Giant Steps

November 16th, 2012 at the Guthrie Theater. Giant Steps is an annual conference (+concert) where creative entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial creatives mix to be inspired, connect with others, and learn. Minneapolis, MN. · Join us! More info here: http://www.giantstepsMN.com

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Win a free ticket to Giant Steps!

We're fired up about Giant Steps 2012 and we're offering a special way to share some of the excitement. We know folks who attend Giant Steps are a creative bunch. You take risks and make big moves all the time. We want you to share some of them with us.

Post a photo to Instagram representing a Giant Step you've made, following the rules below. We'll pick two (2) entries who will each win a free, (full-day+evening) ticket to Giant Steps 2012 on November 16th at the Guthrie.

Giant Steps Instagram Contest rules:

1) You must follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GiantStepsMN and on twitter at @GiantStepsMN.

2) Take a photo of something that represents a Giant Step you've taken/made in building your business or career and post it to your Instagram account! A pic of something representing a milestone, a big decision, a new direction, an unlikely collaboration, a disaster-turned-into-an-opportunity, an innovative product/service/creation…you get the idea. Be creative.

3) In the description of the photo, include a few words about the step you took. Somewhere in your Instagram description, put "@GiantStepsMN: I take Giant Steps!" and the hashtag #GiantStepsMN Example: @GiantStepsMN: I take Giant Steps! Look at my new website! #GiantStepsMN Or maybe: @GiantStepsMN: I take Giant Steps! I performed in London with Paul McCartney! #GiantStepsMN

4) Individuals may enter up to three (3) photos for the contest. The Giant Steps Instagram Contest starts on October 17th and goes until October 27th. We'll announce the two lucky winners on October 29th.

Be sure to follow Giant Steps social networks to win. Good luck! And we look forward to seeing you on November 16th for Giant Steps 2012!

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J Allen: Giant Steps Participant.

We would like to present to you a past participant and one of his Giant Steps, J Allen:

My Giant Step was starting my own business to teach electronic music and art. For years I've noticed that if someone wants to learn how to make electronic music, their only option is one of the several college programs in our area for it. These programs are great, but not everyone wants to go to college to learn how to do this. Some people just want to learn for the fun of it, some people want to test the water, and some (young people) want a place to try it out before taking the plunge into a college program. 

So I teamed up with a few like-minded musician friends, and we started Slam Academy. We renovated a storefront in downtown Minneapolis, and in order to be able to afford storefront rent, we partnered with a few more friends looking to open an art gallery. So our space is an art gallery by day, and a classroom in the evening. 

Since starting up, about 8 months ago, we have had a lot of classes, and seem some ups and downs. In general, it's been up. We have been able to pay the rent, and have a lot of fun. We are still experimenting with the right formula for classes, lessons, etc., but so far so good!

  website: www.slamacademy.com

twitter: @slamacademy

facebook: Facebook.com/slamacademyarts

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Giant Steps Presents: Past Collaborations and Contributors

         Giant Steps is coming up on it's third year, and we've had some time to look back and reflect over all of the amazing and inspiring people we've been lucky to be involved with. Giant Steps is a conference with 3 objectives. To Inspire, to Educate and to Connect. We reached out to past participants and speakers for stories about what has happened in their lives since they were able to attend one of our conferences either in 2010 or 2011. We are both pleased and honored to present to you some of the talented people who either were, or have, Inspired, Educated, or Connected through their businesses and the communities around them.

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Don't forget to register for this year's Giant Steps conference and after party! Spots are limited and they won't be there forever.

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Giant Steps Co-Founders M.anifest and Susan Campion during the 2011 conference.

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It takes guts to do what you do. It takes courage to define your own path for creating work and making a living. But you keep pushing forward, because you couldn't imagine doing it any other way.