July 2009 - Posts

• Philadelphia, visions of a great Entrepreneurial Network, from a Drexel Alumnus

  My name is Saad Mukhtar, I’m a 2008 graduate of Drexel’s Lebow College of Business.  I was first place winner in Drexel’s Baiada Center for Entrepreneurship 2009 Concept/Pitch Business Concept Paper/Pitch Competition and was a finalist in the Business Incubator Competition. My teams’ business plan, Innovative Urban Parking Solutions, targeted the parking industry in Philadelphia.  We developed a system where PPA [Philadelphia Parking Authority] Officers would be able to locate parking violations via WiFi.  On the other hand, via WiFi, drivers would be able to locate parking on GPS and smart-phones, like the iPhone. After the competition, my team and I decided to go back and revamp our business model.  We are continuing are research in hope to build a prototype by the end of the year, but have also started a software company, Towgo, in which we will design products for the towing industry. Furthermore, in May 2009, I have joined the co-founders of Scribnia and SeatGeek, which are a part of the 2009 DreamIT Ventures incubator program located in the Philadelphia Science Center. So far, my experience at DreamIT has been tremendously enlightening.  Some the most pivotal people in the entrepreneurial industry have come to speak to us.  I have listened and learned about Agile development methods from John Galvin (ClickEquations Inc.), SEO from Gabriel Weinberg (DuckDuckGo) and  insider perspectives from Venture Capitalists, Brad Feld (The Foundry Group) and Gil Beyda (Genacast Ventures). Inspiringly, Scribnia has been acquired during its incubation time at DreamIT.  I served as the Marketing Director and am very excited that my services have contributed to the acquisition.  I am now the Head of Data Management for Seat Geek; and now that there are only a few more weeks left at DreamIT, I don’t want to leave. Being a part of both Drexel’s competition and DreamIT’s incubator has been remarkable.  Even in our current economic state, entrepreneurs refuse to be shut down and I’m glad that I’m a part of the Philadelphia entrepreneurial community.  When I’m not working hard as an entrepreneur, I like to play badminton and work on MIMOstudio, my personal multimedia project.      If you wish to contact me, you may do so here: smx9000 [at] gmail [dot] com. Posted Jul 31 2009, 03:48 PM by blogadmin with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Entrepreneur, Lebow College of Business, DreamIT, Drexel

• One Web Day: Earth Day for the Internet

  One Web Day is a global event, like an Earth Day for the Internet. It is a platform people can use to educate and mobilize others about issues that are important for the Internet's future. In order to raise awareness about the need for reliable and affordable Internet access in Philadelphia, we are organizing a citywide event for One Web Day on September 22, as well as a "week of service" leading up to the celebration. During the week of service, we will host computer trainings for residents living in Philadelphia Housing Authority developments. And we need you! We're looking for volunteers to help with the planning and other logistics. We are also looking for organizations to co-sponsor One Web Day--this could entail helping promote it, helping recruit volunteers or kicking in money or computers for donation. If you'd like to get involved, get in touch with Gwen Shaffer: gwen4@temple.edu or 267.475.1441. We hope to host the first planning meeting in early August. Posted Jul 31 2009, 03:44 PM by blogadmin with no comments Filed under: Philadelphia

• From Branding to Brewing: Women Entrepreneurs Share Their Success in the City!

