Rise Underground: The Rise To The Top Entrepreneur Blog
The Rise To The Top: Entertaining, Energizing and Empowering Entrepreneurs

One conversation with digital media consultant and co-founder of Stardust Global Ventures Sheryl Breuker and you will notice she is cut from a different mold. A digital mold of awesome. Part technology expert and part visionary, Sheryl and her partner Ken Camp have their pulse on the tech world and are some of the most connected folks on the west coast.

Sheryl has a great Internet interview series entitled “Incidental Interviews” and she has gotten to some of the best in the industry including tech all star Robert Scoble. I had the privilege and honor of being interviewed by Sheryl as well on the subject of the blend of new and old media, how networking is critical in starting a business, and some leaks about the exciting things we are bringing to The Rise To The Top viewers (shhhh). Check it out!

In the world of entrepreneurship, it is important to not only have a vision but also welcome collaboration and different perspectives. We are going to have a few guest blog posts in the near future and I know you will find the writing and ideas captivating, informative and well worth your time….
Enjoy!

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist and Entrepreneurial Chameleon – therisetothetop.com

A lot of buzz has been happening lately all surrounding the idea that maybe we all jumped the gun and tried too hard to have the biggest network. Chris Brogan has made really good points about why a large network is valuable to him and to others. In his article entitled – The Vital Importance of your Network, Chris asks, “How many people can you reach if your job goes away“. I’ll grant you, that’s a very powerful message and a really good reason to consider the value of a large network. I know. I live it today.

Where I think it gets a little skewed is that we all don’t have the prestige to use a large network, or make it work for us, because while many people grow very large networks, nobody is paying attention to it. It’s strictly about the numbers. Something gets lost in the translation. I believe it’s lack of engagement.

How much time do you give to any one person in your network? How many of those in your network do you engage with weekly? Monthly? What about Daily? People with very large networks tend to think they are engaged because a lot of people want to pay attention to them so they follow and are followed in return. But how much conversation, reciprocal conversation is made with each person in a network of 20k? At what point are we spread too thin to be a pancake, hearty and full of flavor, and instead find we’re crepes, flat, thin and in need of additional ingredients to taste good?

This brings me to another thought, because like many of you I actually follow the words of some of those A-listers. I pay attention and it occurred to me to ask myself why? Why does it matter that Robert Scoble had a really good post about shifts in microblogging when I would like to have a conversation with him about it, and realized it’s highly unlikely he will engage me back after the first wave of comments? Is half a conversation still valuable? What is Scoble’s investment in me as someone he follows and someone who follows back? I’d guess it’s fairly low. While we have met in person, were he to see me on the street he’d not know who I was. My investment also is diminished because I read the words but choose not to engage for futility.

For most of the well known bloggers/internet personalities, I’d wager they believe they bring value by simply pointing out hot new topics, sharing tidbits from their brains, and pushing out ideas they think are new. Not very social, is it? Does the belief they are bringing new ideas to the forefront, and our grabbing onto it make it so? To me that’s an old media ideal. Think of broadcast media and how it was a one sided conversation. What’s happening to that today? I’ll posit that’s one of the reasons old media is finding it so difficult to transition. They’re still stuck in the past where they were kings and we tuned in to be told what to think. Look at all the newspapers that are dying for an example of why old ideas don’t work anymore. I’ll take it one step further and suggest the very people who are paid attention to most today will soon go the way of dinosaurs. We’ll remember them, we’ll talk fondly of them, or not, but either way we’ll think past tense only. Longevity can’t be had by people who don’t change their thinking to incorporate this a.d.d. culture we live in.
How should we use social media?
My premise is that we need to take that term and put it into practice. Up until now all we’ve done is grasp at straws trying to play follow the leader without any thought to what it all meant or how it would all play out. It’s why so many of the people who believed more followers was important have now turned around and started really considering their own ability to be engaged.

