Entrepreneurs will get a chance to sharpen their skills and pitch their ideas to a panel of judges at a series of free events on Monday and Tuesday.
Thrive, the Chamber of Commerce group for young professionals, is hosting a Venture Seminar by StartUp Junkie at 6 p.m. Monday, March 12, and an IdeaFame Live pitch contest with more than $2,000 in prizes at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 13. Both events will be at 28 Springs. Seating is limited at both events so those who would like to attend should register following the links on the Chamber's website, www.siloamchamber.com/thrive.
The Venture Seminar on March 12 will be led by Jeff Amerine, a former Fortune 500 CEO and founding principal of StartUp Junkie. StartUp Junkie provides no-cost consulting services, seminars and workshops to support entrepreneurs, according to its website www.startupjunkie.org.
The event is designed for people who are starting a business venture, running a business or have a business idea, according the Chamber website. The focus of the seminar will be Lean Canvass, or how to run a business without a lot of cash flow, according to Nathan Reed, director of economic development for the Chamber. Other topics covered will include lean startup and customer development processes, idea validation and business hypothesis testing, and venture finance, the website states.
During the IdeaFame Live Contest on March 13, entrepreneurs will have 60 seconds to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges, which will include Todd Simmons, CEO of Simmons Foods. A total of $2,000 in prizes will be awarded, including $1,000 for the people's choice winner and $1,000 for the judges' choice winner.
The contest, sponsored by the Chamber and StartUp Junkie, is an in-person version of the online www.IdeaFame.com contest. It was created to promote start-ups and new ideas, and to increase "creative collusions," the website states.
People of all ages from throughout the region are encouraged to enter the pitch contest, Reed said. Pitchers at other contests have ranged in age from 8 to 67, he said. Students from the Siloam Springs High School and John Brown University's Professionals in Progress have also been encouraged to enter.
"Attendees are just as important as pitchers because they give away $1,000 (in the people's choice contest) as well," Reed said.
The rules of the event stipulate that notes and slides are not allowed and only one contestant can speak per pitch. The deadline to enter is Monday afternoon, Reed said.
Thrive was started in March 2017 as a way to connect with young professionals and entrepreneurs, according to Reed. It is open to professionals of all ages that are young at heart.
"If you're under 60 or you're young at heart you are free to join it," Reed said. "We just try to give it the feel of the younger generation."
Many people have the perception that the Chamber is for CEO's or the older generation, he explained.
"We're trying to change perception of the Chamber, realistically a lot of our business owners are younger so we don't really have that, we just have the perception of that because that's how chambers have always been seen," Reed said.
Thrive has a laid-back atmosphere, and holds monthly networking events at various venues. For more information visit www.siloamchamber.com.
General News on 03/07/2018