2012 Entrepreneur Awards

Posted by gorilla on Mar 9, 2012 in Web Exclusives | 0 comments

 By Sean Jester

“There is no ‘downtown’ in Frederick—or anywhere in this country—without entrepreneurship,” says Ed Robinson, President of the Entrepreneur Council of Frederick County. “They’re the backbone of the American economy.”

It’s hard to argue that fact, especially while walking the streets of downtown Frederick, where independently owned boutique shops and restaurants populate the sidewalks. Meanwhile, corporate chains outside of Starbucks and Subway are nowhere to be seen.

And to celebrate entrepreneurship in Frederick County, Robinson and the ECFC are currently planning their 2012 Entrepreneur Awards dinner, to be held at Linganore Winecellars in June. People can nominate themselves, or nominate someone else, by completing an application that provides a snapshot of the business, and submitting it to the ECFC before March 23rd. The ECFC will then screen the nominees and select three candidates in each category, ranging from small and new to large and established businesses.

Self-nomination? Isn’t that a little…self-indulgent? However, Robinson explains the need for the self-nomination process.

“I think there’s something unique about the American culture that there’s many of us who don’t like to self-promote,” he says. “So there’s a group of people who have difficulty putting themselves in the spotlight or believing that they’re worthy. So we encourage people to nominate themselves.”

Robinson reiterates that the screening process determines the most worth candidates in each category, and that regardless of how a business is nominated—whether they’re self-nominated or nominated by someone else—the most deserving entrepreneur wins.

And winning—or just being nominated—Robinson says, means a lot for the nominees.  

“Branding is important,” he says. “And I believe that potential customers, clients and partners notice the accolades and success of their colleagues.  It opens doors for people and creates connections.”

Nominations, Robinson says, are also great for the business-owners even if it’s just for the publicity and the symbolic pat on the back for a job well done.

 “A lot of candidates work in relative obscurity,” he says. “They’re not seeking the spotlight, so it’s nice for them just to be acknowledged.”

The most coveted award is for “Master Entrepreneur”, named after Chris Olson, who for years was a critical contributor to the ECFC before passing away in 2011. Robinson says the award “gives credit where credit is due for entrepreneurs who are making a big impact on the local economy.”  Past winners include, Mary Jane Tabler from the Thomas Scott Salon and Philip E. Catron from NatureLawn of America.

 Robinson stresses the importance of entrepreneurs to the local economy, not just in Frederick, but also across America.

“Corporations have been exporting jobs to other countries and not paying their fair share of taxes,” he says. “They can pick up and move to another place whereas entrepreneurs usually have strong ties to their community.  And I believe it’s critical that a city, county or state never loses sight of the entrepreneurial class because quite frankly, the entrepreneurial class creates the middle class,” which is something that Robinson believes Frederick City and County have done a wonderful job of—helping entrepreneurs flourish.

“I believe we have a city and a county government that is dedicated to promoting entrepreneurship,” says Robinson. “There are a lot of non-profit organizations that provide education and training to merchants. We have two economic development departments at the city and county level that do an excellent job providing support and networking opportunities for new and existing entrepreneurs. There are universities that have wonderful education programs for entrepreneurs to tap into. So there’s a network of supportive organizations, both public and private, that promotes entrepreneurship.”

Robinson also says that people are willing to share resources, network and create opportunities for one another. “Frederick is a big city with a small town feel, which really helps,” he says.

On the other hand, Robinson does believe that Frederick City and County could do more to encourage people to go into business for themselves. “They’re making progress,” he says, citing the permitting process for building expansion and water and sewer additions where fees can eat much of the start-up capital, and other regulations that have the risk of turning into red tape.

“Most businesses don’t start out well funded, especially small businesses. So if all the capital you’ve saved up is deployed before you open for business, how are you going to cash-in your success?  We can’t make it too hard for people to take a risk on themselves.”

Getting back to the awards dinner, Robinson is excited for the change of venue. In the past, the awards have been held at Dutch’s Daughter restaurant, but an expected increase in attendance prompted them to move to Linganore Winecellars, a Frederick County entrepreneur—and one of the most successful and well-known, to boot—an observation that isn’t lost on Robinson. “Dutch’s Daughter served us well, but we were at capacity there, and it will be great to be at Linganore, another local entrepreneur.”

It’s a reminder that as business in Frederick grows, so do the Entrepreneurship Awards.

 For more information on the 2012 Entrepreneur Awards dinner, or the ECFC, Robinson directs people to his LinkedIn group, which he says has over a hundred members and “is a great platform to deliver information.” Ed Robinson also welcomes anyone interested to email him at robin_ed@capacity-building.com.

 The application for the awards is located on the ECFC’s website, http://www.entrepreneurcouncil.com.  The deadline for submissions is March 23rd.

