People you will meet at AZEC10

The Arizona Entrepreneurship Conference, AZEC10, is one of the premiere events for entrepreneurs in the Southwest. On November 17th, at the Desert Willow Conference Center will bring together national thought leaders, local CEOs, and entrepreneurs to share ideas, connect, and engage. Continue reading→

We’ve all heard the stories.  He/She/It was an overnight success.  Yet if you spend time one-on-one with these overnight successes, you  are bound to hear the same thing.  Before the success came months (and often years) of planning and preparation before Presto…Success!  There is no such thing as an overnight success, there is simply a point in time when others may suddenly wake up and see that you are there. Continue reading→

People you will meet and hear from at AZEC10

It’s a busy time as we prepare for AZEC10: The Great Reset on November 17th,  As I’ve been chatting  with sponsors, attendees and our fabulous line up of speakers, I have been giving lots of thought to the components needed to get our economic engine firing on all cylinders again. On Saturday, I had the opportunity to share some thoughts on what it will take to get our economy growing again with ABC15’s Angie Holdsworth.Continue reading→

People you will meet and hear from at AZEC10 – Investor and CEO Paul Winandy

After the tech bubble burst in 2000-2001, large scale software implementations at Fortune 500 companies were non-existent. Doing what had worked before was not working.  As AZEC10 Investor Panel participant Paul Winandy shared “My consulting practice hit a wall and I had to retool and redefine myself.”  So Paul switched from services to software and joined an early stage software company here in Phoenix (Khimetrics) which was later acquired by SAP. After another SaaS startup (SkillSurvey) and managing ATIF. Today he is CEO of the fastest growing EMR solution for physical therapists (WebPT). 

WebPT is the first web-based physical therapy documentation system in the world. The system offers a brand new approach to practice management and patient documentation as the application is designed to improve clinic productivity, increase revenue, reduce expenses and enhance a more stress-free clinical environment. The digital documentation system combines an intuitive dashboard user interface with practical physical therapy logic to create a user-friendly documentation solution. WebPT’s goal is to revolutionize the industry utilizing sound technology and innovative methods to provide the strongest, most effective solution to assist with increasing clinic profits and improving the quality of practice.

Paul is an active angel investor focusing on investment opportunities in enterprise software, Internet commerce, technology enabled services and medical devices with 10 different investments in my career. The results: 3 failed, 2 returned 3x, 5 are in process.  He brings a unique perspective to early stage entrepreneurship coming from a family of entrepreneurs.

My grandfather ran a diner in downtown Chicago for 30 years. My father started his own chemical manufacturing firm which was angel funded, made the Inc. 500 list and was sold for a very nice exit. And I’ve been a part of six different startups in my career … 2 bootstrapped; 2 angel funded; and 2 VC funded. The results: 2 failed, 2 made the Inc. 500 list and exited for > $150M, and 2 are still growing and doing well.  (Paul Winandy)

ATIF Invests in Arizona (About ATIF)

The Arizona Technology Investor Forum (ATIF) is an active community of accredited investors who invest in high-potential technology companies based in Arizona.

ATIF members participate in four investor meetings a year to consider investment opportunities presented by finalists screened by our selection process. Since May 2007, ATIF members have invested over $2.3 million in Arizona-based technology ventures that have presented at ATIF meetings. 

With over 50 members ATIF’s growth is really the result of contributions from all our members. Each of our members is involved in the entrepreneurial community and actively promotes ATIF to other investors.

JKW:  How do you see your role in the AZ Entrepreneurial Eco-system?

PW:  In Addition to the companies I have worked with and led, I’ve also been an active angel investor so I have a lot of experience with startups and investing. I know both success and failure. I’ve made money and I’ve lost money. Through it all I remain steadfast in my belief that the path to truly great wealth is to build successful startups into scalable enterprises.

My role is to pass on my hard earned experience to the next generation of entrepreneurs and to motivate others to invest in them.

