Really interesting phenomenon coming in transportation
1168_ 2/27/12 - Take a look into the future phenomenon of transportation fuel and efficiency. Last week David Moll shared some important information relevant to early stage companies looking for capital. His past experience and success as Webroot CEO is enough to perk the ears of most folks. But there is much more to David than that. Today, we know David as the founder of Infield Capital a Boulder based venture capital fund that is focused on the clean technology space for the transportation industry. To David Moll, that's really important "...because as a smaller fund, and because it's our first fund, we wanted to make sure we had a high degree of focus to make sure we were deeply educated in this space." Today they have ten companies in their portfolio and are happy with nine. "I think we have as tight a focus as you're going to find for venture capital." A couple of weeks ago, David attended the Detroit auto show. It is such an important event... This year's show was really the 'foot forward show' in Dave's mind. What he saw this year, "first the feeling of the show was much more electric and second the offerings at the show were also more electric. It was fun to see that basically every auto manufacturer had a production electric vehicle on the floor." That speaks volumes to the new CAFE standards which push requirements into 54.5 miles per gallon, really do have an impact. Consumer voice is being heard, over one million Prius' have been sold worldwide. We're seeing, the hybrid is really the first wave, but it's definitely a consumer priority. We see a lot of smaller cars. We think there is a really interesting phenomenon coming in transportation. Cars for sure, but on a worldwide basis you can't help but look at motor cycles, scooters, rickshaws and cars as where the conversation is. We're seeing more and more emphasis around emissions around the world, and in North America the conversation around efficiency and that's going to continue." Listen for more...
Related Links: Infield Capital || Venture Capital || Entrepreneurs Channel || Podcast Directory || Keywords: David Moll, Infield Capital, Venture Capital, Angel Investors, Entrepreneurs, Early Stage, VC Firm, Fuel Efficiency, CNG, Compressed Natural Gas, Detroit bytes=6647957
LISTEN TO: David Moll, Founder, Infield Capital

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Audio, video and Web conferencing market will grow
1170/RR_ 2/27/12 - In this interview (ten years ago, 2002),
Paul Berberian, was CEO of Raindance Communications - a Louisville, Colorado-based company at the forefront of the burgeoning Web and audio conferencing industry sector – he will examine Web conferencing and explore how, more than phone, fax and even email, Web conferencing and collaboration technologies are becoming he next evolution of essential business communications, transforming the way the business world conducts day-to-day meetings. Paul Berberian, Co-founder, President and CEO of Raindance Communications is an expert in network development and multimedia applications, Paul is responsible for developing Raindance' vision for using multimedia technologies and the Internet to enhance business communications. Paul co-founded LINK-VTC in 1993. Under his guidance as president, LINK-VTC was sold to ConferTech International in 1995, for $16 million. Upon the sale of LINK-VTC, Paul became director of a new ConferTech division called ConferLink, where he created the next generation of information systems. Paul is a 1989 Distinguished Graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he received his BA in Management. Over the past year, the current state of the economy coupled with recent world events have prompted companies of all sizes to seek tools to help streamline operations and cut costs, while increasing overall workplace productivity. To save money on travel and increase efficiency, companies are quickly turning to web conferencing vendors to provide effective and high quality business communication solutions via audio and web capabilities. As such, web conferencing tools are helping to reshape the way businesses conduct meetings and provide training and communications with customers and partners. Listen for more important ideas...
Related Links: Raindance 2002 Portal || Raindance (InterCall) || Profiles of Leaders || TechStars Mentors || Keywords: Paul Berberian, Raindance Communications, Audio, Video, Web Conferencing, Profile of a Leader, LINK-VTC, ConferTech, ConferLink, bytes=11601609
LISTEN to Paul Berberian, CEO, Orbotix, Profile of a Leader 2002

