SproutBox cofounder Mike Trotzke has built his career around startups. This Q&A with Trotzke, who started his first company while attending Indiana University, is the first of a three-part “About the Founders” blog series. Covering everything from Bloomington babes to valuable startup advice, Trotzke makes his case to the tech world: “Why not Bloomington?”

What attracted you to Bloomington in the first place?

Girls. That’s actually the answer. I went on the campus tour and there were all these good-looking girls laying out in Dunn meadow and that’s how I got here.

I’m sure you’ve heard: “Culture drives innovation.” How would you describe SproutBox culture?

Bloomington culture is a big part of SproutBox culture. Bloomington has an incredibly walkable downtown and there are all kinds of tech companies along the B-line trail and the courthouse square. We are very laidback. We walk together to lunch most days and have a very close relationship with our tech neighbors.

When I was thinking of setting up this company, I looked at other towns, like Boulder and Austin, and from a cultural perspective, Bloomington has a very similar vibe. Those towns have incredible tech scenes, and I thought: why not Bloomington? I think a lot of people on the creative and development sides of what we do are attracted to towns like Bloomington.

What is Bloomington’s advantage over established startup meccas such as Silicon Valley?

Certainly, there’s an obvious cost advantage. I don’t think it’s just about that though. There are a lot of problems with the valley in terms of it being an ecochamber of people following a singular path to profitability, or lack thereof. We put a Midwestern spin on that thinking by focusing on revenue earlier in the startup process.

Coming to Bloomington to launch your startup is like coming to an oasis where you can be completely focused on the product. The last two sprouts we’ve launched were from California. They recognized that coming here and focusing solely on the product is extremely effective.

I don’t think Bloomington can be or should be Silicon Valley. It shouldn’t be the tech capital of the world. But I think Bloomington can be known as a startup hub: where you come to startup and maybe grow into another location later.

What role does the university play in making Bloomington an ideal location for startups?

We have a tight relationship with IU’s School of Informatics and Computing. We are their corporate sponsor and their dean is on our advisory board. Their program is the first of its kind in the state. The core concept is that technology isn’t an entity in itself. Studying technology and another discipline is far more useful.

We also have a good relationship with the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Kelley School of Business. It is a respected graduate program and they are a great resource for us as well.

What is your vision for Bloomington and the tech sector in the future?

The goal is to launch four companies a year. That’s 20 startup companies in Bloomington in the next five years. Some will stay, some will go, but it will have a permanent impact on the city. I’d love to see some of those companies thriving here in downtown. I’d love to see more conferences here as recurring events. I’d love to bring more people in to show what Bloomington has to offer startups.

Central Indiana is ranked first in the Midwest for employment growth in the high-tech sector. Why is it so important for the state to support and sustain this type of industry?

I think no one questions that the technology sector is by definition the future. It’s a focus on the future of how we live. Obviously, you do not ever want to fall behind in investment or in the interest of technology. As we struggle to figure out ways to have clean, high-paying jobs, the tech field is important in improving our ranking and position in that space.

Why is now a good time to get a web startup going?

There’s still in somewhat of a downturn, which I think is actually a great time to get a startup going. I think sometimes companies are overfunded, and a lot times I feel like companies raise too much capital and don’t have a revenue model set and bust. Not having enough pressure in the beginning can be a bad thing. I also think it’s a really convenient time because if you can survive right now, you’ll be in the position to dominate as the economy improves. And anyway, it’s always a good time to start a company.

What is the greatest challenge facing entrepreneurs today?

A lack of funding. Everyone is searching for funding. If you don’t have friends and family with money – not because of your idea or talents, but because of your background – it’s really difficult to get from idea stage to the actual product.

Senior engineering talent is another major asset. Building right the first time is difficult, and most companies go through that.

People also keep getting into these hit markets. By that I mean it’s like iPhone apps. One person started making a ton of money creating iPhone apps, and everyone thinks they can do that. So now there are thousands of people making iPhone apps and only a few good ones. It’s the same with facebook. There can’t be 12 facebooks. It’s a gold rush mentality, and I think it traps a lot of people who would be otherwise really talented.

What is the best advice you give entrepreneurs who come to SproutBox for help?

