In Case You Missed It! iKC: The Unconference Closing Party Recap

 

After the innovative unconference that is iKC, attendees headed over to the Alamo Drafthouse for the best part: the Closing Party by Google Fiber!

As everyone took their first sips of liquid courage and snacked on delicious appetizers, the Closing Party kicked off with the Open Mic Awards. Attendees awarded each other things like who travelled the farthest for iKC to who tweeted the most about the unconference. Winners walked away with great prizes like Chiefs tickets, bowling games, Boulevard Brewing Company swag and a Garmin watch.

After the prizes were handed out, collisions didn’t stop even though iKC was technically over. Closing Party attendees kept having meaningful conversations and interacting, just like they had been at the unconference. Party-goers snacked, sipped and continued to enjoy each other’s company, forging even more connections to create a better Kansas City.

Andrew Stanley, entrepreneur and founder of VolunteerMark, attended both iKC and the Closing Party – and he was not disappointed.

“The Closing Party was an awesome event,” Stanley said. “I had a really good time and met some really great people. I look forward to attending again next year.”

But the Closing Party wasn’t over yet! An unconference party isn’t made up of just delicious snacks, drinks and mingling. After party-goers had taken their fill, the Closing Party ended with a bang as we revealed the world premiere of the Tech Trek, a documentary made with and about Google Glass.

Thanks to support from Hallmark and Sprint, the Tech Trek took Closing Party attendees on a 30 minute journey from Kansas City to Silicon Valley and back to KC. The documentary took note of the good and bad of Google Glass, including commentary on the many reactions people had to the new technology. The Tech Trek made all of us think more about what the Glass technology means for not just the tech industry, but the implications for tech in Kansas City.

In a day filled with collisions and innovation on behalf of the great city we call home, we couldn’t think of a more perfect ending to the Closing Party for iKC2013: the Unconference.

11 Things to Know Before iKC 2013

iKC: The Unconference is right around the corner! We’re ramping up for what promises to be a day full of unexpected collisions with unimaginable outcomes. In order for you to prepare for the unexpected, we’ve put together a list of everything you need to know so you can make the best of iKC 2013:  

1. Check-in starts at 8:00am.  Check-in at H&R Block World Headquarters on the first floor (and come early to guarantee your free t-shirt!). 
2. Welcome presentations will begin at 8:45am.  From there, the day will be divided into 4 sessions (to be determined the morning of the unconference). 
3. The agenda will be voted on and created live from 9:30am-10:30am. This hour may seem a little chaotic, but it allows plenty of opportunity for collisions and conversations to happen! Attendees will be able to submit ideas for session topics as they arrive and register.
4. Free parking is available in the Annex Garage off 13th & Grand (but you must print a parking voucher beforehand!).
5. Attendees can make the unconference whatever they want it to be.  We suggest having an open mind and to be prepared to discuss, learn and contribute to conversations happening. 
6. Attendees have the opportunity to get facetime with some of the leaders of Kansas City by applying for the UnMentor Program.  Apply here.
7. Dress casual! 
8. Walk over to Alamo (1400 Main) after the last iKC session for the Closing Session, brought to you by Google Fiber. 
9. Your iKC ticket doubles as your free pass to the world premiere of Tech Trek at 6:30pm at the Alamo Drafthouse during the Closing Session. 
10. You have the chance to participate in the Open Mic Awards and personally recognize and award another iKC attendee on their participation and ideas during the Closing Session. 
11. And never forget the 4 (un)written rules of the unconference:
1. Whenever it starts is the right time. Whenever it is over, it is over.
2. The people who come are the right people.
3. Whatever happens is the only thing that could have happened.
4. If you are not learning or contributing, it is your responsibility to use your own two feet to find someplace where you are. 

iKC 2013: The Unconference wouldn’t be possible with our great sponsors. A big thanks to H&R Block, Husch Blackwell, Garmin, Mazuma, Sprint, Red Bull and Google Fiber. We can wait for iKC 2013 and hope you’re just as anxious as we are! 

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!

Top 5 Reasons You Need to Be at iKC 2013

iKC: The Unconference is all about taking great ideas and turning them into action.  So why do you need to be at the unconference on October 3?  