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Winner of the Emerging Corporate Growth Award
1164_ 2/20/12 - For the past number of years we've covered an important conference here in Denver and we are looking forward again to the ACG Denver Corporate Growth Conference coming next month, March 13-14th. Larry corralled John Griffith, the founder and president of Alpine Waste and Recycling, recipient of the ACG Emerging Corporate Growth Award. Of course, it's great to be a winner but more than that, John tells us that they see it as a real validation for the investment in innovation and more than that the buy in of their employees in those innovations and their ability to implement those things. "So, in short, it's a real thrill for all of us at Alpine." Alpine was founded in 1999, a one-man, one-truck operation started with the premise of offering a better level of service than their competition. Since those early years they have grown to 60 collection vehicles, 108 employees, operating the second largest recycling facility in the state, they operate the only privately held landfill in the state and they also run a compost facility. They've had a lot of growth and breadth of services to offer their customers. Asked about his corporate strategy, John tells us that Alpine has never been hesitant to invest heavily in innovation and that's been the key to their growth. Investing $4.5 million...watch and listen for more interesting ideas...
Related Links: Alpine Waste & Recycling || ACG Denver || M&A || Rocky Mountain Corporate Growth Conference || CoBiz Article Alpine || Video on YouTube || Keywords: John Griffith, Alpine Waste & Recycling, ACG, Denver, Leading Resilient Growth Rocky Mountain Corporate Growth Conference, Association for Corporate Growth, Emerging Corporate Growth Award -
Video, Watch: John Griffith, Ceo/Founder, Alpine Waste & Recycling

Early stage capital and other challenges for startups
1166_ 2/20/12 - While talking with David Moll, founder of the VC firm, Infield Capital, he offered ideas (based on challenging experiences) that are seldom addressed when people are raising capital for their new venture. David said, "If an agreement is important to somebody than do it right, do it with an attorney. It's important if it's a patent number one. It's important if it's an investment - that's what somebody is expecting a return on. It's important if it's an employee or their options or a customer. These things are all fundamental and can't be done on cocktail napkins or self-lawyered agreements. It is fundamental for entrepreneurs to take the necessary time and money and get these things built right the first time. It can save you a whole lot of heartache, a lot of money and in the end may actually save your company because the tragedy avoided... those are really heartbreaking stories in our space." He offers numerous examples. David brings up a number of other points. Here's the one. In a deal they did not do, where understandably an entrepreneur was doing everything he could do to stretch cash, he decided to file the IP, the patents around his invention, on his own, without council. And there is no greater travesty in David's mind, "because this was a fabulous invention, absolutely mind bending to see it and watch it work and understand it. But the reality is that when you file a patent - you've scrambled an egg that won't easily unscramble. Patents that are filed for and not granted, not continued become prior art and confuse the opportunity for you to ever file again in the space. Patents that aren't artfully authored can create real problems with ultimately trying to get protection for an invention. And, venture investors, as a category tend to be technology based investors taking a lot of risk and expecting that innovation is the thing that we have found that wouldn't happen somewhere else... So when something like that happens, it's really sad because it's too late to undo what's already been done. So, I know cash is always so precious, especially when it's your own and that of family and friends, and in the earliest of days it is hard to spend on pricey attorneys. But, if you were only going to spend it in one place..." Listen for more important ideas...
Related Links: Infield Capital || Venture Capital || Entrepreneur Channel || Blog || Keywords: David Moll, Infield Capital, Venture Capital, Angel Investors, Entrepreneurs, Early Stage, Patents, Legal Council, VC Firm - bytes=8428881
LISTEN TO: David Moll, Founder, Infield Capital

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Women and Leadership: How the Soft Stuff Can Lead to Hard Results
1160/RR_ 2/6/12 - ACG Denver 2012 Rocky Mountain Corporate Growth Conference is right around the corner - March 13 and 14th. Keynote Speaker - Carly Fiorina.
Her unparalleled record of hard work and success includes more than two decades at AT&T and Lucent Technologies, where she led the largest-of-its-time IPO of Lucent and became President of its largest business. In 1998, she was first named as Fortune magazine's most powerful female American executive and continued to top this list throughout her tenure at HP. Carly has led profound change and transition within her companies, and she will share her insights on how she was able to lead organizations that could capitalize on opportunities and always stay adaptable.
      This conference offers an opportunity to learn from some of our cultures great leaders. It certainly is exciting so at w3w3.com, we looked to past ACG Conferences and decided to share our experience of 2008 with the conference and speaker Colleen Abdoulah. Titled BUILD, BUY or SELL... The ACG Corporate Growth Conference exhibited a culture of innovation from the start... I loved the registration process; In a private room, spacey, organized, friendly and efficient! From there we ran the gauntlet of booths and industry leaders to a fine sit-down breakfast and the first morning keynote Colleen Abdoulah - WOW - blew our socks off! Energetic - enthusiastic - fun and funny, she approached her presentation with zeal and enthusiasm. Colleen asked, “What is leadership? It is bringing out the best in ourselves and others. Don’t tolerate bad behaviors from anyone, male or female.” The day continued with excellent panels, sparking creative, innovative, enthusiasm and a desire to get back into the action – glad the conference was interactive. Tidbit: How to determine the value of your business to others: Colleen says, 1) Consistent Improvement of Cash Flows; 2) Your Growth Story; 3) Capable Management Team; and 4) Solid performance history.
Related Links: 2012 Rocky Mountain Corporate Growth Conference || WOW Home Page || ACG Denver || M&A ACG Channel || Keywords: ACG Rocky Mountain Capital Growth Conference, Carly Fiorina, WOW, Colleen Abdoulah - bytes=25719016
LISTEN to Colleen Abdoulah, CEO/Chairman, WOW

