Entrepreneurial Job Opportunities Indiana

How Will You Measure Your Life?

Wednesday, October 19, 2011 by Brandon Russell

Success is measured differently by each person. The school you attended, the company for which you work, the balance in your bank account, among other criteria, are all yardsticks by which people measure personal success.

I was recently handed an article by my CEO, asked to read it and share my thoughts.

The article came from the Harvard Business Review, and was authored by Clayton M. Christensen (Yes, the Clay Christensen who penned The Innovator's Dilemma - the penultimate authority on disruptive technology, and a great read for anyone interested in technology and how it interacts with and impacts society.)

The article, titled, "How Will You Measure Your Life," discusses the common pitfalls college and graduate school students experience when plotting their futures - and puts forth a simple, yet poignant truth - success is defined by how you, not others, measure your value and merit.

A Harvard Business School professor, Christensen's theories on management, disruptive technology, and leadership serve as the foundation of his lectures as he empowers his students to dissect real-life organizations and understand how decisions and practices, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, can have a major impact on an organization.

That's all great, but I know those of you who have bothered to continue reading are wondering, "How does this relate to me? Why is this relevant to the Orr Fellowship, and why do they let you write these blogs, Brandon?"

I was getting to that. But first I had to lay some groundwork. On the last day of class each semester, Christensen asks his students to turn these theoretical lenses on themselves. How have their decisions, even small ones, impacted their lives, and eventually led them to where they are today?

He asks them to study themselves, and find answers to 3 simple questions:

How can I be sure I'll be happy in my career?

How can I be sure my relationships with my friends and family become an enduring source of happiness?

How can I stay out of jail?

Okay, the third question is a little odd, but Christensen was classmates with former Enron President and current resident of the Englewood, Colorado Correctional Facility, Jeffrey Skilling - so it's relevant.

After reading the article, I turned these lenses on myself and the decisions I've made that have led me to where I am, and have reached out to others in the Orr Fellowship to do the same here's what I've found:

1) How can I be sure I'll be happy in my career?

This was big for me. Like many other Orr Fellows, and I'm sure many Orr Fellowship candidates - I had offers for distinguished post grad jobs from companies whose names have serious brand equity, companies where my entry-level paycheck would have allowed me to purchase many leather-bound books and housing that smells of rich mahogany, but with me, as with the other Orr Fellows I included in my little experiment - it isn't all about the money, the title, or the bravado that comes from saying, "I work for Company X."

We joined the Orr Fellowship and took positions at high-growth startups because of the opportunity the program offers. The opportunity to network with professionals and leaders in the community, to grow personally and professionally, and the opportunity to create strategies for our lives. What the Orr Fellowship lacked in glamour, our clout, it has made up in spades through the opportunities we've been afforded.

Orr Fellowship companies are some of the best places to work in Indiana, and the entrepreneurial spirit in each organization, and the dedication to the personal and individual success of each employee is something you'd be hard pressed to find anywhere but a high-growth startup.

2) How can I be sure my relationships with my friends and family become an enduring source of happiness?

I know. This is a blog about work, and business, and technology, not the Dr. Phil Show. But, It's time to get personal. Plus, let's face it - to be productive at work, you need to be happy outside of work, and vice-versa. Relating this to my, and others' time in the Orr Fellowship, the common thread was the relationships I've developed within the program ARE an enduring source of happiness for me. Digging deeper, it's not just the relationships with other Fellows that add value to our experiences, it's our relationships with our non-Fellow co-workers, our executive sponsors, and the people who speak at our Business Leader Meetings, who augment our experiences.

Yes, as Orr Fellows we spend a lot of time together and get to know each other on a personal level. But our culture as an organization, goes beyond that. We develop common bonds. We become friends. And these interactions, both positive and negative, ensure we continually grow as professionals and as people.

3) How can I stay out of jail?

I don't really need to go into much detail on this one - it's pretty self explanatory. Just don't do anything illegal. One Fellow went a philosophical on us and asked, "Why does jail have to mean prison?" He continued, "I think sometimes people build jails for themselves as a result of the choices they make, so I would challenge everyone to not only stay away from the illegal, but go one step further and stay away from the immoral, the ill-advised, and the unjust, as well. I'd challenge us to live lives of which we can be proud, not just try to stay out of jail - because a lot of guilty people aren't in prison."

At the end of his article, Christensen offered one extremely sage piece of advice, and that's how I'll end this post.

"Choose the right yardstick."

Only you know what's best for you. Do not measure your success by how others measure you. Choose the path that will allow you to be happy in your career, happy in your relationships and interactions with others, and keep you out of jail.

If you've read this far, I applaud, and thank you. I can be a bit long-winded. If you'd like to read Clay Christensen's full article, and turn this lens on yourself (I'd recommend it), Click Here.

The Young and The Proud

Thursday, August 25, 2011 by Breana Buchler

Last week, I received a very interesting email. This message informed me that Mayor Ballard, and Governor Mitch Daniels would be paying a visit to Angie's List, my host company, the following day. As I drove up to the ever eclectic Angie's List campus the next morning, the energy was undeniable. The entire company was counting down the minutes until 9:15, when the two were scheduled to arrive. At about 9:00am, my department was buzzing was eagerness. We all walked over to the courtyard where a mix of employees, including many Orr Fellowship alumni, sat on hand-me-down picnic tables, looking on as Angie Hicks introduced the mayor and the governor.

