The Top 9 Bros in the Business World

What is a bro? I ask myself this daily. At its core, a “bro” is just another label. To some, it’s a proudly worn badge of honor.  To others, it is a derogatory term.  Some define a bro by what Hollywood seems to think a bro is—upside down visor, popped collar polo, puka shell necklace, tribal tattoo.

But this erroneous Hollywood depiction was created by someone without the slightest idea of what or who a bro really is. Sure, bros are known to be a little rowdy.  They may indulge with libations a little too much.  They definitely like to work out and get yoked. They may have even been a proud member of a college fraternity.

But bros are so much more than that.  Today, bros can be doctors, lawyers, firemen, fathers, and sons.

I am a writer, actor, improvisor, DJ, brother, son....and you guessed it....a bro, as well.
I am Bro, Hear me roar!

As a bro myself, I believe that broscism is something that needs to be put to an end.  Thanks to sites like Brobible and movies like I Love You, Man, bros no longer need to be ashamed by who they are. Bros are nothing new; they’ve been around since the cavemen. Inventor of the wheel?  Total bro.  Founding fathers? You better believe they’re bro legends. Astronauts like Neil Armstrong and John Glenn are two people I would consider to be bro pioneers.

As a young bro in the startup world, I look up to successful bros for inspiration. So without further ado, I present to you my top 9 bros in the business world.  Please note I was limited to only 9 (if I was given free range, this list would be much longer). 

1. Doug Banker: Founder, CEO BroBible.com
   Not only has this bro created a fantastic news website for bros across the nation, he also is a managing partner for BroBible production company Five all in the Fifth Entertainment, and is also a managing partner for Liquid Flow Clothing. The brand of shorts and apparel is known for its hybrid quick-drying fabric that can go from the water to the bar with no problem.
2. Tom Montgomery, Preston Rutherford, Rainer Castillio and Kyle Hency, The Chubsters
   These four Stanford grads and best friends founded the radical shorts company known as Chubbies out of their distain of pants. Tasked with the mission of eradicating cargo shorts all together, the team proclaims its mantra with a battle cry of “Sky’s out, thighs out!” Their crusade against thighpression is proving to be a successful one. This quickly-growing apparel startup can barely keep up with demand.
3. Andy Dunn & Brian Spaly Founders, Bonobos
   The last clothing-minded bros on the list, also hailing from Stanford, created top online retailer for men, Bonobos. Bonobos started out of necessity when co-founder Spaly grew increasingly frustrated to find pants that fit him well. Like any bro, he took matters into his own hands. Armed with a borrowed sewing machine from his girlfriend, Spaly altered and created pants that worked for him. His fellow bros quickly took notice. Dunn joined Spaly and the two moved their operation to Manhattan. Since then, Bonobos has expanded its line from just pants to a wide range of clothing options with one goal in mind: to make men look good.
4. Tyler Prochnow: Founding partner, Think Big Partners
   This list would not be complete without Think Big Partners’ own Tyler Prochnow—and he has more than enough credentials. Prochnow started out as lawyer and morphed into (what I’m assuming came from) the inspiration for the film Jerry Maguire. As founder and president of Gold Peak Sports & Entertainment, Prochnow represented such esteemed clients like Deion Sanders and gold medal Olympian Amy Van Dyken. If that isn’t enough, he also was the founder & first owner of Kansas City’s Arena Football team. And the final brodential—he can pull off a visor, Just look at that sick flow-Just look at it!
   
   
5. Bill Gates: Co-founder, Microsoft
   A bromanitarian and technology guru, Gates has faced brosecution in the past due to questionable business tactics (and possibly for being a little too nerdy). But with a 14-year run at the top of the Forbes list as the richest man alive, those accusations can be easily put behind him. Gates is also ranked by Forbes as the 5th most powerful man in the world. Even though Kanye has said no one man should have all that power, Gates has shown that he will use it all for good through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
6. Warren Buffett Chairman & CEO, Berkshire Hathaway
   Quite possibly the most modest broillionaire on the list, Buffett has countless ways to make money and, as it seems, just as many ways to give it away. Among his many nicknames, the one that seems to stand out the most is The Billionaire Next Door. Why? Buffett is known for living in the same house in Omaha, Nebraska that he bought in 1957. That proves that you don’t need a mansion to be brotastic.
    
