tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75283982266130732232024-03-12T18:22:33.442-07:00student ventures at riderThis site enables students participating in the Rider Student Venture Experience program to post blogs about their student venture.sve at riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02952373478071367537noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-7144168314634649652013-09-10T12:55:00.001-07:002013-09-10T12:55:56.906-07:00<h1 align="center" style="margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Small Business Institute®</span></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Student Team Spotlight: </span></span></h1>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Rider University</span></span></h1>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Rider University has been a member of the Small Business Institute® (SBI) and has been running an active SBI program for almost 20 years. Rider's SBI has helped hundreds of area small businesses/organizations by sending them student teams to work as outside consultants over a semester. This student spotlight focuses on one of these teams.<br /><br />In August of 2012, Spruce Industries, located in Rahway NJ, engaged Rider University’s SBI to learn how a newly developed janitorial efficiency software program could be marketed. Spruce Industries specializes in janitorial supplies, with private labels focusing on environmentally conscious cleaning products. The purpose of the SBI project was to offer Spruce a marketing plan for this software to effectively expand Spruce’s existing market and potentially infiltrate new markets.</span></span><br />
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<b style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jeremy Hopewell</b></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">By participating in the SBI program, I was able to get a first-hand experience of what it means to work as an actual consultant, and developed step by step, executable guidelines on the subject. From a career perspective, I realized that no matter what industry you are dealing with, there are certain innate business and creative ideas that can be transferred to just about anything. I knew nothing about the janitorial market, but I was able to use knowledge I've had from other experiences to deal with the client's problems at hand. When the SBI project was completed, I felt a huge sense of accomplishment as the scope of the project was unlike anything I had ever participated in, from an academic perspective. It is truly a unique academic experience.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Brian Janovsky</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The SBI project gave me a real world consulting experience that no classroom experience could duplicate. It strengthened my teamwork, research, analytical, and presentation capabilities by interfacing with a real business owner whose company would be impacted by our findings and analysis. The project allowed me to use the knowledge learned in the classroom and from my career experience to reach collaborative decisions and recommendations with fellow team members. Overall, the SBI project has given me a positive experience that has greatly impacted my career development.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Kimberley Cook</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Working on the Small Business Institute® project was an incredible experience for me. In my experience as a corporate trainer, I found that project-based learning gives trainees an opportunity to apply what they have learned solving authentic problems as well as build teamwork skills. The SBI project provided me the same benefits. However I have never experienced such a cohesive, supportive, and successful team dynamic. The project was engaging, our faculty mentor was supportive and extremely knowledgeable, and our team members worked together to deliver the best result for our client. From a learning perspective, I was able to develop a better understanding of core business concepts, learn more about the client’s industry and contract bidding then I ever thought possible, and gained confidence in my skills and abilities. From a personal perspective, I feel that this project and this team set the standard for my academic career.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Matthew Nowlin</b></span></div>
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The consulting project benefited me the most from a management perspective. Coordinating team efforts, working collaboratively, and managing deliverables was critical to the success of the project; and these skills translated directly to project management in my professional work. Additionally, working with a company and industry with which I am unfamiliar helped me learn how to adapt my work approach and remain flexible when gathering project requirements and assessing expectations. Finally, given the impact Hurricane Sandy had on our project’s timeline, I was able to enhance my ability to overcome obstacles and reprioritize tasks.</span></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Summary:</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">
As you can tell from the students’ stories, the SBI class was one of the most
meaningful college experiences they had as well as allowed them to grow
professionally. The skills and experiences gained –
whether in project management, team dynamics, critical thinking, analytical
ability, presentation, etc. – will help these students for the rest of their
careers. Further, the real life impact of what they did is best summed up
by the client’s evaluation when he said: “I think the overall quality and
analysis of this consulting team was one of the best. We gave them a
really difficult task and the research and analysis that they did was
terrific.” Rider University has been a member of the Small Business
Institute® (SBI) and has been running an active SBI program for almost 20
years. Rider's SBI has helped hundreds of area small
businesses/organizations by sending them student teams to work as outside
consultants over a semester. This student spotlight focuses on one of
these teams.</span><br />
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sve at riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02952373478071367537noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-36749338205133601992012-05-03T07:18:00.000-07:002012-05-03T07:18:13.469-07:00RP venture blog post 3<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Relevante Productions – blog 3<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Risks associated with Relevante Productions
include creative differences with artists and faulty equipment. In case of disagreement
the project will be discontinued. Another risk is failure of equipment. If any
or all of the equipment fails due to electrical outages, then the process will
be placed on hold. Lack of interest from artists poses a high risk because the
greatness of service will be in vain if there are no artists to visit RP and
record. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Along
with risks, there are many opportunities. Positive reviews will help to
increase business popularity. Customers pleased with service may be willing to
pay more than what I ask.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 200%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have learned a lot through this
project and took the opportunity to interview some great people in the music
industry. However, I am primarily an artist. Being a producer is secondary. I
took up the role of audio production to become more familiar with what
professionals must do. The same concept goes with the business side of the
music industry. I am glad to have researched <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the music industry so that I have a better idea on what it
means to be successful in this field of interest. Overall, this business is one
that I am definitely interested in earning money from because music is what I
love to do. If audio production doesn’t work out, then I have other creative
outlets to refer to that will help to keep my grounded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->sve at riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02952373478071367537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-86560169463046500922012-04-22T06:24:00.002-07:002012-04-22T06:24:09.223-07:00More about RP<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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To continue about Relevante
Productions, my venture can outperform competitors through price and service.
