Our Blog Has Moved

Thank you for visiting the Think Big Partners Blog. In an effort to simplify, we’ve moved this blog in-house to www.thinkbigpartners.com/blog. Feel free to read through our posts here, or join us over on the new blog for the latest news, thought leadership and great advice for entrepreneurs. Thanks for visiting!

Sincerely,

Think Big Partners

Deadline Approaching: Think Big Accelerator Application Window Closes December 6th

The application window for the next class of Think Big Accelerator companies will close on December 6th 2013. As our search for entrepreneurs with passion for taking big ideas and turning them into profitable and scalable companies continues, I sat down with Accelerator Director Blake Miller who addresses some of the most commonly asked questions of potential applicants.

• Should entrepreneurs wait until closer to the deadline to the December 6th deadline to submit their ideas in hopes of improving their chances?

“I definitely encourage entrepreneurs first and foremost to apply when they believe they are ready to build and or grow their business. With that said, we've been evaluating applications and arranging first interviews with founding teams as applications have come in."

• What do you tell entrepreneurs who are apprehensive of signing up based on the stage of development they're at?

“We encourage entrepreneurs to have a product they have launched or can launch within the next 180 days. We provide the most value when bringing products to market or developing a strategy to do so. We have had great success in helping refine a company’s product-market fit beyond a first prototype, getting a first marquee or name brand customer, helping new apps achieve their first 50,000 downloads or propelling a company towards their first 100k in revenue.”

• What is Think Big's view on submitting multiple ideas?

“We believe at this stage in a business life cycle the founders should be most passionate about building one business. Although we recognize that there are outliers, we've found that the best businesses are built with focus and passion. Founders should also have a very firm grasp on the problem that they are solving, and the solution they are creating. Having domain expertise is invaluable and often the difference between a good idea that has no market, and a great idea that has 10 customers ready to buy the day you launch.”

• Should entrepreneurs only submit ideas that they think "fit" Think Big Partners? 

“There are definitely businesses that we provide more value in than others. If you have a question as to whether we may be a fit, please email or tweet us! We especially like AgTech, Financial Technology, Consumer Technology, Process Technology and Health Care Technology. We also have a strong background in building apps and mobile platforms.”

If you have a big idea that is ready to launch and grow, we want to meet you. The application window for the next Think Big Accelerator closes on December 6th, 2013. Interested entrepreneurs are encouraged to learn more about the Think Big Accelerator model by contacting us via email or visiting thinkbigpartners.com/accelerator.

Are you ready to take the next step in growing your startup? If so apply for the Think Big Accelerator before it’s too late.

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.

iKC: The Unconference...No Agenda. No Panels. What Fun!

Written by Perry Puccetti, iKC Ambassador

Hot, emerging metropolitans with business activity focused on innovation and entrepreneurialism, such as Kansas City, are not overnight sensations. Rather, they are the result of years of investment in time, money and hard work. Here in Kansas City a vibrant and dynamic business ecosystem has been evolving for some time now; one that is sustainable and diverse, representing a unique synthesis of Silicon Valley innovation and Midwest values.

iKC: The Unconference is an open format conference focused on increasing “collision density” in the region. By creating “serendipitous collisions,” which organically introduce innovators, entrepreneurs, investors and connectors to each other to share ideas,great things will happen.

Here in Kansas City, we do not need to ask for anybody’s permission to be successful.

As a venue for peer-to-peer learning, collaboration and creativity, iKC helps serve as part of a broader catalyst by helping to attract, support and sustain the types of resources, and talent, necessary for our healthy business ecosystem; a complex blend of industry, academia and capital investment.

Recent events such as the Forum at the Middle of the Map Festival, Big Kansas City, Tech Cocktail, iKC and many others convene companies of all sizes and sectors to exchange their ideas and spark inspiration. These events also exemplify Kansas City’s  evolving business ecosystem and unique approach to business. It is no longer sufficient for one company to lose at the expense of another; we believe that the exchange of ideas, creativity and innovation will lead the way to the future.

Here in Kansas City, we believe that business success is much more symbiotic; I win; you win; we win – we believe in the “New Reality” of “we, versus me.”

It does not matter what kind of business you are in, the size of your business, or where you are in your professional career. You can learn to be a better entrepreneur by attending iKC. Entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley have found that one of the keys to adapting to a constantly changing business environment is to stay flexible – the core focus of our region’s inaugural “unconference.”

