'Apprentice' star gives advice on creativity, success in business

Entrepreneur and winner of reality TV show "The Apprentice" Bill Rancic said his mom knew he was an innovator when he was 10 years old.

During a weekend visit to his grandmother's house, she taught him how to make pancakes. Rancic said in his excitement over his new skill, he invited all of his grandmother's friends and neighbors over to the house for a pancake breakfast. But while cleaning up afterward, he found that most of his grandmother's friends had left him tips.

Rancic said he realized there was a business opportunity and decided to take it, an important lesson he would apply throughout his life. He continued hosting these events until his mom found all his tip money hidden in his bedroom.

"I had to 'fess up that I was running a make-shift restaurant at my grandmother's house," he said.

He spoke Monday as part of the 2013 Creative Speaker Series at Kirkwood Community College. The series is held in conjunction with Iowa's Creative Corridor, the regional branding effort.

He is the second to speak on innovation in the three-part series, which also included Jeff Tobe, a national speaker who touched on innovative problem solving. Author JoAnn Corley will discuss creative thinking June 10.

A Chicago native, Rancic worked his way through college. He decided he was ready to start his own business - a cigar-of-the-month club - while working at his first job.

However, his employers at the time didn't think he'd be successful in the new venture, adding that he could have his old job back - with a pay cut - when he failed.

"When you're an innovator, there's always going to be people who think you can't do it, and there's always going to be people who you have to prove wrong," he said.

But with  some creative thinking and risks, Rancic said he was able to grow his business. He saw the world was starting to change in the mid-1990s and adapted his marketing strategy, dropping the cigar-of-the month ideas and selling to casinos and resorts instead.

Adapting and being proactive in situations is a key to innovation, he said.

He eventually wound up at the casting call for NBC's reality TV show "The Apprentice," where he was given the last contestant spot. "I was actually an alternate, so I wasn't even the guy they picked last," he recalled.

After selling lemonade in the middle of Manhattan,  Rancic made his way through more complex and difficult challenges until he would become the final contestant.

"I realized that those who stuck around were the innovators, they adapted," he said.

Those that didn't were voted off.

About 200 from companies around the Corridor attended the Monday event. This is the first year Kirkwood has held the speaker series.

Amy Lasack, director of training and outreach at Kirkwood, said the community college and Vice President of Continuing Education and Training Services Kim Johnson have been involved with the Corridor's re-branding efforts from the beginning.

"Everything we do, we try to keep it in mind when implementing new programming," she said.

For more information or to register for the Create Speaker  Series, call 319-398-1022 or visit

www.kirkwood.edu/ce.