The Houston Rockets' win over the Mavericks in Game 5 of the NBA Playoffs was a devastating loss to the city of Dallas, but it turned out to be a win for Chicago.
With the Dallas Mavericks out of the playoffs, Inc. Magazine was able to add team owner and startup investor Mark Cuban to their iCONIC conference in Chicago, adding to an already impressive lineup of CEOs, VCs, and other business leaders. Cuban has been active in the Windy City recently, as he's invested in several Chicago startups through his ABC show Shark Tank, including LuminAID,Packback Books, and  IWantToDrawACatForYou.com (seriously).
Put on by Inc. Media and CNBC, the iCONIC Tour is a three-city conference, starting on May 19 in Chicago, that provides sessions, panels and interviews with some of the country's most influential business leaders. In Chicago, the conference will include sessions on entrepreneurial ecosystems, how to turn around a business, and a panel on Chicago's "all star innovators."
Taking place May 19 at the Chicago Theatre, the conference will provide a nice mix of both national business figures and local Chicago tech leaders. Here's a rundown of some of the notable people who will be speaking at iCONIC and what they'll be discussing:
Mark Cuban (Dallas Mavericks Owner, Shark Tank Investor): In a session titled "Swimming with a Shark: You Only Have to Be Right Once," Cuban will talk about his business philosophies and teach attendees how to embrace vision, build a winning team, and make strategic decisions in crunch-time.
Neil Blumenthal (Warby Parker co-founder and co-CEO): At "How Warby Parker Sees Disruption," Blumenthal will discuss how Warby Parker is changing the eyewear industry.
Elizabeth Cutler
Elizabeth Cutler (SoulCycle co-founder, co-creator and co-owner): At a panel called "Brands You F**king Love," Cutler will share how her popular fitness company makes a lasting impression on its customers.
JB Pritzker (Prtizker Group Managing Partner): Pritzker will talk about the Chicago Tech community during the "Entrepreneurial Ecosystems" interview with Eric Schurenberg, president and editor in chief of Inc.
Howard Tullman (CEO of 1871): Tullman will join Pritzker on stage for "Entrepreneurial Ecosystems."
Matt Maloney (Founder and CEO of GrubHub): Maloney will take part in the "Chicago's All-Star Innovators" panel, which will be moderated by Kayla Tausche, co-anchor of CNBC's Squawk Alley. Also on the panel will be Jason Fried, founder and CEO, Basecamp, and Richard Melman, founder and chairman, Lettuce Entertain You.
Bert Jacobs (Life is Good co-founder and CEO): During "Do What You Love, Love What You Do," Jacobs will talk about his experience building a company and teach you "how to reinvent a brand without losing what makes it special."
Marlo Thomas (Actress and author): Thomas, an Emmy and Golden Globe winning actress, will talk about balancing your professional and personal life during "The Reinvention Game: A Conversation with Marlo Thomas."
The conference runs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 19.