iKC Announces Master Your Card Missouri as Presenting Sponsor

Kansas City-based startup accelerator and business incubator Think Big Partners and the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce have announced Master Your Card Missouri as the presenting sponsor for the June 20^th innovation and entrepreneurship conference known as iKC.

Master Your Card Missouri is a public education campaign from MasterCard which helps consumers, small businesses and governments get more from their money by using prepaid, debit and credit cards to their advantage.  Master Your Card Missouri uses its innovative technology to run an electronic payment network that delivers instantaneous, affordable and safe transactions through cards. 

The Master Your Card Missouri program is an entrepreneurial approach to the world of payment that aligns with the message that iKC will send this spring.  The program allows for consumers, small businesses and governments to improve awareness of financial inclusion, awareness of financial literacy, negotiation tactics, knowledge of electronic payment processes and technical assistance.

“As a technology company that happens to be in the payments space, customers and cardholders look to MasterCard for cutting-edge advancements in the space, so that they can pay for the things that matter to them in the way that they prefer," said Rob Reeg, President of MasterCard Technologies. "Doing so means skills like being innovative and demonstrating entrepreneurial spirit are crucial for us, and a reason that we’ve chosen to support the iKC 2012 event. As a company with our technology headquarters based in Missouri, we look forward to the valuable content the sessions will offer to attendees, as well as the opportunity to introduce our Master Your Card Missouri public education campaign to help businesses, consumers and governments get more value from the technology we offer.”

iKC, formerly known as The Chamber’s Innovation Conference and Think Big Partners’ Think Big Kansas City, is a day-long conference that will be hosted by H&R Block. The mission of the conference is to foster innovation and creativity in Kansas City, help build the “City of Entrepreneurs”, and provide innovation and startup opportunities for corporations, KC businesses and entrepreneurs.  The conference will take place on June 20, 2012 at the H&R Block World Headquarters in downtown Kansas City.  Think Big Partners and The Chamber are thrilled to partner with Master Your Card Missouri to help foster the growth of innovation and entrepreneurship in the Kansas City area through the creation of a day-long conference.

“The iKC Conference will bring together some of the most innovative minds in the Kansas City region and beyond,” said Jim Heeter, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. “We’re thrilled to have Master Your Card Missouri as a sponsor of this exciting event, which moves us that much closer to our Big 5 goal of making Kansas City America’s most entrepreneurial city.”

To become a sponsor or speaker for the iKC event on June 20, 2012, please visit www.sparkinginnovation.org.  To purchase a ticket, please visit the iKC registration page.

Follow iKC! @iKC_2012

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

iKC: Innovate, Ignite and Inspire on June 20

The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and Think Big Partners have launched the new website for Kansas City’s innovation and entrepreneur conference, now known as iKC.

iKC, formerly known as The Chamber’s Innovation Conference and Think Big Partners’ Think Big Kansas City, is a day-long conference that will be hosted by H&R Block. The mission of the conference is to foster innovation and creativity in Kansas City, help build the “City of Entrepreneurs”, and provide innovation and startup education for corporate creatives, KC businesses and entrepreneurs.  The conference will take place on June 20^th at the H&R Block World Headquarters in downtown Kansas City.

“iKC can mean so many different things to so many different people in Kansas City,” said co-founder of Think Big Partners, Herb Sih.  “To an entrepreneur, it may mean inspiration.  To corporate creatives, it may mean innovation.  To others it could mean involvement, interaction, impact, or interconnectivity. We hope to encapsulate all of these meanings into one Kansas City conference—iKC.”

“iKC is going to be a high-energy, interactive get-together for many of our region’s top innovators and visionaries,” said Jim Heeter, president and CEO of The Chamber. “By bringing these people together and giving them a place to network and collaborate, we are another step closer to becoming America’s most entrepreneurial city.”