On a personal note I recognize I can’t possibly follow every person on the planet who may be interesting to me. Certainly not and find value. At some level my attempt to follow too many people devalues them and that’s not fair. Each and every person in my network deserves more from me and I deserve the benefit of what they offer in this world as well.
A new connection on twitter made a statement last night that we use twitter as a social networking tool. Many companies, start-ups, smb’s use twitter as a microblogging tool to serve up  bits of information to their consumers or customer base. While I certainly see there may be value in that model, social networking, social media begins with social.

To garner the attention the so-called A-listers have, you have to have a couple of things on your side. Timing is critical. A strong message that people want to hear when you are ready to give it, and a brand that makes sense in some way. I’ll be frank, I have aspired to that station myself and I realize no matter how much fun I am, no matter the value in what I have to say, I simply don’t have the publicity surrounding my brand some of those A-listers have. Does that mean I am not as important? I believe that is dependent on how you define value. I know I’m important to my network.

So let’s talk about what that means. Importance, as defined by Merriam-Webster, means:  a quality or aspect having great worth or significance. So now we have a definition, what does it mean and how does it apply to us?

Our actual value is determined by the level of investment we put into something. If we only occasionally have conversation with people, answering the odd question and otherwise simply placing links in the stream, can we claim value? Isn’t an investment by us, for others, where our real value lies? Think for a minute what has the most value in your life. For most of us there is a clarity of value classification. We place high importance on our family, if we have no family, our friends come next. We place little value in what the big company down the street is doing. We only find value in the products they may produce, certainly not in the company.
Let’s be clear here. I have met Robert Scoble, interviewed him too, I have interviewed and talked to Chris Brogan, I have also met Jeff Pulver. Anyone care to guess who I place highest on my list for importance? I will tell you that top of my list is Jeff Pulver hands down. Want to know why? Jeff and I have been on road trips together, eaten private dinners together, spent time talking to one another, I’ve gotten video from him with his doggies, I have sent him video when I’m at home not all made up. We’ve seen each other when we were at our best, and when we were tired. Jeff matters and why he matters is the investment we both have in the relationship. Robert and I have met a couple times. He will not have remembered either of them. Zero investment. Chris would remember me but we aren’t close. That requires more time and investment.

So in summary let me just say, it should be clear by now that a relationship requires investment. Importance in your network requires the same. What’s your level of importance in your network? Are you engaged bringing value and investment? Are you simply looking for an information exchange?

Answer this for yourself. Why do you think I might want you in my twitter stream? What gives you the right to invade my world? Simply having a presence on twitter does NOT show engagement, and quite frankly, I think it’s a lot of hooey. However, we all find value differently.
Let me just ask again, are you a pancake or a crepe? What is your preference? I like both for different reasons but I can eat a lot fewer pancakes and feel full.

To find out more about Sheryl and Ken, check out Stardust Global Ventures

Tune in THIS SUNDAY April 26th in St. Louis on KDNL-ABC30 at 11 AM and also on therisetothetop.com to check out the new episode!

Marketing your business (and yourself) is an ever-changing game for EVERY ENTREPRENEUR. We are shining some light on marketing mysteries and will be hearing from top entrepreneurs, experts and a very special guest that you will not want to miss. This isn’t your grandfather’s marketing tips and tricks! No pleated pants.

In completely random order….
10. Special Guest Bonni Burns is the Queen of Media who literally built one of the most successful UPN stations from scratch and now has turned her over 25 years of “insider” TV and media knowledge to help small and medium size companies with marketing. She will let you know some pitfalls, how to find your niche, what to look for in creating a marketing plan and much more.
9. Word Of Mouth Marketing: What is it? How can you capitalize on those that have really big mouths to spread some love about your business.
8. Adam Kreitman from Words That Click stops in with a tip on organizing news online.
7. Shotgun Marketing vs. Permission-based marketing. Which one should you use for your business?
6. What the heck is Alltop? Find out during Hot Companies!
5. Jeff Michelman from Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP with a Keepin’ It Legal tip to avoid making false promises in your advertisements for your company.
4. Transparency in the information age. Are you revealing too much on Facebook?
3. A little compatibility test with Dr. Phil Dembo from 1st Date STL: Your true personal world view
2. Top 5 Marketing Mistakes…and how to avoid them!
1. Get Off Your Couch and Get Involved with the Humane Society
err…0. Extra uncensored, bonus interview with Bonni Burns on Rise at Nite exclusively on therisetothetop.com

