Article posted on Nov 03
You know, being a parent is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. But I also remember thos first weeks, with my first child, holding that precious little boy and thinking, “How the heck am I supposed to knwo what to do with this??”
Being an entrepreneur can be just like that some times. How do you know what to do? How do you know who to turn to, who to listen to? Where do you go to meet the right people, to forge some of thsoe relationships that everyone is talking about when they say, It’s WHO you know”??
Well, there’s going to be a great event here in Utah to help remove some of that panic, get those creative juices flowing, and get you into a room with a lot of other investors, entrepreneurs, and local folks who are good to know. Details, quotes and various goodies follow:
Entrepreneur, Angel Investor Conference
To Highlight Global Entrepreneurship Week Utah (GewUtah)
“Unleashing Ideas: Igniting High-Growth Entrepreneurship in Utah†is a day-long concurrent entrepreneur and angel investor conference highlighting Utah’s role in Global Entrepreneurship Week, Nov. 17-23. Thursday, Nov. 20, from 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. entrepreneurs, angel investors, venture capitalists, and experts in numerous core service industries will attend the conference, slated to be held at Sandy’s South Towne Exposition Center.
The conference features the third-annual Utah Angel Summit as well as an entrepreneur track which will cover everything from effective negotiation to winning sales strategies presented by successful entrepreneurs. All conference participants are invited to attend a post-meeting Ignitor! social event onsite at South Towne. Registration and additional information is available via www.GewUtah.com.
With “Unleashing Ideas” as the big-picture theme, those who recognize entrepreneurs as change agents for the state’s economy are banding together under the leadership of entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and venture philanthropist Alan E. Hall to inspire, connect, mentor and engage to develop the next-generation of high-growth entrepreneurs.
“Global Entrepreneurship Week is a great way to encourage entrepreneurs and to simultaneously build upon our strong entrepreneurial infrastructure in the state of Utah,†said Hall, regional director for Global Entrepreneurship Week Utah. “The common theme for us? It’s all about growth—both growth companies and growth-oriented entrepreneurs looking to build or expand companies. Our conference and speaking schedule is all about ‘unleashing’ potential for new products, new markets, and new ideas.â€
Nov. 17-23 the state of Utah joins more than 100 countries and organizations representing millions of entrepreneurs to celebrate Global Entrepreneurship Week. Utah’s celebration is focused around the day-long entrepreneur and angel investing event as well as a host of speaking engagements at campuses and Chamber of Commerce venues throughout the state.
In addition to the Nov. 20 conference, Hall has a week full of speaking engagements, literally covering the state. The speaking schedule includes:
· Cache County–Logan Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting and reception at Utah State University
· Iron County—Southern Utah State Wells Fargo lecture series speaker
· Salt Lake County—Utah First Fridays/Miller Innovation Campus keynote speaker; Salt Lake Community College’s entrepreneurial speaker; and Westminster College’s guest speaker for two classes
· Utah County–Brigham Young University’s Entrepreneurial Lecture Series and special speaker at the Utah Entrepreneur Challenge venue
· Washington County—Dixie College presidential luncheon meeting
· Weber County—Weber Entrepreneurs Association student meeting
Hall, through his Grow Utah Ventures philanthropic entrepreneurial development effort, is joined in the execution of the week-long series of activities by numerous entrepreneurial organizations in the state, including his own Grow Utah Ventures not-for-profit organization; the Utah Science Technology and Research Initiative (USTAR), targeted with strengthening Utah’s knowledge economy; and the state’s largest provider of small-business loans for 15 consecutive years, Zions Bank. Headline sponsors include entrepreneurial marketing and PR companies Johnson & Company, The Virtual Agency™ and Snapp Conner PR.
Utah’s Global Entrepreneurship Week is brought to you by a collaborative entrepreneurial ecosystem also including adnews, Funding Universe, Mountain West Capital Network, RoxyCross, Utah Pulse!, Utah Technology Council, Utah Valley University, Wayne Brown Institute and Weber Entrepreneurs Association.
“This really is a ‘can’t miss’ opportunity for any entrepreneur who is serious about turning their idea into reality,†said T. Craig Bott, president and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Grow Utah Ventures. “One of the most important things an entrepreneur can do is network and get to know the people who are willing and able to provide mentorship and support, and at this event they’ll find people capable of offering both.â€
“The Global Entrepreneurship Week activities will help us with USTAR’s mission to build the ‘innovation infrastructure’ of the state,†said Ted McAleer, Executive Director of USTAR. “Our research and development investments into Utah’s universities and higher-education institutions are building the Utah knowledge economy and will provide our entrepreneurs with a significant competitive advantage. This event will help us build awareness of those resources with local entrepreneurs.â€
“We’re excited to participate in and support Utah’s Global Entrepreneurship Week activities,†said Scott Anderson, President and CEO of Zions Bank. “We recognize the important role entrepreneurs play in developing and strengthening local economies and believe that entrepreneurship will play a critical part in helping stabilize local economies as well as the global economy.â€
Tickets to the entrepreneur track and to the Utah Angel Summit are available online at www.GewUtah.com. Early-registration tickets are available through Monday, Nov. 2. Early-bird entrepreneur conference tickets cost $40.00 ($20.00 for students with current student identification). After Nov. 2, pricing moves to $50 and $30, respectively. Angel conference pricing is $75, with discounted pricing available for members of the Mountain West Capital Network (MWCN). To receive MWCN pricing, members must register for the event at www.mwcn.org.
About Grow Utah Ventures
Grow Utah Ventures, is a privately funded not-for-profit organization dedicated to stimulate, unlock and develop the entrepreneurial talent and early stage business opportunities for value creation across Utah. Comprised of a team of successful and experienced entrepreneurs, business leaders and private investors, Grow Utah Ventures accomplishes its mission by uIdentifying, selecting and recognizing accomplished and promising Utah entrepreneurs, uBuilding a statewide community of outstanding entrepreneurs and those interested in promoting entrepreneurial development, uPartnering with organizations, companies and investors seeking to support Utah’s best entrepreneurs, uRallying community leadership and financial resources to support entrepreneurial development. For more information about Grow Utah Ventures, visit www.growutahventures.com.
About USTAR
The Utah Science Technology and Research initiative (USTAR) is a long-term, state-funded investment to strengthen Utah’s “knowledge economy†and generate high-paying jobs. Funded in March 2006 by the State Legislature, USTAR is based on three program areas. The first area involves funding for strategic investments at the University of Utah and Utah State University to recruit world-class researchers. The second area is to build state-of-the-art interdisciplinary facilities at these institutions for the innovation teams. The third program area involves teams that work with companies and entrepreneurs across the State to promote science, innovation, and commercialization activities. For more information, go to www.innovationutah.com.
About Zions Bank
Zions Bank is Utah’s oldest financial institution, and is the only local bank with statewide distribution of branches, operating 114 full-service branches throughout Utah. Zions Bank also operates 24 full-service branches in Idaho, and nearly 200 ATMs throughout Utah and Idaho. In addition to a wide range of traditional banking services, Zions offers a comprehensive array of investment and mortgage services, and has a network of loan origination offices for small businesses nationwide. The company is also a leader in providing electronic banking services, including electronic municipal bond trading. Founded in 1873, Zions has been serving the communities of Utah for more than 135 years. Additional information is available at www.zionsbank.com.
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