Tag Archives: investor

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 →

THE FRENZY

Bill Blair – special correspondent –

as told to John Jonelis

Bill Blaire here. Mr. Jonelis wants I should go to this FUNDING FEEDING FRENZY thing. Says I’m gonna give a completely different slant compared to the resta this crowd here. I cut my teeth in the Local #1 Boilermakers, then as a Cement Contractor till I packed up my tools fer good. Continue reading →

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Filed under Characters, Entrepreneur, Writing style

Tagged as angel, angel capital, Bill Blaire, Blackline Review, Cardoona, Equity investing, fff, Geek Bar, Glenn Gottfried, investor, Jane Pickling, L train, Loan shark, Ludditis, Ludditis Shots & Beer, Phil Murphy, Pierce O'Shea, portapure, Private equity, Rocco Spumoni, Shark Tank, Sharks, Smart Gardner, vc, venture capital

May 1, 2013 · 12:22 am

WHAT’S CLEAN

Impact Engine – Part 6

John Jonelis

~ VERBATIM from a special correspondent ~

Loop Lonagan here. I’m at a place where my natural greed ‘n’ avarice can do some good fer dis poor worn-out world. This is the Chicago CleanTech Competition—what you might call a race between high-tech global janitorial services. Ten distinguished judges will pick the best o’ da best—companies that’re really doin’ somethin’ to deal with the mess we’re makin’ outa our little corner o’ God’s creation. What we got here is da last ten finalists in our great city and tonight that gets cut down to five. Continue reading →

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Filed under Characters, Entrepreneur, High Tech, Low Tech, Poverty

Tagged as angel, angel capital, angel investor, bacteria, Big Money, Chicago, chicago clean energy alliance, chicago ventures, clean water, cleantech, dirty water, drinking water, e. coli, entrepreneruship and politics, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurship, events, filter, gcca, global cleantech cluster association, Impact Engine, impact investing, innovation, innovation and culture, invention, investments, investor, Jobs, Kellogg, Loop Lonagan, new companies, Northwestern, philanthropist, pitch, portapure, social entrepreneur, vc, venture capital, virus, water, water contamination, water pollution

December 22, 2012 · 12:25 am

THE BUM IN ME

Funding Feeding Frenzy – Part 2

John Jonelis

VERBATIM transcript of a recording by Loop Lonagan—investor and man about town.

Loop Lonagan here. I’m headin’ out to this year’s Funding Feeding Frenzy. It’s the big event if ya wanna see all o’ Chicago’s best startups in one place. This time the FFF is happenin’ at a place called the Chopin Theater northwest o’ downtown and I wanna see how that’s gonna work out. Will there be a string quartet? They yusta hold it at a huge automobile showroom which seems weird but worked out. It had about half the floor space of McCormick Place and plenty o’ room fer hordes o’ people to roam. But this is gonna be a lot different. Continue reading →

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Filed under Characters, Conflict, Entrepreneur, Politics, Relationships, The Economy

Tagged as alcholics, angel, angel capital, angel investor, Big Money, Bums, Chicago, chopin theater, Christmas, city, clybourn station, Derelicts, drug addicts, fff, funding feeding frenzy, gentrification of the city, hobbits, Homeless, investor, Jobs, Loop Lonagan, new companies, pitch, public servants, sherlock holmes, sleeping on a sidewalk, the chicago machine, the machine, the man with the twisted lip, vc, venture capital, Whack jobs

November 23, 2012 · 5:00 am

SHARK TANK MEETS THE APPRENTICE

Funding Feeding Frenzy – Part 1

John Jonelis

The big Funding Feeding Frenzy is almost upon us again. Loop Lonogan covered this event last time and here’s his transcript—verbatim:

Loop Lonagan here. I’m at the Funding Feeding Frenzy ‘n’ there must be more’n 1000 people here and lots more goin’ in and out all day. If you wanna see what’s happening in the Chicago Startup Community, this is the place to be and you can do it all in one single day. But don’t ferget—there’s sharks in them waters and they bite. Continue reading →

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Filed under Characters, Conflict, Entrepreneur

Tagged as angel, big event, Big Money, Conflict, David Culver, Entrepreneur, Heat, investor, Loop Lonagan, Rong Mayhem, Sheldon Tommygun, short attention span, startup companies, startup company, venture capital, worn out judges

November 2, 2012 · 5:00 am

WORTHY OF AWARDS

The Chicago Innovation Awards – Part 3

John Jonelis

I’ve jumped aboard a Gulfstream G450 to interview the legendary Loren Bukkett. I want his take on the Chicago Innovation Awards. He finally puts away his phone and turns to me. “Okay, let’s talk,” he says. Continue reading →