Says every college girl, ever.

Ok, so, while saying “like” can make your goals/dreams/aspirations for the  future sounds a little silly, doing social media IS NOT. It’s one of the greatest things you can do for a company, especially a startup, IF you’re good at it. So, just, like, be good at it!

I went into my internship at Dashfire knowing that one of my duties would be to manage Twitter and write blogs. Leaving Dashfire, I’ve recognized just how important being active on social media is, so I’ve come up with (what I believe) is a good framework for how to attack social media.

After you’ve gone through the process of launching a startup company, how are you going to get everyone to love your idea as much as you do? People aren’t going to come to you, you must go to where your audience already is: the world wide web.

Social media outlets are your saving grace. Be thankful for them and use them for all they are worth. Here’s how to do so:

Just like the really great business plan you’ve created for your company, you’ll need a social media plan. The plan should include the following

• Objectives. Defining what you want to accomplish is key. Do you want to expand your customer base? Drive more traffic to your website? Retain customers? You should want to do all three.
• Purpose. What are the core values of your company? Make sure they are clearly defined before you start posting random things. Take Bucketfeet for example; their core values are rooted around connecting art and fashion through different cultures, and that’s very evident throughout their social media presence.
• Strategies. Define which outlets will benefit you most. While some companies, such as TableSAVVY, can find Facebook to be extremely helpful, others, such as Dashfire, see less use for it. That can’t be said for Twitter or creating a WordPress or Tumblr, which I believe to be outlets that everyone can benefit from. Take into consideration which outlets you’re going to use, and make managing the right ones a top priority.
• Timeline. Hire experts, or soon to be experts (aka interns), to devote time to social media. Lots of time. I’ve spent 8 weeks at Dashfire, and feel that this amount of time is perfect for building a strong online presence. After these initial 8 weeks, it’s now time to grow that presence and continue growing until the internet blows up, or something. Knock on wood.

Before you get started, pick a username that you’ll use for all your accounts. Because everyone and their mothers (unfortunately..) are already on social media, your username may already be taken, so be flexible. Dashfire had this issue, so we just used variations; our Twitter name is @Dashfirex, Instagram  is @Dashfirepix. (Follow us!) Our photo, bio and themes are the same for each account, and they’re all linked to each other, so it’s recognizable to users. Do the same.

Here are the outlets we love, and how we (are trying, every day) to use them to their full advantage.

LinkedIn. Over 150 million members are on it, so if you’re not….

• Sign your company up! First make sure you aren’t already on it though. If someone has listed that they’ve worked at your company, you’re already on it, which takes away the first step.
• Complete your profile 100%.
• Link it to every other social media outlet you have, as well as your homepage.
• Obtain recommendations from anyone you’ve worked with. Even a couple sentences will help.
• Create and become part of groups.
• Post, post, post! Everything! Jobs, status updates, events, engage in polls, answer questions.

Twitter. It’s where everyone talks about, well, everything! Chances are there’s people talking about your company right now without you even knowing it. Find those people, keep them talking, and then get more people talking. Rick always says Twitter rocks because you can promote your product to millions of people FOR FREE! Rick is right.

• Follow relevant people. TableSAVVY is a Chicago-based startup focused on dining, so they follow everyone in the food industry; restaurants, chefs, food trucks, food bloggers, people who simply love to talk about food, etc.
• Create lists while you’re following people to keep organized. You’ll be able to group people and interact with them in different ways. Using TableSAVVY as an example, they aren’t going to interact with food bloggers entirely the same way as they’ll engage with Chicago restaurants. Creating lists early on will make managing things easier. Tweetdeck is a great tool for managing these lists, so get that too.

Blog. Get one! I suggest WordPress, but Tumblr can be useful too. But never mind, I like WordPress. Do WordPress. If you like writing, write. If you don’t like writing, try to write, but if that fails, find someone who likes writing and will write all the time. I went in to Dashfire knowing about the tech startup scene, but not nearly as much as I would have hoped. How did I learn more? I read blogs; tons and tons and tons of blogs. Everyone in the bloggosphere is on the same page: they want to learn about what they don’t know and teach about what they do. And they just really like talking. Become a part of this.

