CEO/Founder Dr. Mike Gibbs, Camp BizSmart/BizSmart Global talks to TiEcon attendee

If you are an entrepreneur or hope to be someday, I recommend you attend the Sat. May 19 sessions at TiEcon2012 today.  Held in the Santa Clara Convention Center on Great America Parkway, more than 4,000 attendees are expected over the two days of the conference and expo.

Camp BizSmart, whose tag line is, “inspiring young entrepreneurs”, is a business and entrepreneur academy for students 11-15 which operates at premiere executive training sites at universities and corporate locations such Stanford University and Microsoft, has booth96  in the exhibit hall.

Camp BizSmart Cofounders Peggy and Mike Gibbs speak to attendees at TieCon Expo

Want to be inspired by how youth are solving real world problems and creating business product solutions to address them? You need to hear the stories of past graduates of Camp BizSmart who have created solutions for companies during the 10 day business and design competitions.  Then, ask what is planned for the 2012 summer sessions when students will take on business problems from award winning companies: D.Light Design with Ned Tozun, Founder and Hydrovolts, with Burt Hamner, Founder.  Sessions in the CA Bay Area will be held on June 18-29, July 23-Aug 3 at Stanford University and on July 9-20, in San Mateo at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation Conference Center.  By the way, the Silicon Valley Community Foundation has a booth at TieCon as well – give them a shout out for supporting Camp BizSmart and inspiring young entrepreneurs!

This afternoon at the conference there will be a youth forum.  The forum was the idea of Sameer Vij, a graduate of Camp BizSmart.  Congratulations Sameer!  One of the panelists for the afternoon program is Kevin Surace, Founder of Serious Energy.  Kevin has been a favorite Camp BizSmart Faculty for 4 years and returns this summer to provide new insights into current opportunities  for making an impact solving important problems in our world. At Camp BizSmart he not only inspires our students, he coaches the students on essential skills that they must acquire if they are to be successful as an entrepreneur or executive.  If you are 11-15 years of age attending the youth forum this afternoon and want the opportunity to gain entrepreneurial skills mentored by highly regarded CEO’s and Founders, check out Camp BizSmart’s booth and what programs are available.  Older than 15?  BizSmart Global the sister organization of Camp BizSmart has seminars, special programs and events for student up to age 19. Spaces are going fast for all camps – sign up today!

Kevin Surace with CBS students at Stanford

Bill Reichert Managing Director Garage Technology Ventures with Camp BizSmart Student

Camp BizSmart founders Dr. Mike Gibbs and Peggy Gibbs are very excited to announce Bill Reichert, Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures, will provide the Key Note “kick-off challenge” to students at Camp BizSmart 2012. Bill has been a valued advisor of Camp BizSmart since the launch in 2008 and has given valuable feedback to our students as they pitch their business solutions in the business plan competitions held at Microsoft Corporation in Silicon Valley over the past 5 year. Bill Reichert says:  ” Only an entrepreneurial approach – flexible, scrappy, collaborative, and unafraid of risk and failure will succeed in the new world. We owe if to our children to help them develop these skills and attitudes with programs like Camp BizSmart.” “We know that students who attend our camps this summer will be inspired and gain valuable information as Bill shares his insight from personal entrepreneurial  experience and from his work with promising early-stage companies in the opening day kick-off challenge to our students” says Peggy Gibbs.

Following you will learn more about Bill’s career at Garage Technology Ventures, and the many companies he worked with or founded prior to that.  Among the companies that are in the  Garage current portfolio is D.Light Design, which will be one of the featured company business case sponsors for Camp BizSmart 2012.  Please read on to learn all about Bill’s breadth of experience:

Bill Reichert is a Managing Director of Garage Technology Ventures, a seed-stage and early stage venture capital firm based in Palo Alto, California. Garage makes focused investments in promising early-stage technology companies and works intensively with them to help them grow and succeed. Bill has been a member of the Board of Directors of MiaSole, CaseStack, WhiteHat Security, ClearFuels Technology, ThermoCeramix, cFares, and STEP Labs (acquired by DolbyLabs). Some of Garage’s earlier investments include Pandora Media (NYSE: P), Digital Fountain (acquired by Qualcomm), Coremetrics (acquired by IBM), iNest (acquired by LendingTree), Psionic (acquired by Cisco), LeftHand Networks (acquired by HP), Answers.com (NSDQ: ANSW), Hoku Scientific (NSDQ: HOKU), and Kaboodle (acquired by Hearst Corp).

