Innovators Peak
Month
Last week we discussed how technology can’t trick you into working out, that it’s more important to be inspired to care about fitness. But did we offer a solution? No. Should we? Probably. Will we? Of course we are. (Do we still think that Bob Harper can’t tell us what to do? You’re damn right.)
Just because technology tries to trick you into working out doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to be inspired from it. You can, in fact, use tech, apps, and things of the like in their simplest functions to get you motivated to work on your fitness. And no, you don’t have to have pretend zombies “chasing” you as you go for a run (but it is kinda fun…).
So, how can you use technology to motivate exercising in the first place? Well…
First, you should take a selfie. A before selfie pic to get things going is always a good idea. Then, as you progress, you can look back on it as inspiration. Or, better yet, take a shirtless selfie once a week so you can scroll through your own personal fitness progress flip-book. For those of us who are motivated visually, this is a great method to track your progress without installing an app or looking at those pesky numbers.
You know what they say about the weekend… Wait… do they say anything about the weekend? I don’t think they do, but they should. Or maybe they do, and I’m just not aware. Hmm…
Whatever, we don’t have time for this nonsense, it’s time to figure out what your plans for the weekend are! We spoke with those beautiful people at EveryBlock to round up all the hot weekend activities for you to plug into your calendar.
So, whatcha doin’ this weekend?
Who doesn’t love grains? Who doesn’t love a healthy serving of barley, wheat, oats, rye, qunioa, corn, millet, amaranth, or sorghum (whatever the hell that is)? Wouldn’t you just love to grow all that stuff in your own yard? “But I can’t, I don’t live on a farm.” You don’t have to if you check out this instruction course on how to harvest, thresh, winnow, and cook these grains that are often not grown within city limits. Grow your own grains right at home! // 4 p.m., $20 suggested; Denver Sustainability Park; 2500 Lawrence St.
Casual sports fans: Want to be able to keep up with the sports conversation every week at work? We’re offering a solution in 2015. Each week this NFL season we’re bringing you all of the essentials you need to know about the Broncos’ last game as well as what you need to know as they head into their next matchup.
Huddle up! Here we go:
That one was a nail biter. For a while there, it looked a lot like Peyton Manning was about to put on as horrible a show as he did against the Ravens in Week One. The Kansas City Chiefs were able to get out to an early 14-0 lead before being edged out 31-24 by the Broncos Thursday night. While Peyton took a lot of heat for the slow start with a pick-six once again (he’s getting old, his skills are declining, etc.), the offensive line deserves a lot of blame for their terrible blocking.
This was, however, nothing Manning couldn’t eventually overcome by tossing three touchdowns for 256 yards.
The “jumped out of my seat” moment came on Jamaal Charles’ second fumble of the night that cornerback Bradley Roby was able to scoop and score to put the Broncos in the lead with nine seconds left and solidify the 2-0 record. It’s great to see this second year first-round pick starting to pay off.
Yeah, buddy.
“Shut up and let me fund you!” | Image.
Not so fast, Fry. The first instance of formalized crowdfunding surfaced in 1997 with a British band funding a reunion tour. Since then, it’s become a viable and accessible way to fundraise for anyone with Internet access, especially in recent years with booming services like Kickstarter and Indiegogo. And hey, it might even be the solution to an entire country’s economic crisis (“Let’s just get Greece sorted”). Maybe.
But there’s been a few instances of crowdfunding no-nos. You’ve probably seen them in your newsfeed: crowdfunding for no legitimate reason (boob job, anyone?). Or the call for money that’s more like asking for $20 to go to the mall rather than for a few bucks to actually make a change in the world.
There’s a line for crowdfunding – when it’s appropriate and when it’s not – that shouldn’t be crossed. That’s why this week’s Tip of the Peak is When (and When Not) to Use Crowdfunding. Ask yourself these questions before taking the time to launch an Indiegogo campaign for your skate shop or vape store, bro.
Image: Facebook
In case you haven’t heard, Denver Startup Week, which runs from Mon., Sept. 28, to Fri., Oct. 2, is right around the corner. The collection of events spans across multiple venues and is designed to highlight the ways in which startups make Denver a valuable, community-oriented figure in the larger entrepreneurial scene.
If event session titles like “Brad and Sean’s Excellent Canadian Adventure,” “Cannabis Data: APIs & Otherwise,” and “A Clay Model and a 3D Printer walk into a bar…” aren’t enough to convince you to attend, here are a few more reasons why Denver Startup Week is an event you can’t afford to miss.
