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Orr Fellowship Launches New Promotional Video

Bo Dietrick — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 17:31:09 +0000

This week, the Orr Fellowship launched a new promotional video. The 60-second video provides information for a variety of constituent groups in Central Indiana. Bo Dietrick, current fellow, directed and produced the new video. Here, he's shared not only key insights into his exciting video project but also a few personal thoughts on the Orr Fellowship:

I am a first year Orr Fellow who works in video production for ExactTarget. Upon beginning the Fellowship in the summer of 2013, it was clear to me that there was one key element that was missing from our marketing plan -- a clean, scripted video to describe the Orr Fellowship to viewers with little or low exposure to the organization. With the advice and support of several leaders within the Fellowship, I then took the lead in producing a short, succinct commercial to promote this truly unique asset to the Indianapolis business community.

The Orr Fellowship has been in existence for a decade and boasts a strong marketing campaign, including a website, wide use of social media, and a grass roots, word of mouth effort. Several videos have been produced in which board members discuss the inspiration for the Fellowship: Keep local talent in the state of Indiana after college to develop the next generation of startup companies.

Having spent a few months as an active member of the Fellowship, it became quite clear that the young professionals who make up the Orr Fellowship have a strong voice in selling the benefits of this organization. Some of these benefits include post-college learning and networking opportunities. The process then became a simple matter of allowing the voices of these individuals to be heard.

The actual script used for the video emerged from the organization’s marketing and press materials. Using the current marketing information, in conjunction with new facts and figures, made for a compelling story. Our objective: We want college students to see and hear from the people that they could potentially be working alongside with in the program.

To many, the Orr Fellowship is something that they are enormously passionate about, so acting was never a concern. As director, I was able to take the completed script and schedule shooting times with different individuals in locations that would present the Indianapolis landscape in a dynamic manner.

Presenting the unique interests and diversity of the Orr Fellowship was a key goal of mine throughout shooting. The Fellows truly compose a group with diverse interests and backgrounds, which often translates into constant learning opportunities from our peers. The framing of these individuals needed to be quite personal to get this idea across. At the same time, we are all equals in the Fellowship, hence the eye level of each individual remaining consistent from shot to shot.

And finally, the music needed to convey a sense of power and emotion. We were able to purchase the license to the sound track quite affordably. As you’ll notice, the music has a great flow throughout the opening graphics all the way to the closing time lapse of sunrise in Indianapolis. I believe that music is definitely the glue that holds the various pieces of the production together.

This promotional tool will not only allow us to promote the Orr Fellowship to countless individuals, but also to promote our brand, our message and our passion as recent graduates, Orr Fellows and the future leaders of Indiana.

A Year in Review and a New Year of Opportunity

Branden Burke — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 13:10:00 +0000

From Shark Tank to China, from acquisitions to mobile apps, the Orr Fellowship has had a prosperous 2012 and is preparing for a remarkable 2013. Welcoming the largest fellowship class yet, we will also be saying goodbye to many bright individuals. The new energy, ideas and faces will continue the legacy of current and past fellows.

With another new year upon us, new beginnings, traditions and experiences are ahead. But it's important to remember notable experiences that lay not too far behind us. 2012 was a year for the books as the Orr Fellowship continues to make an impact here in Indy and on the national stage. Lets take a look at this year’s success from the Orr Fellowship’s own young professionals.

TechPoint, Indiana’s technology growth initiative, welcomed new leader – Mike Langellier. The Depauw University graduate and former Orr Fellow co-founded MyJibe, a personal finance and banking software company. Mike successfully sold the company in November 2011 and has served as vice president of strategic partnerships with MoneyDesktop since.

The Orr Fellowship sent their first fellows overseas to China to embark on a two week business and personal development trip. The trip consisted of business meetings and sightseeing, from the Great Wall to the site of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Ashton Chaffee, current Orr Fellow appeared on the premiere of season four of ABC’s reality series Shark Tank, and stirs up quite the excitement as CoatChex, a ticketless coat check system, turns down Mark Cuban and his $200,000 offier.

Charlie Kelly, current Orr Fellow starts his entrepreneurship career, debuting Square Jive, a free mobile app that features local Indianapolis events and restaurants. Available for the iPhone in Apple's App Store. Stop searching - just jive.

Two Orr Fellowship companies were acquired and grow to new opportunities. California based company, Ingram Micro, acquired BrightPoint, and iGoDigital is now an ExactTarget company.

With a new year upon us, there comes new opportunities and excitement amongst the Orr Fellowship and Indianapolis. The Orr Fellowship and the entire Indianapolis startup community would like to welcome and congratulate this year's 2013 Orr Fellowship Class who will be starting with some of Indiana's best and fastest growing companies. This year's class includes 34 top college graduates from 16 different universities. Please join me in welcoming:

Name

Host Company

Alma Mater

Patrick Adams

Angie's List

Notre Dame

Taylor Amon

OneClick Ventures

Butler University

Megan Baird

BlueFish Wireless

Indiana University

Blake Baron

Fifth Gear

Indiana University

Drew Beecher

ExactTarget

Anderson University

Cody Benefiel

Angie's List

Butler University

Connor Billing

Bostech

Miami University (Ohio)

