The Great Game: For Angel Investors, Attitude is Everything

June 13, 2018 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Welcome to part two of ‘The Great Game,’ our monthly series where we share practical tips and advice from seasoned investors on startup funding. In the first part of our series, we spoke with Troy Henikoff of MATH Venture Partners about how founders can raise venture capital. In this interview, Tony Wilkins, a mentor at the Junto Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership, provides insight on why attitude is everything when you’re raising money from angel investors.

June 12, 2018 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Recently, 1871 had the pleasure of speaking with a group of entrepreneurial third graders at Lincoln Elementary School in River Forest, Illinois. The conversation, captured in a podcast, features a Q&A session between Mrs. Karrin Burns’ third grade class and 1871 CEO Betsy Ziegler.

June 12, 2018 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 June 12, 2018.

June 11, 2018 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Last week, local investors, corporations, and industry leaders came together at Cushman & Wakefield’s Chicago office to celebrate 1871’s inaugural Advanced Member Program (AMP) cohort. During the showcase, 11 seasoned entrepreneurs brought together six months of extensive training and mentorship to pitch their business ideas. In case you missed it, we’ve captured all of the highlights right here.

June 7, 2018 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Simple 1871 fact — the people make the place. Today we chat with Brian Walker, Founder of AE Marketing Group, about his “Aha!” moment, creating a powerhouse community of C-suites, and how he deals with tough times.

June 6, 2018 by J Blaszczykiewicz

“I want to spend my life doing something I’m not passionate about,” said nobody ever. That’s why Nicole Wood, CEO and Co-founder of Ama La Vida, has created a service to help professionals find careers that align with their goals and, at the same time, offer a deep sense of personal fulfillment. In this interview, she talks about why we need to get back in touch with the one thing that many of us have lost sight of — ourselves.

June 5, 2018 by J Blaszczykiewicz

June is Immigrant Heritage Month and we’re celebrating by sharing the stories of immigrant entrepreneurs from our community. There’s no doubt that entrepreneurship is a journey, but for many who came to the United States from abroad, it’s been nothing short of an adventure. Here are their stories.

June 4, 2018 by J Blaszczykiewicz

It’s summertime and that means a car wash is in order; unfortunately, that also means long hours in the summer heat cleaning dirt off your door or waiting in line at the car wash. But for those of us who are protective of our time, Lisa Souter has found a solution with her company, Sparkl — an on-demand service that brings the car wash to you.

June 1, 2018 by J Blaszczykiewicz

For the live taping of Chicago Founders’ Stories, SpotHero Co-Founder and CEO Mark Lawrence took the stage at 1871 in front of a packed room to share his story as an entrepreneur and founder. SpotHero, which is an 1871 alumni company, is a leading parking reservation service and is currently available in over 50 cities in the United States and Canada.

May 31, 2018 by J Blaszczykiewicz

It’s Chicago Woman Week next week, and we’re especially excited about their inaugural GET NOTICED: Latina Edition event on June 6th at 1871, featuring as a panelist our very own Diana Lopez-Obaldo, Director of External Affairs! Today’s Our 1871 celebrates Diana and her favorite 1871 insights and moments.

May 30, 2018 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Nicknamed the ‘Kayak of Furniture,’ Sara Taylor-Demos and Chris Vuletich’s Cora is making it easier than ever for customers to decorate their homes with furniture that’s automagically tailor-presented to their tastes. In this interview, Co-Founder Taylor-Demos talks about the importance of perseverance, following your own path, and positive reinforcement.

May 29, 2018 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Raj Jana is the founder of JavaPresse Coffee Company, a specialty coffee delivery service that sends premium, freshly-roasted coffee to your door once or twice a month. He started this company because of his desire to use coffee to promote a culture of gratitude. In this article, he offers his tips on how companies can preserve their culture even as they continue to grow.
[Read more…] about How to Preserve Your Culture as You Scale Your Startup

May 25, 2018 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Today’s work culture is dominated by lavish perks like kegerators and yoga classes, but Peanut Butter, is providing employers with a new offering that may be the best benefit yet — the ability to pay off their employees’ student loans.

May 25, 2018 by J Blaszczykiewicz

The digital economy is simplifying the way businesses run. At the same time, it’s giving companies access to more information than ever before. Data is what runs businesses today but as Rocky Subramanian, SVP and Managing Director of the Midwest at SAP, will discuss, if companies can’t communicate to the decision makers what that information means so that they can act on it, all that data is worthless.

May 24, 2018 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Simple 1871 fact — the people make the place. Today we chat with Kyle Bradley, Founder of Nava Print Studio, about his work with emerging artists and the challenges of entrepreneurship as part of the Our 1871 series.

May 23, 2018 by J Blaszczykiewicz

Technology may be king but Courtney Shuster, CEO and Co-founder of IRL Trivia, is bringing back the one thing that many workplaces have lost over the years – human connection. In this interview, Shuster shares her insights on employee engagement, female founders, and following her passion.

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