Let’s Add DEPTH to the Midwest Ecosystem, not Horizontal

Posted by Jeff Carter
on February 6th, 2013

Thanks to Crain’s Chicago, I received the opportunity to write an op-ed for them today. You can read it here. I was tweeting back and forth with Ann Dwyer(@AnnDwyer_Crains), and she suggested it. Crain’s has done a lot to report on, and to support, the Chicago entrepreneurial ecosystem. More media outlets of all stripes need to do the same. Report on it every day-there is something great happening here every day.

Of course, we need to build up Chicago along with the entire midwest. We feed on each other. A rising tide lifts all boats.

On Facebook, Bruce Montgomery and I initiated a conversation about the Tuskegee Airman, which lead to a conversation about entrepreneurship as it relates to minorities. We both agree, the minority population in America will be lifted up by engaging in startups, and building their own businesses. The great news is no one is out there intentionally stopping them.

Over the past year, my friend Marc Kadish introduced me to Calvin Flowers and Dennis Daniels. I have been working with them, and am going to attend their next presentation to work with entrepreneurs in their organization.

If you want to get involved mentoring-it’s easy. Volunteer and do it. That’s how we build from the ground up. The table is set for everyone, and everyone is invited to the largest party we have thrown since the opening of the IM Canal. 1871 is our new canal.

Remember there are things that you can do to grow the entrepreneurial ecosystem without investing a dollar. Just peruse sights like BuiltInChicago.org, technori.com and blacklinereview.com and you will learn a lot.

The time is now. #beonfire or as Nike says, “Just Do It.”.

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