In addition to spotlighting a number of different local and national speakers, iKC is also featuring its very first Fire Up series (which stands for Fearless Innovators’ and Ruthless Entrepreneurs’ Unconventional Pitch).  Fire Up is made up of faster-than-usual pitch presentations from local innovative entrepreneurs.  These entrepreneurs will only have a few minutes to convey and entire business pitch to a live audience.  iKC is currently looking for Kansas City corporations to sponsor a Fire Up presentation as well as entrepreneurs interested in participating in Fire Up.  To learn more, please visit http://www.sparkinginnovation.com. 

iKC is currently looking for leaders in the Kansas City business community and beyond to get involved through sponsorship and speaker opportunities.  To learn more about these opportunities or to register for iKC, please visit http://www.sparkinginnovation.org.

Follow iKC! @iKC_2012

Announcing IgniteKC: The 2012 Kansas City Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The contest is over and the ballots are in!

Think Big Partners and Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce have chosen “IgniteKC” as the winner of the naming contest for the 2012 Kansas City conference on innovation and entrepreneurship.

Earlier this year, Think Big Partners and the Kansas City Chamber opened up the naming contest to spark community involvement amongst Kansas City innovators, entrepreneurs and creative minds. From their ideas and suggestions emerged IgniteKC, the new official name of the conference, selected by a committee made up of members from the Chamber of Commerce and Think Big Partners.

“This conference is a step in the right direction for Kansas City,” said managing partner and co-founder of Think Big Partners, Herb Sih. “We hope that the event ignites a collaborative spark between entrepreneurial organizations, large Kansas-City based corporations, small businesses and creative individuals alike.”

IgniteKC is the culmination of the Chamber’s Innovation Conference and Think Big Partners’ Think Big Kansas City with the goal of building Kansas City into America’s most entrepreneurial city. The jam-packed, all-day conference will be hosted by H&R Block and will take place on June 20^th, 2012, at the H&R Block Corporate headquarters building in downtown Kansas City. The conference is dedicated to educating and motivating innovators, entrepreneurs and like-minded individuals by giving them an arena to learn, grow and connect.

IgniteKC is looking for leaders in the Kansas City business community and beyond to get involved through sponsorship and speaker opportunities. To learn more about getting involved, please visit www.kc2012.com (site subject to change) or call (816) 842.5244.

Stay tuned! The IgniteKC website will launch soon with information about tickets, event schedule and more opportunities.

Follow IgniteKC on Twitter! @IgniteKC

Follow me! @LauraGThinkBig

Think Big Celebrates Black History Month: Top 5 Black Entrepreneurs in History

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR
What better time to acknowledge famous black entrepreneurs than during Black History Month?  As a tribute to this month-long "holiday", we'd like to take a closer look at some of the most famous African American entrepreneurs of our time and how they made it big:

Chris Gardner

1.  Chris Gardner: As the keynote speaker of our first Think Big Kansas City conference, we look up to Chris Gardner because of his persistence, drive and entrepreneurial heart.  Chris Gardner was the inspiration for the movie The Pursuit of Happyness and dug himself out of the trenches of homelessness in the 1980s.  Although Gardner faced many challenges while in poverty, he rose above them all to become one of the most admired entrepreneurs, investors, motivational speakers and philanthropists today.

Oprah Winfrey

2.  Oprah Winfrey:  Oprah isn't just successful...she's also beyond powerful.  Much like Gardner, Oprah had to rise above a rough upbringing before hitting it big with Harpo Studios and The Oprah Winfrey Show.  Oprah is one busy lady: from talk shows, to interviews, to magazines, to TV networks; this entrepreneur has her plate full.  Oprah has become so influential in people's lives, in fact, that the term "The Oprah Effect" has come to fruition, which refers to her opinions and endorsement to influence public opinion.

George Foreman

3.  George Foreman: From the boxing ring to the kitchen, this entrepreneur knows how to battle the competition.  Foreman earned his claim to fame in the professional heavy weight boxing ring, but also from the creation of The George Foreman Grill (also known as the Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine).  This appliance alone has earned George Foreman over $200 million dollars.  Now that's successful entrepreneurship!

Russell Simmons

4.  Russell Simmons:  Phat Farm, Baby Phat, Run Athletics, The Nutty Professor, Def Jams Records.  They all belong to hip hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons.  With so many successful ventures under his belt, Simmons has been identified as an American business magnate.