…and if you can believe it ALL this and much more in just one 30 minute show of delicious entrepreneur entertainment on KDNL-ABC30 and of course 24/7 at therisetothetop.com

Become a part of the conversation and make sure to leave a comment on our Watch Now page as you can check out Episodes 1-9 of The Rise To The Top anytime!

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist and Entrepreneurial Chameleon – www.therisetothetop.com

Rise Underground: The Rise To The Top Entrepreneur Blog
The Rise To The Top: Entertaining, Energizing and Empowering Entrepreneurs

Warm Fuzzy Moment:
I hope everyone had a stellar and amazing weekend. My birthday was on Sunday and it was fantastic (minus the Blues playoff loss) and really served as another reminder to be thankful for everyone and everybody in my life. So a huge 100% heart-filled thanks to everyone reading this who has been enjoying The Rise To The Top, watching shows, leaving comments, giving fantastic feedback and learning something along the way about business/entrepreneurship. It has been an absolute pleasure to serve you and I promise to continue to bring in top interviews/tips jam-filled with entrepreneurial lessons, tips to build your business, success stories to learn from, ways to give back to the community, and much more. 2009 is going to be a massive year.

Getting Editorial With It:
Ahhh…structure. That scary 9-letter word. We are currently in the midst of creating our editorial schedule for 2009 with a few upcoming changes to continually improve user experience. Basically we are going to create a consistent schedule so you know what is going on the website each week and where you can find that latest and greatest information for entrepreneurs.
As we continue to creatively expand (with The Rise To The Top, Rise at Nite, and of course the blog right here: Rise Underground) we want to hear your feedback so we make sure you guys are happy because this is all about the community.
This is what I’m leaning towards on therisetothetop.com:
-Sunday: NEW The Rise To The Top Episode (corresponds with ABC schedule) Example
-Monday: This Week On The Rise To The Top: News, Notes, Announcements, Events (this would be the example)
-Tuesday: Rise Underground Post (on the blog either an entrepreneur tip or trick) Example
-Thursday: New Rise at Nite/Bonus Interviews
-Friday: Weekend Preview/Entrepreneur Tip/Trick on the blog

What do you think (leave your thoughts below)?

In St. Louis? Events and Fun:

This Wednesday is our FINAL Dinner and Discussions presented by BancorpSouth featuring entrepreneurs (including big shots, those rising to the top, and those at the top) and folks that support entrepreneurship. If you haven’t checked our our event series, it is a blast and includes a 4-course dinner at Sub Zero Vodka Bar, always lively discussions, giveaways and prizes (such as 2 hours of free concierge service from Everett Pate of We Make It Happen Concierge Services), and a special presentation: This week’s presentation is by Matt Brown from Ways of Being and is going to be a great one. The reason we created this event series was for all of you: Entrepreneurs and forward-thinkers. We wanted a place where ideas flow, people have fun and cut loose, but also learn something and build there network. You can find out all of the info on our events page.

Bonus: Go Giver Tour is stopping in St. Louis this Wednesday in St. Louis as well with a Tweet-Up event.

Bring Your Business Online: Social Media For Business Seminar Linked Working Workshop
Lewis Howes (author of LinkedWorking) and I are putting on a special workshop on April 30th in St. Louis with a focus on utilizing social media for entrepreneurs and small businesses. This won’t be a run-of-the-mill workshop but will be actually tactics used and how to develop an online strategy. I believe we are sold out (or 1 spot left) but you can check it out right here.

