By LAURIE WINSLOW World Staff Writer
Published: 2/20/2011 2:24 AM
Last Modified: 2/20/2011 6:22 AM
Tulsa is undergoing an entrepreneurial evolution.
You can see it in the growing popularity of the annual Spirit Award competition, the growth of college-sponsored entrepreneurial programs, the development of incubators and resources available for supporting entrepreneurs.
Between 2007 and 2010, an entrepreneurial ecosystem has emerged that has spawned 64 operating startups, the creation of 269 jobs and an annual payroll of $12.4 million. And entrepreneurial enthusiasts want to see that trend continue.
“We need to nurture an environment that allows for businesses to grow. As time passes, businesses mature, families fall out, and so businesses come and go. If we do not have a constant stream and a mechanism to create new businesses, then we will be challenged to have an economy that is strong,” said Sean Griffin, who is chairman of the Economic Development Commission Entrepreneurial Initiatives. “So, it’s essential for us to grow jobs and grow an economy built on … locally grown jobs.”
To keep that momentum going, StartUp Tulsa, a publicly and privately funded, entrepreneurial, economy-building endeavor of the Tulsa Economic Development Commission, aims to accelerate and nurture startups in Tulsa.
In a recently released report, StartUp Tulsa outlines the city’s entrepreneurial achievements in recent years. It also announces a five-year goal of generating 226 new operating startups that would lead to 949 new locally grown jobs with average salaries of $46,043.
“The bottom line is that the communities that are developing entrepreneurs, like Tulsa, are the ones that basically are thriving. They are the drivers for the future,” said Dean VanTrease, fundraising chairman of the City of Tulsa’s Economic Development Commission Entrepreneurial Initiatives. Five years ago, Tulsa wasn’t known for developing many new entrepreneurs, although it has a history rich with entrepreneurs, VanTrease said. “It’s incredible what’s happening right now in Tulsa. A lot of the new jobs are being created by entrepreneurs and small business. In fact, if you look at the country, over half of the new jobs are coming from them. That bodes well for Tulsa’s future,” VanTrease said.
Spirit Award sparks entrepreneurial efforts
The introduction of the Spirit Award in 2007 helped kick-start Tulsa’s expanding entrepreneurial enthusiasm. Until then, entrepreneurs weren’t being acknowledged, rewarded and promoted. They weren’t getting the coaching and mentoring they needed, Griffin said.
Kathy Taylor, former Tulsa mayor and Oklahoma’s former secretary of commerce and tourism, recognized the need for a strong entrepreneurial base and endorsed the first competition, which initially was called the Mayor’s Entrepreneurial Spirit Award.
“I was happy to be a part of it. I just had the good fortune to be able to use my voice as the mayor to support an amazing group of people who really believed we could do this,” Taylor said.
Last year, the competition was renamed SpiritBank/Tulsa Community College Entrepreneurial Spirit Award in recognition of its two title sponsors.
“Where we are right now is an exciting place because people are really beginning to have the confidence to act on their ideas,” said Taylor. “The economy in Oklahoma in particular is driven by small business … A lot of states will fight over and spend resources and time trying to get the big companies to move here, but the fact is, most of the jobs are going to be from smaller companies or companies that don’t exist yet.”
It wasn’t until the third year of the Spirit Award competition, however, that the traditional community really started to take notice.
As more entrepreneurs became involved in the competition, and people heard about their success, others realized something was going on, that this wasn’t an anomaly, and began asking what could be done to help, Griffin said.
Before, people were starting companies here, but they weren’t as visible or as publicly promoted and honored as they are now, Griffin said.
Entrepreneurs ignite
“I think the Spirit Award was an integral part of our company growing because it forced us to step back and work on the business not in the business, and that’s what many small businesses need to do in order to grow,” said Carey Dunkin Baker, founder of Part-Time Pros. “So often you get caught up in the day-to-day minutiae of how to run your business, and you forget to step back and say, strategically, where am I headed. … am I doing this the right way.”
In less than three years, Part-Time Pros has bought a medical staffing company, outgrown its original office space and exceeded $1 million in revenue.
While the company probably would have grown on its own, Baker doubts it would have grown at the pace it has without the coaching and support it received through the Spirit Award.
Matt Galloway, founder of Architactile, which has launched an iPad application for architects, is another success story born of Tulsa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Not only did his business make it to the semi-final round of the 2010 Spirit Award, but he won the first year of StartUp Weekend Tulsa and is a coach with the Tulsa Community College’s Launch entrepreneurial program.
