My presentation for GEW 2014 in Rochester, MN

1. GEW 2 0 1 4
STARTUP
COMMUNI T IES

6. THE PATH OF LIFE
(AND
ENTREPRENEURSHIP) IS
NEVER A STRAIGHT LINE

12. FAIL…LEARN…TRY AGAIN
(AND DON’T BE ASHAMED OF IT)

13. SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO
LOOK DOWN THE STREET

16. Buy it, read it, live it

17. BOULDER THESIS
• Entrepreneurs must lead the startup community.
• The leaders must have a long-term commitment.
• The startup community must be inclusive of anyone
who wants to participate in it.
• The startup community must have continual activities
that engage the entire entrepreneurial stack.

18. “GIVE BEFORE YOU GET”

20. I F YOU GET PASSIONATE PEOPLE
TOGETHER, AMAZ ING THINGS WI L L
HAPPEN

21. ORGANI ZAT IONS HAVE
HIERARCHIES, COMMUNI T IES ARE
F LAT

27. Boulder, CO

28. Kansas City, MO/KS

29. DON’T WAIT FOR THE
FUTURE…MAKE THE FUTURE

33. AS WE PLAN FOR THE BUI LDINGS OF
TOMORROW WE NEED TO PLAN FOR
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL COMMUNI TY
OF TOMORROW
3

34. INVEST IN OUR
ENTREPRENEURS

35. GROW OUR ENTREPRENEURIAL STARTUP COMMUNITY
• Leaders to
step up
• Pride in
community
• Don’t wait
for
permission
• Give before
they get

36. INST I TUT IONS MUST
OPEN THEIR DOORS TO
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
• Embrace the entrepreneurial
community
• Realize that not every problem
can be solved internally
• Work together to create new
businesses and jobs
• It’s ok to fail with innovative
ideas
• This is happening…but it needs
to be faster

37. WHAT I NEED FROM YOU
• Get together as entrepreneurs and talk about growing
our community (early next year)
• Work toward creating an entrepreneurial hub in
Rochester that follows Startup Community Principles
• Initiated by the entrepreneurial ecosystem and not
large orgs or gov