Mr. Reichert brings his experience as a serial entrepreneur to his work with Garage’s portfolio companies. Prior to joining Garage in early 1998, he was co-founder of Academic Systems, a software company funded by Kleiner Perkins, Accel Partners, and Microsoft. Academic Systems became the leading developer of network-based multimedia instructional materials for colleges and universities, and was acquired by Plato Learning (NSDQ: TUTR). Prior to Academic Systems, Bill Reichert was a senior executive at several venture-backed technology companies, including The Learning Company, which was the leading developer of educational software in the United States before its acquisition in 1994, and Infa Technologies, a pen-based computer company that developed many of the concepts underlying the Newton, Palm, and iPhone devices. Mr. Reichert also co-founded Trademark Software, which was subsequently acquired by Dow Jones, while in graduate school at Stanford.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Reichert worked for McKinsey & Co., the international management consulting firm, the World Bank in Washington, DC, and Brown Brothers Harriman & Co., in New York. He has authored and co-authored several articles and speeches on entrepreneurship, venture capital, international trade, and monetary policy.

Garage Technology Ventures knows that great companies are created by extraordinary entrepreneurs who have the ability to build great teams and great companies.  Camp BizSmart knows that it takes young people who understand the essential elements including critical thinking,  problem solving and collaborating with a great team in the pursuit of innovating to create products or services of value in the marketplace.  How do you learn what it takes? You hang out with extraordinary entrepreneurs and learn from their mentoring.  “Bill is just such an extraordinary entrepreneur, if you are between 11-15 years of age – don’t miss this opportunity to be inspired by and learn from one of the best. We count ourselves very fortunate to have him as both a friend and advisor” says Mike and Peggy Gibbs.

Camp BizSmart 10 day programs: June 18 -29, 2012 or July 23-Aug 3 at Stanford University; July 9-20, 2012 at Silicon Valley Community Foundation Conference Center in San Mateo and at the Punahou School in Hawaii on June 18-29 and July 23-Aug 3, 2012.

Uncle Clay's House of Pure Aloha

Recently, Camp BizSmart founders Dr. Mike Gibbs and Peggy Gibbs had the pleasure of visiting with Uncle Clay, the entrepreneur behind Uncle Clay’s House of Pure Aloha.  If you aren’t familiar with Uncle Clay’s HOPA, it is the most scrumptous tasting shave ice imaginable!

At the House of Pure Aloha, there are no strangers – only ohana yet to be met.

Uncle Clay’s House of Pure Aloha, also known as “HOPA”, is a Hawaiian treat shop where you can enjoy all-natural homemade shave ice and other delicious treats, a social enterprise out to make a difference in the world, but most importantly a welcoming house for all, to come together as ohana and authentically experience Pure Aloha and the real magic and beauty of Hawaii.

Our story is about a simple childhood dream transformed into an important life calling: to inspire a worldwide movement of Pure Aloha – one shave ice at a time.

Over a half century ago, a young little boy named Clay would visit his neighborhood’s candy shop, and every time without hesitation say, “I wanna own this store one day!”

Over four decades later, Clay’s dream was still alive. So he finally trusted his heart and leapt.  In 1996, Clay turned his childhood dream into reality and became the fourth proprietor of “Doe Fang” in Aina Haina Shopping Center.

For fourteen years, seven days a week, Clay served with all his heart.  He sold his popular “Magic ICEEs” and crack seed treats, but always realized there was something deeper happening.  Something profoundly simple yet powerful: the sharing of Pure Aloha through serving every single guest, no matter their background, as family.  Quickly, Clay became affectionately known to everyone as “Uncle Clay”.  What was once an ordinary candy store was now a place where thousands upon thousands from across the globe found friendship, love, inspiration, and peace.

Still, business was tough.  But Uncle Clay kept persevering.  One by one, he let go of his personal worldly goods in order to keep hold of Doe Fang.  Then in 2007,  a pivotal connection forged.  After sipping down a Hawaiian Superman ICEE while basking in the store’s Pure Aloha, Uncle Clay’s nephew, Bronson, was hit with inspiration.  He envisioned countless generations tied together in Pure Aloha tradition and experiences at the store.  He saw Hawaii fully embodied in a shop that could one day share Hawaii’s beauty, magic, and aloha in other places around the world.  This was not the end, the dream was just beginning.

Bronson added his social entrepreneurial vision as he and Uncle Clay planned, developed, and re-imagined what the store could become.  Over the next three years, they collaborated closely while Bronson finished college in Los Angeles.  Upon graduation, Bronson returned straight home to Hawaii, joined Uncle Clay as an equal partner, and together launched Uncle Clay’s House of Pure Aloha in 2011.

