Business owners share success tips at 1Million Cups anniversary
In 2015, Peter Vaka, a Hillsborough County resident and entrepreneur, was invited to attend a business pitching event in St. Petersburg called 1Million Cups. Although crossing the bridge to St. Pete was daunting, Vaka took the drive. What he found on the other side of the Sunshine Skyway hooked him immediately - a supportive space for like-minded peers to discuss business challenges and solutions. Vaka wanted this for Hillsborough County.
1Million Cups (1MC), fueled by the Kaufman Foundation, is a national program with local chapters in over 103 communities. Each chapter hosts weekly meetings where entrepreneurs can network, present business ideas, and receive helpful feedback to refine business strategies.
Under the leadership of Vaka and Lynn Kroesen, Manager of Hillsborough's Entrepreneur Collaborative Center (ECC), 1MC began in Hillsborough a few short months after Vaka's journey to St. Petersburg. And on Feb. 12, the 1MC Hillsborough County chapter celebrated 10 years at its home - the ECC in Ybor City.
To celebrate the milestone, past program participants and those eager to learn more filled every corner of the large ECC meeting space. A panel discussion was moderated by Shane Smith, Ph.D., Director of the Central Florida Jim Moran Institute of Global Entrepreneurship. Smith and the panelists discussed their 1MC presentation experiences, business challenges, and ultimately their best advice. And Vaka, now residing in West Virginia, was more than happy to travel to Tampa for the celebration.
1MC Top 10 Tips from Successful Entrepreneurs
- Do what you feel called to do. Pick something you are passionate about and be 100% bought in.
- Your story will always be refined. The more you tell your story, the more comfortable you will get.
- Information is transactional. And relationships are exponential. Attend 1MC, present, and build relationships. 1MC is your community.
- Your haters are your motivators. Remember your "why."
- Run your own race and be careful of who you partner with. Keep pushing.
- Do not overthink everything and utilize every resource available to you.
- Don't think a business pivot is bad just because it doesn't pay off immediately. It can work eventually.
- Run towards your fears and learn from failures.
- Give back and stay involved with community.
- Work on and learn about yourself. It will be the hardest thing and best thing you can do.
Save the date
The celebration continues at the ECC on March 14, from 9 to 11 a.m., when the ECC will celebrate 10 years of providing entrepreneurs easy access to business service providers, resources, mentorship, and specialty training. The original celebration was scheduled for last October, but Hurricanes Helene and Milton had other plans. The Entrepreneur Collaborative Center (ECC) was established by the Hillsborough County Economic Development department in 2014 and is centrally located in historic Ybor City.