7. Mark Zuckerberg Founder, Facebook.com
   What started as a programming hobby when he was a boy has since grown into the most visited website in the world. Despite being a Harvard dropout, Zuck he been able to make a nice little $12 billion living for himself. Facing broversity due to color blindness, Zuck makes things work by using blue more than red and green in true bro fashion. And wouldn’t ya know it? Tyler Prochnow also suffers from the same color blindness impairment. Bros unite!
8. Richard Branson Founder, Virgin Group
   That’s Sir Richard Branson to you and me! Branson started his first business venture when he was 16 and never looked back. With over 400 companies under his Virgin Brand, the $4.2 billion dollar bro is no stranger to adventure. Holder of the world record for fastest crossing of the English Channel in an amphibious vehicle, he is also a humanitarian (after all, bros love to give back!). When Branson wants to take a break, he doesn’t go to Palm Springs. Instead, he prefers his own private island known as Necker Island. Oh yeah, did I mention he goes to space whenever he pleases?
9. Mark Cuban Owner, Dallas Mavericks
   I could list all the ways Cuban is the ultimate bro...but we don’t have all day. Mark Cuban is a true bro’s bro. Like Branson, Cuban owns an array of companies. Branson may have sharks swimming near his island but Cuban is a shark and can be seen on the the ABC hit Shark Tank where he puts his own money on the line investing in startups for the world to see, true display of brojones. A champion on the NBA court, Cuban is never afraid to voice his opinion on important issues like the US’s corrupt patent system, the economy, or the full court press. He’s a movie star in his own right, as he played a pivotal role (himself) on the HBO hit Entourage. All of his broness can be summed up with one photo:  

Abroham Lincoln.  Teddy Brosevelt.  Brohammed Ali.  Bro Montana.  The list truly goes on and on.  To all of the brotein shake-drinking, brotato chip-eating, brotastic entrebroneurs out there, thanks for doing what you do best and for inspiring other bros out there, like me, every day.      

Don't be a Winklevoss...be a Zuckerberg! The Must-Knows of Intellectual Property

"Does a guy who makes a really good chair owe money to anyone who ever made a chair?"  -- Mark Zuckerberg

The popular movie, The Social Network, isn't just about the founding of Facebook.   It's about entrepreneurship, competition, but perhaps most importantly; it's about intellectual property. 

In the movie (and I suppose in real life), the Winklevoss twins have a plan for an exclusive Harvard student network.  In the process, the twins are upstaged by Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of what is known today as Facebook.  In the film, Zuckerberg defends his online empire from lawsuits alleging that he stole the Winklevoss's idea; an intellectual property claim.  But when it boils down to it; who was right and who was wrong?  As we all know, Mark Zuckerberg won in the end...but should he have?

We're glad he did.  After all, we can't picture a day without checking our many Facebook accounts. 

Intellectual property is confusing.  But just as it's confusing, it's also extremely important to understand. So how can you, as an bright-eyed entrepreneur, guarantee that your incredible idea won't be stolen?  How can you prevent what the Winklevosses experienced?

Dianne Smith-Misemer and Jennifer Bailey of Hovey Williams LLP believe it all starts with awareness.

"We find that most businesses do have intellectual property assets," says Dianne.  "Many times, they just don't know it.  Early detection can save a lot of grief later."

Entrepreneurs need to be aware of their intellectual property rights -- which is the main reason why Dianne and Jennifer are holding the Entrepreneur Bootcamp session "The Top Ten IP Must Knows for Any Business: Identifying and Maximizing Your Patent, Trademarks and Copyright Assets" on Tuesday, November 1st at bizperc. 

"Intellectual property can be the largest asset of a company," says Jennifer. "But many people do not know how to protect it.  They do not recognize that they have innovation and technology involved in their business.  That's why we're holding this educational session."

"We are looking forward to the session!" adds Dianne.  "What I like about this area is seeing the excitement from entrepreneurs.  What people don't realize is that they are affected by trademark, patent and copyright decisions every day.  To bring everyday business experiences and see how they blend with intellectual property will be great for entrepreneurs at this session." 

This Entrepreneur Bootcamp session, the 4th of 6, has been designed for any entrepreneur.  Join the Hovey Williams team and Think Big Partners and bizperc on November 1st and 3:00 and learn how to become the next Zuckerberg -- not the next Winklevoss!  Register today!

Written by Allison Way
@AllisonThinkBig

Top 10 Inspirational Movies for Entrepreneurs--The Social Network, The Pursuit of Happyness, and Many More!

Need an easy way to gain some inspiration this weekend?  Well pop the popcorn, grab a soda, and sit yourself down on the couch.  Here are the Top 10 Movies that can motivate any entrepreneur!

1. The Social Network

“You don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.”

The Social Network follows the success story of Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Facebook and his trials and tribulations of his work life, social life, and social networking life.  Jenna Busch of the Huffington Post classifies this movie as "a study of one man, what drives him and what success can do to you."  And although many reviews state that The Social Network is about the inescapable need for acceptance, the movie, as a whole, is also a statement of the importance of social media as well as the power of a "good idea." 

