Melodie Reagan and Jennifer Long: Growth strategies
1031_ 6/13/11 -
Here are the challenges and choices as well as some real good advice for businesses of all types. We're with managing partners of i2i Workforce, talking with Melodie Reagan and Jennifer Long, who deal with talent strategy and delivering what companies need, everything from training, development and retention. Larry begins with his 'classic three questions' "What are the biggest challenges in our environment today for businesses?" Melodie says, “Given the market businesses have worked on cutbacks, hunkering down, mitigating and eliminating risk -That is not a growth strategy, it is a protection strategy. The next thing that I think has come out of the current market is people are a challenge; A lean workforce, businesses have to do more with less; Team members, because of the environment, are not as committed, not as passionate about the company and they lack belief in management. The other thing, and we all know this, is funding. Money is not flowing at the level it needs to flow and that's from investors, banks, all the way through the business's purchasing and consumers purchasing.” Jen Long adds, "From a workers perspective, from the staffing side, the biggest challenge is that because they're doing more with less, the workforce is smaller - the workforce has to balance out its skill set. It's got to be more diverse in its capability, which means you can't just be the tech guy, you've got to be somebody that can do both ends, you've got to broaden your own capabilities because it's the only way you're going to advance.” They also discuss, 'What are the biggest opportunities?' and 'Advice for leaders'. Melodie reflected on a conversation she had with Larry recently. Her advice to businesses today would be to take the moment, take some risks – this is the time to move your business to the next level.
Related Links:
i2i Workforce ||
In the News ||
Colorado Companies to Watch ||
Podcasting Directory ||
Keywords: Melodie Reagan, Jennifer Long, i2i Workforce, Colorado Companies to Watch, Talent
Strategy, Recruiting, Jobs, Unemployment, Job Creation, Leaders, Entrepreneurs 6/13/11 bytes=6251732
LISTEN to Melodie Reagan & Jen Long, i2i Workforce
Thomas Burns: The cloud; challenges and choices
1029_ 6/13/11 -
The cloud and API were big parts of the discussion and debate at the Glue conference here in Colorado. Larry talked with Thomas Burns who is the VP of Business Development and co founder at Green House Data. They started their company in 2007, on a shoe string - were able to generate revenues and eventually attract investors. We asked Thomas, as an entrepreneur, what he felt was the greatest challenge facing entrepreneurs today. Thomas chuckled, as he pointed out that everybody is still feeling the crunch of the recession and being able to access capital for investment into their own companies. When we asked him what the greatest opportunities might be. His reply was instant, without boundaries ...simply said, "Technology is wide open, there is so much going on, especially in the glue space. There have been security challenges and a little fear related to cloud infrastructure." Green House Data is a data center services company focusing on two main products; cloud infrastructure as a service and co-location. Everyone at this conference is talking about cloud, Green House Data has a different approach than companies like Amazon or RackSpace. The technology is a little different and they think, more scalable with a mobile type of infrastructure where companies can essentially deploy private clouds and connect to GHD's cloud which makes it an easier transition into the cloud infrastructure. While there is a lot of techie stuff here, it's really interesting to see how all of this gets transferred into business knowledge ...listen for more...