1. You decide the topics you want to talk about At an "unconference," attendees submit and vote on ideas ahead of time to decide what the day's agenda will look like.Therefore, what the conference looks like is entirely up to you. Submit your ideas here.   2. Increase collision density in Kansas City Collision density is the level of collisions made between entrepreneurs, innovators, connectors, and investors in a single area. The higher an area's collision density, the more quickly and efficiently innovative development can occur. 3. This isn't a lecture hall. iKC incorporates the "Law of Two Feet." Unconference Rule #4 says, "if you're not learning or contributing, it is your responsibility to use your own two feet to find someplace where you are." If the session you're in is not a good fit, we encourage you to go find a conversation that makes more sense for you. 4. Get 1-on-1 mentorship from some of KC's most respected entrepreneurs and business leaders We're lining up some of the city's most successful entrepreneurs and business leaders for the UnMentor Program. Apply for the UnMentor program and you may have an opportunity for a 20-minute session with one of our UnMentors during the conference.   5. The After Party. No, really.  At 4:15, we'll head to the Alamo Drafthouse for the iKC Closing Session (sponsored by Google Fiber) where you can enjoy free drinks and appetizers. There will also be Open Mic awards where attendees can grab the mic and personally award prizes to a person they think had the most impact on their day. Plus! At 6:30 p.m., you'll be one of the first to see The Tech Trek, a Google Glass-enabled documentary, and learn all about the capabilities of Google Glass from the eyes of KC entrepreneurs.  **This screening is free for iKC attendees. General public tickets will become available if space permits. Claim your iKC ticket today! We will see you October 3!

Announcing the iKC UnMentors!

For the second year in a row, we have teamed up with the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce to bring KC an (un)conference unlike any other.  iKC: The Unconference is an open format conference to facilitate collisions between innovators, entrepreneurs, investors and connectors.
Unlike any other event in Kansas City, iKC is all about taking great ideas and turning them into action. 

This year, we are unleashing our UnMentorship program.  If you're an entrepreneur looking for feedback or mentorship, you'll be interested in speaking to one of our UnMentors!  During iKC, UnMentors will have open time slots of 20 minutes to meet with budding entrepreneurs (or just grab someone with an UnMentor badge!).

A huge thanks to our iKC UnMentors:

• Dr. Julie Edge, Ph.D.
• Taylor Cowan
• Keith Bae
• Pat Doherty
• Rob Bensman
• Kelly Pruneau
• Judy Sindecuse
• Ryan O'Connell
• John Peryam
• Mark Nuss
• Nathan Benjamin
• Dan Schmidt
• Willis Jackson
• Sarah Dickey

iKC: The Unconference takes place on October 3, 2013 at H&R Block World Headquarters in downtown Kansas City.  A big thanks to a few of our new sponsors who have helped make iKC possible: eBeam, Boom Ideanet, City of Kansas City and the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City (EDCKC)! For a full list of our sponsors, click here.

Apply now for the UnMentorship Program at iKC!

Nominate Your Favorite Tweeps to Win Free Tickets to iKC!

Do you know of a startup or small business that deserves to win a free ticket to iKC, but hasn’t purchased one yet? We want you to nominate them to win a ticket to the unconference! 

We’re giving away 2 free tickets to 5 different deserving groups and individuals nominated by our Twitter followers. The contest begins Monday, September 23 and runs until Friday, September 27.

Nominating an innovative organization is as easy as 1, 2, tweet! Follow iKC on Twitter (@iKC2013) and tweet @iKC2013 in 140 characters or less who you think could contribute innovative ideas at iKC and deserves a free ticket to the unconference.

Entrepreneurs are known for their innovative ideas; the goal of iKC is to make meaningful collisions that result in ideas that make an impact on our community as a whole.  So be sure to nominate people who not only deserve a ticket, but who can help create collisions and action at iKC 2013!

Nominate the innovators in your life today! Tweet @iKC2013. 

The 3 Best Ways to Prepare for an Unconference

We’ve all been there: stuck in a room for hours listening to speaker after speaker. We say we are there for work, professional development or networking, but we’re actually just horribly bored and unengaged. You guessed it; we’re at a typical run-of-the-mill conference. 

