FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
Erin Clement
847.849.2800
Erin@HowTheyDidItBook.com In
How They Did It: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America, author Robert Jordan interviewed 45 of the most noteworthy company founders from the region, responsible for creating $41 billion in value. Dick Costolo (
FeedBurner), Jim Dolan (
Dolan Media), Eric Lefkofsky (
Groupon,
InnerWorkings), Dane Miller (
Biomet) and Howard Tullman (
Tunes.com,
Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy) are among those who contributed quotes and advice.
"I always wondered how great entrepreneurs from the heartland launched and grew hugely successful companies, especially in the realm of technology" Jordan said. "My initial goal in writing
How They Did It was to find the secret sauce to the founders' success and then simply present a book of quotes."
Jordan explained that quick bursts of inspiration from the mega-successful seemed appropriate for an attention-deficit world. However, his plan quickly expanded when he discovered there was too much "gold" to pack into a book of quotes. The result is a format unlike most business or self-help books. While readers can scan the top half of each page to take in inspirational quotes, a question and answer section runs along the bottom for those looking for a deeper dive. Each story is unique with many founders revealing little-known pains that go hand-in-hand with launching multi-hundred million dollar companies from the ground up.
Perhaps most interesting is the way the book came together— maybe something only possible in an age of Twitter and Facebook. After researching and identifying company founders, Jordan invited them to meet at the Four Seasons Hotel in Chicago for what he promised was an opportunity to multi-author a book in 90 minutes. Founders were recorded in a group interview session, which became the launching point for
How They Did It.
Venture capitalist Ellen Carnahan, who advised Jordan in selecting the founders, also acted as a moderator at the Four Seasons, and said, "It was amazing to bring together so many successful entrepreneurs in one room. Many of the founders had not met each other before so the energy was out of this world."
Jordan cited an example, pairing Joe Mansueto, founder of
Morningstar, with Dick Costolo and Michael Polsky, founder of
Invenergy and Skygen. The three had never met and were fascinated to learn how they had each achieved outsize results in different industries in different ways.
After collecting so much high-quality content, Jordan's 90 minute promise to complete the book ended up taking four years, from start to finish, including asking the founders to hand-write some of their quotes for the book.
Organizations supporting entrepreneurs have taken notice.
The Illinois Technology Association (ITA) ,
MIT-Enterprise Forum,
TiE, the
Illinois Chamber of Commerce,
TechAmerica,
Illinois Venture Capital Association (IVCA),
DePaul and others are planning the first ever Great Lakes Entrepreneurs Bash — a launch event for the book and a celebration of entrepreneurs — which will take place on November 16, in conjunction with the
Kauffman Foundation's Global Entrepreneurship Week.
"We are excited to be among the organizations lending support for the launch of
How They Did It and championing entrepreneurship" said TechAmerica Vice President Ed Longanecker.
How They Did It, published by RedFlash Press, will be available on November 16, 2010, in bookstores and online. For more information about the book or the launch party, visit
www.HowTheyDidItbook.com. For information about Global Entrepreneurship Week, visit
www.unleashingideas.org.
---
About RedFlash Press
RedFlash and RedFlash Press are divisions of interimCEO, Inc. RedFlash is an outsourced corporate development team and interim management team. Visit
www.RedFlash.com. RedFlash Press is publisher of
How They Did It: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America. InterimCEO, Inc. also owns interimCEOinterimCFO, the worldwide network of contract, project and interim executives, at
www.interimCEO.com.
About Robert Jordan Robert Jordan is author of How They Did It: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America and president of two companies: RedFlash, a project execution team; and interimCEOinterimCFO, the worldwide network of interim, contract and project executives
Founders quoted in How They Did It: Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America: Jeff Aronin, Ovation Pharmaceuticals
Bonnie Baskin, AppTec Labs, Viromed Laboratories
David Becker, First Internet Bank, re:Member Data Services, Virtual Financial Services
Allen Berning, Pemstar
Viresh Bhatia, InstallShield
Michael Blair, Cyborg
Dick Costolo, FeedBurner
John Croghan, Extended Care Information Network
Bill DeVille, Health Personnel Options
Jim Dolan, The Dolan Company (DM)
Mike Domek, TicketsNow
Tony Faras, MGI Pharma
Gian Fulgoni, comScore (SCOR)
Ron Galowich, First Health Group Corp., Initiate Systems Inc.
