The Scary Truth About Mobile Entrepreneurship

With One Week KC nearly wrapping up, the still-dedicated entrepreneurs headed over to Union Station Monday, June 25^th, to hear a panel of speakers discuss one of the hottest topics in entrepreneurship—the mobile world of startups.  Panelists shared some great insight about the limitations of the mobile industry and how to overcome them.

The scary truth: we’re running out of data

Allison Remsen of Mobile Future, a company located in the politically-charged D.C. area, discussed one of the big barriers to mobile entrepreneurship in the future—the probability of the mobile spectrum maxing out.  With as many mobile users as there are today (more than the U.S. population!), all of the data being transferred has to slow down at some point. This could take a toll on anybody’s mobile experience by the end of next year! Luckily, policymakers and businesses are becoming more and more aware of this problem; they’re eagerly working to create more data so that those entrepreneurs who rely on this technology can keep their businesses running smoothly. 

Internet for everyone

Toby Rush, founder and CEO of EyeVerify, mentioned another limitation of the mobile business world—inot having “ubiquitous broadband access.”  As coverage expands into more rural areas (like surrounding KC), it will encourage growth of the industry as well.  In his opinion, smartphones have impacted society even more so than the Internet because they allow the of information travel to be nearly instantaneous, meaning that everyone should have access these powerful tools.

Apps are the future of small businesses, and KC needs more developers!

Kansas State Representative Mike Burgess said his main concern was the lack of IT professionals in America.  He’d love to see more programming classes at the high school level, and the others agreed that more incentives for women to go into the career field are necessary as well.  These coders need hands-on experience, so more businesses should take on IT interns in order to help the industry flourish.

Key takeaways?  We need to be aware that we are nearing a data crisis and it will take young software engineers (and their mentors) to help up maintain the mobile scene.  Trust me when I say Kansas City (and the nation) will thank us for it! 

GoMobileKC Recap: Mobile Entrepreneurs & App Developers Ready to Change the World

“We live in a different world now…do you guys see it? The world has changed and as a result of it we have to change.”  These were the opening words from Vince Vaughn, CEO of Why Status Quo and host of the GoMobileKC mini conference last Thursday.  GoMobileKC was a component to One Week KC, a 9-day endeavor to make Kansas City the most entrepreneurial city in the nation. 

This event brought in app developers and mobile entrepreneurs from around the Midwest who were ready to do exactly what Vaughn stated at the beginning of the conference—change.  More specifically, the attendees were ready to create change for others through the use of mobile technology.  The conference also showcased two of the city’s best mobile talent—Captain Dan Stratman, mastermind behind the Airport Life app and Kirk Hasenzahl, CEO of Rarewire. 

The old adage, “Do what you know” was all the inspiration Stratman needed to create his app in 2010.  As a former pilot, he utilized his knowledge of the airline industry as his competitive advantage among the pre-existing airline apps and since then has seen it grow to 21,000 downloads without any formal marketing.  Stratman advised the crowd that creating an app was a long and frustrating process full of challenges.  He noted that if an entrepreneur decides to develop an app, it’s important to be passionate, learn everything there is to know about the business world, use marketing, learn technology and most importantly, do not be afraid to ask for help.

Hasenzahl’s inspiration did not come from a quote but rather a device; Apple’s iPad.  The size of the screen spawned the idea for his company Rarewire, which provides a service that allows others to create apps without being a programmer.  With 10 billion app downloads in 2011 and an expected 185 billion downloads in 2014, it is no doubt Hasenzahl joined the right industry two years ago.  “It’s a gold rush,” he said, “and you want to be the guy selling the shovels.”  Hasenzahl predicts industry growth within app promotion, rich media ad service, and mobile/app security and promoted inspiration for individuals pondering the app world to get out there and go for it.

The conference ended with the announcement of an iPad 3 winner and what Vaughn described as a “Town Hall meeting” type discussion.  Attendees and speakers were able to interact through open forum and share expertise on various components of the mobile industry. 

Want to see what you missed out on? Check out Why Status Quo’s live stream from the conference!   

