Menu

1Aug

Technori Pitch Night: A Lesson From Start-Ups—Always Have Passion

Posted by: Katie Leimkuehler Categories: Career Start-Ups
No comments

There is nothing more inspiring then listening to young start-ups pitch their company, product and passion. And this was clearer than ever at Technori’s Pitch Night in Chicago yesterday.

“Position yourself for happiness and success will follow,” said opening keynote speaker David Kalt.

David Kalt started the company OptionsExpress.com and overcame every obstacle to create a billion dollar business. And it didn’t hurt that when he sold it his investors earned 150 times their original investments.

But today his passion is vastly different—it’s vintage guitars. He bought the iconic Chicago Music Exchange and applied an online business model to the store that focuses on content and resulted in skyrocketing sales. What kind of content sells? The company’s YouTube video A Brief History of Rock N’ Roll has been viewed over 3 million times in just a few weeks and has paid off big time.

Following his invigorating presentation five start-ups hit the stage pitching each for five minutes on a variety of different businesses and ideas.

Rune17 develops Bluetooth low energy wireless sensors that measure movement, acceleration, and temperature on almost anything and communicates that data to your smartphone.

ReferBoost enables property managers to keep track of their property reviews with user-generated content all through facebook. Visitors can see where their friends lives and how they rated their apartments.

Scholastica is an academic journal publishing platform for the scholarly community. The app is designed to give publishing power back to scholars that eliminates the need for large publishing companies.

Swapidy, started by an 18-year-old entrepreneur, is an online trading company that allows the customers to list their items and negotiate deals on video games to cell phones.

Uncork’d is wine list software on the iPad for restaurants that creates an interactive menu experience for the customer.

These start-ups are filled with unrivaled enthusiasm with serious passion behind each product—I can’t wait to hear the success stories. Don’t miss the next Technori Pitch Night in August. It promises to be just as exciting.

David Kalt of the Chicago Music Exchange shares his start-up success story.

Tags:
26Jul

Where To Find The Best Content For Your Website

Posted by: Katie Leimkuehler Categories: Social Media
No comments

As they say content is king. And to be successful in social media you must know where to find it, how to harness it and spread it. What websites do you visit every day? Why do you visit them? Because you know there will be a great story, new article or video posted that’s right up your alley.

It’s just as important to share your own content as it is to find topics from other websites relevant to your readers. Staying on top of trends and conversations demonstrates that you are an expert in your field. So stay alert and keep searching for fun and interesting articles, blogs, quotes, videos and infographics to share. Here are a few tips to help find some the best content for your website.

Know your industry. Find the top 10 companies in your field and see what they’re talking about and what trends they’re not talking about—write about things that no one else is in your field. They’ll flock to your site if you have something the others don’t.

Get inspired. Go to websites in completely different fields, like The Cool Hunter, or TechCrunch, to see what you could use from their content in a unique way on your site. How would your readers be impacted by an out-of-the-box marketing campaign or a new iPhone app? Put yourself in their shoes to see what would be most intriguing.

What questions do you get asked all the time? Being seen as a resource is huge! If you’re not answering your customers questions on your website or your blog they’ll go somewhere else. Make a list of all the questions you get asked that go beyond the typical FAQ and blog about them each separately. Your readers will be thankful and will continue to return to look for more answers.

Tags:
26Jul

How To Get More Followers on Twitter

Posted by: Katie Leimkuehler Categories: Social Media
No comments

 

So you’re ready to grow your brand on Twitter, but not sure how to do it? Well, here are five tips that will increase your followers and engagement that will help your brand soar to the next level in social media.

Share intriguing content. Find your niche industry and focus on ways you can help people. Post links to great articles, quotes that move you and captivating images. This is key.

Post during the peak hours. Twitter’s highest traffic times are between 1-3 p.m. ET that will give you the highest click rate. Check out this infographic that show the best times to post.

Mimic the leaders. See what other powerful Tweeters are doing. What are they sharing? How do they interact with people. Take notes and implement on your account.

Take advantage of hashtags. Don’t miss out on people finding you. Whatever the topic or post is you’re writing, i.e. #socialmedia, be sure to add the hashtag so if people search the subject your tweets come up.