Images via Jennie Lou Art.
We have a winner, baby.
The Commons on Champa found the perfect artist to add a little more beauty and creativity to their space.
Graphic designer-turned-painter Jennie Lou Pitts is that artist, and we sat down with her to find out why she applied, what her plans are for the Commons, and more.
This fact is thanks to the large number of startups we boast. New companies nowadays are all about company culture — something you won’t find often at some fancy corporate gig. Companies are beginning to take note of the fact that coming to work and enjoying it is equally as important as the money you’ll get from it. Employees are, of course, spending as much time at work as they are with their families.
Colorado startups are taking the lead in this regard. Rather than talking about it anymore, we crowd sourced some reasons why it’s great to work at Colorado companies from some of our entrepreneur friends in Denver and Boulder. Here’s what they had to say:
Sam of recruitment software startup JobAdder tells us: “We’re a close-knit team made up of the sort of people that support each other and are always looking to improve each others’ lives. I know it sounds corny but I genuinely love working with these people.”
At designer menswear label NINOX, the perks go beyond the bounds of the office.
“We are inspired by art and nature,” co-founder Allie Thielens tells us. “So we hike, fish, bike and attend art exhibits as a team. We work hard, laugh a lot, are challenged by new things almost daily and have incredible customers.”
“All of this fitness tech just makes me want to take a nap!”
For one of the most obese countries in the world, we sure are obsessed with fitness.
Everywhere you look you see magazine headlines reading, How to Get Fit in Less Than a Week, news stories on how to maintain a work out routine and exercise equipment that’s supposed to give you a 20-minute daily workout while simultaneously doing as little activity as possible. It’s all supposed to make working out easier, more convenient, and, well, make working out feel like less of a chore. And with the introduction of technology, combined with celebrity endorsements, it’s gotten harder and harder to find excuses to NOT work out.
Or has it?
Youth on Record (YOR), a Denver nonprofit focused on music education for at-risk youth, is a perfect example of using innovative thinking to fuel community growth.
Through the collaboration of the local music community and the philanthropic/public sector, Youth on Record provides intensive, for-credit music classes and fosters mentorships to empower youth to graduate and develop the skills needed to work or pursue a post-secondary education. Today it serves over 700 young people in five Denver Public Schools, two local residential treatment centers and at their Youth Media Studio, opened in partnership with the Denver Housing Authority (DHA) in La Alma/Lincoln Park in 2014.
Good morning, Denver. What’s good? Having a wonderfully groggy Thursday morning? I sure hope you all are, because you’re going to need that energy to get you through not just today, but the entire weekend. Oh yes, we’ve got some good stuff for you to get into this weekend thanks to the fine people at EveryBlock.
So, let’s jump right into it, yeah? Yeah.
These days, getting diagnosed with breast cancer requires more than just having the basic day-to-day facts. Getting the best care you can possibly get means knowing where to find trusted information and support for, not just yourself, but for your loved ones. Cancer is hard on everyone, so you need to make sure you take the right steps to make it as easy as possible. Understanding how cancer impacts you physically, emotionally, and spiritually is key to facing these harsh challenges. Register for this important annual fall conference and find the right information you need in order to kick cancer’s ass! // Sept 18: 6 p.m.; Sept 19, 20: 9 a.m.; $50, Denver Marriott City Center; 1701 California St.
We’re all looking to find ways to develop a deeper sense of connection with ourselves and our communities. So why not join a class? Full Circle is an open, drop-in class designed for members of the Denver Community who are interested in that very notion through guided embodiment practices that draw from a wide range of expressive arts and experimental modalities. // 7 p.m., $15 suggested, Dancing the Soul: A Center for Creative Movement and Stillness, 950 Jersey St., Unit C.
Whoa. Comcast just did something HUGE for college students in Colorado.
Just getting started. #InternetEssentials big news coming soon. @Comcast closing the #digitaldivide. #Colorado pic.twitter.com/6MVSc9wrHF
— Comcast Colorado (@ComcastColoPR)
September 16, 2015
If you’ve been reading us, then by now you know all about Internet Essentials—which is basically Comcast’s initiative aimed at bridging the digital divide. We are huge proponents of both closing the digital divide and this initiative, so for obvious reasons, we’re very excited.
