Authors:

Five women-led startups selected from nationwide applicants

CONTACTS:

1871: 
J Blaszczykiewicz, Director of Marketing
j@1871.com

BMO Harris Bank: 
Kathleen Szot, Corporate Communications Manager, BMO Harris Bank
kathleen.Szot@bmo.com

CHICAGO (JUNE 24, 2020) – 1871 and BMO Harris Bank are proud to announce the five participating companies selected to join WMN•FINtech on June 15, 2020. WMN•FINtech is the latest evolution of the BMO Harris / 1871 Innovation Program, and the first iteration to be dedicated solely to women-led startups in fintech.

Guest Author: Dan Giaime, Chief Marketing Officer at Delight Rewards

Hi, I'm Dan.

I used to work at Microsoft and Facebook, and now I work on my own startup. Even now, I constantly find myself thinking I need other ways to make money, and have to curb those thoughts. Today, I hope to share a perspective I've found helpful in the past that could help stop you from YASH (Yet Another Side Hustle).

Guest Author: Brett Trainor, Founder & Host, B2B Founder Podcast

Research tells us that fewer than 5% of all startups reach a million dollars in annual revenue and fewer than 1% reach $10M in annual revenue.

The 5% club is more exclusive than it should be, and I believe this is an execution problem versus an idea problem. Growth is not a one-dimensional challenge.

Dear 1871 community, 

I’m reaching out to you today not just from my position as a CEO in the Chicago tech community, but also as a leader of a team who is distraught and fearful, and as a mom of a 7-year-old son who does not yet have the context or the experience or the language to understand why so many people are hurting.

First, we’d like to give a heartfelt thank you to all the attendees who came along with us on the adventure of ScaleUp Chicago 2020 ⁠— we are all navigating the new terrain of virtual events and conferences together. And, as we do so, 1871 is thrilled to have been able to bring our spring conference to you right in comfort of your home! For those who were not able to attend, we missed you and there's always next year.

Funders include the Searle Funds at the Chicago Community Trust, Walder Foundation and Bank of America 

Guest Author: Lisa Weiss, CEO, Storybeat Studio

If you’re among the hundreds of millions participating in Zoom or other video conference calls while working from home, video is likely a large part of your day. Despite so-called “Zoom fatigue,” more than 25% of the tech sector now wants permanent remote work, and that means more video calls and content in the future.

Entrepreneurs have an opportunity to elevate the quality of their video content while sharing their areas of expertise with a more engaged audience. This blog primarily focuses on inspiring entrepreneurs to create original video content on their own at home, but some of these tips and insights will also help improve the quality and composition of your video conference calls.

Guest Author: Kelly Bertog, Marketing Manager, Future Founders

“Founders often hold too tightly onto solutions and too loosely onto problems.”

-Michael Seibel, CEO of Y Combinator

During these trying times, how can startups ensure they weather the storm? I recommend focusing intensely on solving customer problems, and I argue that your customers' pain-points are more important than ever.

To close out our 8th birthday week, let’s look back on what’s been happening at 1871 over the last 12 months! In short, we’ve created valuable partnerships, won awards, expanded the diversity of our membership, and are now directly supporting in the fight against COVID-19.

Won’t you take a walk down memory lane with us?