Join a Twitter Chat. Participate in quick online discussions on any topic from business to writing. Check out a list of Twitter Chats scheduled throughout the week. This is a quick way to interact with people in your industry and build up relationships. Be ready for some fast paced interactions and take advantage of Tweet Chat to stay in on the conversation.

 

 

Tags:
25Jul

The Inescapable Presence of Social Media Even In Russia

Posted by: Katie Leimkuehler Categories: Travel
No comments

Last month I was in Russia with my five siblings, best friend and parents—and there’s no hiding you’re a tourist with a group this large or this loud. So, needless to say we stood out, which is almost always the case on our family vacations. To my surprise Moscow and St. Petersburg were beautiful cities with palaces, churches and a rich history. I found the cultural differences interesting including the slim fit population, a much less concern for personal space and an overall more reserved persona. But there was one thing that was the same—digital communication.

There wasn’t a Russian who wasn’t equipped with a smartphone or device to connect with each other, but more importantly it served as a digital translator for us. Even though English is taught in most schools, not everyone speaks it, but in today’s day in age we had no problem getting by using translator apps on our phones to communicate. This made conversations with locals, ordering dinner or shopping much easier and left the awkward experience of making hand signals and gestures a thing of the past.

It also made me realize one thing that social media is inescapable. My younger sister, Colleen, instantly had photos posted to Instagram and Facebook—she may have been in a completely foreign country, but she wasn’t about to miss a beat. And how did all of our Russian friends want to stay in contact? You’ve guessed it—through social media. It has truly revolutionized the way we interact with each other and will only continue to evolve enabling one-time connections the chance to turn into a real life friendship.

Tags:
23Jul

The Quarter-Life Crisis: What Do I Really Want To Do With My Life?

Posted by: Katie Leimkuehler Categories: Advice Career Inspiration
No comments

I have so many friends with great careers including lawyers, accountants, consultants, marketing managers, salesmen and designers who’ve been at their jobs for a few years and are killing it, but suddenly are wanting more. They want more out what they’re doing, they want to have a greater impact, a grander purpose and something that will not only challenge them professionally but personally.

The question I most often hear from my circle of friends is “What do I really want to do with my life?” After having success in the business world they’ve realized they can succeed in other areas, but the problem is they don’t know what they want to do. So paralyzed by the fear of the unknown most of them do nothing. And the truth is your passion isn’t going to come knocking at your door—you have to go out and find it.

So how do you find out what you really want to do with your life? Here are some tips that helped me.

Believe in yourself. I can’t stress this point enough. If you want change in your life you have first believe you want it and not let outside influences affect you even if that’s your friends or family. Just remember it’s your life and you’re the one who has to live it.

Take action. Make a list of all the possible things you would want to do (no matter how absurd) and interview a person for each job you would consider. You’ll find out if it’s right for you and if it is—learn how they did it.

Surround yourself with positive people. Ever hear the phrase, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with?” Make sure those people are only bringing you up, if they are not find people who will. This can be a hard change, but once you meet people on the same page as you the whole world opens up.

Tags:
15Jul

Turning A Great Idea Into Reality

Posted by: Katie Leimkuehler Categories: Advice Career Inspiration
No comments

When I was graduating college trying to find out what I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing I asked my dad for advice and it’s stuck with me ever since. He said, “Find the people who are doing what you want to do and ask them how they got there.” I’ve never forgotten these words.

This advice was different from what my professors and fellow graduating students were telling me. My father was simply suggesting make connections with people I wanted to be like. That made more sense to me than anything I’ve heard before. But more importantly what I discovered after reaching out CEOS, entrepreneurs, writers, filmmakers and marketers, who I aspired to be, were that their paths were never what they expected. They weaved through jobs, different careers, and fields until they found their sole passion.

At any point in my career I’ve always wondered how CEOs, start-ups or people who have a good idea turn it into a reality. What drives them? What sets them apart to accomplish something that no one else has achieved yet?

My blog will be dedicated to answering these questions, finding insights on passion, and sharing ways to apply them in your own life.

If you know someone with a great story to tell don’t hesitate to email me at katieleimkuehler@gmail.com

Tags: