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Friday, June 29, 2012
Accepting Applications: America's Leaders of Change 2012-2013
The National Urban Fellows is accepting applications for the 2012-2013 cohort of their America's Leaders of Change executive leadership program. Leveraging an inclusive leadership model, the program contributes to the organization's public service leadership diversity initiative. See below for more details and consider joining the effort to inspire and advocate for excellence and diversity in public service!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
You're Invited: MOJO Start-Up Mixer 3
Starting something new and ready to mix things up? Tonight's the night for the third MOJO Mixer featuring speed mentoring for startups. Join a crew of great Agitators and subject matter experts for a chance to practice your elevator pitch, get some guidance, and be inspired by the entrepreneurial community and mojo that's alive and well in Minnesota!
MOJO Mixer 3 - Speed Mentoring for Startups
Hosted By: MOJO Minnesota - support from Ovative Group
The MOJO Mixer is back - for startup founders/CEOs.
Come to meet, greet and mingle in the urban confines of Ovative Group (Open Book on Wash.) and get expert guidance and advice on the issues, questions and challenges you face in building and growing your startup.
We will have MOJO Agitators and other professional subject matter experts available on a first come, first-served basis, to answer questions, provide ideas and suggestions, and perhaps even connections, to budding entrepreneurs' questions.
These MOJO Agitators will be in the house:
Mary Meehan (founder, Iconoculture, Panoramix Global) - consumer insights, general marketing, starting and growing a successful startup
Tim Bachman (Principal, Primordial Soup) - Product Development, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Industrial Design
Rick Brimacomb (Brimacomb & Assoc.) - financing of early stage startups, capital structures, startup processes
Ernest Grumbles III (Adams Monahan) - IP strategy (patents, TM's, trade secrets), legal strategies for launch
Kim Garretson (Ovative) - innovation trends among mass retailers, media companies and agencies
Marti Nyman (Altavail Partners, LLC) - startup advisory, launch options, financing and business development
Parag Shah (Prodality) - opportunity identification, technology solutions
Joy Lindsay (Startec Investments), startup financing, venture capital, early stage technology startups
John Berns (Duane Morris Government Strategies) -how startups can connect with government and make their needs known to government
Brad Lehrman (Soffer Charbonnet)- Entrepreneurial venture attorney, venture capital and startup financing
Also joining in for the fun will be Becky Aistrup, SBIR/STTR grant specialist at the MN Science & Technology Authority. She will be there to talk on process and purpose for this awesome form of non-dilutive capital.
The event is open to all entrepreneurs who have begun the launch of their business, as defined by one or more of the following:
- beta products launched
- proof of concepts developed
- customers engaged (paying, beta, pilot, etc.)
- team assembled and working
- initial funding provided (bootstrapped, friends & family, angels, etc.)
This should be a high-speed educational/inspirational networking event for entrepreneurs of the Twin Cities. Refreshments will be served and doors open at 6:00 p.m.
Thanks to sponsor and local host Ovative Group.
When you sign up, add a comment with your name, company (if named) and one thing you want to learn about.
Thanks!
For more information on MOJO, go to www.mojominnesota.com.
For more info on the event, email ernest grumbles.
Location:
Ovative Group
Open Book, Suite 350
1011 Washington Ave. S
Minneapolis 55415
1011 Washington Ave. S
Minneapolis 55415
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
You're Invited: SMBMSP #46 - Career Planning, featuring Paul DeBettignies
Starting to consider what's next for you and your career? Whether you're looking to move a level up where you are currently or want to start exploring a sector or job switch, @MNHeadhunter, Paul DeBettignes, will offer practical tips for being prepared to take the next step at this Friday's SMBMSP #46. Details for registration follow, as well as the opportunity to send Paul questions in advance at paul@mnheadhunter.com or via tweet at @smbmsp. Send your queries in early so you can focus your attention on snagging bacon in the breakfast buffet line!
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Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Accepting Applications: AchieveMpls Seeks Alumni for Steering Committee!
I'm in the midst of helping to plan my upcoming 10-year high school reunion and am prouder than ever to be Irish at heart! Whether or not you still identify with your local mascot, perhaps you also still appreciate the classmates, teachers, and subjects that were a part of your educational formation. If you graduated from a Minneapolis public high school and want to give back in a big way, consider joining their inaugural Minneapolis Public Schools Alumni Network Steering Committee. The recruitment deadline is this Friday, so get your application in quick: handing in your homework late is so 10 years ago.
AchieveMpls Seeks Alumni for Steering Committee!
Are you a proud alum of a Minneapolis public high school? AchieveMpls is seeking motivated and energetic alumni of the Minneapolis Public Schools to serve on the Steering Committee of the newly formed MPS Alumni Network.
The MPS Alumni Network
The MPS Alumni Network is comprised of alumni of all Minneapolis public high schools who are committed to supporting public education in Minneapolis. The Network supports current MPS students in preparing for college and careers, promotes greater understanding of the strengths and challenges of MPS and connects MPS alumni from all backgrounds for increased personal and professional success.
Steering Committee members set the direction for the Network by determining its strategy and activities in its first year. Serving on the Steering Committee gives members the chance to expand their social and professional networks while developing valuable leadership skills.
Commitment
Steering Committee members serve for one year and spend approximately 2 hours per month on their duties including attending meetings, planning events and conducting outreach. They are also expected to become dues-paying members of the Network by paying the $25 annual membership fee.
Join Us!
Steering Committee members are being recruited through June 30. For more information or to express interest in serving on the Steering Committee, please contact Rebecca Noecker, Manager of Business and Non-profit Partnerships, at 612-455-1571 or rnoecker@achievempls.org.
AchieveMpls Seeks Alumni for Steering Committee!
Are you a proud alum of a Minneapolis public high school? AchieveMpls is seeking motivated and energetic alumni of the Minneapolis Public Schools to serve on the Steering Committee of the newly formed MPS Alumni Network.
The MPS Alumni Network
The MPS Alumni Network is comprised of alumni of all Minneapolis public high schools who are committed to supporting public education in Minneapolis. The Network supports current MPS students in preparing for college and careers, promotes greater understanding of the strengths and challenges of MPS and connects MPS alumni from all backgrounds for increased personal and professional success.
Steering Committee members set the direction for the Network by determining its strategy and activities in its first year. Serving on the Steering Committee gives members the chance to expand their social and professional networks while developing valuable leadership skills.
Commitment
Steering Committee members serve for one year and spend approximately 2 hours per month on their duties including attending meetings, planning events and conducting outreach. They are also expected to become dues-paying members of the Network by paying the $25 annual membership fee.
Join Us!
Steering Committee members are being recruited through June 30. For more information or to express interest in serving on the Steering Committee, please contact Rebecca Noecker, Manager of Business and Non-profit Partnerships, at 612-455-1571 or rnoecker@achievempls.org.
Monday, June 25, 2012
Eyes of compassion
-Thich Nhat Hanh
Friday, June 22, 2012
[Friday Fun] RootsTalk: Minnesota Rising
This week, I'm at the Grassroots Solutions staff retreat, having a ball reconnecting with colleagues and focusing heavily on the topic of relationship-building. While I'm away, I figure I can share my RootsTalk (a 5-minute Ted Talk-style presentation) from our companywide retreat in 2011. It's the quintessential introductory talk to Minnesota Rising, so I'm posting it for purposes of posterity as well as a little bit less text to take in on a Friday morning. Enjoy the audio/visual!
Thursday, June 21, 2012
You're Invited | Leadership Story Swap: Inspire and be inspired
YNPN Twin Cities will be hosting their national organization's first-ever Executive Director in Minnesota later this month and invites you to inspire and be inspired. During the Leadership Story Swap, Trista Harris of Headwaters Foundation and Trish Tschume of YNPN National will share their personal journeys of leadership and in so doing, provide inspiration for local leaders to reflect on their own pathways and practices in leading. Bring your story, and walk away with even more!
