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

Getting Social & Going Viral Panel Ruffles a Few Feathers at iKC

During iKC there were many great panels and talks all with the goal of innovation and building Kansas City into the most entrepreneurial city in the world. One panel that stood out was the Getting Social & Going Viral session. Moderated by Aaron Deacon of the Social Media Club of KC comprised of panelist Ramsey Mohsen of Digital Evolution Group, Shelley Kramer of V3 Integrated Marketing, and Allison Way of Inboun. The discussion started off with panelist introductions, followed by a general overview of social media. Once the floor was opened for questions the discussion took flight.

The panelists were generally in consensus on social media practices. Some of those that were talked about:

• Getting something to go viral is a goal, it doesn’t just happen. The panel each had their own stories of clients that come to them saying “make it go viral”. Snarky Internet-nerd laughter soon followed.
• Crowd sourcing can be a valuable tool in product development. Mohsen told of his prior experience working with companies that were able to utilize crowd sourcing to gain consumer feedback while developing a new product. This in its self becomes a marketing campaign to build product awareness.
• Humanize your brand. To do anything with social media, you have to have a following.  Unfortunately, the toughest thing to do in the social media space is to build a following. Pretty catch 22, isn’t it? Humanizing your brand is the key to unlocking the social media book of secrets.

The social media soiree really ignited when the question of how to build a productive social media team arose. One side believed in employing the current younger generation that has been using social media since its inception. While another side believed that more experienced marketers are the ideal employees for a social media team. According to Shelly Kramer, “It’s not just being on social media sites and knowing how to use them, it is business! You need someone experienced that knows business.”  Through intense discussion, involving not only the panel but the audience, consensus was reached that it is best to build a team comprised of the experienced business personnel as well as millennials who know social media.  This mix can foster a great social media team in which everyone learns from one another.

Feathers were definitely ruffled during Going Social and Going Viral at iKC (but isn’t that the goal of a great panel?!). All in all, this panel gave valuable insight from their own experiences in an industry where many try and few succeed.  Now why not put those social skills to use and tweet this!

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).  

Innovation: Fostering Creativity in the Workplace

How do you foster innovative culture within your company? Everyone wants to know the answer to this question. During the iKC discussion, “Creativity Survival Skills: Innovation in a Large Ecosystem”, five panelists from Sprint, BATS, MRIGlobal and Hallmark discussed this question, along with many other hot topics.

Innovation. What exactly does this word mean? Author Dr. Michael E. Raynor says everyone has his or her own definition for innovation. One panelist said innovation was “disciplined creativity”. Anyone can have ideas, but if you’re not disciplined, you won’t be able to execute them. Ideas will just stay ideas. How do you get your employees to think creatively? Many companies, like Hallmark, push their employees to do activities outside their skill sets. Herb Sih of Think Big Partners encourages his employees to do things they’re passionate about, beyond the typical work day. Each panelist agreed that it’s necessary for companies to have an open environment so employees can share their ideas. Demolish the “road blocks” put in place and educate your staff so they know the correct channels to go through to get their ideas heard.

The biggest thing I learned during this session is that creativity is crucial for innovation to blossom. Some other things I learned during this discussion are:

• Find the “right” people for your company. Even if there’s not a position available for them, don’t be afraid to make one! Having the right employees can make or break your innovative environment.
• Feedback is crucial. If you don’t give your employees feedback on their ideas, they won’t understand what you want from them. They might keep bringing the same thing to the table.
• Innovation is a journey. Sometimes the idea is good but the timing isn’t. There may be an incubation period for ideas, but that doesn’t mean the idea isn’t great.

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

Entrepreneurship Advice from the Smartest Women in the Biz

Smart Women Entrepreneurs and Their Lessons for Us All:

Panelists: 

Panelists:

Kelly Tyler – Kelly Tyler Training Services

Michele Markey – Kauffman FastTrac

Belinda Waggoner – hr-haven, inc.

Jill Meyer – Technology Development and Commercialization Specialist at UMKC

More women are starting businesses than men, but a lot of them are doing it as “just a hobby” and aren’t expanding their businesses at the same rate as their male counterparts.  This is just one of the many problems faced for women entrepreneurs today.  At iKC, the “Smart Women Entrepreneurs and Their Lessons for Us All” panel had a roomful of eager women (and a few men, too!) ready to soak up the knowledge of Kelly, Michele, Belinda and Jill.  The panelists mostly focused on the (generalized) differences between men and women entrepreneurs.

