In this thirteenth episode of I Live In Dallas Radio, co-hosted by myself and Jason Channell, we interview Dallas Startup Week co-organizers Fiona Schlachter, Jeff Corkran, Erin O'Brien, and Paulomi (Polo) Patel, in order to get the 411 on the entrepreneurship talks happening the week of March 2nd through the 6th.

Dallas Startup Week marks a sort of tipping point in the explosion in Dallas' startup scene, events, and success stories within the last five - seven years. In this podcast, we dive into some theories for this explosion, and name names on some of the current and past "movers and shakers" of the Dallas startup community. Listen to see if your startup gets a mention.

What is Dallas Startup Week?

According to their website, Dallas Startup Week, which is apart of Startup Weekâ„¢ at large, is "A five day celebration of your community. [Dallas Startup Week is] a new type of conference that builds momentum and opportunity around entrepreneurship, led by entrepreneurs and hosted in the entrepreneurial spaces you love. Dallas Startup Week is a reflection of your hard work and your community's unique entrepreneurial identity."

Group Interview

We met up with Dallas Startup Week (DSW15) co-organizers in a conference room at the Mercantile, a beautiful and historic downtown Dallas luxury apartment complex converted from a Cold War era commercial bank building. Located at 1800 Main Street, this is the big clock building that's often recognized in the downtown skyline. Appropriately, many of DSW's events will be held in downtown Dallas.

Listen as we talk about:

• 
  
• A handful of Dallas Startup Week speakers and some of the most interesting topics being presented.
  
• What makes Dallas different from startup epicenters like San Francisco, and in some ways better.
  
• Some of the hottest Dallas-based, and recently launched in Dallas, startups right now including: RISE, 2PointB, and Postmates.
  
• A mini history discourse on coworking spaces, Dallas' first coworking space, and three hot spaces right now: Fort Work, The Foundry, and The Kaleidoscope for Her.
  

In the second half of the podcast, we take a deep dive into some of the psychological aspects of the entrepreneur's journey. We debunk some of the myths of being an entrepreneur like the overnight success perception from an outsider's point of view. We also cover why it's important to attend regular and special events like Dallas Startup Week in order to surround yourself with motivational and like-minded people.

Keep listening to learn about:

• 
  
• How Dallas Startup Week is not just for technology-only based startups, but includes talks from: successful Nammi [Food] Truck owners Teena Nguyen and Gary Torres, legendary  restaurateur Phil Romano, fashion mogul  Chris Hite (J. Hilburn), brewery owner Michael Peticolas (Peticolas Brewing Company), and many more.
  
• How some Dallas startup entrepreneurs are surviving  without cars by using using DART, living downtown, and coworking locally.
  
• How would-be entrepreneurs can get plugged into the Dallas startup community through ongoing monthly events and meetups (listen to get the names).
  
• How large companies like Sabre, Neiman Marcus, and others are participating in DSW15 by sharing insights from their innovation departments.
  

For more info, and to see more topics and speakers, register and make your schedule at www.DSW15.com. Follow the hashtag: #DSW15 and interact on Facebook.com/DallasStartupWeek.

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