Doug Booth

ExactTarget

Purdue University

Stewart Burns

KSM Consulting

DePauw University

Peter Chen

Courseload

Purdue University

Nichole Clayton

Courseload

St. Mary's College

Kolby Coy

Aprimo

University of Indianapolis

Dani DeTrude

ExactTarget

University of Dayton

Erika Dirk

RICS Software

Indiana University

Kate Dowrey

BidPal Network

University of Dayton

Jordan Easley

TinderBox

Indiana Wesleyan

Caleb Eiler

KSM Consulting

Rose-Hulman

Brandon Ford

OneClick Ventures

University of Evansville

Derek Friederich

LDI

Butler University

Ellen Funke

TechPoint

DePauw University

Lauren George

Orbis Education

Notre Dame

Steven Harton

Indigo Biosystems

Indiana University

Chris Johnson

LDI

Indiana University

Amanda Jones

RightOn Interactive

Ball State University

Josh Klaben-Finegold

Cannon IV

Miami University (Ohio)

MaryBeth Kowalinski

Apparatus

Ball State University

Shelby Long

TinderBox

Butler University

Chloe Morrical

Allos

Purdue University

Eric Murphy

Slingshot SEO

Indiana University

Patrick Slattery

Orbis Education

Valparaiso University

Kaleigh Solley

Angie's List

DePauw University

Alex Tallentire

Briljent

Butler University

Jackson Troxel

Slane Capital

Purdue University

Andrew Walters

Interactive Intelligence

Purdue University

Mentors Matter

Julie Bowman — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 15:31:14 +0000

Like many fifteen-year-olds, in my early high school years, I was quiet and awkward.

Despite my lack of strong communication skills, I applied to join an outgoing group of peer leaders in a high school program called TEENPOWER. Most of my peer applicants interviewing for the group were more polished than me. However, the women running the organization, one in particular, saw something in me that I didn’t yet see in myself: potential. Krista recognized leadership potential in me and began an unspoken mission to develop me into the enthusiastic, outspoken leader she knew I could become.

Krista was right about me; I learned that I not only could lead small group discussion and silly songs on stage, but through volunteering with the TEENPOWER program for the past ten years, I found my passion in youth development. Through conversations with Krista and her colleagues, I learned what it meant to have a career in youth work and what I needed to do to achieve one.

After gaining Orr Fellowship experience with the best peer network a person can find here in Indianapolis (#bofolove, anyone?), I started a youth development career myself. I now work for College Mentors for Kids, a career path I chose thanks to Krista and people who were willing to take a chance on me to develop my potential.

I know I’m not the only one. Think back; who believed in your career capabilities even before you had articulated your dreams? Who coached you through defining and recognizing professional success? Who constantly inspires you to achieve more and be more in your career?

Inspiration. That’s what it’s all about. For this reason, my organization, College Mentors for Kids, hosts the Inspire Awards, to recognize mentors who make a difference in the workplace. The Inspire Awards honor individuals who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to mentoring in workplace and therefore inspire excellence at work and in the community. We honor professionals in eight categories and professional sectors.

What better way to thank your mentor than by nominating him or her in recognition of the impact he or she made on your life? It’s an easy way to say thank you to the support network that helped you become an Orr Fellow and the person you are today.

Nominations for the Inspire Awards must be received by Friday, January 25. You can nominate a mentor or learn more about the Inspire Awards on the College Mentors for Kids website. Take a moment to thank your mentor by nominating him or her today!

ExactTarget CEO Scott Dorsey Visits Mark Hill Informatics Class

Bo Dietrick — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 13:22:05 +0000

The Orr Fellowship has had the great privilege to hear from several successful entrepreneurs this Fall through the Mark Hill Informatics. This has given fellows the opportunity to hear stories, ask questions and relate to the journeys that some of Indiana’s most successful business leaders. It was no coincidence, then, that a visit from Scott Dorsey, co-founder and CEO of local tech company ExactTarget, would highlight the final class meeting.

ExactTarget was founded in January of 2001 as an email marketing software company. It has since evolved into a 1,500-person company spanning the globe to lead the technology industry in cross-channel marketing communications with its Interactive Marketing Hub platform. Gone are the days where marketers were able to communicate with their audience through a single medium. Email, social, mobile and websites campaigns are now essential to building strong brand recognition in the marketplace. And that is how ExactTarget has maintained its relevance for the last 11 years.

Dorsey shared several thoughtful points about gaining experience, taking a company from an idea to a publically traded stock, and creating a vibrant culture that drives a company forward. Here are just some of the highlights from the various topics of discussion:

Choosing to pursue his MBA at Northwestern University after 5 years of work experience provided Scott with context for each project and assignment.
Having co-founders ensures a system of checks and balances throughout the process of starting a business. The fact that ExactTarget had 3 co-founders made it easy to vote with no ties.
The business landscape of Indiana allowed for a large university talent pool to pick from, economic support and inexpensive operations.
Acquiring a technical skill to back expertise in sales and marketing is almost essential today.
Creating an internal culture, such as ExactTarget’s “Orange culture,” allows employees to be passionate, motivated and dedicated to the company they are helping shape.
Establishing relationships with resellers in different geographic areas was a key to ExactTarget’s success in global expansion.
Do not let becoming a public company change what it is and what it stands for.
Find a strong support group of mentors, whether it be at work or through a program like the Orr Fellowship.

Scott was a gracious speaker, and shared his appreciation for the relationship that ExactTarget and the Orr Fellowship have shared throughout the years. He even touched on the number of successful ExactTarget employees that found their origins in the Orr Fellowship. The gathering concluded on an optimistic note of how both ExactTarget and the Orr Fellowship can continue to influence the growth and development of the Indianapolis area in the years to come.