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Wednesday, June 20, 2012
You're Invited: LEAD Happy Hour
Tomorrow is the longest day of the year, and the official start of summer! The LEAD Project invites you out to a happy hour benefiting The A-list and their activities for local teens, including youth employment opportunities, after-school programs, and supporting artistic expression and development. Join the fun on the Solera rooftop and raise a glass to supporting a good cause while having a good time!
The A-list’s mission is to provide a cool yet safe environment for teens to hang out and develop themselves personally and professionally in a youth-led environment. It’s based on a new and revolutionary model of youth engagement. We provide employment opportunities for youth through our snack and apparel business units. We run afterschool programs that promote education and employment. We host evening events for teens to build and showcase their talents such as dances, battle of the bands, open mic nights, and hip hop classes.
It’s officially summer – and as the temperature continues to rise, so does the need for some drinks to quench your thirst. So, why not join LEAD at a summer Happy Hour to benefit a local nonprofit organization?
We hope you’ll join us on Thursday, June 21st from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Solera for some cocktails, complimentary appetizers and networking. We’ll be up on the second floor, with indoor and outdoor space depending on the weather and your mood.
The cost is $20, with the proceeds from the event benefiting The A-list.
In addition to supporting a great organization, you’ll get some delicious appetizers including chicken and beef pinchos, chicken croquetas, cheese, and fresh fruit and vegetables. We’ll also be giving away a few drink tickets – so be sure to bring your business cards (oh, and bring them for networking too!)
Not familiar with The A-list? Here’s some more information about them, in their own words!
The A-list’s mission is to provide a cool yet safe environment for teens to hang out and develop themselves personally and professionally in a youth-led environment. It’s based on a new and revolutionary model of youth engagement. We provide employment opportunities for youth through our snack and apparel business units. We run afterschool programs that promote education and employment. We host evening events for teens to build and showcase their talents such as dances, battle of the bands, open mic nights, and hip hop classes.Tuesday, June 19, 2012
You're Invited | "Millenial Leadership: Different by Design" World Cafe
"Millenial Leadership: Different by Design" World Cafe
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
5:30PM - 8:30PM
Grassroots Solutions
The Millennial generation is described as being the most diverse generation in U.S. history, distinctly known for having come of age in the digital era, and for rivaling the Baby Boomers in population. Millennials have already begun to demonstrate an interest in helping to make a positive change, whether through their purchasing power, volunteer hours, or taking action via social media. As this generation begins its journey and rises to higher levels of leadership, it will be essential to develop the tools, skills, and relationships necessary to lead in a new way.
- What are the unique and timeless traits that characterize our generation and how will we lead in a bold way that remains relevant to how society, technology, and politics are rapidly changing?
- How can we make sure that the talents and qualities that help us to engage others and accomplish good work are recognized, validated, and valued?
Join us to explore these questions and more through an interactive World Cafe format. Email minnesotarising@gmail.com to save a seat for yourself and please help spread the word so we get a diverse cross-section of young Minnesotans in leadership!
Monday, June 18, 2012
Wide open
Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos
"Hospitality means primarily the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. It is not to bring men and women over to our side, but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines. It is not to lead our neighbor into a corner where there are no alternatives left, but to open a wide spectrum of options for choice and commitment."
-Henri Nouwen
Friday, June 15, 2012
You're Invited: Citizens League Intergenerational Energy Policy Tour
For all you hands-on learners, the Citizens League Emerging Leaders are hosting a chance for you to grapple with the big issues with their upcoming Intergenerational Energy Policy Tour. Join them at a tour of the District Energy plant in downtown St. Paul to learn first-hand about co-generation and district heating and cooling. Get behind-the-scenes and get ahead of the trends in renewable energy and how we'll continue to power Minnesota's industry and innovation in years to come!
