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Colorado is the place to be if you want to be in business for yourself

715_ "If you are a new entrepreneur, coming into the market, the first thing you've got to realize is that you are a sales person. That is a skill that you've got to have to run your own business." Larry interviewed Dawn Todd the key person behind the Angel Capital Summit, of course, that's coordinating between Rockies Venture Club and Catapult Business Development and everything else. Dawn went onto outlining the top three things for new entrepreneurs. " The second thing I would say is that you've got to sell into which you already know. It's a challenge to sell into a brand new market. Third, in my opinion, you have to learn to manage your own thoughts, because it's true that not everything you think, is true. It's your consciousness that drives your business and once you learn how to manage your own thoughts, then you can drive your business where you want it to go." She went onto explain the key points about the Angel Capital Summit. The Angel Capital Summit is an event that brings together entrepreneurs and investors, and gives them a chance to create a relationship. Probably one of the most innovative events that I've seen put together. It really gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to prepare themselves and think like an investor. This will actually be the largest Angel Investor Event in the United States this year! And I've got to say I am very excited, I think I am the first woman chair of this event. I attended the Angel Capital Summit last year and Wildly Successful Woman was a marketing partner, and really excited to be part of that. I attended the event, there were about 700 people there last year, and I looked around the room and there were about 150 women and I was so shocked, amazed. So after the event...listen, there's more...
Related Links: Angel Capital Summit 11/17/09 || Rockies Venture Club || Business Catapult || Dawn Todd Home || Wildly Successful Woman || Mastering Change || Keywords: Dawn Todd, Angel Capital Summit, Rockies Venture Club, Business Catapult, Wildly Successful Woman, Entrepreneur, > Bytes: 8116665 9/14/08 LISTEN

Guy Kawasaki Talks About Innovation, Change and Entrepreneurs

Larry cornered Guy Kawasaki at the 2008 BioWest conference after his keynote address. Guy, author of the best selling book, The Art of the Start and Reality Check is also cofounder Alltop.com as well as Garage.com. Larry asked, "We are going through some tougher times, how do you see this playing out?" Guy, a champion for entrepreneurs replied, "Well, I’m not a visionary or an oracle, I’ll tell you what I would tell an entrepreneur, which is, ‘plug your ears and keep going!’ Of all the tech startups one out of 5000 go public so what difference does it make what the DOW Jones Industrial Average, especially tomorrows DJIA, maybe 5 years from now it’ll matter, but not tomorrow. If you just try to build a great business, hopefully that great business will make a ton of money. If you make a ton of money, maybe you’ll go public – still unlikely, but you might; and you might get acquired, also unlikely but we go from one out of 5000 to one out 500, something like that, so that helps. But even if none of those sort of dream things happen, you have a good business! If you only start businesses in good time, you may have to wait a few years – I really don’t see why it truly matters. You either believe or you don’t believe. If you’re an entrepreneur who says, ‘well, I’m not going to start a company because the stock market is too low and unemployment is too high’, I’ve got to tell you I would put those two items right at the bottom. You have to develop a good product, you have to make it, you have to sell it, collect the money and service your customers, pretty much the fundamentals. Listen for more insights...
Related Links: Alltop.com || Garage Technology Ventures || BioScience Channel || Guy Kawasaki Blog || Mastering Change Website ||  Channel: Change >> Bytes: 9134814 - 9/7/09 LISTEN

Maturing of the SBIR Program Means Big Changes: $2.2 Billion at Stake

 Maturing of the SBIR Program Means Big Changes: $2.2 Billion at Stake
There is more change brewing for the SBIR and STTR programs. Listen to what Russ Farmer had to say last year. The good news is that successful commercialization from those receiving SBIR funds (non dilutive to the receiver and are grants that don't need to be paid back) are working. The challenge is the rules have changed over the past 25 years and for the better, at least for those who adopt to the way 'the game' is now played. Russ Farmer, Executive Director of SBIR Colorado and President and Founder of PBC, Inc. explains these new innovative strategies and shares some of the local SBIR funded success stories. They include Coherent Technologies, Myogen, and Powercycle. Russ shares the some innovative ideas that are revolutionizing the entire SBIR and commercialization process. It's Powerful, Proven and People Oriented. After all, who doesn't want a piece of the $2.2 Billion available to small companies and inventors for their great ideas? Russ offers some great advice in Larry's new book, Mastering Change in the Midst of Chaos.