RP charges for prices that are half of what traditional studios charge. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ultimately, any firm’s success, whether
it’s a band or recording studio, depends on marketing. Specifically, it is the
use of social networks, e-mail, and phone calls that will determine how well
this business will do. Also, my interest in diverse genres will attract a large
number of artists. This presents the idea of collaborations amongst one
another. RP has the potential for becoming a networking center for diverse musicians.
I fully embrace musical creativity and innovation, so if new genres can be
created, then it would be great if it started here at Relevante Productions. </div>
<!--EndFragment-->sve at riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02952373478071367537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-90300431461129585862012-04-15T18:13:00.001-07:002012-04-22T06:20:12.131-07:00Relevante Productions<br />
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<b>Relevante Productions: Blogspot 1<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Relevante Productions is a home
recording studio service. It specializes in the following genres: Rock/Metal,
Orchestral, New Age, Hip-Hop, and Pop. I’ve been a musician for 10 years
(Guitar: 10, Piano: 5). I’ve been in a handful of bands and collaborations where
I take on the dual role of guitarist and the one who records all the band
members. I’ve used an 8 track recorder for four years and recently upgraded to
an audio interface and recording software within the past year. Recording and producing
songs requires a great amount of time management and data organization. I’m
able to make time for both of these tasks. Also, I have friends who share the
same dreams of showcasing original music to the public, so providing a service
is the least I can do to help them towards their own goals. The biggest
challenge in this project is making contacts. Not only did I learn this from
personal experience, but I also interviewed those with solid positions in the
music industry (touring musician and engineer/producer). A great deal of
scheduling needs to be made. In the past year, I have been working with an
r&b singer/rap artist who visits my home studio on a week to monthly-basis
to record and co-monitor the mixing/mastering process. In the summer, I plan to
audition for a band as their lead guitarist. If I obtain the position, I will
serve as both a musician and producer. In terms of mixing and mastering, I will
have the majority of creative control. However, I am open to constructive criticism
from the band members and solo artists. All of the produced songs will be under
the signature of “Relevante Productions.” People may hear these songs on the
following links: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/relevanteproductions">Youtube</a>,
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Relevante-Productions/131532683621177">Facebook</a>,
<a href="http://soundcloud.com/Edgar-J-Relevante">SoundCloud</a>, and <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/relevantemusic">Twitter</a>. Overall, this project
not only serves as business challenge, but also in an artistic perspective.
Given the various genres that I’m willing to specialize in, I must be able to
evenly distribute my time and energy for each individual project.</div>sve at riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02952373478071367537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-38485500671013712232012-04-12T12:22:00.001-07:002012-04-12T12:22:09.787-07:00sve at riderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02952373478071367537noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-89304167246303917422011-05-30T21:50:00.001-07:002011-05-30T21:50:50.536-07:00Yourekas Business Model<style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Times New Roman"; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-parent:""; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:.5in">So why do I think Yourekas has an opportunity to outperform its competitors?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I think that the current video-making websites all have their flaws, and that the best methods of creating user-generated videos in use today can be improved upon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Basically, Yourekas will compete with competitors using two types of business models.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One consists of big companies that use search engine algorithms to find popular topics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then, they project a value for the ad revenue from a video on that topic, and pay filmmakers to make a video about the topic for a sum of money less than the expected value.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The payment is usually something like $50, and the filmmakers can make as many films as they like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The other business model is to get big companies to post a reward of several thousand dollars for a contest in which anyone can submit a video.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The company then picks their favorite, and gives the money to the winner after the website takes a cut of it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Like I said, both have their flaws.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The first model fails to create enough incentive to make quality videos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They are often full of superficial content, lack important content and are far from entertaining.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This method fails to utilize one of the Internet’s most valuable characteristics: the ability to make a video go viral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Also, Google recently announced that it is changing its search algorithm to punish so-called “content farms” that simply publish as much content as possible without much regard for quality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The second model does save companies money by getting amateurs or small studios to do what big, professional studios did before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>However, they still rely on an individual or team with limited capabilities and resources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Also, some of them have all-or-nothing payouts in which a contestant can submit a remarkable video, and not receive a dime for it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The Yourekas model is supposed to improve on these limitations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>First, users will submit yourekas, which are original ideas about how to use products in ways most people are not familiar with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These will be screened by me, but only to remove submissions that don’t have enough content.