By: Jessica Rae
jrae@kcautv.com
Around 100 Siouxlanders gathered at the Sioux City Convention Center for a business breakfast. The food for thought: Entrepreneurship.
Sioux City leaders are pushing to create an entrepreneur eco system in the area.
It all started with a presentation from Tom Chapman, VP of the Nebraska Global Investment Company.
Chapman says, "There's so many opportunities here with regards to entrepreneurship and great things and great things that the community has, because there is so many things going on in Des Moines, in Omaha, in Kansas City that are complementary that we should be working together."
Sioux City already has some entrepreneurs who are leading the way including Thomas Ritchie, who started his own business back in April.
Ritchie, Founder of Team Creative Fire, says, "A lot of new faces here, people that I think are important to bring to the table to talk about entrepreneurship locally whether its capital people, whether its mentors whether its community leaders or whether its just entrepreneurs everybody needs to be in the same place to start this conversation."
Chapman highlighted several keys to starting up an entrepreneur eco system. He started with: who the entrepreneurs are in this area, where do they meet, and most importantly what do they need?
Chapman went on to say anyone who is not an entrepreneur needs to help those who are.
Chapman says, "Entrepreneurs are heavily engaged in helping the other entrepreneur succeed and that friendship and that collaboration is critical to making eco systems work, and today it was clearly on display from the mayor on down to people were highly engaged and the right people and a lot of people were in the room so it was great."