Lessons Learned from T2 Systems co-founder and CEO Mike Simmons

Alec Synnestvedt — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 16:42:40 +0000

Mike Simmons co-founded my host company, T2 Systems, in the back of a tool shed in 1994. Under Mike’s leadership, T2 grew at a fast clip (25-30% CAGR) over the next five years—earning the 245th spot on the Inc. Magazine list of the 500 fastest growing companies in the country during its first year of eligibility. T2 Systems continues to shine today as one of Indiana’s leading vertical niche software companies. Of course, a company’s standing on the Inc. list isn’t the only barometer of its success, but such status does indicate that a company is doing a lot of things right. And T2 has had a recurring presence on it for seven of the last eleven years.

Mike has a full trophy case himself, but he would never give you that impression. He is on one hand an earnest, self-described “Farm kid from Stilesville,” and an astute entrepreneur and managed growth ninja on the other. He spoke to my Orr Fellowship Informatics class the other week and shared some of the lessons he has learned over his career.

Five of Mike’s Entrepreneurial Lessons Learned:

Boot strap as long as you can…Mike (enterprise sales background) and his technical co-founder went back and forth on whether or not they should raise capital to help T2 scale in the early days. They ended up waiting for 13 years, until 2007. The payoffs were many, but one in particular—more equity and control—helped Mike maintain his direct strategic connection to T2 as it grew (and rewarded him more for success as the company matured).

…But have a “Break Glass” option if needed. Mike and T2 have never missed payroll, but there were a few times in the early days that they cut it close. After one such close call, Mike took out a line of credit as a backup. “I never had to use it,” he said, “But better safe than sorry.”

Hire the best people you can afford, even when you can’t afford them. This advice is equally applicable in two ways: first, always seek to hire the most high-caliber team you can. Second, when you can’t afford to pay them, try to connect with them as a resource anyway—consulting, advice, etc.

Nothing happens until you sell something. An old mantra that Mike—like most successful entrepreneurs—believes strongly in: all the white-boarding, planning, development and marketing in the world isn’t worth anything if the product is not in customers’ hands. And investors these days are almost entirely unwilling to throw money at an idea; entrepreneurial hypotheses must have market validation to attract any kind of substantial investment.

No one cares as much as you do. Mike told an “early days” story about one last-minute proposal response that he and his team worked on through the evening but couldn’t get to FedEx on time for a morning delivery. “That customer is about eight hours away from here, right?” He asked his team, knowing that he could make the 9:00 AM delivery deadline if he left immediately and drove through the night. So that’s what he did.

Like many Orr Fellows do with their host company executives, I have enjoyed establishing a mentee relationship with Mike. Over coffee, lunch or the occasional margarita, I get to ask him questions about his career, T2, entrepreneurship, the Indianapolis business community and my own professional decisions and aspirations. It follows that I heard Mike’s story over the course of working for him for the past year and a half, long before the Informatics class. But when I heard it packaged and presented so succinctly, tailored particularly for the group of Orr Fellows I’m lucky to a part of, I was reminded of the other fascinating entrepreneurs I’ve been able to meet lately. I thought of all the truly great companies that have committed to developing us Fellows as business leaders and young entrepreneurs. And then I thought of all the incoming Orr Fellows that will be attending Finalist Day at the end of this month.

I’ll end this post with a few words to those finalist candidates (and to anyone interested in joining the Orr Fellowship in the future):

I, like my friends, have been lucky to learn enough from enough great people that patterns for success have started to become apparent. For instance: “Take action, face failure head-on and learn quickly to improve” is something every guest speaker has said during our Informatics class. Mike did—“Nothing happens until you sell something.” A tendency to action is something most successful entrepreneurs and business leaders share.

Another pattern I’ve noticed: a lot of the entrepreneurs and business leaders I’ve met in Indy at least know of each other. Many often know each other quite well and have become friends. The same goes for other cities and at a macro level across industries. I don’t think this is a coincidence; I think leaders know other leaders because they’re bright people who attract other bright people to them. And when they come together, inspiring things tend to happen.

So, finalists: if you’re looking to take action to control your future after school and it’s important to you to be surrounded by brightest people you can find, I know a great group of people doing exciting things that can’t wait to see you on November 30th.

Painting a Picture - Hearding Cattle

Conner Burt — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 12:46:00 +0000

(Paraphrasing)

"Living in New York, you get the sense that your part of the crowd. You see, everyone works in the city but wants the freedoms of a yard, family, and quiet that the suburbs promises. So every morning I would wake up at the same time - before sunrise. I'd put on my suit and hop in my lackluster car to head towards the train station.

The first thing we'd do is grab a coffee and the wall street journal. After working all day, and returning home around dark to a sleepy kid and tired wife, I'd prepare to do it all again the next day.

Then one day I woke up. I was standing on the subway platform, waiting for the train. We were like cattle. All in a row, stamped from a common mold with our Wall Street Journals and coffee in hand. We'd heard our way into the city, and graze back at night. One day I woke up. I realized that Venture Capital in NYC wasn't what I wanted."

Don Aquilano of Allos Ventures spent some time last night eloquently painting this picture. It stuck with many of us, as he talked about the merits of Indianapolis as a city and his diversified experience in the business world and venture capital.

Digging into the weeds, he simplified venture capital into a few key points that'll stick with me:

Of 122 companies that he's invested in, just 1 has hit it's revenue projections.
Venture capitial is simple: It starts with selling yourself and raising $, vetting and investing that money in early stage businesses, and allowing general and limited partners to reap the benefits when + returns happen.
As simple as that sounds, the average fund follows a 10 year timeline, and follows a stark J-Curve: "The lemons ripen faster than the pearls".
Don shared a number of stories about the types of companies and teams he invests in: most importantly, it seemed like a theme was "the stuff you learned in kindergarten matters." Integrity, passion, make the people around them better, etc.