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then, the person who submitted the youreka will be responsible for make contests need to create an entertaining how-to video of the youreka.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These contests will be for things like music, illustrations, graphics, and acting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Users will submit works to be considered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The user running the contests will select a few favorites, and then let put them up for a vote by the public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Think of this stage like American Idol where judges pick the contestants who go to Hollywood, and then let the audience vote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The user running the contest will then have the choice to go with the crowd’s selection or pick his own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Think of this stage like the lifeline in Who Wants to be a Millionaire, in which the contestant can pick the choice the crowd thinks is the answer or go with his gut feeling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Finally, the winners of each contest collaborate to make the video and share the revenue, with Yourekas taking a cut. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>I did not come up with this method out of the blue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is the result of several iterations and makes use of a concept I learned while getting my MBA at Rider.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is a derivative of the method for coming up with solutions to problems called nominal group technique.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Basically, employees are told of a problem before a meeting and asked to come up with solutions to present at the meeting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>After all the potential solutions are presented, all of the employees discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each idea, and then rank them. Nominal group technique has been shown to work better than brainstorming in coming up with effective solutions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I learned about it in both of my Organizational Behavior classes, and had the chance to discuss how it relates to Yourekas with one professor, Dr. Promislo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We discussed how crowdsourcing can increase the creativity of the films, but how each project still needs a leader to guide the process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>There are a few reasons why I like the Yourekas method.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>One, artists can specialize in what they do best and only focus on that one task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In the other methods, an artist in a small team may have to fill gaps in the team’s abilities and work on something that their heart is not into.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Two, artists don’t have to create something entirely new for each contest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They can submit something from their portfolio, and then explain how something like it can be used for that particular video.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This means that they don’t have to risk putting out a lot of effort without winning anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They only have to work on the project once they know they have won the contest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This reduces their risk compared to other methods.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Three, once they have won the contest, the artists can work on the project as much or as little as they want because there is no set reward.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The artists earn a share of the ad revenue, meaning that Yourekas is more of a meritocracy in which the money users make should correlate more with their effort than it does at other sites.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Four, this method creates virtual teams, unlike other sites that mostly rely on one individual or studio to make the video.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This should lead to more creativity and better quality videos because the talent pool is bigger and more diverse. </p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01880392624644917570noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-38962132080819363512011-02-21T08:28:00.000-08:002011-02-21T08:31:53.695-08:00First post about Yourekas, Inc<style>@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal">I had the original, basic idea of Yourekas over two years ago.<span style=""> </span>I debated with my self whether it could be profitable or not so I decided to investigate.<span style=""> </span>I read several books, including Wikinomics, Groundswell, E-preneur, The 4-Hour Workweek, and How to Start an E-Commerce Business in a Week, and several articles online.<span style=""> </span>Some insights from these sources, and my growing frustration with my current job as a chemist lead me to take a few low cost steps to get the ball rolling.<span style=""> </span>On 1/16/09 I bought the yourekas.com domain name for about $20.<span style=""> </span>At first, I actually tried to buy youreka.com (without the “s”), but some blokes in England owned it.<span style=""> </span>I offered them $200, and they still wouldn’t sell.<span style=""> </span>This first step ended up being indicative of almost everyone other step I’ve taken since; almost every one of my first choices ultimately were not possible or had a major disadvantage, and diligence or creativity lead me to a better choice.<span style=""> </span>At the time of this writing, there is no website at youreka.com.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I proceeded to start a Ning account – at the time it was free.<span style=""> </span>It had all of the social networking features I needed, and an API that developers could use to create what I needed that it didn’t have.<span style=""> </span>My initial search for developers was fruitless.<span style=""> </span>They were either too expensive, or didn’t have the required skills.<span style=""> </span>Some stopped responding to my emails after I went into more detail about what I wanted.<span style=""> </span>Finally, Ning launched a website for Ning account creators to meet third party developers with Ning experience.<span style=""> </span>I noticed that one company, Sympho Networks, was networking much more than any of the other developers and they seemed to know what they were doing.<span style=""> </span>I told them my idea and they gave me a reasonable quote.<span style=""> </span>I started to think more critically about what I needed so I could have them develop all of the basic functionality at once.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">And then I got laid off.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Losing my job made it much harder to justify spending money on a high-risk project.