1.0 Congratulations to our April phase 0 winners

Blue Gold Engineering LLC., Laramie
Principal Investigator: Bruce Maxfield
Email: bluegold@emat.com
Phase 0 Title: Low-cost Pathogen and Pesticide Removal for Potable Water Systems
Phase I Target: EPA

MKS Technology, Laramie
Principal Investigator: Keith Carron
Email: kcarron@mks-t.com
Phase 0 Title: In-Vivo Monitoring of Glucose in Diabetics with SERS
Phase I Target: HHS/NIH

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3.0  WSSI Initiates PHASE 00 program

The Wyoming SBIR/STTR Initiative (WSSI) is now funding Phase II SBIR/STTR Proposal Preparation Activities under the new Phase 00 Program.  The Phase 00 Proposal submission and review process follows the same rules and procedures that apply to the Phase 0 program.

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5.0  are you cut out to be an entrepreneur?

THE FOLLOWING IS AN ARTICLE AUTHORED BY MARK ZWILLING, CEO AND FOUNDER OF STARTUP PROFESSIONALS INC. MARK SAYS: "In my experience, the most unhappy people are the ones who clearly fit in one category, but for various reasons believe they need to be in the other one (entitlement, more money, more prestige, family pressures). My message is do what you enjoy. Life is too short for the alternative."

IF EVERYONE DID THEIR OWN THING, THE WORLD WOULD BE CHAOS!
Some people are not cut out to be entrepreneurs. This is a good thing, or the business world would be chaos, with everyone trying to do their own thing. So what about you? How do you know if you should be running your own company, or concentrating on that queue of work that someone else has built for you?
Now is the time to put aside your fantasies, and take a hard look at who you really are.
If you recognize yourself in many of these quotes, you WILL NOT be happy as an entrepreneur:

1. “I like my life structured with clear decisions.” Entrepreneurs do not function well in structured organizations and do not like someone having authority over them. Most believe they can do the job better than anyone else and will strive for maximum responsibility and accountability.

2. “Handling problems causes me stress and pressure.” Entrepreneurs are comfortable in stress situations, and are challenged rather than discouraged by setbacks. They may actually be uncomfortable when things are going well, and are not troubled by ambiguity and uncertainty because they are used to solving problems.

3. “My job is fun when everyone knows and does their job.” The best entrepreneurs enjoy the challenge of an undefined role, and enjoy the learning process as much as success. It’s even better when they can inspire and energize others to do things that have never been done before.

4. “I like to put my mistakes behind me and never think about them again.” Entrepreneurs accept things as they are and deal with them accordingly. They are quick to learn from their failures. They may or may not be idealistic, but they are seldom unrealistic. They want to know the status of a given situation at all times.

5. “Balance and family are necessary in my life.” Entrepreneurs may devote a disproportionate time to the business. During tough business periods, they will concentrate their energies on business operations, and may stay on the job for extended periods of time. Even at home or at social events, the business is always top of mind.

6. “It didn’t get done today, but there’s always tomorrow.” Entrepreneurs have a never-ending sense of urgency to develop their ideas. Inactivity makes them impatient, tense, and uneasy. They have drive and high energy levels, they are achievement-oriented, and they are tireless in the pursuit of their goals.

7. “That’s not my job.” Successful entrepreneurs can comprehend complex situations that may include planning, making strategic decisions, and working on multiple business ideas simultaneously. They are farsighted and aware of important details, and they will continuously review all possibilities to achieve their business objectives.

8. “I love to get awards for my efforts.” Entrepreneurs find satisfaction in symbols of success that are external to themselves. They like the business they have built to be praised, but they are often embarrassed by praise directed at them personally.

9. “I get frustrated when things don’t work.” Entrepreneurs have a "never, never, never quit" attitude. They are self-confident when they are in control of what they're doing and working alone. Most are at their best in the face of adversity, since they thrive on their own self-confidence.

10. “Risk and uncertainty cause me to lose too much sleep.” Some of the best entrepreneurs talk about the highs they get from taking a big risk, and the euphoria they feel when they beat the odds. They live for these feelings.

If you are an employee, and you recognize your boss in the quotes, you probably are not a happy employee. If you recognize your CEO or business founder in the quotes, then your business is probably failing. That’s how important it is for the right people to be in the right category.
In my experience, the most unhappy people are the ones who clearly fit in one category, but for various reasons believe they need to be in the other one (entitlement, more money, more prestige, family pressures). My message is do what you enjoy. Life is too short for the alternative.

Marty Zwilling is CEO & Founder of Startup Professionals, Inc.; Managing Partner of Southwest Software Ventures & and Consulting; Advisory Board Member for RelGuard, Re:Think, MiraLinx, BoomerJobs, Procure Networks, Twin Cypress Group, and Healthcents.

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