Jesters in the Castle: A Juggler’s Story

Posted by gorilla on Feb 12, 2012 in Web Exclusives | 0 comments

By: Kevin Coyle                        

Most people in Frederick know the Armory to be nothing more than a castle-like building on the corner of Baker Park. But to me, as a 10-year old deaf child, the building was someplace magical.  It is where I met professional clown Mark Lohr, and joined the Frederick Juggling Club.

 My interest in juggling began with a trip to Flights of Fancy, a store located in Everedy Square.  Making my way to the back of the store, towards the toy section, I found a book that would change everything for me, Juggling for the Complete Klutz.  I begged my mom to get it, but she made me wait until Easter. 

 When I finally got my hands on the book, I began by juggling beanbags. In the beginning, I was better at dropping them than catching them. I made a clearing in my living room and would practice to the music of Junior Brown until it drove my mother crazy. It was during those early months of my new-found obsession that I noticed the flyer for the Juggler’s Club posted inside the Armory. I’m sure my mother was thankful I had found a new venue where I could practice.

 Following the advice of the flyer, I found myself attending the Juggler’s Club as an eager novice. There I met Mark.  He graduated from the prestigious clown college and performed in circuses and on streets across America.  Among his many talents are juggling fire and performing hat manipulations—but his greatest talent is teaching others, like he did me. 

 As a beginner, I was eager to learn it all at once. Mark made a chart that documented my progress. This way, he made sure that I had mastered at least one trick before moving on to another.  Mark always said, “You have to do a trick ten times without a drop before trying it out on a live audience.” 

 Most of the time we would practice in the upper room of the Armory, but on nice days we would practice at the band shell in Baker Park.  There, Mark often took out his torches and juggled fire, attracting people like moths to a light.  His juggling performances were meant to demonstrate and inspire rather than to show-off, but you couldn’t help but be awed by his skill.

 Beyond technique, the most important thing Mark teaches is to “never give up.”  This lesson served me well throughout my life, whether I was struggling to do homework or in my juggling.  Mark’s clowning background was an asset.  He knew how to have fun and see the lighter side of life.  He taught us to take our drops in jest.  In his mind, every miss was an opportunity for comedic relief.

Frederick juggling club at Frederick Towne Mall

 The club was disbanded for a few years, so I kept on juggling by myself, honing my skills as I waited for the day when the juggling community would regroup. Finally, the club reformed and we began juggling in the Frederick Town Mall.  There I met Mark’s friend, and fellow clown-college graduate, Kevin Brown.  He taught me the subtle lessons of performing such as where to place your feet when taking a bow and timing.  Once, while giving me a few pointers on an act, he passed on something I will always remember: character and honesty come before skill.  I may not catch every throw, but if I can establish a rapport with my audience, hopefully my audience will like me as a person.

 While I had known Mark Lohr for many years as an instructor and friend, I never saw him perform.  When our club put together a show in the mall, I had a chance to finally see this master at work.  I learned some valuable lessons, even before his act started.  While backstage with Mark, we were talking and he was called to the stage.  He suddenly stopped talking and went into character.  The moment he passed through the curtains, he left his off-stage personality behind him.  Dressed in a suit and topped with a red hat, he commanded the audience’s attention with raised eyebrows and the thrust of a single finger into the air, as if he was trying to make a point.  He wore no makeup, but he didn’t need any because, like Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel before him, his face could morph into extreme expressions that turned him into a different character. The most inspiring part of Mark’s act was that he performed in silence.  As a deaf man, I struggled to perform without being able to talk to the audience. Mark showed me the power of non-verbal communication. 

 With the help of my sister, I developed a silent act for the stage.  Our first volunteer show was done at the University of Maryland’s Juggling Convention.  I was nervous, but somehow my juggling act went smoothly and ended with me catching five oranges in a hat.  Behind the curtains I had the chance to meet many other successful entertainers and the whole experience inspired me to pursue entertainment arts.

 Thought that delightful first throw was year ago, I still think there is still something magical about making objects dance effortlessly in the air.  It is a Zen experience. Juggling relieves stress and brings enchantment to our otherwise mundane world.  Mark gave me the gift of juggling, a gift that will last a lifetime and that I can share with others.  Whenever I pass the Armory, the band shell, Flights of Fancy, or the Frederick Town Mall, I am reminded of where my juggling journey all started—right here in downtown Frederick. 

A Note from the Editor-in-Chief

Posted by PatteeGorilla on Feb 1, 2012 in February/March 2012, Publishers' Note | 0 comments

Pattee Brown

What makes us different?

You know, it never ceases to amaze me when I hear of the variety of people who read the Frederick Gorilla cover-to-cover. It’s one thing to simply thumb through a local publication just to see if you know anyone in it, and then have it decorate your desk or coffee table until the next issue arrives. But it’s another thing entirely to cherish a magazine, carrying it with you until you’ve read every article.

Young people—from hipsters to college students—have told me this magazine speaks directly to them. At the same time, I have had CEO’s, business professionals, hip moms and grandparents likewise tell me they find the magazine’s content particularly engaging and relevant to their concerns.