The last 12 months have been exciting for the local startup ecosystem as Savannah has enjoyed more love from regional and national investors, media and leaders than ever before.
Looking forward to 2015, various community calendars are filling up with local programs and events geared for entrepreneurs.
We can say that the Savannah startup community is happening, with things looking even more exciting for 2015, but the real insight is this: None of the successes of the last 12 months just happened. They were the result of the dedication, hard work and input from lots of people, most of all the entrepreneurs themselves.
One of the best books on entrepreneurship I read in 2014 was Linda Rottenberg’s “Crazy is a Compliment.”
In the book, Rottenberg defines entrepreneurship like this: “It’s about building up your emotions to take on the status quo, then tamping down your emotions once the problems start to hit. It’s about taking courageous actions to destabilize the world but doing so through a series of judicious moves that won’t destabilize you. It’s about both embracing risk and mitigating risk. It’s about achieving daring dreams through prudent steps.”
Rottenberg will visit Savannah this August. Stay tuned for details.
Having worked closely with two Savannah area startups that received seed funding in 2014 (Aetho and Quickit), I know how many prudent steps these talented entrepreneurs took to bring their ideas to fruition — to move from the concept stage to becoming funded startups.
The steps involved the ability to pivot and the willingness to take smart risks. The steps also included seeking feedback, support and connections from mentors.
Needless to say, the most crucial step for entrepreneurs is the first one: taking the big leap. One program dedicated to helping locals take that leap is The Creative Coast’s FastPitch event, which is a competition designed to hone an entrepreneur’s presentation skills and ideation process.
In the FastPitch program, promising local entrepreneurs have three minutes to pitch their idea to a panel of experienced entrepreneurs and investors. But there is much more to FastPitch than a simple competition.
All participants receive valuable feedback, coaching and encouragement from fellow entrepreneurs, business leaders, consumers and students from our own community, and there’s the added incentive of winning prize money.
Would it surprise you if I told you the first step Ian Nott of Aetho took toward securing seed money in 2014 was applying to FastPitch 2014?
Would it surprise you if I told you he did not win in any category nor was he a runner-up?
While I’m sure Ian would have liked to win the prize money or be recognized as the audience’s favorite, the real benefits of participating in FastPitch are the coaching and feedback the entrepreneurs receive before, during and after the event.
The people there to guide you along the way and to provide feedback are community leaders, academics and investors — people who make things happen.
This year, entrepreneurs are competing in three categories: student entrepreneurs, service-based entrepreneurs and product-based entrepreneurs. Those with early stage innovative ideas as well as existing businesses are encouraged to apply, but hurry — the Jan. 26 deadline is approaching fast.
Not an entrepreneur, but interested in Savannah’s growing innovative economy? Register now to attend FastPitch on March 5. Submit your application or register to attend via www.fastpitchcompetition.com.
Are you one of those people who looks at the world around you not as it is but as it can be? Is your head full of ideas for innovative products or services? If so, now is the time to take that first step or two to turn your vision into reality.
FastPitch 2015 is your opportunity to move your idea forward.
We can’t wait to hear you pitch your idea. Even more, we can’t wait to help you make it happen.
Katheriin Liibert is a Baltic-American Freedom Foundation intern from Estonia and conference director for The Creative Coast, a not-for-profit organization that promotes the creative and entrepreneurial community within the region. Katheriin can be reached at 912-429-2702 or katheriin@thecreativecoast.org.