As an Unconference, iKC has no agenda and no panels; rather the focus is on the interaction between attendees. Here are a few things that Silicon Valley does very well, that we should embrace:

1.

Trust and credibility. iKC is an opportunity to remove social barriers and turn a random discussion into a business opportunity. Be bold! The rate of innovation increases when success is mutual.

2.

We versus me. You cannot innovate alone. Have the humility to seek out long-term, win-win collaborations with others.

3.

Pay it forward.  This phrase says it all. Mentor, share your knowledge, extend your network, share your ideas; your reputation will be the better for it.

4.

Listen. Ask questions and learn from those around you. You cannot hear the next great opportunity knocking if you are doing all the talking.

5.

Start from a position of “yes!” Not all ideas will pan out; however, the fear of failure is the fear of innovation.  

iKC: The Unconference is less about inspiration and motivation and more about great ideas, taking action and ultimately, achieving the “New Reality KC.” As Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh has said, “Create the opportunity for meaningful collisions, and then just watch as the best things unfold.”

Come collide with us!

It’s Time to Vote for Your Favorite iKC Topics

Thanks to our strong startup community, we have received many different topic ideas in order for us to build the agenda for iKC: The Unconference. A huge thanks to everyone who submitted an idea or a topic--the unconference would not work without you!

But now, it’s time to vote. Starting September 26, voting for your favorite iKC topics will open on the IdeaScale platform. Here’s how it works:

1. Visit http://ikc.ideascale.com/ to view a list of all iKC topic ideas 
2. Vote for or against topic ideas using the “I agree” and “I disagree” buttons
3. The most popular ideas or topics will be displayed at iKC: The Unconference on October 3
4. iKC attendees will then vote or comment on the popular ideas during the opening reception of the unconference
5. The iKC staff will then build an agenda around the most popular ideas from the morning

A big thanks to our Agenda Creation Sponsor, Husch Blackwell. And of course, to those entrepreneurs, innovators, investors and connectors who have contributed to the IdeaScale platform for iKC to make it an action-oriented day for Kansas City! See you on October 3! Haven’t purchased an iKC ticket yet? Now’s the time to do it! Purchase your ticket here.

Next Think Big Accelerator Registration Window Opens Sept. 16

With the first Think Big Demo Day in the books, it’s now time to start looking for the next class of entrepreneurs ready build exceptional companies in the Think Big Accelerator. We’re looking for entrepreneurs who have the gusto to take a big idea and turn it into profitable company.   

If you think you have what it takes, we want to meet you. The application window for the next Think Big Accelerator opened on September 16, 2013. Interested parties can learn more about the Think Big Accelerator model by contacting us via email or visiting thinkbigpartners.com/accelerator. We’re excited to see what big ideas come out of our next class and what companies join the ranks of past successes.

Do you have what it takes? Apply for the Think Big Accelerator today!

From Kate Spade to the Garment District: An Inside Look at Kansas City Fashion Entrepreneurship

We all remember (and envy) when KC native Kate Spade blew up as a fashion designer in the mid-1990s and made us proud entrepreneurial devotees and Kansas Citians. Why, you ask? Because as a budding fashion entrepreneur, Kate Spade had a dream and she made it happen in one of the most challenging industries in the world (not to mention in Kansas City!).

Fashion entrepreneurship holds a unique market for those involved...and a competitive one at that. This market is just as important as other entrepreneurial ventures. It focuses on developmental clarity, requires experimental vision and is also backed up by a strong network.

And guess what? Fashion entrepreneurship is booming right here in Kansas City.
The term “fashion entrepreneurship” may seem somewhat new, but creative design, innovative business plans and attention-grabbing marketing strategies have been a part of entrepreneurship since the early days of Chanel. (And even before that, especially in Kansas City!)

Our very own Kansas City Fashion Week Executive Director, Teisha Barber, thinks of fashion entrepreneurship as anything from starting a unique clothing line to owning a boutique to being a stylist (with even more subgenres too!). We see all of these genres becoming more and more prevalent here in Kansas City and in our surrounding areas.

Barber shares that there are several local and regional designers making a name for themselves in the industry by traveling around the country and participating in Fashion Weeks. It’s important though, to not overlook Kansas City’s styling history. Barber explains that within Kansas City history, fashion-related businesses are revered:

“According to the Garment District Museum, in the 1940’s, Kansas City's own Garment District was a major fashion hub known for well-made clothing and accessories using quality fabrics, second only to New York. But as the styles changed over the years, the factories began going out of business. People started dressing more casual for work and jeans became very popular in the fashion world. By 1988, all the factories were gone.”

