December 2001 Newsletter
Harlan Jacobs
the resources and research
created in an academic setting?
Learn how Harlan Jacobs used
the talent in an academic
research institute to move a
product line towards production
for commercial applications.
named a co-recipient of the
prestigious Minnesota Tekne
Award for Tech Transfer,
sponsored by the Minnesota
High Tech Association and
Minnesota Technology, Inc.
These organizations joined
together to recognize leaders,
companies and products that
make our state a center for
technology.
academia working together to achieve a collective excellence that
leads to the commercialization of a technology.
and Iron Range entrepreneur Roy Larson underwrote research to
assist the University of Minnesota, Duluth Natural Resources
Research Institute determine whether a new form of granulated peat
it developed could serve as a technology platform suitable for various
commercial applications.
technology being developed by NRRI. In November 1994, PEATEC
was founded.
agreements. He helped structure PEATEC’s license with NRRI and
contributed other consulting skills associated with obtaining
intellectual property. Genesis Business Centers also invested more
than $25,000 in PEATEC over a 5 year period to help it continue
meeting its goals. Now in 2002, after receiving grants and
commissioned work, revenues are expected to reach $4 million.
initiatives and more
business angels and
seed capital initiative
funds to foster
technological and
economic growth.
Nothing will get out of
the laboratory and
into the marketplace
successfully and
quickly if risk capital
is not made available
early on to ensure its
success.
CFO with over 25 years experience as a corporate controller and
treasurer prior to becoming involved in the fields of venture/seed
capital and business incubators. He was the CFO for FilmTec
Corporation, a very successful Minnesota high-tech start-up company
formed in 1977 with only $100,000 of founders capital. The company
went public in 1979. In 1985, with sales of $10 million and net income
of $1.5 million, FilmTec was sold to Dow Chemical for $75 million in
cash! Mr. Jacobs was actively involved in the acquisition
negotiations.
companies. In 1993, he founded one of the most progressive high-
tech business incubator programs in Minnesota, if not the U.S. -
bartering rent for equity is the cornerstone of the GENESIS incubator
program.
http://www.mn-entrepreneurs.organd click on “Map to Meetings.”
Law of Substitution
three ugly and threatening pieces of mail. No, it wasn’t anything to do
with anthrax. It was just the type of mail that grabs you by the jugular
and can have you instantly gripped with fear. Think of letters from the
IRS, an unknown Law firm, etc. You know, the kind of mail that gets
you mumbling something like: “now what?”
sensed, I thought I would share them with you to complete the
discussion of dealing with fears in the realm of entrepreneurism. You
may recall that in October I mentioned that there are times when you
with a fear that wants to “grip” you. That is to say, the type of fear that
wants to simply take you over and consume your thoughts, endlessly,
with worry and anxiety. This was one of those times for me … again.
BACK seat of my car where I wouldn’t have to look at them as I
deployed the “MASTER WORRY BOX” technique. This is when I told
myself, they would have to wait on me. I was mentally throwing them
into a “worry box” as I told myself --- I will worry about them tomorrow
when I get to my office. They would have to wait.
fears down and throw them into a cigar or shoebox. Set aside a
specific time to worry. You might say that you will worry about your
fears between 4 and 5 pm on each Wednesday afternoon. Then,
simply refuse to consider these issues mentally except only in the
time that you have set aside to worry.
Eventually you will find yourself mentally exerting control over the
fears instead of the fears having control over you. With practice, you
will learn to do what I did last night.
have to wait. It worked like I knew it would. I never considered these
fears the rest of the night.
naturally awaken for a while. My mind started to work itself up into a
frenzy until I deployed another tactical maneuver called the LAW OF
SUBSTITUTION. It is a well-known fact that your mind cannot occupy
two thoughts at the same time. The Law of Substitution means that
you simply substitute something else for your mind to consider in
place of the fears. For me this is almost always some inspirational
music, which is ready on my nightstand. I put the headset on and
started to listen to some inspiring music and, of course, in a short
while I was back to sleep. Again, it worked like I knew it would.
always have the choice of controlling the fear or letting the fear
control us. When I arrived and opened the three ugly pieces of mail
have to live with [endure]; but it too will pass like an old philosopher
once taught me. Nothing to worry about.