The Rise To The Top Episode #10: The Art of Marketing

This Sunday (4/26) both on therisetothetop.com and on KDNL-ABC30 in St. Louis at 11 AM (CST), tune in for a brand new episode with special guest Bonni Burns. You will not want to miss this insight into the advertising/marketing world from someone truly at the top. Bonni, who recently started her own integrated marketing firm, was in the top 5% of female broadcast COO’s in the country, literally built a broadcast station from the ground up, and has been the head of sales at several major broadcast stations including ABC.

We will be discussing developing a marketing strategy, how to develop a marketing plan plus much more both on the show and on Rise at Nite.

Also in this episode: Internet Marketing tips with Adam Kretiman, Keepin It Legal with Stinson Morrison Hecker partner Jeff Michelman (did you know Jeff is also Nelly’s lawyer?), Doc’s Relationship Corner with Dr. Phil Dembo from 1stDateSTL, creating word of mouth campaigns, a special feature on AllTop, marketing mistakes, and how to get involved with The Humane Society.

Also, Coming Next Week:
A massively big secret announcement of a secret nature (how is that for vagueness?)

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist and Entrepreneurial Chameleon – www.therisetothetop.com

The Rise To The Top: Entertaining, Energizing and Empowering Entrepreneurs
The Everything Goes Right Day: The “One” Entrepreneurship Principle

Earlier this year I wrote a somewhat controversial blog post about how to suck it up and deal with crappy days that of course come up on the entrepreneurial path to success. Some days everything seems to go wrong: Your clients fall off the face of the earth, your best employee quits, you spill coffee in a place where coffee (or anything else shouldn’t be spilled) and probably something else happens such as the letter “E” on your keyboard falls off.

These tough days are of course difficult to deal with. Self-doubt rears its stupid head, things go wrong which in turn seems to make everything else go wrong (awkward moment there from “The Secret”) and of course the most successful pound through this days (hopefully not with Scotch) in their continued Rise To The Top.

Now lets flip the coin and talk about something that happens but is rarely talked about: The everything goes completely right day. You heard back from three people you have been trying to reach for a century, your website hits are on fire (not literally, I hope), you received that one HUGE email from a client, and you found an extra $20 in your pants.

Suddenly you feel on top of the world. The 18 hour work days, sleepless nights, endless phone calls and emails are all worth it. You can feel in your very bones that big things are happening. You are pumped up, high-fiving strangers (I do that but then again I’m weird) and ready to take on the next challenge.

Whether your company is making -$1, $1, $10,000, $1,000,000, or $1,000,000,000, remember this small, but important point: Enjoy those amazing days. Relish in them. Get energy from them. Do things you didn’t think were possible.

Don’t consider yourself lucky. You are an entrepreneur and work your freaking face off. You create your own luck for days like today. Business, like your personal life, is meant to be enjoyed. Own it.

It may be naive to think that every day can be “the everything goes right day” so I won’t paint the pretty picture of all of us singing Kumbaya and passing around cupcakes. But, here is an idea: Focus on the power of one.

ONE big email you received back that you have been waiting for.
ONE big phone call you made.
ONE person that said something nice about you and your business.
ONE new business contact you made.
ONE editor from a news source that called or emailed you back.
ONE customer that is interested in you, your product, or your service.
ONE business partner that seemingly comes out of nowhere.
ONE opportunity you have been waiting for.
ONE risk that you decide to take.
ONE sale.
ONE person that follows through on a promise.
ONE website user that loves your content.

A million little ones are going to add up both for you, your business, and your bank account.

Today I’ve definitely had one of those days and it just continues to be a flood of “ones” from an international distribution deal pending for The Rise To The Top, some amazing new sponsors coming on board, a crazy “business celebrity” contact made, a possible co-partner for our The Rise To The Top LIVE Series, good news on taxes, and much more.

It is days like today that keep you energized, humble, and remember the bigger picture. Now get out there and rack up the “ones”.

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist and Entrepreneurial Chameleon – www.therisetothetop.com

PS: Interested in working with me on any projects? Looking for a speaker/MC, help with creating video, or a whole slew of other opportunities? Check out the brand new “Work With David” page.

