KCSourceLink’s Nosh and Networking...And Why You Should Go

Networking and food trucks.  Sounds like a match made in heaven, doesn’t it?  If you’re an entrepreneur who loves networking and also loves food trucks, KCSourceLink has the event for you! 

On Wednesday October 10^th, KCSourceLink is having another installment of its popular Nosh and Networking entrepreneurial series. This is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs of all types—from the established to the startups.  Nosh and Networking aims to be a great meeting medium to tap into KCSoureLink’s excellent network of experts willing and able to help an entrepreneur progress throughout the startup lifecycle.   

Here’s the vital details you’ll need in order to attend:

When: October 10, 2012 at 4:30pm
Where: Enterprise Center of Johnson Country (8527 Bluejacket Lenexa, KS 66214)
What: Nosh on food from two of KC’s hottest food trucks while you network with KC business experts and fellow entrepreneurs.
What you’ll need to bring: Just some general entrepreneur things such as curiosity, ambition, passion for meeting new people and learning new ideas and a few shekels so you can nosh on the awesome grub available.
Why you should register: Register beforehand so you can win the awesome prizes that are available!

This is KCSourceLink’s 10^th anniversary celebration kick-off and what better day to do it than 10/10? A videographer will be on hand to document the occasion as KCSourceLink unveils some of their fun plans to celebrate their 10^th anniversary in the coming months. This can’t-miss networking event series is always a blast and a fantastic venue to meet fellow startup entrepreneurs.

So what are you still doing here? Go sign up already!

Kick Off the Fall Season with k12itc & Think Big Partners at Entrepreneur Corner

* Bummer!  Tonight the forecast shows a 70-90% chance of rain!  Because of the weather, we have cancelled Entrepreneur Corner for tonight, September 7, 2012.  Join us next month on October 5 with k12itc and we promise to make it up to you! 

August is almost over. 

Sigh. 

We witnessed a lot of great things this month.  We saw the United States come out on top in the Olympics and the fantastic closing ceremony that followed.  NASA actually got a one-ton robot to land on Mars.  And sports fans everywhere began pulling out their favorite college team jerseys in preparation for football season. 

It’s tough to let a great month like August 2012 slip away. But have no fear—Entrepreneur Corner during First Fridays is here to lift your spirits and help you celebrate the beginning of fall!

The September edition of Entrepreneur Corner will not only feature great refreshments, awesome networking and stunning views of Kansas City from the rooftop of 1800 Baltimore, but we’ll also be spotlighting local Kansas City company, k12itc.

k12itc specializes in working with both public and private schools to deliver tailored solutions for each organization’s unique technological challenges. k12itc provides access to a comprehensive range of flagship solutions including CloudRack, CloudWatch and managed Blackboard hosting.  Join us on the rooftop of bizperc to learn more about k12itc and speak with the founders yourself! 

Entrepreneur Corner festivities will kick off 5:00pm and conclude at 9:00pm...but that’s only our event! As with every First Friday, there are a slew of great events that will be happening all over downtown Kansas City and in the Crossroads Arts District.

But how can you find out about every Entrepreneur Corner activity?  Now, it’s simple!  Download the intevli app on your smartphone for all of the latest information on art events, restaurants, entrepreneurial meet-ups, shopping and even parking during First Fridays!

See you on the rooftop on September 7^th! 

Divvy HQ Hosts Startup Launch Party at First Friday’s Entrepreneur Corner

For this month’s Entrepreneur Corner, Think Big Partners hosted the launch party for spreadsheet innovation group Divvy HQ on the swanky bizperc rooftop garden.

Best view of KC – bizperc’s green rooftop garden, hands down!

Complimentary cold beverages are not unfamiliar to the Think Big Partners’ Entrepreneur Corner events, but this First Friday, the crew was serving up Divvy-tini’s (made by Divvy HQ with blackberries, wine and other secret ingredients!) and classic KC barbeque. Plus, if you dropped by, you scored some sweet Divvy swag – a “plan, Divvy, conquer” t-shirt made of oh-so-soft material.

Divvy-tinis for all! Or at least until the sweet nectar lasted…

 Divvy HQ team members ready to kick off the party!

Minglin’ – it’s getting packed!

The Think Big team admiring their new Divvy swag

First-timers soaking in the incredible bizperc view 

A big congrats to Divvy HQ and its first official launch party!  We are excited to see even bigger things from this startup in the next coming months. 

We hope to see you at bizperc for our next Entrepreneur Corner on September 7. Who knows what kind of crazy stuff we’ll have going on…you’ll just have to stop by and see!

What Class Do You Wish Schools Would Add?

Ever sit down at a coworking space next to a frantically-coding entrepreneur and think, "I wish I knew how to code"?

Ever browse Twitter, just for kicks, and wonder what in the heck that # symbol is for?

Ever attend a networking event and find yourself huddled in the corner, not sure how to approach the industry leaders you're surrounded by?

Let's face it: business school didn't teach us everything we need to know about starting a business.  And when entrepreneurs have to wear many different hats to run a business, sometimes, we wish we knew what we didn't know.  