Energy Policy Tour
Wednesday,
June 20
5:30-7:30pm
District
Energy
Free for
Citizens League members and $10.00 for non-members
light
snacks and beverages provided
Space is
limited to the first 25 to register.
Energy
is one of the most important policy issues of today and one that will greatly
impact the competitiveness of Minnesota in the years ahead.
Come learn more about energy
issues first-hand on the second Inter-Generational Policy Tour. We'll be
touring the District Energy plant
in downtown St. Paul to learn about the plant's operations in the areas of
renewable energy, co-generation, and district heating and cooling. Following
the tour, we'll have an opportunity to discuss what we've seen and learn more
about the Citizens League's work on energy policy.
The Policy Tour Series provides
the opportunity to get a behind the scenes look at the inner workings of
notable locations in Minnesota followed by a discussion with leading policy
thinkers. This series is part of the Citizens League's Inter-Generational event
offerings, and is hosted by our Emerging Leaders Committee.
Our 2012 Inter-Generational
events are generously sponsored by
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Minnesotans on the rise: Sarah Burt of Saucy Burt's!
Sarah Burt is the saucy owner of Saucy Burt’s, a fun and
fabulous food cart on the corner of 8th and Nicollet in downtown
Minneapolis! Even though Sarah is a
relative newcomer to the Minneapolis food scene, she is clearly here to
stay. Though Minneapolis has lately seen a growing trend of all
things food, Sarah located a hole and had just the
product to fill it – her meatball sandwich.
Like most professionals, Sarah did not have a direct path
leading her into entrepreneurship and even with the amount of joy cooking
brings to her, she has not had it easy. Aside from the incredible amount of pre-work
there is to owning a business, Sarah had to cook for 12-14 hours a day in the early
days of running Saucy Burt’s.
1. You cannot hide from social media, so use it to your best advantage. That means engaging your network. Without her built-in social network of online supporters, Sarah might not have had the initial success she did.
3. Do what makes you happy.
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| photo credit |
Sarah’s takeaways from this experience include insights that other young professionals can incorporate into their lives. She has a few tips to share with other young
professionals:
1. You cannot hide from social media, so use it to your best advantage. That means engaging your network. Without her built-in social network of online supporters, Sarah might not have had the initial success she did.
Thanks to social media, Sarah had a built-in fan club. Sarah had about 1,000 Facebook friends for her personal page before the launch of Saucy Burt’s. She frequently communicated food related thoughts, pictures, reviews, updates, etc., through various social media outlets. This integrated fan base gave her the momentum and pushes she needed to keep moving forward.
Sarah credits her remarkably successful launch to the growth of the food network and word of mouth. Sarah was quick to point out that the word of mouth piece comes in two parts: the first being the more traditional word-of-mouth taking place off-line in the form of personal conversations and the second, and arguably the most important type of word-of-mouth, is the online messaging spread via digital social networks.
Another contributing factor to her immediate success was the drop of Heavy Table’s piece on Sarah’s food cart, Saucy Burt’s. Couple Heavy Table’s article with the fact that Saucy Burt’s was secretly shopped by the Star Tribune’s food critic Rick Nelson, who of course gave a glowing review of Saucy Burt’s Classic Meatball Sandwich.
2. Find a mentor. Having the ability to brainstorm
with someone who had already found success in the food industry was critical
for Sarah.
Of course, there were many steps in between her initial days as a cook at Haute Dish and the launch of Saucy Burt’s, but after a lot of planning Sarah was finally ready to begin her entrepreneurial journey and open her food cart. First thing on the long list of to-dos was to find a mentor – someone who to guide her through the process of opening her own business. She successfully found the perfect mentor thanks to the website Mentor Planet, which uses the same algorithms as many on-line dating sites to pair mentors to mentees. With the help of her mentor, Sarah began to find other leaders within her sector that were able to guide her though some of the back work that she needed to consider: building a long-term business plan, some expected pitfalls to anticipate, how to secure a small business loan, etc.
