For many entrepreneurs that are tired of working from home, the corner coffee shop has become a haven for getting plugged-in to get productive with laptops out and headphones on. I can see why many entrepreneurs make coffee joints their place of biz; they’re from open morning til night, offer a warm atmosphere and have plenty of startup fuel flowing.
Motorbike Parking App, CurbNinja Launches Today
Motorcyclists and scooter enthusiasts need not fear the dreaded search for street parking in urban centers anymore as the mobile app CurbNinja was launched today. Built by avid motorcyclists, founders Fred Lebed and Tim Hines have developed a simple solution to the rider’s parking dilemma.
Chicago-Based Training Camp Helps Entrepreneurs Master Their Pitching Skills
Pitching skills are a must-have for startup founders. A perfected pitch can make or break an entrepreneur’s chance at landing new customers, raising a round of funding or enticing a co-founder to join their team. Current resources to perfect the art of entrepreneurial pitching in the startup community have been limited until now.
Business Cards Mean Business – 4 Tips
I heard a wise man once say, “You’re not in business unless you have a business card.” While that may not be entirely true, I did get his point. Business cards are our real-life social badges and our primary branding tool. But in this day and age, do we truly need these 3.5” by 2” pieces of cardboard anymore?
Pitching with Technori
Last month I had the privilege to represent one of five companies that took the stage during Technori Pitch on July 28th. After weeks of prep and an intense coaching session with Brian Burkhart of Square Planet, we were ready to go. Here is the video from the pitch event that drew over 500 Chicago startup lovers…
The Gateway to the West (Loop)
Have you seen the Built in Chicago map of Chicago startups lately? It’s exciting to see how many awesome startups are calling Chicago home and being plotted on the map. With an estimated one new company being started every 48 hours in the Windy City, it is likely difficult to keep that map up to date.
Video Impression of Inspire Startups
I have been coordinating the monthly Inspire Startups showcase since February and we are excited to be hosting our fifth showcase and pitch event on Aug. 21. Since the first event, we have had 40 companies, 4 excellent speakers and over 300 attendees come though the IBC doors.
Social Media and it’s Role in Corporate Travel
No longer just a buzz word or misunderstood trend, social media is here to stay, and it is affecting business travel dramatically. As the traveler demographics bell curve continues to swing towards a younger generation, social media is becoming a prominent part of business travel. But the question is: how will it be integrated into corporate travel, and more importantly what kind of role will it play in a managed travel program?
Giving Back With Some Entrepreneurial Passion
Many people help the city of Chicago by volunteering. Some people spend time at food banks, soup kitchens and clothing drives. Other people volunteer for our churches or participate in the Big Brother program. While all of those are great and make a HUGE difference in people’s lives, for me, they were unable to fuel my entrepreneurial passion.