DePaul University’s Introduction to Entrepreneurship Students Get Advice from Chicago Business Professionals
Students at DePaul University’s Coleman Entrepreneurship Center who are taking the course Introduction to Entrepreneurship delivered their final business plan presentations to professional mentor judges, Ben Cole, Randi Binstock, John Dilenschneider and our founder, Kellee Johnson. The students recently developed ideas for building new ventures to solve market problems. Demonstrated in a business plan were revenue channels and business models to pitch potential investors. Five student teams presented their business ideas with an understanding of the importance of innovation driven by...
Read MoreThe Importance of Joining a Board
Many young professionals who launch a career consider three things before starting: Can I support myself financially doing this work? Will I like doing this work? Am I offering the world some type of benefit by doing this work? Often for motivated career professionals, these questions never stop. In fact, Presidents and CEOs of major companies ask themselves these types of questions annually. The search to find that perfect balance between happy and doing good becomes a lifelong quest. The Ballast Group’s founder, Kellee Johnson, offers insights on best practices to keep your game in...
Read MoreFind Your Inspiration: Best 2017 Commencement Speeches
It’s that time of year again when the weather warms and the tassels are turned to the left side. As college seniors graduate from private and public institutions across the country, news organizations flood us with headlines of commencement speeches with the “best advice” or “words of wisdom.” Twelve years ago, as Kellee Johnson started The Ballast Group, one commencement speaker’s words stood out. Delivered by Steve Jobs at Stanford University’s 2005 commencement address they were: “Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish.” Those words inspired The Ballast Group team in 2005 and continue today. To help...
Read MoreHow Entrepreneurship Fuels Job Growth
“Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish.” For those of you who know The Ballast Group or our founder, Kellee Johnson, it is likely that you have seen or heard these words — especially around college graduation time. This quote, from Steve Jobs’s 2005 Stanford University commencement address, is the inspiration behind Kellee Johnson’s entrepreneurial spirit and the force behind her drive to continue finding best storytelling practices for The Ballast Group everyday. In 2005, Kellee founded The Ballast Group after working for Tropicana, Abbott Labs and several medical technology start-up companies....
Read MoreHow Cloud-Based (aka ‘virtual’) Companies Could be a Model of the Future Workforce
The office culture is shifting, driven by a large wave of millennials craving flexibility and, most importantly, purposeful workplaces. The benefits of a cloud-based company go beyond the organization and into a movement toward a model for a future workforce. Gini Dietrich, author of SpinSucks, took her Chicago-based PR company virtual in 2013. “From a business perspective, my team is completely focused on results, not activity or staying at their desk during lunch or after hours just to prove they work more hours than anyone else. Productivity has increased nearly 30 percent.” Founder of...
Read MoreThe Words from Steve Jobs that Drive Kellee Johnson as an Entrepreneur
I got the idea to start an integrated communications firm in 2005, the same year the late Steve Jobs gave a commencement speech at Stanford. It was called: “Stay hungry, stay foolish.” I still follow these words today. ‘Hunger’ to me is staying curious enough every day to define the WHY. ‘Staying foolish’ to me is not being afraid to take risks that may result in mistakes. I had to work hard once I decided to go out on my own and build a team of experts. These words were my daily inspiration. Hear more on Entrepreneur.com about how the Ballast Group team applies the ‘why’ people will care to...
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