If you’re an entrepreneur, blogger and interested in getting more involved online and working with a great company like b5 media, this is the right opportunity for you.
Check this site:http://startupspark.com/
Saturday, April 14, 2007
Spotzer Makes Video Advertising Affordable
Andrew Klein founder of Spotzer at last years ETRE in Barcelona. At this time Spotzer made first headlines as a alpha version but it has progressed tremendously since then. Time for an interview with Andrew:
1) What does Spotzer do?
Spotzer makes video advertising affordable for businesses around the world. We offer small and local businesses a library of pre-produced, ready-to-air video ads. Clients can buy a license to use an ad with a degree of exclusivity that matches their needs and budget. We will then personalize the ad using the client's unique logos, pictures, slogans and contact information. We also help clients plan and buy highly targeted spots on television, web and out of home TV.
2) What is the story of Andrew Klein? Tell us more about your earlier career and why you decided to become an entrepreneur?
I am the son of two entrepreneurs. I never seriously considered doing anything other than starting my own business, though I did go to law school and through six years of a legal career. I just thought I had to learn a few skills first, and save some money. Eventually, I took my first bet, starting a beer company in 1992 at the age of 32.
A few years later, I got lucky. The beer business was struggling to find investors. I came up with a scheme to offer shares in my beer company to beer enthusiasts who liked our Wit beer, and I decided to try to use the Internet to reach out to target investors. When it turned out that this stock offering was the first ever online, the beer company became very famous. Beer sales improved from the publicity and I started a new company, Wit Capital, to help other companies use the Internet to raise capital. Our little online investment bank eventually partnered with Goldman Sachs and itself went public on NASDAQ. By 2000 we employed 600 people and generated $400 million of revenues.
3) Spotzer has raised impressive piles of cash. How did you do it? And for what is all that money?
We are onto an opportunity that could be very large, but it is capital intensive. We are investing in systems that will automate several aspects of media planning and buying. And we are investing in making commercials for our library. And we are building sales and marketing teams in several countries at once. We raised the money we need to execute an ambitious plan. Investors are supporting us because they too believe the opportunity is very large.
Read more:http://www.tjacobi.com/
1) What does Spotzer do?
Spotzer makes video advertising affordable for businesses around the world. We offer small and local businesses a library of pre-produced, ready-to-air video ads. Clients can buy a license to use an ad with a degree of exclusivity that matches their needs and budget. We will then personalize the ad using the client's unique logos, pictures, slogans and contact information. We also help clients plan and buy highly targeted spots on television, web and out of home TV.
2) What is the story of Andrew Klein? Tell us more about your earlier career and why you decided to become an entrepreneur?
I am the son of two entrepreneurs. I never seriously considered doing anything other than starting my own business, though I did go to law school and through six years of a legal career. I just thought I had to learn a few skills first, and save some money. Eventually, I took my first bet, starting a beer company in 1992 at the age of 32.
A few years later, I got lucky. The beer business was struggling to find investors. I came up with a scheme to offer shares in my beer company to beer enthusiasts who liked our Wit beer, and I decided to try to use the Internet to reach out to target investors. When it turned out that this stock offering was the first ever online, the beer company became very famous. Beer sales improved from the publicity and I started a new company, Wit Capital, to help other companies use the Internet to raise capital. Our little online investment bank eventually partnered with Goldman Sachs and itself went public on NASDAQ. By 2000 we employed 600 people and generated $400 million of revenues.
3) Spotzer has raised impressive piles of cash. How did you do it? And for what is all that money?
We are onto an opportunity that could be very large, but it is capital intensive. We are investing in systems that will automate several aspects of media planning and buying. And we are investing in making commercials for our library. And we are building sales and marketing teams in several countries at once. We raised the money we need to execute an ambitious plan. Investors are supporting us because they too believe the opportunity is very large.
Read more:http://www.tjacobi.com/
Online Business Information
Taking your business online and growing your business online can be intimidating if you don't have much experience with online trends and technology.
The first step in the investment of your time (which always equates to money as an SME) is your web strategy. A solid web strategy places emphasis on the Internet as a marketplace, communications medium, and business channel and is best viewed as an integrated part of your overall business plan.
eBC and Small Business BC have developed online resources and in house seminar training (soon to be delivered by video conference) that will help you with each step of your business plan growth. Visit www.e-bc.ca and www.smallbusinessbc.ca and www.smallbizeducation.ca for online resources and information.
For more:http://www.ebizblog.ca/
The first step in the investment of your time (which always equates to money as an SME) is your web strategy. A solid web strategy places emphasis on the Internet as a marketplace, communications medium, and business channel and is best viewed as an integrated part of your overall business plan.
eBC and Small Business BC have developed online resources and in house seminar training (soon to be delivered by video conference) that will help you with each step of your business plan growth. Visit www.e-bc.ca and www.smallbusinessbc.ca and www.smallbizeducation.ca for online resources and information.
For more:http://www.ebizblog.ca/
Tumpang
Tumpang, which is Malay for pooling, makes it easy for buyers to pool their resources to get a bulk discount on everything from fabric freshener to flat screen televisions.
However, Tumpang has added an interesting twist on the seller's side. Much like eBay, anyone can post an item for sale, paying Tumpang a listing fee. The seller states what the discounted price will be and how many buyers are needed. Sellers can be regular retailers who want to offload stock, but Tumpang's blog also lists advice for incidental bulk dealers. Which could be anyone hoping to make an extra ringgit by gathering a group of buyers on Tumpang, and then placing an order directly with a manufacturer in China or Korea. Securing buyers before buying merchandise creates a low-risk form of alternative retail. Which should be music to any minipreneur's ears ;-)
Website: www.tumpang.com
However, Tumpang has added an interesting twist on the seller's side. Much like eBay, anyone can post an item for sale, paying Tumpang a listing fee. The seller states what the discounted price will be and how many buyers are needed. Sellers can be regular retailers who want to offload stock, but Tumpang's blog also lists advice for incidental bulk dealers. Which could be anyone hoping to make an extra ringgit by gathering a group of buyers on Tumpang, and then placing an order directly with a manufacturer in China or Korea. Securing buyers before buying merchandise creates a low-risk form of alternative retail. Which should be music to any minipreneur's ears ;-)
Website: www.tumpang.com
Friday, April 13, 2007
20 Things Not To Do Before Starting A Business
Here’s list of twenty things not to do before starting a business:
Don’t quit your day job.
Don’t incorporate. Seventy five percent of all businesses are sole proprietorships, and they already make money.
Don’t get a bank account. Your personal banking account will work just fine if someone wants to write you a check, or if you need to pay for something.
Don’t rent an office. Work from home. It won’t require a first, last and security deposit. Plus, it’s tax deductible.
Don’t hire an attorney. What’s an attorney going to tell that you didn’t already know, or couldn’t figure out on Nolo or in a good bookstore? There are only two times to call an attorney: if you’re in jail, or if someone else’s attorney contacts you.
Don’t hire an accountant. Quickbooks Simple Start will get you going.
Don’t get a loan. To get a loan from anyone, even your family, will require that you do too many items on this list. And besides, if you get a loan, you know work for the bank — not for yourself.
Don’t hire anyone. Don’t hire someone if you can do it yourself. For everything else, use contractors and give them 1099.
Don’t get a business license. I’m not advocating that anyone cheat the government. Once you can sell your product/service, go out immediately and get all of the necessary business licenses and permits in your jurisdiction.
Don’t try to patent anything. It takes 1.5 to 2.5 years to get a patent. Who knows what the market will look like then.
Don’t design a logo. You are your own brand, you don’t need a logo.
Don’t waste time picking a business name. As a sole proprietor, you already have a business name: your own!
Don’t advertise. Advertising costs money, and takes time to perfect. Selling takes only you.
Don’t buy office supplies. If you need a pencil, get one out of the kitchen or your son’s backpack. You are working from home, aren’t you?
Don’t buy any equipment. Outsource everything. Fedex Kinkos can handle all of your printing, and instead of splurging on a postal meter head down the post office. Need something big? Rent it! If it’s not something you can rent by the day, maybe there’s another local business with one. Can you rent it during their off hours in the middle of the night?
Don’t try to find a partner. What do you need a parter for? Capital? Don’t take loans. Need someone with some sales experience? If you the inventor of your product/service can’t sell it — no one will be able to.
Don’t join the Chamber of Commerce. Chambers of Commerce have great mixers where you can meet and network with other local business people. Right now, you don’t need to network, you need to sell! Plus, you can always go as a visitor.
Don’t tell all of your friends about the business that you’re going to start someday soon. Every minute that you spend telling someone you love about your future business is one less minute you have to either try to find someone to buy your product/service or to refine it. Plus, everyone knows an “entrepreneur” that is all talk and no action: don’t be one yourself.
Don’t write a business plan. Sure you need to know what you’re going to do and how you’re going to make money, but don’t waste time formatting it into a structured plan.
Don’t get a business telephone number or mailing address. You have a cellphone, use it. If someone needs to mail you something, have them send it to your house. You’re working there, remember.
Read more:http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2007/04/11/20-things-not-to-do-before-starting-a-business/
Don’t quit your day job.
Don’t incorporate. Seventy five percent of all businesses are sole proprietorships, and they already make money.
Don’t get a bank account. Your personal banking account will work just fine if someone wants to write you a check, or if you need to pay for something.
Don’t rent an office. Work from home. It won’t require a first, last and security deposit. Plus, it’s tax deductible.
Don’t hire an attorney. What’s an attorney going to tell that you didn’t already know, or couldn’t figure out on Nolo or in a good bookstore? There are only two times to call an attorney: if you’re in jail, or if someone else’s attorney contacts you.
Don’t hire an accountant. Quickbooks Simple Start will get you going.
Don’t get a loan. To get a loan from anyone, even your family, will require that you do too many items on this list. And besides, if you get a loan, you know work for the bank — not for yourself.
Don’t hire anyone. Don’t hire someone if you can do it yourself. For everything else, use contractors and give them 1099.
Don’t get a business license. I’m not advocating that anyone cheat the government. Once you can sell your product/service, go out immediately and get all of the necessary business licenses and permits in your jurisdiction.