<span style=""> </span>In the summer of 2010, though, I decided to do an independent study at Rider University to determine once and for all if it was still worth it to invest in Yourekas.<span style=""> </span>In writing the business plan, I found that it was.<span style=""> </span>Several competitors were doing something similar things, but I felt they were still missing the mark.<span style=""> </span>I found that a famous blogger and software engineer, Guy Kawasaki, had done an experiment to see how cheaply he could make a popular, profitable website (http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2007/06/by_the_numbers_.html#axzz1CYVCqERx).<span style=""> </span>His start up costs were about $12,000, which is what I was willing to spend, and the site was bought by a larger company.<span style=""> </span>I also read many articles about online collaboration, and felt that Yourekas was the next logical step in even though nothing quite like it had been created.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">In July 2010, I paid Ning about $500 for a Ning Pro account.<span style=""> </span>In August, I incorporated Yourekas, Inc. for $500, opened a bank account for the company, and told Sympho I’d be moving forward with the project.<span style=""> </span>The delay gave me the opportunity to ask them more questions, which helped me gain more trust in them.<span style=""> </span>This was important since they are located in the Philippines, and I will be sending the greatest portion of the project’s startup expenses to people I could never meet in person.<span style=""> </span>In November, I sent them my first payment of $2600.<span style=""> </span>They are currently still working on the first part of the project, and they send me updates regularly.<span style=""> </span>It’s important to point out that I will be paying them much more that estimated in the business plan.<span style=""> </span>I was not able to use the Box.net application for free like I thought I would, so they will be building a custom application in its place.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Recently, I have been doing what I can to get things in order for when the site is done.<span style=""> </span>I read in Entrepreneur Magazine about a law firm’s promotional offer of free legal services to tech startups.<span style=""> </span>They determined I was a good fit, and agreed to write my terms of service, as well as provide a few other services.<span style=""> </span>They also advised me that I’d be better offer converting the S-Corp to a Delaware C-Corp to make it easier for venture capitalists to buy stock.<span style=""> </span>I estimate I will save about $3000 by using their “Tech Law Project.”<span style=""> </span>I do not have to use their services in the future, but I do plan to since they have helped me out so much.<span style=""> </span>The law firm mentioned in the business plan will no longer be used.<span style=""> </span>Also, I set up a Google Analytics account and have been creating custom reports to easily enter information into a spreadsheet of metrics I am creating.<span style=""> </span>The idea is to combine data from financial worksheets, web analytics and my marketing funnel to find which media provide the highest advertising return, which parts of the site need the most improvement, and what features users like the best and lead to the most sales.<span style=""> </span>I won’t be able to complete the custom reports and the metrics sheet until the website is complete.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Most recently, I received a quote from Rue Insurance, and it was much higher than the estimated insurance expense in my business plan of $200/year.<span style=""> </span>The Rue quote had general liability at $500, workers compensation at $369, and NetProtect Essential, the insurance that would protect the actual site, at about $2000.<span style=""> </span>Currently, I don’t think I will really need general liability because all of my equipment is my personal equipment in my home, and I don’t plan on hiring employees so I won’t pay workers compensation.<span style=""> </span>I will pay the $2000 to protect the site, especially since Guy Kawasaki’s site was hacked in the first week (his site was instantly popular because of his fame and probably presented quite an entertaining challenge to hackers – a problem I don’t anticipate having immediately).</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I have also begun to work on the tutorial video that will be placed on every page of the website to show visitors how to use the site, and will be used as an advertisement on Youtube.<span style=""> </span>This video will go through an example of a youreka, and I think my idea for the tutorial is really interesting – interesting enough that when people see the video they will share it with friends.<span style=""> </span>Basically, I plan to make a video of how a motion sensor, something called Airport Express, and software can be used to turn on music from your computer when you walk in a room.<span style=""> </span>I have ordered all of the parts.<span style=""> </span>When they come I will see if I can get it all to work.<span style=""> </span>The next step will be sending a script to Indie Frame Films so they can give me a quote and then start to make it.<span style=""> </span>This project must also wait until the site is built before it can be completed because it will show how the site is used.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">So far I have gotten everything that I want within my budget, but it has taken much longer than expected.<span style=""> </span>I am anxiously awaiting the completion of the site so I can see if the first version that Sympho comes up with does everything I need it to do.<span style=""> </span>I am also worried that my tutorial idea will not work.<span style=""> </span>It is by far the best idea I’ve had for a youreka yet.<span style=""> </span>It is something that knowledgeable people at Best Buy and the Apple Store couldn’t figure out how to do yet has widespread appeal, sets the standard for quality on the site, and is simple enough that people will immediately see what the site is all about and get really excited about it.<span style=""> </span>I have minor concerns about the design of the site’s graphics, and the fact that the site will have to attract various kinds of artists to be truly collaborative.<span style=""> </span>Sympho Networks gave me a free site design because the project is so big.<span style=""> </span>I’m not sure if they are done the design, but right now it is not what I’m looking for.<span style=""> </span>As far as advertising goes, if I spend a good deal of money and it doesn’t attract enough users, I could be in real trouble.<span style=""> </span>I will start with as much free advertising as possible, then go to Youtube, and see where it takes me.<span style=""> </span>Maybe the data from Google Analytics will show where some visitors are coming from and present new marketing opportunities.