To add to the story, Bronson Chang, has been an entrepreneurial speaker for Camp BizSmart and with his story of how he worked with Uncle Clay has inspired our students with how to take a great business idea and continue to adapt to the business environment to be successful.  One of those students who heard this inspiring entrepreneurial journey was Christian Gutierrez, pictured above with his parents Emi and Frank who are also great examples of entrepreneurial families themselves.  Christian was a graduate of Camp BizSmart in 2010 and we continue to keep in touch and encourage his business venture.  Watch for information in a future blog about new business ideas that he is pursuing at the age of 15. In the photo below, Bronson is telling the story of Uncle Clay’s HOPA to Camp BizSmart students at Punahou in 2010.

As one of my favorite journalist’s, Paul Harvey used to say, and now the rest of the story, . . . Christian continues to be inspired by Bronson and by Uncle Clay and drops by often to say hi and enjoy a delicious treat.  We are pleased to say that we continue to have Bronson involved with Camp BizSmart.

If you are in Honolulu, Hawaii, be sure you plan in a stop at Uncle Clay’s to be inspired by the spirit of a genuine entrepreneur and at the same time enjoy a very tasty treat!

If you are looking for some entrepreneurial inspiration for students 11-15 this summer, check out Camp BizSmart: www.campbizsmart.org and the two sessions available at Punahou School in Honolulu, June 18-29, 2012 and July 23-Aug 3, 2012.  Come and be inspired by great entrepreneurs!

Young entrepreneurs invited to attend Camp BizSmart

Budding entrepreneurs ages 11-15 are invited to attend Camp BizSmart at Punahou School this summer. Camp BizSmart is a two-week day camp that teaches students how to think and act like entrepreneurs by providing them with hands-on experiences. It was founded in Silicon Valley and holds summer camps at Stanford University and elsewhere in the Valley as well as at Punahou.

In the past few years, student teams at Camp BizSmart Punahou invented:

• A portable solar water purification system for Sopogy
• A natural, sustained energy drink for FRS
• An electric “mini-moto” for Zero Motorcycles
• A green energy savings app for Hara
• A teen sports bio-feedback device for Neurosky
• A teen fitness device called the “Zamzee” for HopeLab

There will be two camps at Punahou: June 18-29 and July 23-Aug 3. Tuition is $900; six scholarships are available to students in need. For more information, see www.campbizsmart.org.

Camp BizSmart in Hawaii is led by Camp Director, Rechung Fujihira, who is also the founder of Box Jelly an award winning start-up.  Students who attend Camp BizSmart at the Punahou site will be inspired by his personal entrepreneurial story and those of other successful entrepreneurs.  The business cases for the 2012 camps are from d.light design and Hydrovolts, both having gained enormous respect and their own share of awards for creating great value and impact.  Each year, new business cases are used to provide real world hands-on learning as if the student teams were actual management teams working for the founders of these companies to create product solutions to the actual business problem they will solve during the 10 days of Camp BizSmart.  There is still room in both of these camp dates at Punahou, but don’t wait too long, as the spaces fill up fast.  If you are or know of a student who is ages 11-15, make your summer plans now to attend Camp BizSmart and make it one that you will always remember.

Hawaii Camp BizSmart Director and Entrepreneur Rechung Fujihira

Hano – Hawaii’ Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations unites and strengthens the nonprofit sector as a collective force to improve the quality of life in Hawaii.

Camp BizSmart tips the hat to Hano for the great work that they are doing in Hawaii and thanks them for their support of our mission to inspire young entrepreneurs to be problem solvers creating the next companies adding great positive value.

Camp BizSmart has been inspiring young entrepreneurs since 2008 and will have a booth (Number 96) at The Indus Entrepreneur conference 2012: TiEcon to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit.

This year’s Innovation Expo will have over 120 exhibitors-Large Companies like SAP, Salesforce, Microsoft, IBM as well as Startups like eGrabber, Glassbeam, PubNub, Vigilent, Wavespot, Dhingana, Mela.com and many more plus come checkout IBM Watson and two of the world’s hottest new cars – A Designer’s Dream car – Fisker Karma and The Super Sports car – McLaren.  Among the booth’s be sure to check out our Camp BizSmart booth to learn all about our summer programs to inspire young entrepreneurs, ages 11-15.

TIE Youth Forum : Introducing the TiEYouth Forum at TiEcon this year. This special event will give the opportunity for high school and college students to become inspired by successful entrepreneurs who have plowed their own path and can now share what they’ve learned. Don’t miss the 2 special sessions we have in store for you.  A special note – the genesis for this youth forum came from Sameer Vij, a Camp BizSmart graduate who really wanted to find a way to include the youth in the conference. Congratualtions Sameer for accomplishing this youth forum! If you are a youth going to the TIE Youth Forum, be sure to stop by our Camp BizSmart  booth  96 in the exhibit hall and say hi.

