The entrepreneurial fever is alive and well in Arizona, and there is no dearth of people with ideas on how to build the proverbial “better mousetrap” — new products or services to meet emerging needs or fresh takes on those that already exist. And all of that energy is what powers a growing economy. But a successful business takes a lot more than an idea, however great it may be.
Entrepreneurs represent the foundation of a growing economy. Every big business started with an idea. Every great company started small. Those that have experienced exponential growth have demonstrated the ability to listen to customer needs, iterate quickly through change, and execute relentlessly on their vision. It takes strong leadership and dynamic teams to bring new ideas to life. It also takes a community of people who are willing to take early risks, place big bets, and roll up their sleeves to lend expertise and energy to help startups go from idea to scale.
Traveling across the country as we expand SEED SPOT to new markets, I can attest that Phoenix has a unique asset in being a big small town. The ease of access to quality mentors, the openness of this community to take meetings with early-stage startups, and the collective desire to put Phoenix on the map nationally — #yesphx — is not something every community can claim. I have always appreciated that Phoenix is a city that does not compete with itself.
In fact, for the cover story this month, In Business Magazine takes a close look at the environment here in our community that local startups are working in. Several of the incubators, accelerators and co-working organizations have opened up to In Business Magazine about strategies and resources critical to nurturing startup businesses. And In Business Magazine invited a few of the Valley’s cities to share their efforts to encourage and support startups, in this issue’s Feedback forum.
With open enrollment ongoing for another two months, businesses dealing with healthcare coverage decisions for their employees will find a timely article on the Healthcare page that discusses issues involved in insuring a multi-generational workforce. Another article, on the Technology page, discusses how businesses can protect themselves against fraud. By the Numbers provides a look at the office market and employment in the Valley’s tech sector. And the Roundtable page presents an insightful exploration of how businesses must reinvent themselves to stay relevant in today’s economy.
With these and other articles covering a full range of topics, In Business Magazine continues to provide the business community strong, relevant information to serve business decision makers at every level. As this month’s Guest Editor, I’m pleased to help bring you this issue. I hope you enjoy the read.
Sincerely,
Courtney Klein
Co-Founder and CEO
SEED SPOT
Courtney Klein is co-founder and CEO of SEED SPOT. In 2016, Arizona State University honored Klein with the “Young Alumni of the Year” award and Arizona Economic News named her “One of Arizona’s most Influential Millennials.” She is a graduate of ASU’s Barrett Honors College, where she received her undergraduate and master’s degrees in nonprofit management. She also completed work through the DSIL United Nations Executive Education Program in Thailand & Cambodia focused on Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