Bill Gantz, PathoGenesis, Ovation Pharmaceuticals
Jim Gray, optionsXpress (OXPS)
Roland Green, NimbleGen
Don Harrison, AtriCure (ATRC)
Rich Heise, Magnitude Networks, InnerWorkings (INWK), Echo Global Logistics (ECHO), MediaBank Inc., Groupon, Inc., Forseva
Scott Jones, Boston Technology, Gracenote, ChaCha, Precise Path Robotics
Tim Krauskopf, Spyglass
Eric Lefkofsky, InnerWorkings (INWK), Echo Global Logistics (ECHO), MediaBank, Inc., Groupon, Inc.
Thomas Rockwell Mackie, TomoTherapy (TOMO)
Joe Mansueto, Morningstar (MORN), Mansueto Ventures
Don Maurer, Empi, Inc.
Bill Merchantz, Whittman-Hart, Lakeview Technology
Dane Miller, Biomet
Chris Moffitt, Technology Solutions Company, Diamond Management and Technology Consulting, Rubicon Technology (RBCN)
Michael Pape, Esperion Therapeutics
Tom Parkinson, Peapod
Vince Pettinelli, PeopleServe
Joe Piscopo, Pansophic
Michael Polsky, SkyGen Energy, Invenergy
Joel Ronning, Digital River (DRIV)
Stephen Shank, Capella Education (CPLA)
Phil Sheridan, Extended Care Information Network
Scott Sheridan, thinkorswim
Rajesh Soin, Modern Technologies Corporation
Phil Soran, Compellent (CML), Xiotech
Brian Sullivan, Recovery Engineering
Jeff Surges, Extended Care Information Networkl
Mark Tebbe, Lante Corporation, Answers.com (ANSW)
Glen Tullman, Allscripts
Howard Tullman, Certified Collateral Corporation, Original Research II, Imagination Pilots, Chicago High Tech Investment Partners, Kendall College, Experiencia, Inc., Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, The Cobalt Group, Tunes.com
Mahendra Vora, Inter-Computer Communications, Pioneer Systems, SecureIT, Intelliseek, Vinimaya, Marshal8e6, Lucrum, Vora Technology Park, iCall, Vora Tech Park II, Vora Data Centers, Bluespring Software, dbaDIRECT, Ascendum, Essentio, TalentNow, Zakta
Organizations Co-hosting the Great Lakes Entrepreneur Bash: About the University of Chicago Booth School of Business The University of Chicago Booth School of Business (Chicago Booth) is one of the leading business schools in the world, consistently ranking in the top ten and frequently in the top five. The school's faculty includes many renowned scholars and its graduates occupy key positions in the US and Worldwide. The Chicago Approach to Management Education is distinguished by how it leverages fundamental knowledge, its rigor, and its practical application to business challenges. To learn more visit
www.chicagobooth.edu.
About the Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center (CEC) works at the intersection of business success and civic engagement. It identifies the region's most promising entrepreneurs and helps them build high-growth, sustainable businesses that serve as platforms for economic development and civic leadership for the Chicagoland area. Since 2003, the CEC has helped our client entrepreneurs secure $229 million in revenue, raise $130.5 million in financing, and create or retain nearly 5,844 jobs. In turn, CEC clients fuel the entrepreneurial ecosystem of our city by mentoring young talent, advising their peers, and joining the CEC "movement" to inspire entrepreneurship in Chicagoland. The Chicagoland Entrepreneurial Center is an affiliate of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. To learn more visit
www.chicagolandec.org.
About the Coleman Center at DePaul University Coleman Entrepreneurship Center is an outreach center offering consulting services, educational programs, and resources for students and entrepreneurs throughout Chicagoland. As part of DePaul's highly acclaimed entrepreneurship program, the Center's role is to help student-entrepreneurs launch and grow their ventures, as well as contribute to the vitality of Chicago's entrepreneurial community. To learn more visit
http://coleman.depaul.edu/ About the Illinois Chamber of Commerce The Illinois Chamber of Commerce promotes the interests of Illinois business by working to improve the state's business climate. The Illinois Chamber aggressively advocates legislation and public policies that support economic growth, and is a source of timely and reliable information on matters important to its members, Illinois employers and the general public. The Illinois chamber also provides effective programs and services to its 3,500+ members to meet their business needs, including immediate answers to tax and human resources concerns and access to training and consulting services. To learn more visit
www.ilchamber.org.
