesses
• Landed a larger pool of clients including Flamin' Ass Salsa, the Nelson Atkins Museum, Taplicious, FindIt Media and Videolabs 
• Went from working on $300 projects at home to working on $5,000-$8,000 projects at bizperc
• Increased his revenue by 400%
• Met a business partner (another bizperc tenant) and launched a new startup called Flow which will focus on projects worth $10,000+ 
• Grew to the point of moving up to the 5th floor of bizperc where more established businesses cowork

This was all achieved in under 5 months! 

Coty is just a small testament to the power of an effective coworking space.  Coworking spaces connect like-minded individuals, they accelerate businesses and they increase the chances of startup success.  So what are you waiting for?  Join a coworking space today and Think Big!

To learn more about the bizperc coworking space, visit www.bizperc.com or contact Sarah Snyder at ssnyder@thinkbigpartners.com. 

Follow bizperc! @bizperc

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Maybe Janis Joplin was Right...

WRITTEN BY TYLER PROCHNOW, CO-FOUNDER & SENIOR PARTNER

While I’m sure Janis Joplin was not thinking about small business and entrepreneurs when she sang “Take another little piece of my heart now baby”, the refrain has served me and many other entrepreneurs well as we focus on finding customers for our businesses.  When we launched the Arena Football franchise in Kansas City in 2006, the Commissioner of the League, David Baker, was kind enough to share some advice with us.  Of course, I almost always welcome advice from successful leaders and try and incorporate their suggestions the best I can.  But this time, it was different.  Baker stands 6’ 8” and is a self-described “couple of twinkies short of 400 pounds.”  When a man of that size speaks, you listen.

The Commissioner told me that the League was asking us for four things.  They were going to ask us for our time. They were going to ask us for our effort.  They were going to ask us for our money (the most important item).  But they were also going to ask us for “a piece of my heart,” because that is what our fans, our players and our community deserved.  Every week, our fans would come out and give a piece of their heart to the team and regardless of how many games we won or lost, we failed if we did not give a piece of our heart back to them.

Now I am not a touchy, feely, emotion-rules-the-day kind of guy.  I’m not into any of that new age; it’s all about feelings philosophy.  But I can tell you that we took the Commissioner’s advice to heart (no pun intended) and I believe that was a huge reason we were so successful in connecting with our fans and selling tickets.  Nearly every decision we made as an organization was with the fan’s heart in mind.  We put ourselves in their shoes (which was not difficult because at the end of the day, that’s what were: fans) and developed a product that spoke to their hearts.   Since that day, whether consciously or subconsciously, we’ve tried to incorporate that attitude into every business venture we have launched.  This is obviously easier in some industries as there are many businesses that would find it difficult to establish an emotional connection with their customer.  Yet I honestly believe that no industry and no business and no customer engages in a transaction without some emotion.  How often have we worked harder on a deal because you “like” the other side?  How often have you killed a project simply because you didn’t “like” the people you were dealing with?

Steve Jobs arguably built one of the most dynamic companies in history by combining cutting-edge technology with emotional appeal.  The outpouring of emotion when Jobs passed away was not because people loved Steve.  Most people had never met him.  But his products spoke to people’s hearts in a way that they became part of the company.  If you owned an Apple product, you were part of Apple.  That is a lofty goal for all of us.

I know one of the first lessons they try and teach you in business is to leave emotion at the door.  Look at the opportunity purely through an economic lens and decide whether the opportunity has merit.  But is that really possible?  Establishing an emotional connection and reaching out to your customers or your partners is the very essence of building brand loyalty and more importantly, customer loyalty.

So whether you are a first time startup with a golden idea, or a serial entrepreneur with another new business, I would urge you to fire up your iPod, put a little Janis Joplin on your playlist and look into your customer’s heart to find the magic ingredient for success.

Follow Think Big! @ThinkBigKC

Simplification and Perceptivity of Forensic and Juridical Affairs for Neoteric Vocations and Coteries

AKA Understanding Legal Startup Issues So You Know What the Hell You’re Doing and Saying

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

Warren Buffet may have said it best: “Risk comes from not knowing what you’re doing.”

Unfortunately, many times entrepreneurs do not know what they’re doing.  They’re constantly reevaluating their business plans, holding meetings blindly and talking with other seasoned entrepreneurs who may just confuse them.  The worst part of entrepreneurship is that you don’t know what you don’t know...especially when it comes to legal issues.