Today, Comcast’s Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer David L. Cohen joined many of Colorado’s community leaders at the Community College of Denver to announce a new pilot program that will extend Internet Essentials to low-income community college students across Colorado.
It’s clear that in 2015, everyone needs to have Internet. It’s just part of the world we live in today. Internet should be a basic human right.
But it’s not.
For college students especially, this can be quite a serious problem. Here’s why:
Casual sports fans: Want to be able to keep up with the sports conversation every week at work? We’re offering a solution in 2015. Each week this NFL season we’re bringing you all of the essentials you need to know about the Broncos’ last game as well as what you need to know as they head into their next matchup.
Here’s the Innovators Peak Mile High Huddle Up for week one versus the Baltimore Ravens:
“Wow. What happened out there?” That game was U-G-L-Y, UGLY!
If I hadn’t known any better, I would have never guessed that two Super Bowl-contending teams were facing off. The Titans versus Buccaneers game (the two teams with the worst records in football last season) was prettier than this debacle.
No offensive touchdowns. The final score was 19-13 Broncos, which adds up to a grand total of only seven field goals and a pick-six for both sides.
Peyton Manning didn’t look like himself, throwing for only 175 yards, an interception and no touchdowns. The Broncos’ supposed “future star” running back C.J. Anderson was irrelevant. But thanks to good defensive play and a solid showing by kicker Brandon McManus, the Broncos were able to chalk up a win.
“I need a new résumé!” Image.
International Human Resources thought leader Dr. John Sullivan points out in this article that hiring managers often spend five to seven seconds reviewing a potential employee’s résumé.
“Is your ‘six seconds of fame’ enough to land you a job?” he asks his readers.
Considering the large stack of résumés it’s likely sitting in, probably not. Unless it’s really good. And it should be, because you’re really good, right? You don’t want to get screwed because you’re misrepresented on a piece of paper.
This week’s Tip of the Peak is here to make sure you aren’t. Check out our résumé tips:
If you’re creative, this is the perfect opportunity to flex those muscles and show your potential employer what you can do. Cramming every awesome thing about yourself into one page isn’t easy. Show that you can do it in a way that’s aesthetically pleasing. Take this infographic résumé, for example:
Beautiful.
Image: Florence-Lauderdale Public Library
Libraries have a bad reputation. Well, maybe not bad, but antiquated. If you think of a slightly musty smell, strict rules about noise levels and printed books with outdated information when you think of libraries, then you’re exactly the person who needs to check out the Outside the Lines initiative, happening in libraries this week around the world.
Outside the Lines banishes the “shh”ing librarian stereotypes at the door, and instead invites everyone – young and old – inside libraries to discover the creativity and technology that many libraries offer. Some have 3D printers, some have ebooks you can check out. Some even have woodworking classes and business incubators. Libraries have certainly changed since The Breakfast Club.
It all started when a group of Colorado library marketers and directors felt an urgency to change the perception of libraries.
“[Outside the Lines] started in June 2013 when the regional library directors were together at a retreat in Durango,” explains Stacie Ledden, Director of Innovations and Brand Strategy at Anythink Libraries based in Thornton, CO.
“They didn’t want to have to continue answering the question, “Why do we need libraries when we have the Internet?’”
How does $30k sound for your business? Familiar? That’s because we asked you about 5 months ago when this year’s Innovations 4 Entrepreneurs contest was kicking off.
This annual contest grants these types of prizes to entrepreneurs and startups all across the country every year—and this year we’ve got a Denver-local grand-prize winner!
Back in March, Denver-based Gail Kincade of Act II Consignment (new, revamped website coming soon) threw her application into the bunch on a whim and forgot about it.
“If somebody’s going to win, it could be me,” Kincade told Innovators Peak, “you never know if you don’t apply, if you don’t ask for it, you don’t get it. So I just thought ‘Hey, I’ll put it in,’ and kind of forgot about it.”
“Then I was driving one day, I look down and I’m like “Whoa, I won [the regional prize]!’ I was just shocked.”
That’s when she really knew she needed to get it in gear to win the grand prize of $30k and a trip to Comcast Headquarters in Philadelphia for VIP events and mentorship from six experts.
Act II Consignment consists of two consignment stores—one in Denver and one in Littleton. They sell everything from clothing to home goods to furniture. How that works is they take people’s items/product in by the vanload all day long. She’ll take out the best of the best—and then when the item sells, donor gets 40% and Act II Consignment takes home 60%. All items that don’t sell are donated to various local shelters and charities. That’s a big part of Kincade’s philosophy.