If there’s one thing any entrepreneur doesn’t need, it’s a yes (wo)man.

The panel was mainly concerned about women feeling more comfortable in their own circle of friends.  However, the practice of using friends on your advisory board (when there are more qualified people you could have chosen) is a dangerous idea.  Friends tend to say “Gee, that’s good” instead of offering constructive criticism. 

Making “someday” today.

Michele said, “Life is full of somedays. Make someday today.” Jill did just that and discussed the difficulties of dropping everything—the security of your job and its 401K in particular—to start a new business.   She had been working for ten years at the same job and was essentially running the company without the financial benefits of doing so.  She was single when she decided to leave her cushy corporate job, and so she had no additional source of income to “piggyback on.”  However, she did it because she “knew [she] could do a better job than what [she] saw in around [her].” After taking a leap of faith (along with lots of hard work), she became successful on her own and would have never changed a thing about her decision to do so.

Don’t forget the handshake!

One of the things Kelly noticed is that businessmen typically give a handshake upon meeting, and some women may feel that this is too formal.  So after she goes into the handshake, she’ll feel awkward, then she’ll think about the awkward situation instead of remembering her new acquaintances name!  So avoid this by going all in for a firm handshake—it’s what’s expected in the business world—and then focus on the more important things.

The advice given by the panel was useful for both men and women—much of what was discussed were common mistakes in the entrepreneurship world.  The greatest takeaway? Start brainstorming how to solve the world’s problems and then go do it…and make that “someday” today! 

iKC Recap: Inspire Talks—From Teens to the Health Scene

The first half of the “Inspire Talks” was a great way to kick off the morning of iKC 2012.  Formulated after the popular Internet sensation “TED Talks,” several speakers gave their own inspirational stories about business, their lives and their passions. 

The guy that started his own business four years before he could drive

First off was Brent Comstock, CEO of bCom Tech Solutions.  Brent is a bright 16-year-old who started his own tech company when he was just 12.   He shared the importance of being passionate about your small business and gave some advice for those in the audience who were looking to be entrepreneurs in the future: First, you have to find a need in a community, then you have to acquire the skills to fix that need.  Finally, you need to market that need to the public.  He learned several tech skills to help out the population of his small hometown, Auburn, Nebraska, and was an instant success.

Healthy employees = cheaper employees

The next speaker in the Inspire Talk series was Matt Condon from the Athletic Rehabilitation Center (ARC), who spoke about “Health and Wellness.”  He shared some scary stats about how as American becomes more obese, the percentage of the GDP spent on healthcare positively correlates as well.  Most of these financial burdens are taken on by the companies who provide healthcare to the employees.  His solution?  Get your employees fit and healthy (and not just so you can win the “Kansas City’s Sexiest Office” award)!  As small business owners, you can help save yourself money by encouraging your employees to get off the couch and go for a run; it’s even worth investing some of the company’s money in, too.

Just get up and exercise already, America!

Finally, Don Peterson of Big Iris spoke on “Big Data and The End of Wisdom.”  Although he said he would need hours to explain the concept of big data to the audience, he also had an interesting perspective on the healthcare industry.   He criticized doctors for not encouraging their patients to do the one thing that vastly reduces the presence of cardiovascular disease – getting up and exercising (maybe iKC panelist Micah LaCerte of Hitch Fit should’ve been speaking at Inspire Talks, too?).  He mentioned a study from the early 1930’s that showed people who had more active jobs drastically reduced their likelihood of having a heart attack or stroke later in life (it may be time to become a professional dogwalker!)  

The audience members left for their break feeling inspired to get up and work hard to solve the world’s problems (thanks, Brent!) and to later jog off that jumbo cookie that was in the iKC 2012 lunch box.

Entrepreneurship, Networking...and Mechanical Bull Riding?

After a long (but educational!) day of panelists and networking, iKC conference attendees migrated over to Kansas City Power & Light’s greatest country-western bar, PBR Big Sky.  Ties were loosened and beers were consumed.   Attendees had the opportunity to mingle and pick the brains of the speakers in a casual setting.  All-in-all, it was the perfect end to a successful iKC event.

