The Sunflower Edge Blooms in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana

They came from throughout the Bitterroot Valley to learn about the Sunflower Edge. Not the big yellow flower but, instead, the business development matrix that has built everything from multi-billion dollar companies to individual entrepreneurial success stories.

This was the kickoff of a planned sequel to Rob Ryan’s http://www.entrepreneur-america.com/ very successful book, "SMARTUPS" http://www.amazon.com/Smartups-Lessons-Entrepreneur-America-Start-Ups/dp/0801488311/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1235374534&sr=1-1 on how to build a successful business. A constant thread throughout the book was the concept of using his Sunflower Edge as a way to find the right focus for the business and how to maximize its potential. "The Sunflower Edge" is scheduled to be released in the spring.

They had high hopes for inspiration and guidance in building or improving their own companies and they weren’t disappointed.

" The Sunflower edge is about innovation, it is the language of innovation. Business schools don’t prepare one for innovation like how does one invent a product. The sunflower edge provides a roadmap for innovation, it provides hope to those that need to reinvent themselves individuals, small businesses, non profits and larger businesses… The Sunflower Edge is a learned process that can take you from dream to an idea, help test that idea, turn that idea into a product for a targeted market and targeted customer help you anticipate competition and build competitive barriers thru the use of strategies and goals, and finally help you set goals, big audacious goals. I want to have my Sunflower Edge to become the driving force helping people move from the " Taker " state into the "Maker" state." Rob Ryan

They dynamic trio of Rob Ryan, Joe Graziano and Dan Floyd have achieved the highest levels of success and now call Montana their home and they want to contribute to their adopted state by sharing their experiences and expertise. They love Montana want to see its economy improve so they agreed to share their ideas on the Sunflower Matrix in a benefit conference for the Bitterroot Campus of the University of Montana http://umt.edu/bcp/ .

Rob Ryan http://www.entrepreneur-america.com has built three multi-billion dollar companies from scratch but it all started by getting fired. He told of how being fired was probably the best thing that happened to him as it (and his wife Terry) made him realize that he had skills and a drive far beyond the limits of "living someone else’s dream" by working for them. When she learned that he had been fired because he refused to fire one of his engineers, she went out and bought him a "how to write a business plan" book and told his to build his own dream. Not knowing what a business plan was didn’t stop him and he developed the business model that became Ascend Communications which was purchased for over $20 Billion several years later. Not a bad payoff for a $10 book. The road wasn’t easy but it was successful because he followed his ideas for the Sunflower Matrix which focuses on analyzing and maximizing the key core strengths and opportunities of the company.

"Lack of self reliance reflects a deep malaise in our country and in fact the entire world. I watched Steve Job’s 2005 Stanford Commencement Address http://matr.net/article-46641.html today. It was interesting to see that, just like Rob, he said getting fired and being forced to go it alone was the best thing that ever happen to him. I hope a zillion people who have been laid off listen to the speech today and hear that message. Maybe that will be all it takes to get them to try to find a better personal destiny." Terry Ryan

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"Something that I kept thinking about during all the presentations and the panel discussion was the importance of having a good team when you decide to go forward with your idea. One must have others to go down the path with you…and, too, you must speak to others about your idea…your idea gets more and more refined (better) the more people who interact with it, so to speak." Victoria Clark, Director, Bitterroot College Program of The University of Montana

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Joe Graziano’s presentation was tinged with sadness as his long time business associate, Steve Jobs had passed away the day before. He was CFO of several of the most successful companies in Silicon Valley including Apple and Sun Microsystems and his extraordinary expertise in business finance and funding was spell binding. As he said over and over: "Cash is king" and the reason that many companies don’t survive. It’s folly to think that keeping your cash in a box and pulling it out when you get a bill is the path to success.

While he highlighted the importance of cash, he also emphasized that starting a company just to make money usually doesn’t work as it’s a very challenging effort that is full of bumps in the road that will dissuade those just out for the money. The need for passion for what you do was illustrated by his story about Steve Jobs in the early days. When Apple went public, Steve was basically a hippie running around in a VW. Joe said the he was shocked as CFO when he was in the VW one day and found all of Steve’s Apple stock stuffed in the glove compartment. He wasn’t in it for the money. Apple was his passion.

You may have read many of the testimonials to Steve in the last few days but Joe conveyed the essence of Steve to those attending in a very personal way.

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It was very interesting to hear Joe Graziano, a business success
many times over, list exactly the points that I would make if I were
reviewing the lessons learned during our single business-building effort:

Have patience; it will take longer than you think to build the
business

Don’t spend cash you haven’t earned

Don’t worry about being ready for the sales tsunami

Do the important things well

Multitask

Be a cheapskate

Rod Miner
Lightfoot Cycles Inc.
http://www.lightfootcycles.com

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Dan Floyd has started several successful companies ranging from one that revolutionized the chip industry to premier lodging facilities on the California coast to a successful surf shop. In every one of these, he maximized the unique aspects of each to differentiate it from the competition which are strong Sunflower basics.

Dan Floyd emphasized the importance of a college degree (no matter the degree discipline) because successful businesses need critical thinkers and such is what colleges produce (hopefully!)

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"Rob’s presentation on his Sunflower Matrix model for business success was extremely interesting. His model actually extends and clearly defines one of the key product development principles we used when I worked in product development at Cisco Systems. To leverage your product investment into multiple verticals to maximize your revenue potential and target the highest revenue market opportunities first. Rob clearly articulates a methodology for entrepreneurs to analyze their core competency and develop a viable go to market strategy. The opportunity to see presentations on stage in Montana from successful Silicon Valley titans like Rob Ryan, Joe Graziano, and Dan Floyd, and directly interact with them, does not often present itself. For me, this conference was well worth my time to attend."

Bob Clay, CEO, SameSky Systems, Inc. http://sameskysystems.com/ Missoula, Montana.

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After each of the panel members gave their presentations and answered a few questions, all three gathered on stage to answer questions from the audience. This proved to be a animated and enjoyable dialogue as they peppered their answers with personal experiences. While many were focused on specific business ideas or questions, some of the most compelling responses came when a student asked about their most memorable times in business, education and life. All reinforced the value of as much education as possible with a focus on real world experiences to help prepare the student for life.

As the audience filed out of the auditorium, there was a visible energy and buzz and an anticipation to getting a copy of "The Sunflower Edge" as quickly as possible.