“We work with quite a few charities because part of my business plan model is that we are a socially responsible business and so fortunate to be able to be giving back,” she said.
“I have a fun business and I’m able to do what I want to do and I feel like I have a responsibility of our value to this community. We’ve got to give back.”
It was those partnerships that she partially credits for securing the votes to elevate her business from a regional-prize winner to a grand-prize winner.
“A lot of the charities we work with backed us and put it all out there. It was great. Our time in Philly was one of the best times we’ve ever had.”
Philadelphia. Image.
Kincade just got back from her trip from a couple of weeks ago, but is still blown away by the experience it has afforded her. She told us that the grand-prize winners were treated like “rockstars” when they dined atop the Comcast Tower, the tallest building in the city.
She was able to get first hand advice from six business experts including restaurateur, entrepreneur, and TV star Robert Irvine.
“Everything was so positive” she said, “It really made me realize how much I want this. I want to have a successful business. I want to be in that next group of elite entrepreneurs that are growing and doing great things.”
Now she’s sure got the funding to start. With her $30k, Kincade is looking into really marketing her business on social media, which she hopes will eventually grow her company to three, four, five locations to shops all across the country. She knows that these shops are great things to have in every community and is grateful for the opportunity to make it happen nationwide.
“I knew [Comcast] had a big base in Colorado, but I had no idea what they did for small companies,” she said. “The amount they do for entrepreneurs and a lot of the social stuff that they do—and I just hit the tip of it—I’m very, very impressed.”
Did your company miss the application deadline in 2015? Look for it next year! We’re hoping to see some more Colorado winners soon.
Nestled along a mountain road just outside Evergreen, dark clouds are moving in overhead. I make my way through the winding road and up a steep driveway just in time for the rain to settle. An eager Colorado “dude” with grey sunglasses greets me with a Border Collie by his side. He introduces himself, “Roper, call me Roper, there’s too many Michaels in the world.”
Roper is one of the many entrepreneurial/artist success stories that people who come to Colorado hope to emulate. If you live here, the story is familiar. Stuck in the daily grind of the 9-5 world, a person seeks a better life. But each story has it’s own nuances, even if the broad strokes may be familiar.
After his wife graduated from school in 2011, Roper, working a construction job, decided he’d like to go back to school to find a more fulfilling career path and carpentry and wood working was a natural passion. At Red Rocks, he enrolled in the Fine Woodworking program, and eventually found his way to woodturning.
Hey! Are you guys ready for the weekend?
…
I can’t hear you!
…
I said, I CAN’T HEAR YOU!
…
Okay, that’s probably because you’re reading an article and this is kind of a one-way deal. But, hey, if I got you to yell at your computer screen, all the better.
Anyway, since I assume that you’re all giddy for the weekend I’ll just jump right into it. Here are your weekend activities brought to you by the fine folks at EveryBlock right here on The Denver Lowdown.
If you love animals, bingo, and charity, but could never find an event that seamlessly molded all three together, look no further. Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs will be hosting their third Neighborhood Bingo Night to benefit the Petco Foundation and the Local Animal Rescue of the Rockies. Also, you can totally bring your dog, or cat if you can get them out of the house (lazy freeloading cats…). // 7 p.m., $2-$5, Steve’s Snappin’ Dogs, 3525 E. Colfax Ave.
Jobs: most of us have a love-hate relationship with them. If you lean considerably more toward the “hate” side, though, maybe it’s time to start sniffing around. Luckily for you, we’ve curated our own list of the top places to work in the Denver/Boulder area, and there’s a great fit for everyone from techies to creatives.
Photo: craftsy.com/press-kit
Craftsy isn’t your typical startup. Beginning as a new platform for online instruction, Craftsy transformed into a mecca for online classes in sewing, quilting, cake decorating, cooking, photography, gardening, knitting, jewelry-making, and more. With “craft-a-long” employee craft sessions, office snacks and lunches, fitness incentives, solid benefits, and an annual 4-player Pacman tournament (we don’t know how that works either, but we’re interested), Craftsy is a great place to get paid to be creative and innovative all day long.
Photo: Facebook
iTriage, a healthcare app that manages conditions and care providers, is the product of a company that nurtures a casual startup culture, complete with beer, ping pong, Monday breakfasts, Friday lunches, and an onsite gym. As an employee, you’ll also get an RTD eco pass, a volunteer day every quarter, and a $200 credit toward an iPhone or Android, plus paid time off, health benefits, and a 401k package.