The greatest part of the evening? Seeing Think Big Partners’ CEO and co-founder Herb Sih riding the mechanical bull—an image none of us are soon to forget.  We had to share it with you:

8 Things to Take Away From iKC; How to Get Funded

Entrepreneurial growth has steadily been on the rise in recent years since the economy took a turn for the worse in 2008. But this surge in entrepreneurship means growth of businesses and more new jobs. Many startups have great ideas that aim to make our lives better. However, every entrepreneur faces a huge obstacle that can plague a business: funding. Some have it; many don’t. Even for those that do get funding face headaches and problems.

Plus, entrepreneurs have to ask themselves many questions in the funding sphere.  Do you go for crowdfunding or look for local investment? Do you try to find an angel investor or seek out a venture capital group? The questions are endless and the answers will vary depending on the business model. The following is valuable insight into the world of funding gathered during iKC panel, Geocashing Players from Pawns: Finding the Power Players to Invest in your Company. 

• Put your own skin in the game: Starting a business is a major risk.  By not investing your own money, you’re sending a message of doubt to potential funders. If you think, “Hey, I’m investing my time. That’s got to be worth something,” you’re still not investing enough. Your time is the measure of your effort. Your money is a measure of your passion.  As panelist Kelly Pruneau of Women's Capital Connection put it, “If you don’t put your own skin in the game, what makes you think I will?”
• Ask people you know: Friends & family—we all have them. When you have an idea that you’re passionate about and you know could be big, don’t be afraid to ask. Whether it’s a well-off uncle or a friend from college, the worst that could happen is that they say no. These people may also have wisdom in that field that will allow them to help in other ways
• Look to the crowd for answers: The great new trend for startups is to get crowdfunding. Sites like Kickstarter, Fundable and Gust all allow you to pitch your idea to millions of people who, in turn, can become potential investors. However, according to Rachel Qualls of Angel Capital Group, it’s important to “gather credible local investors first before looking to crowdfunding”. She also suggests, if possible, to accumulate 90% of your projected needed capital. This way, you’re dealing with people you know. You’re more likely to hear from the person who gave $5 rather than one who gave $5,000. She went on to say that due to the popularity of these sites, it is becoming increasingly harder to “rise above the noise”. Giving insight into the mind of potential angel investors that view funding portals, she says, “Don’t pay for extra listing fees that promise to increase visibility. Investors don’t care for it.  Instead, they look for what has already be raised and how quickly it can become liquid.”
• Know the rules before you get into the game: The recent popularity of crowdfunding has brought about the good folks of the Security Exchange Commission. On May 7th, 2012 they issued guidance to prospective crowdfunding intermediaries under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act (H.R. 3606). This measure was taken because the current crowdfunding space looks a lot like that of the stock market prior to the major crash in 1929. A full list of SEC guidelines for crowdfunding is available here.

Let’s say crowdfunding isn’t your cup of tea, mainly because you don’t like a bunch of random peoples’ hands in your tea.  That’s where angel Investors and venture capitalist firms come into play. Much like an elusive white-browed shortwing, these groups can easily be turned off by your actions so it is imperative to know how to deal with them.

• Know everything:  Investors understand that you are passionate about your business.  Don’t spend 14 minutes of your of 15-minute pitch only talking about how cool your business idea is. The investors aren’t really investing in the business. They’re in vesting in you. They want to know if you can do what you say you will. Have you done a reasonable financial forecast? Have you researched the market and potential competitors? What role do you expect from them? These are some of the questions that investors want to know the answer to.
•  Don’t just look for a check: You want to find a sophisticated investor, someone who has already had success. Nine times out of ten, their wisdom is more valuable than their money.
• Don’t be afraid to Think Big: There are many obstacles you may encounter along the way, but that shouldn’t get you down. When you have the opportunity to pitch to angel investors, be optimistic and fearless.

Getting funded is a major undertaking.  You may hear the word “no” 100 times but one “yes”. That “yes” is all it takes to make your idea a reality. Whether you ask friends and family, seek out angel investors, or look to crowdfunding, there is one thing that is universal: people invest in you.

iKC Answers KC's Question: How Do You Build a Startup in the Midwest?

