News & Views for Business Success

        

October 25, 2012
Jigsaw's purpose is to support entrepreneurs, small businesses,
and a sustainable economy in the Wood River Valley.   Visit us at www.jigsawx.org. 

Greetings!   Have you put Wednesday, November 7, 9 am -1 pm, on your calendar yet?  It's the day of the finals for "Entrepreneurs Just Do It!" when a handful of selected entrepreneurs will present their business plans to experienced investors for questioning and comment. The event, which is open to the public, will conclude with a ceremony to award  $1,500 to the most outstanding business plan and presentation by a local entrepreneur.

 

You may remember that our original promise was for a $1,000 award to the competition's winner.  That figure has been upped, however, by our entrepreneur sponsors: Maestro Technology Solutions, Orflo, Power Engineers, QuickEdit, Redfish Technologies, and several anonymous individuals.  

 

Here's an important note for all those who come to observe the competition:  "Entrepreneurs Just Do It!" is not a true "seeking financing" event; it is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to sit on the hotseat and practice presenting their business to serious businesspeople who will ask them tough questions. After the competition, applicants to the competition will be available to show off and discuss their products and services with the public.

  

We will have food - beverages, snacks, sandwiches - to further entice your presence. And once there, you'll have a great time listening, networking, hobnobbing with financiers, and being intensely stimulated! The Library's Lecture Room has lots of seats and we hope to fill all of them.

 

Many thanks to the Ketchum Community Library and its Program Coordinator, Sheridan Brett, for invaluable help with planning, advertising, promoting, and organizing this unique, interactive event.  The Library is truly an amazing and vital resource!

 

Also, remember that Mark Solon, co-founder of Highway 12, will give a brief talk and then engage in lots of converation the evening of the competition at the Library at 6 pm. His topic is "The Entrepreneurial Life." Mark will suggest that being an entrepreneur is more challenging than most people think, especially in small towns where entrepreneurs play a significant, and sometimes unrecognized, role. 

 

Mark is more interested in conversation than "giving a talk," so come with questions, comments, and your own experiences as entrepreneur, innovator, investor, or "family and friends" funds provider. He promises a lively discussion. For more information about Mark, you might want to visit his blog. 

  
Until next week...Jima Rice
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Jigsaw Events and Notices

 

1. The public competition for "Entrepreneurs Just Do It!" will occur November 7, 9 am-1 pm at the Ketchum Library.  Several finalist entrepreneurs of our 24 competing entrepreneurs will pitch their business to the public and to a panel of expert judges. The winner was originally going to receive $1,000, but sponsors have raised it to $1,500! All other entries to the competition will be showcased at the library on video and display tables. 

 

The day will end with Mark Solon, venture capitalist and co-founder of Highway 12 Ventures, speaking at 6 pm at the Library on "The Entrepreneurial Life."  

English Majors Don't Despair!

 

"If the competition in tech moves to the new battlefield that (involves literary skills), the edge will go to those institutions that can effectively employ imagination, metaphor, and most of all, storytelling," reports Michael Malone in The Wall Street Journal.

Financing Through a Direct Public Offering

    

One of the finalist judges for Jigsaw's "Entrepreneurs Just Do It!" is Rebekah Helzel. Founder of ARCH in the Wood River Valley, she is now VP at Cutting Edge Capital in Oakland, "a consulting firm and innovation center that works to democratize capital...", says the firm's website.  She has introduced me to the tool of "direct public offerings" for start-ups, recently covered by Entrepreneur Magazine.

The Power of Pinterest

 

We"ve written before about Pinterest. Here's more in-depth and interesting information about its founder, how it works, and why it's so compelling - from FastCompany Magazine.

This "Non-Profit Corner" is sponsored by the Wood River Women's Charitable Foundation.  For additional non-profit news, visit the Idaho Nonprofit Center.   

  

Do You Have A Dynamic Content-Based Website?

  

Not only must a non-profit have a website - but it should adopt the best techniques to make that website a powerhouse for attracting and maintaining donors, as well as strengthening interest in the niche it serves.