Magic Johnson

5. Magic Johnson:  Not many basketball players make more money off the court than they do on it.  But Magic Johnson is an exception to this trend.  Magic Johnson is the CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises, a company that has a portfolio with franchises such as AMC/Magic Johnson Movie Theaters, Burger King, Starbucks, TGI Fridays, 24 Hour Fitness and Washington Mutual Home Loan Centers.

What black entrepreneurs do you look up to during Black History Month?  Comment below to let us know and happy Black History Month from all of us at Think Big Partners!





Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

bizperc Proves Entrepreneurs Cannot Live Without Coffee

Stop 5 of the bizperc walking tour: all-you-can-drink coffee from bizperc

Stop 1: Richard Branson Autograph

Stop 2: "Do You Believe in Miracles" Poster and Autograph

Stop 3: The bizperc Business Card Scanner

Stop 4: Green Screen Studio and Audio Booth

If there is one thing that entrepreneurs can't live without, bizperc believes it's coffee.  Take away an entrepreneur's computer and he can use his smartphone to answer emails.  Take away an entrepreneur's desk and he can sit on the floor or head to the local coffee shop to work.  Take away an entrepreneur's daily calendar and he'll just be late to meetings anyway. But take away an entrepreneur's coffee...and prepare for fury.  


Coffee and energy drinks are essential for most workers' day-to-day lives, but especially for that of an entrepreneur.  Entrepreneurs often work crazy hours, sometimes working until 3:00 in the morning  just to finish an important project.  Coffee helps the entrepreneur stay awake and feel invigorated during those late-night projects.  Coffee runs through the veins of entrepreneurs...and we believe that every entrepreneur should have access to all-you-can-drink coffee.


That's why bizperc's atmosphere revolves around coffee.  Why do you think it's called "bizperc" in the first place?  The name "bizperc" came for a combination of "business" and a coffee "percolator".  


In order to provide our entrepreneurs with all-you-can-drink coffee, bizperc provides an instant Bosch/Tassimo coffee machine with a wide variety of pods (coffee at the touch of a button!).  Hundreds of coffee mugs are available as well as a large coffee percolator, an old school coffee machine and a coffee bar where entrepreneurs can socialize over a good old cup o' joe. 

Welcome to the bizperc coffee bar! Come network and collaborate over a good cup of coffee.

bizperc provides freshly ground coffee and an old-school coffee maker next to a percolator.

Percolate with us!

A Bosch instant coffee maker with pods are always available. 

Check out rule #3: caffeine deprivation is a cruel and unusual punishment!

There is always a wide variety of pods available at bizperc.

We even have Think Big mugs!

Tired of paying $5 for a cup of coffee at Starbucks?  Then come check out bizperc and drop-in for just $15!  You'll get the chance to network, collaborate and down all of the coffee you possibly can!  Call Sarah today for a tour at 816-842-5244.

Follow bizperc! @bizperc
Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

On the 6th 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 6th day of coworking...and win a ticket to Think Big Kansas City! 

"Like" bizperc on Facebook and share this video with your friends.  Six lucky sharers will win a ticket to the Think Big Kansas City Conference (a $249 value!).


Think Big Kansas City is a jam-packed one-day conference full of entrepreneurial inspiration. Network with fellow entrepreneurs, investors and startups and learn what it takes to become a success in the startup world. Think Big Kansas City is an annual conference that you won't want to miss out on.

Learn more: http://www.thinkbigkansascity.com

Good luck and Think Big!

Follow bizperc! @bizperc

What is Think Big Partners Thankful For?

WRITTEN BY ALLISON WAY, SENIOR COPYWRITER & CHIEF EDITOR

What are we thankful for?  We're so glad you asked.

We're thankful for the amazing entrepreneurs who we have the opportunity to work with every day; from experienced techaholics to dedicated social media gurus.


We're thankful for our inspirational coworking space and the ideas that percolate within the bizperc walls.