  Written by Emily Yoder, Digital Outreach Coordinator/AmeriCorps*VISTA   On August 26, Empowerment Group’s Women’s Business Center presents the 3rd annual Success in the City event. As a special edition of its Women Entrepreneurs’ Circle, the event celebrates women small business owners throughout Philadelphia.   Women Entrepreneurs’ Circle is a monthly opportunity for aspiring and established women entrepreneurs to network and share resources. Each month the Circle is hosted at a different local woman-owned business. The low-key, interactive sessions allow for each host to highlight her business, sometimes sharing products or giving tours.   The Success in the City panel discussion builds on the idea of developing strong support networks of women in entrepreneurship. The discussion allows several successful women business owners to share their success and challenges in business, and answer questions from attendees.   Last year’s session offered practical advice from the panelists. The women shared about the challenges of finding a business niche, handling a busy schedule, juggling work and family, and utilizing technology without letting it invade one’s life. Tanya Seaman, the former Executive Director of Philly Car Share, shared candid anecdotes about the consuming nature of running small businesses. She advised aspiring entrepreneurs, “You must only start a small business if you are passionate about your project, because you will need to pour everything you have into it.”   This year, we’re anticipating new encouragement and wisdom about Philadelphia’s shifting small business scene. From branding to brewing, this year’s panelists come from a variety of business backgrounds. The panelists, Nancy Barton, Audrey Julienne, Charnelle Hicks, and Norma Romero-Mitchell, are prepared to share their stories, challenges, and wisdom.   Nancy Barton purchased a historic brewery building in Kensington with her husband in 2001. After hard work and extensive renovations, the Philadelphia Brewing Company emerged in 2008. Audrey Julienne has worked extensively for marketing agencies, as a marketing manager, and as a consultant to large corporations. She created Raison d’Etre Marketing in 2008 to bring her marketing expertise to small businesses. Charnelle Hicks started CHPlanning, an environmentally focused urban planning firm, in 2001. Since then, the firm has been named one of Philadelphia’s fastest-growing companies, promoting awareness of green initiatives and land use issues in Philadelphia and throughout the U.S. Norma Romero-Mitchell is the CEO and President of Benefits Plus Consulting Group. Romero-Mitchell, who was named one of Pennsylvania’s Best 50  Women in Business in 2007, has tripled BPCG’s revenue since taking charge, and has made it her mission to empower women and minorities through resource management and financial planning.   Empowerment Group is delighted to bring all four of these talented women to Success in the City. In addition to providing connection opportunities for women entrepreneurs, Empowerment Group offers entrepreneurship training programs, workshops, one-on-one consulting, youth entrepreneurship programs, and other services for small businesses. Its mission is to promote entrepreneurship and cultivate small business ownership by empowering individuals to help themselves, their families, and their communities.   Empowerment Group’s Success in the City will be held at the Center for Architecture in Center City on August 26 at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 and include light hors d’oeuvres and beverages from Philadelphia Brewing Company. RSVP for the event and learn more about Empowerment Group by visiting www.empowerment-group.org.   Posted Jul 29 2009, 06:43 PM by blogadmin with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Entrepreneur, women entrepreneurs, Event, Empowerment Group

• Local BlobLive Featured in TIME

  The first time stepping on the Bloblive stage was a harrowing experience, but soon turned into an unspoken rush of energy. [Interested? See my first Bloblive here] Entrepreneurs feed on this energy and the rush for motivation and inspiration. Sharing an idea with complete strangers exposes a small intimate part of you, your dreams. So many are afraid to share their dreams even with ones closest to them, let alone strangers, tweeters and eventually people watching the post Bloblive video. We are proud to share TIME.com's story and video of our good friends at Bloblive. Learn more about them via this story and their website www.bloblive.com. Posted Jul 28 2009, 04:32 PM by blogadmin with 1 comment(s) Filed under: IdeaBlob, BlobLive, Entrepreneur, Philadelphia, TIME