Be inspired and learn essential skills this summer at Camp BizSmart, see our website for all locations and dates and how to apply on-line.  Are you dreaming of being the next Steve Jobs? 

Want to be mentored by successful entrepreneurs who have created really cool companies that solve real world problems? Then don’t miss Camp BizSmart at these and many more locations:

• June 18-29, 2012 at Stanford University in the Landau Bldg Lucas Conference Center
• July 9-20, 2012 at Silicon Valley Community Foundation Conference Center in San Mateo
• July 23-Aug 3, 2012 at Stanford University in the Alumni Center Fisher Conference Center

In the May issue of Inc. Magazine, Daniel McGinn writes, “Its been shown that children of entrepreneurs are more likely to start businesses themselves, but there may be more to the equation. A new study suggests that the influence of an entrepreneurial parent is highly correlated with the age of the children and the success or failure of a parent’s business plays a role, too.”   On a side note, Inc. Magazine, sponsored our winning 2010 Camp BizSmart team at the Newpreneur of the Year Finale in San Francisco.

At Camp BizSmart, we believe that great role models are important — and that understanding not all business ideas make it in the marketplace for a variety of reasons.  We applaud parents who have started businesses and taken the risk that is associated with doing so.  We also applaud parents who demonstrate to  their sons and daughters the many business careers and important  skills that are not only possible in today’s business world but also provide a wide variety of options to match individual skills, talents and passions.

Camp BIzSmart Students at Micorosft SV for business plan competition

This research suggests that  it may be an advantage to have a parent who has been very successful starting up companies. Camp BizSmart believes all students benefit from having successful entrepreneurs and industry experts share their personal story and provide hands-on examples of essential business skills.  Kevin Surace, Founder, CEO of Serious Energy is one of the exceptional mentors that come to share their wisdom from experience that provides that insight and inspiration to all of our students whether they are fortunate to have an example at home in a parent or have the advantage of mentors we bring. Kevin was named Inc Entrepreneur of the Year in 2009.

Working in teams that mirror management teams, students practice and develop understanding and skill in creative problem solving and critical thinking, design innovation, competitive analysis, cash flow to learn the difference between assets and liabilities and what it takes to take an idea to market. Students who participate in the 10 day business plan competition will work with one of two company founders this summer, Burt Hamner of Hydrovolts, or Ned Tozun, of d.light design. These two founders of award winning companies provide a real world business problem for the student teams to solve, support and defend in a business plan competition.

Donald Trump has created The Apprentice, which is a great example of how much can be accomplished in a short period of time when structured thoughtfully.  Mr. Trump, if you are listening, we think you would be inspired and amazed at how much our students accomplish at Camp BizSmart, and would love to have our students compete with your celebrity apprentices on a mutually agreed upon task. I thought of you Mr. Trump in writing this blog, thinking of Ivanka as one example among your own children who has created a very successful jewelry company on her own. According to research at the beginning of this blog,  your many successes and even the times things didn’t always work out perfectly the first time,  have provided valuable lessons for your kids to learn from and encouraged them to become entrepreneurs as well.  We think that’s great too!  Have your people contact us.  We are serious about a match-up! It would be great for us both and especially inspiring for the students who would gain mightily from your business savvy!

Camp BizSmart founders Mike and Peggy Gibbs are thrilled to announce the two award winning companies who will provide the 2012 business case problems for teams of Camp BizSmart students to solve during the 10 day camp sessions. The 2012 companies are Hydrovolts and d.light design. Students who participate in Camp BizSmart’s 10 day premiere summer academy program will receive current, real world business problems directly from the company founders. Here is just a brief preview of the two companies. The 10 day program culminates with a product design created with the help of  design experts from WAGIC, and in a business plan competition with angel investors and executives. In future blogs the actual business cases will be revealed.