You can basically say whatever you want, so don’t be shy about writing a post. Finding a topic can be the hardest part, here are some ways to overcome writer’s block:

• Attend an event related to your industry. Or not even related. Attend anything. Write about your experience there. I attended Tech Week and some panels at 1871, so I wrote about them.
• Read blogs, get inspired, write about how you feel about a certain topic. I read tons of blogs about social media, and here I am!
• Write about someone/something you like! Literally pick anyone or anything. I love the Cheeky Chicago girls, Lisa Frame, Milli Mital, the Drink With Chicago girls, so I wrote about girls who run the startup world.
• Something going on right now? Write about it. It was national co-working day, so I wrote about cool co-working spaces in Chicago.
• Write about something you’ve done well. I got an internship, so I told people how.

Instagram. Not only is Instagram really instafun and makes you feel like the best photographer in the world, but it’s a great way to attract followers. It’s popularity alone is reason enough for you to be a part of it.

Once you’ve created an account..

• Play around with it, start uploading pictures.
• Link it to your Twitter and Facebook, and follow everyone you’re already following.
• Use hashtags. If you take a great photo of the Chicago skyline, include #Chicago. It’s the way people look for other great photos of Chicago, and yours will be so great that they’ll follow you and then BAM! more users!
• Engage with users:
• Create Instagram contests. Are you giving something away? Instagram is the perfect way to start a trend. Bonobos is currently giving away products. To select people, they’ve asked users to use #cannonballing and they pick their favorite photo.
• Comment, like, comment, like, repeat. What’s better than being a random person (me) and having an awesome company (you) like my photo? Not much.

When you’re posting, whether it be on Twitter, blogs, Instagram, whatever, here’s what you should remember:

• Link all of your accounts. If you post an awesome blog post, make sure it goes to every other outlet. Same goes for posting pictures, status updates, you name it.
• Be consistent and realize that good content is key. Tweet about relevant things, current events, things you like, etc.
• Make people laugh. There are times for tweets about serious things, but not all the time. I follow people who make me laugh, be one of those people.
• Participate in this wonderful land of social media, don’t broadcast. This means: ask questions, don’t just post statements.
• Interact. Follow up with your fans, answer their questions, be there when they need you – whether that be for a source of information, comic relief, customer service, WHATEVER. Just be there.
• Praise others. Know a great company who’s doing awesome things? Let them know it.
• Repost. Writing one thing and sending it out one time isn’t enough. Write a great blog post, post it on your blog, and then every other outlet available to get as many hits as possible. Upload it to places like Built In Chicago, who will promote it if they like it (which they will because you’re awesome, right?!)
• Reward your followers. Let them know how important they are to you! Whether it be giving them shout-outs or giveaways, you’ll retain users if you make yourself useful to them.
• Don’t stop. Be on social media as much as possible. This doesn’t mean you always have to be posting, because you shouldn’t always be posting, but if someone mentions your company, respond immediately.

•  Find 1 awesome building in River North
• Collect brilliant minds, as many as you can find
• Sprinkle them with kindness
• Place brilliantkind minds in awesome building
• Watch for innovation
• Add in 20 razor scooters, fridges of 312, and overpriced coffee
• Watch for success
• Consider lowering price of coffee
• Find someone to yell at the intern who is complaining about the coffee prices

I think this is how they did it. Whether or not the recipe is exact, co-working spaces in Chicago have been amazing for entrepreneurs. In light of this national holiday, here’s what’s been happening at these awesome offices:

 Home Sweet Home, 1871.

 Those of us who call 1871 home can agree that the past 98 days have been filled with much success, some set backs, but above all, a lot of positive energy. While it takes a ridiculously long amount of time to get an elevator to the 12th floor of the mart, once those doors open, you can’t help but feel great about the place you’re working. The design itself is remarkable, but no where near as remarkable as the brilliant minds we work beside each day.

Since it’s launch in the beginning of summer, many great people have walked and scooted around 1871, including Mayor Emmanuel. New startups have been accepted to the co-working space weekly, making 1871 better with each addition. The space is used for amazing, daily workshops on SEO, Social Media, and Design, and offers office hours with Chicago’s finest. 1871 is home to early stage companies including single founder companies. People usually leave when the team gets to be around 6 people, so is anyone interested in making 1871 the sequel? Dashfire has loved being at 1871.

We’ve been able to attend so many great workshops and connect with tons of amazing people. Rick was on a panel recently, check it out.

