6 Lessons Learned From Big Omaha 2012

by Tim Jahn on May 17, 2012

6 Lessons Learned From Big Omaha 2012

Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the 4th annual Big Omaha conference in Omaha, NE, organized by the awesome folks at Silicon Prairie News. If you’re not familiar with Big Omaha, you can read why I love this entrepreneurship conference so much here and here (this was my third time attending).

In addition to an amazing group of entrepreneurs attending the conference, this year’s festivities included a fantastic group of speakers. Below are the 7 big lessons I took away from this year’s Big Omaha conference.

Tickets Are On Sale For June’s Event About Turning Passion Into Real Business

by Tim Jahn on May 16, 2012

Tickets Are On Sale For June’s Event About Turning Passion Into Real Business

We’re excited to announce that early bird tickets are now on sale for our June Chicago event entitled “Make Your Passion Your Next Startup“.  Join us the evening of June 19 at the Chopin Theatre in Chicago to hear 3 amazing entrepreneurs share stories about how they turned their passions into real businesses.

Click here to buy your early bird tickets now and save 33% off the door price!

Join us for an intimate evening of networking, quality Q+A, and real stories from real experiences.  You’ll learn actionable lessons and get great advice from:

  • Jake Nickell - Co-Founder of Threadless
  • Desiree Vargas Wrigley - Co-Founder of GiveForward
  • Joshua Hernandez - Founder of Tap.me!

Click here to buy your early bird tickets now and save 33% off the door price!

Starting Up? Avoid These 3 Common Mistakes

by Tim Jahn on May 15, 2012

Starting Up? Avoid These 3 Common Mistakes

This is a guest post from Abbie Steinbacher, who is CEO and founder of the kids wellness company, My First Yoga. My First Yoga provides kids yoga outreach to schools and has a growing line of kids yoga products. Abbie and MyFirstYoga have been recognized in outlets such as The New York Times, BusinessWeek, Parenting Magazine, Parents Magazine, Yoga Journal and The Boston Globe. Abbie has a degree in Psychology from Harvard, and is a certified adult and children’s yoga instructor.

The opposing forces of the economy tanking and technological advances soaring have created a prime environment for first-time entrepreneurs. That said, “entrepreneur” has become a buzz word associated with the few startup founders we’ve watched become millionaires, and even billionaires, overnight. As the media catapults these successful entrepreneurs to celebrity status, the separation between “us” aspiring entrepreneurs and “them” — the Mark Zuckerbergs of the world — grows. This growing separation can cloud your entrepreneurial pathway with unnecessary mystery.

Code Academy Week 5: Embracing Vulnerability to Grow

by Stella Fayman on May 14, 2012

Code Academy Week 5: Embracing Vulnerability to Grow

A few weeks ago, I watched a TED talk that won’t escape my mind. It was about embracing vulnerability, something seemingly simple, but actually extraordinarily difficult. See people have a hard time dealing with emotion and expectations. They are much more likely to put something they can’t deal with in an emotional jar rather than confronting it. For example, people thrive on connection. Yet they are afraid to make connections (like go out and join a club) because they are afraid of rejection. If they can overcome the fear of rejection, they can embrace opportunities to meet new people and have new experiences (also known as factors of happiness).

3 Cool New Working Spots in Chicago

by Stella Fayman on May 11, 2012

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I’m always on the prowl for a new spot to plug in, get my caffeine, and work. Luckily, three new Chicago spots have recently opened that offer an alternative to Starbucks.

3 Pieces Of Startup Advice That Stuck With Me

by Tim Jahn on May 10, 2012

3 Pieces Of Startup Advice That Stuck With Me

Being an entrepreneur is similar to being a newlywed: everyone has a piece of advice to “gift” you with. Some are helpful—hire people who have a proven track record; some aren’t—don’t be an entrepreneur, you’ll never have a life! Some advice will be just plain weird—spray your business cards with perfume to make yourself more memorable (huh?). Among the mixed bag of advice you’ll hear throughout your career, here are three best pieces of advice I ever received and will always treasure.

How To Execute That Technical Idea You Already Have

by Tim Jahn on May 9, 2012

How To Execute That Technical Idea You Already Have

This is a guest post from Thursday Bram. She’s the editor of 21times.org, a daily newsletter on how to turn a side project into a startup.

You’ve got that perfect idea for a startup — the one that you know is going to revolutionize the way everyone spends the time they currently spend on FarmVille. It’s nothing like anything that’s come before, and that’s something of a problem. Unless you are one of the best programmers the world has ever seen, a revolutionary startup may come with some serious technical challenges. And if you aren’t even a programmer, handling the technology at your startup can be a serious challenge.

So how do you get from an amazing idea to a world-changing startup?

Programming Principles Entrepreneurs Should Adopt

by Stella Fayman on May 8, 2012

Programming Principles Entrepreneurs Should Adopt

I get a kick out of telling people I am currently a developer. While going through Code Academy, I have gotten a rare glimpse into what every non-technical entrepreneur both reveres and is mystified by: the mind of the developer. There are consistently two paradigms I think every entrepreneur, technical or non, should adopt.

Code Academy Week 4: Muggles and Mayhem

by Stella Fayman on May 7, 2012

Code Academy Week 4: Muggles and Mayhem

It’s hard to believe that a month of Code Academy has flown by. On one hand, I feel completely exposed to an amazing new world and language I can relate to. On the other, I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface and there is an ocean of knowledge I will never be able to acquire. The more you know, the more you realize you truly don’t know.

Instant Technology Founder Rona Borre Shares Her Experience Being A Sole Founder

by Tim Jahn on May 4, 2012

Instant Technology Founder Rona Borre Shares Her Experience Being A Sole Founder

Rona Borre is the founder and CEO of Instant Technology, an IT staffing and recruiting firm. After running a $30 million book of business at a global recruiting firm, Rona left to start Instant Technology with the goal of adding a personal touch to the staffing industry.

In the video below from our March Chicago event about founding teams, Rona shares her stories and experiences building Instant Technology as a sole founder.