Kansas City has that "something".  It's hard to put my finger on exactly what that "something" is...but one thing is for sure: it's there.  I was lucky enough to sit in on an iKC panel this morning called How to Build a Start and Stay in the Midwest, where 3 panelists and one moderator talked about what that "something" is and how we can improve upon the entrepreneurial scene, not only in Kansas City, but in the Midwest. 

Tom Boozer (UMKC), moderator of the panel, started the session by asking the following question: What makes us different than Boston's tech hub?

And what about Silicon Valley?

What about Austin?

These three cities have truly utilized their growing tech and entrepreneur scenes and have become brands.  Can Kansas City, the Midwest (or in an entrepreneurial scene, Silicon Prairie) do this as well?  Can our geographical location become a brand as well?

Panelists from some of Kansas City's most well-known startups including LiveOn, Front Flip and Farms Tech, seem to think so.

Some of the key take-aways I left this session with:

• Why do we go to Silicon Valley, Boston and Austin?  Startups go there for the money, the technology and the talent.  Does Kansas City have these 3 characteristics as well?  
• Kansas City's best entrepreneurial trait is its support of entrepreneurs in general.  According to Jason Tatge of Farms Tech, "Entrepreneur organizations in Kansas City get you around other people who are extraordinarily successful in this community.  There is not another city that provides advice like Kansas City does.  The people here are generous and willing to give."
• Kansas City is a great place to start a new business because of its cost of living.  The cost in other places (like Silicon Valley) is high compared to Kansas City.  Tom Boozer was correct when he said, "there are things you can do here that you can't there." 
• Silicon Valley is known for technology, so that's what you talk about when you're out and about in SF or San Jose.  But in SV, people are more honest about entrepreneurship too.  Here in Kansas City, everyone pretends like everything is perfect.  In the Valley, people talk about the problems that they're having.  Kansas City needs to become more open in saying that we are trying and that we may fail in a few areas.  "There is a beauty in entrepreneurship," said Jonathan Whistman of LiveOn.  "There are companies that are successful and those that fail.  We should be comfortable in telling people that we are struggling.  That happens in Silicon Valley; why can't we do it here and help one another with these problems?"
• The Front Flip panelist that filled in for Sean Beckner felt the same way: "When I put an investor hat on, I would turn away from someone who says that everything is under control.  You're fooling yourself!"

So what's missing in Kansas City?  According to the panel (and many opinions from the vocal audience):

• A roadmap for who to seek advice from 
• The willingness to exchange honest information
• Unstructured, unplanned conversations that tackle certain entrepreneurial problems
• Entrepreneur-focused classes (i.e. coding, development, etc.) in schools (from elementary to university) 

Stay tuned for more updates about what's going on at iKC!

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

A Letter to iKC Attendees

Dear iKC attendees, 

In less than 24 hours, you will be igniting Kansas City’s entrepreneurial scene, innovating with like-minded individuals and inspiring others to learn and grow.  Are you ready for iKC 2012?  We sure are.  But before you get too excited, we want to remind you of a few key pieces to help you make this conference the Best. One. Ever.

DON’T FORGET:

Business cards, handouts and flyers (let's get networking!)

A notebook and pen (you'll learn a ton...so take notes.)

Eventbrite registration print-out (we gotta make sure you're legit.)

Lunch will be provided (but you can bring snacks if you want...especially if it's chocolate.)

PLAN YOUR DAY

There are tons of panels, presentations and speeches during iKC.  Which ones will you attend?  Download the iKC Agenda to plan your experience.

CHECK OUT OUR SPEAKERS

Be sure to check out our dynamite list of speakers, panelists and presenters at www.sparkinginnovation.org/speakers.  We're excited about them, and we think you will be, too!

PARKING

Complimentary parking is located on the north side of 13^th and Walnut in the surface parking garage (Annex parking.) Parking tickets from only this garage can be validated at check-in inside of the H&R Block building.

GET SOCIAL!

• Tweet with us:  @iKC_2012 and #iKC
• Check out intefy.com/iKC to check out all iKC Twitter traffic (thanks Fresh ID!) 
• Visit the iKC page on authorSTREAM for direct access to all iKC Powerpoint presentations

PBR AFTER PARTY

The agenda says 8:30am-4:40pm, but iKC doesn’t stop there! Join us for an iKC networking happy hour from 5:00-7:00pm at PBR Big Sky in the Power & Light District. Plus, after all that learning, we think you'll need a cocktail.  

