Think Big Radio

It’s tough to stay motivated, rejuvenated and focused as an entrepreneur…especially during the summer months.  But with these 5 tips, you can perk up a normal startup day. There’s really no such thing as a “normal startup day”, is there?  For most entrepreneurs, no day looks exactly like another.  And sometimes, because of the hectic lives that […]

Google.  Tumblr.  Twitter.  Zaarly.  They’re all successful companies, but where in the heck did their names come from?  When determining the name of your startup, there are a lot of things to keep in mind.  Do you want one of these “whacky” names that mean virtually nothing, or do you want to keep it simple […]

A long time ago (and we mean a long time ago) we developed a top 10 list of some of the best online and offline resources for entrepreneurs and startups in Kansas City. Now that almost three years have passed, it’s about time we update this list with some of the newest and best entrepreneur […]

April showers bring May flowers.  But what else do April showers bring?  Spring cleaning!  Although most of us dread spring cleaning every year, it’s a necessity in order for us to push our businesses and startups forward.  What are the best tips that entrepreneurs can use when spring cleaning?  In this episode of Think Big […]

Think Big Radio sits down with Kelly Pruneau, network manager of the Women’s Capital Connection in Kansas City.  Kelly discusses the importance of angel investors in Kansas City and just what women investors can bring to the table. In the investment field, women don’t have quite as big of a presence as men do.  In fact, […]

Derek sits down with Jeb Ory, co-founder of Phone2Action to discuss his experience at SXSW 2013.  At SXSW, Jeb had the opportunity to compete in the SXSW Interactive Accelerator, where he pitched against 7 others in the “news” category.  After a great pitch, Jeb and his Phone2Action team won their category and walked away with […]

We often learn more from our failures than we do from our successes.  But we don’t want to make too many mistakes, or else our startup may fail.  To warn you of what mistakes to look out for in the startup world, this episode of Think Big Radio, Derek and Allison will give you insight […]

What’s the biggest up-and-coming startup in Kansas City?  Take a listen to Think Big Radio as our podcaster Bobby Miller Jr. goes in-depth with Jason Grill of Sock 101. http://www.thinkbigpartners.com/mp3/037Sock101.mp3

February 8, 2013 will be the date for Kansas City’s first ever Startup Crawl, an event hosted by Red Nova Labs and Startup Village.  Listen as Derek from Think Big Radio goes in depth with Startup Crawl organizer, Carrie Royce (Red Nova Labs), to hear what this entrepreneurial event has to offer.  Learn about what […]

The most important aspect to becoming a successful entrepreneur is not educational credentials, but rather, ambition and the desire to be great. We have conducted a list of the top entrepreneurs who did not earn a college diploma. Others didn’t even finish high school.  Some didn’t even finish 4th grade!  In this episode of Think Big […]

In this episode of Think Big Radio, Derek and Allison decided to switch things up and play a little game called Fill in the Blank with Two Entrepreneurs.  In this game, Derek and Allison ask one another intense, interesting and downright strange questions about entrepreneurship and startups. http://www.thinkbigpartners.com/mp3/034FillInTheBlankWithTwoEntrepreneurs.mp3

What’s on your New Year’s Resolution list for 2013?  In this episode of Think Big Radio, Derek and Allison dive deep into what entrepreneurs should put on their New Year’s Resolution list…and how to actually stick to your resolution for more than 2 weeks!  Tune into this episode of Think Big Radio and learn the Top […]

As an entrepreneur, are you struggling to determine what to put on your startup’s Christmas wishlist?  Or do you have an entrepreneur you need to buy a Christmas present for?  If so, this episode of Think Big Radio is for you!  We’ll spill the Top 10 Christmas Gifts to buy an entrepreneur this season—some of […]

Startup Weekend is no easy hackathon to win—especially in a place like Kansas City where startup ideas and driven entrepreneurs are flocking in by the hundreds (if not thousands!).  This fall’s Kansas City Startup Weekend brought together some of the coolest startup ideas, the most hungry entrepreneurs and, of course, loads and loads of caffeine […]

