Thank You, Think Big: A Farewell Blog

Three and a half years ago, I didn’t quite know what I was getting myself into.  As a recent college graduate, I knew I wanted to go into copywriting, but I wasn’t sure where to begin.  So, I took an internship with Think Big Partners as a copywriter, producing blogs and evergreen content for the new company in Kansas City that was “still trying to figure out what it needed to be” in order to serve the Kansas City entrepreneur community.  I was completely unaware that I would fall in love with entrepreneurship, startup marketing and perhaps most of all, the people who make it all happen. 

It was also three and a half years ago that Herb Sih (the co-founder of Think Big who became much more than a boss, but a partner and mentor) asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up during my initial interview.  My response has changed from “creative director” to “marketing director” to “agency president” (and countless other titles) throughout the past few years.  The Think Big Partners team (and Inboun team) helped me inch closer and closer to my career goals through countless hours of mentorship, collaboration and team pow-wows, and perhaps more than a few happy hours.

But one thing was always for sure: in order for me to really become “what I wanted to be when I grew up”, I needed to continue to expose myself to different marketing challenges, discover what it’s like to be at a global marketing/advertising agency and take the necessary stepping stones to develop myself professionally.

And so, in order to achieve many of my career goals, I have made the very difficult decision to take my copywriting and marketing expertise from Think Big Partners and Inboun to a global marketing and advertising agency here in Kansas City.  I am thrilled about the opportunity to grow myself as a content strategist and marketer, but at the same time, it is always difficult to say goodbye to the role(s) and team that I love so much.

It has been an absolute pleasure helping Think Big Partners grow into the “idea factory” that it is today; not to mention, building Inboun into a one-of-a-kind content marketing agency from the ground up.  I couldn’t ask for two better opportunities.  I cannot thank my partners, friends and family enough for supporting me throughout the past three and a half years at Think Big Partners and Inboun.  But most importantly, I have to thank the Think Big team for putting up with my loud typing, overly-competitive attitude, and Pirates of the Caribbean obsession throughout the past few years.  I am not sure if there is another team quite like Think Big Partners out there--it has been amazing surrounding myself with people who are truly changing the world.    

And so, my 867^th blog post for Think Big Partners is a farewell blog.  I want to personally thank the entire Kansas City startup community (and Silicon Prairie region) for allowing me to be a part of your professional lives.  I am sure we will see each other again--and I cannot wait to see the amazing things that you all do in the next few years.

Allison Way

Director of Marketing, Think Big Partners

Content Manager, Inboun

Please keep in touch by emailing me at allisonlway@gmail.com or tweet me at my new professional account @AWayInKC (starting Friday; until then, please use @AllisonThinkBig).  

From the desk of Herb Sih -

One the best (and worst things) in working with extremely talented and highly motivated people is knowing that they are“extremely talented and highly motivated people”.

At Think Big Partners, we view “human capital” to be our most precious resource. In working with entrepreneurs, founders, corporate innovation teams, investment funds, communities, cities and more...it is always about the people. And throughout the past 3 years, we have found one very important common denominator to our company’s success - goals. It is all about knowing what goals we are trying to achieve, for ourselves and others.

Think Big Partners is very big into goal setting. In fact, every employee that we hire must write down their personal and professional goals, as we find it very hard to distinguish where one’s passion for work begins and one’s passion for life ends. To us, while work and personal life are distinctly different, it has many of the same traits that define success. We do not live to work, we work to live, but we want to do so with purpose, pride and passion. It is with this attitude, combined with goals, talent and motivation, that I feel someone can truly make a difference in the world. It may sound corny, but we truly seek people who want to be the change they wish to see in the world.

It is with both sadness and joy that Allison leaves us to go on to the next step in her life long journey of the pursuit of personal and professional excellence. With all this said, I am not completely surprised this day has come. Knowing you work with extremely talented and motivated people means accepting the reality that the world is a big place, and for them to make a “dent” (difference) in the world means that sometimes they must leave. But we also believe the world is a very small place. Just because people no longer work for the same company, it doesn’t mean we stop cheering for them. We need the world to be a small place to continue to make a difference in the world…apart but philosophically still together. True, meaningful relationships are based on being partners in each other’s success. That has always been a driving force behind the Think Big Partners brand. We are looking for partners, not employees, vendors or clients. We want to partner in other people’s success while allowing us to be successful for our families. We live that belief every day.

