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Social Media Innovation and Social Media Week Chicago

Social Media Innovation And Social Media Week Chicago

Over and over again the city of Chicago proves to be a leader in social media innovation. Both Groupon and Threadless could be the poster children for social media because both companies personify the term: the value of an item, idea, cause, etc. is placed in the hands of online users, not in the hands of big-box retailers.

When Threadless was started in 2000 it began with just $1,000 in seed money. Co-founders Jake Nickell and Jacob DeHart had a simple idea: let the online community design, vote, and buy apparel that was creatively submitted by its own users. They redefined consumerism by pushing away big label brands and acknowledging that creativity doesn’t always have to come from without more often than not it’s found from within.

That could be the theme of our city’s social media ventures, actually, because Chicago doesn’t need to look outside of its land to find entrepreneurs who are shaping today’s market through social media. Crowdspring is also a Chicago-based company that offers users the chance to pick and choose solutions from hundreds of designers. The money is shelled out to the one that you think did the best job.

Companies like 37 Signals, a web-based apps company that offers collaboration options, are why the excitement continues to grow for Social Media Week Chicago, September 19-23. Don’t be left on the sidelines while the world is tuning in to discover the unique role our city can play in the future of social media.

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