Sure, the concept of a conference is a great one.  But too often, traditional conferences are poorly executed. That is where the unconference concept comes into play. What is an unconference, exactly?  It’s a lot like a conference, but less structured and more participatory. The attendees have just as much to do with what the agenda looks like as the organizers. While one says he or she is at a conference to network, the unconference is where it actually happens.

An unconference is still a fairly new concept, but it may just be the future of professional development events. With that in mind, and with iKC: The Unconference right around the corner, here are the 3 best ways for you to prepare for your next unconference: 

1.    Keep an open mind

The unconference model doesn’t work if you walk in with preconceived notions of what should or shouldn’t happen. A true unconference is not a super structured event and therefore, those who attend shouldn’t be either.  In other words, keep an open mind throughout the entire unconference--no matter what sessions you attend, speaker you engage with or networking experience you have. 

An unconference should also be a safe space where people should feel comfortable to freely share their ideas and receive feedback from others. This way, ideas keep flowing and innovation and connections are allowed to happen (after all, that’s the point!). 

2.    Be prepared with ideas to share and questions to ask

Now that you’re ready to meet and speak with anyone and everyone at an unconference, you’ve got to have something to say! Don’t be afraid to share your ideas or provide feedback...no idea is a bad idea at an unconference.

For example, if another attendee presents a new product or idea to you, let them know your honest opinion. If someone brings up a topic that you don’t understand, ask him or her to clarify. An unconference is not an event where you let the speaker’s words flow in one ear and out the other. This is your chance to discover new ideas, get feedback and take action on those ideas.

3.    Practice your listening skills

We love industry disruptors and innovators, but please don’t be an interrupter! An unconference is a great place for real collisions to happen and relationships to form. Listen carefully to what the speaker or fellow attendee is saying so you can provide thoughtful comments or feedback. An unconference is anything but fluff or saying something just to say something. An unconference is the ideal place of meaningful action – and listening to others lets that occur.   

Anyone who’s a quick thinker with an open mind, who also knows when to shut up and when to speak up, is the best kind of unconference attendee. Now that you know what it takes, why not get in on the unconference action?

Don’t be shy; get your tickets for iKC 2013 today!

Just 1 Month Until iKC: The Unconference!

Kansas City’s newest unconference, iKC, is one month away! Have you purchased your tickets yet? Submitted your ideas? Gotten involved? Now’s the time to do it!

iKC: The Unconference takes place on October 3 at H&R Block World Headquarters. And if you’re anything like us, you simply cannot wait. In order to ease your anticipation, we encourage you to do a little preparation. This year, iKC 2013 will be powered by you, the attendees, through topics submitted through our IdeaScale platform. The ideas that are submitted will then be turned into unique breakout sessions like unpanels, Q&As, short format presentations and more.

Want to get involved with iKC: The Unconference? Partner with us! Join outstanding supporters like H&R Block, Garmin, CommunityAmerica, Google Fiber, Sprint, Inboun, Mazuma Credit Union and Park University.

And be sure to stay tuned to the @iKC2013 Twitter feed for more info about the unconference like new sponsors, speakers and ambassadors.

QUICK LINKS:

• Purchase tickets
• Become a sponsor
• Submit an idea

iKC: The Unconference Tickets Now Available!

We are thrilled to announce that tickets for iKC The Unconference, taking place at H&R Block World Headquarters this October, are now officially on sale! If you’re unfamiliar with an unconference, here’s the brief run-down: an unconference is an open-format conference in order to facilitate activity, conversations and collisions between individuals. Attendees actively create the unconference agenda with the assistance of a skilled facilitator where all the sessions become relevant and engaging.

Unlike like your run-of-the-mill conferences, unconferences adhere to four strict (un)written rules:

1. Whenever it starts is the right time. Whenever it is over, it is over.
2. The people who come are the right people.
3. Whatever happens is the only thing that could have happened.
4. If you are not learning or contributing, it is your responsibility to use your own two feet to find someplace where you are (The Law of Two Feet).

If you’re seeking great collisions with unexpected results, iKC The Unconference is the event for you. After you’ve purchased your tickets be sure to submit your ideas to the ideascale so you can contribute to an agenda worth your undivided attention.

If you would like to get involved with iKC: The Unconference, consider becoming a sponsor!  Join outstanding supporters like CommunityAmerica, H&R Block, Garmin, Google Fiber, Mazuma Credit Union, Sprint and Park University.  Learn more about sponsorship here. 