</p>Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01880392624644917570noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-14358419904671067242010-05-05T09:05:00.000-07:002010-05-05T09:24:27.261-07:00Conclusion of MCCMCC over the past semester has seen many changes and new ideas from the original business plan. While the venture wasn't able to be officially launched due to timing of all components coming together at the end of the semester. The future of My College Cabana is a bright one, this venture will be something I will be manipulating in the summer to perfect for the fall of 2010. We will still be in the Mercer County area and the colleges/universities its home too.<br /><br /><blockquote>"<span style="font-style:italic;">The story of the entrepreneur… is the story of forward progress, of pursuing one's dreams and goals no matter how outlandish they seem to others. The entrepreneur, like the pioneer, pushes boundaries in search of what's new, what's next. Sometimes, he brings the whole society with him, rushing forward together into a next phase of our communal human life."- Sam Wyly</span></blockquote> <br /><br />Through my experience in SVE at Rider I was able to experience life as an entrepreneur dealing with barriers and breaks for growth. While in the beginning dealing with vendors was challenging before the end of semester we were able to sign 5 and create alot of interest. The timing of the end of the semester made our time line cut short. <br /><br />In the future we will be looking to not only offer members discounts but also provide low cost quality college dorm furnishings and merchandise. Over the summer we will be actively looking for expanding our profile diversification. We hope to offer our customers a one-stop-shop for our customers in the future for all there dorm and college needs.<br /><br />The business is growing and for updated news please visit our website at www.mycollegecabana.com, and we invite you to join our facebook, twitter, and blog pages. Look forward to doing business with you in the future.<br />-Jack KingUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-59298213206668699582010-05-05T09:02:00.000-07:002010-05-05T09:25:16.038-07:00MCC SVE Video ProjectA senior at Monclair State University produced a video regarding the venture of My College Cabana. The video highlights the features and benefits in becoming a member.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3Gw2hJNJ5AM&hl=en_US&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3Gw2hJNJ5AM&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-39370895444563487642010-04-26T11:13:00.000-07:002010-04-26T11:14:34.531-07:00New look<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CJACKLA%7E1%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceType"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="PlaceName"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"></o:smarttagtype><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><object classid="clsid:38481807-CA0E-42D2-BF39-B33AF135CC4D" id="ieooui"></object> <style> st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } </style> <![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">With the end of the semester coming to a close My College Cabana is in the planning stage for the summer and next fall. For the fall 2010 we are looking into electronic loyalty cards that can track your purchases so you can receive coupons from the places you visit. Also you will receive gear and gift certificates from our vendors. A new feature when we launch will be an online store that will be the one stop shop for college gear. No longer do you have to shop all over at 15 different stores to get all your college gear at a reasonable price. College students will be able to go online and also develop a wish list that they can email to someone if there low on funds(we know how that is). Our video for <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">Montclair</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">State</st1:placetype></st1:place> is in the works and is looking very good. This will serve as our first ad for the website. Make sure to visit us online at <a href="http://www.mycollegecabana.com/">www.mycollegecabana.com</a> to find out was currently going on.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">-Jack
<br /></p> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-43193888639127168712010-03-29T15:24:00.000-07:002010-03-29T15:30:17.160-07:00My College Cabana UpdateWe decided to expand our business to online businesses in an effort to give a variety of discounts to our customers. In the last week of contacting businesses we were able to obtain partnerships with 5 businesses. These companies include:<br /><br />Bustedtees.com a college t shirt companie<br />TwinXL.com which is a college bedding website<br />SouthSmoke.com which offers a variety of hookah products<br />dormco.com has a variety of items for "dressing up your dorm"<br />Epicnicbasket.com selling picnic & tailgate supplies<br /><br />Our online business partnerships will be the start and we will now be focusing on our local restaurants and bars in Mercer County.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-88380985728735693352010-03-25T10:35:00.000-07:002010-03-25T10:44:35.926-07:00My College Cabana Update<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkSrkS-1xG45dE05s4xsbEbKuz3qK5a8Ni5eVYhmbFz7p-cT9erxdiaamYP5pite7RKiNlNnYH3-kerGMEneCbeDraG9ztg21hPvJHGb_E6h0oqUf6RQW-51Dn87V1_6kPg1mPul2mnKw/s1600/Mycollegecabana.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkSrkS-1xG45dE05s4xsbEbKuz3qK5a8Ni5eVYhmbFz7p-cT9erxdiaamYP5pite7RKiNlNnYH3-kerGMEneCbeDraG9ztg21hPvJHGb_E6h0oqUf6RQW-51Dn87V1_6kPg1mPul2mnKw/s320/Mycollegecabana.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452628544111268322" border="0" /></a><br />My College Cabana is a discount card membership program exclusively for college students. Currently we are starting our venture out in Mercer County, New Jersey with four colleges its a great network of schools. Our program currently works were local bars and restaurants partner with us and offer a preset discount for a certain day. We than sell the cards to local college students who are looking to save some money when going out to eat or drink. The student than visits our website MyCollegeCabana.com were they can see what discounts are available that day to optimize the use of there card. When they visit the venue all they have to do is flash the card with there school id and they recieve an instant discount. The card pass for itself with only two visits to venues.<br />We currently are in the stage of creating an extensive venue list and hope to achieve this soon so we get a test up by the end of the semester. The website is fully functional and really is a great "home base" for the business.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-6338857559163210772008-06-27T11:10:00.000-07:002008-06-27T11:15:44.646-07:00Blast from the Past - SportsFanBase.com Update!Yes, that's right - Ari Bluestein is back on the SVE Blog! HA ... I wanted to give everyone a quick update on SportsFanBase.com, my interactive online community for sports fans that I started while in the SVE program at Rider.