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

Think Big Partners and bizperc Mark Their One Year Anniversaries in Kansas City

When Herb Sih and Tyler Prochnow began to architect the blueprint for Think Big Partners, the business incubator and startup accelerator was a startup itself stationed in a one-room office in Prairie Village, Kansas. After launching one year ago, Think Big Partners has established a Kansas City coworking space known as bizperc and has helped to grow over forty emerging and established companies not only in Kansas City, but from across the nation.

In the past year, Think Big Partners has partnered with over forty startup and high-growth companies. A few of Think Big Partners clients include:

• Bunchd: Bunchd is a communications aggregation tool that streamlines various Internet experiences. By implementing social networking, news, RSS, email, calendars, mobile updates and more, Bunchd allows its members to view, update and manage any number of sources. Think Big Partners has provided Bunchd with business mentoring, startup advice, and organizational development and architecture.

• FINDitKC: Kansas City’s first online video business directory provides small businesses with an affordable way to implement video onto websites, Twitter accounts and Facebook pages. The business also dabbles in logo design, social media work, website development, business cards and video emails. Think Big Partners has assisted FINDitKC’s launch by providing mentoring services, extensive advisory services, and legal assistance. FINDitKC was also one of bizperc’s first official tenants.

• Inboun: Inboun is a multi-disciplined marketing company that engages consumers and elevates brands. The company combines inbound and integrated marketing strategies with a keen focus on engagement instead of purely interruption-based messaging. Think Big Partners has assisted with Inboun’s proof of concept, ongoing advisory and consulting needs, human resources, and outsourced startup execution to bring this company to launch in September of 2011.

• LiveOn: LiveOn has created a social media experience that focuses on sharing memories and key moments in life for users and for future generations. LiveOn’s adaptive technology enables its users to capture life’s precious moments and share it with other users. LiveOn has utilized Think Big Partners’ capital advisory, due diligence, and executive consulting services.

• Mellow Militia: Mellow Militia creates high-quality, eco-friendly products such as the Tiki Toss 3D game. Mellow Militia produces products that challenge the limits of technology and embrace exceptional design. Mellow Militia has utilized services from Think Big Partners including consultation and advisory services.

• PlanetReuse: PlanetReuse has created software that helps reuse centers make reclaimed and surplus building materials instantly accessible to homeowners nationwide. PlanetReuse not only houses in the bizperc coworking space, but the company has also turned to Think Big Partners for their capital advisory, legal, mentorship, and startup consulting needs.

• Zaarly: As an easy-to-use digital platform, Zaarly gets you “what you want, when you want it” at the click of a mouse. As a real-time, location-based marketplace, Zaarly allows its users to find their needs from the local community—goods, services, or even a way to earn extra cash. Think Big Partners has assisted Zaarly’s startup phase by hosting the company’s launch event and helping with marketing initiatives.

Think Big Partners is actively connecting with startup businesses and high-growth companies in and out of Kansas City. To coordinate directly with Think Big Partners or to become a tenant in the bizperc coworking space, please call 816-842-5244 or visit http://www.thinkbigpartners.com or http://www.bizperc.com.

Grand Opening: bizperc's 5th Floor for Entrepreneurs

Whew. 

After a lot of sweat, elbow grease and collaboration, bizperc's 5th floor has been opened for more coworking and collaboration in record time!  The Kansas City coworking space known as bizperc has been expanding since it opened in August of 2010.  Starting out as a one-floor coffeeshop/office hybrid, the coworking space has grown to a 5-floor (plus a rooftop!) startup heaven.

Check out some pictures from the recently-opened 5th floor space.



Welcome to bizperc's 5th floor!



This cubicle with a view could be yours for only $450/month.

 

The 5th floor was completed with private offices. Two of them are housed by FINDitKC.



White boards cover the walls for inspiration and organization.

An already well-lived-in cubicle on the 5th floor.

Another cubicle that houses a bizperc tenant.

Not a shabby place to take a mid-afternoon break! Corona, anyone?

A conference room section.

A fully-stocked kitchen keeps all entrepreneurs and tenants happy!

Chris of FINDitKC busy at work in the conference room/green screen studio.



The right side of the 5th floor conference room.

There is still available space in bizperc- but it's going quick!  Call to book a tour with Sarah Snyder today at 816.842.5244.

Written by Allison Way

@AllisonThinkBig

bizperc: From a One-Floor Dream to a Five-Floor Resource

Coworking has become a craze.  It seems as if every city is doing it: Establishing a coworking space, uniting entrepreneurs and startups, providing a place outside the coffee shop for people to network on a day-to-day basis.  And Kansas City is no different.

bizperc, one of Kansas City's downtown coworking spaces, started out as a dream.  Think Big Partners, the company behind bizperc, saw the coworking space as a one-floor hybrid of a coffee shop and office space for entrepreneurs.  One year later, bizperc has become a reality- and a much bigger one at that. 

In order to accommodate to the growing movement of entrepreneurialism in Kansas City, bizperc has expanded its office space to an additional floor on the 5^th level of 1800 Baltimore.  Now bizperc can provide more tools, services and resources in order to assist Kansas City entrepreneurs, small business owners, and startup companies. 