Related Links:
Green House Data ||
Glue Conference ||
Software Channel ||
Glue Conference Photos ||
Keywords: Thomas Burns, Green House Data, Glue Conference, Technology, API, Cloud Services,
Glue, Eric Norlin, Software, 6/13/11 bytes=4115124
LISTEN to
Thomas Burns, CoFounder, Green House Data
Seth Levine gives advice to leaders and entrepreneurs
1027_ 6/6/11 -
We are here at the Glue Conference with one of the founders, Seth Levine. Foundry Group along with their conference partner Eric Norlin put on the Glue Conference every year. This one really focuses on the web platform. In particular this year, they've been talking about API, infrastructure and how important it is to have open platforms and to figure out the right services to connect to those platforms. Seth went onto explain the Glue conference. "This is primarily a technical audience here, but we do have a lot of C level people who come. There are a handful of presentations that are a tad higher level, talking more about direction of infrastructure and technology trends. So we get a bunch of people who come for that, and of course a lot of the CEO's of businesses that are in attendance here are relatively technical. We get the occasional VC who's scratching their head wondering what some of these terms mean." Larry said, "Tell us a little about Foundry Group." Seth replied, "So I founded Foundry with three other guys, Brad Feld, Jason Mendelson Ryan McIntyre, all of whom have been featured on the program. we started the firm in 2006, raised our first fund in 2007 - $225 Million - we invested that in the end of 2007 time period through 2010 and just last October, we raised our second fund, also $225 Million. We invest, primarily in early stage technology businesses, across a couple of different themes and we invest across the country." Seth went onto sharing some great advice to entrepreneurs and leaders in today's environment ...Listen and get ready to take some notes...
Related Links:
Seth Levine Blog ||
Glue Conference ||
Foundry Group ||
Software Channel ||
Podcasting Directory ||
Keywords: Seth Levine, Glue Conference, Technology, Foundry Group, Glue, Eric Norlin,
Entrepreneurs, Venture Capital, Brad Feld, Jason Mendelson, Ryan McIntyre - 6/6/11 bytes=7605501 LISTEN to
Seth Levine, Foundry Group - Founder Glue Conference
Lori Cheek, NYC Architect - Glue'd to TechStars
1025_ 6/6/11 -
Well believe it or not, we are at the Glue Conference talking to an architect. We've got a little bit of a twist here, of course being at Glue Con such things do get twisted. As well, there is a TechStar connection here too. Meet Lori Cheek - First an overview about who Lori is and how she went from the art and science of architecture to the world of technology. She is an architect by training and worked in New York City's design and architecture world for 15 years. A few years ago she came up with an idea that led her into the tech world and she has abandoned her career in architecture. It all started when she was out for dinner with a guy friend at a restaurant and they were getting ready to leave. He had written on the back of his business card, "Want to have dinner?", and he slid that to a woman, and we kept going. Lori remembers thinking how mysterious and intriguing that would be to have a handsome man give you this card. Then she thought about taking it to the next level... by not having your personal information on these cards. So Lori created this deck of (business sized) cards called You've Been Cheek'd, based on her last name Cheek. They all have a witty ice breaker such as, "Our fate is in your hands." or perhaps "My dog likes your dog". Then they all have a code that leads to an online profile. It's a little bit like handing your business card, minus the personal information. Lori says, "It's like an online dating service, but you're making the initial connections off line and then you take it online via the code provided on the card. Lori's company just won the TechStar's Startup Madness Tournament, beating out 63 other new startups for the Best New Idea of 2011. One of the prizes was an expense paid trip to Glue Con. Lori says, "It's been a mind blowing experience here. My advice is live your dream."
Related Links:
You've Been Cheek'd ||
Glue Conference ||
Software Channel ||
TechStars NYC ||
NCWIT Heroes ||
Keywords: Lori Cheek, You've Been Cheek'd, Glue Conference, TechStars, New York,
architect, dating, Live Your Dream, 6/6/11 bytes=3045567
LISTEN to:
Lori Cheek, Founder, You've been Cheek'd
Stephanie Steffens: Fueling the Economic Fire in Colorado
1032_ 6/13/11 -
June is the month for celebrating Colorado's entrepreneurs and companies with grand gala events. We begin this week with the Colorado Companies to Watch and the 50 newly selected companies that will spend the next year in the spotlight. The eyes of Colorado are upon you... and with good reason. Stephanie Steffens, director of the COCTW program tells us these second stage companies are responsible for creating 40% of all new jobs in our state - and that from less than 10% of the companies in our state. Stephanie Steffens, Colorado's 50 Companies to Watch invites you to celebrate the "Fueling the Economic Fire” in Colorado. COCTW, it is a state-wide program that is part of a national program. Nationally it is run out of the Edward Lowe Foundation. Here in Colorado, the host organization is the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. They work in partnership with corporate sponsors and community partners (cities, counties, chambers, economic development groups, etc.) and they work with organizations all around the state of Colorado to recognize second stage companies that are growing, creating jobs and developing innovative, creative products and services. "Second stage companies are beyond startup, but they're not yet mature. So they are companies that have between six and 99 employees, and less than $50 million in annual revenues, but more than $750 thousand. They get an amazing amount of visibility from our media partners." Join us and hundreds of other leaders and decision makers, meet and greet these winners on Thursday evening, June 23rd...listen for more...