We can't wait to see you at iKC on June 20th!  Make sure you find one of us and say "hello"! 

See you soon,

Think Big Partners

iKC is brought to you by presenting sponsor, Master Your Card Missouri.

Our Favorite i-Word: Inspiration

iKC is all about igniting, innovating and inspiring.  But our favorite of these three is the "inspire" piece.  In fact, we think its so important that iKC attendees are inspired throughout the whole day, that we dedicated an entire track to inspiration.  We're bringing in Inspire Talks.

Inspire Talks are quick, 12-minute discussions with some of Kansas City's most interesting entrepreneurs and innovators.  Each Inspire Talk will focus on a certain area of expertise.  And all 7 Inspire Talks are extremely different:

• Teentrepreneurship by Brent Comstock of bCom Tech Solutions
• Startup Methology by Ashley Raiteri of VaultPAD Ventures
• Wellness and Innovation by Matt Condon of Athletic and Rehabilitation Center
• Big Data and the End of Wisdom by Don Peterson of Big Iris
• User Acquisitions: Are You Acquiring Users or Losers? by Josh Coleman of AgLocal
• Hot Now! Krispy Kreme's Sweet App Success by Mark Logan of Barkley
• Past, Present and Future: The Kansas City Spirit from Rick Usher, City Manager of KCMO

Inspire Talks will take place from 9:30am-10:25am and 10:45am-11:25am.  Don't miss the opportunity to get inspired at iKC!  View the iKC Agenda here.

Be sure to follow iKC at @iKC_2012 and use #iKC on the day of the conference. 

Are You Fired Up!? iKC Unveils Fire Up Presenters

iKC is hosting Kansas City’s first Fearless Innovators and Ruthless Entrepreneurs’ Unconventional Pitch (Fire Up) on June 20, 2012.  This month, the conference sought out 11 knockout presenters to participate in Fire Up.  And now, we have the names:

Fire Up Topic #1: What’s the Next Disruptive Innovation?

• Kevin Payne— Better Data, Better Decisions, Better Lives
• Joel Stephens— Augmented Reality Mirror: Next Time, “Test Drive” Your New Hairstyle First!
• Adam Coomes— Non-Sexy: The Next Disruption
• Doug Richards— Gamification: The Way We Work, Learn and Play
• Christian Braddock— Slurpees, Big Gulps and the Gross Profit Split: The Revolution of the Franchisor-Franchisee Relationship

Fire Up Topic #2: Answers to Questions You Didn’t Know You Had  

• Tim Sylvester— How can Modern Infrastructure Make KC the Most Entrepreneurial City in the World?
• Herb Sih— How to get S%&^ Done Fast
• Shaun Williams— How to Maximize ROI in a Mobile World
• Eze Redwood—Innovative Platforms Bring Collaboration: How Unique Virtual Spaces can Unite Groups
• Bryan Richard— Why Software Development is Hard: 5 Tips for Managing Developers, Shipping Software, and Staying Sane

Presenters only have 5 minutes (20 slides, 15 seconds per slide) to convey a particular message.  Wish these Fire Up presenters good luck on June 20—they’ll need it.  This will be the most intense pitch series KC has ever seen!  Are you ready? 

iKC Unleashes List of Speakers and Inspire Talk Presenters

iKC is now announcing its list of 50+ speakers and Inspire Talk presenters who are lined up to speak at the innovation and entrepreneurship event in Kansas City on June 20, 2012.  The speakers range from many different areas of expertise—from entrepreneurship to marketing, innovation to profitability.  iKC will feature speakers and presenters from some of Kansas City’s most well-known companies like Boulevard Brewing Company, Hallmark, Sprint, The Roasterie and The Kauffman Foundation as well as some of the new up-and-comers like Inboun, Hitch Fit, FrontFlip and Bixy.

To view a full list of speakers and Inspire Talk presenters, check out the iKC Agenda page.   

A special thanks to presenting sponsor Master Your Card Missouri and other iKC sponsors including H&R Block, 7-Eleven, KC Business Magazine, R2Fact, Google, FreshID, authorSTREAM and Hovey Williams LLP.

Missing out on iKC on June 20th? We're sad, too. But we've got great news.  You can view all of the Powerpoint presentations on our authorSTREAM page.  Click here for direct access.

