crowdSPRING Blog

JANUARY 5, 2011

An open letter to the Chicago entrepreneurial community – [link]. Three economic trends for 2011 (fueled by startup goodness) – [link]. HOW TO: Attract Early Adopters to Your Social Startup – [link]. Top Startup Trends of 2010 – [link].

Social Media 93

Social Media Small Business Design Media 93

crowdSPRING Blog

SEPTEMBER 29, 2011

Startups in Chicago check out this new Q&A site – Chicago Founders – [link]. The Downside of Perfection – [link]. Only 14% of Fortune 500 were venture backed – [link]. Lean Marketing tips: business card as selling tool – [link]. How Small Businesses Are Using Social Media [INFOGRAPHIC] – [link].

Social Media 99

Social Media Small Business Design Media 99

crowdSPRING Blog

JUNE 1, 2011

Study shows Chicago lacks strong tech investor base – [link]. Inspired By The Start Fund, New World Ventures Offers Chicago Excelerate Startups $50K – [link]. Thinking about selling your small business or startup? Here are five 5 tips for a safe exit – [link]. Startup Mantra: Hire Fast, Fire Fast – [link].

Social Media 87

Social Media Small Business Design Media 87

crowdSPRING Blog

MARCH 16, 2012

A Start-Up Ecosystem Forms in Chicago – [link]. 5 New Spots for Chicago Tech Entrepreneurs – [link]. Twitter’s Secret History As the World’s Worst Tech or Media Business – [link]. Why I left Google – [link]. Competitive Differentiation that Matters – [link]. How Y Combinator Started – [link].

Social Media 94

Social Media Small Business Design Media 94

crowdSPRING Blog

MAY 19, 2011

Rose and the Chicago neighborhood – Englewood – where he grew up – [link]. Interesting “futuristic&# library at the University of Chicago (still houses physical books) – [link]. Outstanding story about D. The Chilling Story of Genius in a Land of Chronic Unemployment – [link].

Social Media 94

Social Media Small Business Design Media 94

crowdSPRING Blog

JULY 28, 2011

Built in Chicago – a Movement, a Mission, a Community - [link]. Small businesses err when cutting employee benefits – this impacts employee loyalty - [link]. 8 ways to get advice and inspiration for your startup idea - [link]. 70% of U.S. recruiters report they have rejected candidates because of info online - [link].

Social Media 91

Social Media Small Business Design Media 91

crowdSPRING Blog

DECEMBER 29, 2010

Pennies from Heaven: Chicago Startups’ Experiences with Angel Investors – [link]. Flyover Geeks: 2010′s Top 30 in Chicago tech – [link]. Excellent post by @msuster offering advice about talking with investors about your competitors – [link]. The Myth Of Work Life Balance – [link]. – [link].

Social Media 93

Social Media Small Business Design Media 93

crowdSPRING Blog

SEPTEMBER 23, 2011

Love seeing all the VC activity in the Chicago area! Good summary of our discussion yesterday on the Future of Publishing panel in Chicago – [link]. Should you launch (your company or new product/service) at a conference? – [link]. Odds Are, Your Startup Probably Isn’t a Platform – [link]. – [link].

Social Media 92

Social Media Small Business Design Media 92

crowdSPRING Blog

OCTOBER 28, 2011

An AMAZING amount of funding activity in Chicago – [link]. Small business and startups: great reads from the business press – [link]. crowdSPRING’s Small Business Spotlight of the Week: Coupon Cactus – [link]. 9 Metrics to Help You Make Wise Decisions about Your Start-Up – [link].

Social Media 98

Social Media Small Business Design Media 98

crowdSPRING Blog

SEPTEMBER 14, 2011

A quarter of all Chicago-area mortgages underwater – [link]. Are You Up For a Second Job? The Rise of Moonlighting and ‘Moonpreneurs’ – [link]. 32 of the Strangest Houses in the World – [link]. Cool places – [link]. BMW Developing Laser Vehicle Headlights [link].

Social Media 97

Social Media Small Business Design Media 97

crowdSPRING Blog

MARCH 2, 2011

Good to see increasing local VC investment activity in Chicago startups – [link]. How to Make Money in 6 Easy Steps – [link]. Good post about why you should not force-sell customers when they first visit – [link]. The Most Common Negotiating Mistakes — and How to Avoid Them – [link].

Social Media 95

Social Media Small Business Design Media 95

crowdSPRING Blog

JUNE 1, 2012

Interesting vertical farm concept coming together in an old Chicago meatpacking plant – [link]. Stunning map of America’s bike lanes – [link]. Creative way for Getty images to advertise its photo collection (video) - [link]. The Inigo Montoya Guide to 27 Commonly Misused Words – [link].