We're thankful that Kansas City is exploding with entrepreneurship and collaboration with initiatives from KCSourceLink, the Social Media Club of Kansas City, Google Fiber and the Kauffman Foundation.


We're thankful for Twitter.


We're thankful for the 113 contestants who entered into The Gigabit Challenge and their dedication, passion and courage to put a business idea on the line.


We're thankful for our partners and all of our supporters who have helped make TBP what it is today.


We're thankful for other startup accelerators and business incubators out there that are leading the way for entrepreneurs and innovators. 


We're thankful for coffee.  


We're thankful for the precious time we get to spend with our friends and families.


We're thankful that our company is made up of driven, innovative and rockstar entrepreneurs who have been, there done that and are willing to help others do the same.


We're thankful that our office has one of the best views of downtown Kansas City.


We're thankful for 37signals and its mysterious ways of organizing our chaotic lives.  


We're thankful for all of the small businesses, entrepreneurs and organizations that have collaborated with us to throw events like Entrepreneur Corner, Think Big Kansas City, The Gigabit Challenge Finale and Entrepreneur Bootcamp.  


We're thankful for entrepreneurs, just like you, who have become living and breathing proof that Think Big Partners is making a difference in the Kansas City community and beyond.

What are you thankful for? 

Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig

The Hilton President Partners Up with The Gigabit Challenge

Yesterday, we announced that the Kansas City Public Library has partnered up with the Gigabit Challenge and would be the host of the Finale event in mid-January of 2012.  But we have more announcements coming your way—the Hilton President, one of Kansas City’s iconic downtown landmarks, has also partnered with The Gigabit Challenge in order to provide contestants with a comfortable and beautiful place to stay while in Kansas City.

The President Hotel is offering a discounted rate to those judges, attendees and participants looking to stay in the downtown Kansas City area during The Gigabit Challenge Finale.  The President Hotel will also host the Gigabit Challenge kick-off event that occurs the night before the finale.  Not only is the President located in the heart of the thriving downtown Kansas City area, but it is an establishment that has been an entrepreneurial donor the past two years by sponsoring the Think Big Kansas City conference. 

These ongoing partnerships are helping Kansas City become the city of entrepreneurship.  A huge thanks to The Gigabit Challenge sponsors: The Kauffman Foundation, Entrepreneurs Unpluggd, the President Hotel, the Kansas City Public Library and Think Big Ventures.  If you’re interested in partnering for The Gigabit Challenge, please contact Allison Way (away@thinkbigpartners.com) or Ann DeAngelo (adeangelo@thinkbigpartners.com) or call 816.842.5244. 

Written by Allison Way

@AllisonThinkBig

What is Think Big Partners and What is bizperc?

Sometimes, we have to ask that question ourselves.  The truth of the matter is, Think Big Partners and bizperc do go hand-in-hand.  But they are not synonymous.  Allow us to explain. 

Think Big Partners is a business incubator and startup accelerator that was brought to life over a year ago in Kansas City.  Think Big Partners focuses on startup services and resources for today's innovative and creative entrepreneurs.  From legal advice to marketing strategies, web development and copy writing, Think Big Partners provides everything that an entrepreneur may need in order to succeed.  In addition, Think Big Partners hosts the Think Big Kansas City Conference.  TBKC is a jam-packed day for entrepreneurs, investors and startups to get educated and inspired. 

bizperc is a downtown Kansas City coworking space.  bizperc houses entrepreneurs who are looking for desk space, private offices, collaboration, networking and free coffee.  bizperc also provides entrepreneurs with access to a 6th floor event space for business cocktail parties, networking activities and entrepreneurial education as well as access to a sound booth, green screen, storage space, lockers, kitchen, productivity center and resource library.  We like to say that bizperc is the ideal place for any entrepreneur to go - whether they need a drop-in conference room or a dedicated desk with the perfect view of downtown KC.

In other words...

bizperc is powered by Think Big Partners.

Think Big Partners uses the bizperc space to access entrepreneurs who need guidance, resources and services.