Don’t try to patent anything. It takes 1.5 to 2.5 years to get a patent. Who knows what the market will look like then.
Don’t design a logo. You are your own brand, you don’t need a logo.
Don’t waste time picking a business name. As a sole proprietor, you already have a business name: your own!
Don’t advertise. Advertising costs money, and takes time to perfect. Selling takes only you.
Don’t buy office supplies. If you need a pencil, get one out of the kitchen or your son’s backpack. You are working from home, aren’t you?
Don’t buy any equipment. Outsource everything. Fedex Kinkos can handle all of your printing, and instead of splurging on a postal meter head down the post office. Need something big? Rent it! If it’s not something you can rent by the day, maybe there’s another local business with one. Can you rent it during their off hours in the middle of the night?
Don’t try to find a partner. What do you need a parter for? Capital? Don’t take loans. Need someone with some sales experience? If you the inventor of your product/service can’t sell it — no one will be able to.
Don’t join the Chamber of Commerce. Chambers of Commerce have great mixers where you can meet and network with other local business people. Right now, you don’t need to network, you need to sell! Plus, you can always go as a visitor.
Don’t tell all of your friends about the business that you’re going to start someday soon. Every minute that you spend telling someone you love about your future business is one less minute you have to either try to find someone to buy your product/service or to refine it. Plus, everyone knows an “entrepreneur” that is all talk and no action: don’t be one yourself.
Don’t write a business plan. Sure you need to know what you’re going to do and how you’re going to make money, but don’t waste time formatting it into a structured plan.
Don’t get a business telephone number or mailing address. You have a cellphone, use it. If someone needs to mail you something, have them send it to your house. You’re working there, remember.
Read more:http://www.business-opportunities.biz/2007/04/11/20-things-not-to-do-before-starting-a-business/
Mog TV
A new online social-network called Mog not only enables members to meet other people with similar musical tastes, but also view music videos based on the songs in your music library, reports Wilson Rothman in The New York Times (3/29/07). “Imagine if YouTube knew what songs were in your music collection … it’s the ultimate mash-up,” says David Hyman, Mog’s ceo. It’s actually just one of a number of online services that promise to build communities — and sell new music — based on what your music collection says about you. You’ve probably already heard of Pandora, where musicologists suggest other artists you might like based on those you identify as your favorites.
Or perhaps you’ve stumbled across Last.fm, which is premised not on expert opinion but rather “the wisdom of the crowd.” You download software that first analyzes the songs on your computer, and then creates your own personal “radio station” by correlating your collection to some “65 million tracks by 8 million artists” worldwide as found on other people’s computers. Last.fm then takes things a step further, by creating a community out of its 15 million users, who can “contact others whose musical tastes correspond significantly” with their own. A newer entry is Slacker.com, which offers a free software player and sells a portable device you can use to take your personalized music with you.
For more:http://mog.com/
Or perhaps you’ve stumbled across Last.fm, which is premised not on expert opinion but rather “the wisdom of the crowd.” You download software that first analyzes the songs on your computer, and then creates your own personal “radio station” by correlating your collection to some “65 million tracks by 8 million artists” worldwide as found on other people’s computers. Last.fm then takes things a step further, by creating a community out of its 15 million users, who can “contact others whose musical tastes correspond significantly” with their own. A newer entry is Slacker.com, which offers a free software player and sells a portable device you can use to take your personalized music with you.
For more:http://mog.com/
Goodreads
Goodreads provides an online platform for discussing just that. Booklovers can share recommendations for their favourite page-turners with friends, online acquaintances and other like-minded bibliophiles. Unlike the reviews found at sites like Amazon.com, Goodreads write-ups have a more personal touch since the site is built around a networking concept.
Users can sign up in just a few simple steps and immediately begin entering reviews. Books are rated on a five-star system, ranging from one star for “didn't like it” to five for “it was amazing.” Members can discuss what they loved or didn't love about books they've read, see right away what the consensus was among fellow reviewers and even comment on one another's reviews. Moreover, they can catalogue their collections on virtual bookshelves that can be customized to reflect their own personalities. Default shelf names are “Read,” “To-Read” and “Currently-Reading,” but it only takes a moment to add new shelves, and users can have fun with their category designations.
The business model for Goodreads and its siblings is based on racking up referral fees from online book stores like Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. As the websites grow, they’ll also become highly valuable tools for the publishing industry, which could lead to additional sources of revenue. Since reading books isn’t limited to English-speakers, this is definitely a concept to copy to other countries or languages that don’t yet have their own (popular) online social network for readers. For more inspiration, check out Shelfari, Bookjetty and BuchPfade, to name a few.
Website: www.goodreads.com
Users can sign up in just a few simple steps and immediately begin entering reviews. Books are rated on a five-star system, ranging from one star for “didn't like it” to five for “it was amazing.” Members can discuss what they loved or didn't love about books they've read, see right away what the consensus was among fellow reviewers and even comment on one another's reviews. Moreover, they can catalogue their collections on virtual bookshelves that can be customized to reflect their own personalities. Default shelf names are “Read,” “To-Read” and “Currently-Reading,” but it only takes a moment to add new shelves, and users can have fun with their category designations.
The business model for Goodreads and its siblings is based on racking up referral fees from online book stores like Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. As the websites grow, they’ll also become highly valuable tools for the publishing industry, which could lead to additional sources of revenue. Since reading books isn’t limited to English-speakers, this is definitely a concept to copy to other countries or languages that don’t yet have their own (popular) online social network for readers. For more inspiration, check out Shelfari, Bookjetty and BuchPfade, to name a few.
Website: www.goodreads.com
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Different Kind Of Entrepreneurship
The following is a little story about encounter with the amazing entrepreneurial spirit of homeschoolers and the great company they built, Wakeside.com.
John Hellweg was a normal homeschool guy who had a big vision: start a company. Everyone knows homeschoolers are great at academics, but what about being “cool?” Or, what’s even more dubious, what about building and running a company that makes its bread and butter on being totally awsome?
John was about eighteen years old when he founded Wakeside.com with his father. They took some big risks, like a second mortgage on their house. Building the company was a long, arduous task, and took time away from other activities, such as sleep and college. Mark took the college route, and would prove his talents in the company later on.
I met John’s brother Mark, a bright young sophomore at Patrick Henry College, when I arrived in Purcellville, Virginia as a freshman. This school was a place where 98% of the student body was homeschooled. We had a lot of fun, but I am afraid to say that we were a little too eager to prove that we were not like “the others.” But hey, what young male in the prime of life could resist that agonizing itch? That virulent urge to be different at a place where you were all the same, and all homeschooled? It was beyond me. And I was not alone. We both ended up leaving PHC that year with outstanding academic records, of course (…and no police records).
I reaquainted myself with Mark in my junior year at Hillsdale College, when Mark transferred there after taking a year to work for Wakeside. Mark has been one of my best friends since that time, and we graduated from Hillsdale together.
After getting his degree, Mark joined his brother’s company again as the director of finance. He also got married to a beatiful woman and has a beautiful baby girl.
If you want to meet some cool, bright, entrepreneurial people who haven’t wasted their youth playing video games and doing drugs, you will want to hang out with homeschoolers like John and Mark Hellweg, and the rest of their family.
Go to www.wakeside.com to see this incredible Web site, straight from the minds of homeschoolers. Buy some great towers, incredible boards, and if you are a female rider (and you’re tired of all the boarding stuff being made for guys) you need to check out the section made exclusively for you.
Don’t wakeboard? Then maybe you snowboard and you can see their new Web site, www.TruSnow.com. If you don’t do any of these things, well, you’re a big loser!
Finally, I am a happy customer, not just a friend trying to bring business to another friend. I bought my Nixon rotolog watch (see photo in bamboo wood, check out the walnut also) at Wakeside.com and it was a great experience. They send you little handwritten notes from the guy or girl who packaged the thing. Very cool.
Wakeside.com is beyond cool. What’s cooler than being cool? ICE COLD. No, really. How about being real? Wakeside customer service is out of this world, fusing local-feeling, boutique service with the power of the Internet. Check out the ingenuity of homeschoolers at Wakeside.com.
John Hellweg was a normal homeschool guy who had a big vision: start a company. Everyone knows homeschoolers are great at academics, but what about being “cool?” Or, what’s even more dubious, what about building and running a company that makes its bread and butter on being totally awsome?
John was about eighteen years old when he founded Wakeside.com with his father. They took some big risks, like a second mortgage on their house. Building the company was a long, arduous task, and took time away from other activities, such as sleep and college. Mark took the college route, and would prove his talents in the company later on.
I met John’s brother Mark, a bright young sophomore at Patrick Henry College, when I arrived in Purcellville, Virginia as a freshman. This school was a place where 98% of the student body was homeschooled. We had a lot of fun, but I am afraid to say that we were a little too eager to prove that we were not like “the others.” But hey, what young male in the prime of life could resist that agonizing itch? That virulent urge to be different at a place where you were all the same, and all homeschooled? It was beyond me. And I was not alone. We both ended up leaving PHC that year with outstanding academic records, of course (…and no police records).
I reaquainted myself with Mark in my junior year at Hillsdale College, when Mark transferred there after taking a year to work for Wakeside. Mark has been one of my best friends since that time, and we graduated from Hillsdale together.
After getting his degree, Mark joined his brother’s company again as the director of finance. He also got married to a beatiful woman and has a beautiful baby girl.
If you want to meet some cool, bright, entrepreneurial people who haven’t wasted their youth playing video games and doing drugs, you will want to hang out with homeschoolers like John and Mark Hellweg, and the rest of their family.
Go to www.wakeside.com to see this incredible Web site, straight from the minds of homeschoolers. Buy some great towers, incredible boards, and if you are a female rider (and you’re tired of all the boarding stuff being made for guys) you need to check out the section made exclusively for you.
Don’t wakeboard? Then maybe you snowboard and you can see their new Web site, www.TruSnow.com. If you don’t do any of these things, well, you’re a big loser!