Related Links: PBC Home || Looking for Money || Source of Info || Mastering Change || 22348594 bytes - 8/10/09 LISTEN

Authors offer sage advice to entrepreneurs about money and change

691_ Authors offer sage advice to entrepreneurs about money and change
Steve Baker, serial entrepreneur, host of 'Startup Underground Junkie' and author of "Pushing Water Uphill with a Rake" along with Stephen Replin, Attorney and author of "Hard Money: Where to go when the bank says no" offer a quick start guide to starting your business. Steve Baker says, "The number one secret to success is knowing what you don't know and seeking those who do. None of us can have all the answers, though we sometimes think we do." Of course, Stephen Replin, attorney and money expert offers this sage piece of advice, "Don't go in under capitalized... that seems to be the number one cause for business failure, more than anything I can think of. Larry asked them both to identify and talk about the top three suggestions for new entrepreneurs. Their backgrounds and business experiences offer a treasury of ideas. It's short and you'll want to listen to it again...and take notes.
Related Links: Pushing Water Uphill || Replin & Rhoades || Changing Rules for Raising Capital || Mastering Change || w3w3.com Entrepreneurs Channel || Keywords: Steve Baker, Steve Replin, Entrepreneurs, Hard Money, Ethics, Change, Capital,
Channel: Entrepreneurs 5741299 bytes 7/13/09 LISTEN

Monday June 22, 2009 - Live at 2:00pm - Colorado Rising IP TV on w3w3.com

677_ It’s IP TV. Listen and watch the four interviews listed below. We archive all interviews for anytime viewing on the Colorado Rising / w3w3 TV Channel. And, BTW, if you have any entrepreneurial interview ideas, contact us.

Monday June 22, 2009 - Live at 2:00pm

This weeks guests are...
2:00 Kathleen Quinn Votaw & David Strong: ACG - M&A
2:15 Aleen Campbell: Saving Lives and Raising Money
2:30 Steve Replin: When the Banks Say No...
2:45 Adam Sachs: TechStars Winner (Via SKYPE)
         (SKYPE Address: w3w3tv)

Related Links: Broadband Video || Colorado Rising Archives || Economy Builders || Blog ||  Channel:ColoradoRising > Show ARCHIVES

Colorado Companies to Watch – Growing and Creating Jobs

672_ Colorado Companies to Watch – Growing and Creating Jobs 
"However many billions the federal government is pumping into the economy, one truth rings clear: It will be business that will lift the country out of the doldrums and thrust it forward into the 21st century," says Colorado Biz Magazine. Larry talked with Stephanie Steffens, who gives us an overview of an exciting new program 'Colorado Companies to Watch' recognizing second stage companies all over the state of Colorado. She said, "In addition to the gala event on the 25th of June, we're also going to recognize these companies through a year-long program called 'This Week's Company to Watch' where we spend a week highlighting that company, press releases, interviews, attention and recognition, and we will do that every week for 50 weeks. An example of one of the resources is the partnership with ACG Denver. This is about all the companies in Colorado that are growing, creating jobs, developing valuable products and services, and a lot of times creating brand new industries. These are incredible companies that make a huge impact in our state, day after day; fly under the radar, nobody knows they're there - but they're plugging away and creating a huge number of jobs. On June 25th all 50 companies will be receiving awards.
Related Links: Colorado Companies to Watch || Advance Colorado || Colorado Rising || ColoradoBiz || Keywords: Colorado Companies to Watch, Stephanie Steffens, Second Stage Companies, ACG, Colorado Biz, Awards, 6/8/09 > Bytes: 12905119 LISTEN

Brad Feld and Phil Weiser Go One-on-One: Feld on Finance (Part 3)

Feld on Finance @ CU Wolf Law Building - Part 1 of 4
(Part 1 of 4 > 2.9.09 LISTEN LISTEN 

“ The good news and the other news about angel investors”
One-on-One Part 2 of 4 - Bytes: 14675699 >>> LISTEN
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(Part 3) Institutional Investors, Venture Capital Fund,Lessons Learned and Outcomes
One-on-One Part 3 of 4 - Bytes: 15654977 >>> LISTEN
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Related Links: Silicon Flatirons Events: Feld on Finance || Silicon Flatirons || Foundry Group || Feld Blog || Venture Capital || Event Photos ||