Crystal clear?  If not, email us with any questions you might have!  info@thinkbigpartners.com

Written by Allison Way

@AllisonThinkBig

Mix It Up on Mixergy.com

We love mixing and mingling with other entrepreneurs.  That's why we have bizperc (our coworking space), networking opportunities (like launch parties and lunches), and the Think Big Kansas City Conference.  We are all about meeting other entrepreneurs, interacting with different startups and growing our rolodex of contacts.

It seems as if Mixergy has the same idea.

Mixergy is an online platform that allows members to interact with other entrepreneurs, take online courses, tune into videos, and hear stories from some of the best and brightest in the startup tech industry (like the founders of Groupon, Y Combinator, Wikipedia, Kiva and more!). 

The Mixergy mission is to introduce its members to doers and thinkers whose ideas and stories are so powerful that hearing them will ignite a spark...and perhaps even a change.  With Mixergy, members have access to a wide variety of courses, like Advanced Lead Generation, Mobile App Design, Customer Targeting, Blogging for Business and much more.

If you're interested in an online entrepreneurial community, I encourage you to check out Mixergy.com and see what benefits it can offer you and your business!  Happy surfing!
Written by Allison Way
@AllisonThinkBig

Think Big Baltimore Gets Entrepreneurs Talking

The Think Big Conference is going national–and Baltimore was the second city to bring together entrepreneurs, investors and startups for a jam-packed day of inspiration, collaboration and motivation.  After a nonstop day of breakout sessions, keynote speeches and networking, the entrepreneurial scene in Baltimore started to Think Big—and people haven’t stopped talking about it since.

With over 200 attendees, the first Think Big Baltimore conference, coordinated by Danny Bendebba, Audra Carpenter and Tighe Greenhalgh, was not only an entrepreneurial success, but it was also a financial success for all of those involved in developing the conference.  According to Tighe Greenhalgh, organizing partner of TBB, the conference brought out many entrepreneurs who normally would not be easily found or accessible in the Baltimore area. 

But it wasn’t just the entrepreneurs who made it out to the conference in Baltimore.  When walking the halls of Towson University throughout the day, TBB attendees had the opportunity to network with a large amount of investors, a plethora of students and a multitude of both startup and established companies.  Attendees also had the opportunity to get some face time with many of the TBB speakers and panelists.  They even had the chance to speak with Greg Cangialosi of Blue Sky Factory, who had literally sold his company just a week before the conference. 

Perhaps the highlight of the Think Big Baltimore conference was the keynote speech given by Yanik Silver, CEO of Maverick Business Adventures.  As a serial entrepreneur and self-made millionaire, Yanik spoke of his life-changing experiences such as running with the bulls, bungee jumping, sky diving, and exotic car road rallies and how they related to his breakthroughs in ideas and business. 

A Big congratulations to the founders, leaders and speakers of Think Big Baltimore on the financial, inspirational and overall success of the conference.  The Think Big mentality is growing across the nation—and Baltimore is one of the first cities to be a part of it.  Thanks for all of your hard work!

Written by Allison Way

@AllisonThinkBig

Is Your City Ready to Think Big?

If you’re anything like us, you may have noticed a lack of entrepreneurial spirit in your city.  But with the declining economy and severe unemployment rates, now is the best time to build up the startup communities throughout the nation.

And that’s what we’re doing.  We’re bringing entrepreneurs together.  We are uniting investors.  We are educating students.  We are Thinking Big.

We have developed the Think Big Conference with every city in mind.  The Think Big Conference is a jam-packed day-long event in which aspiring and seasoned entrepreneurs can come together under one roof to celebrate entrepreneurship, build a startup scene and find motivation and inspiration to turn ideas into something big.  And now is your chance to get the conference in your city.

What started as a local event in Kansas City is now branching out across the nation.  This year, the Think Big Conference was successful for the second year in a row in Kansas City and was unleashed in Baltimore in mid-July.  Both conferences brought in hundreds of entrepreneurs, investors, startups, panelists and inspirational keynote speakers to help ignite the entrepreneurial flame in their communities.  The results, both financially and socially, were phenomenal. 