 Catapult

Part incubator, part accelerator, the 12,000 square foot co-working space opened in June of this year. I’ve been lucky enough to visit Catapult a couple of times this summer, where I’ve worked with Bucketfeet.While the space is a bit smaller than 1871, that doesn’t mean there’s any less brilliance. Its made up of early stage companies with teams from 1-8 people, and their vision is to create a peer-selected environment, which adds so much to the office vibes. New companies are selected by the existing founders of other companies in the office space, creating a big happy family of entrepreneurs.

The layout of Catapult is a little different; instead of the big, open tables at 1871, each startup gets a private room, which is nice. The doors are always open, unless there is a top secret meeting going on.

Tech Nexus

Tech Nexus is one of the oldest co-working spaces in Chicago. While I haven’t had the opportunity to visit Tech Nexus yet, I’m open to any invitations to stop by. I don’t bite often.   130 companies have been grown out of Tech Nexus, raising over $75 million in capital. It’s a place where entrepreneurs can build start ups, collaborate with all or some of Tech Nexus’s 2,500 techies on board what they like to call the “clubhouse”, and gain the skills needed to pursue their dreams. Tech Nexus feels like a college more so than the other co-working spaces in Chicago, which is very appealing to startups and the companies they have on board.

Because it’s been around for so long, Tech Nexus knows how to do co-working space right. It’s a place to collaborate and network, communicate with peers, techies and advisors, attend work shops and labs, engage in the startup world, etc.

The Coop

The Coop is trés chic! It’s classic white walls, huge windows, unique furniture and art make it a great place to get work done. What’s nice about The Coop is that they’re welcome to showing it off – as of lately, non-members can take free tours of The Coop between 9am and 4pm. Thursday is “free day” at The Coop, which makes it really nice for non-members as well.

It was one of the first co-working spaces in Chicago, inspired by the New York City co-working space, Brooklyn Coworking. It is just an all around friendly place to be, and is inviting to anyone. Home to writers, web developers, acoustic engineers, designers, journalists, students, and entrepreneurs, The Coop serves as a great spot for brilliant people to bounce ideas off of the white walls.

The Coop is home to The Gift Insider, where I had my first internship! It’s a gift giving website that rocks, check it out if you haven’t already.

Last week, Tech In Motion hosted an event at 1871, where CrowdNoize, a music-tech startup based out of 1871, spoke of their plans for the future – launching what they like to call “CrowdNoize 2.0.” Entrepreneurs including our own Rick Desai (autographs available upon request), Mike McGee of Code Academy, Tom Giles of Stage Bloc and Danny Sanchez of Music Dealers sat on the panel, offering advice to CrowdNoize and aspiring entrepreneurs in the audience.

Out of college, the typical DePaul University graduate is looking for a job at a big corporation. This wasn’t the case for Patrick Welby, Domingo Meneses, and their Chicago-based “Dream Team” of 3 others who managed to skip the corporate world and dive in to what they love: music. So, how do some college kids manage to create a site that gets 15,000 unique visitors per month? Lots of dedication and hard work.

It started with a blog. Patrick, who hosted Radio DePaul, the University’s weekly broadcast, always loved sharing new music and upcoming shows with his listeners, and his listeners came to love his recommendations.

“[After the show] People were hitting me up on social media, Twitter, Facebook, shooting me texts and emails, asking for my script” Patrick states, “so I thought, why not start blogging about it?”

What started off as a side project has not turned into something big, about to turn huge. CrowdNoize’s “organic content” is one thing that Patrick and Domingo agree on as to what sets them apart from their competition. CrowdNoize writes about music they like and music they know; mainly hip hop and the booming electronic music industry, both of which have a huge following of similar listeners.

“We don’t know much about Indie, but one of our writer’s does, so she handles that. We don’t know anything about country, so we don’t write about country.” Domingo adds, “It’s the organic, real content of our site that make it so appealing to our users.”

“Writers are the heartbeat of our operation” Patrick states, “We’ve got 18 writers in different cities across the nation, all reaching different audiences.”

CrowdNoize’s newest site is about to capitalize on what they’ve already done, and provide more for users and artists alike.  CrowdNoize 2.0 will act as your one-stop shop for all things music. From before the show, during the show, and after the show, CrowdNoize will be with you the entire time (if they haven’t been already).

Here’s the advice panelists gave to CrowdNoize, which can apply to every entrepreneur looking to launch a business, or revamp their current operation:

“Highlight how successful you’ve been in the past when you’re pitching. Investors and partners love numbers because they can’t be disproved. If you have 15,000 unique users – tell everyone! Your innovation has been acquiring content and users, keep doing it.”