The Commons on Champa is one of the newest, hippest, and most exciting co-working spaces in Denver. The space opened just this past April, but it’s already taking the city’s startup community by storm.
About a month and half ago on July 20th, the Commons got themselves a new Program Director in Amy Wofford who oversees everything from programs and operations to just making sure that the building is doing what it was created for.
We caught up with Amy this week to see how things have been going since she got started:
Innovators Peak: Obviously you would view the space as pretty successful since you’ve been involved, right?
Amy Wofford: Oh yeah. I probably do three or four tours a day with new people who heard about us, but don’t really know what we do and want to come check it out because it sounds awesome. Sure enough they usually end up coming back all the time with their friends. We’ve probably had over 4,000 people through the space in the first four months. Denver Startup Week is going to be our next big launchpad.
Labor Day weekend marks the end of another beautiful, sunny summer and one of the last three-day weekends for a while. So, it’s only appropriate that you go out with a bang – which you can do by checking out a Taste of Colorado 2015. It’s four days of stuffing your face with incredible food, listening to live music by award-winning musicians and being in the presence of half a million other people looking to close out the season right.
A Taste of Colorado kicks off on Friday, September 4, at 11:30 a.m. at the Civic Center Park in Downtown Denver. We’ll definitely be heading down, mostly because we don’t want to miss:
At the Colorado Innovation Network (COIN) Summit 2015, four Colorado change-makers proved that they exemplify what Alexander Hamilton, Peter Marshall, or a whole host of other notable folks (quote origin is under heavy debate) encouraged in this quote.
These four driven individuals were panelists for the COIN session, “Taking a stand for change”, during which, they explained what they are doing to encourage positive social change. Their organizations are reaching people all around the world—but they were proud to say they all got their start right here in Colorado.
Julie Hanna, the Executive Chair of the Board of Kiva, opens with a salient statement during her presentation at The COIN Summit:
“I’m an Egyptian immigrant, and until I arrived in Silicon Valley, my journey to the front lines of the technology revolution began at the front lines of war. And my life had been defined by a different kind of access. A lack of access and that shaped the way I came to view the world.”
She went on to explain that her family fled to America during Black September, a year long civil war between Jordanians and Palestinians. Here they faced a lack of resources for immigrants, her mother and father taking on 2-3 jobs to clothe, feed, and provide an education for their kids.
Her philosophy is not bitterness over this childhood, but a quote attributed to Rye Barcott: “Talent is universal, but opportunity is not.”
This is the weekend, my friends. This is what we’ve all been waiting for. This Sunday, Denver will be graced by the presence of none other than the pop of country music, the slayer of Yeezy, the princess of nice, and the girl we all wish we could be. The haters may hate-hate-hate, but we love-love-love Taylor Swift.
Yes, my fellow Swifities. Our favorite pop star will be performing her 1989 World Tour right here in Denver for TWO NIGHTS. This news has got us like:
I know, I know. I can barely contain my fangirl, it’s ridiculous. But while T-Swizzle making her much-awaited appearance is THE event of the weekend (Month? Year? Ever?!?!), there are other pretty awesome events (brought to you by EveryBlock) going down that you should totally check out. It’s okay, Tay Tay approves.
Think about your mom or grandma. She might be part of the “Greatest Generation,” or a Baby Boomer, so she sure as hell has seen a lot in her life. She’s seen multiple wars, the Civil Rights Movement and the birth of rock music. And now, she’s getting Internet access and she’ll be able to join in on all the Facebooking, Googling and Netflixing that’s second nature to Millennials.
From the looks of it, Comcast is on a mission to:
Make sure any low income senior citizen in San Francisco who wants access to the Internet can have it at the extremely affordable $9.95 per month, plus tax
Teach said senior citizens how to use the Internet so they’re not intimidated once they gain access to it
Comcast made the big announcement about their new Internet Essentials pilot program last week at the Lady Shaw Senior Center in San Francisco. Around 60 seniors were there for the occasion and I can tell you first hand that they were thrilled with the news.
Resiliency Post Hurricane Sandy. Robocall elimination. Maximizing parts of space shuttles. Revamping Personal Protective Suits. All have been challenges issued by the federal government for the general public to solve. And all have been answered by individuals and organizations, not just in the U.S., but all around the world. For the winning solver, money is granted based on the size of the impact challenge. A win-win for all who are involved.
