Presenting at 1Million Cups
Written By: Sonny
September 9, 2015
Having attended a number of 1Million Cups events previously, it was quite different being front and center as the guest speaker. Talking about Daybreak and the venture into enterpreneurship is a topic that is quite easy for me to chat about, but it didn't deter the nerves. Anytime you are presenting, regardless of the audience, the combination of anxiety, anticipation and excitement often cause you to look less at the flash cards and "wing-it". But, that can also lead to some of the most substantive discussions I've seen.
After a 10-15 minute overview of your company, the discussion is then opened to questions and answers and that is when the real fun begins. I had the opportunity to chat about IT trends, the local IT economy and where I see Daybreak in 5 years. These questions were being posed by other entrepreneurs, interested members of the community and organizers from 1Million Cups. It was a great overall experience and was flattered to be asked to speak!
With that said, there are two things that stayed with me long after my presentation. First - what set out to be a discussion about our company became a great exercise in introspection. Taking the lens a total stranger being newly introduced to Daybreak and getting advice. Invaluable advice that I was receiving from other successful business owners in Richmond. SCORE!
Second - when preparing for my chat, it dawned on me that the premise for alot of our entrepreneural stories probably don't differ that vastly from week to week - your business may be retail, insurance or IT Staffing; the trials and tribulations may be more alike than different. And as I thought about that, it gave me a deep sense of pride for the start-up community and the successful entrepreneurs in RVA. The number of bright, driven and gifted people in this town are amazing. DOUBLE SCORE!