He calls Tulsa a “terrific place for entrepreneurs right now,” with its low cost of living, low business costs, central location, good labor pool and Internet connectivity, and it’s a great place to raise a family. The community has a tremendous wealth of resources. Those who want to start a business don’t have to do it completely alone because there are a lot of people willing to help and support them, he added.
Galloway likes being connected to a growing network of like-minded entrepreneurs with similar experiences and individuals who can understand and encourage him to move forward.
“A lot of people are trying to figure out what Tulsa needs to continue growing, and I think entrepreneurism is a big piece of that. As a community we need to be celebrating, highlighting, talking about, encouraging and funding entrepreneurial efforts. We could make some huge positive impacts in Tulsa as a community if we continue to embrace more entrepreneurs,” he said.
Entrepreneurial resources
Several entrepreneurial-centered programs are nurturing and encouraging the Tulsa-area’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. Among them are:
i2E Inc.: A private nonprofit corporation focused on growing technology-based companies in Oklahoma and positively impacting the economy. The group works directly with entrepreneurs, researchers and companies to help them commercialize their technologies. Visit tulsaworld.com/i2e, or call (918) 582-5592.
SpiritBank/Tulsa Community College Entrepreneurial Spirit Award: Annual competition open to anyone with a business ranging from a startup to a company that has been in operation for up to five years or to people who simply have an idea for a new business. Information: Visit tulsaworld.com/spiritaward
The Tulseys: An annual public-voting contest where people nominate and vote online for entrepreneurs in several categories Winners receive a hand-cast bronze Golden Driller statuette.
The Collaboratorium: A downtown resource center for entrepreneurs, located on the 10th floor of 111 W. Fifth St. Building. It provides discounted shared office space, coaching opportunities, connections to entrepreneurial networks and access to other resources. Information: Visit tulsaworld.com/collab
EVOC: The Entrepreneurial Venture Oversight Committee, offered through the Tulsa Metro Chamber, is a partnership of entities involved in forming, promoting, funding, advising, honoring and helping startups. Information: Call (918) 560-0235.
Tulsa Startup Weekend: A 54-hour event where developers, coders, designers, marketers, product managers and startup enthusiasts come together to create startups. Takes place in November during Global Entrepreneurship Week.
The Forge: A small-business incubator at 206 S. Cheyenne Ave. that helps startup firms owned by young professionals and those who cater to the same demographic. Features: operations space for small businesses, a meeting place for entrepreneurs and a business knowledge base. Tenants get core services such as utilities, phone and Internet access, and office supplies. Information: Visit tulsaworld.com/theforge or call (918) 574-8700.
Tulsa Community College’s “Launch Your Entrepreneurial Journey”: A limited number of individuals are selected through an application and interview process to take part in this 16-week nontraditional, innovative program. Information: Visit tulsaworld.com/tcclaunch or (918) 595-7723.
Fab Lab: The Hardesty Center for Fab Lab Tulsa is a nonprofit entity collaborating with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to assemble a diverse collection of state-of-the-art equipment and computers into one workspace as a new community center for innovation, entrepreneurship, and STEM education. Currently housed in The Collaboratorium but opening soon at 710 S. Lewis Ave. Information: tulsaworld.com/fablabtulsa
SourceLink: a free referral network, offered through the Tulsa Metro Chamber, that links small and emerging businesses to local nonprofit and government resources that can help them grow. Location: SourceLink Business Center, 2 W. Second St., plaza level. Information: Call (918) 560-0275 or visit tulsaworld.com/sourcelink
StartUp Tulsa
Definition: A publicly and privately funded, entrepreneurial, economy-building endeavor of the Tulsa Economic Development Commission.
Mission: Accelerate the growth of a culture of startups generating locally grown jobs, enhancing and expanding Tulsa’s entrepreneurial economy.
Five-year goal: Generate 226 new operating startups, resulting in 949 new locally grown jobs with average salaries of $46,043.
Measuring success:
* Add $43.7 million to Tulsa’s annual payroll.
* Inspire 2,200 new entrepreneurial startups.
* Support the creation of six new entrepreneurial programs.
* Grow 1,518 indirect jobs.
* Grow Tulsa Global Entrepreneurship Week participation by 35 percent.
Information: startuptulsa.com
Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
by the numbers
2007-2010
Startups inspired to participate……..615
Startups operating…….64
Jobs created…..269
Amount added to Tulsa’s annual payroll…..$12,376,358
Average Salary…..$46,043
Money raised…..$14,875,000
Laurie Winslow 581-8466
laurie.winslow@tulsaworld.com
By LAURIE WINSLOW World Staff Writer
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