The Commitment Engine, the new book from John Jantsch at Duct Tape Marketing. On this episode of Think Big Radio our neighbor from down the street John Janstch stops by to talk about his new book The Commitment Engine. Host Derek Olsen and Mr. Janstch discuss why he felt the need to write on the […]

In this episode of Think Big Radio, Derek and Allison dive into something that many entrepreneurs want to know, but rarely ever get direct answers to.  It’s the Top 10 Things Startups Won’t Tell You.  Here at Think Big Partners, we want you to know what you’re in for when you decide to enter the world of […]

 What can we say?  Think Big gets $*!@ done fast!  In the past few months, we have had a lot going on and we want to fill you in.  In this episode of Think Big Radio, podcast producer Derek Olsen sits down with partner at Think Big, Blake Miller and the two discuss an update […]

What’s new with the Google Fiber development in Kansas City?  Think Big Radio host Derek Olsen sits down with President of the Technology Council of Greater Kansas City, Ryan Weber, to find out. SUMMARY: What’s new with the Google Fiber development in Kansas City?  Think Big Radio host Derek Olsen sits down with President of the Technology […]

Entrepreneurs and sleep.  The two don’t seem to go hand-in-hand do they?  Most entrepreneurs loathe going to sleep at night.  If they’re not tossing and turning thinking of the next big idea, they’re coding or jotting down notes until 3:00 in the morning.  So what can entrepreneurs do to get the perfect amount of sleep and be […]

Elementary school, high school and even business school can’t teach us everything we need to know about entrepreneurship.  But there are a few classes that we think should be implemented into school curricula not only to help entrepreneurs, but to help foster the startup ecosystem throughout different communities.  In this episode of Think Big Radio, Derek and Allison name […]

At Think Big Partners, we try to accommodate to entrepreneurs as best we can.  So we asked people on Twitter and Facebook what they cannot live without as entrepreneurs to gain a little more insight.  Listen to episode 24 of Think Big Radio to find out the 13 (plus some!) things that entrepreneurs cannot live […]

Kansas City isn’t just experiencing big things this summer…it’s experiencing fast things, too.  This summer, Google opened its very own home in KC and the location quickly became known as Google Fiber Space.  Google Fiber Space is a modern, techy place full of Google Fiber demonstrations, interactive video, hands-on activities and even free food!  It all sounded […]

Ever since startup accelerator programs have begun popping up around the world, skeptics have been curious: are startup accelerators a waste of time?  Are they worth it?  Do they really benefit the startups that take the plunge?  Maybe those skeptics haven’t seen the success rates from top accelerator programs such as TechStars, Y Combinator and […]

It’s time to put down Fifty Shades of Grey, Twilight, Harry Potter (or whatever you’re reading) and pick up one of these 12(ish) books about entrepreneurship, startups and business!  In this episode of Think Big Radio, Derek and Allison will list out their Top 12(ish) Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read.  Why 12ish?  Derek and Allison […]

Every entrepreneur is nervous to pitch to investors.  No matter what you do, your palms may sweat, your hands may shake and your voice may quiver while delivering your ever-important pitch.  And you should be nervous—you’re talking to the people who could potentially invest in your company!  But there is no need to look nervous when under […]

Think Big Partners has made quite a few announcements in 2012.  From The Gigabit Challenge to the launch of Think Big Ventures, TBP seems to be moving at the speed of light.  But one of our most exciting announcements was just leaked this last week–the launch of our first accelerator class.  Now introducing the Think Big […]

Did you know that over 300,000 apps have been developed in the past 3 years?  Or that apps have been downloaded over 10.9 billion times?   Or that the demand for apps hasn’t even peaked yet (it will in 2013!)?  There’s no doubt about it—mobile entrepreneurship is the new black!  In this episode of Think Big […]

80 hour weeks.  Skipping lunch.  4 hours of sleep.  Sound familiar?  If you’re an entrepreneur, it probably does.  Many entrepreneurs struggle with obtaining a work-life balance.  But it’s very important for even the busiest entrepreneur to remember that there is life outside of the office and away from the emails.  In this episode of Think […]

You’ve got great entrepreneurs, awesome ideas and a buzzing tech scene in your community—now what?  Think Big Radio is ready to tell you the best ways to foster startup growth in your community and provide you with a few tips and tricks from what we’ve learned from growing the startup scene in Kansas City, MO. KC […]

There’s a reason why 1319 new coworking spaces opened up in February of this year.  During this episode of Think Big Radio, you’ll find out why.  Learn the benefits of working from a coworking space and get some examples from Think Big’s own coworking space, bizperc. http://www.thinkbigpartners.com/mp3/015Top10ReasonsToJoinACoworkingSpace.mp3

On this episode of Think Big Radio, we are interviewing Jayme Thomason of Divvy HQ—a cool, successful startup that blossomed right out of downtown Kansas City.  Divvy HQ produces a user-friendly, super-simple content marketing and editorial calendar for writers, content strategists, marketers, freelancers, PR professionals editors and bloggers alike.  And although Divvy HQ doesn’t like […]

It’s not everyday an entrepreneur has the opportunity to unplug and truly get away from it all. But in this episode of Think Big Radio, Sarah Snyder, bizperc manager, talks about her experience while vacationing in Montana with no computer and no cell phone.  What was it like to truly get away from it all? […]

On this episode of Think Big Radio, Derek sits down with the winning team from Startup Weekend Kansas City, TutHopper.  Listen as Carrie Royce, Coty Beasley and Adam Arredondo give the inside-look at TutHopper’s Startup Weekend experience (HINT: it takes a lot of teamwork and a lot of caffeine!). http://www.thinkbigpartners.com/mp3/012WinnerStartUpWeekend.mp3  

In the latest Think Big Radio episode, Allison Way dives into the lessons learned during Startup Weekend Kansas City. From a spectator’s point of view, Allison informs listeners of what to look out for during Startup Weekend and how to make the 54-hackathon as beneficial as possible. http://www.thinkbigpartners.com/mp3/011StartUpWeekend.mp3  

Herb Sih shares some lessons learned while in Silicon Valley.  Silicon Valley has its own unique culture and way of doing business.  Knowing what to do and what to avoid will help anyone traveling to Silicon Valley be more successful.  Culture, pace of life and the way people dress are different.  Be prepared to notice […]

Last week, four members of the Think Big team traveled to Silicon Valley with 10 other Midwest startup businesses for the Think Big Field Trip.  While there, entrepreneurs from the Midwest presented their business pitches to numerous Bay area investors at the Silicon Valley Bank Seed Showcase and the Think Big Showcase.  Herb Sih, Tyler Prochnow […]

Blake Miller, partner and web developer at Think Big Partners, had the opportunity to travel from Las Vegas to Austin, Texas on StartupBus—a 72 hour roadtrip-meets-hackathon.  Along the way, Blake collaborated with other “buspreneurs” to build and launch a website while heading down to South by Southwest in Austin. Blake sat down and told Think […]

In this episode of Think Big Radio, Sarah Snyder (meeting planner for Think Big Partners and manager of the bizperc coworking space) dives deep into her experience at the Global Coworking Unconference Conference (GCUC, pronounced “juicy”) last week in Austin, Texas. Listen up, tune in and Think Big with Sarah and she talks about who […]

What’s going on with Think Big Partners?  Listen up, tune in and Think Big to find out.  In this episode of Think Big Radio, senior copywriter and senior associate, Allison Way, discusses what’s new with Think Big Partners including details about Flyover Field Trip, involvement on the StartupBus, updates on the innovation and entrepreneurship conference […]

An inside look at Think Big Partners’ Pitch Camp, a multi-day event designed to take a startup’s pitch to the next level.  Pitch Camp is preparation for the Flyover Field Trip; a highly-intensive, multi-day pitchfest for entrepreneurs who live in the Midwest and want to get in front of investors from tech and startup hubs in […]

Several short interviews with a few contestants from The Gigabit Challenge Finale.  The Gigabit Challenge was a global business plan competition inspired by Google Fiber’s implementation in Kansas City.  The Grand Prize of $100,000 and the opportunity to work on the Google Fiber network was awarded to SEIN Analytics and Asset Management, while the Born […]