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The daily struggle of creating something out of nothing
1167_ 2/27/12 - Lucy Sanders, CEO for the National Center for Women and Information Technology or NCWIT along with Larry Nelson, Director of w3w3® Media Network interviewed Celia Francis, CEO of WeeWorld. WeeWorld is social network for tweens and teens, one of the top ten sites for that age group in the United States and they spend their time visualizing and playing games and expressing themselves and being creative. We really are focused on an idea of personalized entertainment with the idea of thinking about more ways that you can get people in that age group involved in design, creativity and self expression. We've moved over to the mobile world on both iOS and Android, it's called the Weenie Avatar Creator - very popular, top 100 apps. She offers a great deal of useful entrepreneurship advice. Celia says her story begins when she was a kid. Growing up as a first generation American. Her German mother complained about how all the American products were not high quality, not beautiful, and how she wished she had more long lasting, beautiful products from Germany. Celia felt sort of a nationalistic pride and that started her on this journey of wanting to create great products for consumers. She spent a lot of her time as a student thinking about design and technology - and studying product development. w3w3® Media Network is proud and honored to bring another NCWIT interview to our audience. We've long since recognized the need for education and support for our youth and particularly for young women, in math and science, engineering and technology. The women we interview are bright guiding lights for the future of our youth, generously sharing their experiences - challenges and all. They are inspiring, often humorous and motivating. This series is a real jewel and a valuable set of tools for the future of young women and everyone who has the good fortune to listen...there's much more, listen now...
Related Links: Wee World || Wired Magazine Article || NCWIT Home || NCWIT Practice || NCWIT Blog || Heroes Channel || Keywords: Celia Francis, WeeWorld, Social Network, Tweens, Teens, iOS, Android, Weenie Avatar Creator, Lucy Sanders, National Center for Women and Information Technology, NCWIT, w3w3® Media Network - bytes=22096982
LISTEN TO: Celia Francis, CEO, WeeWorld

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Essential elements of a winning logo design
1169RR_ 2/27/12 - Before a logo is designed it is imperative that the branding strategy, mission statement and positioning are clear. Larry sat down with long-term colleague Michael Hamers, Founder and CEO of LightSpeed Commercial Arts to discuss the visual aspect of building your business. Mike went unto explain, "I need to understand the human side of the company we’re branding… it’s people. Who is this company, what are their Values, what do they think is Important, what is their Corporate culture. My logo will be a symbolic expression that will represent the People, the Product, and the Promise." He added, "Brand identity is the visual and verbal expression of the brand. A logo is the shortest, fastest form of communication available. You can see it, hold it, wear it,, watch it move. It starts with a brand name, then the brandmark builds out into the matrix of tools and communications: from business cards, to websites, fleet trucks to signage, brand identity increases awareness and builds businesses. Next on the list is the tagline. Often I’m involved in creating the tagline as well. The tagline is very important because 75% of the time I am designing to the tagline, or what I often times call a positioning statement. Your company name is who you are (and often is a made-up word anyhow), but the tagline can offer much more information like WHAT you do or HOW you are unique. It’s a slogan, a clarifier, company statement or guiding principle that describes, synopsizes or helps create an interest. Although the brand is much more that a brand mark, the logo is virtually indistinguishable from the brand in the eyes of the consumer. It needs to be unique, memorable and meaningful. The concept needs to be immediately understood. Effective identity is valued because it builds awareness; increases recognition; communicates uniqueness; and expresses a competitive difference...Listen for more...
Related Links: LightSpeed Commercial Arts || Logo Design || Entrepreneurs || Blog || Keywords: Michael Hamers, LightSpeed Commercial Arts, Logo, Design, Brand, Tagline, Awareness, Recognition, Uniqueness, Competitive Difference - bytes: 9385485
Listen: Michael Hamers, Founder/CEO, LightSpeed Commercial Arts