Social Media 92

Social Media Small Business Design Media 92

crowdSPRING Blog

FEBRUARY 10, 2012

The Chicago FireStarter Venture Capital Fund – [link]. The Perpetually Vexing Problem of Hiring Programmers – [link]. 5 Reasons The Windy City is a Great Place for Startups – [link]. How to build your startup without learning code – [link]. The Perpetually Vexing Problem of Hiring Programmers – [link].

Social Media 93

Social Media Small Business Design Media 93

crowdSPRING Blog

FEBRUARY 23, 2011

Chicago Entrepreneurism: Four Ingredients To Help Your Business – And This City – Dominate – [link]. – [link]. How to hire a programmer when you’re not a programmer – [link]. Simply being *usable* is enough to make a product truly remarkable – [link].

Social Media 92

Social Media Small Business Design Media 92

crowdSPRING Blog

DECEMBER 16, 2010

Groupon’s value to Chicago goes beyond Google deal – [link]. Crowdsourcing Implications for Medium and Large Businesses – [link]. Love Love, Love Hate – [link]. Why Apple doesn’t do “Concept Products” – [link]. Are they kidding? 43 page dress code manual at UBS AG? – [link].

Social Media 93

Social Media Small Business Design Media 93

Hearpreneur

JUNE 14, 2017

million+ company, with 60+ team members doing tours in NYC, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington DC and Los Angeles.”. I started R Public Relations on a wing and a prayer, but my reputation in the public relations world has followed me to success. We’ve continued bootstrapping since then — today we are a $2.5

Entrepreneur 129

Entrepreneur South Africa PR Thailand 129

crowdSPRING Blog

SEPTEMBER 3, 2012

She had this crazy idea that someone who had actually worked on the site, might provide value and insight to the community that we couldn’t give ourselves. Well, Audree was right – from her first days as our Community Liaison, she has provided help, comfort, advice and expertise to both Creatives and Buyers on the site.

Bosnia 67

Bosnia Cambodia Software Engineering San Francisco 67

The Startup Magazine

FEBRUARY 6, 2020

By that time investment bankers were on a roll privatizing assets as far flung as Chilean Electricity Distribution Rights, Montreal’s container port, parking meters in Chicago, sections of the Pennsylvania turnpike, the London City airport, and (the proposed) CA & FL Lottery systems. Ironically, given the U.S.’s

Private Equity 164

Private Equity New York City Chicago Investment Bankers 164

YoungUpstarts

FEBRUARY 24, 2015

A loyal following and strong community. Claire Prendergast is the Director of Marketing Communications at agencyEA , a brand experience agency in Chicago. Claire guides the company’s brand and voice using her public relations skills. Sharper differentiation from the competition.

Differentiation 100

Differentiation Public Relations Chicago Retention 100

Up and Running

DECEMBER 16, 2014

But where do you start, and what are the best approaches to public relations for an entrepreneur? Jennefer Witter is the CEO and founder of The Boreland Group, which is a certified, woman-owned public relations agency in New York City. I start off with this question: What is public relations?

Public Relations 117

Public Relations Small Business PR Entrepreneur 117

crowdSPRING Blog

AUGUST 17, 2014

It took me a second to grasp what was happening, but I quickly realized that he was not crazy and not trying to cool himself off from the heat of a Chicago August. It’s pretty simple what this charity has done: they have leveraged their community to invite others to donate a small amount of money to the organization.

Viral 83

Viral Marketing Social Media Public Relations 83

Brandanew

JANUARY 8, 2016

Brands that will stand-out in 2016 will leverage the power of the community and create a strong ROI based on measurable data-backed decisions. Ayelet Golz , Social media and community management specialist, Mack Web. Ayelet Golz is the Social Media & Community Management Strategist at Mack Web , a purpose-driven marketing team.

Analytics 100

Analytics Social Media Marketing Media 100

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 5, 2014

Chicago-based PR firm, Walker Sands Communications has helped us compile a number of tips to help SMB owners publicize their company, sans agency. However, a word of warning from Palo Alto Software’s Community Manager, Jonathan Michael: “Never have your first interaction with an influencer be an ‘ask.’

PR 139

PR Hiring Social Media Media 139

crowdSPRING Blog

MARCH 3, 2010

Another excellent video post by @bcopple about startup activity in Chicago – [link]. Well worth the read – interview with Tachi Yamada, president of the Gates Foundation – [link]. Why diversity matters (the meritocracy business) – [link]. Startup Cultures are not an Automatic Success – [link].

Social Media 95

Social Media Small Business Design Media 95

crowdSPRING Blog

JULY 21, 2010

Chicago’s Digital Ten (companies) to Watch – [link]. Good advice … How To Sell – [link]. 10 Tips For Making Your Tagline Stand Out – [link]. Bootstrapped, Profitable, & Proud: AnswerLab - [link]. Some Thoughts On The Seed Fund Phenomenon – by @fredwilson – [link].