PPS: Let us know your thoughts about the NEW episode of The Rise To The Top featuring event tips and how to ask for help with special guest Sam Foxman.

Rise Underground: The Rise To The Top Entrepreneur Blog
The Rise To The Top: Entertaining, Energizing and Empowering Entrepreneurs

TV vs. Internet TV vs. Internet TV vs. Internet….the battle continues! But in exciting news, we are streamlining for fans of The Rise To The Top. Now you can get your The Rise To The Top online and TV at the same time.

Normally, we wait to release the show online until after it runs on ABC, but we have listened to our passionate base of Internet TV viewers and we are going to change the game.

Starting this Sunday (April 12th) we are going to be releasing new episodes of The Rise To The Top both on ABC in St. Louis AND on therisetothetop.com worldwide at the same time. This means you can count on new episodes wherever you like (coming soon on Itunes as well). We have a brand new layout, so make sure to check it out and of course let us know your feedback.

Tune in this Sunday (either online on on KDNL-ABC30 at 11 CST) to get a full meal of delicious entrepreneurship Episode #10: Creating A Dream Team and Entertainment Special with special guest Sam Foxman (pictured above) Senior Partner at Contemporary Productions, who has a laundry list of accomplishments including the launch of the Sprite.com brand in New York City, producing a ten-city tour for Rolling Stone Magazine, producing a five-city tour for The American Music Awards and regularly pushing the envelope of event innovation while rubbing elbows with top celebrities.

In this episode:
Our featured guest Sam Foxman discusses tips on starting a business and utilizing events to build your brand even without a million dollar budget.

Plus:

-How to ask for help when starting a business.
-How to use online keywords to attract new prospects/clients/customers with Adam Kreitman from Words That Click.
-The importance of event contracts with super lawyer Jeff Michelman from Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP
-How to follow up without being annoying.
-Hot Company feature on Wine Library TV and Gary Vaynerchuk (exclusive Gary Vaynerchuk interview coming this fall!)
-The Relationship Dr. Phil Dembo of 1st Date STL stops in to talk about the uncomfortable subject of PDA.
-Top ways to spice up your next event.
-Get off your couch and get involved in the arts scene + much, much more.

…Also don’t forget to tune into the exclusive after hours show Rise at Nite with much more from Sam Foxman available exclusively at therisetothetop.com

We hope you enjoy and would love to hear your feedback. I can’t wait to hear your success stories!

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist and Entrepreneurial Chameleon – http://www.therisetothetop.com

PS: Our FINAL DINNER AND DISCUSSIONS of the 1st Season is going to be absolutely amazing on April 22nd at Sub Zero Vodka and will include networking with top movers and shakers, a four course dinner, a killer presentation from Matt Brown and Ways of Being, and fantastic giveaways from sponsors including two hours of free concierge services from We Make It Happen Concierge Services. You can find out information and nab a spot early (invites go out early this week) by checking out the event page. Fun, dinner, networking, giveaways, and a high-energy innovative crowd for only $35 (at the event). Space is extremely limited and this one is going to be gearing up to be THE event of April. You can RSVP right now at RSVP@Dsgagency.com

Fans and viewers of The Rise To The Top will be in for a treat this weekend when Episode #11 Attracting Passionate Customers hits the airwaves on ABC in St. Louis and worldwide via therisetothetop.com with brand new content brought back from New York City to help inspire and educate entrepreneurs. “Entrepreneurship is everywhere!” proclaimed CEO/Host of The Rise To The Top David Siteman, “My obligation is to bring unique stories, compelling interviews, and tips to help entrepreneurs…and also remind folks that business is fun. Our new on-location shoots are going to add a lot of value to our viewers.”

While viewers will notice familiarity in this week’s The Rise To The Top including “Build Your Business” and “Get Off Your Couch and Get Involved” segments, there will also be new features including a special on the Kairos Society Summit in New York City which brought together the top collegiate entrepreneurs in the world, networking lessons from the St. Louis Business Expo and much more. Special guest co-owner/GM of the St. Louis Aces Professional Tennis Team Dani Apted Schlottman joins David to discuss building a passionate following as well as her interesting journey to the top.

