What do entrepreneurs have in common with the rest of us?  Well, for that matter, what don’t they have in common with the rest of us?  All of us have a little bit of the entrepreneurial mindset inside of us, but shows up in different ways.  Entrepreneurs tend to be risk takers.  They like to stand out from the pack, and take off on their own path.  Their need for supervision is limited or even unnecessary, but do rely on outside mentors to catapult them forward into their next dimension of success.

As an entrepreneur, it’s hard to wear all the necessary hats to make their venture a reality and even become successful at it.  Hard work and sweat equity are staples, but how do entrepreneurs get the rest of the world to look to them for the next big thing?

Several months ago, I was introduced to a program based out of the Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City.  The Kauffman Foundation’s mission is to “help individuals attain economic independence by advancing educational achievement and entrepreneurial success.”  What an amazing concept!  I was instantly intrigued.  The program that caught my attention is called 1 Million Cups.  This program was designed for entrepreneurs, whether they have just opened their doors, to young start ups, as a way to present their business ideas to the world. The idea behind 1 Million Cups is that if each entrepreneur is able to have one million cups of coffee (or other drink of choice) with different people to share their business plan, they will be successful.  The power of networking, idea sharing and instant feedback is priceless.

I am happy to announce that my home community of Lawrence, Kansas will be #10 in the country to launch the 1 Million Cups program on August 7.  After sharing this concept with a few area stakeholders, and many many entrepreneurs, the momentum to bring 1 Million Cups to my area was rolling strong.  I hope you take a minute to check out what this program is all about, and even consider starting a 1 Million Cups in your town.