A Must-attend Event for App Developers, Mobile Entrepreneurs and One Week KC Attendees

In just a few days, Why Status Quo is hosting the event for app developers, mobile entrepreneurs and One Week KC attendees.  It's called GoMobileKC and it is the city-wide nerve center for startups to learn, share and lead in a mobile paradigm.

With two guest speakers, audience interaction and loads of expert advice, GoMobileKC is the premier mobile business event taking place during One Week KC.  Attendees are sure to walk away with insight, knowledge and education about the mobile sphere that they may not get at any other One Week event.  The event will feature practical, yet uncommon advice for entrepreneurs, app developers and business leaders interested in taking the leap into the mobile world.

Hurry!  GoMobileKC will take place in just a few days.  The event takes place on June 21, 2012 at bizperc (1800 Baltimore) from 7:00-9:00PM.  Reserve your spot and register today for a ticket to this one-of-a-kind event.  Register here and get mobile!

Follow One Week KC for the next 8 days and get in on the entrepreneurial conversation!  #1wkc

018 Think Big Radio: The Mobile Entrepreneur Revolution

Did you know that over 300,000 apps have been developed in the past 3 years?  Or that apps have been downloaded over 10.9 billion times?   Or that the demand for apps hasn’t even peaked yet (it will in 2013!)?  There’s no doubt about it—mobile entrepreneurship is the new black!  In this episode of Think Big Radio, we are joined by Vince Vaughan, President/Founder of Why Status Quo and organizer of upcoming One Week KC event, GoMobileKC.  We will learn what it takes to be a mobile entrepreneur, why mobile entrepreneurship is so important and the ins-and-outs of app development.

018 Think Big Radio: The Mobile Entrepreneur Revolution

One Week KC's Only Mobile Entrepreneurship Event: GoMobileKC

When over 300,000 apps have been developed in 3 years and apps have been downloaded over 10.9 billion times, it's become pretty obvious: mobile entrepreneurship is the new black.  And it's the exact reason that Vince Vaughan, President and Founder of Why Status Quo, has decided to host One Week KC's only mobile event--GoMobileKC.

GoMobileKC is a mobile mini-conference during One Week KC that will act as the city-wide nerve center for mobile entrepreneurs, app developers and startups to learn, share and lead in a mobile-driven paradigm. The event takes place on June 21, 2012 from 7:00-9:00pm at bizperc.  

GoMobileKC will cover the challenges that many mobile entrepreneurs face, discuss what will happen after the mobile “Gold Rush”, feature presentations from two mobile entrepreneurs and address business challenges from the audience.  Speakers include Kirk Hasenzahl, co-founder and CEO of RareWire and Dan Stratman, founder of AirportLife. 

GoMobileKC will leave the audience members with cascades of information about the mobile age and how mobile has impacted entrepreneurship.  The audience will walk away with 1) threats to avoid when they don’t use ambition as part of their business strategy, especially when it pertains to mobile; 2) the obligations a business must use when tackling mobile; and 3) an awareness of the opportunities that mobile may have for a today’s Kansas City entrepreneur.

“Mobile is part of a broader revolution,” says Vince Vaughan, organizer of GoMobileKC.  “We have gone from computer to social to mobile really fast.  It’s almost too much to keep up with.  The companies that don’t incorporate mobile as part of their business strategy, will be the ones stuck and left out in the cold.”

GoMobileKC is a part of One Week KC, a nine-day celebration of entrepreneurship from June 18-26, 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri.  The mini-conference is the premier  mobile business event taking place during One Week KC.  It will feature practical, yet uncommon advice for  entrepreneurs, app developers and business leaders interested in taking the leap into the mobile world.

“This is the premier mobile business event taking place during One Week KC,” says Vaughan.  “It’s the one event that a mobile entrepreneur has to go to.  If they don’t go, they risk ceding ground to competitors already working in this new space.” 

GoMobileKC will take place on June 21, 2012 from 7:00-9:00pm Think Big Partners’ coworking space, bizperc, at 1800 Baltimore in Kansas City, Missouri.  To learn more about GoMobileKC, visit www.gomobilekc.com.

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