JKW:   What do you plan to achieve between AZEC10 and AZEC11?

PW:  I plan to focus heavily on WebPT to help it reach its potential. By AZEC11 we should be the premier EMR solution for the physical therapy industry.

JKW:  WHY did you choose to support OTEF and AZEC10? Why will you be there?

PW:  I actively support local organizations that offer real value to early stage tech entrepreneurs. AZEC has consistently hosted a strong conference with speakers that provide sound advice and counsel. I am honored to be a part of this event.

Thanks for stopping by.  Stay tuned…

…there will be more entrepreneurial profiles and AZEC10 behind the scenes glimpses between now and AZEC10. If you have not registered for AZEC10 yet, use discount code PhxBiz and save 10% off the ATTENDEE ticket price.

Joan Koerber-Walker

Note:  Joan Koerber Walker serves as Chairman of the Board of The Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship foundation,which is the host organization and sole beneficiary of AZEC10.  To learn more about OTEF, visit www.otef.org.

People you will meet and hear from at AZEC10

When CorePurpose was just getting started in 2002, I made what was, at the time, a BIG investment (at least it was big to me since it was my personal money and we were not making any yet) as a Mentor Sponsor at AVCC (The Arizona Venture Capital Conference which has evolved into Invest Southwest .)

I was standing at the back of the room getting the lay of the land when I struck up a conversation with an entrepreneur with a vision to help preserve our environment and help companies save money at the same time. That CEO was Debra T. Johnson of Eco-Edge. She’ll be sharing her story and what she has learned along the way at AZEC10 this year.  Here is a sneak peek.

THE CHALLENGE
Balancing the needs of keeping fleet operations going, making them more cost effective, and trying to do the right thing for the environment can often stress even the strongest management teams. Evaluating the ever increasing array of technologies with claims of “green” is a project that most companies find daunting and many simply pass on incorporating environmental initiatives into their operations. (Source: www.ecoedgeco.com)

Eco-Edge addresses this challenge by:

Taking companies with diesel fleet and industrial operations to new levels of profitability, performance and sustainability:

Eco-efficient Solutions

Unprecedented Credibility

Award-Winning Technologies for

Improved Fuel Economy

Reduced Maintenance Costs

More Efficient & Effective Operations

Reduced Environmental Footprint

JKW:  How do you see your role in AZ’s entrepreneurial eco-system?

DTJ: As a survivor of the Great Recession, a pioneer in the current business push toward sustainability, and a woman operating in male dominated industries, I like to think of myself as a harbinger of change and an example of “it can be done.”

JKW:  How long has Eco-Edge been in Arizona and how has it  grown?

DTJ: We started here in 2002, working out of my house, dealing mostly in Mexico as “Emissions Product International.” We gradually outgrew our name as we expanded our product line and focus. We learned that the technologies we represent are not yet mature enough for international markets, so our primary focus has been on growing domestically since about 2005 or so.

JKW:  Who helped you/Eco-Edge along the growth path?

DTJ: Wow – so many people that I can hardly begin to name them all! We have been really blessed by having a lot of people really believe in what we do. The most significant ones have been our people at Eco-Edge (and spouses who put up with us). Others whose contribution was critical to where we are now: AAAME and Rena Huber, Frank Thomas, Rick Johnson at Renaissance Forum, Greg Mischel, and so many others.

JKW:  What do you plan to achieve between AZEC10 and AZEC11?

DTJ: Return to consistency in our monthly revenues. The Great Recession really took its toll there because of our heavy reliance on construction related businesses through 2008 (almost 70%), but we have clawed our way back and have diversified extensively, which is showing results. We will also launch at least two of our own technologies developed in house;, whereas in the past, we have strictly sold others’ products.

JKW:  As a leader – did you ever get stuck?  What was your “reset” ?