– @rickdesai

Mike says: “Keep it simple. When launching new features, don’t overwhelm the users. See what works, see what they like, and get feedback.”

– @michaelmcgee

“The music industry is a crowded market, and it’s crowded by people with tons of traction. I’ve seen so many companies get stuck in a corner. Your content needs to be really great, all the time.”

– @tomgiles

“Data is king. Make sure you have a plan – always ask yourself: how are you going to get your next 1,000 users, and your next 1,000 after that.”

– @dannysanchez8 

I recently visited Jamaica where I met a local artist who’s name I don’t remember. After showing me some of his work, we got to chatting. He was passionate about his art, and confident that he’d be able to sell it overseas, but explained that he had no outlet to do so. I gave him my phone number and Facebook name, and even though I couldn’t have done anything to help at the time, it felt nice extending my contact info. Leaving Jamaica, I thought to myself what a shame it was that there are so many great artists around the world who may never get recognized.

Since working at Dashfire, Rick has introduced me to our partners at Bucketfeet, a company I would have loved to know about when I encountered my artist friend in Jamaica. Bucketfeet was created by Aaron Firestein and Raaja Nemani after meeting in Argentina and having an experience similar to the story I just told. Aaron was working as a photographer in Buenos Aries, but brought with him his passion: canvas shoes that he had been drawing on as a way to make extra cash in college. Raaja was volunteering in Buenos Aires and just beginning his trip around the world. Their artistic backgrounds and love of the world sparked an instant friendship and soon-to-be successful business. While abroad, Aaron and Raaja both recognized a problem: art connects people, yet there are very few platforms that make this connection worldwide.

The solution? Aaron’s canvas shoes. Passionate about their idea, Aaron and Raaja quit their jobs and founded Bucketfeet as a way to connect artists to people around the world, spread art in a creative way, and support local artists.

I’ve been helping out at Bucketfeet, where I’ve learned a different side of the startup world, one rooted in fashion and art with such strong cultural ties. I’m happy that Bucketfeet and Dashfire partnered, and look forward to working with Aaron, Raaja, Julia, Alana and Kyle.

If you’re interested in a side project this school year, Bucketfeet would love to chat with you. They’re currently looking for student Brand Ambassadors (on-campus and abroad) to promote the shoes, write blogs, post pictures, and brainstorm innovative ways to spread the word about Bucketfeet. It’s a fun way to help out a great cause, plus, you’ll get a free pair of Bucketfeet and a promotion code to give your friends. Contact Alana if you’re interested: alana@bucketfeet.com. Get your Bucketfeet here: Bucketfeet 

Be excited! Internships lead to jobs! Jobs get you money! Money is cool! College is fun, but only if you work as hard as you play.

Ok so you’re pumped, right? Now, imagine your dream internship. Whether it be at a certain company, office space or in a specific field, find something you’re passionate about. The best part about this waiting period known as “college” is that there’s tons of time to experiment. If you don’t know what you want to be when you grow up, these 4 years serve as a great way to at the very least figure out what you don’t want to be.

If you’re looking for your first internship, realize that the likelihood of finding a paid one is slim to none, and that’s totally okay. Some of my favorite internships have been unpaid. (Shout out to The Gift Insider!) Free labor isn’t as bad as you think; your boss usually hooks up free lunches or a little bonus. Take a few unpaid internships during the school year or over the summer to gain experience and build your resumé.

In my opinion, the summer before you graduate is the most important time of college. If you’ve had meaningful internships in the past, you’ll most likely not have an issue landing a great one before your senior year. If you haven’t had experience, you’ll be a little more stressed out, but you’ve still got plenty of time.

Don’t stress! Here’s how I got offered internships at every place I applied:

Having had internships before this summer, I knew I was interested in working for a startup. My dream workplace was 1871 (duh), but the company, however, was TBD.

I loved every startup at 1871, obviously, because they are all awesome. After researching, I narrowed down my options to 8 companies, 7 of which didn’t have any posts about looking for interns. It’s important to realize that just because a company doesn’t have a “Now Hiring” sign doesn’t mean they aren’t interested. If it turns out they aren’t looking for help, you’ll at least make a good connection.

I’ve had a lot of experience applying places and being rejected/ignored, so I knew that I’d need to get creative with my presentation this time around. In the past, I tended to overanalyze the purpose of a cover letter. It sounds like some fancy, important document, and while it can be fancy and is definitely important, a cover letter is not the time to tell every little detail about everything you’ve ever done, ever. Think about the emails you receive, which ones catch your attention? Essay-long, boring ones? No. A cover letter should be short, sweet, and to the point, while still highlighting why you’ll be the best intern ever.