Thanks to Don - everyone certainly learned a lot about careers, venture capital and entrepreneurship!

Old School Education

Kyle Rawn — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 12:34:25 +0000

On Monday Fellows met with Scott Weber for another awesome session of our Informatics course. Scott’s story is amazing enough in itself. He headed Indiana’s first public software company as it went through its IPO back in 1994; he started an incubator five months before the dotcom bubble; and he started his first, although unsuccessful, company right out of college. Today Scott has reduced his work week from 100 plus hours to just 60. And, instead of leading companies he now advises them. I would like to focus on several topics Scott passed to us that I found valuable.

On Evaluating a New Business

Scott was asked to provide details on how he evaluates companies in his current roles. Below are the top five takeaways. I was really impressed with researching similar S-1 filings and finding their business model and copying aspects of it.

Looking for a team that has already been there before
Evaluate and mimic similar S-1 filings
Market capacity to grow to 9 figure revenues
Stated company culture on first page of employee handbook
- Expect drastic change every six months or less
- Politics will not play a part in hiring or firing
- Employees are expected to know their jobs better than their bosses
Revenue per employee of $200K to $300K

On Creating GOSPA’s

Scott also spoke to us on creating Annual Operating Plans in our work, personal, and professional paths. The goal is to get all three of these to align and continue down a directed track towards success. GOSPA stands for Goals, Objectives, Strategy, Priorities and Actions.

On Hiring New Employees

Searching for top 10 percenters that will ensure the organization always has more brain power than required at the current time
Looking for individuals that are upwardly mobile , fast learners and agile
Discovering people who know where they are going and this position is part of their trek
The most important questions (no matter age): “What do you want to be when you grow up!”

On HALO Angel Funding

HALO Capital Group has provided approximately $15 million to Central Indiana entrepreneurs. Scott is a member of the 20 plus panel group of Angel investors. Business plans are submitted on the HALO site. All the business plan submissions are funneled down to the top two. The top two are selected and chosen to present at the bi-monthly meeting in front of the 20 person panel. The presentations are 20 minutes long with Q&A for another 10 minutes. HALO Capital Group does not provide funding as an entity. The funding is purely Angel and ranges from $100K to $1M. Besides getting the capital required for continued growth, the entrepreneurs are also getting the intellectual power that has successfully run Central Indiana's top companies for several decades.

The course is half way over and the quantity of learning/takeaways has been phenomenal. This has been one of the most beneficial experiences the Fellowship has provided.

Not What You Know but Who You Know

Brittany Dorsett — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 12:45:00 +0000

In an article posted on LinkedIn titled, “Did Skipping That Cup of Coffee Just Cost You a Million Dollars?” Bobbi Klein, a professor from my alma mater, wrote about the importance of networking. Reading her post was just another reminder that joining the Orr Fellowship, with its invaluable network, is one of the best decisions a graduate can make.

The article begins with a thought many of us have had at some point in our lives: “Networking is a hassle, never works out and takes valuable time away from the ten million other things I have to do.” But in this day and age, think how often we hear about the importance of networking, connecting through all social media facets, the “six degrees of separation,” etc. We hear this over and over again from people who truly understand that it’s not what you know but who you know that makes the difference.

When Klein acknowledges this value in the “cup of coffee”, she’s actually talking about the individuals holding the cup. “When we meet with others, we need to be in the mindset that this is a million dollar client, and he should therefore get our full attention.” While this article was primarily about connecting for business purposes, its overall message regarding networking can apply to all of us. It’s important to have the mindset that the people we meet and interact with could be the keys that unlock the door to that ‘million-dollar’ job, goal, or dream.

In college, I wasn’t one who jumped into my business attire to attend career fairs or networking events, but one of my favorite professors used to say, “Do what you don’t want to do now, so you can do what you want to do later.” We live in a society of instant gratification--you want an answer, Google it; you want to share a picture, upload it; you want a hot meal, push start on the microwave; you want to do [fill in the blank] on your phone, find an app that does just that! Living in a state of immediacy has caused many people to forget that achieving success--whether it’s landing a job after graduation, becoming the vice president of a company, or starting your own business--takes time, hard work, patience, and often a long list of contacts. Personally, if I hadn’t attended one career fair in particular, I wouldn’t have had one of my internships, and if I hadn’t stayed in contact with the professor who recommended me to the Orr Fellowship, I probably wouldn’t have the job that I do today.

Even after landing a job and graduating from college, I know the importance of networking will always remain. Being part of the Orr Fellowship truly provides me with an invaluable network through executive-level mentorship, monthly Business Leader Meetings, and camaraderie with remarkably talented peers. Right now, I have 48 colleagues in the Fellowship alone that I could reach out to with an idea, a request for an introduction on LinkedIn, a meeting for coffee, etc.—and that’s not even including the Board of Directors. We are here to help each other succeed and I am so excited to see what the future unfolds.

So that ‘cup of coffee’—that networking event, that interview you’re so nervous about, that meeting you’re required to attend—could be your chance to meet that “golden” connection. Any moment or connection can change your life; you just have to be there.

Below are the summaries of Klein’s steps for finding your “golden connection”:

1. Reach Out to Those Closest to You

These are the people who will fall over themselves trying to send business, encouragement and ideas your way.

2. Screw Your Courage to the Sticking Place and Call

Once someone has given you the name and contact information of a person in their network, the ball is now in your court to make things happen, so do it!

3. Get your Coffee On!

…Or whatever beverage or snack of your choice and be flexible about where and when. Networking can happen anywhere and everywhere.