Purchase your tickets to iKC: The Unconference right here!

Your Chance to Win 2 Tickets to iKC: The Unconference is Just an Idea Away

By now, you’ve probably heard of iKC: The Unconference, Kansas City’s newly formatted conference on innovation and entrepreneurship.  And if you’ve read anything about iKC: The Unconference, you’ve also probably noticed that it isn’t your typical Kansas City event.  As a matter of fact, we are turning to the Kansas City community to submit ideas and topics that will be covered as sessions during the unconference on October 3.  That’s right--you submit an idea to the idea scale platform and it has the potential of becoming an entire session topic during iKC: The Unconference!

We have received some very interesting submissions so far:  Startup and the Media, How to Podcast, Hiring vs. Contracting, Starting a Company as a Developer, Workplace Productivity and even Cross-generational collaboration.  But we are looking for more great ideas from you, Kansas City!

Submit your idea to iKC: The Unconference before August 1 and you will be entered to win a pair of tickets to iKC (up to a $278.00 value!).  So what are you waiting for?  Submit your topic idea to iKC: The Unconference and enter the chance to join us at the event on October 3. 

SUBMIT HERE!

And be sure to follow iKC: The Unconference on Twitter for more updates! @iKC2013 

Fired up from 1Week KC? The Next Big Entrepreneur Event is On Its Way!

There’s no doubt about it--the second annual 1Week KC event was a huge success.  We saw more innovative collaborations, more networking, and more ideas than any other single week here in Kansas City.  But now we need to focus on what we should do with all of the great ideas we developed during 1Week KC.  That’s where iKC: The Unconference comes into play--it’s the opportunity to take all of the great ideas you’ve generated and turn them into action. 

What is iKC: The Unconference?  

First, allow us to define “unconference” for you.  An unconference is an open format conference that facilitates activity, conversations and collisions between individuals. Attendees actively create the unconference agenda with the assistance of a skilled facilitator where all the sessions become relevant and engaging. 

iKC: The Unconference is unlike any other Kansas City conference you’ve been to before.  iKC is a brand new way to  unite entrepreneurs and innovators in Kansas City and initiate action throughout the community. 

Here’s How It Works!

1. Submit a Topic:  What the day looks like is entirely up to you!  If you have a great idea, submit it to iKC: The Unconference.  Who knows?  An entire session may be built around your idea. 
2. Come to the Unconference: On October 3, join us at iKC: The Unconference and see your ideas come to life!  
3. The Agenda is Created: Based off of your submitted ideas, the iKC agenda will be created.  The morning of the unconference, you will see which ideas become conference topics.

Take Action Now

Unconferences are only as successful as the ideas that people submit for them.  We’re asking you, Kansas City, to submit topic ideas that YOU want to see covered at iKC!  From your submitted topic ideas, we will create the schedule for iKC.  Remember; no idea is too crazy (we’ve already had one submission about nap time increasing productivity!). Submit your ideas here.

Sponsor iKC

iKC is looking for sponsors to become a part of the unconference!  Interested in sponsoring? Click here.

iKC: The Unconference will take place on October 3, 2013 at H&R Block World Headquarters in downtown Kansas City.  Tickets go on sale on August 1.  

Think Big Partners and The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Announce iKC: The Unconference on October 3, 2013

Last year, Think Big Partners and The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce held the very first iKC conference--a day-long even dedicated to Kansas City innovation and entrepreneurship.  We are extremely excited to announce a second iKC conference in the works.  Introducing--iKC: The Unconference! 

iKC: The Unconference is a day-long unconference that will be hosted at H&R Block World Headquarters on October 3, 2013.  The main mission of the unconference is to enable a higher level of “collision density”, the level of collisions made between entrepreneurs, investors and connectors in a single area.  At this time, collision density is 20 times less likely to occur in Kansas City than it is in San Francisco because entrepreneurs, investors and connectors are too spread out geographically.  iKC: The Unconference will solve this issue by uniting a large number of individuals under one roof to turn innovative ideas into actionable items. 

“We’ve seen great success come out of unconferences in cities such as Austin and Boston,” said Sarah Snyder, meeting planner and event organizer at Think Big Partners.  “After seeing firsthand the power of organic community-driven discussions and relevant collaboration, we are eager to bring this refreshing format to Kansas City to help improve the collision density of our community.”