Burt Hamner Founder and CEO of Hydrovolts will give the students with a real world business problem that will provide the opportunity to learn about renewable energy from water sources.  Hydrovolts’ new hydropower technology taps a plentiful but overlooked source of renewable energy from water currents in canals and channels around the world. Hydrovolts turbines generate reliable, local clean power, economical and easy, in millions of locations around the world. You’ll never look at water the same way again. Below is an example of a Hydrovolts product being set into a waterway:

Ned Tozun, Founder, President and Director of d.light design. d.light is an international consumer products company serving people without access to reliable electricity.    The company mission is to enable households without reliable electricity to attain the same quality of life as those with electricity. We will begin by replacing every kerosene lantern with clean, safe and bright light.   d.light is proud to announce the release of the d.light S1. The d.light S1 is great value for money: a bright and ultra-affordable study light for young people with big dreams. It is designed to make solar lighting available and affordable for all.   Below see the difference between using a candle and a d.light design product:

Students who are 11-15 should apply on-line at Camp BizSmart. What a great way to have fun this summer and create something amazing with a team of other students!  Locations are: Stanford University, June 18-29 and also July 23-Aug 3; Silicon Valley Community Foundation Conference Center in San Mateo on July 9-20; Punahou School, Honolulu Hawaii on June 18 -29 and also July 23-Aug 3.  Camp BizSmart’s sister organization, BizSmart Global operates programs internationally for students 11-19 and will have a program in Hyderabad, India on June 4-9 at the Indian School of Business.

CNN Money featured Camp BizSmart as one of five unique summer camps.

“Forget roasting marshmallows and singing campfire songs. These 5 summer camps have kids doing Hollywood stunts, launching businesses, and learning the ins and outs of becoming a secret agent.”

Read and share the article here: Unique Summer Camps

Visit CampBizSmart.org for more information on our 2012 summer camps and our online application.

High 5! love that idea!

This summer 2012, students who are 11-15 may select from several dates and locations for this very popular and premiere 10 day entrepreneur camp. Students work in teams to solve a business case given to them to solve by a successful company founder. Executives mentor the student teams through hands-on creative brainstorming, competitive analysis, marketing and sales strategies, financial forecasting, product design and presentation skills and techniques. Student teams compete in a business plan competition to be named the best business case solution.  This year the two companies providing business cases are in the water and lighting industries. Both are award winning and highly innovative. Watch future blogs for information on these companies coming soon.

Two dates at Stanford University, Stanford, CA:

• June 18-29, 2012 at the Landau Building, Lucas Conference Center, Stanford University.
• July 23-Aug 3, 2012 in the Alumni Building, Fisher Conference Center.

A new location in San Mateo, CA  at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation:

• July 9-20, 2012 in the Conference Center.

Two dates in Honolulu, Hawaii at the Punahou School:

• June 18-29, 2012 at Punahou
• July 23-Aug 3, 2012 at Punahou

New this year a 5 day program:

“Control your destiny or someone else will” is a tip of the hat to Jack Welch, and is a new 5 day entrepreneurial skills development camp to learn the secrets that give the winning edge to successful entrepreneurs and executives.  In this competitive, fast changing world marketplace it is important to create your destiny by being well prepared and seeking and creating opportunity rather than waiting for it to come to you.  Students will practice and develop essential skills through business mini-cases and team project based work.

Two John F Kennedy University sites to provide a South Bay and East Bay location:

• June 9-13, 2012 at JFK University, San Jose ( by Santana Row)
• June 9-13, 2012 at JFK University, Pleasant Hill (East Bay)

To apply on-line go to: www.campbizsmart.org

Camp BizSmart Cofounder, Peggy Gibbs, was interviewed recently on Chinese radio station, Sounds of Hope,  (FM92.3 and FM96.1 on your radio dial) about Camp BizSmart’s upcoming summer programs.  While the interview has already aired, you may still listen to Peggy’s comments which are in English, while the interviewer Cathy Zhang and the interpreter provide both interpretation and comments in Mandarin. The interview is posted on-line and is titled: 嘉賓：Camp BizSmart公司創辦人 Peggy Gibbs and you can listen to the interview here:  after9-2012-0405_a_31m

Click on the orange button above the program title and you will hear the interview start approx 3.5 min in. Peggy discusses what the students will experience and the skills gained at Camp BizSmart, and talks about the mentors who inspire the students and the business cases that students will work on this summer.

You will find the interview informative with Peggy providing insight into what students accomplish as they develop their entrepreneurial skills and work as a team to solve, support and defend their business solution in a business plan competition at the end of the 10 day program.  The 10 day premier business and entrepreneur camp is available in the California Bay Area at the following locations: Stanford University on June 18-29, 2012 and also July 23-Aug 3, 2012; Silicon Valley Community Foundation Conference Center in San Mateo on July 9-20, 2012.  Camp BizSmart is also offered in Hawaii at the Punahou School, June 18-29, 2012 and also July 23-Aug 3, 2012.  International students are welcomed and it is typical to have students from various countries attend the summer programs. Parents should note that the Camp BizSmart program is conducted in English so all students must understand and speak English.  For more information on all locations and programs, please see the Camp BizSmart website.