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Understanding the State of the Markets
1163_ 2/20/12 - We're here at the offices of Capital Investment Management Company, or CIMCO as many of us know them, with Chris Pelley, Managing Director and Chad Williams, Managing Partner because they have some really important information to share. Chris and Chad are going to give us the State of the Markets. Chad says their goal is to educate us on some of the factors they've been watching lately. Larry said, "It has been a real roller-coaster ride for equities." Chad commented, " While we're still down 11.8% from the peak of the market in 2007' it makes us wonder if we're finished advancing, or if there is more to come. If we look at the factors affecting the stock market and the economy, we will break them up into two categorizes: headwinds and tailwinds. It goes without saying that Europe's debt crisis created significant headwinds last year, and it is unlikely that this problem is going away quickly. There has been no definitive solution to the crisis, and it is one we will be monitoring, though we do expect Europe to muddle through without creating major drag on the U.S. Economy." Chris added, "Employment is one factor that could be a headwind or tailwind, depending on how you look at it. Moody's Analytics expects the U.S, unemployment rate to remain above 8% through 2012. In its latest report, the Bureau of Labor Statistics stated the unemployment rate dropped to 8.5% in December, continuing the downward trend started in September. We truly hope this positive trend will continue. We do believe home prices have stabilized and that we have probably seen the worst of it, and will continue to monitor this situation going forward. The national deficit is projected to increase. The White House's own numbers show the national debt exceeding $26 trillion 10 years from now. Obviously, this is something that concerns us. Larry said, "Hopefully, it's not all bad news out there!" Chris pointed out, "There are some positive tailwinds propelling us forward. Our first tailwind is Optimism. In fact, nearly half of the investors are bullish on the stock market. That's well above the historical average. Americans have stronger household balance sheets. Right now, corporations are more profitable than they have been in over 40 years, which we believe will translate to increases in hiring and strong equity valuations. Analysis shows there is a favorable indication that this bull market is not out of steam yet and there is still potential for further economic expansion." Larry asked, "What are the experts predicting?" Chad replied, "Wall Street's top strategists forecast calls range from bold to conservative. Most" ...there's much more, listen now...
Related Links: 2012 State of the Markets PowerPoint || CIMCO || ACG Denver || Community Reach Channel || Social Entrepreneurship || Keywords: Chris Pelley, Chad Williams, Capital Investment Management Company, CIMCO, State of the Markets, Economy, Europe's Debt Crisis, S&P 500, Moody's Analytics, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Headwinds, Tailwinds, bytes=6980234
LISTEN TO: Chris Pelley & Chad Williams, State of the Markets

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Winner of the Outstanding Corporate Growth Award
1165_ 2/20/12 - Today we're talking about Leading Resilient Growth. We are here with a winner whose being honored at the upcoming Rocky Mountain Corporate Growth Conference. Schomp Automotive is receiving the Outstanding Corporate Growth Award at the conference, that is over $100M in annual sales. We here with Aaron Wallace, Owner of Schomp Automotive. We asked Aaron to tell us about their business. Aaron replied, "We are a family business, in the automotive industry - sales, service and parts. In May it will be our 71st year in business and we are fourth generation Colorado business, my great-grandfather, grandfather, mother and me and my siblings. Schomp is a Honda, BMW and Mini dealership. They also have nine lines of motorcycles - and that's who we are. When asked about corporate growth strategies for the next year, Aaron told us that they are focusing on the changes their customers have experienced in their lives. The customers behavior is different, they don't have as much time, they're busy and in between things. And people have more information, they're shopping online, when they come to the dealership we have to adjust to the changes the customer has made. Change is difficult." Larry asked, "With the turbulent economy we've experienced the past number of years, how do you prosper in times of uncertainty?" He said, "During the good times or bad times you have to know what you're doing is right. In the good times you can't do a bad job or make stupid decisions just because they're good times. You have to run during the good times knowing that..." Watch and listen for more...
Related Links: Schomp Automotive || ACG Denver || M&A || Rocky Mountain Corporate Growth Conference || CoBiz Article Schomp || Keywords: Aaron Wallace, Schomp Automotive, ACG, Denver, Leading Resilient Growth, Rocky Mountain Corporate Growth Conference, Association for Corporate Growth, Outstanding Corporate Growth Award,
Video Watch: Aaron Wallace, Owner, Schomp Automotive

Achieving Your Personal and Professional Goals
933_ 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