Finally, I am a happy customer, not just a friend trying to bring business to another friend. I bought my Nixon rotolog watch (see photo in bamboo wood, check out the walnut also) at Wakeside.com and it was a great experience. They send you little handwritten notes from the guy or girl who packaged the thing. Very cool.
Wakeside.com is beyond cool. What’s cooler than being cool? ICE COLD. No, really. How about being real? Wakeside customer service is out of this world, fusing local-feeling, boutique service with the power of the Internet. Check out the ingenuity of homeschoolers at Wakeside.com.
GOOG411
Fed up with fees? A new bevy of free software-based directories could make you hang up on Ma Bell's operators for good
Related Items
911 for 411
Who isn't tired of paying $2 a pop—or more—for a simple number look-up over the phone? Google (GOOG) and other info providers feel your fatigue. Here's an annotated list of alternatives to the traditional paid-for 411. Just remember: You generally get what you pay for, and these services aren't always speedy. Did we leave any off? Drop us a note in the reader comments section.
GOOG 411
1-800 GOOG 411
labs.google.com/goog411
A nimble product, even in beta mode. Google Voice Local Search uses voice-recognition software that is generally up to the task of finding your information, and the service is quick. You can also get your info in a text message. One caveat: Business categories still seem to have some kinks: Goog 411's computers had better luck finding movie theaters than wine shops in our test drive. That's why the company says Google is still in its "experimental stage" and may not work for all callers.
Tellme
1-800-555-TELL
www.tellme.com
Tellme is the slickest of the new offerings, essentially offering an audio version of an online portal, and possibly one reason Microsoft (MSFT) was keen to buy the company. The voice-recognition software worked flawlessly, but Tellme doesn't connect you to caller-requested search results. (It will for businesses in its system.) Beyond business numbers, there's an array of choices: stock quotes, weather data, travel, top news stories, etc. The service incorporates jingle-style music, chimes, and soft jazz.
For more;http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2007/tc20070411_801392.htm
Related Items
911 for 411
Who isn't tired of paying $2 a pop—or more—for a simple number look-up over the phone? Google (GOOG) and other info providers feel your fatigue. Here's an annotated list of alternatives to the traditional paid-for 411. Just remember: You generally get what you pay for, and these services aren't always speedy. Did we leave any off? Drop us a note in the reader comments section.
GOOG 411
1-800 GOOG 411
labs.google.com/goog411
A nimble product, even in beta mode. Google Voice Local Search uses voice-recognition software that is generally up to the task of finding your information, and the service is quick. You can also get your info in a text message. One caveat: Business categories still seem to have some kinks: Goog 411's computers had better luck finding movie theaters than wine shops in our test drive. That's why the company says Google is still in its "experimental stage" and may not work for all callers.
Tellme
1-800-555-TELL
www.tellme.com
Tellme is the slickest of the new offerings, essentially offering an audio version of an online portal, and possibly one reason Microsoft (MSFT) was keen to buy the company. The voice-recognition software worked flawlessly, but Tellme doesn't connect you to caller-requested search results. (It will for businesses in its system.) Beyond business numbers, there's an array of choices: stock quotes, weather data, travel, top news stories, etc. The service incorporates jingle-style music, chimes, and soft jazz.
For more;http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2007/tc20070411_801392.htm
Imagine If We Could Sell What We Say
Skype's latest software release includes a beta version of Skype Prime. The service is very similar to Ether: sellers set a price, fixed or per minute, find buyers for their service, and Skype handles the rest. Of course, instead of using phone lines, both sellers and buyers use Skype's voice over IP platform.
While Skype charges 'call providers' more than Ether does—30% commission versus 15%—Skype's obvious benefit is its existing global user base. Skype has over 171 million registered users, is available in 28 languages and is used in almost every country around the world. Which means a very large reach for minipreneurs who'd like to sell their services, whether they're offering Spanish lessons, tax advice or something saucier. (Note that Skype's guidelines state that call providers cannot offer any content or service that is adult, sexual, pornographic or paedophiliac.)
Other alternatives include BitWine and Wengo.
Website: www.skype.com/share/skypeprime
While Skype charges 'call providers' more than Ether does—30% commission versus 15%—Skype's obvious benefit is its existing global user base. Skype has over 171 million registered users, is available in 28 languages and is used in almost every country around the world. Which means a very large reach for minipreneurs who'd like to sell their services, whether they're offering Spanish lessons, tax advice or something saucier. (Note that Skype's guidelines state that call providers cannot offer any content or service that is adult, sexual, pornographic or paedophiliac.)
Other alternatives include BitWine and Wengo.
Website: www.skype.com/share/skypeprime
Is Personality Type Matter In Venture Captial?
I’ll never forget Mitch Mumma of Intersouth telling an assembled group of newly initiated venture capitalists that a degree in psychology would probably be a stronger indicator of success in the industry than a degree in economics. One’s ability to intuit the capabilities of a team, to build trust, and manage bumps in the road are key skills for a VC, and only likely to become more so as investment opportunities become more competitive. Consider the kind of relationship building the Outside.in investment required.
It’s worth noting, then, that venture investors do occasionally bring to bear an analytical method of peering beneath the shiny personality veneer of management pitches and diligence visits when considering a new investment. At Chrysalis we use a tool called the Predictive Index (or PI), one of many options on the market, but one we’ve seen a lot of success with and something many of our portfolio companies have decided to use internally to foster more effective teamwork and as an aid in recruiting efforts. In fact, the Wall Street Journal covered our usage in a 2004 article on the topic:
David Jones Jr., chairman and managing director of Chrysalis, based in Louisville, Ky., said PI has helped his firm gain insight into the companies it considers funding. Before Chrysalis began incorporating PI, Mr. Jones said, “I felt we spent an immense amount of time on people issues, but there was no predictability.”
It was easy enough to look at a resume and see if someone had been a success, he said, but it was hard to tell whether a leadership team at a new company would work well together…
“We made an investment in a company last year where we’d gotten some resistance from the CEO,” Mr. Jones said. “He was probably the most experienced and mature CEO in our portfolio, and had run a number of companies. He went along with [PI], but I don’t think he was thrilled.”
When Chrysalis asked the CEO to bring his team together to go over the results, the CEO brought with him another investor, who immediately took out his Blackberry as if to say he had no interest in the proceedings.
“Their body language was tense,” Mr. Jones said. “The perception of the other investor was that he felt this was an utter waste of time. Within 20 minutes, the BlackBerry was on the table and everyone was leaning forward. When it was over, the CEO said, `You must have been listening in on our management meetings. This is a very accurate assessment of how we get along and what we’re like to work with.’ Now they’re incorporating PI into their business.”
For more:http://www.augurinc.com/art-investors.html
It’s worth noting, then, that venture investors do occasionally bring to bear an analytical method of peering beneath the shiny personality veneer of management pitches and diligence visits when considering a new investment. At Chrysalis we use a tool called the Predictive Index (or PI), one of many options on the market, but one we’ve seen a lot of success with and something many of our portfolio companies have decided to use internally to foster more effective teamwork and as an aid in recruiting efforts. In fact, the Wall Street Journal covered our usage in a 2004 article on the topic:
David Jones Jr., chairman and managing director of Chrysalis, based in Louisville, Ky., said PI has helped his firm gain insight into the companies it considers funding. Before Chrysalis began incorporating PI, Mr. Jones said, “I felt we spent an immense amount of time on people issues, but there was no predictability.”
It was easy enough to look at a resume and see if someone had been a success, he said, but it was hard to tell whether a leadership team at a new company would work well together…
“We made an investment in a company last year where we’d gotten some resistance from the CEO,” Mr. Jones said. “He was probably the most experienced and mature CEO in our portfolio, and had run a number of companies. He went along with [PI], but I don’t think he was thrilled.”
When Chrysalis asked the CEO to bring his team together to go over the results, the CEO brought with him another investor, who immediately took out his Blackberry as if to say he had no interest in the proceedings.
“Their body language was tense,” Mr. Jones said. “The perception of the other investor was that he felt this was an utter waste of time. Within 20 minutes, the BlackBerry was on the table and everyone was leaning forward. When it was over, the CEO said, `You must have been listening in on our management meetings. This is a very accurate assessment of how we get along and what we’re like to work with.’ Now they’re incorporating PI into their business.”
For more:http://www.augurinc.com/art-investors.html
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Can Mangment Theory Help In Winning Boat Race?
Can voguish management theory help to win a venerable race?
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY'S “blue boat”, which faces its Oxford rival in the 153rd boat race on April 7th, glides past the browns and greys of the East Anglian fenland. The oars cup and spill the water, leaving eight evenly spaced dimples in the river behind them. Two catamarans track the boat's progress. In the first, Duncan Holland, the coach, looks for flaws in the rowers' technique. In the second sits a less congruous figure: Mark de Rond, a management theorist from Cambridge's Judge Business School. He thinks this time-honoured contest holds lessons for business today.
As in any company, the members of the boat club are torn between competition and co-operation. Colleagues vie with each other for preferment, yet must collaborate closely to fend off competition from without. To win a seat in the blue boat a rower must outshine his clubmates; but to go fast, rowers must synchronise their efforts with the same people they are trying to outdo.
Read more:http://economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8931858
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY'S “blue boat”, which faces its Oxford rival in the 153rd boat race on April 7th, glides past the browns and greys of the East Anglian fenland. The oars cup and spill the water, leaving eight evenly spaced dimples in the river behind them. Two catamarans track the boat's progress. In the first, Duncan Holland, the coach, looks for flaws in the rowers' technique. In the second sits a less congruous figure: Mark de Rond, a management theorist from Cambridge's Judge Business School. He thinks this time-honoured contest holds lessons for business today.
As in any company, the members of the boat club are torn between competition and co-operation. Colleagues vie with each other for preferment, yet must collaborate closely to fend off competition from without. To win a seat in the blue boat a rower must outshine his clubmates; but to go fast, rowers must synchronise their efforts with the same people they are trying to outdo.
Read more:http://economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8931858
Starting New Business,Don't Worry
I will be starting my own business in a few months. What advice would you give me as a new business owner to help me maximize productivity?
Read More:http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/columnist/edmunds/2007-04-03-time_N.htm
Read More:http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/columnist/edmunds/2007-04-03-time_N.htm
Why Some Ideas Survive?