Related Links:
Colorado Companies to Watch ||
Colorado Companies to Watch Channel ||
Top 50 Companies to Watch ||
Gala Event ||
Keywords: Stephanie Steffens, Penny Lewandowski, Edward Lowe Foundation, Colorado Companies
to Watch, Gala Event, COCTW, Second Stage Companies, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, 6/13/11 bytes=4582821
LISTEN TO: Stephanie Steffens, CCTW
Carrie Peters: Healthier and happier internet ecosystem
1030_ 6/13/11 -
At the Glue Conference, we are meeting some very interesting people and companies. Hearing a lot about API's and cloud services is fascinating, but when you aren't so technically inclined, it's good to talk directly to the folks manning these booths. This time, we've cornered Carrie Peters from BigDoor. We can tell you this is very exciting and we will put some of this information to work. So, you ask, What is BigDoor? Carrie tells us it is a "Free gamification platform". Gamification? Free? The Internet with all the developing technology also means the development of new language skills - So you see, it is important to be out here, talk and get educated... BigDoor’s goal is to provide the means for an overall healthier and happier internet ecosystem. This means more enjoyable and relevant time online for users, and more creative revenue and opportunities for businesses. When employed skillfully, gamification builds a strong bridge between user desires and business objectives. BigDoor is accomplishing this goal by developing a virtual economy platform that helps web developers and digital publishers add customized game mechanics to their sites or apps, thus allowing them to increase user loyalty, better monetize user interactions, and more effectively target new and existing customers. opportunities for businesses."...We have an example of BigDoor - look at the bottom of the w3w3.com window, the black bar. It isn't fully customized yet. But talk about service. Saturday night we met Patrick Murck, BigDoor's 'legal guy'., who answered (to my surprise) a support email - immediately. We were impressed and we look forward to checking out the sharing capabilities and all the other goodies. Nice work!
Related Links:
BigDoor ||
Glue Conference ||
Software Channel ||
Glue Conference Photos ||
Keywords: Carrie Peters, Bigdoor, Gamification, Glue Conference, Technology, API, Cloud
Services, Glue, Eric Norlin, Software, 6/13/11 bytes=2911820
LISTEN to
Carrie Peters, BigDoor
Penny Lewandowski cites Colorado Companies to Watch
1028_ 6/6/11 -
We are talking with Penny Lewandowski, Director, Entrepreneurship & Development, Edward Lowe Foundation about a very interesting event we have coming up on June 23rd, here in Denver. Pat and I along with lots of celebrities and well known business people will be looking for you at the Colorado Companies to Watch Gala and Award Celebration. There are plenty of good reasons for you to be there and that's why we've cornered Penny, to give us a little background about this program and why it's so important to all of us. Companies to Watch is really centered around recognizing second stage companies. "Those are companies between 6 and 99 employees with $750K to $50 Million in revenue. And these are companies that have both the intention and capacity to grow. We pay a lot of attention to them because they are huge job creators, so they are making a big difference in their communities in a lot of different ways. There are a lot of communities and regions and states that have these amazing companies, but too often they don't know who they are, they don't recognize them. Companies to Watch was created to support these companies that tend to fly below the radar screen. The Edward Lowe Foundation has worked a lot with communities and entrepreneurial support organizations and helping them understand these businesses and figuring out how to serve them. The Foundation's focus is a result of research showing second stage companies are the greatest job creators, attracting money to their area - if you have a wide range of solid, successful second stage companies in your area, money follows talent. Colorado Companies to Watch really reflects the culture and the nature of Colorado. It really lifts up the entrepreneurial spirit that is so strong in the state"...listen for more...