That's why, in honor of going back to school, we're asking you to answer our August poll: Which class should high schools, universities and even elementary schools start adding to their curricula?

1. Social Media 101
2. Coding/Programming 101
3. SEO 101
4. Inbound Marketing 101
5. Networking 101
6. Web Development 101
7. Content Creation 101

Vote above today and voice your opinion, then share your vote on Twitter...that is, if you know how to use Twitter...

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

Networking, Cold Beverages and...Baseball? KCNext's IT Happy Hour

KC Next hosted the IT networking event of the summer was Thursday at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

Hundreds of IT and marketing professionals met over complimentary drinks and hummus (because what Kansas City networking event doesn’t have hummus?) and the atmosphere was ripe for making connections. The room was filled with lots of familiar faces.  After all, Kansas City has that great small town feel where you really can get to know just about everyone in the industry at these events.

Seriously, have you ever networked in a cooler place? 

In addition to getting their mingle on, attendees had the chance to win some awesome raffle prizes (including an iPod shuffle and an Apple TV, just to name a few).  These prizes were given out between 6:00 and 7:00PM. to the joy of the networkers - all while surrounded by baseball paraphernalia and facts about some of the sport’s greatest players in our history.

Raffling off the great tech prizes

A big thanks to KCNext, the organization who made this Happy Hour a homerun for Kansas City entrepreneurs and businesspeople!

Did One Week KC help Kansas City Become America’s Most Entrepreneurial City?

One Week KC set out with the goal of inching Kansas City toward becoming America’s Most Entrepreneurial City. Did it achieve its goal? 

Making Kansas City into the Most Entrepreneurial City in America is a major undertaking. Rome wasn’t built in a day.  So let’s ask ourselves a different question instead: Did One Week KC lay the foundation for Kansas City to be the Most Entrepreneurial City in America? Yes...but how?  Did this 9-day celebration really foster the entrepreneurial action and growth that we need to claim the big title?

One Week KC was filled with a many events that, first and foremost, brought people from different industries into the same atmosphere.  Starting on Monday, June 18^th, the organizers of the conference provided a platform to allow entrepreneurs, investors, startups and like-minded individuals to interact with one another at a minimum of two times a day!  Now that’s networking. 

iKC, the premier conference on innovation and entrepreneurship, was just one of the components to One Week KC.  iKC’s Inspire Talks and panels not only brought people together, but provided motivation and education. The keynote presentation from Dr. Michael E. Raynor of Deloitte Services LP gave great insight into deliberate disruption. In the afternoon, the interactive discussion panels served as kindling for the Fire Up talks.  All in all, the event was a success, and helped Kansas City inch closer to claiming the Most Entrepreneurial title. 

There was something for everyone throughout One Week KC—from networking events to seminars, breakfasts to happy hours. But that still doesn’t answer the question, “How did a 9-day conference build the foundation?” It can be answered simply with that one word we keep going back to; networking.

Networking is the like pipe from National Treasure; it’s actually quite mysterious. On the surface, it’s just a pipe, but when you dive deeper and think of the different ways it can be used, that’s when you unlock its true potential. Sure, the days of the One Week KC were filled with great learning opportunities. But it’s critical to keep in mind the old adage we hear on an almost daily basis: “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” (especially in the world of entrepreneurship!).  Waffles, trivia, baseball, and entrepreneurship have very little in common. But because of One Week KC, each of these events served as an avenue for entrepreneurs to network and build valuable connections—connections that could lead into creating more and more new startups here in Kansas City.

What do you think?  Did One Week KC help Kansas City become America’s Most Entrepreneurial City? 

Think Big Kansas City is TOMORROW!

Entrepreneurs, startups, business owners, CEOs, investors, big thinkers:  Tomorrow is the (Think) Big day!

The day we've been counting down to is finally here! We're excited to see you at Think Big Kansas City 2011. We're looking forward to seeing many familiar faces as well as meeting new leaders, visionaries, entrepreneurs, and investors from across the nation.

What should you do to prepare? Here's a checklist for everything you need to know about TBKC!

Bring...stuff to jot down notes, business cards, company information and your entrepreneurial spirit!

Park...in the Barney Allis Plaza Parking Garage (cash only) or utilize street parking. Enter the Kansas City Convention Center using the entrance on Central & Wyandotte (between 12th and 13th).

Dress...business casual. You want to impress Bill Rancic, don't you?

Look over...our conference agenda, speaker list, and Pitch Big finalists to know what you're getting yourself into!

Tweet...don't forget to Tweet using #TBKC and @ThinkBigKC!  Also, please use our intefy page to see what's going on with #TBKC on Twitter!  Access the page here. 

See you bright and early at 7:30AM tomorrow for the Networking Breakfast! Get ready to Think Big!

Written by Allison Way.
@AllisonThinkBig

9,000 Meetings in 48 Hours...It's Possible at Futurallia!

Call it what you will: business matchmaking, business speed networking, B2B meetings.  All are fast-paced, beneficial business events where connections and relationships can be formed.  But what’s the grand daddy of business matchmaking?  Where can you find the most business connections?  What business event will benefit a unique breed of entrepreneur?

