The basic concept behind Startup Weekend might seem a little crazy. Teams of entrepreneurs (or people who would like to be entrepreneurs) spend 54 hours building a bare-bones company, complete with a minimum viable product.
Because of the rushed nature of the competition, most people don’t expect Startup Weekend projects to lead to full-fledged companies. But sometimes, they absolutely do. Creelio is proof.
What Creelio Does
The Kansas City-based startup develops tailored blog and social media content for bankers, wealth managers, venture capitalists and other financial professionals. Thanks to a proprietary “VoiceScience” process, Creelio can produce copy that “sounds” almost exactly how its customers write.
It’s an idea with legs: Creelio—which has been through the SparkLabKC and Digital Sandbox KC programs—recently closed a seed-funding round and hired two key employees.
How Startup Weekend Helped Them
Founders Steve Stava and Julie Edge found the basic germ of what became Creelio during a Startup Weekend in late 2012. More importantly, the weekend was proof they had the potential to be entrepreneurs and could be a great team.
Edge and Stava had previously worked together when he was at DST and she was hired as a consultant. Stava was interesting in leaving corporate life and doing something entrepreneurial. Edge suggested he give Startup Weekend a try.
“I would tell any of my friends who want to leave a corporate environment: go do a Startup Weekend first,” Edge said.
That’s because operating a startup is very different from working in a traditional business. The pace is faster. The resources are scarcer. And the people at the helm are constantly challenged to solve tough problems.
“It’s obviously a pressure cooker,” Edge said, “and people’s true colors really come out.”
Some participants realize the startup life isn’t for them. For others, though, the contest shows them what they are capable of accomplishing. Startup Weekend gave Edge and Stava—whose team finished third and won the prize for best pitch—the encouragement to push forward.
When’s the Next Startup Weekend KC?
The next Startup Weekend in Kansas City is set for May 29-31. If you’re interested in signing up, visit this website.
(Pictured: Steve Stava and Julie Edge, co-founders of Creelio / photo courtesy of Creelio)