The first statement Governor Daniels made was that he was proud of this organization and the impact it has made on the near east side of Indianapolis. As he continued his speech, I could not help but feel pride as well. I am proud to be a part of Angie's List. I am proud to be associated with one of the Best Places to Work in Indianapolis; a company that will be providing over 500 jobs in the city of Indianapolis in the next 5 years. I then looked around at all of the Orr Fellow alumni, and thought about their positions within Angie's List, as well as all of the entrepreneurial endeavors they work on after hours and the career opportunities they are pursuing.

I could not help but feel, in that moment, that I was beginning to fully realize the mission of the Orr Entrepreneurial Fellowship in Indiana. Angie Hicks, Co-founder of my host company, is motivating me to take a career risk. The current Orr Fellows and alumni I associate with, aside from their distinguished post-grad jobs, are motivating me to do more with my energy than just a 9-5 job. Governor Daniels and Mayor Ballard are motivating me to make a tangible impact on the city of Indianapolis.

As I left my office that day, my head was buzzing with opportunities to pursue around the city. I spent that evening sending emails and brainstorming how I could give back to this community that is offering so much to me during my fellowship experience. I found myself reaching out to connections I have already made through the Fellowship to offer help in various volunteer avenue. I was beginning to take advantage of post-graduate networking in Indianapolis. I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to experience the influence of city and state leaders just three short months out of college.

Attention College Seniors: You'd be crazy not to look at the Orr Fellowship

Thursday, August 25, 2011 by Alec Synnestvedt

Today marks my two month anniversary at T2 Systems. What's it like so far?

Awesome. I love my team, my executive mentors, and the work I get to do daily. I'm already contributing meaningfully. Nothing feels better than that. Of course, a grown-up salary and this great city make me feel pretty good, too. Yep, T2 Systems was voted one of the best places to work in Indiana and one of the INC 5000 for the sixth year.

Plenty of classmates that graduated with me in May are still in training at their respective jobs. And, unfortunately, plenty more are still on the job hunt. But you already know that the Orr Fellowship involves an exciting job opportunity at a fascinating company. My job is to tell you what you can't learn on our website.

As promised, here's a bit of what I've been up to in the past few weeks:

Elevated my host company's social media presence across all channels
Helped revamp my host company's blog plan & wrote a few posts
Attended a concert at the Vogue
Rode my new bike from my Woodruff Place apartment to Mass Ave downtown countless times
Spent the weekend with the rest of the awesome Orr Fellows on our retreat at Bradford Woods--you guys rock!
Written a few email marketing campaigns, one of which almost had a 40% open rate

Interested? Cool. Are you qualified? I hope so! Here are the requirements:

Cumulative 3.5 GPA or higher (students with as low as a 3.2 GPA will be considered if they have extensive leadership experience)
Demonstrated leadership potential (leaders in on- and off-campus clubs/organizations/athletics)
Strong interest in entrepreneurial business or organizational leadership
An expected graduation date in 2012 with one or more undergraduate major
Graduate of an Indiana college or university (or a native Hoosier graduating from any school around the country)

The application deadline is quickly approaching! All you have to do to get started is submit your resume.

Like a good whiskey

Sunday, August 7, 2011 by Alec Synnestvedt

The Orr Fellowship just keeps getting sweeter as time passes.

When I was going through the recruitment process almost a year ago, I was all kinds of fired up about the chance to be mainlined into a high growth Indiana company. The prospect of learning from host company executives and Indianapolis business leaders in my first job out of DePauw University had my mouth watering. The idea of gaining more experience in two years than most college grads get in five thrilled me. And in December, after I earned a position in the Orr Fellowship and my host company, T2 Systems, I could hardly wait to get started in June.

But I also had a lot of unanswered questions. I had no idea what life as an Orr Fellow was like. As a creative writing major, I didn't know what to expect from the tech industry. And, being from Detroit, I wondered about what life in Indianapolis had in store for me.

Maybe you, like me, are excited by the Orr Entrepreneurial Fellowship. (You would be silly to regard it as anything other than a wonderful opportunity). And maybe you also want to know more about what it comes with. So my next few posts will constitute a snapshot of my experience so far, a month and a half in.

Here are some of the things I did today:

Attended a Venture Club of Indianapolis meeting with Chris Palmer and an executive at my company. Our CEO spoke on the guest pannel.
Helped develop my company's social media presence
Worked on my salesforce database skills while sending messages out to customers
Had a bbq pork sandwich and a beer in the office as part of our thirsty Thursday tradition.
Wrote this post.

Questions? Email me at alec.synnestvedt@orrfellowship.org

Orr Fellowship collaboration at its finest

Friday, November 5, 2010 by Lauren Weatherall

I realize I have yet to make a splash on the Orr Fellowship blog (shame on me), but I’m hoping that – after reading this post – this will speak to not my lack of involvement with or enthusiasm for the Orr Fellowship, but quite the opposite.