Special iKC Promo!  authorSTREAM is also excited to offer a complimentary Premium and Business Plan to all conference attendees at 30% off (take a look at them here).  Attendees or anyone related with the iKC event can use the Promo Code: PC7100513 for availing this offer on buying our Premium/ Business plans.  This offer will be available to the first 100 users claiming it, starting from today till July 17, 2012.

We look forward to seeing you (and all of our knockout speakers) on June 20^th! 

Sick of the Same Old Boring Swag Bag? We Are Too!

You're off to another awesome entrepreneurial conference.  You're pumped.  You've been counting down the days.  You can't wait to see what the conference has to offer.  

And then you receive another boring swag bag.  

A taupe bag filled with boring informational sheets is the only swag you get when you attend this conference. And let's be honest, you're bummed!

That's why iKC, Kansas City's innovation and entrepreneurship conference, is getting creative!  Every conference has boring bags of stuff that they give out to attendees.  iKC's swag bags will be unlike any other gift you've received from a conference...because we're getting the kids involved.

Join  for a fun and free live graffiti painting and stenciling event for kids 5 and over on Saturday, June 16th, from 5:00 to 7:00 at the Kultured Chameleon, Kansas City's new street art gallery at 1739 Oak St. in the Crossroads District.  The kids will be painting and stenciling each of the swag bags for iKC.  After the event, the graffiti bags will be distributed to iKC attendees on June 20, 2012. 

There will be demos, live painting, a live DJ, dancing, filming a mini-documentary of the event, and the creativity will be directed by the Hip Hop Academy and some of the region's premier street artists: Gear, Krie, Sha9again, Dom, VisualGoodies, SikeStyle, Mythik, Oktobot, Lofiyah1, and Chubix.

So bring your family out to the Kultured Chameleon on June 16th, be part of the fun, and tell us what being innovative means to you!

iKC Twitter Party is in Full Swing!

When iKC proclaimed to the world that it was throwing a Twitter Party, it wasn't kidding.  And now, the iKC Twitter Party is in full swing--tweeps are tweeting, users are engaging and major prizes are being awarded!  

Yesterday, Austin Brown (@Austin_Brown_) answered one of iKC's Twitter Party questions and was entered to win a 10 day drop-in pass to the bizperc coworking space.  Lucky for Austin, he won the drawing!  The iKC Twitter Party is as easy as that.

• Simply follow iKC on Twitter: @iKC_2012
• Retweet, mention or answer one of iKC's discussion questions via Twitter
• Prizes will be awarded to one lucky winner every day this week (check out prizes here).  

Join the conversation and socialize with us during iKC's Twitter Party!  See you in the Twittersphere (and hopefully at iKC!).  

Follow iKC! @iKC_2012

iKC is Throwing a Twitter Party (and You're Invited!)

iKC is throwing a Twitter Party...and you're invited!

What is a Twitter Party exactly?  It's the opportunity to engage with iKC on Twitter and enter for the chance to win major prizes!

Prizes include: a free ticket to the Big Idea Exchange on June 18, a 10-pack drop-in at bizperc coworking space, 2 tickets to Entrepreneur Day at the K on June 26, 1 hour of free business consulting from Think Big Partners and 2 tickets to KC's conference on innovation and entrepreneurship, iKC, on June 20.

How can you participate?  No RSVP and no gifts required!  Instead, just pop on Twitter during the week of June 4th-8th and answer a few of our innovation/entrepreneur-driven questions.  When you use hashtag #iKC2012 to answer our questions, you will automatically be entered for the chance to win big!

Follow iKC from June 4th-8th and get tweeting!

Click here: iKC on Twitter

A big thanks to the following companies and organizations who are now supporting iKC as sponsors (more sponsors can be found at www.sparkinginnovation.org).  

Master Your Card Missouri

Hovey Williams

The City of Kansas City, Missouri

Hallmark Cards 

Predict Successful Innovation with Dr. Michael E. Raynor at iKC

Dr. Michael E. Raynor of Deloitte Research.

iKC, sponsored by Master Your Card Missouri, is excited to spotlight Dr. Michael E. Raynor as the keynote speaker during this year’s innovation and entrepreneur conference on June 20, 2012.  Dr. Raynor started his career as a consultant, but quickly discovered his passion for research and innovation.  This realization led Raynor to the Harvard Business School where he focused on becoming a professor.  But as many creative thinkers and innovators know, career paths are not always straight ones.  Dr. Raynor took on a hybrid position with Deloitte LLP’s research arm, Deloitte Reseach, which has proved both fruitful and ever-changing.