The Rise To The Top: Entertaining, Empowering and Energizing Entrepreneurs can be viewed on ABC30 in St. Louis, Missouri at 11 AM every Sunday following “This Week With George Stephanopoulos as well as Tuesdays and Thursdays following “Jimmy Kimmel Live”. Shows are always available 24/7 in full television quality at www.therisetothetop.com

For Press Inquiries Please Email: media@DSGagency.com

Rise Underground: The Rise To The Top Entrepreneur Blog
The Rise To The Top: Entertaining, Energizing and Empowering Entrepreneurs

When you say the word hustle out loud, what comes to mind? Go ahead, try it…

Do you have a NEGATIVE viewpoint on hustle?

A rigged carnival game, illegal copies of DVD’s being sold on the street, drug dealers, or a pimp in a big purple hat.

Or do you have a POSITIVE viewpoint on hustle?

A favorite baseball player who was undersized but always hustled, giving it your all, getting out there selling, promoting, and working your head off. The underdog, the over-achiever, the one who outworks the rest.

This past weekend I competed in my own version of “The Amazing Race” in New York City….that combined actual hustle (running down the street), figurative hustle (landing the interviews) and lessons in hustle (how these entrepreneurs have the hustle down to a science).

I had less than 48 hours to conduct a massive amount of interviews including Scott Mednick (serial entrepreneur, founder of Legendary Pictures, executive producer on films such as 300, Superman Returns, We Are Marshall), Gary Vaynerchuk (Brand building rock star and celebrity…and personal hero of mine), Ankur Jain (Student-preneur and founder of The Kairos Society) and Ashley Cook and Danielle Dankner (Ash&Dans Clothing Line).

From NYC to the dirty jersey, we have captured some incredible interviews that will be aired on The Rise To The Top and The Rise at Nite both this season and into next season.

Here are a few hustles that I’ve encountered and have been repeatedly brought up in conversations with top entrepreneurs, rising entrepreneurs, and budding entrepreneurs. Whether you are extroverted, introverted or mute you can master the art of the hustle and your business will grow. Some are born hustlers and for others it is a learned technique similar to some people are born with a natural ability to do math (not me) while others study hard to become math whizzes.

1. Your horn was built for tooting. It is one thing to be humble and another thing to be a jerk, but if you are afraid to promote you and your business, you are not hustling. This does not mean turning your Twitter into an RSS feed for your blog or telling everyone how awesome you are, but it does mean making a conscious effort to promote, tell people what you are up to, and also have confidence in your accomplishments. Successful entrepreneurs are great self-promoters and believe in both their business and themselves.  Just don’t blow out the horn.

2. Screw Rejection. I remember trying to ask out a girl in 6th grade. I had no idea what I was doing and asked her out in the middle of a class…DURING the class with lots of people watching. Horrible idea. It didn’t work and I was super embarrassed. It is not that dissimilar from starting a business. You are taking a risk and putting yourself out there. Negabots will attack with their haterade. Hustlers don’t get embarrassed or upset,  they answer all emails (even the negative ones), respond to critics, make sales pitches, and make it happen no matter what. If someone told me I shouldn’t start a TV show without going to broadcasting school and having twenty years experience, I just look them in the face and say, “Thank you for your opinion. I respect that and I’m doing things a bit differently.”

3. Don’t be afraid of saying “No”. If you are hustling, opportunities will come your way. In Gary Vaynerchuk’s case, he gets hundreds of opportunities a week: Business deals, book deals, TV deals, interview requests (Plug: Gary is the MAN for accepting mine because he went with a his gut feeling…thanks Gary). If the opportunity isn’t right for you, say no. Don’t chase all the shiny red balls, just find the ones that work for you and your brand.