<br /><br />The site actually had to get shut down temporarily because it was hacked. But we refreshed the database, switched servers, and now it is back and up and running. Advertising revenue is still a little slow right now and I am still trying to get the deal with the Philadelphia 76ers going. I provided them with a sample page as to what we can give them and they replied with ‘thank you’ – So we’ll see what they say. If I get the 76ers deal, Sports Fan Base will be exactly where I want it to be.<br /><br />Also, on another note, have been doing sports analysis on the radio with the Sports Journey Radio Network – I got that gig thru Sports Fan Base. Well now I host my own show Monday thru Friday from 10AM-12PM EST. Here is the link - <a href="http://sjrn.ezstream.com/broadcasts/index.cfm?fuseaction=usrbrd&broadcasterid=54617">http://sjrn.ezstream.com/broadcasts/index.cfm?fuseaction=usrbrd&broadcasterid=54617</a><br /><br />You can listen to it live, or you can listed to the archives. The show is called The Other Side (and of course is sponsored by SportsFanBase.com, ha!) and after the first week of doing the show, I feel pretty comfortable hosting my own show.<br /><br />Also, I will be co-hosting a live remote sports talk show with Philadelphia Eagles players at a bar in Bristol, PA every other Thursday. That starts in August.<br /><br />Plus, there are a couple new developments with Sports Fan Base.com. I am looking into developing an online sports magazine. So if that goes through, I will come back and write a Blog about that.<br /><br />So please listen to my sports talk radio show if you can. Again, if it wasn't for Sports Fan Base (and hence, if it wasn't for Rider's SVE program), I would not have gotten the radio gig that I have now.<br /><br />As I get more updated with the 76ers deal, my new radio career and the online magazine, I will post some more updates!Ari Bluehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15053330980705347068noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-6416923547530641202008-05-04T20:41:00.000-07:002008-05-04T21:46:33.580-07:00Final Update for Garden Artisans LLCThe past three months have definitely been interesting while running my business and taking the SVE course. Since Garden Artisans was formed in April of 2007 my project was done on the expansion of my business. At first I was a little disappointed in the progress we made over the past year, but then I started to look back at what we were doing this time last year. Some of our problems this time last year were as simple as creating an invoice, getting a corp code, and business insurance. This year our problems are much larger and more complex and I can only laugh at what I thought was a problem last year. Our most current problem is having too much work, which is a good problem to have in business. Right now we are booked into July and there are no signs of an economic recession in the landscaping industry. We still cannot find a truck driver, but we do have three prospects right now to fill the position, so hopefully one will work out. We are also starting to sell more of our technical services, which is leading to the need for a skilled foreman on our job sites. We just made our biggest sale ever, which consists of a raised terrace and patio with plantings to compliment it. Early in the year, back in January we were debating on how much to invest in new equipment and how many employees to hire because of the possible recession and not wanting to overextend ourselves financially. We ended up taking a conservative step this year, but are now starting to regret it with the amount of clients and work we have. That's what keeps running your business so interesting though is the unknown. The most exciting part for me is looking back at how much our business has grown while full time students. I can't wait to see what we can do when the business is our main focus.Dan Jamethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995801206094477202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-53763681319250681062008-04-24T10:46:00.000-07:002008-04-24T10:51:39.353-07:00Final Blog Update on Push-StartThis is the last post for the semester on Push-Start. This semester has been highly valuable in teaching me what is needed to start a venture and not to underestimate the amount of work and effort needed to get something off the ground. In this semester I started two blogs, Grab Your Controller and Push-Start. Between GYC and Push-Start they have developed into two different beings and mentalities. GYC represents the way too technical aspects I didn't want to get into and did anyway since I was working with a friend. Push-Start is my own controlled blog where I made all the decisions and decided to take a different stance then the one used with GYC. Unfortunately I will not be working on GYC as it is officially dead. Push-Start will be put on hold because I need to focus all my attention on my job as Marketing Manager for the comic book company, Dabel Brothers Publishing. I will be revisiting Push-Start in 6 months or more when I have a chance to really sit down and focus on getting it where I would like to be. That being having a team of people who will be working with me, being able to cover more games and be able to branch out into not only video games but comics, movies, etc. Its been a good semester and really valued one especially with this course. :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-91991290387185736622008-04-21T08:49:00.000-07:002008-04-21T09:17:36.210-07:00Garden Artisans LLCIt has been a while since I posted, so I will try to bring everyone up to speed with that latest on Garden Artisans. My brother and I decided to hold off on the SBA loan and take more of a conservative step this year since we are both still in school. Two out of our three employees came back from last year, which was positive so we could avoid the whole training process. Our number one priority for this year was to hire a truck driver. Since our biggest flaw last year was my brother or I having to drive the crew around and not having time to do all of the other important business activities such as estimating and selling. We hired a driver for three days, but then our insurance broker ran his driving record and found that it was not good, so our insurance company would not cover him, so the search for a driver continues. We were able to secure about 90% of our maintenance and lawn contracts from last year, so that has given us a solid start to the year. We have also been getting many new leads on potential clients and have been able to lock in a good amount of new work. Our basic advertising approach of passing out flyer's in residential neighborhoods was very effective. We are starting to feel over whelmed with the amount of estimates and work we are securing. We are also starting to land some larger more technical