Futurallia 2011. 

And guess what?  It’s happening in Kansas City.

Futurallia is a fast-paced and intense business event where not 1,000 meetings take place, not 4,000, but 9,000 meetings are conducted.  The concept is simple: Futurallia gathers more than 800 entrepreneurs from more than 30 countries for 2 days of pre-selected and pre-arranged one-on-one business meetings.

Is Futurallia for you?  For manufacturers, business owners, and entrepreneurs who are looking to establish more business relationships in a short amount of time, Futurallia is an event that would be a shame to miss.  More specifically, Futurallia is a worldwide concept, bringing together movers-and-shakers from the North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond.  For the entrepreneur looking to enhance his international contacts, Futurallia is the business event of a lifetime.

Futurallia is to take place Wednesday, May 18 until Friday, May 20, 2011 at the Kansas City Convention Center.  Register today and start building your rolodex of business connections!

Find out more!

Written by Allison Way.  Allison is a writer for Think Big Partners, Kansas City’s early-stage business incubator and startup accelerator.  To read more of Allison’s work, check out the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner as well as her articles on Helium, eZine, Newsvine and BrooWaha.  Follow Allison! @AllisonThinkBig

Don't Miss Out On This Week's Launch and Learn Seminar!

On Wednesday, March 9th, 2011, Think Big Partners and KC Young Pros are hosting a Launch and Learn Seminar called Market You Through Networking, presented by James Moburg of LeadTunnel.

At the luncheon, Moburg will walk attendees through the best networking strategies including how to take advantage of LinkedIn, utilizing Facebook for marketing and meeting business people, and how to present yourself effectively at networking events. 

To attend the event on Wednesday, register online.  We look forward to seeing you and teaching you the importance of networking in Kansas City!

Info:
Launch and Learn Series: Market YOU Through Networking
Hosted by: Think Big Partners & KC Young Pros
Date: Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Time: 11:30AM - 1:30PM
Location: Think Big Partners (1800 Baltimore Kansas City, MO 64108)
Price: $25 (lunch provided)
Questions? 816.842.5244

More info...

Written by Allison Way.  Allison is a writer for Think Big Partners, Kansas City's early-stage startup accelerator and business incubator. To read more of Allison's work, check out the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner as well as her articles on Helium, eZine and BrooWaha.  Follow Allison!  @AllisonThinkBig

Since When Did Networking Become Such a Huge Deal?

Using LinkedIn, Facebook, and business events to your advantage.

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

This cliché can certainly pertain to all different aspects of life, but none truer than that of business.  In business, it truly is all about who you know, not what you know.  From landing your first job out of college to partnering with some of your community’s biggest movers and shakers, building and maintaining business relationships is critical when working in and working on a business.

But when did networking become such a big deal?  Networking and building strong relationships has always been an important in the business world.  But today, with tools such as LinkedIn and Facebook, networking seems to have taken a dramatic turn.   And perhaps for the better. 

Let’s take a look at the facts. 

66,266,528 :: the number of people that are currently using LinkedIn.  Almost half of these users are located within the United States.  But are you utilizing LinkedIn correctly? 

1.5 million :: the number of local businesses that have Facebook pages that you can visit and network on.  But are you using these Facebook pages to your advantage?

79% :: your chances of sealing a deal are 79% higher when business networking is involved.  But are you meeting the right people in the right settings to get the deals sealed?

To answer all of these questions (and many more) Think Big Partners is hosting Launch and Learn: Marketing You Through Networking in collaboration with KC Young Professionals.  LeadTunnel co-founder and networking expert James Moburg will present real-life lessons from his networking experiences and provide tips and strategies to network effectively on- and offline.

“Most young people have a ton of opportunities to network.  They just don’t know how to do it right," says Moburg.  "Time is an investment itself, and i can help people get a big return on their investment by following my techniques."

The Launch and Learn Series will take place on March 9, 2011 from 11:30AM until 1:00PM at Think Big Partners location (1800 Baltimore, Kansas City, MO). 

During Marketing You Through Networking, Moburg will focus on the following areas:

• How networking can improve and empower you (with examples from real life stories)
• The two crucial networking areas you can personally focus on in 2011
• The 101 crash course in how to maximize your networking event experience
• Marketing yourself effectively in the long run and becoming more memorable

But Moburg is looking forward to teaching more than just that. 

“I want people to leave this Launch and Learn event with three things,” he said.  “First, I want people to feel empowered to take their networking skills to the next level.  Second, I want attendees to use my personal examples of networking as proven strategies.  Third, I want to help people to stand out for the rest of their lives.”

Are you ready to stand out for the rest of your life? 

If so, join Moburg, Think Big Partners and KC Young Pros for an inside look at playing the networking game.   

Register today!

Written by Allison Way.  Allison is a writer for Think Big Partners, Kansas City’s mentorship-based startup accelerator and business incubator.  To read more of Allison’s work, check out the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner as well as her articles on Helium, eZine and BrooWaha.  Follow Allison! @AllisonThinkBig