4. Knocking Down Doors. Often times the only way to knock down the door in the entrepreneurial hustling world is to blast it down. Cold-calling, asking friends for help, going to your family. Yes, it takes time but building a business takes hard, sweaty time. Ashley Cook and Danielle Dankner have an incredible story about their clothing line Ash&Dans where they went on a spree of cold calls and even showed up at shops with scarves in hand. And guess what? It worked. Now they are in four plus stores…and I’ll cut the story right there as to not spoil all the great stuff from these ladies coming on a future episode of The Rise To The Top.

5. Fuel With Small Victories. Building businesses takes patience and hustle. But, I know I have patience problems (Do you?). We all want results NOW which is the selling points of get-rich schemes, MLM’s, and other sketchy stuff. Fuel yourself with small victories: You were complimented on your business, a happy customer sends an email,  you made one website sale. It is easy to bask in the light of BIG victories (million dollar deals, new clients, a gazzilion web hits, whatever), but a series of small victories will give you the attitude burst to keep rolling.

In a nutshell, get out there, ignore the haters, build your business, and adjust your hustling thinking and your success will be limitless (aww warm fuzzy moment right there).

Upgrades are on the way! Keep an eye out on therisetothetop.com for upcoming special features, announcement of the releases of the big interviews including Gary Vaynerchuk, some new designs to increase usability, and more about our experts. More entrepreneurship, more tips and more fun.

There will also be some exciting announcements soon about the final “Dinner and Discussions” speed networking event for Season #1, our “Summer Business Break” Series and our new online programming (good news online fans: shows will be released on ABC and online at the same time).

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist – http://www.therisetothetop.com

As you are reading this, I’m on my way to New York for an entrepreneurial extravaganza this weekend and I’m certainly pumped about this one. For 48 hours I’m going to be interviewing, hanging out and covering some amazing events and people from the Kairos Society Summit/Gala to the YES Movie Premier mixed in with a little Gary Vaynerchuk.

The message is clear. Even in this down economy there is success and amazing entrepreneurs around every corner. From the young to the young-at-heart, it is going to be an amazing expedition and I can’t wait to share stories, lessons, and interviews with all of you on The Rise To The Top.

Here are three you should know about who I will be interviewing this weekend.

1. Gary Vaynerchuk: The social-media, wine-library, out-spoken, Internet-celeb. He just signed a SEVEN (yes, that would be over $1,000,000) book deal, has been rocking Twitter with close to 150,000 followers, and his Wine Library TV draws 80,000+ viewers a day to watch the wild man talk wine. Gary is a living example of passion, how to monetize passions and building brands.

You can find out more about Gary at Wine Library TV and GaryVaynerchuk.com

2. Louis Lautman: Visionary, filmmaker, awesome human being: I like to call Louis my bizarro (made up word, go with it) long-lost brother. Louis started the Young Entrepreneur Society and then went on a quest to interview young entrepreneurs making millions at a young age. The result is “The YES Movie” which will be making its east coast premier this weekend. Guaranteed to fire you up.

You can find out more at Young Entrepreneur Society and The YES Movie

3. Ankur Jain: Entrepreneurial advocate, student, leader: Ankur started the Kairos Society designed to be an exclusive entrepreneurial tribe of top college students. He has an incredible advisory board and his hosting the first ever “Kairos Society Summit” aboard the USS Intrepid in NYC this weekend with 500 of the top college entrepreneurs attending as well as the “Top 100 Student Companies In America” being honored.

You can find out more by checking out the Kairos Society

Here is a bit more about the weekend festivities:
Kairos Summit Brings Together the Top Collegiate Entrepreneurs with World Leaders & Industry Icons to Help Reinvent the American Dream in These Tough Economic Times
Invite-only event to be held on April 3-4 at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in New York

New York, NY– Kairos Society, a non-profit organization, was founded in 2007 to foster an entrepreneurial culture among college students. Kairos is providing the opportunity for the students to bring their innovations from dorm rooms to the center stage under the guidance and mentorship of today’s business leaders.  In an age of economic and employment uncertainty, these young entrepreneurs are taking control of their own futures by building ventures that are likely to become the leading businesses of tomorrow. These entrepreneurs are building socially responsible ventures that are not only focused on doing well, but doing good.

