INC. 5000 FAST GROWTH TOUR - CHICAGO May 21

Grubhub CEO Matt Maloney skypes in to Pandoland 1871 Event

1871 Welcomes grubHub CEO Matt Maloney for GFE Chat

1871 CEO HOWARD TULLMAN AND GRUB HUB CEO MATT MALONEY AT WRIGLEY

Inc. Is Bringing Mark Cuban and a Packed Lineup of Speakers to Chicago for iCONIC

Jim Dallke - Staff Writer

05/06/15 @9:10am in Tech

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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.

Inc. and CNBC Present the 2015 iCONIC Tour

Chicago, May 19, 2015 | LA, June 23, 2015 | DC, November 2015

Join Inc. and CNBC at The 2015 Iconic Tour, a one-of-a-kind experience to connect with fellow visionaries and provocateurs, ignite new ideas, and be inspired by today’s biggest business icons. Every minute and every session will challenge you to overturn conventional thinking and revolutionize the way you do business. At Iconic, you will motivate one another, along with an unprecedented lineup of business luminaries, as you brainstorm fresh, exciting ideas to revolutionize every aspect of your business.

The 2015 iCONIC keynote speakers include founders and CEOs, Bert Jacobs, The Life Is Good Company; Kip Tindell, The Container Store; Neil Blumenthal, Warby Parker; Elizabeth Cutler, SoulCycle; Kevin Plank, Under Armour; Howard Tullman,1871; Julia Hartz, Eventbrite; Matt Maloney, GrubHub; Marcus Lemonis, Star of CNBC's television show The Profit, and more.

These brands made a big market impact by thinking differently. Get your tickets for iCONIC to hear from the icons who made it happen and to learn how you can too.

• ICONIC CONFERENCE
 
• PURCHASE TICKETS
 
• AGENDAS
 
• ICONIC SPEAKERS
 
• ROAD TO ICONIC

iCONIC: Chicago Agenda

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Download the 2015 ICONIC: Chicago Agenda.

PRE-CONFERENCE DAY—MONDAY, MAY 18

2:00 p.m. Registration Open (Inc.edu attendees only)
Location: 1871 (222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza; Chicago)

3:00–6:00 p.m. Inc.edu Courses

Supercharge your learning experience by attending a pre-event Inc.edu class. Each MBA executive-level classroom-style session is led by a business thought-leader. Seats are limited, and preregistration is required. There is an additional fee to participate.

• I. Pragmatic Leadership Skills to Move Your Agenda
  Instructor: Sam Bacharach, professor, Cornell Business School; founder, The BLG Leadership Group; and author, "Get Them on Your Side and Keep Them on Your Side," and columnist, Inc.com
  Location: 1871
• II. The Strength of Mind: What You Need to Succeed
  Instructor: Srikumar S. Rao, former Columbia Business School professor; creator of the Creativity and Personal Mastery (CPM) course and author, "Happiness at Work" and "Are You Ready to Succeed?"
  Location: 1871 (222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza; Chicago)

6:00–8:00 p.m. VIP Welcome Reception (Invite only)

Hosts: Tyler Mathisen, co-anchor of CNBC's "Power Lunch" and "Nightly Business Report"; and Eric Schurenberg, president and editor-in-chief, Inc.
Location: 1871 (222 W. Merchandise Mart Plaza, 12th Floor, Chicago)

CONFERENCE DAY—TUESDAY, MAY 19

Location: The Chicago Theater (175 N State St, Chicago)

8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Registration Open

8:45 a.m. Welcome to IconicRemarks: Tyler Mathisen, co-anchor of CNBC's Power Lunch and Nightly Business Report; and Eric Schurenberg, president and editor-in-chief, Inc.

9:00 a.m. Welcome to Chicago

9:15 a.m. Do What You Like, Like What You Do
Speaker: Bert Jacobs, co-founder and chief executive optimist, The Life is Good Co.

10:00 a.m. How to Envision Profits and a Purpose
Speaker: Neil Blumenthal, co-founder and co-CEO, Warby Parker

10:45 a.m. Networking Break

11:15 a.m. Brands We F**king Love
Speakers: Eric Ryan, co-founder, Method; and Bayard Winthrop, founder and CEO, American Giant
Interviewer: Eric Schurenberg, president and editor-in-chief, Inc.

12:15 p.m. Iconic Session

1:00 p.m. Networking Lunch

2:15 p.m.The Reinvention Game: A Conversation with Marlo Thomas
Speaker: Marlo Thomas, actress, philanthropist and author, "It Ain't Over … Reinventing Your Life and Realizing Your Dreams Anytime, at Any Age"
Interviewer: Eric Schurenberg, president and editor-in-chief, Inc.

2:45 p.m. Entrepreneurial EcosystemsSpeakers: J.B. Pritzker, co-founder and managing partner, Pritzker Group; and Howard Tullman, CEO, 1871; and general managing partner, G2T3V
Interviewer: Tyler Mathisen, co-anchor of CNBC's "Power Lunch" and "Nightly Business Report"

3:45 p.m. Networking Break

4:05 p.m. All-Star Disruptors—Chicago Speakers: Jason Fried, founder and CEO, Basecamp; author, "Remote," "Getting Real" and "Rework"; and columnist, Inc.; and Matt Maloney, founder and CEO, GrubHub; and Richard Melman, founder and chairman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises
Interviewer: Kate Rogers, small business and entrepreneurship reporter, CNBC Business News

5:05 p.m. Lessons from the Business Turnaround KingSpeaker: Marcus Lemonis, chairman and CEO, Camping World and Good Sam Enterprises and host of CNBC's "The Profit"

6:00 p.m. Iconic Program Ends

6:00—8:00 p.m. Closing Cocktail Reception

Matt Maloney: A City of Connectivity

The Accelerators

Startup mentors discuss strategies and challenges of creating a new business

9:30 am ET
Sep 10, 2013

BUSINESS MODEL

Matt Maloney: A City of Connectivity

MATT MALONEY: Just as there is no right way to start a business, there is no city that is perfect for every startup. The ideal location for any startup should depend on the company’s industry, business model, talent requirements and the personal needs of its founding employees.

With that said, there were very specific reasons whyGrubHub was founded in Chicago. My co-founder, Mike Evans, and I saw Chicago as a litmus test for the culture of America. It was the perfect place to test an idea, because, in our eyes, if an idea worked in Chicago, it could work anywhere. On a more personal level, we had already established our families within the city and were entrenched in Chicago’s tech community.

I could write a 50-page dissertation as to why Chicago was the perfect fit for GrubHub’s founding, but here is my elevator pitch for why Chicago should be considered by any entrepreneur looking to relocate.

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Two Degrees of Separation: The connectivity between entrepreneurs and business leaders in Chicago is unparalleled. In my experience, every major business executive, policy maker or influential city leader has never been more than two degrees of separation away.  In fact, it was through Chicago’s supportive culture that I met local angel, OpenTable founder and long-time mentor, Chuck Templeton.

Finding the right people to provide feedback was among the most crucial elements of our early success. Anyone and everyone we could want to meet with was, and is, just a connection, or two, away.

The Proud Chicago Mentality: Perhaps it is the often-misinterpreted definition of “Second” in the Second City moniker that irks us, but many Chicagoans feel that we don’t get the national, or global, recognition that we deserve. Out of this disconnect is born a pride and group mentality that brings Chicagoans together to promote the success of its industries.

In recent years, tech companies and startups have been among the primary beneficiaries of this support. Companies that choose Chicago as home now have the benefit of entering a self-sustaining startup ecosystem. This mentality, when coupled with Chicago’s connectivity, means that some of the strongest business leaders in the city are working to improve the space for everyone.

From startup incubators like 1871 and Excelerate Labs to networks like Built in Chicago, the Chicago community understands that it takes teamwork and open collaboration to make our city a springboard for successful businesses. Today, finding guidance, feedback and the right investment opportunities is easier than ever before.

Big City with Big Talent: Chicago is a bustling metropolis with the nation’s third highest GDP. Our historic roots may not be synonymous with modern technology, but make no mistake that Chicago is built on an incredible base of industry and innovation.

The city is home to ubiquitous industry leaders like Walgreens, Kraft Foods, McDonald’s and Boeing, and each of these companies contribute great business minds to Chicago’s talent base. Many of Chicago’s marquee businesses don’t fall within the formal tech industry, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t using technology in innovative ways. Talent is absolutely in Chicago and excited to work for innovative companies that are solving real problems.

Talent Retention: Tech talent may be hard to find in Chicago, but this problem is shared by every major city in the country. However, once talent gets within the city limits, Chicago has an easier time retaining it. In addition to the many city resources for educational and professional growth, Chicago’s cost of living is low enough to ensure a high quality of life that can’t be beat on either coast.

A perfunctory glace at Zillow shows Chicago’s median home list price hovering around $230,000, with Washington, D.C. at $470,000 and San Francisco at $825,000. While numbers tell a convincing story, they don’t begin to touch upon the benefits of the Chicago lifestyle. Chicagoans have access to picture-perfect beaches, incredible food, an amazing music scene, free festivals every weekend and world-class sports organizations.

I think that Jorge Just said it best through Chicagoan Ira Glass in This American Life, “Chicago’s this wonderful dreamland where there’s a bar on every corner and the bridges smell like chocolate.” And on that note, I’m off to drink an Old Style and watch the Cubs game while I plan my annual Bears-Packers throw-down and reminisce on the Hawks winning the Stanley Cup… again

IVCA DINNER - CONGRATS TO ALL THE WINNERS