Startup Weekend Louisville

A few weeks ago, lured by the "early bird discount" and a sudden loathing for the job-hunt process, I signed up to take part in Startup Weekend Louisville.

Startup Weekend is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, but held events in over 100 countries in 2011 and its event facilitators are located in more than 200 cities worldwide.

I still don't really know all that much about the event. It basically runs from 630p on Friday night til 9pm on Sunday. It's a team competition, but it seems a little less cutthroat and more creative. Check out the schedule here. But here's what the website says:

All Startup Weekend events follow the same basic model: anyone is welcome to pitch their startup idea and receive feedback from their peers. Teams organically form around the top ideas (as determined by popular vote) and then it’s a 54 hour frenzy of business model creation, coding, designing, and market validation. The weekends culminate with presentations in front of local entrepreneurial leaders with another opportunity for critical feedback.

Whether entrepreneurs found companies, find a cofounder, meet someone new, or learn a skill far outside their usual 9-to-5, everyone is guaranteed to leave the event better prepared to navigate the chaotic but fun world of startups. If you want to put yourself in the shoes of an entrepreneur, register now for the best weekend of your life!

Back in the summer before my Junior year in high school, my economics teacher nominated me for a place in a nerd summer camp. It was called Business Week or something like that, and it was a gathering of Connecticut economics nerds at Connecticut College. There we were to live in the dorms, take business and marketing classes, and -- in teams-- create an imaginary ballpoint pen company, finance it, and market the pens. All of this took place over the course of a nigh-sleepless seven days. 

I was accepted, but the tuition was too much. Just as I was about to turn it down, my grandpa swooped in and paid it for me. 

It was the Best. Week. EVER! (at least to 16 year-old me). I made fast friends with a bunch of nerds. Totally fell in ooey-gooey love with the cutest guy on my team, Dave, who lived all the way across the state (he might as well have lived in California for car-less Melissa). 

We pulled all nighters (no, not for teen hanky panky, although there may have been a smidgen of that-- for planning and marketing). We made a commercial for our pen that was set to the tune of George Michaels' "I Want Your Sex" and featured me and a couple of other of my female teammates dressed up like the women in Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love" video. Because even at that age, we all knew what sells.

I had a blast. My team won. Dave and I dated on and off through freshman year of college (more off than on) until he became an intolerable stoner. And my entrepreneurial spirit was born.

I hope Startup Weekend goes as well. I don't need to "win," and I don't need a "Dave." But I do need a little nudge and a lot of inspiration. There are still spots available for Developers, Designers, and Non-Tech types (like me). The cost is only $99 and includes 7 meals. It's a steal. Maybe you can come join us?

Louisville Grind's Loueyville Lobstah Roll

Photo by Louisville Grind

This is Possibility City, indeed!

Never in a blue million years did I imagine that someday I would have a sandwich named after me (or my blog). I feel like a New Yorker who has just discovered that she's been immortalized on the menu at Carnegie Deli.

This weekend at the Douglass Loop Farmers' Market (8/25 from 10a-2p), the Louisville Grind Food Truck will be serving a limited number of  Loueyville Lobstah Rolls. A "limited number" minus one, that is. They're saving one for me.

The story:

Last March, the Louisville Grind Gourmet Burger Food Truck launched a successful Kickstarter campaign promising gourmet burgers, seasonal specials, and vegetarian items. I didn't know Liz & Jesse Huot, but I gladly backed it because... gourmet burgers, of course.

I've since met Liz & Jesse a number of times, and it turns out they're just lovely people. And the business seems to be doing great, serving delicious food out of a stylish truck. I smile every time I see them, whether I get to talk to Liz & Jesse or not.

Last week, @LouisvilleGrind posted on Twitter that at this Saturday's (August 25) Douglass Loop Farmers Market, they would be debuting a fabulous Maine lobster roll on a brioche. And my little New Englander heart just soared. I've been home twice this summer, but only when my grandmother was dying. Lobster rolls are such joyful food for me; I didn't feel like eating a lobster roll when I was so, so sad (although... in retrospect, it might have been a good idea to be good to myself like that). Anyway, this was looking to be the first summer of my thirty-mumble-mumble years that passed without me having at least one (or usually a dozen or more) lobster rolls.