Here’s my secret recipe:

Subject: Your Future Intern 🙂

Dear Mr./Ms. Company Owner,

While I understand that I am applying for a position that doesn’t yet exist,  I’ve attached a copy of my resume that will let you know why I should be _________‘s next intern. I’d love an opportunity to explain myself further, but until then, here are 10 things you should know about me:

1. I’m a _________ at _________ University.
2. I am working towards my BA in _________ with a minor in _________.
3. My education has made me extremely interested in working in the _________ field. I love _________ , _________, and _________ and hopefully want to _________ after graduation. I’m eager to find the perfect career after college, and  feel working at _________ would be a great way to reach my goals.
4. I’m passionate and knowledgeable about _________, _________, _________, _________.
5. My first internship was with _________ , a _________ company based out of _________. Working at _________ taught me the importance of _________,  _________, _________, _________.
6. I’ve gained experience in _________ through being involved with _________. This taught me _________, _________ , and _________.
7. My education and previous work experience have sparked my interest in _________ , and shown me _________, _________, _________. I believe this will be useful at your company because _________.
8. I also have experience with _________ and _________ through working at _________.
9. I am interested in working at your company because I feel it would showcase my current skills as well as help me gain experience in the _________ field. I specifically think I’d be great at _________, _________, _________.
10. I’m hardworking, and have an understanding that my personal life becomes secondary once the work day starts.

Thanks for taking the time to learn a little more about me! I look forward to speaking with you soon.

Sincerely,

Your name.

Your phone number.

Your email.

It felt really risky, but I didn’t have anything to lose and was confident it would grab at least one person’s attention. Maybe it has to do with the places I was applying, but everyone loved my pitch wanted to set up interviews.

And then comes the scary part. Here’s how to make interviews less terrifying:

• Confirm your interview the day before.
• Remember: overdressed > underdressed. Present yourself in a way that says you’re a professional, even if you aren’t and it was the only suitable outfit in your closet. You can shop after you get the job. (Bonus)
• Research everything about the industry, company, it’s competition, and the person interviewing you. Being able to control a little bit of the interview makes it easier. Ask questions like: “How did you get involved with this company?” “What is the company looking to do within the next five years?” “What does your average day entail?”
• Arrive 15 minutes early.
• Bring a notebook. Future bosses appreciate that old-school stuff. I suggest getting this one: Brilliant Idea Notebook. 
• Actually take notes. Not only does it show off your superb intelligence and organizational skills, but also decreases the amount of awkward eye contact.
• Be honest! When asked questions, don’t be ashamed to say you aren’t sure. They aren’t expecting you to know everything, that’s what the internship is for, silly.
• Stay confident even if you feel things aren’t going exactly as planned.
• Follow up after the interview, thanking them for taking the time to meet with you and reiterating your interest in the position.
• Get the internship.
• Go shopping..?

Beyoncé said it best.

I’ve been interning with Dashfire for about 3 weeks and have already learned so much about entrepreneurship, like, for example, the true meaning of girl power. Here’s a shout out to some of my favorite entrepreneurs rocking the Chicago tech scene:

Kelly Kane & Hillary Sawchuck

I first discovered entrepreneurs and badass chicks Kelly Kane and Hillary Sawchuck during Tech Week. They mediated “Where The Cool Kids Are: Startup Success Stories”, one of my favorite panels of the week. Kelly and Hillary started A Drink With Chicago (@A_Drink_With) on the premise that “all it takes is one great conversation over one drink to create a long-lasting friendship, adjust your outlook or make an impact on your life.” Kelly and Hillary seem to have created their dream jobs, spending time interviewing local Chicago entrepreneurs, chefs, celebrities, socialites, artists and athletes. Since their launch, they’ve had drinks with Jeremy Piven, Giuliana and Bill Rancic, Jenny McCarthy, Eric Himel, Jarrett Walter Payton… just to name a few.