To carry out its mission, iKC will take the form of an unconference.  An unconference is an open-format conference in order to facilitate activity, conversations and collisions between individuals.  iKC: The Unconference asks individuals to submit topic ideas before the conference.  A few days prior to the day of the conference, an agenda will be distributed based off of the submitted topic ideas.  Unconference sessions can take on many different formats including short presentations, group discussions, show and tell, “unpanels” and more.   After the sessions are complete, iKC: The Unconference will host Open Mic Awards in which attendees can publicly award prizes to standout community leaders as well as a networking after-party. 

In addition to the unconference format, iKC will also be hosting a 1-on-1 program for new entrepreneurs.  Entrepreneurs are encouraged to apply for the 1-on-1 program in order to meet with local, high-level mentors throughout the day of the conference.  To apply for the 1-on-1 program, visit www.ikctheunconference.com.

“In 2011, the KC Chamber launched the Big 5 goal of making Kansas City ‘America’s Most Entrepreneurial City,’ and, since then, there’s been no looking back,” said Jim Heeter, president and chief executive officer of the KC Chamber. “Each of our Big 5 goals for Big KC leverages assets already in place and each has great potential for adding to our regional economy.  iKC supports our vision of gaining global recognition for Kansas City as a premier location for launching and expanding innovative, high-growth companies, and does so in an unconventional way.”

iKC: The Unconference is currently looking for leaders in the Kansas City community to get involved through sponsorship opportunities.  To learn more about these opportunities, please visit www.ikctheunconference.com. 

iKC: The Unconference will take place on October 3, 2013 at H&R Block World Headquarters in downtown Kansas City.  Tickets for the unconference will go on sale August 1, 2013.  To purchase your tickets and learn more about iKC: The Unconference, please visit www.ikctheunconference.com. 

We hope to see you at our first ever unconference in October! Stay tuned...more details will be leaked along the way

Think Big Partners and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Gear Up for the 2nd Annual iKC Conference

First there was Think Big Kansas City.  Then came The Gigabit Challenge.  Then came iKC.  And now, Think Big Partners and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce are excited to announce the next event all about innovation and entrepreneurship—the 2^nd annual iKC conference!

iKC 2012 was one for the books.  The event brought in some of the region’s great innovators, entrepreneurs, startups and corporations together for a day of inspiration and innovation. 

iKC 2013 will be no different.  Get ready to set your creativity, your motivation and your entrepreneurial thinking ablaze for the second year in a row!  The 2^nd annual iKC conference will be hosted in Kansas City in June of 2013. 

More announcements about the upcoming iKC 2013 will be out soon...stay tuned.    

Follow iKC! @iKC_2012

In-depth with the Think Big i-Team: Nick Rossin

This summer, Think Big Partners proudly took on its biggest project of all—managing 9 rockstar interns!  We were so excited to bring on these 9 eager students that we felt like we had to come up with name for them—they are now known as the i-Team. We can’t wait to teach the i-Team all about the world of entrepreneurship, startups, marketing and all things in between.  Learn more about i-Team member Nick Rossin, our bizperc coworking space intern:

NAME: Nick Rossin

FAVORITE COLOR: Orange

3 BEST QUALITIES: Friendly, Easy-going and Hardworking

MISSION STATEMENT:  ”I am person with determination to get any task done through creativity to make it fun, effective and worthwhile.”

Meet Nick Rossin. Nick grew up in Overland Park, Kansas with a younger sister and older brother (Zach, who was a previous finance intern at Think Big Partners!). Nick attended Blue Valley Northwest High School where he was part of the student government, golf team and DECA. He is currently a sophomore accounting major at KU.  Nick is a part of many campus organizations—Sigma Phi Epsilon, National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Student Advocates for Financial Education. But when he’s not busy being a star student, Nick likes to play golf and hang out with his friends. He even enjoys the occasional KC Chiefs game (but then again, who doesn’t!?). 

