This week, we’ve joined the nation in celebrating entrepreneurs. In Fishers, we are working diligently to cultivate an environment where entrepreneurs – and their business ventures – thrive. Through a partnership with serial entrepreneur John Wechsler, we established Launch Fishers, a co-working space for high-impact, high-potential enterprises. Inside Launch, dozens of entrepreneurs fueled by coffee from Rise, the independent coffee shop inside, and boundless creative energy, work to develop and grow local businesses.
We recognize that the activity inside Launch is critical to our overall economic ecosystem, as true economic success is demonstrated by companies that start and grow right here in town. But sometimes, that activity includes failure.
On Wednesday, we gathered with many of those entrepreneurs from Launch Fishers and across the state for Launch’s first Fail Fest. Fail Fest is just what it sounds like, a festival celebrating failure. What many of these entrepreneurs have learned is that failure is just a stepping stone to success; and choosing to embrace it and learn from it is necessary for innovation.
Throughout the day-long festival, more than 300 attendees heard about the many failures of now successful entrepreneurs including Cha Cha’s Scott Jones, David Becker of First Internet Bankcorp, TechPoint’s Mike Langellier, Element Three’s Tiffany Sauder and local elected officials including Lieutenant Governor Sue Ellspermann and Mayor-elect Scott Fadness.
Through TED-style speeches, speakers emphasized the importance of perseverance, perspective and the ability to identify small successes in the midst of failure.
“Failure gets you to a point where you’re able to succeed,” explains Sun King co-founder Clay Robinson. Sun King will open a tasting room in Fishers next October.
John Wechsler moderates “The Ecosystems Perspective of Failure”panel with Mike Langelier, Jacob Schpok, Bill Soards and Mayor-elect Scott Fadness.
Lieutenant Governor Sue Ellspermann extends her support for local entrepreneurs and dubs herself ‘Chief Cheerleader’.
"We're trying hard to fight the norms and redefine what success is for our community," Mayor-elect Scott Fadness said.
“Here’s to making better mistakes tomorrow,” quipped Cha Cha founder Scott Jones.
Notable quotes:
“Perseverance is the real key to success and keeping the show moving.” – David Becker
“After failure, the big question is, ‘What’s your next choice?’” – Quinn Buckner
“If we’re not pushing the envelope and making some pretty epic mistakes, we’re probably not doing a good job.” – Neal Rothermel
“Failing doesn’t make you a failure.” – Susan Baroncini-Moe
“Success and failure are about much more than actions and outcomes.” – Scott Hill
The first Fail Fest was a success and we hope that our local entrepreneurs were inspired and encouraged to persevere in their pursuits of innovative endeavors.