DTJ: Yes. Many times. There are a couple solutions I try when I am stuck:

· The old “Fake it till you make it” philosophy – which to me means that you have to tell yourself affirmations that get you through the moments of doubt.

· Step back and use the Stephen Covey principle of “sharpening the saw.” Do something you enjoy and that completely clears your head of work.

· The Covey planning and prioritization tools are also something I often come back to when I am stuck. Those tools organize my activities into little steps that can be tackled in a logical order, give a sense of direction, and give a sense of accomplishment that feeds my enthusiasm whenever I cross something off the list.

JKW:  WHY did you choose to support OTEF and AZEC10?  Why will you be there?

DTJ: AZEC10 has grown over the year’s into an outstanding resource for entrepreneurs to learn about tools available to us, as well as that we are not alone. Others are facing the same challenges, something which is often not realized as we entrepreneurs try to slay our dragons. I am thrilled that some of the lessons we have learned from issues we have battled through might inspire or help other entrepreneurs in their own quest.

Thanks for stopping by.  Stay tuned… there will be more entrepreneurial profiles and AZEC10 behind the scenes glimpses between now and AZEC10.

Joan Koerber-Walker

Note:  Joan Koerber Walker serves as Chairman of the Board of The Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship foundation,which is the host organization and sole beneficiary of AZEC10.  To learn more about OTEF, visit www.otef.org.

Note:  If you have not registered for AZEC10 yet, use discount code PhxBiz and save 10% off the ATTENDEE ticket price.

A guest post by Francine Hardaway, PhD, OTEF executive director, co-founder of AZEC, OTEF and Stealthmode Partners

People you will hear from at AZEC10

One man in Silicon Valley is trying to turn  the venture capital industry on its head — by going outside Silicon Valley. Dave McClure, founder of the new SuperAngel/VC fund 500 Startups, travels all over the world looking for ideas and deals. Not only that, but he will do a deal with anyone who pitches him a good idea.
We are fortunate to have Dave coming to Arizona for AZEC10 on Nov.17.
How does he know when he sees a good idea? Well, it’s his history and experience that give him the edge. He’s been in Silicon Valley for twenty years. He was director of Marketing for Paypal in 2004 when it was acquired by EBay.  He has taught a class on Facebook at Stanford. He managed the fund created by Accel Partners, Facebook, and Founders Fund  to incubate Facebook applications. For the past half dozen years, he’s been an active angel investor.

Encouraging Entrepreneurial Exchanges Globally

Dave sees the entire geek world, no matter what continent it is on. And I mean up close and in person.  A few years ago, he organized a series of trip so called Geeks on a Plane, through which American geeks visit other cities and countries and Dave gets to meet not only them, but the geeks at the destinations. He does this by volunteering to speak at tech conferences. I went with him to China, Korea, and Singapore this past spring, and in two weeks we went to four cities in three countries, attending six conferences for startups and web technology. He has also taken trips to Washington DC to lobby for better immigration policies and to Hawaii to “Re-Think Hawaii.” Next year, he plans some new continents. 🙂 

In Silicon Valley, he organized Startup2Startup, a monthly dinner where entrepreneurs hear from one of their own. And he’s active in a program that’s trying to get the visa rules changed for non-natives who come to the US for an education and would like to stay here to start companies.

As a champion of the “Lean Startup,” a concept that involves getting the product out to the market as quickly as possible to get feedback, iterate, optimize, and get more feedback, McClure is trying to convince engineers to design products quickly, and move on from their failures. It’s a loop, Dave says. He’s all for killing features that “suck,” and keeping what works.

To that end, he’s now going around the world looking for his 500 Startups, to each of whom he gives a small amount of funding to get the loop going. This goes against traditional venture capital models, which typically make larger investments in fewer companies later in their development cycles. But it appears that, in the current age of apps, the ordinary VCs can’t find the right deals for their huge funds. McClure, flying to Asia, holding his dinners, speaking at entrepreneurship conferences in Arizona, and talking about Startup Metrics for Pirates, is sneaking in right between the legs of the most towering VC names.