Now that Saucy Burt’s is established and Sarah officially has her saucy brand, she has found what means the most to her: sharing her passion for cooking with her supporters. Sarah really wants to continue engaging the food community here in Minnesota. She keeps her fans up-to-date through Facebook, Twitter, and more she often uses these tools to share a piece of her day or any other information about daily life at Saucy Burt’s. Sharing these real life experiences and bits and pieces of daily life are how she continues to engage with her network and continue to build support for her brand.
Sarah has broadened her food cart options this year. She now has Saucy Chicken Meatball Sandwich as well as the Classic Meatball Sandwich, for those customers who want all the saucy goodness of the Classic Meatball Sandwich, but might not be so keen on the pork.
So, if you find yourself downtown Minneapolis you should stop by her cart on the corner of 8th and Nicollet, and in the meantime follow her on Facebook or Twitter!
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
You're Invited: GenYWCA Fitness Social!
With a wide variety of fitness classes, social games, and networking activities, GenYWCA's upcoming Fitness Social is the perfect sweat-working opportunity. Join other young supporters of the YWCA of Minneapolis for a fun night of free activities, including InBody assessments and prize drawings. There'll be music to inspire movement, a view of downtown Minneapolis that's sure to thrill, and plenty of new friends to bond and survive with at Boot Camp!
GenYWCA Fitness Social
GenYWCA is a great group of young leaders who support the mission of the YWCA of Minneapolis.
Join us for this FREE event featuring fun fitness activities, delicious snacks and a great view of Downtown Minneapolis from the YWCA rooftop. Come dressed ready to be active.
When: Thursday, June 28, 2012
Time: 5:30-7:30 pm
Where: Downtown YWCA, 1130 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
Schedule:
Enjoy Boot Camp, Mat Pilates, and Zumba at any of the three class times below! Mix it up or stick to one to enjoy a full workout. Join in the games, including four-square and bean bag toss.
5:40-6:00 pm
Mini-Fitness Classes
6:10-6:30 pm
Mini-Fitness Classes
6:30-7:00 pm
Program featuring the YWCA’s Strong Fast Fit youth program
7:00-7:20 pm
Mini-Fitness Classes
ALL NIGHT
FREE InBody assessments ($20 value!) and the chance to win some great prizes in our drawing!
Parking and Check-In Information:
· Please bring the ticket Eventbrite emails you following registration. When you arrive at the YWCA, you will need to check in at the front desk. Please do not park in the YWCA lot.
· Metered parking is available along 12th Street and there are a number of ramps within walking distance. Biking or bussing is recommended (consider it a warm-up to your workout!).
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
You're Invited: Minnesota Rising 2012 Un/Conference Planning Kick-Off Meeting
Minnesota Rising 2012 Un/Conference Planning Kick-Off Meeting
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Grassroots Solutions
5:30pm - 7:30pm
We're excited to be kicking off the planning process for Minnesota Rising's third annual Un/Conference, slated for Fall 2012, and looking for it to be the most innovative yet! Join us to consider how we can best engage and showcase young Minnesotans, expand our capacities to imagine and work toward thriving communities, and have a whole lot of fun in the process! Feel free to send ideas for sessions, formats, speakers, as well as meeting RSVPs, to minnesotarising@gmail.com. We'll have the welcome mat out!
Monday, June 11, 2012
Friday, June 8, 2012
Accepting Applications: Headwaters Foundation Fall 2012 Social Justice Leadership Institute
The Headwaters Foundation for Justice is recruiting for its second cohort of the Social Justice Leadership Institute. Using a social justice philanthropy model, the Institute engages emerging leaders in shared learning, reflection, and action related to grassroots fundraising and organizing. Consider applying if your interest is not only in doing social justice organizing work but also generating the resources necessary to fund and support its infrastructure. Details on upcoming information sessions follows!
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