Entrepreneurs and small business owners have been turning to lawyers and legal consultants since startups began popping up all over the globe.  And startup legal issues couldn’t help but come running after them. Yet entrepreneurs still cannot seem to wrap their heads around the most important legal issues facing their businesses.  But could it be because legal explanations are just too complicated to understand?

Legal jargon certainly doesn’t help.  Limited liability.  Sole proprietorship.  Zoning.  Promissory notes.  Intellectual property.  Sure, these words sound pretty, but a lot of entrepreneurs may not know what they mean.  When lawyers or legal consultants do not fully explain the legal jargon that is used in small business legal matters, things can get a bit messy.  Luckily, we have books like How to Start a Business and Not Get Sued that give step-by-step guidelines to entrepreneurs starting a new business.

How to Start a Business and Not Get Sued was recently published in order to help startups understand what’s important when it comes to legal matters and entrepreneurship.  The book is written by Tom C. Brown of Brown Law Firm, a Kansas City-based business attorney who has been practicing for nearly four decades.  During this time, Tom has counseled hundreds of entrepreneurs to organized and grow their businesses.  But there’s more to Tom than meets the eye—he is an entrepreneur himself, starting up various restaurants, entertainment businesses and promotional products.  So what are his best pieces of advice?  First and foremost, Tom recommends knowing was legal matters you’re getting into.   

Don’t let legal jargon get in the way of protecting your company or moving forward.  One company that started out with a $1,000 investment let legal jargon get in their way of growth and development.  And when the company finally had the legal concept fully explained to them, the company boomed into a $500,000,000 Fortune 500 company.

Tom writes:

Two ladies approached me wanting to set up a hobby business so they could travel abroad and write off their business expenses as they shopped for jewelry to sell upon their return. 

When I asked what form of business organization would be best for them, I suggested an S corporate entity.  “What does that do?” they asked.  To answer their question, I formed a big circle on my conference room table with drink coasters.  Pointing to the center of the circle I said, “This is your company.  Everything inside is your company’s assets.  Everything outside represents your personal ones.  If the company is sued, which assets are at risk – those inside or those outside of the coasters?”  Pointing to the inside of the coasters, they both laughed and said “Now we get it.  We always thought it was the other way around!”

Sometimes, an entrepreneur just needs legal matters to be simplified.  Once their legal issues are explained properly, they can continue building a business without the fear of being sued.  So, entrepreneurs, I’m encouraging you to do this: ask the “dumb” questions.  You may be grateful that you did! 

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

The Alliance Project Wraps Up in Kansas City November 14th

It's been a long and grueling business plan competition.  But fear not, entrepreneurs! The Alliance Project is wrapping up next week and we will all find out who the winner of the $10,000 prize will be.

Everyone could use an extra $10,000.  But as an entrepreneur, what would you do with it?  Rent out a coworking space? Amp up your marketing strategy?  Schedule some much-needed consulting?  The Alliance Project, hosted by Alterra Bank, is making that dream come true for one entrepreneur.

On November 14, Alterra Bank, in conjunction with some of the most recognizable names in Kansas City business, will announce the winner of the first Alliance Project at the finale event.  bizperc, CBIZ, Kazoo Marketing, The Roasterie, the Social Media Club of Kansas City, Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP, Whiskey Design and Will Gregory Public Relations have teamed up with Alterra to provide one deserving small business with everything it needs to be successful - from $10,000 to business consulting and marketing services.

The finale event will begin at 7:30 AM on Monday the 14th with networking and a continental breakfast.  Final presentations will begin at 8:00 before a panel of judges.

Best of luck to all of the hard-working entrepreneurs who have submitted their ideas to the Alliance Project!

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

An Entrepreneur's Last Chance: Kansas City PIPELINE Application Deadline Today!

Have you ever heard the phrase "luck is preparation meeting opportunity"?

You've prepared your business idea; scrutinized the business plan, held countless meetings with your business partner, even developed a logo, website and business cards.  But have you found the right oopportunity to officially launch your business?

The opportunity is at your fingertips today, entrepreneurs.  Today is the last chance to appy for the PIPELINE immersion program--an initiative designed to identify the most talented, high-growth technology entrepreneurs in the Midwest and propel their dynamic growth. 

Applicants must hold a Bachelor's degree, must be currently running or launching a technology business in the Midwest and must have at least three years of business or scientific management experience. 

That's right; tonight at midnight is the final deadline to apply for PIPELINE's 2012 Class of Innovators.  Apply today and finally find that moment when preparation meets opportunity.  Best of luck and Think Big!

Written by Allison Way
@AllisonThinkBig