cycleWood Versus Silicon Solar

cycleWood has made it to the semifinals of the CleanTech Open.  One of last year's teams also made it, Silicon Solar Solutions.  We are going head-to-head in the semifinal round.  The top three from each region are selected to move forward.  We are both in the South Central Region along with eleven other teams.  Douglas Hutchings, CEO of Silicon Solar, has a hunch we might both get through to the finals in San Jose.  That would be great for the state and the University.

The entrepreneurship program at the University of Arkansas is developing a reputation of producing real start-ups.  With each coming year the enthusiasm generated by past year's teams creates a sense an expectation and sense of responsibility to carry on the tradition that's been building the past few years.  The meetings for next year's teams have already begun.  Every year Dr. Reeves gets previous team members to come back to share their experience.  The continuity of the program is one of its strengths.  So if you think you may be an entrepreneur, take a look at the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton College of Business MBA program.

Competition Season Ends

We made it back stateside this past Friday.  I've gotten over the jetlag.  My sole focus is now on building cycleWood.  This should be great news for investors out there.  They've been ready for us to be off the "show circuit" for some time.  School is finished and now so are the competitions.  The only other one that we've applied to is the CleanTech Open which wouldn't be til this Fall.  That would be a different competition as we would compete as a post-graduate team.

So let me tell you about London, first off don't forget to bring your walking shoes.  If you want to see London the best way, in my opinion, is on foot.  You can venture into the old cobblestone alleyways and explore the rich history and character of the city.  Stop at a neighborhood pub and enjoy a nice draft at cellar temperature.  It's not so bad, but I do prefer an ice cold beer.  They do have those as well.  There are bridges, cathedrals, towers, and museums to see.  We explored as much as we could in the spare time we had.  We crossed the Millennium Bridge, Tower Bridge, and also London Bridge.  We stopped at Westminster Abbey and St. Paul's Cathedral.  And we ventured into the Tate Modern, Science, and British Museums.

We had a great time in London, but now it's time to focus.  Good ideas are a dime a dozen.  If you have a good idea, chances are someone else has probably had that idea.  The odds of having a truly unique idea are not that great.  What makes a start-up successful is execution.  There are many talented people who can put together a great plan, but being able to execute that plan is a different story.  cycleWood has a great business plan, but there are unforeseeable hurdles that we must overcome.  It's how we face these challenges that separates us from the rest.  We recognize these hurdles and do what we can to get beyond them.  However, there are times when the hurdle is a wall that, despite our best efforts, is not ready to be broken through.  We try to be as clear as possible to any investor that we have a great team and we have a great plan, but there are still risks.  There is no such thing as guaranteed success, ask Lebron James.

Crossing the Pond to London

cycleWood is heading to London this afternoon for the LES competition.  We are one of six finalists.  The competition is this Saturday.  It's only Kevin and myself headed to this one.  We've never presented with just two before so this should be interesting.  One of us is also going to give the elevator pitch.  This should be interesting considering we've never done it.  It's always been Pree or Jack.  Luckily it's not for a prize, it's just to introduce our idea to the audience.

We'll be in London for a total of eight days.  The competition is only one day.  The rest of the time will be spent at the LES Conference which is supposed to be a great networking opportunity.  We'll be taking advantage of that for sure.  We were also invited to a black tie affair by a friend we met while in Canada at the Stu Clarke Investor Competition.  It'll be good to see him again.  We got tuxes and shiny shoes for the event.  Should be fantastic.

Aside from that we plan on seeing a good bit of London while we're there.  The hotel we are staying at is right by Westminster Abbey.   I bet the souvenirs from the royal wedding will be on sale.  We'll pick up a few to bring home. 

This should be a very fun trip.  Our adviser, Dr. Reeves, is also coming.   I'll make sure to take plenty of pics.  Look for them in the next few days.

GSB Summer Social

The GSB Summer Social is coming up Friday, June 10th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Powerhouse.  If you are thinking of applying for the MBA, MMBA, or MAcc program at the Walton College of Business you should try to attend.  It's a great way to network and meet some people who will work with you and who have been there.  Some professors will be there, as well as staff and administrators.  So if you have any questions or wondered who was on the other end of the telephone or email here's your chance.  Talking with current and former students will give you a feel for what the program is about.  You can also get a first hand perspective of the pros and cons of the program.  Besides all that, there's plenty of food and drinks too.  It's a good time to be enjoyed by all.  If you do go out there, make sure to say hi to Rebel and tell her I sent you.