“Do you know what the Orteig Prize is,” asks Jenn Gustetic, the Assistant Director for Open Innovation at the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy, of the COIN Summit’s audience sitting in the Seawell Grand Ballroom.
A smattering of hands raise up.
“Do you know who Charles Lindbergh is?”
Most of the hands in the room shoot up.
“We remember Lindbergh, but not the prize, but the prize is why we know about Lindbergh,” referring to the $25,000 the pilot won for his non-stop flight from New York to London.
With the 2016 U.S. presidential election right around the corner, gender equality issues–from the pay gay to paid maternity leave to reproductive rights–are hot button issues that can’t be ignored by the candidates. Denver, however, is leading the pack, not only being one of the eight best job markets for women, but also touting a 68 percent growth of women-owned businesses from 2007 to 2014, such that the number of women-owned firms is increasing at a rate 1.5 times the national average.
So what are these awesome female-owned businesses? And who are these trailblazing women who are leading the way in their companies as well as their communities?
From working as a psychotherapist counseling employees of Fortune 500 companies to closing more than $100 million in sales while working in real estate, Sylvia Theisen has had a varied career and shows no signs of stopping. Founder of She Takes The Lead, Theisen provides training and coaching to women in business and speaks to organizations who believe in empowering their female employees. She was also a keynote speaker for the 2015 Colorado SBDC Women’s Small Business Conference.
As one of six Hispanic female Buick GMC dealership owners among the 4,000-plus GM dealerships in the U.S., Ivette Dominguez undoubtedly stands out as a self-made woman with a record of excellence in the auto industry. After purchasing the dealership in 2005, she has won numerous awards for being business savvy, including awards from GM, the Denver Business Journal and the Girl Scouts of Colorado.
She also founded The Alpine Difference in 2011, a program that recognizes and funds nonprofits making a difference in the lives of women and families in the Denver area, donating $10,000 each quarter to a worthy charity or charities.
A leader in the Denver startup community, Lizelle van Vuuren is a 10-year veteran of design, strategy, marketing, business growth and innovation for tech companies and startups. After cofounding StartupDenver, a community platform for startups and entrepreneurs, and Women Who Startup, a monthly event series devised to help educate, empower and connect female entrepreneurs, van Vuuren founded Effectively, a marketing services agency that launches ideas and grows startups, companies, nonprofits and organizations. The agency is set to launch this fall.
(You can tell they all work together because they’re looking the same direction. Image.)
It’s that time of the month again where we check back in with some advice on how to run your startup. Last time, we talked about the exciting world of feline dating websites and how to navigate copyright in creating said sites.
This time, we’re talking about one of the most important factors in building a successful business: who you hire. Sure—the common perception may be that there are qualified people all over the place who need a job and will fall right into your lap, making it typically easier on the employer than the job seeker. I’m here to tell you that is not necessarily true—especially for startups.
Finding a good fit for what you’re doing can be tough, here are some things you should look for/keep in mind:
What kind of culture does your company have? Do you have an open office space with puppies walking around? Do you regularly go out for team happy hours because you genuinely enjoy each other’s presence? Or are you more of a reserved, quiet, and hard working office space? There’s no problem with any of these approaches, as long as you have the right people to carry it out. Keep in mind that you’re going to be spending just as much time with these people as you do with your family and best friends, so make sure you love them.
During last week’s Colorado Innovation Network (COIN) summit, we had to opportunity to witness numerous sharp minds share their thoughts, ideas and visions for the future. One of those sharp minds was Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, who sat down with us to discuss Colorado’s entrepreneurial spirit and its place as a leader among the nation in all things cutting edge.
In part two of our interview with Gov. Hickenlooper, we get conceptual, dissecting the very meaning of innovation, the future of COIN and Colorado—plus, the governor gives some very good advice to those looking to think differently.
Innovators Peak: Do you find that, when talking about things like COIN, that the word “innovation” is hard to define?
Governor Hickenlooper: Innovation is doing anything different. It’s the same way that people talk all the time about leadership. What is leadership? I think we just keep distilling it and leadership is any time you persuade someone to do something they weren’t originally planning to do; to believe something they didn’t believe before.
The beauty of that is everybody can be a leader because we all persuade people from time to time and we all are leaders from time to time. That’s one of the things we’re looking on how to infuse that into COIN, because COIN is basically leadership.