Allison - thanks for being an extremely talented and highly motivated partner. Go make your next “dent” in the world. You have made a dent in ours, and we are grateful. Good luck pursuing your next goal, keep in touch and let’s make sure the world remains a small place as we all continue to try and make a difference.

Turner Haden: Spring Junior Copywriter Intern at Think Big Partners

We love growing our company.  And perhaps the best part of growing as a company is teaching others out there to work with us.  That’s exactly why we’ve hired Turner Haden, a startup enthusiast so passionate about entrepreneurs, traveling and writing, he could not be a better fit as a junior copywriter intern at Think Big Partners and Inboun.  But we’ll let him tell the rest...

My name is Turner Haden and I am the newest addition to the writing team here at Think Big Partners.

As a senior at the University of Missouri-Columbia, I will graduate in May with a degree in Strategic Communications from the School of Journalism, with an emphasis in Marketing and Advertising.  I am beyond excited about getting some real-world experience working with Think Big and Inboun’s growing clientele list!

My background in writing comes mostly from various entities and publications, starting with Rockhurst High School’s newspaper The Prep News, for which I was a staff writer and eventually the editor-in-chief.  I also spent two years as a writer, content manager and co-editor of Rockhurst’s All Sports Program, a 500+ page publication featuring in-depth stories on all 11 varsity sports and bios of past and present athletes.  In the summer of 2012, I worked in the Product Development branch of the Marketing Department of Commerce Bank.

My fascination in marketing has been fueled by my desire to write copy for ad campaigns.  However, as I learn more about the industry, I am becoming increasingly interested with other aspects such as social media and search engine optimization. 

Among my biggest passions are in sports and fitness.  A former cross country and track athlete in high school and die-hard sports fan, I am thrilled to be a part of a company that represents some awesome events like the Ruckus and College Basketball Experience Hall of Fame Classic!

Think Big Partners Spins Off Digital Startup Marketing Company Inboun

We've built a lot of great things at Think Big Partners.  From Kansas City-based startup companies to the production of large events, we have become experts in the entrepreneurial field.  And with that, we have learned a lot of interesting marketing tactics along the way--marketing tactics that have led to recognition by publications such as Sprouter and The Social Media Bible.  Startup marketing is something we excel at--and it's time for us to get serious about it.

That's why Think Big Partners has split off its marketing unit as a separate business known as Inboun, which specializes in digital marketing for startups as well as small and mid-sized businesses.

Inboun currently focuses on inbound marketing consulting, strategy development, public relations, audio/video development, digital marketing analytics and measurement, as well as social media, content, event, custom engagement and startup marketing services.

Inboun’s client list includes The North Face, The Roasterie, Hitch Fit Online Personal Training, Coaches vs. Cancer, The College Basketball Experience, Ruckus, Think Big Partners and other local (Kansas City-based) and national companies.   

Inboun also specializes in marketing many of Think Big Partners’ startups involved in the accelerator program, the incubator and in the coworking space.  As Inboun’s niche market, these Kansas City-based startups and early-stage companies utilize the company’s digital marketing services in order to promote their brand, drive traffic to their new websites, establish a voice in the community and market innovative products that are new to the industry.    

“We enjoy helping entrepreneurs because we are entrepreneurs too,” said founder of Inboun, Herb Sih.  “Throughout helping so many startups during our experience of building Think Big Partners, as well as working closely with entrepreneurs during events like Think Big Kansas City, The Gigabit Challenge and iKC, we realized that one of our biggest strengths is helping these startups market exactly what they do and how they do it.  Marketing for startups requires a very different approach than marketing for established brands.  Lucky for us, we excel at both.” 