The truth of the matter is, entrepreneurship exists in more places than Silicon Valley, Boston and Austin.  It’s our responsibility to bring it out of the dark.  Bring the Think Big Conference to your city this year and build your community, strengthen your startup scene, and improve the economy in just one day.

To bring the conference to your city, contact us!  Call 816.842.5244 or check out www.thinkbigkansascity.com and email us. 

We cannot wait to Think Big with you.

Written by Allison Way

@AllisonThinkBig

It's Time to Think Big...Again

Back in May, Think Big Kansas City brought hundreds of entrepreneurs, investors and startups under one roof for a jam-packed day of education, inspiration and motivation.  And now, it's Baltimore's turn!

The Think Big Conference is expanding nationally...and now it's coming to Baltimore!  Tomorrow (July 13, 2011) marks the first annual Think Big Baltimore conference at Towson University.  From 8:00 in the morning until 8:00 at night, entrepreneurs, investors and startups in the Baltimore area (or from anywhere for that matter!) are given the opportunity to attend informative breakout sessions, network with like-minded individuals, and listen to keynote speaker Yanik Silver. 

Overall, we predict it's going to be another BIG day.

Click here to learn more, buy tickets, or check out the agenda and get ready to Think Big!

Written by Allison Way
@AllisonThinkBig

Countdown to Think Big Baltimore

6 Days

In May, Kansas City was Thinking Big.  And now, it's Baltimore's turn.

The 1st annual Think Big Conference is making its way to Baltimore this month with knockout guest speakers, a dynamite keynote speech, and educational breakout sessions for entrepreneurs, investors, startup companies, small business owners and students.

Think Big Baltimore will feature keynote speaker and CEO of Maverick Business Adventures, Yanik Silver and a lineup of other guest speakers such as Ronald Schmelzer (TechStars), Mike Subelsky (Startup City), Brian Le Gette (Big City Farms) and many more.

Think Big Baltimore will take place on Wednesday, July 13th at Townson University.  The event begins at 8:00 AM.

To purchase your tickets to Think Big Baltimore ($247) and read more about the event: click here or follow the event on Twitter @ThinkBigBMore.

Written by Allison Way
@AllisonThinkBig

PlanetReuse Excels in Kansas City Coworking Space

Nathan Benjamin exudes collaboration, ingenuity and creativity...which are just three reasons why he and his new business, PlanetReuse, work so well in Kansas City’s new coworking space, bizperc.

PlanetReuse was launched in December of 2010 by Nathan and his partner, Willow Lundgren.  The company stemmed from PlanetReuse, a three-year-old company that brokers reclaimed building materials and consults with designers, builders and owners to save money on projects and increase LEED.

The new company, PlanetReuse, has been developed to provide an online platform to help reuse centers-including the 750+ Habitat for Humanity ReStores nationwide-make reclaimed and surplus materials instantly accessible to homeowners online.  According to Nathan, less than 5% of reuse centers in the U.S. have an online presence.  Therefore, homeowners, contractors, and rental property onwers can't shop reuse centers as easy as they can Home Depot or Lowe's.  Most give up and just buy new. 

“We want to make national connections,” says Nathan. “We want to divert more materials from landfills, raise awareness about material reuse and connect consumers with available product.  It's a great opportunity, but it's also challenging."

Some of PlanetReuse’s challenges have been solved.  After moving into the bizperc coworking space, PlanetReuse has seen growth and success.  The company was even announced as the winner of Pitch Big (which took place at Think Big Kansas City 2011).  When announced as the Pitch Big winner, PlanetReuse won a few months of free office space at bizperc and other services provided by Think Big Partners.

“Working in bizperc gives us access to a collaboration of ideas and insight into entrepreneurship,” says Nathan.  “The knowledge in this building is solid and easily accessible.”  Nathan then added that winning Pitch Big and partnering with Think Big Partners has given them three key ingredients: exposure, investment opportunities and networking. 

“There are so many opportunities for growth!” says Nathan. “Currently, we are in a $200 million industry.  But in 10 years, it will be a $1 billion industry.”