Today, a fashion revival is sweeping Kansas City. Designers and boutiques again populate the city, bringing a new age of fashion to the heart of the Midwest.

With events like Barber’s Kansas City Fashion Week on October 2-6, 2013 at Union Station, how could we not be proud of all of the new blossoming couturiers and designers?

KC Fashion Week's director, Teisha Barber, had a few things to say about the event. According to Barber, the new Kansas City Fashion Week was established in 2010 and has been thriving ever since. Each season, the crowd has grown and Kansas City residents have jumped completely on board. In fact, both show dates for 2013 were declared by the city of Kansas City, enhancing the flourishing expression of designers, stylists, models and photographers to show the public their collections, talent and entrepreneurial drive.

But Kansas City Fashion Week (with presenting designers such as Baldwin Denim, Birdies Panties and many, many others) is just the tip of the iceberg for fashion entrepreneurship in Kansas City. We cannot overlook Fashion on the Fringe, a sub-genre of Kansas City Fringe Festival or the 13th Annual West Eighteenth Street Fashion Show that took place in June.

As each KCFW comes and goes, Kansas City reaches closer and closer to the heart of the fashion industry’s map. Here at Think Big Partners, we are proud to be supporters of Kansas City Fashion Week and will even be hosting an event at KCFW in our parking lot during October’s First Friday (October 4, 2013). After all, we support entrepreneurs in every industry--from technology to fashion. Stay tuned on our calendar for more information!

Think Big Demo Day Fosters Collisions, Unites Entrepreneurs and Investors

Just two simple words have the ability to make investors turn their heads and make entrepreneurs’ palms sweat: Demo day.  Demo day is the opportunity for startups to get in front of angel investors and venture capitalists and pitch their ideas with the hopes of getting funded, or at the very minimum, making strong connections.

Think Big hosted its very first Demo Day on Wednesday, August 28, 2013 at the Think Big Partners loft.  You could feel the energy and passion of each entrepreneur as they stood solo on the Demo Day stage in front of 85+ investors, community leaders and startup enthusiasts.  And although each 8-minute pitch seemed simple and comfortable enough, what the audience may not have realized is that many of these entrepreneurs had been practicing for weeks to deliver the perfect pitch--after all, that’s what it takes to get funded.

For the eight presenting entrepreneurs, Think Big Demo Day didn’t just take place on August 28.  The journey toward Demo Day started when they decided to turn their idea into a business.  From there, the entrepreneurs built, grew and launched a new startup right here in Kansas City.  Four of the presenting startups went through the Think Big Accelerator program.  Many utilized the benefits of Think Big Coworking space.  And all were consulted and mentored by Think Big Partners along their startup journey toward Demo Day.

Think Big Demo Day began with a 45 minute networking luncheon and an opportunity for entrepreneurs, startups, community leaders and investors to get acquainted with one another.  After lunch, the audience warmed up with energetic opening remarks from Think Big Co-founder and Managing Partner, Herb Sih and a quick 10-minute tour of Think Big Coworking.  

By 1:00PM, it was time for the pitches.  Polished presentations from Nathan Benjamin (InvenQuery), Jeb Ory (Phone2Action), Parker Hills (Keyzio) and Jeff Alholm (CandyCam) were followed by Q&A sessions from the audience and were then followed by explosive applause.

After a short break, it was Group 2’s chance to pitch.  Many audience members frivolously jotted down notes as Scott Tibbits (Katasi), Connor Sweeney (WeeJay), Bryan Richard (Fully) and Pierre Barbeau (Moblico) presented their startup concepts to the crowd.  Once again, the room burst into applause after each and every pitch.

By the time Pierre Barbeau stepped down from the stage, the audience was still fully energized and geared up to get some face time with the presenters.  Lucky for them, Think Big Demo Day wasn’t over.  The chance for investors to entrepreneurs to connect was just beginning.  Many decided to stay at Think Big to meet one-on-one with each other while others moved the event down the street to Snow & Company for frozen cocktails, power networking and further beneficial connections. 

Although the ultimate goal of Demo Day was to connect entrepreneurs with investors and funding, another goal rose from the gathering of so many passionate and energetic people: an increased number of collisions.  As mentioned by Herb Sih during opening remarks, the reason that companies get funded and that more jobs are created is because of increased collision density.  The term “collision density” is the level of collisions made between entrepreneurs, investors and connectors in a single area.  The higher an area’s collision density is, the more quickly and efficiently innovative development can occur.  Increased collision density was just another much anticipated outcome of Think Big Demo Day.

