This is the presentation for Kurt Lange's Professionals' Night - an alumni lecture/networking event.

1. Entrepreneurship: its hurdles and rewards
Kurt Lange, Minn. ‘90
Co-founder of U.S. Internet
12 March 2012

2. Kurt Lange, Minn. ‘90
• In 1981, at the age of 11, I
discovered a strength in computer
programming on a TRS-80.
• Joined Alpha Delta Phi in 1988.
• Helped set up ADPhi’s first Network
and Internet connection.
• Left the University in 1991 to work in
IT.

3. So what did I accomplish as
an entrepreneur after leaving
the University?

4. Most notable/notorious
achievement
• The opportunity: a 10 year contract with a major metropolitan area for
as one of the first cities to introduce Wireless Internet citywide.
• The competition - Earthlink, a company far larger than US Internet.
• Why did Minneapolis choose US Internet?
• Why did Minneapolis work and other city Wifi systems failed?
• Duplicable - Riverside CA
• Other discussion:
– What was it built to do?
– To service who/what?
– Bridge collapse

5. Eke’d out a small piece
• Survived since 1995, almost 16 years!
• Achieved double digit growth each year, through multiple recessions
• Evolved! Not just dialup anymore …
– Securence – Anything w/ an Email
– Ravon VoIP
– USIW
– ClearRack
• Big Markets with room for multiple players
• What is Next? FTTx

6. Where we are today
• US Internet’s still not a household
name and proud of it! 
• Customers on 5 Continents.
Employee’s in 3 Countries, 4 States
• We have a worldwide presence with
co-location in Minneapolis,
Milwaukee, London and Sydney
• We’re in demand: even empty server
rack space is purchased by
companies to secure a highly sought
after spot with U.S. Internet.
Server Success: Kurt Lange stands inside server housings
with partners Joe Caldwell and Travis Carter.
Photo credit: MSP Business Journal.

7. Open Discussion:
Does everyone want to be an
Entrepreneur?
• Sometimes I think so …
• Entrepreneur v. Doctors, Lawyers and Such
• Failure is acceptable!
• Your idea’s the most important element.

8. Failure!
• Why isn’t failure bad!
• Ours; Netlifestyles, Webunique, zStorage, others…
• Apple Computer, NeXT Computers, Pixar & Apple Again
• Colonel Sanders started out as an entrepreneur at the age of 66. He
took this business idea to different restaurants and he was turned down
over a 1,000 times.
• Larry Ellison dropped out of college twice; and bounced from job to job
without a direction. His adopted father told him that he would not
amount to anything in life. But Larry Ellison started Oracle from
scratch and went on to become one of the richest drop out
billionaires in the world and this is what he has to say about it.

9. Entrepreneurial Failure
• Not Starting!
• Risk Aversion. Player v. Gambler
• Drinking your own Kool-Aid
• Failing to Market
• Lack of Enthusiasm, Focus, Integrity
• What’s missing?
• Other discussion: Under funded, Poor leadership,
Planning

10. A New Breed of
Entrepreneurs
• The technology boom has created a new breed of
entrepreneurs & investors.
• While many practices are the same, this new breed
does have some advantages.
• Advantages you have: Credibility, Ideas, Money
• So what does it take? Is there a secret to success?

11. If you want it: DO IT!

12. Questions?
Connect with Brother Lange
online on LinkedIn

13. Other info
• http://under30ceo.com/why-business-failure-is-vital-to-success/
• "Failure is just a resting place. It is an opportunity to begin again
more intelligently." – Henry Ford
• "I have not failed. I have just found 10,000 ways that won't work." –
Thomas Edison
• Books: How to Win friends and Influence People, Good to Great, Blink

14. Thank You!
Kurt Lange, Minn. ‘90
Co-founder of U.S. Internet
12 March 2012