As I read through the blog posts to date from my fellow Orr Fellows, it’s clear that this entire string highlights one reason after another why you should respect the organization’s goals and obvious deliverables (deliverables? Meaning: the network, connections, friendships, professional experience and education, exposure to executives and high-growth startups, entrepreneurial opportunities, and on and on…) – or even consider applying. It’s a team effort to grow and improve the Fellowship, which says something else about it. We have all either consciously or unconsciously acquired a sense of ownership of the program. Every new class of Orr Fellows has the potential to define the Fellowship further, which is intensely motivating.

In that same vein, one of the biggest themes between the two current classes of Orr Fellows (2009 and 2010) right now is collaboration and, more importantly, the power thereof. Orr Fellows are active and making an impact on the Indianapolis community. Matt Hunckler, with assistance from Jon Corwin and other Orr Fellow alumni, organizes Hackers & Founders, a group for entrepreneurs and developers passionate about startups and new opportunities. Max Yoder decided to help give the group some face time and wrote about it for the Indy S pectator (this tweet shows how the magic happens).

Speaking of Max, he’s also fairly active with his music alongside his job and Orr Fellowship activities. I (Lauren Weatherall) am working with a co-worker of mine in organizing Linking Indy Women, a networking group for women professionals looking to share and be inspired by others’ accomplishments. In short, a lot of great things are happening through collaboration and, often times, connections spurred by the Orr Fellowship serve as the catalysts for this kind of activity.

For brevity's sake, I won’t delve into further examples, but I will express my enthusiasm for the culture we, as Orr Fellows and motivated young professionals, are helping cultivate in Indiana. I'm surprising myself by how much I'm enjoying Indianapolis right now; I think it's partly because I can see and am part of some of the changes happening here. People are helping and connecting each other in the entrepreneurial scene (well, and just in general) and I'm finding myself constantly surrounded by positive energy. I can honestly say I have the Orr Entrepreneurial Fellowship to thank for that. Wherever you go and whatever you do, never underestimate the value in connecting and collaborating with people. Who you surround yourself with makes all the difference. If there's one thing I could share that I've learned in the past few months, that's it.

Maximize The Alpha

Tuesday, September 7, 2010 by Trey Buck

In the financial world, the term "alpha" is meant to signify a measure of performance that is adjusted for risk. But how do we measure risk in the real world? Are some entry-level jobs in start-ups more or less risky than others? How can we know when we've found a winner, that coveted "diamond in the ruff"?

Some may say that it is nearly impossible to assess the risks of any new venture considering the volatility of markets, the unpredictable nature of competition, and the influence of shear luck and ingenuity. While some of that may be true, there are certainly places that have been historically more successful than others: the Silicon Valley specifically. But for the last decade or more, the Valley has seen stiff competition, with distinguished post-grad jobs popping up across the nation (and the world).

I would argue that Indiana is one of the places most suited for companies hiring new grads to establish their roots: our cost of living is significantly lower than other states; our central location within the US places almost any major city within a day's drive; and Indiana has managed to keep its state and local government budgets contained while others have moved even closer to bankruptcy.

And these advantages have not gone unnoticed by the entrepreneurial community: Start-Up Indiana is focused on developing high-growth start-ups in the region; Indianapolis now has its own start-up newsletter, Startup Digest, a free service helping entrepreneurs find events that might peak their interests; and the Orr Fellowship which is aimed at finding and growing tomorrows business leaders through placement in entry-level positions in entrepreneurial companies. All of these initiatives are great examples of organizations driving jobs and opportunity within Indiana and sewing the seeds of growth and fortune.

So when thinking about how to evaluate job opportunities, remember to find those places that minimize the risk of failure and maximize the chances of success. Look to the local community and their support for up-and-coming entrepreneurs. Ask questions. Seek guidance. And most importantly, do all you can to maximize the alpha in your life and career.

What Do Orr Fellows Really Do? - A Day in the Life

Monday, August 30, 2010 by Bryan Povlinski

With school now back in session we're quickly approaching the fall recruiting season. It's an exciting (and somewhat stressful) time for college seniors as they look to secure jobs after graduation. It's also an exciting time for Orr Fellows because we'll be back on campus over the next couple months trying to bring some of the best and brightest in Indiana into our program.

The biggest question that I had through the entire recruiting process when I was looking for entrepreneurial job opportunities in Indiana was - What will I be doing on a daily basis? What kinds of responsibilities will I have and what kinds of things will I need to get done?

8:15-9:00 - Check web analytics
I manage all of the marketing analytics for our corporate web site as well as the 2 ecommerce sites that we run. When I get in on Monday morning I check through the stats from the past week and make a note of any major events or abnormalities. For our corporate site I take a look at all of the networks that Google Analytics has listed as accessing our site and parse those down to actual prospects for our sales team.

9:00-9:30 Make changes to pay-per-click campaign
Through the analytics I can see how our pay-per-click campaigns have been performing for our ecommerce sites. We just recently started a new campaign and it needs to be constantly monitored and improved. Today I tweaked a few of the under-performing ads to see if we can improve our campaigns and drive more targeted visitors to our site.