In their new book Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, the Heath brothers — Chip Heath, a professor of organizational behavior at Stanford and Dan Heath, a consultant at Duke Corporate Education — isolate and elaborate on six principles for helping ideas succeed. In other words, what makes an idea "sticky"?
Principle 1: Simplicity. How do we find the essential core of our ideas?
Principle 2: Unexpectedness. How do we get our audience to pay attention to our ideas, and how do we maintain their interest when we need time to get the ideas across?
Principle 3: Concreteness. How do we make our ideas clear?
Principle 4: Credibility. How do we make people believe our ideas?
Principle 5: Emotions. How do we get people to care about our ideas?
Principle 6: Stories. How do we get people to act on our ideas?
Read More:http://www.cioinsight.com/article2/0,1540,2109249,00.asp
Principle 1: Simplicity. How do we find the essential core of our ideas?
Principle 2: Unexpectedness. How do we get our audience to pay attention to our ideas, and how do we maintain their interest when we need time to get the ideas across?
Principle 3: Concreteness. How do we make our ideas clear?
Principle 4: Credibility. How do we make people believe our ideas?
Principle 5: Emotions. How do we get people to care about our ideas?
Principle 6: Stories. How do we get people to act on our ideas?
Read More:http://www.cioinsight.com/article2/0,1540,2109249,00.asp
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
SitePal
What can you use SitePal for?
Business websites and blogs can use SitePal to:
Welcome visitors with a friendly message
Explain FAQs
Give a tour of your website and point out special features
Explain how to sign up for your RSS feed or your newsletter
Increase sales on landing pages, by providing a virtual sales clerk to orient visitors who arrive after clicking through an advertisement
It’s pretty easy to get started.
For small business websites and blog sites, I recommend the custom avatar. It is more personalized. However, you also could start out with one of the standard characters that Oddcast provides. Pick one that fits your style and personality — have fun with it.
For more:http://www.smallbiztrends.com/sitepal/
Business websites and blogs can use SitePal to:
Welcome visitors with a friendly message
Explain FAQs
Give a tour of your website and point out special features
Explain how to sign up for your RSS feed or your newsletter
Increase sales on landing pages, by providing a virtual sales clerk to orient visitors who arrive after clicking through an advertisement
It’s pretty easy to get started.
For small business websites and blog sites, I recommend the custom avatar. It is more personalized. However, you also could start out with one of the standard characters that Oddcast provides. Pick one that fits your style and personality — have fun with it.
For more:http://www.smallbiztrends.com/sitepal/
Analysis Of Online Venture Or Baby Boomers
Looking for a growth market for your next online venture? Look no further than the 50+ market.
The number of U.S. adults over age 50 will soar over the next ten years. In fact, U.S. Census Bureau data shows that 50+ adults will be the only growth demographic — measured by age — between now and 2015 as the massive Baby Boomer generation enters its 50s and 60s.
Plenty of companies hesitate when it comes to marketing new products to Boomers — especially products with a technology focus. Many marketers adhere to traditional — and wrong-headed — thinking about older consumers: They’ve already made their brand choices and can’t be interested in anything new. They’re resistant to change. They don’t adapt well to new technology.
Marketers will tell you the big opportunity lies in young consumers, because that’s where you can convert a “customer for life.” But with today’s ultra-dynamic product marketplace, the notion of acquiring lifetime customers is obsolete, perhaps with the exception of mundane consumer products such as toothpaste and soap. The pace of product change is just too great for any company to hold on to consumers that long.
What’s more, Baby Boomers are just as open to new products as younger consumers. This is a generation that has broken the mold during every stage of life — and middle age is no different. As Boomers hit midlife, they’re open to a wide range of new products and experiences — just as they have at every other stage of life.
In fact, Boomers always have been at the forefront when it comes to embracing new products and technologies. During the course of their adult lives, Boomers have embraced personal computers, cell phones, PDAs, e-mail, and voicemail, and a wide range of other products.
“Boomers are leading the companies that are bringing new technologies to the world,” says Anne Wall, senior vice president of C&R Research, a Chicago-based market research company that specializes in Boomer consumers. “They’re using it at work, and at home and their kids are using it, too. Their entire lives have been about change.”
When it comes to the Internet, the story is no different. Boomers are using the web at nearly the same rates as other age groups, and in just about the same way. Contrary to the stereotypes, 70 percent of adults age 50 to 64 are online, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, about 12 percentage points less than younger age groups.
And while fewer 50+ Internet users have access to a broadband Internet connection than the general online population, their overall usage patterns mirror other age segments, according to Pew research. They’re more likely than GenX’ers to use the web to gather information, nearly as likely to shop online, and they’re avid consumers of digital health information.
For More:http://smallbiztrends.com/
The number of U.S. adults over age 50 will soar over the next ten years. In fact, U.S. Census Bureau data shows that 50+ adults will be the only growth demographic — measured by age — between now and 2015 as the massive Baby Boomer generation enters its 50s and 60s.
Plenty of companies hesitate when it comes to marketing new products to Boomers — especially products with a technology focus. Many marketers adhere to traditional — and wrong-headed — thinking about older consumers: They’ve already made their brand choices and can’t be interested in anything new. They’re resistant to change. They don’t adapt well to new technology.
Marketers will tell you the big opportunity lies in young consumers, because that’s where you can convert a “customer for life.” But with today’s ultra-dynamic product marketplace, the notion of acquiring lifetime customers is obsolete, perhaps with the exception of mundane consumer products such as toothpaste and soap. The pace of product change is just too great for any company to hold on to consumers that long.
What’s more, Baby Boomers are just as open to new products as younger consumers. This is a generation that has broken the mold during every stage of life — and middle age is no different. As Boomers hit midlife, they’re open to a wide range of new products and experiences — just as they have at every other stage of life.
In fact, Boomers always have been at the forefront when it comes to embracing new products and technologies. During the course of their adult lives, Boomers have embraced personal computers, cell phones, PDAs, e-mail, and voicemail, and a wide range of other products.
“Boomers are leading the companies that are bringing new technologies to the world,” says Anne Wall, senior vice president of C&R Research, a Chicago-based market research company that specializes in Boomer consumers. “They’re using it at work, and at home and their kids are using it, too. Their entire lives have been about change.”
When it comes to the Internet, the story is no different. Boomers are using the web at nearly the same rates as other age groups, and in just about the same way. Contrary to the stereotypes, 70 percent of adults age 50 to 64 are online, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, about 12 percentage points less than younger age groups.
And while fewer 50+ Internet users have access to a broadband Internet connection than the general online population, their overall usage patterns mirror other age segments, according to Pew research. They’re more likely than GenX’ers to use the web to gather information, nearly as likely to shop online, and they’re avid consumers of digital health information.
For More:http://smallbiztrends.com/
Business Pundit
Tom Davenport explains why Enterprise Web 2.0 won't take off, but I think he misunderstands what it would be used for. No one thinks that all employees have equally good ideas about how to run the company. The point is to use processes that do allow good ideas to filter to the top, regardless of where they came from.
Fortune wonders if Siberia will be the next Silicon Valley.
Sarah Tavel writes about the venture capital process when you are outside the valley.
Selling products by word of mouth has benefits and pitfalls.
The venom of crowds - what to do when you are attacked online.
For More:http://www.businesspundit.com/
Fortune wonders if Siberia will be the next Silicon Valley.
Sarah Tavel writes about the venture capital process when you are outside the valley.
Selling products by word of mouth has benefits and pitfalls.
The venom of crowds - what to do when you are attacked online.
For More:http://www.businesspundit.com/
71 Miles
71 Miles is a new travel site with a blog twist (or is it a blog with a travel site twist?), designed to met the needs of urban-dwellers looking for a weekend getaway. Launched in Beta in Northern California, they plan to go national within the coming months covering destinations within driving distances of major metropolitan cities. Supplemented with interactive maps, slideshows and videos, 71Miles content includes info on activities, sights, hotels and restaurants, written by local authorities with editorial cred to back them up. The site to be well-written and pretty accurate down to the "acid-addled, aged hippie."
Driven by real-time pricing from Kayak's discount hotel booking service and sponsored links from hotels, the "Travel 2.0" site combines word-of-mouth-style info with internet-enabled features to make planning a quick trip way easier than calling a travel agent or hounding friends.
For more:http://71miles.com/
Driven by real-time pricing from Kayak's discount hotel booking service and sponsored links from hotels, the "Travel 2.0" site combines word-of-mouth-style info with internet-enabled features to make planning a quick trip way easier than calling a travel agent or hounding friends.
For more:http://71miles.com/
The Art Of Googling
The art of 'Googling' (checking people's backgrounds on the internet via search engine Google) -- which started out as a useful tool for weeding out psychopaths from the online dating game and performing a quick double-check on an applicant's claim about his or her astonishing career -- will soon be an integral part of corporate 1:1 marketing strategies.
With consumers disclosing their most intimate secrets online (voluntarily!), Google has essentially created a 'domestic database', i.e. a world-wide database loaded with your customers' details and profiles, with a depth of information your company's database can only dream of.
So instead of consumers Googling you before they buy your services, you should Google THEM, and instantly get more personal information than you'd ever be able to capture with traditional 1:1 in an entire life-time. TRENDWATCHING.COM has dubbed this emerging trend COUNTER-GOOGLING, and the opportunities are tasty!
A real-life COUNTER-GOOGLING example? The Bel Air Hotel in LA already Googles first-time guests upon arrival, based on their reservation details (name and address), leading to personalized services like assigning guests a room with morning sun if Googling shows the guest enjoys jogging early in the day (source: http://blog.outer-court.com).