The event’s welcome addresses will be given by the 42nd President of United States of America, William J. Clinton, and William Gates Sr., co-chairman of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, via video. Other successful leaders who will be addressing these young college  entrepreneurs  include Admiral Bill Owens, CEO and Chairman of AEA Holdings ASIA & former Vice Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff; Bill White, President Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund; Scott Mednick, co- founder of Legendary Pictures and Mandalay Branded Entertainment; Ellen Kullman, CEO of DuPont; Bill Condit, former CEO of The Boeing Company;  Joe Plumeri, CEO of Willis Group Holdings Limited; and Naveen Jain, CEO of Intelius Inc.

Ankur Jain, founder and President of Kairos Society, a sophomore at the Wharton School of Business, credits his father with giving him the tools to develop the mindset of an entrepreneur.

“My father instilled in me the idea that everyone can shape their own destiny; they can’t wait for things to happen, they have to make them happen,” said Jain. “There has never been a better time to be an entrepreneur. Many of the successful enterprises were started during tough economic times. The passion of these young entrepreneurs with their innovative ideas can reinvent the American dream of building a better tomorrow.”

The Summit’s gala event will include a dinner on the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier. There over 1300 years of professional experience will converge with 500 of the country’s most innovative students. The gala will feature several panels and an awards ceremony, which will honor top student innovative ventures for their achievements.

“We are extremely fortunate to live in a country where we have the freedom to be innovative and entrepreneurial,” said Ankur. “We owe this freedom to our forefathers and the men and women who have given their lives in service to our country. For this reason, we are honored to host this event on the USS Intrepid, a symbol of this freedom.”

The Kairos Society’s advisory board is a who’s who of global leadership and includes Scott Mednick; Chris Kitze, founder of Xoom.com; Bill White, President of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund; Rajat K. Gupta, Managing Director Worldwide at McKinsey & Co.; and Bill Owens, former U.S. Vice Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff. Along with Mednick, Kitze and White will be speaking at the Summit.

All of the board members say they got involved with the organization because they believe in what the Society can do to foster tomorrow’s top entrepreneurs. In the words of Bill Owens: “In this world, in which ‘everything is changing’, I believe the spirit of entrepreneurship, open-minded capitalism and glowing global relations will be of the utmost value. I think that this Society believes in that spirit, and that it will do much to enhance these most promising students’ futures. I’m proud to be a small part of that!”

“I have been speaking to business and entrepreneur programs at colleges and universities for many years,” said Mednick. “In my interaction with these future business leaders their thirst for knowledge and information from those who have been on the front lines has been insatiable. In putting together the opportunity to bring a breadth of business leaders together with these bright minds is not only a great idea but one that will help create a vibrant community of business leaders for years to come.”

“We’re proud to support an organization that has the potential to inspire and cultivate the next generation of business owners, innovators and entrepreneurs,” said Naveen Jain, CEO and founder of Intelius. “The students being recognized at this event demonstrate inspiring out-of-the-box thinking and bring new methodologies to the table. In today’s economy we can’t rely on what’s already been done, the only way to move forward is through innovation.”

Intelius and the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum are the title sponsors for the Summit.

ABOUT THE KAIROS SOCIETY

The Kairos Society is a non-profit organization founded by a group of students designed to foster an entrepreneurial culture among college students based on three guiding principles: Inspiration, Experience, and Innovation. It is the organization’s goal to inspire students to become more entrepreneurial by bringing together the best undergraduates from across the country, the greatest entrepreneurial firms, and the most passionate mentors.  Currently Kairos has brought together many of the top entrepreneurial students from the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard, Stanford, Tufts, Duke, MIT, Emory, Furman, USC, Columbia, NYU, Babson, Claremont McKenna, Pomona, Scripps, Harvey Mudd, Northeastern, University of Michigan, and Penn State.

Live Passionately! – David Siteman Garland – The Creative Opportunities Specialist and Entrepreneurial Chameleon – http://www.therisetothetop.com