Blog

Entrepreneurship = Economic Development How to Move Fort Worth Forward

Over the past two years, Fort Worth has demonstrated its capability to enact significant improvements for local entrepreneurs and innovators. However, there remains much work to be done. In February 2024, a revised version of the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Advisory Committee, comprised of various stakeholders passionate about investing in growing entrepreneurship and innovation, convened to develop an overarching guide for the Ft. Worth council committee of the same name. The council committee focuses on policies and partnerships that will enhance entrepreneurship and Fort Worth’s business environment and look to data to help improve policies around permitting, small business success, and strategic...

September 5By Tamara PayneRead more...

Financing Your Growth: Strategic Funding Options for Expansion

Strategic growth planning becomes paramount as small businesses prepare for the last quarter of the year. A significant part of this planning involves securing the necessary funding to ensure sustainable expansion. Before exploring available funding options, business owners must accurately assess their financial needs. Whether they’re scaling operations, increasing manpower, or enhancing marketing efforts, understanding the scale and scope of the required funds will guide them to the appropriate funding source. To strategically leverage funding for business growth, entrepreneurs should consider a multifaceted approach: Align Funding with Growth Stages: Different stages of business growth require different types of funding. Start-ups benefit from family...

July 17By Tamara PayneRead more...

Collaborative Innovation: Networking as a Catalyst for New Ideas

Innovation thrives on collaboration, not just individual genius. The essence of "Collaborative Innovation” lies in networking across various industries, disciplines, and backgrounds, making diverse networks a fertile ground for generating groundbreaking solutions and ventures. At Sparkyard, we harness this dynamic by providing small business owners, startups, and entrepreneurs with the necessary resources and connections to fuel their growth and foster creativity. This collaborative approach is crucial for merging different perspectives. For instance, a technology professional's methodical problem-solving can blend with an artist's intuitive approach, leading to innovative solutions that neither could achieve alone. This cross-pollination of ideas is especially vital...

July 8By Tamara PayneRead more...

1 Million Cups Fort Worth Gets A Fresh Start at Create FW

After a two-year hiatus, 1 Million Cups (1MC) has made a triumphant return to Fort Worth as of late February. Initially launched in Kansas City in 2012, 1 Million Cups has evolved into a staple Wednesday event across the nation, where communities come together to support emerging startups and thriving businesses. The revival of these cost-free, dynamic gatherings in Fort Worth marks a significant rejuvenation of the local entrepreneurial scene, showing a strong recovery in the post-pandemic era. The reboot of 1 Million Cups in Fort Worth creates a supportive and inclusive environment where entrepreneurs and community members can unite...

April 22By InternRead more...

Eclipsing Expectations: DFW Startups/Small Businesses Benefit from Celestial Craze

On a slightly cloudy Monday afternoon on April 8th, 2024, the bustling life of DFW came to a momentary standstill as residents and visitors alike lifted their gazes skyward. The cause for this pause? A spectacular solar eclipse. Such celestial events are relatively rare, occurring approximately every 18 months and often over remote regions. Notably, the 2024 eclipse marks the first such event to traverse the United States since 2017 and an even rarer occasion for Texas, finding itself directly in the path of totality for the first time since 1878. The 2024 eclipse has reignited the public’s fascination, much like...

January 8By Cameron CushmanRead more...

The Link Between Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship and innovation share a symbiotic relationship, each fueling and catalyzing the other. At its core, entrepreneurship is about identifying opportunities and taking calculated risks to create value. Innovation, on the other hand, involves the creation and application of new ideas, technologies, or processes that bring about meaningful change. In this article we will explore how innovation has launched industries, disrupted traditional business models, and showcased the transformative power of entrepreneurial vision and inventive thinking in today's rapidly evolving market landscapes. Innovation is the buzz word of every business book and economic development strategy. Large, established companies love to talk about...

January 1By Jamie BarnhartRead more...

A look at Sparkyard in 2023

Sparkyard held its grand opening during the 2019 Global Entrepreneurship Week. We thought this would be a great opportunity to see how 2023 shook down with some general stats and entrepreneurial assistance. Total number of website Users: 11,502 Total Sparkyard Pageviews: 27,927 With the exception of the Sparkyard homepage, the top 3 most viewed pages have stayed consistent through the last three years: Business Entity Types Resource Navigator Calendar Total Published Blogs: 38 Number of blog views: 4,531 Here are some "Need to Save" posts from 2023: Earth-Friendly Ways to Cut Waste AND Your Marketing Budget How to Fund Innovation for FREE When to Ask and Investor to Sign an NDA Top 10 Important Documents You Need...

December 12By InternRead more...

Announcing our Favorite Innovators of 2023

There is so much exciting innovation happening in Fort Worth in many different areas of our city. But, who were some of the Innovate Fort Worth podcast teams favorites in the last year? Kendel Rogers, the producer of the podcast, Rob Upchurch, the technical producer and Cameron Cushman, the host, share their favorite innovators on the most recent episode of the show. Kendel Rogers I have two actually. My first was Jose Alfaro from co-starters (Episode 83). We interviewed him at the beginning of the year. I love what he is doing...

December 6By Marco JohnsonRead more...

Sparking Change: Sparkyard’s Move to Ensemble Coworking

After four years of successful implementation and thousands of entrepreneurs served, HSC Next is handing over operations of the Sparkyard platform to Tamara Payne, CEO and cofounder of Ensemble Coworking, a trusted partner in the local entrepreneurial ecosystem and a Sparkyard resource partner since 2019. Ensemble Coworking is a mission-driven collaborative business community and coworking space located in Fort Worth’s Near Southside. SourceLink will continue to support the platform from a technical standpoint. HSC Next is not selling Sparkyard, but rather, Ensemble will contract with Sourcelink, license...

November 7By InternRead more...

Co-Working + Storage + Shippin’ It = E-commerce Solutions

In an era of rapid online growth and changing business dynamics, the warehousing landscape has experienced a pivotal shift in Fort Worth. Traditional warehousing, with its expansive space and vast inventories, served only the biggest industries. However, as the business climate evolves and need for microentrepreneurs multiply, there’s an evident shift from large warehouses to more sustainable, small warehouse spaces that may offer even more benefits to micro and small businesses compared to their larger counterparts. This shift is not just about downsizing but about adapting to the needs of an agile market. When small businesses, particularly e-commerce entrepreneurs, have...