Recently, I was interviewed by the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (OEN) for a member spotlight and it got me thinking about how important shared resources are to new ventures. Elemental’s co-founders and I know firsthand how challenging it is to turn an idea for a business into a legitimate company -- not to mention delivering on the commitment of a high ROI for our stakeholders.

Luckily, Portland has some great resources for new firms. Along with the OEN, the Software Association of Oregon has networking events and valuable services for member companies. Then there are other local startups that have built impressive businesses, including Jive Software, Tripwire, and Kryptiq. Many of the executives at these success stories are active in the community and always willing to share their stories and experiences with new companies. 

In the hopes that Elemental has something to contribute to the dialog, I thought it would be worthwhile to jot down the places I've gone for advice, wisdom, and inspiration. Perhaps these resources will be useful for others. 

Blogs 

• Redfin’s corporate blog gives an interesting perspective inside the life of a thriving real estate startup. Glenn Kelman, the firm's CEO, has a heck of a lot of fascinating insights on what it takes to build a disruptive company.

• Brightcove alumni Adam Berrey shares his experiences as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence in his new blog, "Startup Blender"; this is a great place for advice that cuts to the chase. 

Web Sites

• Entrepreneurship.org is a portal from the non-profit Kauffman Foundation with a great resource center and forum for entrepreneurs. (Bonus: here's an interesting recent report from Kauffman on the role of startups in job creation.)

• Startupjournal.com is a comprehensive guide with information on topics such as financing and PR tools from the experts at The Wall Street Journal.

Connections

• Some of the best advice I receive is from peers, colleagues and mentors. Going to events has proven a critical way for me to get connected in the business community. In our neck of the woods, the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network (and it's sister funding organization, the Oregon Angel Fund) has a diverse membership base and organizes numerous events that help foster these relationships. 

Involvement

• There are lots of cool ways to be part of your local startup community, whether virtual or local. Portland Incubator Experiment (a.k.a. PIE) is an interesting new project that’s the brainchild of techies and creatives (including Sillicon Florist and Weiden + Kennedy) striving to advance startup innovation and promote community. There's also NedSpace, which continues to expand at a rapid clip, and the Portland State Business Accelerator.

• For technology startups, the Software Association of Oregon and Sillicon Valley Association of Startup Entrepreneurs are other organizations to consider joining and supporting. Elemental is also a proud member of Entrepreneur's Foundation of the Northwest, which supports important non-profit work. 

So those are mine. What are your favorite places for information and insights? Please leave a comment, I’d love to hear thoughts from others.

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