This summer, PlanetReuse will be beta testing its platform in two Kansas City area stores.  Currently, the company is actively seeking investors to scale nationally.  Good luck, PlanetReuse!

Interested in working in a collaborative, inspirational and modern startup environment? Contact Sarah Snyder to schedule a tour of bizperc.  816-842-5244 or ssnyder@thinkbigpartners.com.

Written by Allison Way.

@AllisonThinkBig.

Less Than One Month Until Think Big Baltimore!

The last two years, the Think Big Kansas City Conference has brought a diverse group of entrepreneurs, investors, startups, leaders and visionaries together under one roof.  By providing them with a day of inspiration and entrepreneurial education, Think Big Kansas City helped big thinkers achieve their dreams.  And now Think Big is getting BIGGER!  Inspired by Think Big Kansas City, a group of Maryland entrepreneurs have organized Think Big Baltimore coming to Towson University on July 13, 2011.

The entrepreneurial scene in Baltimore is booming. It is the perfect city to host the next Think Big Conference.  A growing number of small business resources such as CreateBaltimore, Innovate Baltimore and Startup Weekend are all drivers of new industry growth in the area.  Think Big Baltimore (also known as TBB) hopes to create opportunities that turn into new jobs and spur economic growth.  The conference will be serving up expert advice from those who have “been there, done that.”

You will not want to miss keynote speaker Yanik Silver, CEO of Maverick Business Adventures.  He will be sharing his fascinating story about life as a serial entrepreneur and how he turned an $1800 investment into a 7-figure online business.  As a self-proclaimed “adventure junkie”, Yanik is bound to share stories that will educate and entertain.  Other featured speakers include Techstars Mentor/Investor Ronald Schmelzer, Co-Founder of Startup City Mike Subelsky, and Urban Policy Development Consultant Otis Rolley.

In addition to the many fascinating speakers, attendees will get the chance to participate in CrowdPitch.  During CrowdPitch, several selected companies will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges who will decide the two winning presentations.  Audience members will get their chance to weigh in by investing their own “FUN” money in their favorite company pitch.

Think Big Baltimore is only a month away.  Buy tickets now to reserve your place! Think Big Baltimore is the ideal opportunity to network and turn your ideas into something big.  We cannot wait to see what the BIG thinking entrepreneurs of Baltimore can produce!       

Written by Laura Goede.

@LauraGThinkBig.

What is Think Big Partners?

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

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



Top 10 Things I Learned at Think Big Kansas City

To say that Think Big Kansas City was a jam-packed day is a bit of an understatement.  Choosing only 10 things that I learned from the all-day conference is actually quite a challenge!  But here are some of the key take-aways that I gained from attending the 2nd annual Think Big Kansas City:

1.  When pitching to investors, pitch the company, not the idea.  - Rachael Qualls, Pitch Big VC Judge

2.  Always prepare yourself for the unexpected (like chocolate with Pop Rocks in it!) - Tamara Christensen, TBKC Speaker

3.  Not all companies follow through with their core values and we need to be aware of this.  -  Marty Stanely, TBKC Speaker

4.  Mobile apps are not going to go away...and neither are the complications of developing them for both iOS and Android.  -  Royce Haynes, TBKC Panelist

5.  "Technology companies are born global."  - Michael Gale, TBKC Panelist & Speaker

6.  That a successful business leader guides his employees to make decisions and supports them whether they're right or wrong.  "When decisions are not being made, that's when I'll fire you."   - Bill Rancic, Keynote Speaker referring to Donald Trump

7.  During a pitch, make sure to leave room to talk about your competitors and why you're better than them.  -  Chris Geisert, Pitch Big VC Judge

8.  If you don't make a mistake every once and awhile, then you're not pushing the limits.  - Herb Sih, TBKC Speaker & Founder

9.  Everybody can Think Big...but we all do it in different ways. 

10.  When you bring hundreds of entrepreneurs together under one roof, anything is possible, but especially Big Thinking! 

Written by Allison Way.
@AllisonThinkBig

Green Company Walks Away with $5,000 in Startup Prizes at Think Big Kansas City!