projects that are taking taking much more time to estimate and finalize. We have been having conflicts with obtaining permits and working with other contractors. We have sold a design and installation for a pool area, pond & waterfall, blue stone patio, and seat walls, which is exciting, but stressful. Currently we have three employees, but still no truck driver. Our biggest problem is getting these larger projects complete while keeping up with our regular maintenance contracts. Running your own business is definitely not a 9 to 5 it is more like a 7A.M. to sometimes midnight.Dan Jamethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995801206094477202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-29859752643597025542008-04-13T08:17:00.000-07:002008-04-13T08:22:17.422-07:00Push-Start UpdateHey everyone, I officially launched Push-Start on April 1st. I have only been posting on there once a day at the end of the day so I can sum up the day of news. Last two weeks have been kind of hectic with graduation coming up and papers and planning for a convention with the company i work for. So its been hard to keep my site updated. I look forward to hopefully being able to do so once all the craziness dies down and I have time to breathe. :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-2741335232596765812008-04-06T16:10:00.000-07:002008-04-06T16:38:36.955-07:00The New Move - Fashion At Its BestThe month of March proved to be and experimental month, yielding great rewards. In addition to selling my usual litany of couture items, I ventured into selling used items that were in mint condition. These items, are items of little to no sentimental value. The idea popped into my mind after searching throughout eBay looking for any new trends in the fashion market. I noticed that there were many items that were selling for large amounts that were marked as used. This gave me an idea. I figured that if I was able to find used items that I could sell, I could use the profits from these items to put back into my business. I happened to stumble across a few items in my wifes closet that I knew would sell for a pretty penny. Since she is now an avid collector of <em>Coach</em> bags, I noticed that she no longer used her <em>Dooney & Bourke</em> handbags, allowing them to collect dust on the shelves. After searching eBay to examine what used sales for this bag looked like, I saw some pretty intriguing figures. Thus, I quickly listed two of the bags. They both sold for about $90!!! In addition, I was able to utilize a promotional sale on eBay ( $.01 listing fees) to decrease my overhead. Thanks to the success of these items, I can now use these profits to got towards purchasing more inventory. Another experiment that I embarked upon came to me after doing research and a subsequent report on eBay Powersellers (Elite eBay sellers that have reputable reputations, yield high selling amounts, and behave exemplary within the eBay community). I noticed that eBay Powersellers who were selling similar items that I was, were selling these items for a lot more. I hypothesized that because of the highly esteemed Powerseller status, buyers felt more comfortable buying from sellers within the ranks of this exclusive tier. My hypothesis proved to be right on target. I purchased a pair of jeans (<em>Rock & Republic</em>) and gave them to a business aquaintance of mine that attends Rowan University. He recently attained powerseller status, and has subsequently saw an increase in his selling profits. These jeans, that I usually sell on average for about $85 sold for $124, a very significant increase. Because we frequently do business together, I received the cash from this transaction, only paying for the listing fees that he incurred in reference to the jeans. This strengthened my resolve to swiftly move into the Powerseller ranks!!! In other news, I have really started to see the effects of eBay raising their final value fee prices. The jump, from taking 5% of your final selling price to a wopping <strong>8.75%</strong> has started to, cut into my profits. However, this months promotional penny listings helped to balance this inflation out a bit.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-40371798342271871062008-03-28T07:25:00.001-07:002008-03-28T07:27:44.462-07:00Grab Your Controller No MoreHey everyone, so I ditched the Grab Your Controller idea since my friend who i was working on it with and i decided to go seperate ways. Instead i'm starting a new blog called Push-Start: A Video Game blog. Launch date is April 1st. I will be having daily updates about 1 to 2 a day summing up the day in its entirety. I feel this is a lot easier then constantly checking on news. i will also be putting in my own tidbits and thoughts on certain things. Be sure to check out on April 1st. Also you will find reviews from time to time and deals on where to buy games for cheap.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-35551985222583217932008-03-08T08:15:00.000-08:002008-03-08T08:18:03.034-08:00Grab Your Controller Post #3I'm facing problems as my friend as not working on the site with me. I have to handle basically everything myself. I'm trying to work through it to find a balance. I'm also realizing going on different websites for information makes me no better than the sites with the original content. I'm giving credit on where the articles came from but it makes me question why would people come to my site when i can't get any news myself. Basically, i'm facing a lot of problems and working on getting through them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-53562821156005296082008-03-04T11:17:00.000-08:002008-03-04T11:53:36.840-08:00The New Move Business Venture UpdateSo far, business has been good. All sales that I have made have yielded no less than 100% profits. In the month of February, I sold 1 high end travel bag, 1 Chrisitian Audigier shirt, 1 Pair of limited Edition Nike Air Force One's, 5 Pair of Rock and Republic Jeans, and 1 pair of True Religion Jeans. In the month of February, I wanted to explore what the market was like on eBay with items outside of my usual selling genre. Thus, I posted an auction for a high-end London Fog Travel Bag. While I did make a profit of the sale, I sold the bag for a lot less than what I wanted. So, as you can imagine, I won't be venturing into that market anymore. However, I was relatively pleased with the other host of items that I sold. The Christian Audigier shirt yielded the highest amount of total profit, yielding almost 150%! The Rock and Republic (R & R) and True Religion jeans also did quite well. On a whole R & R jeans sold considerably better than the True Religion jeans, explaining why I made the decision to buy and sell more of them. One of the secrets to my success has been offering incentives to purchase from me. On about 3 of the jean auctions, I have offered a coupon of $25 in Macy's money ($25 off of a purchase of $50), redeemable in any Macy's around the globe (<span style="font-style: italic;">I was given $300 in Macy's coupons as a bonus and have really had no desire to use them. However, that was short lived once my wife got a hold of them!