Where to start? All you need is a name and some address details, to make sure you're COUNTER-GOOGLING the right customer. Best chance of hitting the data-jackpot? Three million or so bloggers: consumers who keep an Internet diary, revealing to all the world their commercial preferences, daily doings, recent holiday photos, habits and customs, family matters and what have you. And what about millions and millions of online resumes, showing detailed career paths, marital status and 'life and work objectives'? ;-)
OPPORTUNITIES
Sure, putting COUNTER-GOOGLING to work could be seen as a form of spam. It may even feel creepy to some consumers. But as always, honesty will do the trick: if consumers put their entire life stories online, and you as a company candidly refer to this public information AND make them an offer they can't refuse, more sales may be on the way. And bloggers, savvy consumers by nature, will no doubt introduce a 'no unsollicited sales' seal, the moment they grow tired of COUNTER-GOOGLING, making it clear what's off limits and what's fair game. Smart bloggers could even, in a dedicated section of their page or site, list the goods and services they don't mind getting personalized offers for!
For more:www.trendswatching.com
With consumers disclosing their most intimate secrets online (voluntarily!), Google has essentially created a 'domestic database', i.e. a world-wide database loaded with your customers' details and profiles, with a depth of information your company's database can only dream of.
So instead of consumers Googling you before they buy your services, you should Google THEM, and instantly get more personal information than you'd ever be able to capture with traditional 1:1 in an entire life-time. TRENDWATCHING.COM has dubbed this emerging trend COUNTER-GOOGLING, and the opportunities are tasty!
A real-life COUNTER-GOOGLING example? The Bel Air Hotel in LA already Googles first-time guests upon arrival, based on their reservation details (name and address), leading to personalized services like assigning guests a room with morning sun if Googling shows the guest enjoys jogging early in the day (source: http://blog.outer-court.com).
Where to start? All you need is a name and some address details, to make sure you're COUNTER-GOOGLING the right customer. Best chance of hitting the data-jackpot? Three million or so bloggers: consumers who keep an Internet diary, revealing to all the world their commercial preferences, daily doings, recent holiday photos, habits and customs, family matters and what have you. And what about millions and millions of online resumes, showing detailed career paths, marital status and 'life and work objectives'? ;-)
OPPORTUNITIES
Sure, putting COUNTER-GOOGLING to work could be seen as a form of spam. It may even feel creepy to some consumers. But as always, honesty will do the trick: if consumers put their entire life stories online, and you as a company candidly refer to this public information AND make them an offer they can't refuse, more sales may be on the way. And bloggers, savvy consumers by nature, will no doubt introduce a 'no unsollicited sales' seal, the moment they grow tired of COUNTER-GOOGLING, making it clear what's off limits and what's fair game. Smart bloggers could even, in a dedicated section of their page or site, list the goods and services they don't mind getting personalized offers for!
For more:www.trendswatching.com
Monday, April 9, 2007
Contact ,Would Be Enterprenures
Garage Canada is the first international affiliate of Garage Technology Ventures in Palo Alto. This relationship with Silicon Valley, along with the team’s global connections, provide for direct access to a rich and diverse pool of technical and market expertise, in addition to invaluable follow-on investors, customers and value-added networks.
Our team is supported by other highly experienced external advisors to the fund, including prominent Canadian, American and European venture professionals and senior executives.
Mission
Our team is focused on one primary mission: working with the management teams we invest in to build great global companies. We believe that early-stage investing requires teamwork and a common vision of what needs to be done to build strong foundations.
Our approach begins with people. We are committed to ensuring that Management has the right resources and our full support. We believe that great technology companies have a global mindset, fast clock-speeds, clearly defined value propositions to their customers, well-managed intellectual property and that their business models are based on assumptions and processes that are actively monitored and consistently managed.
We fund entrepreneurs who seek to be winners and companies that will grow to define and dominate their target markets.
For more:http://www.garagecanada.com/
Our team is supported by other highly experienced external advisors to the fund, including prominent Canadian, American and European venture professionals and senior executives.
Mission
Our team is focused on one primary mission: working with the management teams we invest in to build great global companies. We believe that early-stage investing requires teamwork and a common vision of what needs to be done to build strong foundations.
Our approach begins with people. We are committed to ensuring that Management has the right resources and our full support. We believe that great technology companies have a global mindset, fast clock-speeds, clearly defined value propositions to their customers, well-managed intellectual property and that their business models are based on assumptions and processes that are actively monitored and consistently managed.
We fund entrepreneurs who seek to be winners and companies that will grow to define and dominate their target markets.
For more:http://www.garagecanada.com/
How To Know Which Airline Is Offering Best Deal
Say you are looking for a deal on an airline flight. The Internet abounds with offers for low fares. You can find them on the major Internet travel agent sites like Orbitz, Travelocity or on more specialized sites like Cheaptickets.com or Sidestep.com.
Those can be useful, but they have limits. How do you know, for instance, that that low fare really is a deal? A number of Web sites have recently been created that specialize in spotting true bargains. All of them do what any bargain hunter is supposed to do: watch the marketplace for anomalies, whether they are money-saving air tickets, discount hotel rooms or frequent-flier bonuses.
Farecast.com, which gathered a following with technology that enables it to predict the direction of airfares on a particular route, is back with another innovation that it says can distinguish the best deals in air travel.
Hugh Crean, the chief executive of the Seattle company, said, “We flipped the deal concept.” He said that to determine whether a deal was anything more than a marketing tool, the Web site mined its database of airfares to look for good prices relative to others and those in the past.
What makes this an ideal task for computers, he said, is that a person looking for the best fare for a flight on a particular day from, say, San Francisco, would have to study 600 possibilities from each of the area’s three major airports. Since it was already tracking price data from airlines, Farecast was not daunted by the amount of information.
“We are the only ones who look at everything every day,” Mr. Crean said. Artificial intelligence was all that was needed to spot the deals.
On its site, a person goes to the Farecast Deals section and clicks on the departure city and a list of deals pops up. Each entry includes an explanation, like “record low” or “save $249 off the average low.”
For More:http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/07/business/07money.html?em&ex=1176264000&en=f3890c393d8c85d5&ei=5087%0A
Those can be useful, but they have limits. How do you know, for instance, that that low fare really is a deal? A number of Web sites have recently been created that specialize in spotting true bargains. All of them do what any bargain hunter is supposed to do: watch the marketplace for anomalies, whether they are money-saving air tickets, discount hotel rooms or frequent-flier bonuses.
Farecast.com, which gathered a following with technology that enables it to predict the direction of airfares on a particular route, is back with another innovation that it says can distinguish the best deals in air travel.
Hugh Crean, the chief executive of the Seattle company, said, “We flipped the deal concept.” He said that to determine whether a deal was anything more than a marketing tool, the Web site mined its database of airfares to look for good prices relative to others and those in the past.
What makes this an ideal task for computers, he said, is that a person looking for the best fare for a flight on a particular day from, say, San Francisco, would have to study 600 possibilities from each of the area’s three major airports. Since it was already tracking price data from airlines, Farecast was not daunted by the amount of information.
“We are the only ones who look at everything every day,” Mr. Crean said. Artificial intelligence was all that was needed to spot the deals.
On its site, a person goes to the Farecast Deals section and clicks on the departure city and a list of deals pops up. Each entry includes an explanation, like “record low” or “save $249 off the average low.”
For More:http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/07/business/07money.html?em&ex=1176264000&en=f3890c393d8c85d5&ei=5087%0A
WbEx :Free Report ;Instant Messaging
Free Report:
Instant Messaging
Tough Enough for
Business
By Osterman Research
IM is widely used in the workplace today, but unfortunately, most use of IM consists of consumer-grade IM clients. This free report demonstrates the benefits of IM in any size organization, the risks that organizations face from unmanaged IM use, and the factors that must be addressed as organizations upgrade to an enterprise-grade IM capability.
Request your free copy today!
Yes! I want to receive a free copy of Instant Messaging Tough Enough for Business
First Name
Last Name
Email
Company
Phone
Job Function Please Select............................................... Administrative Assistant C - Level Consultant Director Manager Other Owner / Proprietor Team Leader VP
Department Please Select............................................... Business Development / Channels Customer Service & Support Engineering / R&D / Manufacturing Finance, Legal & Administration Human Resources Information Technology Marketing Operations Sales Training Other
Zip/Postal etc.
For more:http://www.webex.com/lp/lzChautauqua0701/IM.html?TrackID=1008807&hbxref=
Instant Messaging
Tough Enough for
Business
By Osterman Research
IM is widely used in the workplace today, but unfortunately, most use of IM consists of consumer-grade IM clients. This free report demonstrates the benefits of IM in any size organization, the risks that organizations face from unmanaged IM use, and the factors that must be addressed as organizations upgrade to an enterprise-grade IM capability.
Request your free copy today!
Yes! I want to receive a free copy of Instant Messaging Tough Enough for Business
First Name
Last Name
Company
Phone
Job Function Please Select............................................... Administrative Assistant C - Level Consultant Director Manager Other Owner / Proprietor Team Leader VP
Department Please Select............................................... Business Development / Channels Customer Service & Support Engineering / R&D / Manufacturing Finance, Legal & Administration Human Resources Information Technology Marketing Operations Sales Training Other
Zip/Postal etc.
For more:http://www.webex.com/lp/lzChautauqua0701/IM.html?TrackID=1008807&hbxref=
41 pounds ,New Fighter Of Junk Mail
41pounds.org, junk mail battling organization. I hate junk mail more than anything– every time I open my mailbox and it’s overflowing with crap, I can’t help but to think how much of a waste it is. Why can’t Dominos Pizza use the freaking internet to advertise? Did you know that every year you get about (you guessed it) 41 lbs. of junk mail? 41pounds is equally fed up, and they’ve decided to do something about it. For $41 per 5 years of service, they will contact the 20 or so companies that are responsible for filling your mailbox with pizza coupons and have you taken off of their list. On top of that, they’ll donate more than half of their profits to charities supporting education, conservation, and re-forestation efforts. From all of us (except those of you who make money off of junk mail marketing): thank you 41pounds.org! More freaky facts about junk mail after el jumpo…
For more:http://idunited.wordpress.com/2007/03/29/41poundsorg/
For more:http://idunited.wordpress.com/2007/03/29/41poundsorg/
Etailer
Online retailer 20ltd sells no more than 20 items at a time, each of which are highly exclusive and only available in small numbers. Goods currently on offer range from GBP 2,900 white buffalo horn sunglasses (edition of 10), to a GBP 9,000 hammock covered in cashmere and black fox fur (thankfully for black foxes, only 5 of those were made). All items are exclusive to 20ltd, and not sold anywhere else. As soon as a product is sold out, it's replaced by a new object of desire.