____________________________________________________________________

About Francine Hardaway:

Francine Hardaway, PhD, OTEF executive director, co-founder of AZEC, OTEF and Stealthmode Partners has been an entrepreneurial and social venture catalyst for over 30 years.  She spends her time between Phoenix, the Silicon Valley and London and where ever she goes, you can be sure that she is on the look out for the next great innovation.  To connect with Francine, follow her on Twitter @Hardaway or via Google Voice at 816-WRITTEN (9748836)

Thanks for stopping by.  Stay tuned… there will be more entrepreneurial profiles and AZEC10 behind the scenes glimpses between now and AZEC10 on 11/17/2010.

Joan Koerber-Walker

Note:  Joan Koerber Walker serves as Chairman of the Board of The Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship foundation,which is the host organization and sole beneficiary of AZEC10.  To learn more about OTEF, visit www.otef.org.

Effective November 5, 2010, the US Small Business Administration will be adjusting the limits and guidelines as to what defines a “Small Business” for a number of SBA programs including SBA loans, small business set asides for government contracts, and other programs.  Basically “small” just got bigger.  This change is designed to make capital and opportunity more accessible to entrepreneurs and small business.  The goal:  help these businesses grow so they can create more jobs.

On October 21, 2010, I had a chance to speak with ABC 15 reporter Angie Holdsworth on why this is good for the economy and creates more opportunity for entrepreneurs.  You can watch the video from the News at 10 and connect to a link to Angie’s story below.  To learn see a snapshot of the SBA loan history for FY 2009, FY 2010, FY 2011 YTD ( the US Government is already in Fiscal 2011) click here.  These are big numbers BUT with President Obama signing the Small Business Jobs Act into law on September 27, 2010, there is $30 Billion more in SBA loan support available. And for it to help “re-set” the economy it needs to move from banks to business.  By making the pool of eligible businesses larger, the hope is that the money will move the economy  forward faster.

  You can see the original video and ABC15’s Angie Holdworth’s full coverage at ABC15.com 

Small businesses, and specifically those in the second stage category of 10 to 100 employees with $1M to $100M in revenue are the single most productive segment for net new job creation.  Data from the Edward Lowe Foundation’s research site Your Economy.org illustrates the impact of second stage companies as the singe largest driver in the creation of net new jobs year after year.  These companies need capital to grow and do their bit for job creation and the economy. The SBA’s action is designed to open up access to capital and opportunity to more of these companies.

The best way to learn if this change benefits YOUR business is to talk to the SBA.

Representatives from the US Small Business Administration (SBA) and Greater Phoenix SCORE will be be on hand at the fifth annual Arizona Entrepreneurship Conference (AZEC10) on November 17, 2010 at the Desert Willow Conference Center in Phoenix.  Both the SBA and SCORE are great resources for entrepreneurs in gaining a better understanding of how they might use SBA programs to access capital for growth, compete for government contracts, and use other programs specifically designed to help small businesses grow and create jobs. 

In addition to the opportunity to learn more about the great resources available from both the US SBA and Greater Phoenix Score, attendees at AZEC10 will hear from and meet thought leaders from around the country, successful CEOs who are making it happen even in this economy, as well as  entrepreneurs from across North America.  To learn more about AZEC10, this year’s speakers, and to register, click here.

Thanks for stopping by.  Stay tuned… there will be more entrepreneurial profiles and AZEC10 behind the scenes glimpses between now and AZEC10.

Joan Koerber-Walker

Note:  Joan Koerber Walker serves as Chairman of the Board of The Opportunity Through Entrepreneurship foundation,which is the host organization and sole beneficiary of AZEC10.  She also serves as an Ambassador for Greater Phoenix SCORE.  To learn more about OTEF, visit www.otef.org.