Related Links:
Colorado Companies to Watch ||
Colorado Companies to Watch Channel ||
Top 50 Companies to Watch ||
Gala Event ||
Keywords: Penny Lewandowski, Edward Lowe Foundation, Colorado Companies to Watch,
Gala Event, Second Stage Companies, Get Involved - 6/6/11 bytes=6522987 LISTEN to: Penny Lewandowski, Edward Lowe Foundation
Gary Gaessler and capitalizing on your niche
1026_ 6/6/11 -
We're here at the Glue Conference and stopping at one of the 'demo pods' (provided by Lucent) to talk with Gary Gaessler, VP of Sales for Stream|Step, Inc. Now we've known Gary for quite some number of years during which he's started up and been involved with so many excellent companies and organizations. Stream|Step, Inc. is a new emerging software vendor. Gartner just named them 2011 cool company of the year in the release management space. They are an application deployment tool in the software space, providing an automated release coordination tool for large software enterprise development groups. One of Larry's favorite questions, "What are the biggest challenges companies face today?" Gary replied, "I would say it is really just finding their niche. Find out what you do well at, focus on that and don't try to be everything to everyone. Joe Sabah once told me that he didn't know the secret to success but the secret to failure is trying to please everyone all the time. So, being able to focus and being the best at what you do. That's what we do at Stream|Step - we are the best at what we do in the release coordination space." His advice for leaders and entrepreneurs, "Find guys that you like, that you trust and can get along with. And most important find people that you're going to have fun with because if you're not having fun, it's not a fun place to be. I've been blessed to find that, two wonderful founders, one based in Austin, one based in Boston. Just taught me the software business, it's been a great learning experience." ...listen, there's much more.
Related Links:
Stream|Step, Inc. ||
Glue Conference ||
Software Channel ||
CTP Channel ||
Keywords: Gary Gaessler, Stream|Step, Glue Conference, Technology, Foundry Group,
Glue, Eric Norlin, Software, Automated Release Coordination Tool, 6/6/11 bytes=3839689
LISTEN to Gary Gaessler, Stream|Step, Inc.
Achieving Your Personal and Professional Goals 933_ 11/29/10- Don't Let Another Year Go By - The Ultimate Win is Yours - Larry Nelson has taught this material in seminars in over a dozen countries, from China to Canada, from Norway to Australia, from Germany to Japan as well as throughout the USA. He shares the results of his international research about the Characteristics of an Achiever and then goes on to help you lay out your "personalized blueprint" to personal and professional success. Larry is an internationally published author, has been a consultant to many Fortune 1000 companies and is best known for his train-the-trainer programs. ...listen now a complete step-by-step program including a downloadable manual and resource guide...this is an in-depth strategic planning and goal setting system for achievers...Read More about how to Supercharge Your Business... The links below are valuable and extremely helpful to setting your course for the next year! And they're free. Related Links: Ultimate Win Resources || Training Trends || 3-Filters Technology™ || Podcasting Directory || Your Goal || Keywords: Ultimate Win, Your Goal, Training Trends, 3-Filters TechnologyTM, Setting
Goals, Larry Nelson; 11/29/10 Chnl: Entrepreneurs
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933_ 11/29/10- Don't Let Another Year Go By - The Ultimate Win is Yours - Larry Nelson has taught this material in seminars in over a dozen countries, from China to Canada, from Norway to Australia, from Germany to Japan as well as throughout the USA. He shares the results of his international research about the Characteristics of an Achiever and then goes on to help you lay out your "personalized blueprint" to personal and professional success. Larry is an internationally published author, has been a consultant to many Fortune 1000 companies and is best known for his train-the-trainer programs. ...listen now a complete step-by-step program including a downloadable manual and resource guide...this is an in-depth strategic planning and goal setting system for achievers..
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