9:30 - 11:00 Begin drafting requirements for enhancements in new software release
Fifth Gear provides services to companies who sell goods online - so order fulfillment, ecommerce software, and marketing services are our specialty. A big part of that is constantly improving our ecommerce/order management software. All of our clients run their businesses on this software, as well as our warehouse so it is important that we keep it updated. I am a quasi project manager that acts as a facilitator between our software development team in India and our warehouse and operations team in Missouri. I spent some time this morning writing out the requirements for 2 new enhancements in our software platform

11:00 - 11:30 Send emails to our development team in India
To make sure everyone is on the same page I'm often communicating with our team in India to see if they need any additional information to complete their software development work and also to check on the status of projects in motion to see when we can schedule our next meeting to discuss new enhancements

11:30 - 1:00 Lunch with a local business owner
Although this particular lunch had more to do with my own personal networking than the Orr Fellowship many Orr Fellows will set up lunch meetings with others involved in the program or other business people in the community. It's a great way to expand your network and to find more growth opportunities

1:00 - 2:00 Continue drafting requirements documents
Spent some more time getting the requirements finished up. We're working on incorporating an exchange rate API into our software with the addition of an international client and also working on simplifying our order import process.

2:00 - 3:00 Systems/Operations team meeting
We have a weekly meeting to discuss all of the different projects going on within our team, and we get updates on what might be coming up next.

3:00 - 4:00 Miscellaneous Planning and Email
I wanted to make sure I kept a few smaller projects moving and that required sending emails and talking with a few people around the office. I scheduled a meeting with a new liquidation client that will be selling goods on one of our ecommerce sites, talked with a manager about next steps in the financial analysis that I prepared on one of our sites, and sent emails to set up a meeting with development team on an upcoming enhancement

4:00-5:30 Write blog post and prepare for career workshop
It's not every day that I spend time working on Orr Fellowship activities, but today I spent the end of my afternoon writing this blog post and preparing for our career planning workshop that I'm organizing in 2 weeks.

So that's my day in a nutshell, and the best part about working for a high growth start-up is that it will likely be completely different tomorrow. I have a few recurring responsibilities, but projects and priorities can change quickly and I always have to be ready for the next thing that might be thrown my way. It's also likely that my day looks almost nothing like some of the other Orr Fellows. Some people might be working in finance or going out on sales calls so our experiences at different companies might be completely different.

For those of you interested in joining the Orr Fellowship I hope that gives you a better idea of some potential day-to-day tasks, but don't be afraid to press any of us to hear different perspectives.

From The Punch Guy to The Orr Fellowship and ASI

Saturday, August 21, 2010 by Zac Workman

My name is Zac and I am a recent grad from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. Like many of you, I too was beginning to think about where the future would take me about this time last year. With interviews and job offers just around the corner, I had absolutely no idea where I would end up come graduation. But that's not the whole story.

As a sophomore at IU, I decided one day that it might be cool to start my own company. I mean who doesn't like the idea of being your own boss and setting your own hours? I would just start a company and the dollars would start rolling in. It sounded like a great plan at the time so I founded an LLC and began creating Punch Energy Drink. Well turns out that running a company wasn't as easy as I thought once the new wore off and we had to get down to business. Within six months we had signed a contract with Anheuser-Busch and we were on store shelves and receiving plenty of media attention. Things were looking great and I was thinking to myself how easy it was. We had been featured as one of the coolest college start-ups for 2009 by Inc. Magazine, Fox Business Network ran a story, and BevNET had given our product fantastic reviews.

However, the 2009 blues hit us hard and with the economy Punch was beginning to be less viable as a competitor among the cash kings within the industry. We simply couldn't compete at a level that would allow us to grow and stay within our very limited budget. A co-sponsored Indy 500 car and lawsuit later, Punch had seen better days. That was my senior year, but I wasn't ready to give up on Punch or my entrepreneurial spirit just yet.

The Orr Fellowship was the answer I had been looking for and an opportunity that I couldn't pass up. I knew that they could place me within an entrepreneurial company and that I would be at one of the best places to work in Indiana with a network of people just like me. The opportunity to be part of a program that allowed me to network with business leaders in Indiana as well as expand my social network while staying involved with Punch, was all I needed. It was the perfect opportunity for me and it has turned out to be a perfect fit.

Now, as an Orr Fellow, I work full time for Author Solutions Inc. as a Marketing Specialist. I primarily work with our core brands and partners within the online realm of brand awareness and development, but I also work closely with our product development team. This is very similar to what we did with Punch and fits me very well. When we launch new products we have to go through the same process that I did with launching Punch and it is a great opportunity to learn each part of the business. The Fellowship is a great way to take a step into the real world without having to take a dive into the typical corporate America setting as just another number at company XYZ.

The Question Every College Senior Asks

Monday, August 16, 2010 by Corey Kime

About this time last year, I was winding down my summer job and gearing up for my last year of college at Indiana Wesleyan University. Like most college seniors, one thought came up over and over again in mind:

What am I going to do after I graduate???

Fast-forward twelve months and not only have I settled down in a new job, but I have been exposed to opportunities that I never thought I would be this early out of college. I was able to get this job through the Orr Fellowship, an organization dedicated to the development and retention of Indiana students and natives. The fellowship seeks to match college graduates with high-growth companies in Indiana. I was fortunate enough to be hired on at Compendium, one of many entrepreneurial companies in the Indianapolis area.