• The Insider: Summit Keynote Speakers

  Innovation Philadelphia is excited to bring high-caliber keynote speakers to Philadelphia for the Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit.  These speakers represent the cutting edge of innovation in interactive media, the creative process, and social entrepreneurship. Innovation Philadelphia will host the 2009 Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, located in the heart of Philadelphia at 1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107.  Accommodations are available at the Summit’s official hotel, the Loews Philadelphia Hotel, conveniently located at 1200 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA  19107.  Registration for the two-day Summit is $225. For more information about the Summit or to register online, please visit www.GCECS2009.com. Elizabeth Gilbert Elizabeth Gilbert is most famous for her recent book Eat, Pray, Love (Viking, 2006) – the story of the year she spent traveling around the world in search of personal restoration after a difficult divorce. After graduating from New York University, she used money earned at a Philadelphia diner to travel, as she says, “to create experiences to write about, gather landscapes and voices.” Gilbert’s journalism over the years has been published in Harper’s Bazaar, Spin, The New York Times Magazine, and GQ. Gilbert will speak on the topic of nurturing creativity, discussing the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses and sharing the radical idea that, instead of the rare person “being” a genius, all of us “have” a genius.   Peter Shankman An entrepreneur, author, speaker, and worldwide connector, Peter is recognized worldwide for radically new ways of thinking about Social Media, PR, marketing, advertising, creativity, and customer service. Peter is perhaps best known for founding Help A Reporter Out, (HARO), currently the largest free source repository in the world, sending out over 1,200 queries from worldwide media each week. Peter is also the founder and CEO of The Geek Factory, Inc. (www.geekfactory.com). Peter’s PR and Social Media clients have included the Snapple Beverage Group, NASA, The US Department of Defense, Walt Disney World, The Ad Council, American Express, Discovery Networks, New Frontier Media, Napster, Juno, Dream Catcher Destinations Club, and Harrah’s Hotels.   Jane McGonigal Jane McGonigal, Director of Game Research and Development at the Institute of the Future, leads the field of game design for future forecasting and problem solving. One of Fast Company’s 100 most creative people for 2009, her projects include collaborative crowd-sourcing platforms, Superstruct and Signtific, as well as designing marketing game platforms for Microsoft and Halo 2, McDonalds’ and the 2008 Olympics. Jane McGonigal will speak on the topic of “Inventing the Future with Game Design.” She will discuss how games optimize human ability and will demonstrate how games can harness the power of collective intelligence to solve real-world problems.   Randall Kempner Randall Kempner is Executive Director of the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), a new initiative of the world-renowned Aspen Institute. ANDE seeks to dramatically increase the amount and effectiveness of capital, technical, and business assistance for entrepreneurs in developing countries. ANDE’s founding funders and members include The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Center for Creative Leadership, Google.org, Omidyar Network, The Rockefeller Foundation, The Skoll Foundation, and McKinsey & Company. Randall Kempner will present “The Global Promise of Entrepreneurship,” highlighting the ability of entrepreneurs to find opportunities in the face of challenges and exploring ways to leverage the power of entrepreneurship throughout the globe. For more information on the keynote speakers and to register for the Summit, please visit www.GCECS2009.com Posted Jul 28 2009, 12:59 PM by blogadmin with no comments Filed under: Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit, Elizabeth Gilbert, Randall Kempner, keynote speakers, Peter Shankman, Jane McGonigal

• Creative Job Hunter from PhillyCreativeJobs.com

  Creative Job Hunter: Danielle Bullen I was one of the lucky ones. I had a job that I enjoyed going to everyday. I worked as Communications and Marketing Coordinator at a local non-profit/museum, helping to spread the word about their magazines, podcasts, lectures, exhibits, awards, etc. Seeing people walk through the building and thinking that maybe they were there because of an email I sent or ad I posted was a great feeling. There was a sense that everyone mattered, not just the head honchos. I also had a parallel career as a contributor to some local web sites and magazines. There was one in particular that I wrote bi-monthly style columns for. I had the freedom to choose my topics, so I exercised my creative muscle in writing about fashion in a friendly, accessible way. I’m a people person and interviewing boutique owners and getting their unique take on style was my favorite part of the gig. As people say though, all good things must come to an end. One February morning I was called into my boss’ office and she and the CFO told me that I, along with fifteen percent of my co-workers, were being laid off. They emphasized that it was strictly a budget thing. Non-profits live and die by their endowments and theirs was an unfortunate victim of the downward economy. Of course, I was shocked. I wallowed for a bit, but then realized that asking why me is a waste of time. These days, sadly, no industry is safe from layoffs. I decided to be positive. I’m young, energetic, well-educated, and a good writer. A new job is waiting for me. This is merely a career detour. Creativity has always been in my blood. So, it was no surprise that I recently turned to PhillyCreativeJobs.com to look for a new position.  I had been reading the Innovation Philadelphia newsletter for a while. I liked learning about people in the area with artistic careers. I remembered that the Innovation Philadelphia web site has a jobs link, so I surfed over and clicked. It was then I met PhillyCreativeJobs.com. I don’t want to relocate, so having a site dedicated to creative careers in the Philly area is ideal The best part about the site is that I don’t have to sift through hundreds of listings to find the ones in Communications or Editorial or Marketing like I do with mega-job sites. Although I check other localized job sites, I’ve been lucky to find openings on PhillyCreativeJobs.com that weren’t posted anywhere else. And that’s the ticket in this market--finding the hidden gems and being first in there with your resume. If I could create my next job, it would be a permanent position where writing is a large part of my regular responsibilities. Most importantly, I want another job where I feel like I’m making a contribution to the company. I’ve explored freelance opportunities and while they’re great for keeping my writing skills fresh and maybe making some money, in my heart, I want a full-time position. The water-cooler camaraderie of an office setting is something I miss. I like the stability of going to the same place everyday and working with the same people towards a common goal. Hopefully, with the help of PhillyCreativeJobs.com, I’ll be able to find that perfect job for me and stop this career detour.   This article is sponsored by PhillyCreativeJobs.com, a program of Innovation Philadelphia and PhillyCreativeGuide. PhillyCreativeJobs.com serves as a job board for creative professionals and companies to find and post freelance and employment opportunities in the Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Northern Delaware regions.   Posted Jul 21 2009, 02:51 PM by blogadmin with 3 comment(s) Filed under: creative class, philly creative guide, Philadelphia, PhillyCreativeJobs.com, jobs

• The Insider: Ideation 2009

  On August 1st, Ideation 2009 comes to the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.  For one full day, Ideation 2009 will connect entrepreneurs, small businesses, venture capitalists, and anyone interested in networking and learning what it takes to start, grow or maintain a successful business. Ideation 2009 will feature five workshop sessions, a networking room full of companies looking to exchange ideas, and “the Ideation funding room” where start-ups will have the ability to pitch their ideas to potential investors.   Entrepreneurs at all stages of their ventures are encouraged to attend this event. Hosted by Bizness in a Box, Ideation 2009 will provide entrepreneurs with the essential steps for taking a business concept from idea to reality.  An impressive line-up of speakers includes Clyde Fessler, the retired vice president of business development for Harley-Davidson Motor Company.  Fessler played an integral part in Harley-Davidson’s dramatic turnaround over the past 24 years. Other speakers will cover topics including pitching your idea to investors, networking, funding, marketing, patent and trademark law, and how to buy a business. For a full list of speakers and workshops, visit www.Ideation2009.com. Ideation 2009 will launch in Philadelphia with future destinations in several cities including Chicago, Atlanta and Dallas.  Sign up here before July 20th for early bird registration discounts.  Follow Ideation 2009 on twitter before, during and after the event: @ideation2009 and become a fan on Facebook! Posted Jul 16 2009, 04:51 PM by blogadmin with no comments Filed under: Entrepreneur, small business, Ideation 2009, Bizness in a Box

• We Went! PhillyStartUp Leaders Summer BBQ

  Innovation Philadelphia dropped by the PhillyStartUp Leaders Summer BBQ last week to support local entrepreneurs in connecting, collaborating and just plain kicking back. Gathered at the Jamaican Jerk Hut, entrepreneurs of every stage sought to celebrate local accomplishments and find new friends in Philadelphia. We caught up with Aaron McLean and Tracey Welson-Rossman, members of the event committee, to offer a glimpse for what is in store for PSL in the coming months. See the video here. PhillyStartUp Leaders is a partner of the 2009 Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit. Innovation Philadelphia looks forward to working with the them! More info on the mission and programs of PhillyStartUp Leaders can be found at http://phillystartupleaders.org/. Posted Jul 13 2009, 07:21 PM by blogadmin with 1 comment(s) Filed under: entrepreneurs, Young Professionals, PhillyStartUp Leaders