"Less than a year ago, we started with just 5000 square feet.  Today, we occupy four floors (plus the rooftop!) at 18,000 square feet," says Herb Sih, co-founder of Think Big Partners.  "Our growth has been a direct reflection of the growth trajectory of our tenant companies, largely due to the collaborative atmosphere and services we have co-located in the workspace." 

The 5th floor of bizperc holds a handful of tenant desks, 11 cubicles, four already sold-out private offices, a conference room, a full kitchen, and an audio/video suite.  The 5th floor is now open to entrepreneurs who are interested in coworking, office space or meeting room accessibility. 

bizperc’s 5th floor has become the home of several startup companies and established small businesses.  FINDitKC, Kansas City’s first online video business directory may be benefitting most from the bizperc expansion.  With easy access to a video/audio suite including a green screen, recording studio, and post-production capabilities, bizperc’s fifth floor has become a dream-office-come-true for the exploding Kansas City video startup. 

bizperc allows entrepreneurs to work alone, together.  If you're looking for an inspired place, for inspired people...look no further than the bizperc coworking space.  Come tour today and see if the new Kansas City coworking space will work for you. 

Written by Allison Way
@AllisonThinkBig

bizperc Expands the 5th Floor Coworking Space

bizperc is getting big.  In fact, this Kansas City coworking space is growing so fast that in order to accommodate the large number of promising startups in KC, it has expanded to the building’s 5^th floor space. 

As a flexible office space and collaborative community, bizperc meets the needs of each new business working within the building.  Currently, bizperc is helping FindItKC break in their new space by knocking down walls to create an environment that will fit their collaborative needs on the 5^th floor. 

The 5^th floor coworking space will be an asset not only to the tenants who reside on the 5^th floor, but also to all tenants within the space.  The floor houses an audio/video suite complete with sound booth, green screen, and post-production capabilities as well as a meeting room area and full-service kitchen. 

Here’s a sneak peak at bizperc’s 5^th floor space take-over in progress!

5th floor offices under construction

audio/video suite

spectacular skyline view from the 5th floor 

Looks like bizperc is outgrowing its 1^st, 4^th and 6^th floor spaces (not to mention, the rooftop garden!).  But I guess that’s what happens when you Think Big! 

To see more pics, check out bizperc on Facebook!

Tour bizperc today!  Call 816-842-5244 to schedule a tour or visit www.bizperc.com for further information. 

Written By Laura Goede.

@LauraGThinkBig.

The #1 Secret to Bringing (and Keeping) Visitors to Your Site

If you could increase your chance of being found on a Google by 53 times, you’d do it, right?

If you could keep your visitors on your website for 2 minutes longer, you would, right?

And what if you found out that you could increase your chances of customers purchasing your product or service by 85%?

There is a secret ingredient to achieving these numbers.  And we’re here to tell you. 

The secret ingredient to bringing more visitors to your website (and keeping them there!) is video.

That’s right.  According to FINDitKC, Kansas City’s first online video business directory, website videos increase your chance of being found on Google by 53 times, increase time spent on your site by 2 minutes and make users 85% more likely to buy your product or service.  Sounds too good to be true, right?

On the first day of the year, FINDitKC launched Kansas City’s first online video business directory in order to provide companies with an affordable way to have a video on their website.  Co-founded by Chris Olsen and Ben Palmatier, FINDitKC provides small businesses with a wide variety of services including video production, photography, graphic and logo design and website design.  But their services are continuing to grow.

“Every other week we add new services,” says Chris.  “We are a company that will never stop evolving.”

“We provide businesses with an affordable way to have a video on their website, Twitter, and Facebook pages. But we are doing a lot of other things, too,” says Ben.  “We’ve gone into logo design, social media work, website development, business cards, and video emails.  I guess you could say we are evolving into a media company.” 

Being surrounded by other entrepreneurs, visionaries and startups may be the reason that FINDitKC is evolving so quickly.  The company houses in the bizperc coworking space in downtown Kansas City.  In the collaborative, innovative and modern environment, FINDitKC has grown exponentially due to the day-to-day connections that bizperc provides.

“We are getting jobs because of the people we have met at bizperc,” says Chris. “Connections here just seem to fall into place!”

FINDitKC has partnered with Think Big Partners, the driving force behind the bizperc coworking community.  Through collaborating with Think Big Partners, FINDitKC has made important business connections and has gained priceless startup advice.

“Think Big Partners and bizperc are growing the tech scene in Kansas City,” says Ben.  “Without Think Big Partners, we don’t think that the tech scene in Kansas City would have a chance to exist.”

With companies such as Taste, Iced Art, Chop Tops Hair Salon, and Next to Nature Landscape as FINDitKC’s most recent clients, it’s easy to see that the video business is booming. 

“We want to go worldwide,” says Ben.  “We want to be a billion dollar company and reach over 200 markets!”

Now that’s Thinking Big.

Written by Allison Way.

@AllisonThinkBig

What is Think Big Partners?

What is Thinking Big?  What is bizperc all about?  How does Think Big Partners work?

Watch the video below, courtesy of FindItKC to learn more about the team behind Think Big Kansas City and bizperc.