The startup scene can appear easy but having a good idea is only a percentage of what it takes. Creating your dream doesn’t just happen over night. Kelly graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcast Journalism and French. She’s been strutting her degree ever since; having internships at ABC3/WLAJ, Imagination Publishing, MTV Networks, landing an Advertising Sales job and Media Sales Associate position at CBS Radio, and worked as a Senior Account Executive at Groupon. Hillary, another Broadcast chick, has interned with the Detroit Pistons and WDIV-TV, was an event coordinator at One Smooth Stone, worked as a Broadcast Department Runner at Turner Broadcasting, a Stage Manager at ESPN, an Event Coordinator at Jonathon Witz and SmithBucklin. I’ve probably left out tons of other really cool stuff they did, but you get it – they rock.

Rick and I have said that in order to be an entrepreneur, you must: find something you love, work hard to learn as much as you can about the industry, and then find a way to make it better. Kelly and Hillary are perfect examples of this theory, making A Drink With Chicago so successful.

Jessica Zweig and Erica Bethe Levin

I interviewed at 1871 during the grand opening. I, a 21 year old college girl, was immediately drawn to one workspace: CheekyChicago. All pink, bouquets of flowers, cute girls typing away on their Macbooks. I died. Right when I got home I googled “Cheeky Chicago” and have been obsessed ever since.

Here’s how Cheeky Chicago was born:

Jessica went to the University of Illinois, where she earned her BFA in Acting. Post graduation, she began tearing up the Chicago theater scene, which she still dabbles with on the side. She freelances for UrbanDaddy.com, is a correspondent for NBC 5’s new digital station “Chicago Non-Stop”.

Erica studied theater at Northwestern and since graduating has done literally every cool job there is – from working at The Second City and the Lookingglass Theater, being a correspondent for NBC, a freelancer for Jetsetter.com, the Midwest Casting Consultant for Backstage.com AND a member of Northwestern University’s Council of 100 women across the US who mentor students and young alum.

Their backgrounds alone make them worthy of a shout out, but all cheeky girls (and C.S. Lewis)  know that “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” Jessica and Erica’s bubbly personalities, entrepreneurial state of mind, and love for fun created CheekyChicago.com (@CheekyChicago). It’s an online lifestyle magazine, and THE guide to Chicago; stacked with everything you’d ever need in order to have a great time, any time you please. Along with giving the scoop on things like great places to eat and party, where to be seen, health and beauty guides, etc etc etc, Jessica, Erica, and their team of writers act as great resources – offering advice on dating, relationships, traveling, careers and all things cheeky Chicago girls love

Lisa Frame 

 @LisaFrame is one of those people you follow on Twitter and consider to be one of your besties, though you’ve never met.

After graduating from from Columbia College in Chicago, Lisa worked as a digital producer REAKT, a Social Planner at Leo Burnett, a Community and Social Director at Abe’s Market, and probably did a lot of other cool things on the side.

She’s a girl who loves startups, and works to help companies “get rad” through her innovative digital strategies. Lisa’s success shows the power of being innovative and having an infectious personality. She took a simple concept: her love of coffee, and love of meeting people and founded Mugshot-Monday.com. The editorial is filled with bios of people that you’d like to have coffee with – artists, designers, writers, entrepreneurs, developers, comics bloggers and other do-ers. The bio is accompanied by their coffee “Mugshot” making it the cutest idea ever.

My cyber BFF has shown the importance of innovation, expressing yourself, and staying authentic. Oh ya, and Lisa is also the LOL maker behind her popular Chicago-influenced blog wwww.soyeahduh.tumblr.com (@soyeahduh).

Mili Mittal

Last but certainly not least, Mili Mittal (@mmittal) is another girl to admire for more reasons than one. Mili is the CEO and Co-founder of Dashfire’s partner, mor.sl (http://mor.sl/) based out of Washington, DC. mor.sl solves the common problem of “what should I cook tonight?” by offering personalized suggestions that stay up to date with your taste. Yet again, another simple concept that’s put to use and successful by a girl who knows how to make something better.

mor.sl started on the premise that young professionals spend too much time eating out, taking in and spending money on food that isn’t necessarily the best for them. Mili recognizes that not many people want to cook, but saw that it could be fixed with this easy solution. And it really is an easy solution, one I used all the time. Not only does it solve the problem of WHAT to cook, but mor.sl learns your tastes and preferences – making it super specific. mor.sl hopes to expand in the future, by adding basically all you need in order to be more efficient at home and in the kitchen.

mor.sl’s blog is one every person who enjoys food should check out. With thousands of food blogs out there, mor.sl serves as a great way to integrate them under one site, which adds an aspect that not many other blogs offer. Mili’s unique all-you-could-ever-need to make dinner site separates her from the rest, and is what makes her one of our favorite entrepreneurs.

