The Bellevue Entrepreneur Alliance

Ethan http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/member/b/1/9/5/member_13365461.jpeg http://www.bellevueentrepreneur.com/members/9001107/
Member

The Bellevue Entrepreneur Alliance http://www.bellevueentrepreneur.com/ http://photos1.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/c/0/1/global_13583553.jpeg 20070417

Bellevue, WA 98004

Location:

Bellevue, WAUSA 98004

Member since:

June 29, 2010

Introduction

My business, Totem, combats poverty by extending microloans to otherwise “unbankable” individuals in Mexico to start or expand income generating businesses.

Do you have an idea or startup business you are actively working on?

Totem has been lending in Mexico since early 2007, and officially incorporated in 2008. Totem's model - lowest interest rate and phenomenal customer service has been very well received and I will look to start a second branch in the spring of 2011.

How many people do you employ, yourself included?

What gets you out of bed everyday?

Knowing that I have the opportunity to create winning situations for everyone. My borrowers have higher household incomes, my employees have great jobs, and my investors get a solid social and financial return on their investments.

What would you most like to improve in your business?

I plan to pursue an MBA at a top-tier school next year, mainly go get access to the professional network and better sources of working capital to scale out Totem's poverty alleviation mission.

Link

Totem

Natasha To Catch A Dollar

Hi Ethan, we will definitely be holding the meeting on Thursday. There are already a number of other people coming along - we also have facebook, google and linkedin groups. Check them out! Look forward to meeting you on Thursday.

Jul 14, 2010 2:03 AM
Sam

Hi & Welcome Ethan! Looks like you have quite a few lessons learned and tips & tricks of your own you can share with us... In the meantime check out our mailing list archive to catch up on latest discussion and also take a look under files tab under 'More' to see meeting notes ... lots of good info, meeting notes and member intros there...

Jul 07, 2010 5:09 PM
Jonathan Lien

LOL...Tell him it's been 10 years, but if he remembers me...HELLO!

Apr 17, 2009 2:55 PM
Jonathan Lien

Thanks for showing up last night Ethan. It was great to hear about your investment company and chatting about Mexico :)

Apr 17, 2009 12:44 PM
Jonathan Lien

Hi Ethan! Welcome to the Seattle Young Professionals!! We should have another meetup scheduled soon and I'm sure people would like to hear more about your ideas of social investing ;)

Mar 23, 2009 7:42 PM

Member of 2 other Meetups

Interests

This member chose not to make their interests public.

Bellevue, WA

Founded Apr 17, 2007

Read more about us…

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Organizer:

**Update for The Bellevue Entrepreneur Network in 2010**

Hi Everyone, thank you for being patient while this group was under redesign in the last half of 2009. As you'll notice, Bellevue Entrepreneur Meetup is now Bellevue Entrepreneur Network. The new name more accurately reflects the purpose of the group. While we still meet in person, networking online through meetup, social networking sites, etc. is a big part of what we do.

Mission Statement:

1) To help local founder-owned businesses grow and become more profitable.

2) To provide a supportive environment for entrepreneurs to get together.

3) To serve as a connector to resources that will help your business grow, including other business networks, government organizations, free help and more.

4) To be a place where you can learn, be inspired, and teach.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1) Q: Why should I join the Bellevue Entrepreneur Network?
A: Bellevue is a hot bed of entrepreneurship. You might think that the reason behind this is because Bellevue is a wealthy community. While this is part of the story, the visionary thinking (think Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, etc.) work ethic (RABANCO, COSTCO, etc.) and drive to achieve (Boeing, Nordstrom, etc.) have been major reasons why the individuals in this area have created businesses of lasting value. What's more, Bellevue was just voted the best place to live and start a business according to CNN:

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2008/fsb/0803/gallery.best...

2) Q: What do we do at BEN?
A: We do a combination of events and online interaction all designed to help our businesses grow. Regular in person meetups and events plus social networking are two excellent tools to use in growing your small business.

3) Q: What kind of resources does BEN provide?
A: BEN can direct you to the right organization or individual to take your business to the next level. Often times, a member of BEN may have just what you've been looking for in the form of a partner, information, or capital. Here is a list of resources to get you started:

http://www.meetup.com/bellevueentrepreneur/messages/board...

4) Q: What kinds of businesses and people belong to BEN?
A: BEN encompasses and promotes diversity of business and people. Click below to see some of our member businesses:

http://www.juststartbellevue.com

5) Q: Does BEN do social media?
A: Yes, here are links to Bellevue Entrepreneur Meetup's social networking sites:

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=...

Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/bventrepreneurs

6) Q: Does it cost money to be a part of BEN?
A: Right now, membership in BEN is free. Occasionally we will charge for events to cover our costs. We guarantee you will see a return in the value you receive from attending these events.

7) Q: How often does BEN meet?
A: In 2010, we will aim for monthly meetings.

Here's to business success,

Sean McClinton
Organizer, The Bellevue Entrepreneur Meetup