Limit the scope of your product in the first version. It’s really hard for entrepreneurs to do. They have this vision, and it’s big. They want to build this full product with all the features and they’re not completely wrong. The vision is right, but every idea changes. When you have an idea, you’re identifying a problem and the solution isn’t quite there yet. You have to build the product very simply, get it out there, listen to feedback, track behavior, focus on the metrics and adapt. Evolve your product based on what will generate the most revenue instead of what idea you had before releasing it. That’s not intuitive to most entrepreneurs and it wasn’t to me either.

Our recent partnership with StartUp Weekend is underway, and as promised, we will be making our rounds across the country to help early stage software companies become sustainable businesses.

Here is where we’re headed the next few weeks:

Startup Weekend, Washington D.C- Aug. 13-15
StartUp Weekend, San Diego- Aug. 20-22

StartUp Weekend is a challenge for web developers, marketing experts, business managers and graphic designers to form teams and build companies in a 54-hour period. It’s a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to come together to network with experts and make their ideas a reality. Teams can develop a concept, a demo or launch their finished product.

I will be attending these events, serving as a business mentor and  judging teams. I will also be speaking about the challenge of fundraising for new companies.

SocialDevCamp, Chicago- Aug. 13-15

SocialDevCamp is a weekend conference focused on how to utilize the social web. Hundreds of developers and enthusiasts come for talks on social applications, platforms, mobile applications and new media from those such as Andrew Mason of Groupon and Chriss Messina of Google. Developers can also compete in the Hackathon to develop and launch a new social app.

SproutBox is a sponsor and Mike Trotzke will be there to answer questions about SproutBox, development and board games.

MidVenturesLAUNCH, Chicago- Sept. 27-28

LAUNCH brings together venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and social media reps from across the Midwest to introduce new ideas to an audience of professionals. Over 800 entrepreneurs, techies and capitalists will be at the event. Companies who are ready to launch are provided the space, the targeted audience and three minutes to showcase their products. Startups compete for a panel of experts to see if their product reigns supreme.

LAUNCH will be held at the UIC forum. will be there to answer questions about SproutBox and see what great ideas entrepreneurs are coming up with.

Submission deadline is fast approaching, August 8^th to be exact. To help you understand what we’re all about, we turned to a former sprout and successful entrepreneur, James Kappan.

James is the founder of our fifth Sprout, Proposable. This subscription software makes creating, delivering and analyzing web-based sales proposals easy and efficient. Since his months in “the box,” James is successfully managing Proposable, and has a lot to say about how working with SproutBox has helped make his vision a reality.

What made you decide to work with SproutBox to launch Proposable?

Sproutbox offers to fund entrepreneurs based on the quality of the idea presented and the resourcefulness of the entrepreneur.

What was it like going through the application process and selection weekend?

The application process was surprisingly straightforward and fun. It helped me put some more “meat” around the idea I had been thinking about for so long. The weekend was cool, but sort of stressful as you are presenting your idea to a very top-notch group of investors and entrepreneurs. It was great meeting everyone and seeing that Bloomington is a cool town.

How do you feel SproutBox has helped your business in terms of development?

Sproutbox provided everything I needed to make Proposable a reality. From the intense planning sessions to the rapid code writing, the entire team did a stellar job of moving from the idea stage to the working site stage.

What was the atmosphere like in “the box?”

The best way I can describe the box is that it’s like your favorite uncle’s basement. Comfortable chairs, games, food and just enough distraction to make it feel like you’re not at “work”. It’s a great place for collaboration among the team.

How did the SproutBox team support you during the transition process?

They provided guidance and strategy right out of the gate. The transition process was the hardest part of the process, as you now have to actually make your idea make money. This was challenging at first, as the project needs time and development to become a stable platform.

What did you most benefit from working with SproutBox?

I think I benefited most from having so many minds to glean from. I tried to learn as much as I could from each person on the team. I realized the value in having others who think very differently from me.

What advice do you have for those who are interested in working with SproutBox?

Really understand and communicate what pain your idea solves. If you can effectively communicate the pain that your ideas solves, then your idea will sell itself.

If you would like to apply to be our next Sprout, applications are due August 8^th.

Apply at http://www.sproutbox.com/apply