Mary Couzin of ChiTAG Looks to Promote Pioneers of Play

September 8, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Sell a million copies of a book, and you get your name in the New York Times. Produce a platinum album, you top the Billboard charts and even get a plaque. But create, market and sell a best-selling toy or board game? —barely anyone knows your name. WiSTEM member and ChiTAG founder Mary Couzin is looking to change that.

September 5, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

In this guest contribution to the 1871 blog, Fillo’s co-founder Daniel Caballero talks about overcoming challenges while getting his product on the shelf and in front of consumers. Now on shelves across Chicago and online, Caballero shares his insight into what it takes to get from idea to sales to scale.

September 5, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Israeli Companies will Use 1871 as Home Base in Chicago as They Prepare to Enter U.S. Market; 10-Day Intensive Program Welcomes Startups from Tel Aviv University’s Management of Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MoTIE) Program

September 1, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

It was a week to celebrate at 1871, as we marked the conclusion of the second IHCC/1871 Joint Incubator, wished a coworker well on her upcoming nuptials and welcomed internationally renowned author Doris Kearns Goodwin to our space.

September 1, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Rather than trying to take on increasingly large and powerful companies, a better strategy is to make your firm essential by fusing with their infrastructure.

September 1, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Jane Shersher, an 1871 mentor and founder of Ava Today — which helps businesses and entrepreneurs stem burnout in the workplace, shares some simple tricks to handling stress.

August 31, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Hundreds gathered at 1871 on August 30th for the second 1871/Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Joint Incubator Showcase, where 13 Latinx-led startups pitched their businesses and celebrated completing an intense 12 week program of mentorship, workshops and support from the greater entrepreneurial community.

August 25, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

This week in Instagram: 1871 started off the week right by bringing the team together to view the Solar Eclipse. The last time a total eclipse was visible from coast to coast in the US was on June 8th, 1918. Our team was lucky enough to snag viewing glasses to catch the event in full effect.

August 25, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Even though they’re learning the ins and outs of tech and business building while classes are out, Chicago students have had anything but a summer school experience at 1871 this summer. We welcomed students from both Rêve Academy and CoderSpace for a pair of innovative programs aimed at increasing opportunities in tech for young students and positively impacting communities.

August 25, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

We’ve talked and worried for years about the potential harm to businesses that unforeseen results and unintended consequences can cause, especially when the companies involved are new and relatively immature. When you read the typical after-action analyses, which try to make sense of these seemingly “abrupt” changes or the “surprise” upsets, they are almost always directed toward studying how well or poorly the particular actor, entity, or business fared as a result of the inability to anticipate or mitigate the nasty changes brought about by its own deliberate actions. Of course, these kinds of problems don’t simply effect newbies.

August 24, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

After planning her fair share of weddings and bachelorette parties for free, Christina Hecker decided it was time to make a little money on matrimony. Hecker, a member of WiSTEM’s fifth cohort, is the founder of Wedmony — an online platform that aims to connect couples planning their weddings and offers them simple tools to help them keep on schedule during the process.

August 23, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

It’s an understatement to say tech has changed in the past 30 years, and Lisa Portnoy has been at the forefront of watching its evolution.

August 23, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Christina Holloway is an 1871 mentor, and a leadership and development business coach. In this mentor insights blog, she talks about the value business coaches can bring to entrepreneurs and how to go about finding the right fit.

August 22, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

For Isabelle Woodrow, creating the “Apartments.com for senior living communities” has been a family affair. She’s the CTO of LivingPath — a transparent listing platform for retirement homes and senior communities — a company she co-founded with her brother, Jonathan, who maintains the CEO title.

August 22, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

1871 is like the Hotel California: You check in, but you never leave. Even as a company gets its own offices or a member receives an opportunity elsewhere, you’re forever tied to the 1871 ecosystem. No partner embodies this more than Designation, 1871’s resident UI/UX bootcamp.

August 18, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Formerly BP’s global head of marketing, Anna Catalano has over 30 years of corporate experience and now sits on multiple boards. Here she shared her unique insights into the glass ceiling and the assumptions placed upon women in the workplace which often serve as barriers to advancement.

August 18, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Oh, you think gifting is cute? WiSTEM member and Packed With Purpose founder Leeatt Rothschild wants you to know it is a badass business. Those are her own words for the gigantic gifting industry, which she’s looking to disrupt by doing some good to support small businesses who, in turn, support charitable or social causes.

August 18, 2017 by J Blaszczykiewicz

It’s a good week when things end with free manicures from our friends at member company LISA. What else was up this week? We visited the City Club of Chicago, played with some dogs and had an awesome breakfast with our WiSTEM members — all documented on our Insta. Not following? You should.

Subscribe

Questions?