February 2010

  • Secret Penguin & Archrival launch government websites today

    I think it’s cool to see government entities hire forward-thinking design firms to redesign their websites, so when I saw these two tweets this morning, I had to pass them along

  • Greater Omaha YP’s Style Your Sole event Thursday, February 18

    The Greater Omaha Young Professionals Council is hosting a Style Your Sole Party in prepartion for the Young Professionals Summit which takes place March 4! The event takes place this Thursday from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Barley’s TipTop (1510 Cuming Street) in Omaha. It should be fun night of celebrity bartending by folks like…

  • 80/35 Music Festival announces 2010 event, seeks musicians

    Late last week, the Des Moines Music Coalition announced the dates and venue for the 2010 iteration of the 80/35 Music Festival. Set for Saturday, July 3 and Sunday, July 4 this year’s festival will again take place at Western Gateway Park in downtown Des Moines. The organizers have put out a call for both…

  • Eliason Media hires director of business dev., expands into Chicago

    Eliason Media, the Urbandale, Iowa company behind the sponsored tweet platform Twittad announced the addition of a director of business development on Tuesday. Company founder James Eliason has tapped Sandro Serra (pictured) recently of Tribune Media Net, for the role. Sandro brings with him a background in managing advertising campaigns with large retail clients. Sandro…

  • EntreFest! for small businesses comes to West Des Moines

    Later this month the third iteration of EntreFest! will be take place at the West Des Moines Marriott. I caught up with Amy Kuhlers, a Program Manager with MyEntre.Net an “entrepreneurship support system” out of the University of Northern Iowa’s Regional Business Center in Cedar Falls, who is coordinating the event. In the Q&A below,…

  • Weekly Wrap Up

    Mentioned this week: * Filming on location Creighton University’s Harper Center * Guest co-host Brook Matthews, marketing director for Creighton’s College of Business * Testifying on behalf of LB 1109 – Adopt the Nebraska Innovation and High Wage Employment Act * Dusty’s post on having a vibrant social scene

  • Johnny Cupcakes founder shares his story, talks about upcoming visit

    Johnny Earle took a few minutes to talk with me about the rise of the multi-million dollar Johnny Cupcakes T-shirt line, the vanilla-scented car fresheners inside his retail shops and the passion behind what he’s been working on for almost the last 10 years.

  • PrairieCast: Dusty Davidson of BrightMix & Silicon Prairie News

    This week, Andy Brudtkuhl and I talk with someone that many in this community know, Silicon Prairie News co-founder Dusty Davidson. Dusty talks about his experiences as an entrepreneur with both Silicon Prairie News and BrightMix, BrightMix’s Tripleseat product, what he’s learned as BrightMix transitioned from a consulting firm to a product company, and the…

  • Building an entrepreneurial ecosystem: A vibrant social scene

    Today, I’d like to continue a series we talk about frequently: building an entrepreneurial ecosystem. On several occasions, we’ve referenced a list that Sarah Lacy came up with: Every center of innovation needs a cocktail of things…

  • Des Moines Business Record announces its 2010 Forty Under 40

    The Des Moines Business Record has announced its annual class of “Forty under 40”