Looking for a Personalized Rideshare Experience? Look No Further Than Roady

May 1, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

According to recent studies, more than half of all Americans have used a ridesharing service at some point in their lives. And though ridesharing is an easy and flexible way to get from one location to another, it can also serve as more than just a transportation service. In fact, Rebecca Klor and Austin Jenkins, Co-founders of Roady, are working hard to ensure that your next ride is less about transit — and more about you.

April 30, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

JOBS! Every week, we highlight a number of open jobs for our member companies. If you’re looking for an exciting career in the tech industry or an opportunity to work alongside Chicago’s best and brightest, then you’ve come to the right place. Here are the job openings for the week of April 29, 2019.

April 25, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Very rarely does one’s professional life start with entrepreneurship; we can’t all be Mark Zuckerberg, right? Often it takes time to hone specific skills, business acumen, or even a functional product prototype. The majority of entrepreneurs come into their role after years of working for someone else. In this guest blog post, David Freudenberg of Qwilr, talks about how employees can make the transition into entrepreneurs.

blond-hair-board-desk-1181534 [Read more…] about Five Reasons Why All Entrepreneurs Should Learn Data

April 24, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Ever wonder what our blog would look like in a physical form? So have we. And while that doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re transferring our blog into book format, the option is certainly out there thanks to Zack Price, Founder and CEO of Blog Into Book. In this post, Price shares his thoughts on why blogs are great material for books, trusting your gut, and what it’s like to have a local titan in your corner.

April 23, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

April 18, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

blond-hair-board-desk-1181534 [Read more…] about Flipping the Mental Switch From Employee to Entrepreneur

April 16, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

April 11, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Supporting mental and emotional health in the workplace may seem like an intimidating task, especially if you’re a leader of a small business or startup who’s already balancing other initiatives while working with limited resources. In this guest post, Bob Cerone, CEO of Cognos HR, shares his insights on best practices when it comes to mental health in the workplace.

April 9, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

April 5, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Have you thought about starting your own small business? Maybe you’re looking to sell a few goods online as part of a side gig, or perhaps you want to change careers altogether. Either way, in order to become a successful entrepreneur, you need to attract and keep customers. It seems like an easy task, but keeping shoppers and clients connected can actually be a major challenge for new small businesses. In this guest post, Lucy Reed, Creator and Owner of gigmine.co, shares her tips on how you can make your e-commerce and entrepreneur dreams come true.

April 3, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

It has become very fashionable over the last few years to talk about being “data-driven” or using “big data.” Companies are pouring billions of dollars into developing tools and hiring talent to get more from their data so they can find the insights, new customers, and behaviors that can help them sell more products to the right people, increase efficiency, or stretch their dollar further. Despite these investments, there continues to be a significant data “skills gap.” In this guest post, Aaron Filous, CEO of Promotable, takes a look at how founders can use data to their advantage.

April 2, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Today’s guest post comes from Sharmili Majmudar, who champions gender equity and justice as Director of Strategic Partnerships at Women Employed. Women Employed is a 45-year-old organization widely recognized for its groundbreaking work to improve women’s economic status and remove barriers to economic equity. Sharmili develops and leads the organization’s collaborations with employers to improve workplace practices, with a particular focus on scheduling, as well as leading the organization’s work with partners to address sexual harassment and advance an equal pay agenda with a racial equity lens. On International Women’s Day, she facilitated a workshop with the same name as this blog as part of 1871’s Balance for Better programming. [Read more…] about Everyone Can Do Something: Advancing Gender Equity in the Workplace

March 27, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

There’s a reason why shows like Restaurant: Impossible, Bar Rescue, and Kitchen Nightmares have so much appeal — after all, where else can you get a behind-the-scenes look at the restaurant industry? But even though the drama seems authentic, these shows often gloss over the difficult work it takes to maintain restaurant equipment. If you weren’t aware of the restaurant repair scene, go ahead and turn your television off for a moment and check out how Daniel Estrada and Joe Gallagher, Co-founders of 86 Repairs — a subscription service that manages equipment service and repairs for restaurants — are keeping your favorite eateries humming.

March 26, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

March 25, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

On March 13th, 1871 invited a group of entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to address challenges associated with financial and tax regulations. Taking the lens of established or soon-to-be entrepreneurs, the forum was full of insights and best practices on how founders could navigate their way through a web of complex regulations. This policy forum was created in partnership with Groundwork, a workshop series focused on foundational topics for entrepreneurs.

March 21, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

From cash flow to investment decisions, entrepreneurs face difficult financial decisions each and every day. However, learning to keep retirement and other personal finance goals on track is equally important. In this guest blog, Frank Devincentis, a Senior Vice President and Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley in Chicago discusses a few important personal finance considerations for entrepreneurs just starting out.

March 21, 2019 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Food distribution is a long and complicated process. In fact, most retailers and brands will tell you that the national distribution system is more than just outdated — it’s ancient. You might be surprised to learn that a good portion of today’s food industry is still operating on a distribution system first designed in the 40’s. It’s a problem that Larissa Russell, CEO and Co-founder of Pod Foods, and her cofounder Fiona Lee, are all too familiar with –and that’s why they’re the right people to solve it.

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