The British retailer is backed by private investment, and will operate solely online. Calling itself an "etailer of authentic, ingenious, beautiful and unexpected things," 20ltd hopes to reach a global audience, including rapidly growing luxury markets like Russia, China and the Middle East. The website is currently available in English, Italian, Russian, Chinese and Japanese.
For more:www.20ltd.com
The British retailer is backed by private investment, and will operate solely online. Calling itself an "etailer of authentic, ingenious, beautiful and unexpected things," 20ltd hopes to reach a global audience, including rapidly growing luxury markets like Russia, China and the Middle East. The website is currently available in English, Italian, Russian, Chinese and Japanese.
For more:www.20ltd.com
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Value Of Web 2.0 Start Ups
So how much is a Web 2.0 startup really worth? Everyone is wondering that these days, especially since there are so few acquisitions or IPOs by which to measure them. That's why I like the slide below created by eSnips CEO Yael Elish. It gives an approximate value for many high-profile Web 2.0 sites by correlating publicly available Alexa Web traffic numbers with the value of known deals like YouTube's. This slide is hardly accurate for many reasons , but it does help you visualize how one company may be doing against another.
By her count, Wikipedia, YouTube*, and MySpace are in that rarefied realm of Web 2.0 sites worth more than $1 billion. Just below that are Flickr*, Facebook, and Hi5. In the $100 million to $500 million range are LinkedIn, Bebo*, Digg*, Feedburner, Last.fm*, and Technorati*. And just below the $100 million mark is StumbleUpon*, Slide*, and Netvibes*. She values eSnips on the chart at about $30 million. (The asterisked names made the Next Net 25 either in 2006 or 2007).
There are lots of problems with this slide, the first being the accuracy of Alexa's traffic data, which is highly disputed. But as long as Alexa is equally wrong for every Website, that shouldn't too big a deal, especially if all you want to know is the relative value of one site over another. The bigger problem is equating eyeballs with dollars. Not every visitor is worth the same.
For instance, it is possible that social network Hi5 may be worth more than Facebook, but is Google-owned Orkut really worth more than either one of those? I doubt it. And Wikipedia might get a lot of traffic, but it is really not worth as much as YouTube since it is a not-for-profit that has no intention of ever displaying ads.
For more slide shows;http://blogs.business2.com/business2blog/2007/03/eyeballing_the_.html
By her count, Wikipedia, YouTube*, and MySpace are in that rarefied realm of Web 2.0 sites worth more than $1 billion. Just below that are Flickr*, Facebook, and Hi5. In the $100 million to $500 million range are LinkedIn, Bebo*, Digg*, Feedburner, Last.fm*, and Technorati*. And just below the $100 million mark is StumbleUpon*, Slide*, and Netvibes*. She values eSnips on the chart at about $30 million. (The asterisked names made the Next Net 25 either in 2006 or 2007).
There are lots of problems with this slide, the first being the accuracy of Alexa's traffic data, which is highly disputed. But as long as Alexa is equally wrong for every Website, that shouldn't too big a deal, especially if all you want to know is the relative value of one site over another. The bigger problem is equating eyeballs with dollars. Not every visitor is worth the same.
For instance, it is possible that social network Hi5 may be worth more than Facebook, but is Google-owned Orkut really worth more than either one of those? I doubt it. And Wikipedia might get a lot of traffic, but it is really not worth as much as YouTube since it is a not-for-profit that has no intention of ever displaying ads.
For more slide shows;http://blogs.business2.com/business2blog/2007/03/eyeballing_the_.html
Drobo
With a name like Drobo, you can't expect this robot to spit fire or scare little kids. Instead this $699 bot guards your hard drives from sudden death by automatically sensing when things go awry with one of your HDDs. Should it detect any data corruption, Drobo springs into action repairing any foul play. The enclosure can also detect and format up to four 3.5-inch SATA drives. Pretty fancy for a HDD enclosure.
For more;http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/peripherals/drobo-the-storage-robot-that-keeps-your-hdds-in-check-250435.php
For more;http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/peripherals/drobo-the-storage-robot-that-keeps-your-hdds-in-check-250435.php
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Interview With Google CEO
Among the topics they covered were:
Anti-trust (with a beautiful deke to create “time and space” as we say in hockey)
Innovation
Competitive advantages
Motivation of entrepreneurs
Maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit
Traditional and non-traditional organization design
What Microsoft and Yahoo does that impresses him
Invention of disruptive technologies.
For more:http://iinnovate.blogspot.com/2007/03/eric-schmidt-ceo-of-google.html
Anti-trust (with a beautiful deke to create “time and space” as we say in hockey)
Innovation
Competitive advantages
Motivation of entrepreneurs
Maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit
Traditional and non-traditional organization design
What Microsoft and Yahoo does that impresses him
Invention of disruptive technologies.
For more:http://iinnovate.blogspot.com/2007/03/eric-schmidt-ceo-of-google.html
AirBus With BMW design Interior
Airplane interiors are boring. Why is there never any innovation? Well, BMW has changed that. The new Airbus A350 twinjet is being unveiled at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, and it has a BMW designed interior. Among the dozens of innovations, the roof lighting can dramatically change and the storage now enables two carry on bags per passenger.
“There are new lighting features and shaping in the cabin,” says A350 chief engineer Dougie Hunter. “We can project onto the ceiling whatever is appropriate for the mood required – for example the night sky or clouds etc.”
For more:www.trendhunter.com
“There are new lighting features and shaping in the cabin,” says A350 chief engineer Dougie Hunter. “We can project onto the ceiling whatever is appropriate for the mood required – for example the night sky or clouds etc.”
For more:www.trendhunter.com
How To Attract Venture Captalist
One of the participants asked a great question about how to get his attention as a company seeking VC funding. So here are the secrets (in order of importance) straight from the source on how to get Guy to pay his Venture Capitalist attention to you :
Do your homework.VC firms specialize in many various industries. Garage Technology Ventures focuses on software, services, clean technology, and material sciences. In the life sciences (or other) field? Don’t waste your time reading further. Find a different VC firm that specializes in your industry.
Get introduced to Guy by a well established Corporate Finance AttorneyWhy? You will have already passed one tried and true “Bozo Filter”.
Make sure you have had your business incorporated by same said AttorneyDon’t use forms from OfficeMax or your relative who usually specializes in real estate law. (No offense meant to past employer Socrates.com or my own lawyer-father, both of whom I’ve used to incorporate past businesses. Good thing I’m not seeking funding!)
If you are still in school or grad school and go to a name brand university, have your Department Head get in touch with Guy on your behalf. You (and the head of your department!) had better make darn sure that you have something impressive to put in front of Guy in the first place. As in, the school hasn’t seen this kind of innovation in years. Or ever.
Have a CEO of a large company like Yahoo or Google company in a VC’s portfolio that’s doing well make an introduction for you.
Guy realizes that many people don’t have these connections. His backup advice? Life is tough. Other people have made these connections. So can you, if you have an idea and company worth investing in.
So let’s say you have none of these things. What do you do?You have one shot, three paragraphs, and there’s no room for bullshit.
And you better have tried steps 1-6 first. Send Garage Technologies an email. Don’t you dare use the words “patent”, “our partner”, “conservative projections” or “hurry because other VC firms are interested” or bother with any of these other lies.
DON’T send an attachment, don’t waste their time.
DO have brand credentials, and you had better have paid attention to #1 (read his blog, know his company).
You have three paragraphs to pitch your company, talking specifically about how what you do appeals to people. This isn’t just about you - this is the golden rule of “What’s in it for Them”.
For more;http://www.emomsathome.com/blog/2007/03/22/8-ways-to-get-venture-capital-attention-from-guy-kawasaki/
Do your homework.VC firms specialize in many various industries. Garage Technology Ventures focuses on software, services, clean technology, and material sciences. In the life sciences (or other) field? Don’t waste your time reading further. Find a different VC firm that specializes in your industry.
Get introduced to Guy by a well established Corporate Finance AttorneyWhy? You will have already passed one tried and true “Bozo Filter”.
Make sure you have had your business incorporated by same said AttorneyDon’t use forms from OfficeMax or your relative who usually specializes in real estate law. (No offense meant to past employer Socrates.com or my own lawyer-father, both of whom I’ve used to incorporate past businesses. Good thing I’m not seeking funding!)
If you are still in school or grad school and go to a name brand university, have your Department Head get in touch with Guy on your behalf. You (and the head of your department!) had better make darn sure that you have something impressive to put in front of Guy in the first place. As in, the school hasn’t seen this kind of innovation in years. Or ever.
Have a CEO of a large company like Yahoo or Google company in a VC’s portfolio that’s doing well make an introduction for you.
Guy realizes that many people don’t have these connections. His backup advice? Life is tough. Other people have made these connections. So can you, if you have an idea and company worth investing in.
So let’s say you have none of these things. What do you do?You have one shot, three paragraphs, and there’s no room for bullshit.
And you better have tried steps 1-6 first. Send Garage Technologies an email. Don’t you dare use the words “patent”, “our partner”, “conservative projections” or “hurry because other VC firms are interested” or bother with any of these other lies.
DON’T send an attachment, don’t waste their time.
DO have brand credentials, and you had better have paid attention to #1 (read his blog, know his company).
You have three paragraphs to pitch your company, talking specifically about how what you do appeals to people. This isn’t just about you - this is the golden rule of “What’s in it for Them”.
For more;http://www.emomsathome.com/blog/2007/03/22/8-ways-to-get-venture-capital-attention-from-guy-kawasaki/
Set Your Own Mobile Network
Sonopia works with Verizon to handle calls and data transfer, and lets anyone from a rock band to a church group set up their own mobile network brand. In return, the mini carrier will receive 3-8% of revenues generated by the customers they sign up. Brands create their own calling plans, get a co-branded website and are able to send their members messages about the latest news or special events.
Organizations that have already set up a Sonopia MVNO include the National Wildlife Fund, the American Medical Student Association and the Long Island Ducks (minor-league baseball). Someone also started a San Francisco Foodies group and the LonelyGirl15 Fan Club.
The obvious challenge when setting up your own MVNO is to create a strong enough hook to convince customers to switch from a major carrier to your service. Which could be exclusive content sent only to members/customers, like a pre-release of Fergie's latest song, or daily nuggets of wisdom from Dr. Phil. Non-profit networks are helped by the feel-good factor of knowing that profits are being donated to the cause of one's choice, as is the case with the National Wildlife Fund: "Help preserve our wildlife today... one call at a time."
For more; www.sonopia.com
Organizations that have already set up a Sonopia MVNO include the National Wildlife Fund, the American Medical Student Association and the Long Island Ducks (minor-league baseball). Someone also started a San Francisco Foodies group and the LonelyGirl15 Fan Club.
The obvious challenge when setting up your own MVNO is to create a strong enough hook to convince customers to switch from a major carrier to your service. Which could be exclusive content sent only to members/customers, like a pre-release of Fergie's latest song, or daily nuggets of wisdom from Dr. Phil. Non-profit networks are helped by the feel-good factor of knowing that profits are being donated to the cause of one's choice, as is the case with the National Wildlife Fund: "Help preserve our wildlife today... one call at a time."
For more; www.sonopia.com
Friday, April 6, 2007
Bubble Guru
New application called BubbleGuru it allows you to record video footage from your webcam and then place it onto any website, in an email, etc. The idea behind it is that you can convey your ideas in a more realistic and candid way by recording video messages on the fly, and the messages, even once they’re embedded, won’t take up any extra space on the web page or email– the secret (well, not so secret), is that BubbleGuru serves and encodes the video for you. I’ve seen it in action, and it looks pretty good to me. BubbleGuru is currently in beta version and is free when you sign up before May 1st.
For more;www.bubbleguru.com
For more;www.bubbleguru.com
Thursday, April 5, 2007
Managing Your travel Plans"TripSync"
TripSync, an exciting new Web 2.0 app that allows you to book, change, and manage travel plans directly from your calendar. Once you use the easy drag and drop interface to book your flight, rental car, and hotel accommodations through an automatic search of leading global distribution systems, your travel data is uploaded to your calendar in Outlook. From that point, you can click into components of your itinerary on your calendar and review/modify your plans– essentially, it’s a live data itinerary. Even more, the app allows you to keep others (your boss, your co-workers, your nagging wife) abreast of changes you make to your travel plans. TripSync was developed by veteran business travelers who understand how smaller businesses work, so I’m hoping that this tool will be of use to a lot of you. I didn’t fully understand its functionality until I viewed their demo– so that’s a good starting point .
WhiskeyMilitia
The new website WhiskeyMilitia sells one piece of marked-down skate/snow/surf gear for at least 50% off beginning each night at midnight MST until it’s gone. Sound familiar? It’s the same model as woot! and SteepandCheap, but for skaters instead of computer geeks or backcountry gear nerds. Today’s the first day, and there’s a Darkstar complete skateboard for $50.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Is Twitter Safe?
It seems that everyone is talking about Twitter, and while the service is seeing enormous growth and all the celebrity bloggers have started using it like their life depends on it, before you jump on the bandwagon, here are a few considerations to keep in mind.
For More:http://www.pronetadvertising.com/articles/three-hidden-dangers-of-twitter.html
For More:http://www.pronetadvertising.com/articles/three-hidden-dangers-of-twitter.html
Something To Sell
Service is offered by JyvePro, which works with Skype. Writers, tutors, web designers, consultants, lawyers, therapists and anyone else with something to say and sell, can download the JyvePro plug-in (an add-on piece of software). This connects a payment system to the user's Skype account, and works like a taxi meter, tracking minutes talked, and invoicing customers once a conversation is over. Calls can be five minutes or two hours -- the systems bills to the minute.
For its automated billing system, JyvePro uses a digital payment service called Click&Buy, which also processes payments for online merchants like Habbo Hotel, iVillage, and the European version of Apple's iTunes.
Since calls run through Skype, customers and consultants can be based anywhere in the world, turning minipreneurs into global businesses. Customers have access to help/employees on demand, and consultants are able to tap into a worldwide client base, selling their time when it suits them. According to Skype, which celebrated its third birthday yesterday, 7 million people were on Skype yesterday morning, breaking all previous records. 7 million buyers and sellers ready to be connected, giving everyone access to the global brain.
Website: http://www.jyvepro.com
Contact: bizdev@jyve.com
For its automated billing system, JyvePro uses a digital payment service called Click&Buy, which also processes payments for online merchants like Habbo Hotel, iVillage, and the European version of Apple's iTunes.
Since calls run through Skype, customers and consultants can be based anywhere in the world, turning minipreneurs into global businesses. Customers have access to help/employees on demand, and consultants are able to tap into a worldwide client base, selling their time when it suits them. According to Skype, which celebrated its third birthday yesterday, 7 million people were on Skype yesterday morning, breaking all previous records. 7 million buyers and sellers ready to be connected, giving everyone access to the global brain.
Website: http://www.jyvepro.com
Contact: bizdev@jyve.com
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
How To Advertise
Search advertising (aka keyword advertising) is one of the hottest trends in marketing today, and no wonder--paying only for ads that potential customers click on is an advertiser's dream come true.
Your search advertising campaign's effectiveness, however, depends to a large degree on how effectively you plan, create and maintain it. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your campaign:
1. Know your business. The point of a search advertising campaign is precision: reaching the right users at the right time. And the first step toward achieving this is to know your business. What products and services are you selling? What's your precise market niche? What selling strengths do you want to play toward? Do your homework up front so your campaign planning will be as effective as possible.
As an example, let's assume you're running a gourmet coffee website, http://www.frothing-latte-bean.com, on which you sell a range of coffee products, from beans to machines. Your target market is devoted coffee lovers everywhere, and you want to focus on your great products and easy ordering options.
2. Identify your goals and organize around them. Once you have a clear sense of your business, stay focused on it as you establish the goals for your ad campaign. Then, as you set up your search ads, structure each campaign based on a simple, overarching goal--for instance, getting people who want to buy great coffee products to visit your site so you sell more coffee beans online. In some cases, you can use the same structure for your campaigns as you do for your website. If your site is already grouped into categories, for example, your job is almost done. Mapping your structure on paper first will produce an easy-to-use template.
Now that you've set your campaigns and related goals, you can create logical groupings within each campaign called "ad groups." Ad groups are made up of keywords and ads (and we'll go into this more later). Since you've chosen one goal per campaign, each ad group within a campaign should be helping you met those goals.
3. Choose the right keywords. Choosing keywords is both an art and a science. Start by brainstorming a list that's as wide as possible. There are a variety of online resources that can assist you in brainstorming. Using them, you simply enter a few basic ideas, such as gourmet coffee, French roast and coffee beans, and you'll get back dozens of potential keywords and phrases (two- and three-word phrases usually work best as keywords).
Once you have a good list, you'll want to sort it (many advertisers put them into a spreadsheet to make sorting them easier). Start by selecting a "match type" for each keyword. A broad match means any user who searches on "coffee" or "bean" in any combination will see your ads; more precisely targeted matches--such as a phrase match or an exact match--will deliver fewer ad views but perhaps better targeted ones. You can even choose negative match keywords to eliminate searched phrases you don't want your ad to appear on, such as "cheap" or "free."
Finally, you should refine your list by cutting irrelevant keywords that don't really relate to your business, and then organize the remaining keywords into themed groups. For instance, you might want to place keywords relating to whole-bean coffee in one ad group and those relating to ground coffee in another one.
4. Write ads that get people clicking. Now that you've set up your keywords and grouped them in ad groups, your next step is to write the ads that users will see in their search results when they search on those keywords. You have three lines with which to grab that potential customer's attention. Here are a few tips for getting it right:
Get to the point quickly.
Include your keywords in your headline.
Write copy that encourages users to click through to your site.
Here's a sample ad for our gourmet coffee site:
Gourmet Coffee Beans
Order fair-trade, French roast,
decaf coffee beans. Free shipping.
www.frothing-latte-bean.com
For more:www.enterprenure.com
Your search advertising campaign's effectiveness, however, depends to a large degree on how effectively you plan, create and maintain it. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your campaign:
1. Know your business. The point of a search advertising campaign is precision: reaching the right users at the right time. And the first step toward achieving this is to know your business. What products and services are you selling? What's your precise market niche? What selling strengths do you want to play toward? Do your homework up front so your campaign planning will be as effective as possible.
As an example, let's assume you're running a gourmet coffee website, http://www.frothing-latte-bean.com, on which you sell a range of coffee products, from beans to machines. Your target market is devoted coffee lovers everywhere, and you want to focus on your great products and easy ordering options.
2. Identify your goals and organize around them. Once you have a clear sense of your business, stay focused on it as you establish the goals for your ad campaign. Then, as you set up your search ads, structure each campaign based on a simple, overarching goal--for instance, getting people who want to buy great coffee products to visit your site so you sell more coffee beans online. In some cases, you can use the same structure for your campaigns as you do for your website. If your site is already grouped into categories, for example, your job is almost done. Mapping your structure on paper first will produce an easy-to-use template.
Now that you've set your campaigns and related goals, you can create logical groupings within each campaign called "ad groups." Ad groups are made up of keywords and ads (and we'll go into this more later). Since you've chosen one goal per campaign, each ad group within a campaign should be helping you met those goals.
3. Choose the right keywords. Choosing keywords is both an art and a science. Start by brainstorming a list that's as wide as possible. There are a variety of online resources that can assist you in brainstorming. Using them, you simply enter a few basic ideas, such as gourmet coffee, French roast and coffee beans, and you'll get back dozens of potential keywords and phrases (two- and three-word phrases usually work best as keywords).
Once you have a good list, you'll want to sort it (many advertisers put them into a spreadsheet to make sorting them easier). Start by selecting a "match type" for each keyword. A broad match means any user who searches on "coffee" or "bean" in any combination will see your ads; more precisely targeted matches--such as a phrase match or an exact match--will deliver fewer ad views but perhaps better targeted ones. You can even choose negative match keywords to eliminate searched phrases you don't want your ad to appear on, such as "cheap" or "free."