But Dr. Michael Raynor is so much more than just a high-level consultant.  He’s a husband, a father, a best-selling author, an investor, an innovator.  Raynor can speak to a wide range of individuals at iKC—from the budding entrepreneur to the high-power investor—because it seems as if Raynor has been everywhere and done it all.

Dr. Raynor will present a keynote speech titled The Innovator’s Manifesto: Deliberate Disruption for Breakthrough Growth at iKC on June 20, 2012 at the H&R Block World Headquarters in downtown Kansas City.  The keynote will focus on the emerging rules of successful innovation and will speak to investors, entrepreneurs, managers and corporate M&A’s alike.

“My idea is that we worry about innovation processes rather than the substance of good ideas because we do not yet know what really good ideas truly look like,” Raynor says.  “In my research I’ve tried to tackle the question of innovation as scientifically as I can, and I believe I’ve got some interesting progress to report.”

According to Raynor, entrepreneurs and innovators far too often swing blindfolded at a piñata, hoping that they get a good whack.  But why swing blindfolded when a much more deliberate approach to ideas and innovation exists?  That’s what The Innovator’s Manifesto keynote is all about.

“Getting the right process in place is difficult, but conceptually straight-forward, rather like training for a marathon,” he says. “You know what to do to prepare for it, but not everybody does it because it’s hard.  Similarly, we’ve tried everything to make innovation easy, believing that somehow if we find the right management process, the good ideas will emerge automatically.  I think a different approach is needed, one that focuses on the defining attributes of good ideas, independently of how they were created.” 

iKC attendees now have the chance to learn what makes for a great idea – one that is systematically more likely to success.  Listen to Dr. Raynor live at iKC on June 20, 2012—purchase your ticket today.    

Follow iKC! @iKC_2012

June Entrepreneur Corner Features iKC (with Giveaways!)

If the free drinks and networking can't convince you to swing by,
maybe the amazing view will! 

So far, we think Entrepreneur Corner has brought in some really cool companies this summer.  From featuring new inbound marketing company Inboun to spotlighting all four of the top contenders at Startup Weekend Kansas City, our rooftop parties during First Fridays have been a summer hit...and we're excited to keep the ball rollin'!

Join us this Friday, June 1, during First Fridays for Entrepreneur Corner where we will feature not a startup company, but a movement.  We will be spotlighting upcoming innovation and entrepreneurship conference iKC (which will take place on June 20 at H&R Block World Headquarters).  Join us on the rooftop of bizperc (1800 Baltimore in Kansas City, Missouri) for cocktails, snacks and a raffle for a free iKC ticket!  We will be giving away one free ticket to iKC and five 20% off discounts to the event.  When you stop by, you'll have the chance to network with some of KC's more innovative entrepreneurs and learn more about the iKC event.

To learn more about Entrepreneur Corner, be sure to check us out on Facebook.  Entrepreneur Corner will take place on Friday, June 1 from 5:00-9:00pm at 1800 Baltimore.

iKC Asks KC Entrepreneurs to Fire Up!

iKC is throwing Kansas City's first Fearless Innovators' and Ruthless Entrepreneurs' Unconventional Pitch. We know, it's a mouthful. That's okay, though...you can just call it "Fire Up" for short.

A Fire Up is a 5 minute, lightning-fast pitch presentation:  20 slides.  15 seconds per slide. 

Sound a little too fast?  It probably will be.  Fire Up will put entrepreneurs in a hot seat and will force them to be concise, to think on their feet and to spark the interest of the crowd.

We’re looking for 12 brave contestants to participate in iKC’s Fire Up event.  Six will present on one topic and 6 on another.  What are the topics, you ask?  Go ahead—pick your poison:

What is the Next Disruptive Innovation?

The Answers to Questions You Didn’t Know You Had 

Interested Fire Up participants are encouraged to submit their information to the iKC website at www.sparkinginnovation.org/fire-up.

Click here to learn more about iKC or visit iKC on Twitter @iKC_2012!