</span>). All in all, so far I have received 4 comments of positive feedback. But, as with all transactions in eBay, you always have different problems and issues. A buyer in New York alerted me to the fact that he had not received the Christian Audigier shirt that he paid for nearly a week and a half ago. Due to the fact that I always get insurance on my packages, I was able to go to the post office immediately, and locate this item. As it turns out, the package was delivered to the persons home, but no one was home to receive it. Thus, the package has been sitting at the post office for a couple days. Thankfully this situation worked out without any serious repercussions. Another issue that I am facing is that a buyer from Texas who won an auction for a pair of R & R jeans never paid. Th person told me that they were having problems with their Paypal account, and wanted to see if they could send a money order to pay for the jeans. Needless to say, I have still received no payment. As of now, I have alerted eBay to the situation and filled out a Non-Paying Bidder Alert. I have thus re-listed the jeans, and hope that the winner of the new auction will pay promptly!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-56204269265911124212008-02-24T12:05:00.000-08:002008-02-24T12:09:39.714-08:00Update on GYCIts that time again for an update on Grab Your Controller. Still haven't launched officially but will be tomorrow Monday the 25th. Since my last post I have interviewed an up and coming video game company called Digital Embryo. They have a few games out for Nintendo DS and a game coming out for Wii. I interviewed the president of the company about the game for Wii called Summer Sports and about the company. My friend and I have also reviewed both Turok and Devil MAy Cry 4. Those reviews will be up tomorrow for launch. Currently working on another review for a game called Lost Odyssey. We have added some news to the blog so as not to be completely bare on launch day and have some back content. Thats all for know next update in 2 weeks.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-5863768198487057722008-02-12T18:56:00.000-08:002008-02-12T19:41:01.933-08:00The New Move -Top Quality Fashion for LessFirst and foremost I would like to express my extreme gratitude to have the opportunity to express and share business ideas with the entrepreneurs of tommorow. My name is Miguel S. Bain, and I started an eBay business just about a year ago in December of 2006. As i'm sure everyone is well aware of, eBay has created its own market for millions worldwide. A big part of this market is individuals who are looking for quality items for less. This introduces you to my target market. I sell high fashion clothing merchandise for much less than what these items retail for in stores. I typically sell high-end brand jeans, but I have also ventured into selling couture t-shirts as well as trendy sneakers. Some of the brand names include True Religion, Rock & Republic, Ed Hardy, Christian Audigier, and Nike. Typically, these brands are found in retail stores such as Saks, Neimen Marcus, AND Bloomingdales. Due to the fact that I am able to procure these clothing articles at wholesale prices, I can offer these top brands for much less than retail stores via eBay auctions. Since starting about a year ago, I have met with relative success. I have been able to gain on average <strong><em>at least</em></strong> 100% profit on each sale. My goal is to continue servicing my target market and providing high end fashion for less. In the future, I would like to eventually take this venture from just a side hobby to an actual business. I look forward to sharing more information with you over the next few months!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-21294594009407045882008-02-11T18:45:00.000-08:002008-02-11T20:06:17.452-08:00Garden Artisans LLC: Landscape Design, Build, MaintainMy name is Dan Jamet and this is the first blog posted for my company Garden Artisans LLC. My brother Peter Jamet and I formed the company in March of 2007 and are looking to expand the business in 2008. Before Garden Artisans I owned the company Blades Lawn and Landscape, which I started in 2005. Garden Artisan's primary services are landscape design, installation, maintenance, and lawn care. Our initial clients in 2007 came from my former business Blades. We were able to build upon that client base throughout the year and had a successful first year in business. Our services range anywhere from as simple as weekly lawn mowing to as complex as turning your back yard into your own personal resort with: patios, terraces, walkways, water features, fire pits, outdoor kitchens, and plantings throughout. Some of my responsibilities for the business are estimating, bookkeeping, selling, supervising, and working with the crew. My brother being a landscape architecture student and with his 10 years of experience in the industry is responsible for our landscape design and installation services. Some of our goals for 2008 and during the Student Venture Experience are to secure financing for future equipment and marketing expenses. We are in the process of beginning the development of a website to help market our services. We also are planning on attending three seminars and trade shows in February that relate to our industry. I would advise anybody that owns a business to always be on the look out for seminars and trade shows that relate to their industry because you can always learn something new.Dan Jamethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10995801206094477202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528398226613073223.post-38150622331160089022008-02-08T08:55:00.000-08:002008-02-08T09:08:29.771-08:00Neil Schwartz: Grab Your ControllerHello to everyone in the Student Venture Experience. My name is Neil Schwartz and my and I will be starting our own video game related website called Grab Your Controller. Initially we will be launching as a blog and will focus on constantly updated news, deals for a number of sites and stores that can be found in the right places if you know where to look, and reviews. Unfortunately we don't have any ties in the video game industry and will have to rely on getting games when they come out in stores. Our reviews will be slightly different as they will be broken into three parts. Intial, Mid, and Final. We are hoping to change the way video game related websites run and be a new competitive alternative to all the more popular sites. We should be fully launched by Monday the 11th. Please come and check it out. The audience we hope to get are mostly video gamers as well as people who don't know much about video games and need help to figure out what games to buy kids. Basically anyone who plays video games. On the site I will be handling posting news, reviews, and doing majority of the marketing. The other owner Dom will be handling posting news, majority of the deals, and reviews.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0