Thinking Entrepreneurially | Ainsley O’Connell – Senior Writer, FastCo.Labs
Today leaders feel increasing pressure to work smarter and generate innovative ideas–but how should organizations achieve those goals? This workshop will make a case for the importance of developing an entrepreneurial mindset and introduce participants to the practices of rapid prototyping and design thinking. We’ll look at examples of both practices in action at startups and large companies, and then break into teams to tackle a real-world challenge. Come prepared to “start making.”
Startup Journey for Aspiring Entrepreneurs | Eric Quan – Co-Founder, Telos Ventures
Joseph Ansanelli, serial entrepreneur and now venture capitalist with Greylock Partners likes to tell entrepreneurs to “enjoy the journey, because it may be the only destination.” And Proverbs 16:9 says that “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.”
Yes, you have have a great idea and you want to build a successful venture, but the only guarantee is that there are guarantees. Entrepreneurship isn’t signing up for the results, it’s signing up for the journey. Together we’ll explore the startup journey — including concepts around core purpose, customer development, lean startup, business model innovation and fundraising and help you discern whether it’s the one that God is calling you on.
Pitch Design: Creating a brandstory that captures imaginations and compels your audience to action | Jason Locy – Founder & Creative Director, FiveStone
This session serves as a primer for creating a brand narrative that attracts customers, investors, and fans to your organization. We will look at the foundational framework to building a compelling pitch and brandstory that transcends the normal “hype” associated with marketing and goes deeper, forming lasting impression in the mind of your audience. In addition, we will discuss specific principles for telling stories and building brands that you can use as practical tips within your organization. In the end, you will walk away with needed insights and practical advice on how to construct a better brand story.
Prayer as the (non-Superficial) Power for Gospel-Driven Entrepreneurship | Matt Perman – Author, What’s Best Next
It is easy to overlook prayer and the spiritual disciplines when it comes to our work–including entrepreneurship. We can easily treat it superficially, thinking “of course prayer is important, but that’s obvious–now, let’s talk about strategy.” But in reality, the New Testament and especially Sermon on the Mount show that prayer has a much more substantial place in our work than we typically think. We will look at how Jesus connects prayer to our work and show how, according to the Scriptures, prayer is the fundamental power for real gospel-driven entrepreneurship that transforms our cities socially, economically, and spiritually.
Leading Change (and What Gets in the Way) | Katherine Alsdorf – Senior Fellow, City to City
Real leadership is driven by the desire of one person to contribute to the flourishing of others. The leader is leading people through a change – adapting to new circumstances, changing unhelpful behaviors, working together in new ways. So what goes wrong? Why do people resist? How is it that so many leaders lose their following before they even get out of the gate? This breakout will discuss the perils of leadership and how to respond effectively.
Talkback with Keynote Speaker | Lois Kehlenbrink
Building a Lean Start-up | Jim Kim – Founding Partner, Formation 8
The combination of decreasing computing costs through cloud services, open source software, and rapid prototyping has resulted in the cost of starting a business being lower than it ever has been. In this workshop, students will learn the elements of starting a company by utilizing the Business Model Canvas in the Lean Start-up framework.
Cultivating a Flourishing Network for Entrepreneurship | Joel Montgomery – Founder, Secret Sauce
Jesus, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King. Each of these leaders created a movement that mobilized millions and changed the world. In this workshop, we will dissect the elements of a movement and learn how to turn an idea for change into a movement that can change the world. You can’t create a movement by yourself. Learn how to create community to advance the movement and when individual skills and resources will be most valuable to the movement.
Trademark Basics for Building a Powerful Brand: What Every Entrepreneur Should Know | Karen K. Won - Senior Associate, Trademark, Copyright & Advertising practice group at Cooley LLP
Most savvy entrepreneurs know that you can’t enter the startup ecosystem without legal due diligence and protection for intellectual property, which are critical to attracting investors and protecting yourself in the marketplace. Have you done your homework regarding one of your most valuable intellectual property assets — your trademark, which is your brand and the face of the company? Even if you’ve come up with a great brand name from a marketing perspective, you might encounter unexpected obstacles from the legal front if you are unaware of trademark law. This workshop will introduce attendees to the basics of trademark law regarding whether you can use and/or register particular brand names for your company, product or service; what is a “powerful brand” from a legal perspective; the applicable legal process for trademarks; and tips for assessing whether your trademark is available for use/registration.