4. Don’t Rush This

You should be truly connecting and learning about another person and let the conversation happen as naturally as possible.

5. Mind Your P’s and Q’s

After the meeting, you want to follow up and thank both your trusted connection and the person they hooked you up with whether it’s through e-mail, a phone call, or a hand written note.

Don Brown and Molly: An Unlikely Pair

Molly Sender — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 12:55:00 +0000

Alec Synnestvedt ‏@synndicated:

“Don Brown started his first software company while in his third year of med school, in case you want to feel unproductive.”

Alec, my fellow Fellow tweeted this during the October 8th Informatics class, articulating my exact thoughts. I was sitting in a room with Don Brown, CEO of Interactive Intelligence, whose market cap is $554 million and has been ranked number 8 on Forbes ’ “America’s Best Small Companies” list. Dr. Brown completed his undergraduate degree in physics, and went on to get not one but TWO additional degrees in both computer science and medicine.

Sometimes I sit in the fellowship's Informatics class, mouth hanging open, wondering how I’m supposed to even try to compare my rookie-status in the startup world to the entrepreneurial giants who walk through the door. This week’s class was no different. Let’s track some stats:

Molly: Music Business degree from DePauw University

Don Brown: Physics and computer science degrees, Graduate of IU Medical school

Molly: Lifelong dream of starting a breakfast restaurant called “Potato Pota(h)to”, specializing in delicious potato dishes. As of yet, no business plan, funding or even semblance of concrete ideas.

Don Brown: Started three software companies; one before he turned 25. This list includes Software Artistry, which was sold to IBM for $200 million.

Molly: Try to figure out intricacies of the startup world at Courseload, Inc.

Don Brown: A veteran entrepreneur, who has thrice navigated the startup world successfully

By every account, Dr. Brown and I are not comparable. In fact, Don Brown and I will likely never again be placed in the same sentence outside of this blog post. It doesn’t seem logical that we would have anything to talk about. And yet, with the help of the Orr Fellowship, we do.

The Fellowship is great at bringing people with diverse backgrounds into startups in the Indianapolis community. Dr. Brown’s physics and medical degrees and my own music background pay tribute to that fact. The startup world gives us common ground, and we have the ability to discuss everything from Indianapolis’ standing as a leader for software startups in the nation, to stock options, to the best practices for both new and seasoned entrepreneurs. If anything, our diverse backgrounds only add to a more invigorating discussion, encompassing a wide array of viewpoints.

The fellows have been doing a lot of recruiting for next year’s class of Orr Fellows. One question constantly asked of me is, “What was your major?” When I reply with 'music business', I usually get funny looks and the follow up question, “Then how did you get in the Orr Fellowship?” There is a common misconception that you need to be an economics major or have an entrepreneurship background to be successful or happy in the Fellowship. While some of us do have that background, I’ve found that it’s not so much what you did in college that will determine your success in the Fellowship; it is what you’re going to bring to the Fellowship and the Indianapolis community from this point forward. That might be rechanneling the creativity aspects of a music background into a digital textbook industry, like myself, or applying a medical background to streamline software processes, like Don Brown. Whatever the background may be, the Orr Fellowship provides the structural framework for discovery of new industry and new ways of thinking.

True Life: Four Months as an Orr Fellow

Tyler Geesaman — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 12:00:40 +0000

One of the most important questions Fellows are asked during recruitment is "what do you actually do as an Orr Fellow?" We often respond with a simple, 30-second "elevator pitch" relating to the themes of the Fellowship. This is great for career fairs, but it doesn't answer what we actually do with our lives. This blog post will look at the last few months of my life, add some pictures for evidence, and shed light on what it takes to be an Orr Fellow.

Working In the Real World

I am fortunate to have Interactive Intelligence (ININ) as my host company for the next two years. ININ is a leading developer of contact center software (think 1-800 customer service, but cooler) and employs more than 1,000 people. During my first year, I am in a rotation program where I can become familiar with ININ while learning how I can help the company succeed. I have spent the last four months working with the Product Management team, in their CaaS (Communication as a Service) department. I won't go into details, but one of my projects involved internal and marketing research for a new product being developed. I also help manage pricing lists and quoting tools that span six currencies. I will soon be rotating to the IT department to take on a new role.

It is hard to generalize my day-to-day activities. Some days, I might meet with my executive sponsor, CFO Steve Head. Steve has been an excellent mentor and has shared plenty of business knowledge with me. We also share interests in car racing. He has even volunteered to take me out on the track in his Porsche (don't let me drive, Steve!) Other days, might be spent developing new features for our quoting tool. Since joining ININ, I have met employees from Great Britain, Japan and Australia. One thing is certain: the greatest aspect of my job is the culture in which I work. The people of ININ are amazing and the company's "Work Hard, Play Hard" mentality is a perfect fit for the Fellowship. Whether it's collaborating with my manager or de-stressing on our rock-climbing wall, I love what I am doing and I believe I am making a difference.

Working In the Fellowship World

I am going to be honest here: Fellowship obligations do not feel like work. We have monthly Fellowship meetings where we reconnect and discuss our progress and goals of the Fellowship. Each fellow also belongs to a committee. Purdue grad Branden Burke and I manage our Twitter page. I have learned an amazing amount about social media from working with Branden and had a blast in the process. We also have monthly Business Leader Meetings (BLMs) where we meet with leaders in the Indy business world. Some leaders thus far include Angie Hicks (of Angie's List - read Eric Franklin's article), Scott Jones (of ChaCha), and Governor Mitch Daniels.