Receiving a $100,000 Grant from the US Government for Research

603_ Receiving a $100,000 Grant from the US Government for Research
Every federal program with a large R&D budget has to use a percentage of their budget to fund small businesses with these SBIR Grants. That was the topic of discussion with Krista Marks, founder of Kerpoof. Lucy Sanders, CEO and Founder of the National Center for Women & Information Technology and NCWIT founding board member, along with Larry Nelson continue with the NCWIT series the Entrepreneurial Toolbox Series. This is a new interview series designed to promote fundamental skills of entrepreneurship. The series interviews both men and women about a range of topics critical to entrepreneurial success, such as networking, how to procure funding, writing a business plan, raising money and the importance of failure. The series is sponsored by the NCWIT Entrepreneurial Alliance with support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and Qualcomm. Krista said, " The NSF (National Science Foundation) has many different programs aimed at advancing the cause of research and science in the United States and even internationally in some cases. SBIR stands for small business innovation research, so to qualify for an SBIR Grant you have to be a small business (fewer than 500 employees), and the grant has to be used specifically for funding research. A phase one grant is $100K and this funds the first part of that research, typically a feasibility type of analysis. The SBIR Grant is not unique to the NSF. Every federal program with a large R&D budget has to use a percentage of their budget to fund small businesses with these SBIR Grants. At the time Kerpoof wanted to do research on delivering an activity, entirely in a browser that would introduce kids to basic programming constructs and to do that in a way that is as responsive as traditional software. So we submitted an SBIR proposal and received a SBIR Phase I grant for $100,000.00 to complete that research." Krista shares a number of 'must knows'.
Related Links: Kerpoof English || Kerpoof Spanish || NCWIT Channel || SBIR Information || Entrepreneurial Toolbox || Channels:NCWIT Bytes: 15353023 - 1/12/09 LISTEN

I Owe You Takes on a Whole New Meaning in This Financial Climate

In the current financial and credit crises, people are finding it harder and harder to get funding from traditional lending sources. After seeing the IOUnote.com team being chosen as a DEMOgala Showcase winner, Larry took the chance to interview the three cofounders: Kevin Archer, CEO; Scott Archer, CTO; and Erika Archer, Director of Operations. Larry Asked, "What do you mean by 'True Social Lending?' and Why are you only interested in 1st and 2nd degree relationships (friends and friends of friends)?" A great deal was discussed and they pointed out, "In the current financial and credit crises, people are finding it harder and harder to get funding from traditional lending sources.  As a result, many people are naturally turning inward - into their existing social and familial circles.  This not only allows borrowers to circumvent the traditional credit scoring system and still acquire funding, but it also allows lenders to reap the benefits with the potential to make a higher return on money otherwise sitting in a low return account. At IOU Note, we know how easy it is to let loans between friends and family slip through the cracks. We think that when everyone knows what the expectations are, there are fewer chances for a misunderstanding.  We like to think that we help friends stay friends." ...listen for more.

Related Links: IOU Note || DEMOgala Showcase Winners || Boulder Denver New Tech Meetup ||
> Bytes: 11400989 > LISTEN 10.20.08 > Channels: Entrepreneurs

Kevin Johansen Call for Presenters - Angel Capital Conference

This year they’re scripting it to be twice the size because it sold out last year. They have room for at least 1000 people; and billions of dollars in investments made, represented on the executive committee at the Rockies Venture Club 2nd Annual Angel Capital Summit. This is a state wide networking event, pulling together on the platform each group providing deals to the event. Kevin Johansen said, “Our groupware has a deal flow management system embedded in it. By example Grand Junction Incubator is recruiting advisors to their group to help them screen their deals and submit the best of the best up to the Angel Capital Summit executive committee, the semi finals.” From there the executive committee (representing lots of money activ ely seeking deals) will screen and select the top 40 to be presented on November 21st – all day. At the end of the day we’re pulling together a ‘town hall meeting’ with thought leaders from up and down the front range, to basically sit down and talk about how to make sense of what’s happening in the economy. We’re trying to open up the conversation and address these problems. It’s a scary thing to be out there all by yourself, we don’t want anybody to think they’re all by themselves.  Everybody in the room wants everybody else in the room to be successful.  The focus isn’t only on raising money but also getting help, mentorship and so on. 

Listen for more exciting details...

Related Links:    Angel Capital Summit || Rockies Venture Club || Business Catapult || Venture Capital || > Bytes: 7950736 > LISTEN 10/06/08 Channels: VC