How to raise a seed round for your startup | Sean Coughlin – Co-Founder and CEO, Faithstreet
Do you have a great idea for the next big thing? Are you looking to raise money? You probably shouldn’t, yet. Do you have a great idea, a working prototype, a solid full-time founding team, and some initial traction? Are you looking to raise money? You probably should. We’ll talk about the who, when, what, why and how of raising a seed round. It’ll all be very candid and very practical.
Social Mediapreneurship That Disrupts & Drives Engagement | Kenny Jahng – CEO, Big Click Syndicate
A universal need of entrepreneurs today is to break through the clutter and gain the attention of the right audience. You’ve heard all the jargon-filled best practices pushing customer-centric solutions: Send some press releases. Get on social media. Set up a blog. Build a tribe. etc. The social media landscape is prime for buzzword bingo where everyone is invited to play, but there isn’t always a guaranteed winner. This workshop will share real tactics not pie in the sky, looks-good-on-paper strategies. Kenny will walk you through specific campaigns that he’s run to gain coverage in CNN, Fox, ABC News, and thousands of viewers on iTunes and YouTube. You’ll learn how to disrupt the dynamics in your industry in order to introduce and position your company as one that has authority and trust.
The concept of disruption is a fascinating one and has been particularly significant for entrepreneurship and for understanding the dynamics of innovation. Economists like Joseph Schumpeter (1883-1950), a contemporary of John Maynard Keynes, championed the notion that disruptive innovation leads to “creative destruction”, a well-known phrase that he coined. For Schumpeter and his present-day followers such as Clayton Christensen (Harvard Business School), understanding the role of disruption is critical to a flourishing commercial enterprise as well as a flourishing economy. Whether it’s disruption created by human-made innovation or by an unforeseen “act of God”, these massive changes and shifts create a significant opportunity—one that we can respond to with either fear or courage.
Disruption instigates a powerful occasion to not only understand the deeper drives that govern our motives, but to solidify our commitments that lead to resolute actions and innovation. This year’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation Forum will explore these dynamics to help participants discern how the gospel transforms the way we experience disruption. God uses disruption in our lives to confront us with His reality, especially during times when we are consumed by ourselves and our own agenda. When we are confronted with the vision of God’s glory in the light of the gospel, fearful avoidance turns into courageous action. Empowered by God’s love, we are able to see otherwise potentially unnerving changes in our world as opportunities to bring about Spirit-led innovation . As the gospel becomes clearer, disruption can distinctively refine and hone our sense of calling, commitment, and purpose in our work.
We are particularly excited to convene this year’s EI Forum. The Forum is open to people of all professions and industries, and is not intended to be limited solely to entrepreneurs. However, in order to create a more intimate and focused environment for this year’s participants, registration will be capped at 200 attendees. We hope this will provide the potential for greater opportunities to process the material presented alongside other participants, fostering meaningful relational connections. The Forum will be highly interactive, creating the needed time and space for both individuals and groups to reflect on and respond to how God uses disruption to sharpen and renew 1) our motivations for work, 2) how we shape relational dynamics at work, and 3) our imagination for innovation. +++++++++
Don’t miss this year’s Entrepreneurship & Innovation Forum, May 30-31, 2014 — an opportunity to spend the weekend with a dynamic community of leaders exploring how the disruptive power of the gospel can drive innovation! Gain insight from thought-provoking presenters, network with like-minded entrepreneurs, business-owners, and investors, participate in practical workshops, and engage in targeted consultations with experts and coaches. The weekend will also provide experiences for spiritual formation in order to gain a new vision of God’s glory that propels our work. We will showcase past and present winners of the Business Plan Competition and hear from our 2014 winners
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