Fellows do participate in many other activities outside of monthly meetings. We partake in several philanthropies to help improve Indianapolis. Additionally, Orr Fellowship provides an annual retreat for its new members. The retreat is a fun weekend spent at the Edward Lowe Foundation in Cassopolis, Mich. Recently, we had the opportunity to support Fellow and CMO of CoatChex, Ashton Chaffee, with the company's debut on ABC's Shark Tank. Although Andy Simmons and I looked goofy with our CoatChex bow-ties, it was for a great, entrepreneurial cause.

Enjoying a Post-Grad World

Indianapolis has a lot to offer its residents, especially recent college graduates. Broad Ripple is an obvious choice to go have a beverage with friends. Downtown Indy and the Keystone Fashion Mall area have nice restaurants and great shopping. There are plenty of exercise classes and community events to keep us engaged as well. Many in the Fellowship enjoy concerts regularly at the Klipsch Music Center. Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan were a few of the recent performers. Although you won't exactly be living like Jason Aldean with a Fellow's salary, you will have plenty to live comfortably and have a good time in the process. I've had no problems surviving.

There is plenty to do outside of Indianapolis as well. Although raised a Boilermaker, I recently ventured to Bloomington to tailgate with Fellows. The IU Fellows were great hosts and did not harass me too much because of my alma mater. A group of us also visited Melissa Jackson's lake cottage in Pennsylvania. We spent the weekend outside grilling, tubing and enjoying the weekend. Even though I left with many bruises from tubing, the trip was definitely a success (below).

Make Your World a Better Place

In short, there are plenty of great opportunities in the Fellowship. Within your host companies, you will gain executive mentorship while making a positive impact. Working in the Fellowship, you will learn from the best Indy has to offer while helping to make the city a better place. Socially, you will have plenty of chances to let loose while making new friends in the process. What are you waiting for!? Sign up today.

Still not convinced? Send any questions to Tyler.Geesaman@orrfellowship.org or find me on Facebook.

Starting to Find my Groove

Kyle Rawn — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Over the past five days I have been to Techpoint’s Entrepreneur Bootcamp, Rose-Hulman’s Homecoming, and Mark Hill’s Informatics Class with Bill Godfrey. Each of these had their own entrepreneurial twist. The Bootcamp was obviously centered on entrepreneurship, even better for me it was focused on starting up and decision making. At Rose Hulman's Homecoming, I bumped into my close friend Chad Conway who is hosting the Inaugural Rose Startup this October. And myself and 20 other Fellows picked Bill Godfrey’s mind for an hour and a half in a private session hosted by our own director Mark Hill.

Techpoint’s Bootcamp

I will start with a few lessons from Bootcamp, however, before I get there allow me to set the stage. I had never been to one of these or anything like it. The Bootcamp was a full day’s work starting at 7:30 a.m.. and wrapping up around 5 p.m.. Personally, I think talking about starting a business and venturing out on one’s own is one of the more difficult things I have encountered physiologically. There are countless ways for it to go astray, and the pressure/nerves that go along with such an endeavor can be an inhibitor to launch. But, there was absolutely no pressure at this event; the environment was structured yet relaxed. One of my favorite takeaways was from Michael Langellier. Mike discussed before giving out any equity or really starting down the path, figure out how to split up the “Equity Pie.” He also said make sure not to give too much up and protect from getting technical lock up where a lot of equity has been giving to someone for little work and they walk away.

My next big takeaway was don’t necessarily start by working toward a business plan that is extensive and takes many hours to draft. Instead start with a one page Concept Overview. If that is gaining traction work on a 10 page Venture Profile. If the Venture Profile is being well received then spend the time, energy, and money to write the full 20-50 pages of a Business Plan. I am already putting this to practice and finding it easier to gather my thoughts in a Concept Overview instead of attempting to tackle the burden of a Business Plan without a proven concept.

Subsequently, several panelists spoke on prototyping versus a minimum viable product (MVP). In the world of launching a product today that is in the tens of thousands of dollars, it was pleasing to be assured that a functional prototype is sufficient to raise capital. Lastly hearing about the Indiana 21 Fund from Ryan Pfenniger of Elevate Venture was awesome. Techpoint’s Bootcamp was extremely beneficial as well as inspiring. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in starting a venture soon or in the near future.

Rose’s Startup

At Rose’s Homecoming, I spoke to Chad Conway about Rose’s Startup registration which is open to both students and non-students. It is on Rose’s campus on Saturday, October 27th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 13th is the last day to sign up and the cost is $20 for non-students. It is going to be focused on the initial startup process and bringing in a full cast of high potential and season vets to inspire. If you are interested and not from Rose that is no problem at all. The registration is open to all.

Bill Godfrey Informatics Class hosted by Mark Hill

Naturally, I saved the best for last. I saw a lot of myself and echoes of my aspirations when hearing Bill Godfrey speak. Bill was a Mechanical Engineering undergraduate who wanted more and was willing to take a risk. He then went to business school and found passion in the software business between his first and second year while enrolled at Notre Dame. One of the best things from this class has been the consistent message of entrepreneurship isn’t flashy and is a lot of hard work and late nights. More importantly, the character of the individual(s) involved often mean success or failure of a new venture. One of Bill’s key messages to us was “Good things happen to those who persevere.”

Additionally, a few of my favorite things he mentioned were don’t measure income in two-three year chunks, shoot for five years and if possible stretch that out to 10 years. Also, when looking for an initial product manager, find a dictator; however, be cautious because this doesn’t scale well. He also cautioned us to raise funds appropriately when growing and utilize every dollar as effectively as possible. If the money is available, it will be spent. To conclude, even though Aprimo was truly novel, Bill advised us to not shy away from competition. Early competition can help plant the seed and bring the market to its potential. It is costly and time consuming to educate the consumer on a new industry. The value of the service and delivery method are often what separates success from failure.

Lastly, Mark covered a Capitalization Table and how equity/stock options are figured. Mark cautioned us when negotiating to first ask if the company has a stock or equity option. Later when the time is appropriate (likely months before year end reviews or later on in the interview process) ask if there are options available and if you can be included. After negotiating options in your compensation package, there are several things to consider and utilizing the Cap Table is essential.

Determine the Striking Price
How many $1.00 outstanding shares are there
What is the vesting schedule (typically 25%/year)
What is the Longevity, which are in place for tax considerations (typically 10 years)

Mark ran us through the following example. The company is currently valued at $50M and there are 50,000,000 shares available. The striking price is $1.00 (the lower the striking price the better). You receive 10,000 stock options. After 4 years you are fully vested and the company is valued at $100M. How much money do you make when you execute your stock option into shares? You only make the difference between the ending value ($100M) and starting value when you joined ($50M). Therefore, when the options are executed after four years they are worth $10,000. Also note that during this time options do not receive dividends. When evaluating job offers or considering future employment, make sure to fully understand the value of options before accepting the offer and always always always be negotiating for more.

August Business Leader Meeting with Angie Hicks

Eric Franklin — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 12:15:00 +0000

In late June, I started working at Angie’s List. Orr Fellows at Angie’s List are given the great opportunity to have Angie Hicks, the founder and CMO, as their executive-level mentor. I asked Angie if she would speak for our August Business Leader Meeting (BLM).

About once a month, Orr Fellows will gather to hear Indiana’s entrepreneurial and business leaders speak at BLM, which gives them the opportunity to learn from and network with top professionals in Indiana.

We were honored to have Angie Hicks take time to speak with us for over an hour during our August BLM. All of the Orr Fellows came to Angie’s List and met outside in the courtyard area. Angie was able to speak with us in a very casual atmosphere.

Angie spoke to us about how Angie’s List was founded and how the Orr Fellowship began. I discovered that Angie Hicks was involved with initially helping start the Orr Fellowship. She also spoke about the purpose of the Orr Fellowship, and how it gives recent graduates job and networking opportunities in Indiana.

She gave us advice for our first major roles out of college with two of key points:

· No matter what job or task you are given, it is important to give it your top effort and to perform it the best way possible

· Find a job you enjoy doing. You may not like every aspect of your job, but it is important appreciate and enjoy your overall work

We also learned how tough it can be to start a business. When starting the business, Angie went door to door selling memberships and gathering information. Afterwards, she would additionally take member phone calls and put together and mail regular publications to members.

Towards the end of the event, Orr Fellows were able to ask questions and interact with Angie. Afterwards, Angie took time to speak with Orr Fellows individually. This opportunity gave Orr Fellows the chance to network with one of Indiana’s well respected executives and gain first-hand knowledge of business experience and success.

Business Leader Meetings are one of the key benefits of the Orr Fellowship. We were able to gain key insights from meeting with Angie Hicks. I look forward meeting more leaders in Indiana with future BLM events.

Too Busy for Boredom

Breana Buchler — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 12:25:00 +0000

As I walked to my desk at Angie’s List this morning, I asked about everyone’s weekend. Several of my young coworkers replied “boring”. As I downed my 3rd cup of coffee and burned through my emails, I reflected on how my friends in the fellowship had spent their weekends. Many had gathered at the Broad Ripple Kilroys on Friday night to support fellow Ashton Chaffee and watch Coat Chex make its debut on "Shark Tank!" On Saturday, fellows filed through our apartment in preparation for the final concert of our MegaTicket summer. Some spent Sunday at work, some continued triathalon or marathon training, some went to church, likely everyone caught at least a snipit of NFL Sunday. Everyone did something. There is simply no time for boredom during the fellowship.

I left Angie’s List this evening and headed straight to the Speakeasy to participate in the Informatics course with board member Mark Hill. When I arrived, our Fellow Development committee was well into an enthusiastic meeting, planning out career/personal development activities for the year.

David Becker, serial entrepreneur, philanthropist and DePauw University alumni joined us for the evening. Mr. Becker is most currently running First Internet Bank, RICs Software and DyKnow, as well as investing in several entreprenuerail companies in Indianapolis. He joked that every time he gets “bored”, he buys a new company. David’s advice to us is to dive into the industry and learn the business before starting your own. If you think you want to start a restaurant, wait tables for a few months. As I looked around the room, I took note of each individual’s responsibilities within the fellowship. While I work in operations for Angie’s List, I get experience in finance through the fellowship. Many involved in recruitment work in technical position from 8-5, yet get Human Resources experiences through the fellowship, and all Fellows are exposed to the nonprofit sector through networking and service opportunities.

David later emphasized babysitting as the true test of an entrepreneur. He explained that running a high-growth start-up is just like babysitting: you think you are walking into a house of low-maintenance, well behaved, children, and in a matter of minutes the baby is crying, the older brothers are wrestling on the carpet, and the neighbor’s dog has made it inside and is shredding the couch cushions. David’s solution to this dilemma is to hire the right people. He has never written a line of code in his life, yet he is dominating the tech sector in Indianapolis. He recognized his skill for marketing and sales early on in life and hired the best coders, customer service and organizational employees he could find. As I scanned the room, I quickly recognized the variety in my surroundings. Some fellows are very analytical, some very creative, some technical, some humanitarian. It is astounding how well the skillsets in this group complement one another. David prides himself on the number of his former employees that have since started their own businesses.

I recognized that I was amidst a golden opportunity at this very moment. The fellowship offers the opportunity to explore a distinguished post-grad job 40 hours a week, helps develop professional skills through Fellowship responsibilities, and grants unlimited access to an extremely high energy peer network.

Tomorrow, I will attend our monthly meeting; Wednesday I may grab a bike ride and a beer with Katie Hayes and Molly Sender; Thursday I will finalize the details of an event I am planning for work; and the weekend will arrive before I have had time to take a breath, let alone time for boredom.

Not So Random Stories

Emily Reavis — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 12:45:00 +0000

I recently graduated from DePauw University and started my journey with the Orr Fellowship a few short months ago. I heard about this program from one of the second-year fellows, and I was instantly drawn to the entrepreneurial spirit, the unique work experiences and the constant social and professional growth the Fellowship provides. This post kicks off the Informatics class blog series – one of the many unique experiences we’re able to take part in during our two-year tenure.

It’s not that I thought I would stop learning once I walked off DePauw’s campus, but I could not fathom the people I would encounter, the information I would acquire and lessons I would learn only a few months into this “real world.” September showed up unexpectedly, and the Orr Fellowship has been jam packed with Career Fairs, Business Leader Meetings (BLM) and a director-led Informatics class (not to mention our day jobs!).

Lessons from Local Leaders

Just this week, the first-year Orr Fellows were invited into the Indiana Statehouse to meet with Gov. Mitch Daniels for our monthly BLM. Surrounded by paintings of governors before him, including Orr founder, Gov. Robert Orr, we spoke about Indiana’s past, present and future. We learned from the Governor that over the past few years, more college graduates have stayed in Indiana rather than left the state. Keeping talented graduates in the state is incredibly important to the state’s growth, and this is a huge part of the Fellowship’s mission. Indianapolis has grown immensely over the past couple of decades, and it has become a hub for start-ups and young professionals. It even made Forbes' list as one of the happiest cities for young professionals.

Continuous Growth

The excitement of this week doesn’t end there – Monday was the launch of our Orr Fellowship Informatics class, led by one of the Orr Fellowship directors, Mark Hill of Collina Ventures. About two dozen Orr Fellows filed into a room in the Speak Easy for class on Monday night (yes, during MNF) ready to learn as much as possible from established business leaders over the next few months. We kicked it off with Developer Town founder, Michael Cloran, who titled his lecture, “Random Stories. Lessons Learned.” His title inspired the underlying theme of this post: the lives of individuals like Gov. Daniels and Cloran are not necessarily random stories, but incredible efforts made by young professionals that put them on tracks to success. There are reasons that individuals like this are where they are today, and these are the habits and practices we are striving to learn from and acquire.

After we listened to Michael’s unique and impressive post-graduate experiences that led him to become a restless entrepreneur, we asked what seemed to be the most relevant questions for us: Why Indy? And what should we take back from your early experiences and practice in our own lives? His answers were both reassuring and encouraging:

The Midwest is much more welcoming than other areas, giving newcomers more comfort and opportunities for growth and success
Build your reputation and credibility by sticking to your word
Say “YES” to new challenges, projects and responsibilities – people who have changed the world are not the type of people who sit back and content with not taking action

Future Success

I was naïve in initially thinking the transition to the real world was going to be simple and straightforward. You leave college on top of the world, and then realize that Columbus did in fact discover the world is round…and much larger than believed.

After listening to these accomplished and inspiring leaders in Indiana, we can find comfort knowing there are different paths we may find ourselves on, both in our nearest and more distant future. We don’t need to know what our next job will be, which graduate program we’ll apply to or even what we’re eating for lunch this week. As long as we are determined, willing to work through the night, and yes, occasionally commit to eating PB&J six meals in a row, the possibilities are endless. All entrepreneurs jump and fall; and we’re here to learn what it takes to take that first jump.

Monday Funday: A new attitude on the work week

Sasha Bannister — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 14:00:00 +0000

My favorite day of the (work)week is Monday. Everyone I know thinks that is ridiculous, but to me, it makes perfect sense. Monday is the exciting beginning to a who-knows-what’s-gonna-happen kind of week. And in a start-up, that is almost every week. Monday's are for reinvention. Working for my Indigo Biosystems as an Orr fellow, I'm living life in the fast lane. There’s always something coming right at me, and I have to jump in and take the challenge head on.

That is part of the reason I wanted to be a fellow and work for an entrepreneurial company: I wanted the excitement, the tension and the passion that are always palpable in an environment that encourages moving fast, making decisions and taking risks. The direction we are driving can change at the drop of a dime, and the passengers better adjust accordingly. I am learning how to contribute productively, while being flexible, proactive, open-minded and prepared. These lessons and experiences are invaluable for my journey post-fellowship and my future entrepreneurial ventures.

However, it’s not just the excitement of the fast-paced career that wakes me up at 5:30 a.m. on Monday with (relative) enthusiasm for the day. I am also waking up to a new week of self-improvement, learning, relationship-building and (honestly) a week of fun with the incredible fellows who are now my best friends. The fellowship has enriched me professionally and socially. Without the promise of the opportunities and friendships that the fellowship affords, Monday could be a lot more taxing. But, instead of dreading the daily grind, I am anxiously anticipating enjoying my job, my fellows, and my life!

Now, I happily embrace my “case of the Mondays” because my work and the fellowship make Monday a FUN day.