Since the start of my job two months ago I have been exposed to many different areas within Compendium that a normal entry-level job may not provide. The accessibility to executives within your company and the hands on experience that I've gotten in just two months has been both exciting and a great opportunity to learn.

Not only do you get a great job with one of the fast growing Indianapolis companies when you are in the fellowship, but you get to go through the fellowship with several other recent graduates just like you. I have developed good friendships with several people in the fellowship and it has given me an instant network of recent grads in an area where I would not have had that big of a network without it.

So if you are about to head back to school for your senior year like I was twelve months ago right now wondering how you are going to find a job and what you are going to be doing, be sure to consider the Orr Fellowship. The opportunity to work at high growth start-ups along with the instant network of friends your age is a tough combination to beat.

The Orr Fellowship: A Networking Opportunity in Indianapolis

Thursday, February 4, 2010 by Blaine Cooper-Surma

As a young professional in the real world, there are two things that every mentor says will inevitably determine how successful you will be in the long run - "what you know" and "who you know." The Governor Bob Orr Fellowship thrives off of this mentality.

By taking entry-level jobs in entrepreneurial companies, Orr Fellows learn early-on the importance of hard work and quickly come to appreciate grassroots beginnings. Although these recent graduates oftentimes begin their careers doing not-so-glamorous work, one thing that allows them to quickly grow their careers is the exposure they get to some of Indiana's finest business leaders. Orr Fellows, because of the range of responsibilities that they acquire during the beginning of their careers, quickly learn everything there is to know about running small, entrepreneurial companies. This experience speaks to the first aspect that I spoke about - "what you know."

During the first two years of being in the Orr Fellowship, Orr Fellows spend a good of time in environments that force them to become comfortable interacting with a range of business and political leaders throughout Indiana. Because of these experiences, Orr Fellows typically develop meaningful relationships with many of these well-known professionals. Each month, Orr Fellows come together for a Business Leader Meeting where one or two of these leaders speaks to the group about their professional experiences that have helped them to get where they are today. These meetings are discussion-based, meaning that fellows are able to ask questions at any time during the meeting. Orr Fellows enjoy partaking in these events because what's more valuable that receiving advice from those that have succeeded in their profession? Typically, after the speaker is finished, there is plenty of time for networking. For this reason, the Orr Fellowship is the best networking opportunity in Indianapolis.

Today the Orr Fellowship will be meeting with Lorraine Ball, founder of Roundpeg. Roundpeg is a small marketing firm based in Indianapolis, Indiana that helps small business become big businesses with the help of effective marketing. To learn more about Lorraine, check out her website. You can also hear her speak about her passion for local businesses and the impact we make every day with our purchase decisions by clicking here.

Thinking Like an Entrepreneur

Monday, January 11, 2010 by Bryan Povlinski

In our recent business leader meeting with Thomas Mason, and Economics and Engineering Management professor at Rose Hulman, he made the point that any employee should always be trying to "Think like an Entrepreneur." Now that doesn't mean that every employee should aspire to be an entrepreneur, or that employees should be thinking about starting new businesses while they're working for their current company. What it means is that, as an employee, you should constantly be thinking of better ways to do things in your current company, and thinking of new business opportunities for your employer. These new ideas don't have to be world-changing, million dollar ideas, but rather small innovations that get things moving the right way.

I'd venture to guess that most employees at entry-level jobs in Indiana do not have this mindset. But when you're working with high growth start-ups "thinking like an entrepreneur" is practically required. A lot of the companies that are part of the Orr Fellowship are small, entrepreneurial companies in Indianapolis. They don't all have a full marketing or finance department. These companies need Orr Fellows to come up with unique ideas to help build their business.

How can you be "thinking like an entrepreneur?"

Are there certain things that are done at your company every week just because "that's the way they're always been done?" If they no longer make sense maybe it's time to make a change.

Do you have a perspective from a previous internship or organization that no one in your current company has?

Maybe there peripheral activities that are outside the responsibility of your everyday job that you can address. Starting a recycling program or fitness routine could make a bigger impact than you think.

There are countless ideas just waiting to be taken. Are you thinking like an entrepreneur?

It's Hard To Imagine Doing Something You Hate For A Living

Wednesday, January 6, 2010 by Ally Hill

In the past couple months, I've had the chance to take two pretty spectacular vacations. There were two experiences I'm going to share that insanely enough have a lot to do with entrepreneurship opportunities, and they also showed me that there's no way I will end up doing what I hate for a living.

Experience #1: Accidental Tourist
My sister had the pleasure of studying in Florence, Italy for her first semester of her junior year at IU - and I had the pleasure of paying her a visit. My favorite day out of the week was a day we chose to embark on a cooking/wine excursion with a company called Accidental Tourist. Turns out the woman who started the company was the one who took us on the tour. She was so incredibly passionate about what she did it was almost weird (kind of like me and HP printers).

We certainly don't have jobs in Indiana that would come anywhere close to what Accidental Tourist does (mostly because Indiana isn't anything like Italy). Their goal is "to show their beloved Tuscany through the back door, to give you the inside story, to take you inside the beating heart of the private homes of Chianti."