with having the right attitude towards fear. It is a valuable lesson for
anyone who ventures into entrepreneurship, which is inherently a
world, filled with many unknowns and uncertainty. If you are an
entrepreneur and you have all the answers, it only means that you
are not stretching yourself very much.
which to succeed against fear. The foundation is located in the three
qualities of hope, faith and character. It is a natural part of all real
entrepreneurs.
fears if we choose to exercise it. We do not have to succumb to the
biddings of fear. As the king of motivation Zig Ziglar once said: “FEAR
is an acronym that stands for False Expectations Appearing Real.”
avoid fear. The strategy for all of us then is to learn how to deal with
fear when it rears its ugly head. The more power you can exert over
the fears that confront you, the easier time you will have building your
big dreams.
met and elected new officers. I am excited to now serve you in the
position of president and I will do my best to enhance the growth of
our organization.
as our new Vice President, Janel Goff as the Treasurer and Ellen
Paxton as our new Secretary. Please welcome all of our new officers
and directors. A complete listing is included in every newsletter.
about your private life just by surfing the web? In December, our pre-
meeting seminar presents Cyber Cop Mark Lanterman who was
sleuth. Mark demonstrates “computer forensics” and you may be
surprised at the kind of information he can readily access about most
of us.
the issue of technology transfer. I have known Harlan for many years
and I can tell you that he brings a wealth of experience and
knowledge to the world of entrepreneurism. Harlan is a tireless
booster of MN entrepreneurism and has a track record of
commitment to startups through his Genesis incubator. Can you
leverage your technology costs by working with the experts at the
“U”? Harlan has some answers that might make your startup venture
cash flow a lot easier. Don’t miss another exciting double-header!
December 11th
Your Biggest Threat?” An “I-Opening” Presentation by Detective Mark
Lanterman, Cyber-Cop
You” with Harlan Jacobs, Genesis Business Centers, Ltd.
Restaurant at 225 W. 7th Street, St. Paul
Restaurant, Doubletree Park Place Hotel in St. Louis Park. Call Bill
Lehnertz at 952-948-1105.
2002 MEI MONTHLY
MEETING SCHEDULE
Business Academy located at Wabasha & Exchange Streets in
Downtown St. Paul. Meeting dates are as follows for 2002.
Biggest Threat?
Pre-Meeting Seminar – 5:30 - 6:30 p.m.
December 11, 2001
card, Cyber-Cop Mark Lanterman located her business and personal
“vital statistics” – including her social security number, her mortgage
status, the address of her former mother-in-law, and much, much
more!
against “cyber-crimes” and employee theft. Just think of how easy it is
for an employee to download information from an office computer
onto a disc and walk away with it! What is Computer Forensics?
Computer Forensics is the collection, preservation, analysis, and
presentation of computer-related evidence. Computer evidence can
be useful in criminal cases, civil disputes, and human
resources/employment proceedings.
realize. It's also more difficult to completely remove information than
is generally thought. For these reasons (and many more), computer
forensics can often find evidence of, or even completely recover, lost
or deleted information, even if it was intentionally deleted.
are very good that there is valuable evidence on that computer. For
example, if an employee posts false earnings information on an
Internet bulletin board in an attempt to manipulate stock value,
forensic analysis may help in identifying the offender.
anyone other than a trained and experienced computer forensics
specialist, the usefulness and credibility of that evidence will be
tainted.
department on permanent loan to the United States Secret Service
Financial Crimes Investigation Unit. He is the computer forensic
analyst for the unit. He is certified by the United States Treasury
Department as a Seized Computer Evidence Recovery Specialist
(SCERS).
usefulness as a criminal investigation tool, he has become a strong
advocate of forensic analysis in civil litigation and employment
actions.
employees on staff. His clients include US Bank, Deluxe Corporation,
Jostens, Conseco Financial as well as providing electronic discovery
services for several of the largest law firms in Minnesota, including
Dorsey & Whitney and Briggs & Morgan. He has given presentations
to the MN State Bar Association, Defcon (Las Vegas) and
TechnoSecurity.