In addition to working with startups, Inboun also works with established brands through an integrated inbound marketing strategy.  By collaborating with other marketing agencies, developing both short- and long-term marketing campaigns and assisting brands with social media marketing, Inboun’s client base has grown quickly since its inception in mid-2011.

"Working with Inboun has been a great experience," says Diana Chaloux-LaCerte, co-owner of Hitch Fit and client of Inboun. "They have aided us greatly in developing effective marketing strategies, in addition to creating loads of valuable, traffic driving, custom content to our websites and social media networks. The team is fun to work with and extremely responsive to all of our requests and needs. They obviously have our best interest and growth in mind, and we look forward to a continuing relationship as we expand our company." 

One of Inboun’s most sought-after services is event marketing, also referred to as experiential-based marketing.  By connecting constituency groups to brands as well as utilizing events as a marketing tactic, Inboun has helped various startups and established brands not only market their events, but to use events as a promotional technique.  Events that Inboun has been involved with include the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic, The College Basketball Hall of Fame Weekend, iKC, The Gigabit Challenge, Treasure You Retreat and upcoming Kansas City innovation competition, HackovateHealth. 

At Inboun, we are thrilled to work with some of Kansas City’s most sought-after brands as well as some of the nation’s growing businesses.  Whether it’s developing the next creative campaign, developing a strong PR strategy, promoting an upcoming event or teaching our clients the power of social media marketing, Inboun's focus is to teach progressive companies and innovative startups how to develop powerful customer relationships that lead to revenue and measurable results.

Want to learn more about Inboun?  Visit online at www.inboun.com or on Twitter @Inboun.

Top 10 Ways Your Startup's Blog Will Fail

#BlogFail.  It's a hashtag that is used almost every day by a handful of people on Twitter.  That's because it is very, very common for a blog post, or even an entire blog website, to completely fail.  At the end of 2011, there were 109 million blogs on just Tumblr and Wordpress alone.  With the millions and millions of blogs on the Internet, many are bound to fail.  

Will your startup's blog be one of them? 

Fingers crossed you're doing everything you can to keep your blog on the fast track to success.  But if your blog struggling to capture the attention of readers, there are 10 huge mistakes you could be making in the blogosphere. 

1. No Keywords & No SEO 

No one said SEO was easy, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to create a keyword-driven headline and optimized content. Many novice bloggers enter the blogosphere with a "if I write it, they will come" attitude.  Unfortunately, this is not always the case.  Every blogger should do his or her best to incorporate effective keyword and SEO strategies.  How so?  Look up some strong keywords in the Google Keyword Tool by Google AdWords.  The keywords with low competition and high local/global monthly searches should be prominent in your blogs.  In addition, it's important to link your blog content out to other websites.  Share the Internet love (but remember, only incorporate 1.5 link per every 100 words, or Google will consider you spam!).  Build your SEO and your readership numbers will increase!  

2. A God Awful Template 

You've seen it before, haven't you? A really ugly blog?  Of course you have.  Many bloggers care so much about the content they produce and spend very little time on the blog's template.  Although a blog template isn't the most important piece of a blog (remember, content is king!), it sure doesn't hurt to be visually appealing.  Pump up your blog's appearance by hiring a graphic designer, web developer or just play around with the templates yourself! 

3. Irrelevant Content

If your blog is titled "Startup Marketing for Dummies", why would you blog about the health care system (unless for some reason, your post relates to inbound marketing somehow)? Your startup's blog should stick with a general theme.  At the same time, don't be afraid to let current events and trending topics become a piece of your blog.  If the Presidential debate is a hot topic on the Internet, but your blog is about social media, write a blog about how the Presidential debate is utilizing social media effectively (or ineffectively).  There's always a way to add a twist--just make sure it stays true to your blog's area of expertise.  

4. Lack of Pictures

Sure, we usually visit blogs to read content, but it doesn't hurt to have pictures incorporated as well.  A stimulating or interesting picture at the top of a blog post can actually do wonders (just look at what we did at the top of this one!  Did it draw you in?).  Much like your blog's template, your posts need to be visually stimulating as well.  Incorporate pictures when you can to truly paint a story.  