Making pasta and being invited into someone's home gave me an idea of what it would be like to live in Italy. I'm not sure what a similar company in Indianapolis could provide tourists...but my point is that this woman started a company and makes a living based on what she loves doing - drinking wine and cooking. And she made it seem so easy.

Experience #2: Indigo Divers
Over New Years, I went scuba diving in Grand Cayman - and again we ended up with an entrepreneur. This time there were two, Chris and Kate. They started a diving company called Indigo Divers in the Caymans about 5 years ago. Rough life.

Since there are so many diving companies in the Cayman Islands they decided that they:

Didn't want to teach people how to dive
Didn't want to take out more than 6 people at a time

In most cases, diving shops will offer lessons and take out huge boats of people at once, so diving with Indigo was much better than the alternative. Their company is very successful.

My Point: I want to do it too
My two entrepreneurial encounters on vacation made me think about what I love doing. I want to be able to start a company that helps showcase my passions as well as my talents - both Accidental Tourist and Indigo Divers did this. The Orr Fellowship is providing me with the initial experience I need at a small Indiana company. However, I know that my business career in Indianapolis will have to be one that doesn't seem like a career.

So if you happen to come across any entrepreneurial opportunities that have to do with eating and sleeping please let me know...just kidding. But seriously, while you're at it please go to our Tree Luggers website and sign up to recycle that Christmas tree!

The In's and Out's of an Orr Fellowship Host Company

Tuesday, December 1, 2009 by Blaine Cooper-Surma

We've all talked about our host companies and what makes ours better than the rest, but how are these companies chosen, and why would someone want to work for an entrepreneurial company in Indianapolis? In order to shed some light on the Orr Fellowship host companies, I have given the information in a question/answer format.

Q: What is a host company's role in the Orr Fellowship?
A: Orr Fellowship host companies have the responsibility of providing their Fellow(s) with a unique experience that cannot be found anywhere else. We want these companies to give their Fellows important projects that help them learn and grow as a working professional. In addition, we require these companies to provide their Fellows with ample exposure to executive-level management so that they can become more comfortable in that type of an environment (this is exactly what we're talking about when we say that the Orr Fellowship is one of the best networking opportunities in Indianapolis).

Q: How are host companies selected to be involved in the Orr Fellowship?
A: Although this process may seem unscientific at times, that's probably because it is. However, host companies are invited to join the Orr Fellowship if they've successfully demonstrated their ability to move at a fast rate of growth, created an environment that is conducive for great learning experiences, and have emerged with a product/service that has the ability to thrive in a changing society for years to come. Overall, we seek out companies that we're confident will provide our Fellows with a wonderful two years of experiences coupled with strong promise of job security with that particular company.

Q: How long are host companies allowed to be involved in the Orr Fellowship?
A: There really isn't a straight-forward answer to this question. There have been companies like ExactTarget and Angie's List that have been a part of the Fellowship essentially since the beginning. However, some companies participate for a year or two while others take Orr Fellows for four, five, and even six years. We typically allow host companies to be in the Orr Fellowship until they've grown out of the stage of being a small, entrepreneurial start-up or until they've shown that they no longer are a suitable company for an Orr Fellow to work in.

This year the Governor Bob Orr Entrepreneurial Fellowship has agreed to allow twenty host companies to participate in our program. Over the years we've made a conscious effort to grow the organization - and this year we've finally made the decision to double the size of next year's class. So why have we decided to take so many more Fellows? With an increase in name recognition in Indiana, and the development of a strong reputation among business leaders, we've experienced a tremendous growth in the amount of applications that we've received. It's because of this recognition that the Orr Fellowship has proven itself to be one of the best places to work in Indiana. With that, I want to go ahead and congratulate those candidates that have moved on to the final round of recruitment. You've managed to set yourselves apart from the rest of the competition and have proven yourselves over and over again. Good luck to you all on Friday and I look forward to meeting the Orr Fellowship Class of 2010!

Group Service Date Set for Fellows

Monday, November 30, 2009 by Katie Lindahl

The date has been set for the Orr Fellowship's Holiday Group Service Project! On December 20, we will head up to the Amazon.com fulfillment center in Whitestown, IN for Gift Wrap With a Smile, an opportunity for local Indianapolis non profits to earn extra money by having its volunteers gift-wrap products for Amazon's customers. For every gift wrapped, 75 cents is donated to the non profit.

This year Orr Fellows will be wrapping gifts to raise money for the Shepherd Community Center. Shepherd's mission is to break the cycle of poverty on the near east side of Indianapolis. Shepherd offers programs for children, teens, adults, and families, helping to meet their physical, emotional, academic and spritual needs.

The Service Initiative is yet another aspect of the Governor Bob Orr Entrepreneurial Fellowship that makes the Fellowship one of Indiana's best jobs. In addition to the Personal Service Initiative, which Natalie referred to in her previous blog, the Fellowship Group Service (FGS) is designed to bring Fellows together for a day of service where we can give back as one. One unified group, one cause. When you work at jobs in fast paced companies like we do, it's hugely beneficial to slow down and take a minute to appreciate all of the opportunities afforded to us.

Not bad for your first full time job, hm?

Finalist Day is Just Around the Corner!

Monday, November 30, 2009 by Teresa Becker

Can you believe it? It's that time of year already. It doesn't seem like it was a year ago that I was making the many trips to Indy for Orr Fellowship interviews, ROTC, and Finalist Day.

This Friday, the finalists for the class of 2010 will be interviewing with entrepreneurial companies from around Indiana for a chance to be one of 20 selected to represent the Orr Fellowship. For current Fellows, we've had the opportunity to get to know many of you on a personal level and we couldn't be happier for the quality of candidates represented.

From companies like ExactTarget to Compendium Blogware, BlueLock to Angie's List, there are terrific opportunities among some of the best places to work in Indiana. No matter where the new class of Fellows land, there will be many ways for them to make a difference in their jobs, but also in their communities.

Good luck from the Current Fellows!

Spreading Holiday Cheer!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009 by Katie Veatch

The holiday season is my favorite time of the year. But since I love Thanksgiving too, every year I wait patiently until Black Friday to start listening to Christmas music, watching my favorite holiday movies, and putting up decorations. I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving, but come Friday, the holiday festivities kick into high gear!! My all-time favorite Christmas movie (and one of my all-time favorite movies in general) is It’s a Wonderful Life. I’ve seen it more times than I can count, and I think I could probably recite most of the lines.

See that lovely Christmas tree in the picture above? Looking at it makes me wonder, what did they do with that tree after Christmas was over? As much as I love the holiday season, the clean-up afterwards can be quite a pain. If only the Bailey’s had the Orr Fellow Tree Luggers to come to their rescue!

Working at Angie’s List I’ve learned that you can find reliable people to help you with just about anything to get you through the holidays, from decorating to party planning. And after all the chaos dies down, the Tree Luggers are there to help Indianapolis residents with the clean up. For the Orr Fellowship's annual fundraiser, current Fellows (our Tree Luggers) will come and pick up your Christmas tree and take it to a nearby Indy Parks location to be recycled. We will pick up trees from several neighborhoods in and around Indianapolis for four consecutive Saturdays starting on January 2nd. The program is a fundraiser for the Fellowship, local churches, and local charitable organizations. The suggested donation is $20, and all donations are 100 % tax deductable. Click here to find out more information and schedule your tree pick-up!

Tree Luggers is a great example of how Orr Fellows work together outside of our various full-time jobs in Indiana. As the Finance champions, Ty and I are heading up this year’s program, but every Orr Fellow has a different job and is involved in the organization, planning, and execution of the fundraiser. Tree Luggers gives us a chance to utilize our ambition and talent and apply what we have learned so far in the Fellowship and working in our respective high growth start-ups. Being able to take part in opportunities such as this one truly shows the “entrepreneurial” part of the Governor Bob Orr Indiana Entrepreneurial Fellowship and allows us to give back and get involved with the Indianapolis community.

Orr Fellowship Recruiting Secrets Unveiled

Tuesday, November 17, 2009 by Blaine Cooper-Surma

So you've heard about the Governor Bob Orr Indiana Entrepreneurial Fellowship, but one thought that may have crossed your mind is, "how do I get noticed by the Orr Fellowship, and what types of attributes/experiences are they looking for in their candidates?" For the next couple of minutes I'm going to share with you some of our recruiting secrets that will undoubtedly make you a more attractive candidate for this prestigious Fellowship opportunity in Indianapolis.

First and foremost, we firmly believe that the most valuable experience that one can attain while in college is leadership experience. Now that I've said this, let's take a minute to try and better understand what I'm talking about. When we're going through Orr Fellow candidate applications, having a candidate that was a "member" of twelve different clubs on campus in no way compares to a candidate that was president of two or three reputable clubs on their campus. To take this one step further, having a title means nothing if you didn't have any notable achievements while holding that particular position. We want to see that you were elected by your peers for a leadership position, but it is much more important that you made a positive impact to your organization during your tenure as officer. Leadership experience can be gained in many different ways, so there's no excuse for a lack of leadership on your resume.

The next piece of information from your resume that we find extremely important is your GPA. This may come as no surprise, but the easiest way to demonstrate your intelligence is by getting good grades. Being that you're looking for Indiana jobs out of college, much like thousands of other students in their senior year of studies, this is one of the only standardized means of measurement that we can use to juxtapose you with the rest of the candidate base. So what if your GPA isn't as good as you'd like it to be? If this is the case for you, it in no way means that your chances of getting into the Orr Fellowship are gone. What you do have to figure out at this point, however, is how you're able to justify your lower GPA, in addition to being able to describe what qualities/experiences you have that make you a perfect fit for this distinguished entrepreneurial fellowship.

Another attribute that we look for in our candidates is their ability to demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit in their lives. One of the inherent qualities that all Orr Fellowship host companies possess is a strong sense of entrepreneurship. In fact, it is critical that our Fellows hold that same entrepreneurial attitude so that they can seamlessly integrate themselves into these high-growth Indianapolis companies. As history has shown, joining the Fellowship often leads to entrepreurial opportunities after the two-year committment of being in the Orr Fellowship has been completed. Since this is the case, candidates that demonstrate this entrepreneurial attitude in their own lives prior to joining the Orr Fellowship typically find themselves fitting in well within the Fellowship and their respective host companies.

