#1mcfar

[misfitinc-blog]

One Million Cups Fargo

This morning's One Million Cups Fargo featured two presenters from drastically different fields, but with equally inspiring vision. 

First up was Jeremy Neuharth of SYCORR.

He unashamedly shared his passion for banks and credit unions. 

His company has implemented guerrilla tactics to break into industries that are aversive to change...like the financial industry.

Seeing that more education is needed for the protection of consumers' personal information, and their money which can be accessed with said information, he created SYCORR to index and benchmark all the information-gathering processes of credit unions throughout the US.

Second up was Mama Jean.

She wanted to create a easy-to-obtain meal option that was more delicious than take-out and much healthier than fast food. 

To accomplish this goal, she founded Z!NG, Dinner in a Dash. 

After working with app-making magicians over at Myriad Mobile, she launched an app-based ordering feature for people to scan through her 39-item menu and pick up their home-cooked comfort foods while on the move. 

"I want to offer a healthier version of the comfort foods we grew up with," she said. 

As is customary at One Million Cups Fargo, Greg Tehven interviewed and facilitated questions from the 224 people in attendance. 

Once again, the Fargo community displayed their willingness to help companies like Z!NG and SYCORR through their insightful questions and collaborative spirit. 

How can we help Z!NG? 

Download their app.

Try their food!

And, give honest feedback about your customer experience process. 

How can we help SYCORR? 

Spread the word about the alarming number of incidences of "click-jacking fraud". Awareness-raising gives rise to change.  

SYCORR has provided an easy-to-share resource at their website.

All in all, it was another inspiring morning at The Stage in Island Park. 

~ Dane Johnson, Wordsmith-in-Residence at the Raven's Nest in Fargo. 

[misfitinc-blog]

Attendance record set at One Million Cups Fargo

Today’s One Million Cups event in Fargo broke a nationwide attendance record by packing the Stage at Island Park with approximately 351 caffeinated and collaborative creative types from around the region.

The first of two presenters was Shane Waslaski, CEO of Intelligent InSites.

Shane shared the personal story of his daughter's health complications after her premature birth. The trying experience provided him with an added dose of ambition to transform the operational flow in the healthcare system, so that it can better serve patient’s needs.

His team of 110 employees are working to connect patients with what they need when they need it by streamlining antiquated processes across the healthcare industry. 

He also put out a call for professionals from all backgrounds to consider how they might contribute to Intelligent InSite's work. Check out their website, if you feel you could contribute in some way. 

Then, Kyle Coolbroth, CoCo Minneapolis Co-Founder, explained his philosophy behind co-working and shared the story of how his spaces have attracted attention and investment from Google.

In fact, Google's executive chairman, Eric Schmidt, has called CoCo one of the top collaborative spaces in the world. 

Kyle foresees a rapid movement toward a world with contingent workers that will need a space of their own. But more than just a space, we all need a place to belong, he said. 

"Collaboration begins with trust," Coolbroth said.

And it's in co-working communities that we form bonds that enable us to share ideas and support one another's innovations, he added. 

And in case the crowd wasn't convinced already, Coolbroth reiterated the belief that there's a power in gathering people together to do the work of their dreams. This power is evident week after week at the One Million Cup events. 

Equally exciting as the great attendance record was Coolbroth’s announcement of a future CoCo space in Fargo (more information available at http://cocomsp.com/locations/fargo/).

Innovation can happen anywhere, but, to facilitate innovation and collaboration, space matters.

Right now, Fargo is making itself the place (and space) to be.

~ Dane Johnson, Wordsmith-in-Residence based in Misfit’s Fargo Outpost.

[misfitinc-blog]

1 Millions Cups Fargo

This Wednesday at around 9am, people from all walks of the local business, tech, start-up, and education community gathered for coffee and connection at Stage at Island Park in Fargo for a weekly entrepreneurial forum called 1 Million Cups.

The weekly event offers attendees a way to feel the pulse of the Fargo community, learn from the successes and, more importantly, the failures of fellow entrepreneurs, and collaborate with professionals from a variety of industries.

We at Misfit show up because it’s a source of tremendous energy and inspiration to tap into each week. Plus, it gives us an opportunity to use our lovely Misfit Con mugs out in public.

This morning’s presenter was Ryan Fritz, CEO of Office Sign Company.

In 2008, Fritz began a prototype sign design and manufacturing company from the basement of his home, which quickly turned into a profitable and growing business, now serving clients like Yahoo, L’Oréal, Minnesota Vikings, and Fargo’s own Kilbourne Group.

"Being a CEO is probably the hardest job I've ever had,” Fritz said, as he answered questions from the approximately 150 people in attendance.

One woman asked him how he keeps going when he feels like he wants to quit. Fritz said that it’s all about passion.

“Love what you do and that will ford you through the days when you want to quit."

He began Office Sign Company out of desire to create a life that would enable him to spend more time with his daughter. In that spirit, he urged those in the room, giving a special nod to a group of visiting junior high schoolers, to start a business for the right reasons.

“Don’t start a business to make money,” he shared, adding that a business should be started out of a desire to serve and provide for your family, to work hard, and to have integrity.

This morning’s emcee, Jon Walters of Myriad Mobile, said that he’s continually blown away by the consistency with which people bring their ideas and support to the Fargo-based 1 Million Cups.

“We just provide the space and the coffee and you guys keep showing up,” Walters said, adding that the event allows for people to “subdue risk” and connect with others who are “passionate about making things happen.”

At the end of each Q&A session, the presenter is asked by the community, “how can we help you?”

Now, tell me, where in the world does this kind of proactive and intentional support happen?

Fargo. The answer is Fargo.

It’s precisely because of the generosity and support mentioned above that Misfit is establishing an outpost here.

Fritz spoke to the magic transpiring in Fargo when he referred to the “renaissance in Fargo that we’re all aware of.” This “renaissance” is palatable and evasive, causing new businesses to spring up, while also attracting entrepreneurs from far and wide to come and stay, captivating even the most nomadic of creative agencies to set up shop.

~ Dane Johnson, Wordsmith-in-Residence based in Misfit’s Fargo Outpost.