Tag Archives: genius

March 14, 2019 · 8:01 pm

TAKE YOUR FOOT OFF THE BAG

John Jonelis

I’ve asked it before, “The way you conduct business—is it meaningful to those left behind?” Is it?

I’m here at the Levy Entrepreneurship Group, talking with some of the most brilliant business minds in Chicago. This group’s been meeting for over 60 years. It’s the genius of Joe Levy, the prolific entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist—the son of a south Michigan Ave car dealer. Joe was an endless entrepreneur—constantly learning, constantly experimenting—the quintessential gentleman who gave everybody an at-bat—who spoke quietly but directly and told the truth as he saw it. He pushed people off the bag. “You’re lousy at this. What are you good at? Contribute. Help somebody.” People found inspiration and hope. Never a disparaging word about Joe. “If you don’t have a satisfied customer, you’re compromising your future.” He was the original automobile mega dealer, angel investor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. “God put me on this earth to produce, not to consume.” Joe Levy is dead at 92. Continue reading →

POWER PITCH

by John Jonelis

What happens when you give kids—kids gifted in math and science—a real chance to bust out with their God given talents and excel?

What if you trust them to lay their greasy little hands on equipment normally available only at elite universities?
What if you allow them to direct their own time?
What if you challenge them to construct their own goals and learn by themselves how to accomplish them?
What if you dare them to build real startup businesses at such a tender age?
And what if you throw them into a competition against a panel of critical judges from the real private equity world?

What happens? Good things! Good things happen! They happen here at IMSA – the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy. I’ll give you an intimate peek at the inner works of this educational powerhouse so you can see for yourself what makes this one of the biggest success stories in the country. Continue reading →

3 Comments

Filed under angel, angel investor, Business, Education, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurship, Giving, High Tech, Startup Companies, Startups, vc, venture capital

Tagged as college prep, competition, education, engineering careers, genius, gifted school, high school business, high school businesses, management careers, pitch competition, preparation for the world, preparing for college, preparing for the world, school for the gifted, science careers, Social venture, STEM, student entrepreneurs, student pitch competition, student startup companies, student startups

July 12, 2014 · 12:41 am

WHIZ KIDS

by John Jonelis

You don’t want to compete with this kid. Believe me. Just watch his intensity as he pitches his business to some of the private equity luminaries in the city. I’m a judge at this event and try not to show my feelings of awe as he answers all the tough questions in a pressure-cooker environment without so much as a flinch. There’s an intimidating team behind him too. They’re all in middle school. Middle school! Continue reading →

FASCINATION OF A THOUGHT LEADER

Michael Pollack of Rocket Fuel Labs

Verbatim – John Jonelis

I always enjoy the scenic water taxi ride to the Chicago Merchandise Mart where the huge high-tech incubator known as 1871 lives and breathes like a sleeping dragon in a cave full of gold. Continue reading →

1 Comment

Filed under Biography, Entrepreneur, High Tech, Low Tech

Tagged as Biography, Eisenhower, enthusiasm, genius, how to get help starting a company, infrastructure, new companies, new ideas, platform, Richard Feynman, Rocket launch, software, starting a company, startups, Super Highway, thought leader