August 9, 2012 Kickstand Membership Meeting Features BOISE ROCK SCHOOL The Best Place for Kids to Rock.

Since its inception in 2008, Boise Rock School has been led by the belief that the best way to get individuals excited about playing music is to have them play in a group. We believe the band setting, coupled with a strong curriculum, achieves better results that any other teaching method.

 In addition to helping students achieve musical excellence more quickly, the band setting also encourages essential life skills such as group problem solving, understanding the importance of compromise and seeing firsthand the value of positive social interactions.

Boise Rock School is so much more than just a place where students learn to play their instruments. We teach our students how to play songs (cover tunes of their choice in all genres and originally penned compositions), how to record those songs, how to perform those songs at a gig, and how to use those songs as an inspirational and exciting tool to contribute to our community. We believe giving every student at Boise Rock School the opportunity to perform and share their musical accomplishments with an audience is a valuable and rewarding experience for everyone.

 In short, we develop the total musician. From proper technique to creativity and songwriting, from music theory to listening and problem solving skills, we help students -- both kids and adults -- not only become better musicians, but better people.

 And that's not all. You should see our windmills and high leg kicks!

The School of Rock will not only play for us, but will share how they got started, funding issues, and other start up challenges that we all face when starting a business.   sign Up Now

 

 

Nominations are now being accepted to the seventh annual Idaho Innovation Awards program, presented by Stoel Rives LLP, Kickstand and the Idaho Technology Council, and supported by Idaho TechConnect. The program recognizes innovations, innovative professionals and companies throughout the state. Nominations are due Friday, August 10, 2012 and can be submitted online

Nominations from any industry will be accepted in the following categories:

The following were recognized as winners and finalists in 2011:

Commercialized Innovation of the Year

• Sports Concussion Alert System by Ambient Sensors, LLC - WINNER
• Cuff Repair Plate by Shoulder Options, Inc.
• Recall InfoLink by Recall InfoLink, Inc.

Early-Stage Innovation of the Year

• Potato Products With Enhanced Resistant Starch by University of Idaho - WINNER
• Nanospring Enhanced Osseointegration of Implants by University of Idaho
• Alzheimer Antibody by Boise State University

Innovative Company of the Year

• PakSense - WINNER
• BlueMesh Networks

Innovator of the Year

• Dr. Carl Thornfeldt, President and CEO, Episciences, Inc. - WINNER
• Sharon Oberleitner, VP Clinical Affairs, Behavior Imaging Solutions
• Norris Krueger, Founder, Entrepreneurship Northwest

Nominees named as finalists in previous years are encouraged to resubmit to the 2012 program. Previous winners are not eligible for consideration.

Nominations will be reviewed by a Selection Committee consisting of leaders from Idaho’s business, academic and technology communities. Finalists will be announced in September. Finalists and winners will be recognized at the third annual Idaho Technology Council “Hall of Fame” featuring the Idaho Innovation Awards on Tuesday, October 2, 2012 at the Boise Centre on the Grove.

For more information about the program, please contact one of the following:

Kris Ormseth Partner Stoel Rives LLP (208) 387-4267 kjormseth@stoel.com

Nicole Kershaw Program Manager Stoel Rives LLP (208) 389-9000 nkershaw@stoel.com

Tammie Gonzalez Program Assistant Stoel Rives LLP (208) 387-4244 tlgonzalez@stoel.com

 

 Taken from Idaho Tech-Connect w

What: Taking a Product from Idea to Reality
When: Thursday, April 12, 2012 @ 5:30-7pm
Where: The WaterCooler
RSVP

Join Kickstand as we learn from two local young entrepreneurs who took their passion and product ideas and turned them into products. Attendees will gain:

• An understanding of the process of starting from scratch to build a business from the ground up
• Failing fast, adapting and innovating to create new products
• Real world stories from two local emerging companies

The panel includes:

• Shige Toyoguchi (President and Founder of Fitwrapz)
• Brooks Dame (Founder of Proof Eyewear)

RSVP

Title: What is our Local Government Doing to Support Entrepreneurship?

Details: Thursday, March 8: WaterCooler, 1405 W. Idaho St., Boise; 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

(Free for members; $15 for guests - includes appetizers and 2 drinks by Falcon Tavern)

Speakers: Jeffery Sayer, Director, Idaho Department of Commerce

Email: Jeffery.sayer@commerce.idaho.gov | Phone: 208.334.2470

Jeffery Sayer was appointed by Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter as Director of the Idaho Department of Commerce and began work on October 3, 2011.

Mr. Sayer is the former President and Managing Partner of Novayx Group, a firm specializing in providing financial and business sophistication for small to medium sized businesses. In Idaho, he is best known for his role as the President and Chief Financial Officer of Mountain View Hospital in Idaho Falls.

He began his career with Ernst & Young in Silicon Valley where he specialized in advising venture-capital funded technology companies through all stages of growth.  Since then he has provided financial and executive leadership for companies ranging from start-up ventures to companies with over $500 million in sales.  His experience includes corporate turnarounds, public offerings, equity financings, mergers and acquisitions, and extensive involvement in corporate strategy and leadership.  

Mr. Sayer is a CPA and graduated from Brigham Young University.

Cece Gassner - Economic Development Director, City of Boise

Email: cgassner@boiseidaho.gov | Phone: 208.384.4415

Mason Fuller was the recipient of the SBA Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2011 but to those that have known him over the years, the award didn’t change him.  Fuller says that his story is not anything special.  Other companies do amazing things but they are just not recognized for their work.  Fuller’s mentor, Kevin Learned nominated him for the award and was thrilled when he won.

 Fuller’s business, Atlas Resell Management, buys and sells used medical equipment via the internet.  When he started, the equipment and products weren’t so specific.  He originally combed the country for businesses that had excess products or equipment in storage and he sold everything.  Over the years he found his niche and now he deals in used medical equipment and has grown to  a $4.1million business. 

 Mentorship is the key to success says Fuller.  He found his Mentors through organizations like Kickstand and attending networking events whenever possible.  Soaking up the knowledge of others is the best way to learn and perhaps avoid mistakes. 

 Atlas Resell management’s hiring policy is to hire from the heart.  Fuller says that you can teach quality but you can’t teach heart.  Employees should be as ethical as possible and treat your customers as best they can.  Fuller mentors his employees and creates leaders within the company and they are the reason he states for the success of the company. 

 To see more about Fuller’s business go to:  http://www.atlasresell.com/ 

 

Kickstand Monthly Meeting                                                                                                                         December 2011
December 8th
Kickstand Holiday Party
5:30 to 7:00
WaterCooler, 14th and Idaho
Free to all guests so bring your friends and colleagues to the WaterCooler for  Food, Drinks, Connecting, Learning and Growing
•     Meet the newest Boise City Council Member – Kickstand President Ben Quintana
•     Come with your ideas, solutions, suggestions on how to make Boise more entrepreneurial
friendly.
•     What kind of organization would you like to see Kickstand become in the future?
•     Greet the New Year with a calendar of events hosted by Kickstand.  
•     Discover the changes and added agendas for Kickstand in the future
•     Pick up business resource information from various entities
•    
Connect with other business owners in all phases from start-up to “I’ve made it.”  
•     Learn from others how to avoid some of the mistakes they have made.
•     Grow!  Go back to your office and make your business thrive.

We invent, we create, we patent, we pioneer.