About ITA ITA champions the interests of start-ups and industry leaders, innovation agents and students as independent and collaborative thought leaders who leverage the power of technology to transform business. Through fostering strategic development, peer-to-peer leadership, networking, and access to experts across the breadth of business, membership in ITA accelerates the realization of success. For more information about ITA, please visit
www.illinoistech.org.
About Illinois Venture Capital Association The Illinois Venture Capital Association is a non-profit trade organization for Illinois venture capital and private equity professionals. It enhances the growth of Illinois' venture capital/private equity community by advocating on behalf of the industry. To learn more visit
www.illinoisvc.org.
About the Kauffman Foundation The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a private nonpartisan foundation that works to harness the power of entrepreneurship and innovation to grow economies and improve human welfare. Through its research and other initiatives, the Kauffman Foundation aims to open young people's eyes to the possibility of entrepreneurship, promote entrepreneurship education, raise awareness of entrepreneurship-friendly policies, and find alternative pathways for the commercialization of new knowledge and technologies. It also works to prepare students to be innovators, entrepreneurs and skilled workers in the 21st century economy through initiatives designed to improve learning in math, engineering, science and technology. Founded by late entrepreneur and philanthropist Ewing Marion Kauffman, the Foundation is based in Kansas City, Mo. And has approximately $2 billion in assets. For more information, visit
www.kauffman.org About MIT Enterprise Forum MIT Enterprise Forum is the global voice of entrepreneurship. For more than thirty years, Enterprise Forum has been a platform for entrepreneurial networking, inspiration and education. MIT Enterprise Forum is a community of volunteers sharing resources, knowledge and a passion for entrepreneurship and wealth creation. To learn more visit
enterpriseforum.mit.edu.
About MOJO MOJO Minnesota is an innovation advocacy force comprised of like-minded business leaders working to fuel entrepreneurship and reignite Minnesota's culture of innovation. MOJO is comprised of business advisors, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel investors and attorneys passionate about creating jobs and economic growth through the power of Minnesota based technology companies. To learn more visit
www.mojominnesota.com.
About Purdue Research Parks The 725-acre Purdue Research Park has the largest university-affiliated business incubation complex in the country. The park is home to more than 160 companies. About 100 of these firms are technology-related and another 39 are incubator businesses. In addition to the Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette, the foundation has established research parks in other Indiana locations including Indianapolis, Merrillville and New Albany. To learn more visit
www.purdueresearchpark.com.
About TechAmerica TechAmerica is the leading voice for the U.S. technology industry – the driving force behind productivity growth and jobs creation in the United States and the foundation of the global innovation economy. Representing approximately 1,200 member companies of all sizes from the public and commercial sectors of the economy, it is the industry's largest advocacy organization and is dedicated to helping members' top and bottom lines. TechAmerica is also the technology industry's only grassroots-to-global advocacy network. Learn more about TechAmerica at
http://www.techamerica.org About TechPoint
Founded in December 2002, TechPoint is Indiana's only statewide technology initiative, representing industry stakeholders including publicly-traded companies, private businesses, colleges and research universities, and local economic development organizations. The group's mission is to transform Indiana into a recognized technology leader by developing relevant policy, catalyzing change, and measuring the state's progress. To learn more visit
www.techpoint.org.
About TiE TiE is a global, not-for-profit, non-political, and non-religious organization dedicated to fostering entrepreneurs across its global network sponsored by top venture capital, legal and accounting firms and Fortune 500 corporations. TiE is spread across 55 chapters in 13 countries comprising 1,800 experienced entrepreneurs and business executives as charter members and 12,000 aspiring entrepreneurs and professionals as members. To learn more visit
www.tie.org.
How They Did It
Billion Dollar Insights from the Heart of America
By Robert Jordan
RedFlash Press
On sale: November 16, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-615-38543-3 Price: $24.95