But, purist that I am, I did tweet back to Grind that a true New England Lobster roll was served on a cheapo hot dog bun. Not the kind of buns you see around here. A true New England hot dog bun looks more like a folded piece of Wonder bread than a roll.

And a little while later, they tweeted back:

The rest is history. 

Thanks Liz & Jesse! I'm going to take lots of pictures of your menu and send them back to my New Englander family. I don't think any honor I've ever earned will impress them as much as getting my name on a lobster roll! 

Kickstarter: Good Folk Fest

If you follow me on Twitter (@loueyville), you know that I am on a mission when it comes to Kickstarter projects.  I've backed several local Kickstarters. I can't give much... I'm on a limited budget these days. But when something really good-- and local-- pops up on Kickstarter, I am in.

As I said, I'm on a mission. And when I say that I am "in," it's conditional.  I will back your project on Kickstarter, if I believe in it. But I will NOT back your Kickstarter-- not even if you're my BFF or you have a project that I would likely champion--  if you've never backed anyone else.

Give a little. Get a little. It's just good karma.

I have been a fan of the Good Folk Fest for as long as I have lived here. I attend. I support. I buy stuff. I cheerlead.

But when Scott Scarboro, the high priest of the festival, posted a Kickstarter and encouraged me to contribute, I noticed that, despite I was already a fan, he had backed zero other projects. I emailed him with my concern. And less than 24 hours later, he'd backed another project.  And I immediately backed his. What an awesome response!

Good Folk Fest is a fantastic event, and I am proud to be a Kickstarter backer. If you've ever been, or think it sounds great, pledge a little money and help them meet their goal.

From the Kickstarter page:

Good Folk Fest is an event where new materials and techniques merge with older traditions and take on the forms of art and music. The term folk has been around for a while and has been used to describe all kinds of art and music. In the context of this festival, We are celebrating those people who might come to mind when you hear the word folk but bringing attention to those who have similar esthetics and passions, bringing to light the parallels in thought processes, craft and creating. How has the modern age determined the materials we use to express ourselves? Do crafting traditions still exist and are they being handed down to future generations?

Good Folk Fest is a three-day festival of contemporary folk art that will take place from November 2-4th, 2012. Good Folk Fest happened in 2006-2008 then had a break while we searched for another venue. This year marks the return of the festival which will be held for the first time at the The Kentucky Center for African American Heritage on the corner of 18th St. and Muhammad Ali Blvd. in Louisville, KY. It will feature over 80 visual artists and 24 performers.

The goal of this kickstarter campaign is to raise the funds needed to help cover the production cost of this event. These funds combined with income from artist booth fees and ticket sales will be used to advertise the event, venue rental, audio/video needs, staging, performer fees, commemorative shirt production etc. Our goal is to raise $4000 to cover our basic needs. Any money raised over this $4000 - and any money raised through ticket sales, once all expenses are covered will go towards securing the future of Good Folk Fest 2013.

This festival is on a shoestring budget. A grassroots project.
Every little bit helps. THANK YOU!

Hungry With Questions: An App for That

Awesome Louisvillager, do-gooder, and Queen of the Louisville blogworld Michelle Jones of Consuming Louisville has kicked off a Kickstarter to raise funds for a very cool iPhone (and hopefully eventually Android) app.

Menu and Hours is just that: menus and hours. Well, it's pretty much just that. I'm guessing that "Menus, Hours, and Contact Info" was dismissed pretty quickly as a potential name.

Watch the video and let her explain why this app needs to happen. Michelle is offering generous incentives for people who pledge at the $10 level and above.

And sweet Pete, if Ms. Michelle's adorable narration of the Kickstarter video doesn't motivate you to pledge your support, you have a heart of stone.