 

Think Big Partners would like to thank all attendees and presenters, as well as the partners of the Think Big Accelerator who help address the needs of the startup companies: The City of Kansas City, Missouri; Microsoft BizSpark, Twilio, SendGrind.  And a special thank you to all mentors and resident advisor, Dr. Julie Edge.

The next round of Think Big Accelerator applications open September 16, 2013.  For more information, please visit www.thinkbigpartners.com or call 816-842-5244.  

Kansas City Entrepreneurs Embrace Labor Day

Although all of us celebrate Labor Day by taking a day off of work to enjoy time with friends and family, very few of us know the true meaning behind the end-of-summer holiday. Dating back to 1882 when a group from the Central Labor Union took an unpaid day off, Labor Day’s origin was to celebrate "a workingmen's holiday" and to recognize the social and economic achievements of the modern laborer. Over time, more and more states enacted laws that gave many workers this day off. In 1894, it finally became a national holiday. Labor Day became a tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. It also was recognition for a more balanced outlook to work and a worker's life.

Entrepreneurs across the country should take heed of this day and celebrate! While many entrepreneurs are not able to share one of the benefits of Labor Day legislation, in which the 58 hour work week officially became 40 hours, it should be not be casually brushed aside either.

Being an entrepreneur can have many tremendous benefits, but this career choice is usually not an easy path to economic prosperity. The dream of the 40 hour work week seems fairly idyllic when one is normally working over 70 hours a week. The hours can mount up fast, while other parts of an entrepreneur's life can become unbalanced. So why take a whole 24 hours off just to celebrate Labor Day? We’ll tell you why...

Here at Think Big Partners, we want to challenge every entrepreneur to celebrate this holiday in some meaningful fashion, if for no other reason than trying to achieve some sort of work-life balance. The everyday world of an entrepreneur is hard enough. Be sure to take some time off once in awhile. Your startup, your American Dream, your email box - it all can wait once in awhile!

Happy Labor Day from Thing Big Partners!

What Happens in Vegas Won’t Stay in Vegas: Think Big’s SXSWV2V Experience

Admit it. We’ve all had a very similar experience to that of The Hangover when visiting Las Vegas. And although pictures and stories do arise from trips to Vegas, most of us tend to leave out the good parts and stick to the “What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas” mentality. 

But not for Think Big Partners! We want to share with you exactly what we experienced while in Las Vegas for SXSWV2V. And we’ve got the pictures to show it, too.

Think Big Partners headed to SXSWV2V with a few different goals. But the main mission among all six team members was to connect with other entrepreneurs and startups and to spread the word about the Kansas City startup scene. SXSWV2V was the perfect opportunity to do so. The first SXSW event in Las Vegas brought together 1500+ entrepreneurs, innovators, investors and connectors from across the globe. We met people from Austin, Boston, Vegas, Denver, San Francisco, and even some that we didn’t know from Kansas City (just to name a few). We attended a variety of SXSWV2V events and even explored other areas of Vegas known for a thriving startup scene outside of the conference. And of course, we had a lot of fun along the way.

Think Big arrives in Vegas! 

Herb Sih and Blake Miller head to a SXSWV2V networking event.

Team bonding at Minus 5 in THEhotel.

Think Big co-founder Herb Sih hosted a SXSWV2V mentor session on Monday morning.

SXSWV2V’s second keynote, Steve Case.  

Partners of Think Big playing a game of "bags" at the SXSWV2V Tech Cocktail event. 

After attending the Tech Cocktail and Chic CEO events, Think Big explored downtown Vegas.

The next day, Think Big toured Tony Hseih’s apartment and learned about the Downtown Project.

Vegas’ “Wall o’ Ideas” provided great inspiration for the KC startup scene.

This isn’t our first rodeo...Tech Trek was in Vegas not too long ago!

Think Big left its mark at usr/lib coworking space in downtown Las Vegas.

Touring Work In Progress, Vegas’ most well-known coworking space.

Think Big stopped for lunch at one of Vegas’ local joints.  This one boasts “Time is precious, waste it wisely.”

Think Big then co-hosted KC @ V2V with LaunchKC.  It was a great opportunity for Vegas entrepreneurs to learn about the KC startup scene.

Vegas was a great place for the Think Big team to bond, make great business relationships and spread the word about Kansas City entrepreneurship!  Thanks for having us!