So what are the most important attributes/experiences that the Orr Fellowship looks for when evaluating their candidates each and every year? We are looking for hard-workers, well-rounded students (being a college athlete is a nice bonus), and intelligent people. More specifically, though, we are seeking people that have great life stories and are passionate about our organization. We truly believe that what you've done in your life defines who you are today. In addition, being passionate about the Fellowship and what it stands for is something that is necessary for all Orr Fellows - choosing to join the Orr Fellowship is making an investment in the future of your career, and it takes a certain kind of person to be willing to take the "leap of faith" and join the Orr Fellowship.

Now that you know what kind of people the Orr Fellowship is looking for, do you think you have what it takes? Do you fit any or all of these criterion? If so, and you're looking to secure one of the most distinguished post-grad jobs in Indianapolis in 2011, apply today on the Governor Bob Orr Indiana Entrepreneurial Fellowship Homepage.

A Day in the Life of an Orr Fellow

Thursday, November 12, 2009 by Blaine Cooper-Surma

One of the questions that I commonly receive from Orr Fellowship candidates is, "What types of things do you do at work?" For most Orr Fellows this is a straight-forward question, but for me, the answer is a bit more long-winded.

When I accepted my offer with the Orr Fellowship, I also accepted an offer with ExactTarget. ExactTarget has participated as an Orr Fellowship host company for many years now. It differs from the rest, though, in that it offers a particular program for recent college graduates - the Catapult Rotational Program. The Catapult Program is designed to provide college graduates the opportunity to rotate through three departments within ExactTarget. It allows you to develop your professional skill-set while obtaining cross-functional experiences. Upon completion of the three two-month rotations, "Catapulters" are placed in a permanent position that allows them to deeply impact the success of both their department and ExactTarget as a whole.

Now, back to the question that I was previously talking about. When answering the posed question about my typical day at work, I generally describe my current and past rotations. My first rotation at ExactTarget was in the Human Resources department. I then transitioned to Customer Relationship Management. My third, and current rotation, is in Sales Operations. So what types of things am I doing during my time at the office? I'm currently preparing to lead a portion of our Sales Training On-boarding class that is now taking place. When a salesperson joins the team at ExactTarget, they go through a rigorous, two-week long training course. Within the first two days in my current rotation, my manager asked me to learn everything I possibly could about our Salesforce Integration application through AppExchange, while creating the presentaton from scratch, in order to set myself up to teach the group of new hires. Needless to say, I feel ready to go for next Tuesday's class!

After I've shared my experiences with these college seniors, I like to turn the focus on them. I ask them if there are other career opportunities that they're pursuing that allow them to join a company and immediately be able to make an impact within the organization. The answer is almost always a resounding "no."

So why do Orr Fellows get the leg-up when it comes to career-growth opportunities? From talking to several different employers and upper-level management, the overall consensus is that the Orr Fellowship has a reputation of supplying high-growth Indianapolis companies with talented, hardworking employees. I consistently hear these business leaders talk about how comfortable they feel putting these Fellows in a sink-or-swim environment because they always know that these young professionals will find a way to come out on top.

So when considering your first full-time job out of college, think about what I've said. If you're looking to grow professionally while making a positive impact in your organization, the Governor Bob Orr Indiana Entrepreneurial Fellowship might be for you!

My Path to the Orr Fellowship

Tuesday, November 10, 2009 by Blaine Cooper-Surma

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, and Christmas around the block, it's difficult to believe that I've been working in the real world for just over four months now. I can remember like it was yesterday what it was like to look for a job while still in college. I remember how confused I was as an Economics major who knew I wanted to be in business someday, but you and I both know how vague of a career path business really is. So what did I look for and how did I get to be where I am today?

Luckily for me, as a senior in college I knew that the economy was beginning to look grim and that the market was probably going to get rough. To prepare myself for the tough situation, I did my due-diligence and began looking for a quality job opportunity to kick off my new career. I realized that I lacked specific skills that most large companies would be looking for, and also that I would be looking for an entry level job just like the rest of my graduating class. However, I knew that I wanted to live and work in Indianapolis as it has emerged a growing hub for small, technology start-ups. One of my other interests throughout college was entrepreneurship, so I then began looking for entrepreneurial fellowships in the Indianapolis area. What I soon stumbled upon was the Governor Bob Orr Indiana Entrepreneurial Fellowship. To learn more about this graduate fellowship, I connected with current Orr fellows to learn more about what the program has to offer.

So why did I choose to pursue the Orr Fellowship? There were several reasons, but here are a few:

the presence of a network of young professionals like myself to share ideas, concerns, successes, etc.
the pipeline of Indiana business leaders that fellows are given the opportunity to interact and build relationships with
the position and ability to join a small, start-up company and, through hard work, be able to make an impact within the organization
knowing that I'm making a good investment in my career by being in an environment that forces me to learn as much as possible about running a small business

So has my first few months in the working world provided me with the opportunities and experiences that were promised to me by the Orr Fellowship? The answer to this question is a confident "YES!"