2. Pursuit of Happyness 

“If you want somethin', go get it. Period.”
In 1981, in San Francisco, the smart salesman and family man Chris Gardner invested the family savings in Ostelo National bone-density scanners, an apparatus twice more expensive than x-ray with practically the same resolution. The white elephant financially breaks the family, bringing troubles to the relationship with his wife that leaves him and moves to New York. Without money and wife, but totally committed with his son Christopher, Chris sees the chance to fight for a stockbroker internship position at Dean Witter, disputing for one career in the end of six months training period without any salary with other twenty candidates. Meanwhile, homeless, he has all sorts of difficulties with his son.

3. Jerry Maguire

“The journey is everything.”
Jerry Maguire used to be a typical sports agent: willing to do just about anything he could to get the biggest possible contracts for his clients, plus a nice commission for himself. Then, one day, he suddenly has second thoughts about what he’s really doing. When he voices these doubts, he ends up losing his job and all of his clients, save Rod Tidwell, an egomaniacal football player. Can Jerry resurrect his career while still staying true to himself?

4. WallStreet (1987)

“Every dream has a price.”

Bud Fox is a Wall Street stockbroker in early 1980′s New York with a strong desire to get to the top. Fox finally meets with extremely successful (but ruthless and greedy) broker Gordon Gekko, who takes the youth under his wing and explains his philosophy that “Greed is Good”. Taking the advice and working closely with Gekko, Fox soon finds himself swept into a world of “yuppies”, shady business deals, the “good life”, fast money, and fast women; something which is at odds with his family including his estranged father and the blue-collared way Fox was raised.

5. Office Space

“The 9-5 may not get you very far.”

Peter Gibbons is a cubicle-dwelling employee stuck in the rat race. His girlfriend is cheating on him, he has an obnoxious neighbor, and he’s completely miserable with his job as a small cog in a company called Initech. Then he visits a hypnotherapist, who put Peter into a state of complete bliss. Free of worrying about making a living, he no longer feels the need to keep his job, just as the company is going through a massive downsizing. However, his new attitude only makes him more valuable in the company’s eyes.

6. Boiler Room

“There’s no such thing as making too much money or taking too many risks.”

A morally decent college dropout finds himself at conflict with his harsh federal judge father. From running a profitable underground casino, he gets a job as a stock broker and gets on the fast track to success. The firm is full of hard-nosed young go-getters striving to make it rich. Only things take a turn for the worst when he learns that his job isn’t what’s it cracked up to be.

7. Rudy

“Sometimes a winner is a dreamer who just won’t quit.”

Rudy is a true story about Dan Ruettiger, an aspiring Notre Dame football player and his struggles to make it. Rudy grew up in a steel mill town where most people invested a lifetime into hard labor. With poor grades, mediocre athletic skill, and half the physical size of the other players, Rudy shows he can overcome all challenges with spirit and drive

8. Forrest Gump

“Life is like a box of chocolates.  You never know what you’re gonna get.”
A man with a low IQ has accomplished great things in his life and been present during significant historic events – in each case, far exceeding what anyone imagined he could do. Yet, despite all the things he has attained, his one true love eludes him. “Forrest Gump” is the story of a man who rose above his challenges, and who proved that determination, courage, and love are more important than ability.

9. A Beautiful Mind

“The only thing greater than the power of the mind is the courage of the heart.”
From the heights of notoriety to the depths of depravity, John Forbes Nash, Jr. experienced it all. A mathematical genius, he made an astonishing discovery early in his career and stood on the brink of international acclaim. But the handsome and arrogant Nash soon found himself on a painful and harrowing journey of self-discovery. After many years of struggle, he eventually triumphed over his tragedy, and finally – late in life – received the Nobel Prize.

10. Startup.com

“The rise and fall of the American Dream.”

Friends since high school, 20-somethings Kaleil Isaza Tuzman and Tom Herman have an idea: a Web site for people to conduct business with municipal governments. This documentary tracks the rise and fall of govWorks.com from May of 1999 to December of 2000, and the trials the business brings to the relationship of these best friends. Kaleil raises the money, Tom’s the technical chief, and a third partner wants a buy out. The constant need for cash and for improving the site brings venture capital in by the millions. Kaleil is on C-SPAN, CNN, and magazine covers. Will the business or the friendship crash first?

(Most summaries developed from BradleyWill.com). 

What movies inspire YOU to get out there and pursue your dreams?  We invite you to please comment below!  

Written by Allison Way.  Allison is a writer and videographer for Think Big Partners and bizperc, two of Kansas City’s newest entrepreneurial resources.  To read more of Allison’s work, check out the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner.