Podcasts about techstars chicago

Today, I have the pleasure of speaking with Sharon Schneider, founder of Integrated Capital Strategies. She works with families and foundations to align all of their activities with their values, expanding from philanthropy and impact investments to advocacy, operating businesses and property management/household operations. She is the author of "Handbook for an Integrated Life: A Practical Guide to Aligning Your Everyday Choices with Your Internal Compass". Previously Sharon served as Executive Director of the Telluray Foundation and was the founding Director of the Walton Personal Philanthropy Group. She was also co-founder and CEO of the for-profit social enterprise Moxie Jean, a Chicago Innovation Award winner in 2013 and a 2012 portfolio company of renowned tech accelerator Excelerate Labs (now TechStars Chicago). Moxie Jean was acquired by Schoola in 2015. Before starting Moxie Jean, Schneider spent 12 years as a staff member and consultant to private foundations, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Pew Charitable Trusts, and dozens of small family foundations, working on issues ranging from strategic planning and outcome management to engaging your family in philanthropy. Sharon wrote a highly regarded book about the concept of an “Integrated Life”, and she shares with our audience the meaning of this term and its key takeaways for UHNW families. In her writings, Sharon posits that these is a “3rd Gen Problem” – that by the time G3 steps into the leadership role, the family office structure begins to strain. She describes this problem, and illustrates how it is manifested across families, why it occurs, and most importantly, what to do about it. Through her work with families, Sharon has formulated 8 principles for a values-aligned family office, and she unpacks her thinking and practical insights related to the 8 principles. She then provides some specific practical applications of the principles, and shares some use cases that can help bring the principles to life for our audience. Enjoy this informative conversation with one of the best recognized philanthropy advisors and practitioners in the family wealth space.

Renowned for his exceptional ability to inspire and uplift, Venture Builder Capitalist Terrance Orr shares profound insights on the transformative power of humility and the invaluable lessons of mentorship.   In this best-of-episode, we're revisiting one of our favourite guest interviews. Terrance delves into the depths of his personal odyssey — from conquering adversities to emerging as a trailblazer of innovation in the business realm. Explore the transformative landscape sculpted by AI, unravel the art of compelling narrative in fundraising endeavors, and delve into the pivotal significance of customer insights in propelling innovation forward.   Terrance openly discusses pivotal mistakes from his early career, highlighting the importance of humility and resilience in navigating setbacks. His perspective on mentorship as a catalyst for personal and professional growth is equally enlightening.   Explore the significance of fostering workplace environments that prioritize employee purpose and fulfillment for sustained organizational success. Terrance's dedication to creating opportunities and fostering change will leave you motivated and equipped with actionable insights.   Tune in to Hiring Matters with Terrance Orr for a journey filled with inspiration, wisdom, and practical advice.    About our Guest: Terrance Orr is a dynamic operator and startup coach with expertise in venture building, product management, fundraising, and business development across both startups and large corporations. Propelled by his passion for mentoring entrepreneurs, Terrance brings energy and focus to the teams he leads. He is an active advisor at multiple venture firms, studios, and accelerators, including Antler, Visible Hands, and High Alpha Innovation. He is also a member of Nex Cubed's Investor Advisory Board, a Startup Mentor at Forum Ventures and WEVE Acceleration, and an emerging leader in venture capital as recognized by HBCUvc. Prior to joining Mach49, Terrance spent time as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at SAP.iO — SAP's venture fund and studio — where he developed solutions for enterprise software pains related to supply chain and logistics. He also served as a Venture Partner at Republic, the full-stack investment platform spun out of AngelList, and advised early stage companies on business development and growth at seed accelerator Techstars Chicago. Before he worked with founders, Terrance was known as an intrapreneur at Dell Technologies, where he helped launch new business functions and conceptualize novel business models, and drove post-merger integration projects during the largest technology acquisition in history (between Dell and EMC). Terrance is a graduate of Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law, Johnson & Wales University, and Claflin University.   About Your Host: Ken Schmitt is the CEO and founder of TurningPoint Executive Search. He is also the author of "The Practical Optimist: An Entrepreneur's Journey through Life's Turning Points". Ken was raised in an entrepreneurial family and brings a uniquely authentic voice to his podcast, blending life, family, and business together. Ken is a seasoned expert with almost three decades of experience in executive recruiting. In his podcast, he focuses on revealing the secrets of recruiting, retention, and real HR strategies. The podcast is not preachy, academic, or theoretical. It provides authentic perspectives on the challenges, triumphs, and quirks that make the hiring game both exhilarating and unpredictable. Twice a month, Ken offers tactical advice and industry insights to empower listeners to navigate the intricate world of executive recruiting confidently. "Hiring Matters" is your go-to resource for elevating your hiring game and equipping you with the tools to build, grow, and lead truly exceptional teams. Brace yourself for Ken's "Recruiter Rant" episodes, where he shares unfiltered insights and behind-the-scenes revelations about the industry's hidden secrets. Get ready to gain more than expected from this informative and engaging podcast. Follow Ken on LinkedIn Powered by TurningPoint Executive Search: Helping business hire right.

Today on the podcast, Troy Henikoff joins Bradley to discuss his new book, "Levers - The Framework For Building Repeatability Into Your Business." Get your copy at https://www.leversbook.com/.Troy Henikoff is Managing Director of MATH Venture Partners. Additionally, Troy is an active mentor with Techstars.Troy was a Co-founder of Excelerate Labs, which became Techstars Chicago in 2013. He also helps manage the FireStarter Fund, teaches Entrepreneurship at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Business and is on the board of the Chicago-land Entrepreneurial Center.Prior to Techstars Chicago, Troy was the CEO of OneWed.com, the President of Amacai, and co-founder and CEO of SurePayroll.com. Troy built the technology for Jellyvision (creators of “You Don't Know Jack!”) and was the President of Systemetrics. His first company was Specialized Systems and Software. Troy has an undergraduate degree in Engineering from Brown University and a Masters Degree in Project Management from Northwestern.** JOIN THE PRIVATE LEADERSHIP PODCAST COMMUNITY! **This community has access to a seat at the live recordings for all Monday podcast episodes, monthly, live Q&As with our favorite podcast guests, a private community on Facebook, and more. It launches June 1st, 2023 - grab your spot using this link: www.club.capital/podcastThanks to our sponsors:Club Capital offers monthly accounting, tax, and CFO services for insurance agency owners. Learn more at www.club.capital.Coach P found great success as an insurance agent and agency owner. He leads a a large, stable team of professionals who are at the top of their game year after year. Now he shares the systems, processes, delegation, and specialization he developed along the way. Gain access to weekly training calls and mentoring at www.coachpconsulting.com. Be sure to mention the Club Capital Podcast when you get in touch.Autopilot Recruiting is a continuous recruiting service where you'll be assigned a recruiter that has been trained to recruit on your behalf every business day. Listeners of the Club Capital Leadership Podcast go to https://www.autopilotrecruiting.com and use the code ClubCapital to get started.

For episode homepage, resources and links, visit: https://kristenmanieri.com/episode188   Learn more about coaching: Kristen@kristenmanieri.com   Description Each day we make dozens of choices, including how to spend our time, money and energy. In the new book, Handbook for an Integrated Life: A Practical Guide to Aligning Your Everyday Choices with Your Internal Compass, author and philanthropy expert Sharon Schneider explores the ways we can integrate our values and desires to do good in the world with the things we are already doing. From buying habits and ways we celebrate, to how we travel and where we live, all aspects of our lives can come into alignment with our values when we take the time to identify them and bring them into focus.     Guest Bio Sharon Schneider is an entrepreneur, philanthropy expert, impact investor, and strategist who advises socially conscious founders and family offices. She has overseen more than $1.5 billion in philanthropic capital deployed through grants, impact investments, advocacy efforts and business operations from some of the world's most prominent families, including members of the Giving Pledge, the Forbes 400 wealthiest individuals, top-10 US private foundations, and others. Learn more about her consulting practice here. Additionally, Sharon was the co-founder and CEO of Moxie Jean, an online marketplace for high-quality, gently used clothes. Moxie Jean was a 2012 portfolio company of renowned tech accelerator Excelerate Labs (now TechStars Chicago). Moxie Jean was acquired by Schoola in 2015.   Host Bio Kristen Manieri is the author of Better Daily Mindfulness Habits (July 2021: Rockridge Press). She's a certified both as a habits coach and mindfulness teacher. She specializes in: stress reduction, energy management, mindset, resilience, focus, habit formation, rest rituals, and prioritizing personal well-being. As the host of the weekly 60 Mindful Minutes podcast, an Apple top 100 social science podcast, Kristen has interviewed over 120 authors and thought leaders about what it means to live a more conscious, connected, intentional AND joyful life. Learn more at https://kristenmanieri.com/work-with-me/.   Mentioned in this Episode Guest's book: Handbook for an Integrated Life: A Practical Guide to Aligning Your Everyday Choices with Your Internal Compass https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Integrated-Life-Practical-Aligning/dp/1626349355   Guest's website: https://www.theintegratedlife.com/   Learn more about coaching: Kristen@kristenmanieri.com Connect with the 60 Mindful Minutes podcast   Web: https://kristenmanieri.com Email: Kristen@kristenmanieri.com   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/60MindfulMinutes Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristenmanieri_/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/kristenmanieri/  

Neal Sáles-Griffin is an entrepreneur, teacher, and non-profit leader. He co-founded the first beginner-focused in-person coding bootcamp, and most recently ran for mayor of Chicago. He's currently the Managing Director of Techstars Chicago Powered by J.P. Morgan and the Techstars Chicago Accelerator, and is an Adjunct Professor at Northwestern University's McCormick School of Engineering where he teaches entrepreneurship. On this episode we speak about the color of entrepreneurship, investing in Black women, and other underrepresented founders.

Troy Henikoff is a Managing Director at MATH Venture Partners, a Chicago-based venture capital business that invests in startups and early-stage companies.In this episode, we covered: Ted Lasso VC as an Ex-Operator MATH 100 Setting Numeric Goals for Founders Early-stage Financial Modeling Techstars in Chicago And much more.... Please Enjoy!You can find Troy on his Linkedin & Twitter and MATH Venture Partners on Linkedin and their website.We are proud to be sponsored by World Business Chicago, the City of Chicago's public-private economic development agency.The 5th Annual Chicago Venture Summit was officially sold out. 450 plus VC and start-up founders, investors and innovators connected over the three-day flagship venture capital conference led by World Business Chicago, the City of Chicago, and sponsors. Follow World Business Chicago on LinkedIn and Twitter for news, announcements, and data from this week's Summit, and for news and announcements from the city's tech, innovation, and venture ecosystem.

In this special episode, Give First host David Cohen and Talking Through It host Neal Sáles-Griffin take turns interviewing each other: it’s two Techstars podcasts in one. David discusses with Neal on how giving first grew the Chicago startup ecosystem, and then Neal talks through today’s hot issues with David, including unicorn startups and cryptocurrency. If you haven’t seen it yet, check out the National Geographic documentary series City So Real, a portrait of contemporary Chicago, including Neal’s candidacy in the 2019 mayoral election. Also, check out Techstars Chicago's recent Demo Day, featuring the custom song discussed in this episode. Techstars personnel and/or guests who speak in this podcast express their own opinions, and not the opinion of either Techstars or any company discussed in this podcast. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities are for illustrative and/or informational purposes only and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investor or prospective investor, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any fund managed by Techstars. Certain of Techstars funds own (or may own in the future) securities in some of the companies discussed in this podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this week's special founder edition episode of Talking Through It, Neal Sáles-Griffin talks with alumni from his recent Techstars Chicago class: Whitney Gregory, CEO of Eemerg Roadside Assistance, and William Birdsong, CEO of Documentor.Today's Topics:Natural Disasters in TexasThe Virtual Accelerator ExperienceMentor MadnessApplication Tips for FoundersThe Techstars Chicago Demo Day Song, City So RealThis Week's Startups To Watch:Eemerg Roadside AssistanceDocumentorCity So Real song by William Birdsong and Tyni BirdsongTechstars personnel and/or guests who speak in this podcast express their own opinions, and not the opinion of either Techstars or any company discussed in this podcast. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities are for illustrative and/or informational purposes only and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investor or prospective investor, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any fund managed by Techstars. Certain of Techstars funds own (or may own in the future) securities in some of the companies discussed in this podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today's 5 Topics:The U.S. electionTech and democracyThe power of personal valuesChoosing great companiesGiving thanksThis Week's Founders To Watch:Neal picks Havoc Shield, 2020 graduate of Techstars Chicago, which just raised $1.45 million.Mert picks Documentor, another 2020 Techstars Chicago grad, which he mentors.Meet Mert Iseri:Mert Hilmi Iseri has the best job in the world as the CEO of SwipeSense, aiming to eliminate preventable medical errors in hospitals. His journey started off in Istanbul, Turkey and changed courses completely once he arrived at Northwestern University. Prior to fighting infections in hospitals, he co-founded Design for America, a national initiative amongst college students to use design thinking for social impact in their communities. In 2018, DFA was awarded the National Design Award by the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. Mert has presented at conferences such as TEDActive, TEDx, CUSP, Design:Chicago and has been recognized by Forbes in their 30 Under 30 list. He lives in Chicago, IL.Follow Mert on Twitter @mhiFollow Neal on Twitter @nealsalesTechstars personnel and/or guests who speak in this podcast express their own opinions, and not the opinion of either Techstars or any company discussed in this podcast. This podcast is for informational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as legal, business, investment, or tax advice. You should consult your own advisers as to those matters. References to any securities are for illustrative and/or informational purposes only and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Furthermore, this content is not directed at nor intended for use by any investor or prospective investor, and may not under any circumstances be relied upon when making a decision to invest in any fund managed by Techstars. Certain of Techstars funds own (or may own in the future) securities in some of the companies discussed in this podcast. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As a founder, are you optimizing for greed or fear? Each of use inevitably does one or the other. In the first case, “I want the least dilution so I'm going to fundraise in increments”.The latter is “damn, what if I can't raise again? Let's get as much cash in the bank as a we can”. Here are the main talking points:  why raising the money is not always the answer what are the risks of raising too much capital too early how to make decisions that extend your runway how Troy evaluates each company before investing About Troy:Troy Henikoff is Managing Director of MATH Venture Partners. Additionally, Troy is an active mentor with Techstars. Troy was the Co-founder of Excelerate Labs, which became Techstars Chicago in 2013. He also helps manage the FireStarter Fund, teaches Entrepreneurship at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Business and is on the board of the Chicago-land Entrepreneurial Center. Prior to Techstars Chicago, Troy was the CEO of OneWed.com, the President of Amacai, and co-founder and CEO of SurePayroll.com.Resources mentioned on the show:Troy's investment & startup advice videos on vimeo.

The world of entrepreneurship moves fast. And nowhere does it move faster than inside a Techstars accelerator. With startups and mentors and investors all coming together, move fast or get left behind -- and that usually starts with candid conversations. Each week Neal Sales-Griffin, Managing Director of Techstars Chicago's accelerator program, brings together a rotating cast of high-powered and provocative guests to talk through the most pressing topics of the moment, in a free-form and unscripted conversation. If you're a founder, mentor or investor, or hope to be one day, this is a must-listen. It's Talking Through It, first and fresh takes, from the Techstars Podcast Network. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Isaiah Goodman, stops by Clark Hill’s Credit Eco To Go to talk about his new app, MoneyVerbs; a gamified platform which simulates and allows users to make decisions about money without risk. Financial wherewithal is not taught, rather it is a skill that needs to be honed. Many consumers are not only uncomfortable talking about their financial situation but making commitments to put aside current resources for the future. MoneyVerbs allows users to practice their decision-making about money while at the same time providing resources to build a personalized financial literacy community. MoneyVerbs was just accepted to Techstars Chicago, one of the largest international incubators, where its app will be able to launched on a broad scale. DISCLAIMER – No information contained in this Podcast or on this Website shall constitute financial, investment, legal and/or other professional advice and that no professional relationship of any kind is created between you and podcast host, the guests or Clark Hill PLC. You are urged to speak with your financial, investment, or legal advisors before making any investment or legal decisions. Funk Game Loop by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3787-funk-game-loopLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This post is part of a Youtube/Click-able Blog Series called “After The Exit” — the show where I interview CEO's after they've sold their startup and have them share the lessons they learned in blood about business, relationships, and life. Look — you can learn a couple of tips from how they built it, but the real wisdom — the moral of the story — comes at the end — after the exit. Today I'm really excited to introduce you to my friend Jonathan Smith, former CEO of Kai. Before Kai he was a Chief of Staff for a consumer research firm, then applied what he learned there to launch an app for a megachurch in Cincinnati. From there he built Kai - a conversational fitness coach powered by AI. They raised around $100K from friends and family and went through back to back accelerators - first a faith-based accelerator called Ocean, and second Techstars Chicago. Shortly after leaving Techstars they shut down the company due to a lack of fundraising traction. This episode is brought to you by Visible.vc - Raise capital, update investors and engage your team from a single platform. It's also brought to you by Boilerplate.legal - Affordable, streamlined, venture capital-approved legal documents for your startup. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/aftertheexit/message

Arteen Arabshahi’s career path has been untraditional. The son of Iranian immigrants, he grew up planning to be a surgeon and bounced through medicine and finance before finding his passion in entrepreneurship and technology. He got his first job in this industry by cold emailing 150 people and spent 5 years in traditional venture capital (Fika Ventures, Karlin Ventures) before joining WndrCo to pursue a unique hybrid of entrepreneurship and investment. At WndrCo, Arteen manages the early stage investments. Prior to investing, Arteen helped launch BuiltinLA.com and worked at Techstars Chicago. Arteen has been selected for Forbes 30 Under 30, Business Insider 30 and Under, and CSQ’s NextGen 10. He holds a BSBA from the University of Arizona and contributes to TechCrunch, Forbes, and Business Insider. On nights and weekends, he’ll either be enjoying the outdoors, at a concert, or at an open mic poetry slam. He cares deeply about mental health awareness, equal access to opportunity, and performing arts. You can find him at @arteeninLA. In this episode… For a person with many years of experience working in different industries, Arteen Arabshahi has a wealth of knowledge to share from the tech industry, finance, investments, and early stage venture capital funding. He helps companies recruit and retain talent, expand operations and grow their revenue, and he knows the crucial role of the hiring process to a company’s growth. In this week’s episode of Elevate Hire, Greg Toroosian interviews Arteen Arabshahi of WndrCo LLC about his perspective on hiring and retaining talent. He talks about his background and professional career, how he identifies worthwhile investments, how he helps grow early-stage teams, and more. Stay tuned.

Michele Atkinson is a serial entrepreneur in the government contracts and proposals space. Michele shared her insights and how to successfully submit for government contracts in this interview. Michele’s company, Contract Cloud, was recently selected for TechStars Chicago.

Over the years, a #GiveFirst network will reward its members time and time again. Troy Henikoff looks back at 2009, when he first encountered Techstars and was so inspired he started his own accelerator—with some help from the Techstars Network. A decade later, that accelerator is now Techstars Chicago, and Troy is Managing Director of MATH Ventures. You never know where #GiveFirst will take you—but you do know you’ll never have to go it alone.

Sam Yagan is currently the CEO of ShopRunner which has raised over $100M from the likes of Alibaba Group or August Capital. Previously, he served as CEO of The Match Group and led it through a period of growth culminating in its initial $400M public offering. Yagan cofounded OkCupid in 2003 and it was acquired by Match Inc. for $90 million in 2011. Earlier, he founded SparkNotes, which he sold to Barnes & Noble Inc. SparkNotes transaction was reported to be $30M. Yagan cofounded Excelerate Labs (now TechStars Chicago), a startup accelerator, and founded Corazon Capital, an early stage fund.

Sam Yagan is currently the CEO of ShopRunner which has raised over $100M from the likes of Alibaba Group or August Capital. Previously, he served as CEO of The Match Group and led it through a period of growth culminating in its initial $400M public offering. Yagan cofounded OkCupid in 2003 and it was acquired by Match Inc. for $90 million in 2011. Earlier, he founded SparkNotes, which he sold to Barnes & Noble Inc. SparkNotes transaction was reported to be $30M. Yagan cofounded Excelerate Labs (now TechStars Chicago), a startup accelerator, and founded Corazon Capital, an early stage fund.

Jiobit CMO Lindsay Slutzky is helping to keep your kids safe. The company’s hardware gives parents peace of mind when they’re out in public with children. Parents can get GPS locating on their smartphone. Now the company is setting its focus on gun violence. Jiobit is joining forces with Motorola, Techstars Chicago and the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence to host an educational event at Merchandise Mart.

Selling is a core skill. You have to know how to sell, whether it's a product, an idea, or yourself. In 2012, Basecamp CEO Jason Fried saw the results of a bottled water-selling challenge at Techstars Chicago, a bootcamp program for startups. That one-day competition is the starting point for a conversation that includes the art of negotiation, Jason's experiences selling knives, tennis rackets, and software; and other adventures in business.

Rebecca Sholiton and Nate Cooper are the Co-Founders of Wise Apple(formally Pak'd), a startup that delivers pre-made, customizable school lunches directly to families’ homes. They just announced their $3.6 million seed round led by Pritzker Group Venture Capital and Levy Family Partners with Chicago Ventures, Greycroft Partners, BoxGroup and Irish Angels also participating.  Wise Apple was also part of Techstars Chicago class of 2016 which included previous podcast guests Bright and PartySlate.  Use code "chicagotech" for $20 off your first week or this link for it to be automatically applied.    In This Episode You Will Learn: The inspiration behind Wise Apple How they made their first lunches How they collected 300 emails from interested customers on day 1 The importance of customizations to their business The value of hand delivering your orders and collecting feedback How they balance healthy and tasty for kids How a new porn site led to the name change What it was like working with the legendary Red Antler branding agency in New York  Why Wise Apple won out as the name Any concern around going with a name without having the .com locked down How influential their Kellogg MBAs have been and whether they think they needed it Why starting a business with a bunch of MBAs is a mistake How Rebecca and Nate met Whether copycats and competitors in the food space is a concern for them How their space differs from the meal kit business How they arrived at their price The value in going through Techstars The importance of balancing realistic numbers and unit economics  with a big vision Why we need more female investment professionals Why Rebecca won’t look at resumes unless there are non-white/male resumes included The value in having a big anchor tech company in Chicago Selected Links From The Episode: Red Antler, branding agency behind Casper and All Birds Carter Cast, Professor at Northwestern Kellogg and Venture Partner at Pritzker Group Venture Capital Troy Henikoff, Managing Director at MATH Venture Partners Brian Luerssen, Former Techstars Chicago Managing Director Dan Willoughby, Techstars Chicago Director Amanda Lannert, CEO of Jellyvision Favorite Books: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall

In this episode, you’ll hear about: -Who the ideal Fossa customer is, and why enterprise companies are not the only ones who care about code quality and security -The evolution from TLDRLegal to Fossa, and the opportunity Kevin saw to create a sustainable business -How attending the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy boarding school shaped Kevin’s childhood and led to his early independence -How Kevin’s parents, who emigrated from China, were the driving force behind his technical education -The “dual life” Kevin led growing up between school and freelance coding, and how the latter became his motivation to start a company -How working at Techstars Chicago marked the beginning of Kevin’s startup journey, and why he decided to move to San Francisco Be sure to stay tuned at the end of the episode, where Kevin shares some favorite Bay area companies and explains why there isn’t just one person he would most want to interview.

Troy Henikoff is the Managing Director at Techstars Chicago, a Managing Director at MATH Venture Partners, and a Professor of Entrepreneurship at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Business. If you haven't heard of Troy yet, he is one of the biggest figures in the Chicago tech scene and has been instrumental in getting Chicago tech to where it is today. He is also one of the nicest guys you will ever meet and a hard core cyclist.  Prior to launching Techstars Chicago, Troy was a serial entrepreneur. He was the CEO of OneWed.com, President of Amacai, and co-founder and CEO of SurePayroll.com. Troy built the technology for Jellyvision (creators of “You Don’t Know Jack!”), was the President of Systemetrics, and his first company was Specialized Systems and Software. Troy has an undergraduate degree in Engineering from Brown University and a Masters Degree in Project Management from Northwestern. In This Episode You Will Learn: How cold is too cold when biking to work The story of how Troy got into entrepreneurship How Excelerate Labs came about The story of creating BB8 for Star Wars What the application process is like for Techstars How to find the right balance between tenacious and coachable Which entrepreneurs get the most out of Techstars  What the timeline looks like for their 90 days in the program What goes into making a perfect pitch in front of 500 venture capitalists What companies really excite him Why Mark Achler and Troy started MATH Venture Partners Whether or not there is a signalling problem by only investing in some of your accelerator companies Why Groupon would have been impossible to build in San Francisco Why you have to be honest with yourself first Selected Links From The Episode: Michael Krasny, Founder of CDW Alex White, Founder of Next Big Sound David Cohen, Founder of Techstars Sam Yagan, CEO of Shop Runner Brad Feld, VC at Foundry Group Sphero Fitbot Casey Jenks, Founder of Fitbot Favorite Books: The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip Heath Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist by Brad Feld Sponsored By: Propllr: a Chicago public relations firm that helps startups and innovators build credibility and awareness for their companies, people, products and services.