Social Media 93

Social Media Small Business Design Media 93

crowdSPRING Blog

JULY 21, 2010

Chicago’s Digital Ten (companies) to Watch – [link]. Good advice … How To Sell – [link]. 10 Tips For Making Your Tagline Stand Out – [link]. Bootstrapped, Profitable, & Proud: AnswerLab - [link]. Some Thoughts On The Seed Fund Phenomenon – by @fredwilson – [link].

Social Media 93

Social Media Small Business Design Media 93

crowdSPRING Blog

MARCH 10, 2010

How to Kill the Design Community – [link]. Good interview with @andrewmason on Chicago Tonight (WTTW) about @Groupon – [link]. Showcase of Textures in Print Design – [link]. 80 creative examples of logos featuring animals – [link]. Ultimate Photoshop Tutorials to Enhance Your Skills – [link].

Social Media 90

Social Media Small Business Design Media 90

crowdSPRING Blog

JUNE 30, 2010

Chicago startups getting some love from @frankgruber on CBS – [link]. Why did so many successful startups come out of PayPal? Answered by Insiders – [link]. 10 Tips for startups and small businesses on using voice in your marketing – [link]. Buzzwords and the Paradox of Credibility – [link].

Social Media 93

Social Media Small Business Design Media 93

crowdSPRING Blog

JUNE 30, 2010

Chicago startups getting some love from @frankgruber on CBS – [link]. Why did so many successful startups come out of PayPal? Answered by Insiders – [link]. 10 Tips for startups and small businesses on using voice in your marketing – [link]. Buzzwords and the Paradox of Credibility – [link].

Social Media 93

Social Media Small Business Design Media 93

crowdSPRING Blog

DECEMBER 7, 2012

Why I Sold My Startup Instead Of Taking VC Money | Built In Chicago - [link]. Chicago’s Startup Community Grows Outside Of Groupon’s Shadow | Chicagoist - [link]. | PandoDaily - [link]. Why Bravo’s ‘Start-Ups: Silicon Valley’ Is Bad for Entrepreneurship - [link]. The product lens - [link].

Social Media 104

Social Media Small Business Design Media 104

crowdSPRING Blog

NOVEMBER 30, 2011

Kevin Willer Shares His Experience Building Google’s Culture In Chicago – [link]. Public relations: Social media too big for businesses to ignore – [link]. Advice to advisers: Stop being so nice – [link]. Building Startups Is Like Baking A Cake In 3 Minutes – [link]. What Good Does Design Do For Business?

Social Media 93

Social Media Small Business Design Media 93

crowdSPRING Blog

FEBRUARY 10, 2010

The Story Behind My Chicago Start-Up: What Worked and What Didn’t - [link]. Good startup lessons shared by @robjohnson & joshfraser (founders) about EventVue failure - [link]. “Understanding Freemium – How to Create and Grow Paying Customers&# - [link]. Four tips for raising capital now - [link].

Social Media 77

Social Media Small Business Design Media 77

crowdSPRING Blog

JANUARY 25, 2013

Coworking builds productive communities | GigaOM Pro – [link]. Chicago venture picture better than U.S. Business 2 Community – [link]. Why you need more margin in your life – [link]. Productivity is Hard – [link]. Forrester: U.S. Mobile Payments Market Predicted To Reach $90B By 2017, Up From $12.8B

Social Media 108

Social Media Small Business Design Media 108

crowdSPRING Blog

JANUARY 26, 2010

Thoughts on being a startup in Chicago: 3 tips for entrepreneurs – [link]. Legal Contracts for Software Developers Who Hate Contracts (w/free contract template to use today) – [link]. Legal Contracts for Graphic Designers Who Hate Contracts (w/free contract template to use today) – [link].

Social Media 65

Social Media Small Business Design Media 65

crowdSPRING Blog

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

Chicago startup @SpotHero wins app contest in quest to make finding a parking spot easy – [link]. nin & The Liquid Economy – [link]. More businesses are turning to crowdsourcing to innovate & reduce costs for packaging designs – [link]. Famine in East Africa Worsening – [link]. We can end malaria.

Social Media 92

Social Media Small Business Design Media 92

crowdSPRING Blog

JANUARY 12, 2011

The image above is from an outstanding collection of black and white photographs taken by Vivian Maier, a street photographer whose work was discovered at an auction in Chicago. Here are some of the links that I’ve liked and shared this past week! Her fascinating story is in the Other section below.

Social Media 95

Social Media Small Business Design Media 95

crowdSPRING Blog

DECEMBER 8, 2011

Nice feature story via Chicago Tribune on @Ramon_DeLeon – [link]. Klout, My Story & Why Opting Out Was My Only Choice – [link]. Intelligent critique of AdKeeper by Digiday’s @JackMarshall – [link]. It’s only the beginning in the radical evolution of what agencies will look like in the future – [link].

Social Media 94

Social Media Small Business Design Media 94