• The Insider-Film in Philly

  Film in Pennsylvania is booming.  With the Film Tax Credit Program, giving filmmakers a return on production, more and more filmmakers are coming to the Commonwealth to shoot their movies. This is creating a whirlwind of film- based events in and around the city. The Philadelphia Film Market (PFM) just completed its inaugural year.  One of the sponsors of PFM, the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival (PIFF), just completed its second successful year, closing the Philadelphia Film Market festivities with screenings on Sunday, June 28. Continuing the activity through the summer, one of PFM’s other sponsors, Project Twenty1, hosts their film festival at the end of a 21 day competition, beginning August 1, 2009. This past week, Innovation Philadelphia attended PFM.  There was a buzz and energy from the attendees, exhibitors, and presenters.  “Attendees were networking and there was a palpable sense of community among the exhibitors themselves,” says Alina Lucila-Osmunson, Communications Manager for Innovation Philadelphia.    In order to ensure quality film productions, collaboration and communication were stressed as crucial factors to maintaining a solid and organized team.  Speaking on a PFM panel, Patricia Weiser, one of the producers for the current Philadelphia production, The Best and the Brightest, said, “You have to find a groove with certain people…that’s what makes a successful team.” From June 22 until June 28, PFM featured daily events, screenings, workshops and seminars like “Producing an Independent Film in Philadelphia”, “A Panel of the Top 100 of Film and TV Music”, “The Filmmakers “Jam” and Open Mic Q&A”, and “Transitioning from Film School to Professional Film Work.” At the “Producing an Independent Film in Philadelphia” panel, producers Patricia Weiser and Nicholas Simon discussed raising money for indie films, tax credits, budgets and filming in Philadelphia while also giving advice to aspiring filmmakers and producers.  With this being the first year for PFM, generating buzz is crucial for local, regional, and national recognition.  Jason Brewer, CEO of Brolik Productions Inc., a web-based marketing solution company and sponsor of PFM said, “It is a great opportunity for our company to reach out to the region and the industry, and to show off our services through a successful event.” [Blog Exclusive! Watch interview with Jason at PFM.] The Philadelphia Independent Film Festival and Project Twenty1 present unique opportunities to showcase Philadelphia as a premier industry location, perfect for both indie and big-budget films.  This year, PIFF took over numerous unconventional venues around Northern Liberties, such as Exit Skate Shop and Yards Brewery. With film submissions from 17 countries, this year’s festival featured work from many genres and cultures.  The three-day festival included screenings and networking events.  Beginning August 1, Project Twenty1 will host the 21 Day Competition.  Filmmaking teams will create a 10-minute film, which must be completed by August 22nd.  Local teams have the opportunity to network with actors, crew, musicians, and start to form their teams.  Participants outside of the region take advantage of Project Twenty1’s online message board, networking and forming their teams virtually.  The August 1 event ends with a reveal of a secret element that each film must incorporate to fulfill the guidelines.  All teams that have submitted films on time are guaranteed a screening at the 2009 Project Twenty1 Film & Animation Festival in October. There is a list of prizes that each team can win as well as awards like “Best Acting” or “Best Directing.” Philadelphia has been a huge center for filming movies within the past few years. Marley & Me and Baby Mama were both recently filmed in the city.  Law Abiding Citizen, featuring Jamie Fox and Gerard Butler, was also filmed.  M. Night Shyamalan will be filming The Last Airbender, and Reese Witherspoon, Jack Nicholson, Paul Rudd and Owen Wilson will be staring in a film called How Do You Know.   Neil Patrick Harris and Chris McDonald are currently filming The Best and the Brightest. For a list of film events and resources in the Philadelphia region visit http://www.film.org/ Posted Jul 01 2009, 03:54 PM by blogadmin with 31 comment(s) Filed under: film, Philadelphia Film Market, Philadelphia Independent Film Festival, Project Twenty1