and.. I shall leave on this note:

Beyoncé – Run The World (Girls)

Here’s what we learned from TechWeek, about entrepreneurship:

This past weekend, Chicago celebrated the annual TechWeek Conference at the Merchandise Mart.  The conference was full of successful entrepreneurs sharing their stories and the aspiring taking in every word.  On Monday, I attended Style 2.0: Lifestyles of the Fashionable & Web Savvy panel with Rick.   The presenters were Brian Spaly (CEO of Chicago’s Trunk Club), John Wiseman (CEO of Jack Threads), Raaja Nemani (CEO of Chicago and Dashfire’s BucketFeet), Daniel Saynt  (Socialyte CEO and co-founder) and Zach Davis (Co-Founder of Stylitics).  We also ran into our friends Swapna and Swathi from Luxemi.

The take away for me was that most entrepreneurs do not succeed.  Running your own ventures with limited resources is hard, painful, and lonely.  As Brian alluded, everyone in your life will counsel you against starting your own company as it’s “legal gambling on your career.”  But that didn’t stop Brian from founding Bonobos and TrunkClub.  Why?  Because he cares deeply about the e-commerce and fashion space – will Gilt Group go public, who will Amazon acquire next, what will Nordstroms pay for next.  His passion is his motivation.

Raaja had a similar experience before co-founding Bucketfeet.  He was an investment banker but after meeting his future co-founder, Aaron Firestein, while volunteering in Argentinian slums, he realized his passion was elsewhere.  Raaja and Aaron started BucketFeet to follow their passion for discovering underground artists.  And of course shoes.  The challenge for Raaja was accepting that in this career path that failure is a real possibility.  “Taking your first plunge [as an entrepreneur] is getting comfortable with the idea that you may fail” explains Raaja.  “You must recognize that the worst thing that could happen is failure, which isn’t too bad.”

So, do you want to start something?

p.s. if you haven’t already, check out what these fashionable entrepreneurs started:

Trunk Club

Bonobos

Jack Threads

Bucketfeet 

Socialyte

Stylitics

Said Matt Maloney as he accepted his Moxie for CEO of  the Year. I clapped, not only for Matt’s success, but for the tech community that has made Chicago become the city it is today and the city it will be tomorrow.

If you’re a 21 year old college student, the word “free” is all you need for a great night. But a night with Chicago’s most brilliant entrepreneurs, Rahm Emanuel, AND an open bar? Dashfire hooked me up with a great night at Park West for The First Annual Moxie Awards, founded by Built in Chicago and New World Ventures. Designed as a night to recognize and celebrate Chicago’s booming tech industry and people who’ve made it possible, The Moxie’s exceeded my expectations and made for an unforgettable evening.

The energy at The Moxies fed off of the day to day energy at 1871 which made for an exciting and inspirational evening. Rahm Emanuel opened the night by saluting Chicago on it’s successes and reiterating the city’s support and appreciation for the tech community. The Code Academy boys rightfully earned Moxies for Best Educational or Recruitment Startup and Best Bootstrapped Startup. JC proposed to Amanda Thompson, adding a romantic twist to the night. I was finally recognized at the end of the evening, once I stole John Tucker’s name tag and everyone thought I worked at Trunk Club. Awesome.

Built In Chicago and New World Ventures put on a fantastic event that I look forward to attending in years to follow. Congratulations to each member of the Chicago tech community, it was a pleasure to be in the same room. And thanks to Dashfire for being the coolest place to work… ever.

I’m Alexx Miles, Dashfire’s intern. I’m a rising senior at DePaul University studying Communications and Journalism, but for the summer I’ve transferred to the University of 1871, where I hope to learn as much as I can about the tech community. Networking is my thing, so if you’re ever in the office (which you should be because this place is heaven) come say hi! I’ll probably be sipping on a Diet Coke.

The second I found out about 1871 I was determined to work there. I researched every company and was impressed by each one of them, but Dashfire stuck out the most. Knowing that I’d be able to learn about a variety of different industries all in the tech startup family, and the opportunity to (hopefully) be able to help out Dashfire’s  partners such as Bucketfeet, Evertrue and SnapIt is what interested me most.  After my first week I’ve already learned so much, and am excited for what’s to come the rest of the summer.

Anyways, that’s me! Hope to connect soon, but until then, I’m almost at 400 followers so…. @withtwoxs