5. Inconsistent Posting

Nothing kills a blog like inconsistent posting.  If you post on your blog a lot in the beginning (let's say, 4-5 times a week), and then leave it deserted for 2 months, people are not going to continue to visit your startup's blog.  As a matter of fact, it's frustrating for readers to find that one of their favorite blog sites has gone completely dark.  Don't do that to your readers!  Keep your blog posts consistent--even if that means just one post a week.  It's better than going dark for 6 months!   

6.  Forgetting Social 

Remember that blog readers spend a lot of time on the Internet.  That usually means that they also spend a lot of time on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.  Always incorporate social media buttons that link your blog to your startup's social pages so that readers can follow you and post your blog to their social media accounts.  Now that's how you generate more readers! 

7.  No Call to Action

Many bloggers write their thoughts, feelings and expert opinions on a blog and leave no call to action at the end.  What can the reader actually do with the blog post?  Should they share it with their coworkers?  Vote in a poll?  Visit a website?  Call a number?  Tweet to their readers?  Like you on Facebook?  Be sure to instruct the reader on what to do after they have read the blog--even if that just means to sit and think about your content.  Every blog post should be written for a reason.  

8.  Unorganization

Is there anything worse than reading a bunch of blabber in an email?  It's all unorganized and we can hardly keep up with the run-on sentences, the scattered thoughts, the lack of periods.  The same goes for blogs. Keep your blog posts organized.  Use the miraculous paragraph, for example.  Space your blog out into a bulleted or numbered list (like this one--FYI, people LOVE lists).  Check your grammar and spelling.  And of course, don't write like you speak.  Make it easy to read! 

9. No Comments Allowed

One of the biggest mistakes a blogger can make is to not incorporate a Comments section.  A Comments section not only allows your readers to interact with your blog and voice their own opinions, but will also provide you with direct blog feedback!  Nervous that someone will post something unrelated or nasty in your comments section?  Many blog platforms allow you to approve or delete comments.

10. No Purpose 

As mentioned earlier, every blog post should be written for a reason.  The same goes for blogs as a whole.  A blog should have a purpose--whether that's to inform, vent, solve a problem, educate, make people laugh, drive traffic to a website, advertise or promote.  Make sure that your startup's blog has a purpose and define that purpose before you even write the first word.  

So the next time you think about sitting down to start a blog or write another Bloggies-worthy blog post, take a step back and see if you're committing any of these 10 startup blog sins! 

Freelancers University Presents The Art & Science of Marketing Your Company

Let’s face it. Today’s prospective client is inundated with more marketing messages than ever before. You, as a startup, need to stand out...and attract the right clientele. Between all the media options out there, it’s no surprise that interruption-based marketing is fighting harder than ever for a slice of your target’s attention. And of course, there are unique challenges to marketing your company when you’re facing rapid growth, small budgets or are entering an already-crowded marketplace with your service.

That's why Freelancers University is hosting The Art and Science of Marketing your Company, a 2 hour seminar to teach entrepreneurs and startups the ins-and-outs of traditional marketing, integrated marketing and inbound marketing (and how they work both separately and together).  Instructed by Herb Sih, co-founder of Think Big Partners and up-and-coming marketing agency Inboun, this class will get down to the marketing nitty-gritty that you really need to hear.

In this class, you’ll discover:

• The difference between traditional marketing and integrated, inbound marketing (and why they work differently)
• Key considerations for identifying your business goals that will drive your marketing strategy
• Specific tactics to employ based on your business goals
• Ways to research your marketplace for marketing insight
• The importance for mining your marketing feedback loop to produce the best service in your niche market
• 10 things you must do when creating a successful, integrated, inbound marketing plan for your company

Join Think Big, Freelancers University and tons of entrepreneurs, startups and marketing professionals for this event on Wednesday, September 19, 2012 from 5:30-7:30pm.  The event will take place at bizperc (1800 Baltimore in KCMO).  Cost is $20 before September 12th and $25 after.  Register today!

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

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.

Inboun and TBP Hit the First Friday Streets (and Roof) at Entrepreneur Corner Tomorrow

Join us on our rooftop garden tomorrow night for Entrepreneur Corner!

We are excited to bring a new twist to Entrepreneur Corner this month! Join us on the rooftop of bizperc (1800 Baltimore) during Kansas City's First Fridays for beer, snacks and major networking. We're spotlighting Inboun and Think Big Partners and we think you'll like who you meet.

So stop on by the roof (for one of the best views of Kansas City) and to chat with us! Entrepreneur Corner will take place from 5:00-9:00pm on April 6. And don't forget to check out Life Equals' photobooth (it returns to our parking lot around 5:00pm too!).


For more information, visit Entrepreneur Corner on Facebook!

Entrepreneur Corner Opens Back Up During First Fridays April 6th

Last year, Entrepreneur Corner helped to bring entrepreneurs, artists, startups and Kansas City residents together every month during First Fridays.  At Entrepreneur Corner, attendees have had the opportunity to meet local successful entrepreneurs, learn about new business in Kansas City and view unique pieces of artwork that local artists have produced.

But this summer, we're hosting Entrepreneur Corner with a bit of a twist.

Each month, we will be bringing in two of the Midwest's coolest new startup companies and spotlighting them to the public.  That means that every month, two different startups will come together and host their own networking party during First Fridays...courtesy of Think Big Partners and bizperc.  And the best part?  It takes place on our rooftop garden.

This month, we will be spotlighting Think Big Partners (the Kansas City-based startup accelerator that you all know and love) and Inboun (a new inbound marketing startup).  So join us for beer, snacks and great networking on our rooftop garden (1800 Baltimore, Kansas City, MO) on Friday, April 6 from 5:00-9:00pm.

If you want even more from this month's First Fridays (and love startups and entrepreneurship as much as we do), be sure to swing by 1617 Event Space from 4:00-6:30 PM for the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce's Big Idea Exchange Series.  At this event, the Chamber will hold a panel to discuss more about the Big 5 initiative to move UMKC's world-class arts program downtown and on how creativity is helping to build a thriving economy here in KC.

But wait...there's more!  Life Equals, our favorite supplement and multivitamin family, will be back with their fun First Fridays photobooth!  So if you'd like to capture a moment like this...

...be sure to stop by 1800 Baltimore on April 6th too! 

Are you interested in spotlighting your startup at Entrepreneur Corner? Contact Sarah at ssnyder@thinkbigpartners.com for more information.  


Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig
Follow bizperc! @bizperc

Bring on the Interns! Junior Copywriters, Event Coordinators, Social Media Gurus, Developers Wanted

For college students, summer means one thing:  NO.  MORE.  CLASS. 


But just because class has stopped for a few months, doesn't mean that students don't have the opportunity learn during the summer.  And that's where Think Big comes in.


Bring on the interns!  We have internships open in a variety of areas including:

• Junior copywriting/content development (Inboun)
• Event coordination 
• Social media (Inboun)
• Web development 

Would you like to join the Think Big Partners team? Tell us what you want to do to change the world, why you think you'd be a great fit and how you Think Big! We are always searching for the right people with a partnership-based mentality. Not for the weak-minded, under-motivated or uninspired.  Apply online and start thinking big with us.  


Follow Think Big! @thinkbigKC

003 Think Big Radio: Inboun with Allison Way

Think Big Radio interviews senior copywriter for Inboun, Allison Way.  Inboun is an inbound marketing startup that offices in Think Big’s coworking space, bizperc.  As a client of Inboun, Think Big Partners utilizes the marketing company for content development, web development, inbound marketing consulting and strategy assessment.  Inboun proclaims that interruption marketing is dying and that it’s time to for brands to play a more engaging and empowering role in the marketing world.  

003 Think Big Radio: Inboun with Allison Way

Blogging for Bucks: How Your Startup's Blog Can Bring in Cash

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

Blogging brings in a lot of benefit.  Not only do blogs direct potential customers to a startup’s site, but they can also help sell a product, inform readers about a service, or act as a megaphone for thoughts and opinions. 

But did you know that blogging can bring in the bucks too?

It’s true.  If done effectively, blogging can generate extra cash for your startup.  And when you’re first starting out, any money is better than no money at all!

Many startups may already have an established blog (but if you don’t, be sure to read this article before you get started: The Blog Brawl: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Enter the Blogosphere).  Blogs can be easily set up through sites like Blogger, Wordpress or even Joomla. 

Once your blog has been created, generating interesting and consistent content is key.  When you write about topics that people are interested in reading, more users will visit your blog.  And when more users visit your blog, you have more potential customers in your market.  With patience, a blog can bring in thousands and thousands of viewers a month (or even a week!)—and that’s a lot of potential new customers. 

Once your blog has built a strong readership and is well-received by the public, it may be time to look into generating blog bucks.  But how?

1.  Blog Ads

Blogs can make money through the display of advertisements.  Many bloggers use Google AdSense, a service that pays based on how many readers have clicked on a blog’s advertisements (and it’s free!).  Other bloggers use CPM-driven tools that pay by the total number of impressions the advertisements receive.  For this, a startup can use ContextWeb, AdClickMedia, Adbrite or Adify. 

If you’re interested in taking your blog advertisements a step further, look into BlogAds.  BlogAds hook bloggers up with would-be advertisers and levies a commission in return for ad placements. 

The biggest concern that most startups have about advertising on a blog is that the advertisements will not match up with the blog’s theme or topic.  But tools such as AdSense account—the service pinpoints certain words in the blog so that the content matches the advertisements. 

2.  Direct Ad Sales

Selling space directly to advertisers can be a challenge, but it is possible!  With a highly-accredited blog, many advertisers may want to “buy” space on your blog, much like a newspaper or magazine.  Find services and products that tie into your niche market in order to place direct ad sales on your blog.

3.  Affiliate Programs

Blogs can serve as a conduit between readers and online sites that offer goods and services.  One of the best affiliate programs out there today comes from Amazon.com (Amazon Associates on Blogger).

When a blog mentions or reviews a book, it can link to the Amazon.com page so that readers can buy the book with a few clicks of the mouse.  When people find the book on your blog and then purchase them from Amazon.com, you get paid!

Other companies with great blogging affiliate programs include FlexOffers, LinkConnector, Commission Junction, Shareasale, E-Junkie, LinkShare, ING Direct, Ebates, Perkstreet Financial, Mint.com and Sharebuilder.

4.  Inbound Marketing

Many blogs exist just so that users can shout their opinions and thoughts to the world.  But what about using your blog to generate business?  That’s what inbound marketing is all about.

A startup can expand blog thoughts and opinions by talking about how a particular service or product can create solution or solve a problem.  By providing a call-to-action at the bottom of the blog, readers may feel a sense of urgency to look at your website or call your new startup.  Use effective search engine optimization, link building and keywording to bring more people to your blog—you never know; this could produce more customers! 

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

On the 11th Day of Coworking bizperc Gave To Me...

This holiday, bizperc is hosting the 12 Days of Coworking.  For the next 12 business days, bizperc will be giving away awesome prizes in order to encourage entrepreneurs to celebrate the holiday season.  Watch the video above to learn about the 11th day of coworking...and win 11 days of free inbound marketing! 

"Like" bizperc on Facebook and share this video with your friends.  One lucky person will be randomly selected to win 11 days of inbound marketing.  Does your Facebook page need to be beefed up?  Are you lagging behind on Twitter?  Could the SEO on your blogs be improved?  If so, this is the Facebook contest for you!  Inboun will provide you with 11 days of marketing to amp up your business's online presence! 


Requirements: your company MUST already have a website in order to win this prize. Inbound marketing will include Twitter, Facebook, blogs and articles (setup and maintenance) for 11 business days.

Good luck and Think Big!

Follow bizperc! @bizperc

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.