Thea Polancic is a passionate advocate for the power of business as a force for good in the world. She is the Founder and Chair of the Chicago Chapter of Conscious Capitalism - a movement dedicated to elevating humanity through business, founded by John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market.  The Chicago Chapter is the first in North America, and in less than 18 months it has grown to more than 1,100 members. Under her leadership, the Chicago Chapter produces programs for the general public and private events for senior executives who are committed to leading organizations that are both purposeful and unapologetically profit-driven. As a result of her efforts, the international Conscious Capitalism Annual Conference has taken place in Chicago for the past two years.   Thea is also the Managing Partner of ClearSpace, LLC, a consulting firm that helps CEOs transform themselves, their teams and organizations to meet the challenges of the future and grow and thrive. Over the past 15 years, Thea has worked closely with many senior leadership teams to grow organizations with a higher purpose, creating value for all stakeholders, developing servant leaders, and having healthy, values-based cultures. Her firm’s clients include organizations large and small across the country. She is a mentor to Chicago accelerators TechStars Chicago, Healthbox and The Impact Engine and the Conscious Venture Lab in Maryland. Thea is sought-after speaker on leadership and the future of business.   Web - www.Clearspace.net Twitter - @tdpolancic LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/theadurfeepolancic      Summary & Ideas for Action In this interview, Thea covers the concept that consciousness and profit are compatible. Older executives may need to examine consciousness; younger executives may need to open their consciousness to embrace profit. Purpose is an intentional combination of consciousness and profit that necessitates a great business model, great leaders, and engaged stakeholders—the suppliers, the customers, the board, shareholders, and owners, and the employees of the organization. The growth is a journey, not an endpoint. The CEO is key to the purpose. Purpose spreads from the CEO down through the organization. If the CEO is not engaged in the purpose, the organization cannot prop it up. If the CEO sustains the purpose, then so may the organization.   Key Takeaways [5:46] Will big business save the world? McDonald’s is the largest employer of teenagers on the planet. To make a difference for teenagers, you should go talk to McDonald’s. [6:58] My personal purpose is in the form of a promise: By the year 2030, business creates a world of beauty, prosperity, and happiness. [8:21] The world is a complex, ambiguous place. In uncertain, complex environments there is a specific kind of leadership that is more effective, which starts with a long-term perspective. [14:15] How do you teach that it’s OK to be unapologetically capitalist and profit-driven? [17:27] The need for purpose is on the rise and is moving mainstream quickly. [22:05] This is a journey, not an endpoint. It starts with the CEO’s internal work. A CEO who is not the authentic driver of the purpose will undermine it. [29:50] Leaders must match the intellectual valuing of mistakes, failure, and the challenges of the climb with the emotional capacity to be compassionate for themselves and their teammates, and create an environment of emotional safety inside of which risk taking can happen.   Quotable Quotes “What we want is that caring and accountability.” “Doing business in this way is ultimately one of the few remaining sources of competitive advantage that you’re going to have.” “Have a stakeholder value creation model, not just a shareholder or owner value creation model.”   Books Mentioned on the Show Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration Leaders Eat Last Mindset: The New Psychology for Success The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of The Learning Organization

Stan Bokov: Co-founder of an exciting fintech startup - accelerated by Techstars Chicago. Control all operations - transforming visions become reality. Fundraising, partnerships and key business development. Ensure proper allocation of resources, staffing levels and levels of technical maintenance. Deal with public relations and key industry contacts. Control marketing messages and help focus channels. Coordinate with other execs for a unified product strategy.   Steven Cawiezell has established TheTradersPlan.com as a distinctively unique ETF & Growth stock newsletter that focuses on trends in the market indices. Being a former Financial Advisor at a large broker dealer (and watching portfolios crash in 2008) forced Steven to abandon "buy & hold" and create an simple ETF strategy that has averaged 64.11% per year since 2007 that anyone can follow. To watch a free training webinar where Steven shares with you the secrets to his easy to follow ETF trading system simply go to http://www.TheTradersPlan.com       Powered by Seth Greene: a 6 Time Best Selling Author, Nationally Recognized Direct Response Marketing Expert, and the only back to back to back GKIC Dan Kennedy Marketer of the Year Nominee. Get a FREE Copy of Seth’s new book Podcast Marketing Magic, and access to a Live Podcast Marketing Training Webinar at http://www.UltimateMarketingMagician.com    

Jim and Devin talk shop with Troy Henikoff from TechStars Chicago.

Managing Director of TechStars Chicago, Troy Henikoff is interviewed, we discuss Andrew Mason getting fired as CEO of Groupon and the merits of starting a podcast via MVP.