Round 3... Fight!

   The next round of funding in the Akron-Cleveland area will soon be but there announced In Northeast Ohio we are a fan of the arts but there is no pilot season. Finally, sticking our heads up out of our proverbial blue collars and not (quite) attracting the attention  angel investors we get grades on our regions ingenuity How will we grade out will there be a groupon that takes the world by storm. It  has to be more than an app (more) dynamic.I am not saying I'm campaigning for me but I did submit.

  Best Buy will also be opening 500 stations for 3d printing projects I called my local best buy and for as helpful as they tried to be there was nothing they could add to the story at this time. I also wanted to report on the mini maker faire in Akron first person but I was out sick unfortunately. (But hopefully, 3rd party accounts will suffice.)

Yin and Yang

   Let’s talk about weaknesses we can turn into strengths. For all the star gazing allowances people make for us to explore uncharted areas we have to distill our ideas for the publics consumption because most investors are not looking to involve themselves in a concept so involved that it fizzles out. As the authors we want room for growth and flexibility sometimes the worst nightmare for a startup is to have their name placed on a warped viewpoint of their vision and have to use that as a foundation. Next comes the pitch where we find an audience that wants to move forward with us and we take them on our journey. As an engineer when I was younger I found it difficult to paint a pretty picture. Because I knew of inherent problems that were present that would not stop me but that I didn’t know ere insurmountable obstacles to others. To me it became a coping skill. I got used to it not being my way or the highway and still keeping focus. Where this does become a problem is on follow-up. Where you have the entire map in front of you, on a follow-up they just want to drop a pin for GPS addressing this problem. Is where the art of business is plied.

Cross Training

                If I have confidence in myself that’s one thing but confidence in a future a yr. 5 yr. and 10 yrs. Out is another. As much as is I want an organic relationship ambition requires planning so relying on others that my confidence won’t take me for granted is another. I can accept failing because of my own faults and imperfections. But another area is where a relationship is tested. Because different perspectives lead to different results and personal and professional growth is a part of that process. Let’s talk about training it’s like the anti-blog fit in a structure and get your piece of paper and get a return. I would here this process and I would bristle, you can’t adapt or innovate in this space it’s too cookie cutter. But I keep a schedule and have had on professionally as it helps with goal setting period.

The prism of the minds eye

How do you keep up the entrepreneurial spirit? For me I'm a grinder I know barring extenuating circumstances give me a goal or a milestone and I will take steps towards it if I saw the Eiffel tower or in my case the terminal tower, and if you told me to walk towards it because a valuable commodity to me was there. I'm going I'll sketch out a plan problem solve on the fly and get there. Decision making is a crucial part    of the entrepreneurial campaign. Corporations have boards and stockholders that govern. But you are your own sovereign state so no glass ceiling, the sky's the limit. You have plausible deniability because you own those sleeplessness nights, where doubt live and progress slows. So my solution is by plane, train or automobile you make it and show along after otherwise how can a dreamer be so focused?

New Akron

I found the seminar informative, exciting and beneficial. The seminar was led by a subsidiary of 3d systems. Steve Weatherford led us through PowerPoint presentations. Samples were passed around and a history of additive manufacturing was given. The room seemed to have a lot of scouts corporate wanted to see rapid prototyping effect on their immediate plans. Then the local flair kicked in where there will be a Weatherford/ 3d systems center in downtown Akron.So as you can imagine my eyes lit up. Immediately I was thinking that many of my capabilities and vision could come true next year. Late birthday present and very enlightening. Basically they came out of the gate saying they were going to embarrass the offerings of thinkbox at CSU and the additive manufacturing. So they are now looking for academic, startup and corporate connections in Akron. I'm not saying I'm super plugged in but hopefully I've positioned myself as a viable source.

Summation of Education

Stem aid in Ohio there is a competition that Ohio students can win that should stay in our wheel house. I can identify because with my AP physics class and through study, luck a strong academic challenge team we all received scholarships to the U of A. I was the only one who took advantage although 3 or 4 of us went into STEM careers and more majored. This was the right type of stimulus for me and I also believe that this provided leverage for institutions to give me insight on why I should continue when employers feel like you have earned something they tend to think you also want to earn your career. Which is why I'm putting together an online curriculum for the fall and investigating finishing either an associates or certificate in paralegal studies that will hopefully help with corralling my corner of the 3d printing industry while continuing my work as a consultant and entering and hopefully winning a start up competition.

Local 3d systems non webinar

3d systems is bringing a seminar to little old Akron and guess who they decided to invite!? A phone call and everything. I tried to gain interest of one of my friends that has recently built one. But I know I am of an inquisitive mind and want to compare experiences he has other things going on and is not so eager at this point. But September 16, I'll be there scouting out locals (hopefully some from tech pint) I expect it will be small nut the big company in a little city, burgeoning industry should be interesting! Now I just have to come up with some insightful questions!