Congrats to the TBKC Pitch Big Winner PlanetReuse!

After numerous panel sessions, a fascinating keynote speech by Bill Rancic, and an informative talk from Michael Gale of Gramercy Private Equity, Think Big Kansas City seemed to be wrapping up.  But TBKC could not come to a close without the production of one of the most talked about activities of the day: Pitch Big.

In the competition, the three Pitch Big finalists were asked to present a 5-minute pitch to a VC panel of judges (Chris Geisert of Tradebot, Rachael Qualls of Angel Capital Group and Michael Gale of Gramercy Private Equity).  After their pitch, the judges would grill the contestant with a series of startup questions (and give great pitching advice!). 

Pitch Big started off with Kevin Curtin of Kinergi Systems.  During his pitch, Kevin touched on the importance of LED lighting in the commerical industry.  The judges (of course) drilled him with questions and then the audience voted and gave Kevin a number (1-10, 10 was the highest) for how he did during the pitch.

This process repeated for the other two candidates: Willow Lundgren and Nathan Benjamin of PlanetReuse and Scott Halvorson of SmartPharm. 

When the audience was asked to vote, things ended up getting a little heated.  People debated for their favorite contestant, fought for their favorite company, and took a stance as to what they thought was a fair ranking. 

In the end, Willow and Nathan of PlanetReuse walked away as the winners.  The business was awarded an "Entrepreneur in a Box" prize consisting of 6 months of free office space at bizperc, startup services and guidance, logo design, and much more (worth over $5,000!). 

A BIG congratulations to PlanetReuse for becoming the winner of Pitch Big 2011!  And a special thanks to all of the participants, the audience, and our fierce judges for taking part in the event.

Written by Allison Way.

@AllisonThinkBig

How Do You Think Big?

As a part of our countdown to Think Big Kansas City (which was a BIG success on Tuesday!), we put up on contest on LinkedIn to find out how people Think Big.  The winner of the contest (congrats again to Christina Buffa of Keller Williams Northland Partners!) won a free ticket to Think Big Kansas City, their quote on the TBKC slideshow, and facetime with Bill Rancic. 

But we didn't want to forget about all of the other Big Thinkers out there.  Here are some of our favorite answers from our LinkedIn contest. 

 

How Do You Think Big?

"Forget about what everyone else is doing and focus on what they're not - then capitalize on it.  That is how you gain strategic advantage."  - Duke Getzinger

"Be unique and simple." - Brian Bush

"When you finally find that big idea, treat it like the day your wife told you she was pregnant.  Be there every step of the way: the first scan, the birth, those first teeth and steps, life's little accidents, the first achievements.  Your idea will grow with all your passion and belief in the wonder of life." - Ian McMonagle

"Meditate on the fact that you are a limitless individual and your limits are hinder only by what you are not willing to do." - Suzette DeCruize

"Ingredients to Thinking Big: First you will need the following; imagination, motivation, optimism, determination.  Take one brain full of "good ideas" (preferably new), take one white board of "crazy approaches that no one would try".  Combine the two and mix until success (this may take awhile, but don't give up!" - Corey Weddington

"Thinking Big...never, never, never give up on your dreams!  They may not seem big to anybody else, but they are yours.  Dreams can't get any bigger than that!" - Jeff Miner

"Take your current vision or plan and make it Bigger.  If you're selling in the US, why not sell in Europe or Asia?  If you're in one niche market, why not go for two?  Nobody changed the world by not trying and thinking small!" - Jim West III

"Think big but plan small steps.  All ideas have big and small forms.  Some of the largest small businesses were built one brick at a time." - Daniel Symes

"By constant pursuit of knowledge.  The more you learn, the more things become possible to you.  The more you know, the Bigger you can think.  Anything is possible!"  - Joe Elkjer

"My husband and I have created a franchise system despite the fact that we had no business background or experience prior to owning our moving company 3.5 years ago.  We are Thinking Bigger by rebranding our current operation to an affordable, national franchise system for American business owners, while enhancing and improving the customer's moving experience." - Dana Ward

Thanks for telling us how you Think Big!!