Thursday, November 19, 2009

Startup Weekend & Global Entrepreneurship Week - Doing the right things the right way for the right reasons!

The following is my report to the GEW HQ about how we kicked off a great week for entrepreneurs, especially young entrepreneurs globally -- but it was great to think about how entrepreneurship really happens (to quote @msuster.. 'JFDI'... LOL, but it really is about how to unleash & channel passion into something of value!)

There is SO much we can do - and looking to models & expertise outside is a key part of that. It was disappointing that so many offered to help, then wandered off, and some even declined to help. If you check the videos, etc. below - how could anyone not help?

It was Idaho that introduced The Startup Weekend team to the GEW team... a match made in heaven & I'm very proud of that - connecting good people to each other always pays off! (And it doesn't hurt to be reminded of the incredible entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial experts that I know around the country & around the world. GEW is for YOU, my friends!

Entrepreneur Up!
Norris

p.s. please scroll down & check out our two "asks" from the SW participants - TIA!

To: Global Entrepreneurship Week HQ
From: Norris Krueger, Regional Coordinator for Idaho

Dear GEW Friends from all over -

Wow! Isn't this amazing?

Here in Idaho we kicked off the week with the amazing Startup Weekend model (one of the 'official' GEW Events). Assemble a bunch of people on Friday after work, brainstorm ideas then form teams around the best ones... then by Sunday evening... start a venture! www.startupweekend.com has more info or contact the irrepressible duo running it, Marc Nager & Clint Nelsen (contact info below). They only have FOURTEEN of these before year's end... It was my honor to introduce these guys to GEW – always great to connect great people – the Entrepreneur's Code says “We're all in this together!”

Four teams rolled on Friday - 2 starts & another that will likely be a new product & the fourth has a great platform designed to build on after SW. Check out http://idaho.startupweekend.org for overall info, weblinks and short videos on all four teams. I've been an entrepreneur & an entrepreneurship educator a LONG time and I was thoroughly impressed.

We got great media support - both TV (http://bit.ly/188DDV, thanks to Mike McLenna at KTVB) and NPR (http://bit.ly/yp1vt, thanks to George Prentice at KBSU).

We also drew the attention of the state's Commerce Director, Don Dietrich, who did our Friday kickoff, then came back on Sunday for the presentations (and by now he has delivered a t-shirt to Idaho's Governor!) GEW made some serious friends in high places!

We have two favors to ask, if we might:

1) Morgans Journey - a mechanism to connect families and friends of children with cancer. As you'll see above, it was inspired by one entrepreneur's daughter (we all love ya, Morgan!) and you'll see the results of 50 hours of passion at www.MorgansJourney.org
[Our 'Ask' = please follow on Twitter (@morgansjourney) then visit the site & please make a small donation!]

2) Yaro - www.getyaro.com, @getyaro - a new social media aggregator that will allow to better manage multiple social media accounts (no more confusing your Facebook friends with cryptic Twitter posts or sending "that" photo to the wrong places, LOL) Should integrate nicely with other aggregators like Gist.com or Idaho-bred www.MyReMa.com (you should sign up for both their betas too. We're all in this together!) Yaro also caught the eye of local TV - founder Jana Briggs shines at http://bit.ly/1P0zv4
[Our 'Ask' = please follow @getyaro on Twitter, then visit www.getyaro.com & sign up for the private beta... make both of these a real #GEW Success Story!]

I highly recommend Startup Weekend - we had a terrific local crew of Lisa McGrath, Andre Nosalsky plus Kevin Donaldson - Andre got off his deathbed to join us for the presentations. But please don't ask about "#redshoes" - it could get ugly (LOL) and we also got a bit carried away with #blamenorris (relates to #redshoes.. I think.) We can't wait to get the next SW going next spring! Thanks too to the Kauffman Foundation & Mark Marich for cheering us on.

p.s. Another great model for your city is Ignite - while not formally part of GEW, it's a model you all should consider, so check out www.igniteboise.com (ugly sample video at http://bit.ly/fnTWV). In a state where we too often squabble over resources rather than help entrepreneurs... Ignite & SW are evidence how the entrepreneurial spirit can pull people together! I am humbled to be involved.

Norris Krueger, PhD
@entrep_thinking
norris.krueger@gmail.com


For more info on Startup Weekend contact info:
www.Startupweekend.com, @startupweekend
Marc Nager, marc@startupweekend.com, @marcnager
Clint Nelsen, clint@startupweekend.com, @clintnelsen