NCWIT Entrepreneurial Toolbox is a new interview series designed to promote
fundamental skills of entrepreneurship. The series interviews both men and
women about a range of topics critical to entrepreneurial success, such as
networking, how to procure funding, writing a business plan, and the
importance of failure. The series is sponsored by the NCWIT Entrepreneurial
Alliance with support from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and
Qualcomm. Have someone you'd like to nominate for this series?
Drop us a line.
Interview with Maria Cirino CoFounder & Managing Director, .406 Ventures
Entrepreneurial Toolbox
Date: April 5, 2010
The name for .406 Ventures comes from baseball. "Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox batted a .406 average in 1941, which hasn't been beaten since. Williams had taken the time over the years to analyze where, within the strike zone, he could hit best; we thought that kind of measured selectivity was a great metaphor for this business."
As a founding partner
and editorial director in Guidewire Group, Chris Shipley
consults with emerging technology companies in the U.S. and Europe to
identify market opportunities and accelerate products to market."What I look for in an
early stage company - what appeals to me - is this intersection of a great
idea, a real market need, a smart business model, and a passionate team."
Interview with Yoky Matsuoka Torode Family Endowed Career Development Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Washington
Entrepreneurial Toolbox
Date: November 2, 2009
"If we give young girls or anyone else a sense of
purpose for what they are doing," says Yoky Matsuoka, "they will
become more interested in doing it well."
In the flood of new
and competing technology, companies often lack a strategy to on-board new solutions. Rather than be reactive, get mired in, or simply ignore new technology, Charlene Li's Altimeter Group helps companies architect a streamlined approach.
Where law and the internet and innovation and open source collide, there you'll find Mitchell Baker.
Interview with Tina Sharkey Chairman and Global President, BabyCenter LLC
Entrepreneurial Toolbox
Date: May 4, 2009
Tina Sharkey talks about the difference between vertical (BabyCenter) and horizontal (Facebook) social connections, why authenticity in social media matters, and how you can use social media to "think out loud" and leverage your business.
Interview with Ann Winblad Co-founder and Managing Director, Hummer Winblad Venture Partners
Entrepreneurial Toolbox
Date: April 8, 2009
Ann Winblad gives us the Silicon Valley skinny on investing, growing a business, inspiration, and how venture capital is the backbone for the U.S. economy.
Interview with Krista Marks General Manager, Disney Online Kerpoof Studios
Entrepreneurial Toolbox
Date: March 3, 2009
In this interview, Krista Marks shares her experience and knowledge in winning National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants. Every federal agency with a large external R&D budget, including the NSF, makes a portion available to small businesses through SBIR grants. Krista was CEO of Kerpoof, LLC when it applied to the NSF and won two SBIR awards. Her company received the grants to develop its website, Kerpoof.com, and the innovative software that powers it.
David Cohen, Co-founder and Executive Director of TechStars, explains how the TechStars program identifies entrepreneurial talent, nurtures success, and crams a ton of mentoring and business essentials into just a few months over the summer.
The "failure is not an option" mantra among entrepreneurs is "just wrong," according to Brad Feld. An early-stage investor and entrepreneur for more than 20 years, Brad says that experiencing and recognizing failure is an essential component of entrepreneurial success. Listen to this interview to find out how Brad characterizes an "unforgivable failure" and what lessons he believes you can learn from a failed start-up.
Heidi Roizen has achieved success as an entrepreneur, a corporate executive, a corporate director and venture capitalist. She has held positions of leadership within a number of industry organizations, and is a recognized and popular spokesperson for the technology industry and entrepreneurial community.In this Entrepreneurial Toolbox interview she talks about how networking is a key component of launching a company, and how people can build successful networks.