Here at Think Big, Nick has helped with the planning and development of our entrepreneur-focused conference, iKC. Now, Nick has been put in charge of tasks concerning the coworking space, bizperc. So far, Nick’s favorite part of interning at Think Big Partners has been meeting all the new people. The hardest part this summer has been juggling two different jobs.  But this may be nothing compared to his previous experience as a soccer referee. He was yelled at by “over-enthusiastic parents” and he even had to make some parents leave the field!

Within the next 5 years, Nick plans to graduate from KU and then begin studying for his masters. He would love to have a job in sales so he can “constantly interact and meet new people”. His dream job would be “a real estate agent in a cool city or town,” (is KC cool enough? We think so!). 

How Does Nick Think Big? “I Think Big by making life decisions with proper consideration of all possible outcomes and consequences. Just like any entrepreneurial idea, I have learned to Think Big by keeping an open mind and sculpting decisions or ideas into something worthwhile that fits”.

Herb Sih’s Fire Up: How to Get S*#! Done Fast (Plus a Recap of iKC’s Fire Ups)

iKC hosted Kansas City’s first Fearless Innovators and Ruthless Entrepreneurs’ Unconventional Pitch (also known as Fire Up). Fire Up is an intense 5 minute, 15 seconds-per-slide pitch contest. Understanding what these entrepreneurs were saying during their speedy spiels was the hardest part of these lightning-fast pitches. Here are some details I can recall from the pitching whirlwind.

Kevin Payne, Joel Stephens, Adam Coomes, Doug Richards and Kathy Pate were the entrepreneurs of “Fire Up: The Next Disruptive Innovation”. Five entrepreneurs gave their pitches about products or ideas that should be in the marketplace. The groundbreaking ideas ranged from “non-sexy stuff” to 7-Eleven’s gross profit split to re-engineered human data systems. The presentations and presenters couldn’t have been more different if they had planned it.

The winner of the this Fire Up contest was Doug Richards. His idea was Gamification. The next disruptive innovation that he proposed was a way for a game to produce work-like results. This program is based on experiential psychology. Users will choose an adventure and then receive results based on their performance. Richards believes this new program will replace social media and render the term obsolete.  

This process of super-quick pitches is mind-blowing and bound to boost creativity and innovation. I know I’m motivated to think outside the box, but I’d never be able to pitch anything at Fire Up speed! Kathy Pate let out a huge sigh when she was finished and said, “That was the most stressful 5 minutes of my life!” The entrepreneurs kept the crowd engaged throughout the presentations and we all left Fired Up!

To catch a glimpse of Herb Sih’s Fire Up called How to Get S*#! Done Fast (he participated in Fire Up: The Answers to Questions You Didn’t Know You Had), take a look at this video below (it’s bound to make your mind race!): 


(We apologize—this isn’t the FULL presentation and it also doesn’t have the best quality!  Also, please ignore Allison Way’s random giggles and high pitched shouts at the end).  

Innovation: Fostering Creativity in the Workplace

How do you foster innovative culture within your company? Everyone wants to know the answer to this question. During the iKC discussion, “Creativity Survival Skills: Innovation in a Large Ecosystem”, five panelists from Sprint, BATS, MRIGlobal and Hallmark discussed this question, along with many other hot topics.

Innovation. What exactly does this word mean? Author Dr. Michael E. Raynor says everyone has his or her own definition for innovation. One panelist said innovation was “disciplined creativity”. Anyone can have ideas, but if you’re not disciplined, you won’t be able to execute them. Ideas will just stay ideas. How do you get your employees to think creatively? Many companies, like Hallmark, push their employees to do activities outside their skill sets. Herb Sih of Think Big Partners encourages his employees to do things they’re passionate about, beyond the typical work day. Each panelist agreed that it’s necessary for companies to have an open environment so employees can share their ideas. Demolish the “road blocks” put in place and educate your staff so they know the correct channels to go through to get their ideas heard.

The biggest thing I learned during this session is that creativity is crucial for innovation to blossom. Some other things I learned during this discussion are:

• Find the “right” people for your company. Even if there’s not a position available for them, don’t be afraid to make one! Having the right employees can make or break your innovative environment.
• Feedback is crucial. If you don’t give your employees feedback on their ideas, they won’t understand what you want from them. They might keep bringing the same thing to the table.
• Innovation is a journey. Sometimes the idea is good but the timing isn’t. There may be an incubation period for ideas, but that doesn’t mean the idea isn’t great.

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