Finally, you should refine your list by cutting irrelevant keywords that don't really relate to your business, and then organize the remaining keywords into themed groups. For instance, you might want to place keywords relating to whole-bean coffee in one ad group and those relating to ground coffee in another one.
4. Write ads that get people clicking. Now that you've set up your keywords and grouped them in ad groups, your next step is to write the ads that users will see in their search results when they search on those keywords. You have three lines with which to grab that potential customer's attention. Here are a few tips for getting it right:
Get to the point quickly.
Include your keywords in your headline.
Write copy that encourages users to click through to your site.
Here's a sample ad for our gourmet coffee site:
Gourmet Coffee Beans
Order fair-trade, French roast,
decaf coffee beans. Free shipping.
www.frothing-latte-bean.com
For more:www.enterprenure.com
Monday, April 2, 2007
Adafruit Offering New Laser,laptops,ipods etc.
Adafruit offers custom laser etching of laptops, iPods, phones, cameras and more. It isn't the first company to offer laser etching (see Etchamac, Powerbook Laser Engraving and others), but it is the first to freely share its business model with other entrepreneurs interested in setting up a customization shop.
Adafruit Laser Services was launched by Phillip Torrone (senior editor of Make magazine) and Limor Fried (aka Lady Ada). The duo will freely share information on how to use a high powered laser system, etching techniques, business practices and templates. Adafruit currently operates in New York and is planning to set up a location in San Francisco early this year. Customers can have a small gadget etched for USD 30, and a laptop for USD 100. Bulk rates and services are available to businesses.
The laser etching machine used by Adafruit is an Epilog, priced at around USD 20,000 and capable of doing highly detailed etching (1200 dpi). If a group of interested etchers use their crowd clout by organizing a group buy, they should be able to make a head start by getting the machine's price down. If you're interested in setting up your own laser etching business / gadget tattoo parlor and would like to receive more info, contact Adafruit at laser@adafruit.com.
Website: www.adafruit.com/laser
Contact: laser@adafruit.com
Adafruit Laser Services was launched by Phillip Torrone (senior editor of Make magazine) and Limor Fried (aka Lady Ada). The duo will freely share information on how to use a high powered laser system, etching techniques, business practices and templates. Adafruit currently operates in New York and is planning to set up a location in San Francisco early this year. Customers can have a small gadget etched for USD 30, and a laptop for USD 100. Bulk rates and services are available to businesses.
The laser etching machine used by Adafruit is an Epilog, priced at around USD 20,000 and capable of doing highly detailed etching (1200 dpi). If a group of interested etchers use their crowd clout by organizing a group buy, they should be able to make a head start by getting the machine's price down. If you're interested in setting up your own laser etching business / gadget tattoo parlor and would like to receive more info, contact Adafruit at laser@adafruit.com.
Website: www.adafruit.com/laser
Contact: laser@adafruit.com
Living Room Theaters
Launched in Portland last month, Living Room Theaters intends to create a more intimate and multi-purpose approach to movie going. The small complex has 6 screening rooms, each seating 38 to 64 audience members in home-theater style recliners and loveseats or at low-lit tables with plush chairs. Customers can sit down and relax in the screening/living room half an hour before the movie starts, ordering drinks from a full bar and finger food from a tapas-style menu.
Unlike regular theaters, Living Room also serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in a casual restaurant and bar with capacity for 50 people. On sunny days, a roll-up garage door opens the restaurant for sidewalk cafe seating. Completing the being space concept, free wifi is available throughout the lounge and cafe. All of which will help bring in the grown-up customers Living Room Theaters is targeting; not just when they want to see the latest indie flick, but also for meeting up and hanging out in a comfortable, well-designed space, or having lunch while working on their own film scripts.
For more: www.livingroomtheaters.com
Contact: info@livingroomtheaters.com
O
Unlike regular theaters, Living Room also serves breakfast, lunch and dinner in a casual restaurant and bar with capacity for 50 people. On sunny days, a roll-up garage door opens the restaurant for sidewalk cafe seating. Completing the being space concept, free wifi is available throughout the lounge and cafe. All of which will help bring in the grown-up customers Living Room Theaters is targeting; not just when they want to see the latest indie flick, but also for meeting up and hanging out in a comfortable, well-designed space, or having lunch while working on their own film scripts.
For more: www.livingroomtheaters.com
Contact: info@livingroomtheaters.com
O
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Buy Direct From Owner Not Retailer
This website has been growing at a very healthy pace since it launched in June 2005, as consumers from around the globe increasingly value the originality of handmade items and enjoy buying from individuals instead of mass retailers. Etsy brings it all together with a great user interface and sophisticated search tools that let buyers find everything from scented soy candles (USD 5) to a tennis ball chair (USD 275). 307,076 items were sold from June 2005 - December 2006.
And now the company has a brick-and-mortar space at 325 Gold Street in Brooklyn. The new studio will serve as Etsy's headquarters, and allow members to meet up and use communal equipment like a silkscreen press and a letterpress. The Labs will host parties, trunk shows, seminars, workshops, a lending library and more.
In their own words: "We intend to use the Brooklyn Etsy Labs as, well, a laboratory, to see if we can build it into a self sustaining entity. If so, we one day hope to recreate the Labs in cities across the world and give all makers of things a place to gather, learn, share, and create."
For more:www.etsy.com
And now the company has a brick-and-mortar space at 325 Gold Street in Brooklyn. The new studio will serve as Etsy's headquarters, and allow members to meet up and use communal equipment like a silkscreen press and a letterpress. The Labs will host parties, trunk shows, seminars, workshops, a lending library and more.
In their own words: "We intend to use the Brooklyn Etsy Labs as, well, a laboratory, to see if we can build it into a self sustaining entity. If so, we one day hope to recreate the Labs in cities across the world and give all makers of things a place to gather, learn, share, and create."
For more:www.etsy.com
Saturday, March 31, 2007
Junkebox Technology
Patrons at select pubs and restaurants in Israel, France and Australia no longer need to worry about change for the jukebox or bugging a dj to play their favourite tunes—they can queue up their music choices via text message from their cellphones.
SMS jukebox technology, such as c|station by Australian Rippamedia and SMS DJ by Israeli YCD Multimedia, puts song selection literally at customers' fingertips. Customers simply select from a menu of available tunes—which may be promoted on menus, coasters or other collateral throughout an establishment—and send in their requests via SMS for a small fee. The service plays their requests over the in-house speakers and can even complement the music with videos, or promotions to download ringtones. Once a customer has sent a request, he or she can also access the full library of available songs. YCD launched their version in cooperation with network operator Orange in Israel and France, splitting revenues from the premium text message service between the mobile operator, the owner of the location, and YCD.
For More.
www.rippamedia.com.au/news/sms-jukebox.htm Contact: info@rippamedia.com.au
SMS jukebox technology, such as c|station by Australian Rippamedia and SMS DJ by Israeli YCD Multimedia, puts song selection literally at customers' fingertips. Customers simply select from a menu of available tunes—which may be promoted on menus, coasters or other collateral throughout an establishment—and send in their requests via SMS for a small fee. The service plays their requests over the in-house speakers and can even complement the music with videos, or promotions to download ringtones. Once a customer has sent a request, he or she can also access the full library of available songs. YCD launched their version in cooperation with network operator Orange in Israel and France, splitting revenues from the premium text message service between the mobile operator, the owner of the location, and YCD.
For More.
www.rippamedia.com.au/news/sms-jukebox.htm Contact: info@rippamedia.com.au
Friday, March 30, 2007
Want A Nap Don't Worry
MetroNaps launched sleep pods for bleary-eyed New Yorkers in dire need of a nap. New Yorkers who need to relax and recharge can now also duck into Yelo—a new sleep salon offering 20- to 40-minute power naps and reflexology treatments. Research has shown that napping can boost productivity and performance, and Yelo offers more than just a light snooze.
Patented private sleep chambers called YeloCabs feature purified air, 500-count linens, cashmere blankets and Yelo's own YeloChairs, which are specially designed to elevate the legs above the heart for optimum relaxation. Customers can select relaxing music or soundscapes to fit their moods, and can personalize lighting and color in their chambers. Aromatherapy is also available. Priced at USD 12-14, YeloNaps are an affordable indulgence.
More: www.yelonyc.com
Patented private sleep chambers called YeloCabs feature purified air, 500-count linens, cashmere blankets and Yelo's own YeloChairs, which are specially designed to elevate the legs above the heart for optimum relaxation. Customers can select relaxing music or soundscapes to fit their moods, and can personalize lighting and color in their chambers. Aromatherapy is also available. Priced at USD 12-14, YeloNaps are an affordable indulgence.
More: www.yelonyc.com
MyShape
Every body is different, and just five or six percent of bodies fit the model that most designers use as their standard. Which is why a women's apparel retailer is using proprietary technology to customize selections to a customer's individual shape. When signing up for their personal myShop, customers enter their measurements and MyShape's patent pending ShapeMatch software determines their body shape. MyShape has defined seven basic body shapes, based on proportions and sizes of waist, shoulders, hips, etc.
The customer is then shown outfits that flatter their shape and fit their body measurements. And, of course, that match their style preferences. MyShape works with 100 designers, most of whom handle shipping. MyShape receives a sales commission. The start-up's aim is to make shopping effortless for busy women, saving them the time and frustration of trying on 10 different skirts in a store. It also removes the guesswork from online shopping, caused by inconsistent sizing between brands and retailers.
For More:www.myshape.com
The customer is then shown outfits that flatter their shape and fit their body measurements. And, of course, that match their style preferences. MyShape works with 100 designers, most of whom handle shipping. MyShape receives a sales commission. The start-up's aim is to make shopping effortless for busy women, saving them the time and frustration of trying on 10 different skirts in a store. It also removes the guesswork from online shopping, caused by inconsistent sizing between brands and retailers.
For More:www.myshape.com
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Pxidigital
While the major photography and printing brands - Kodak, Epson, HP - have developed their own digital photo printing kiosks over the past few years, an Australian start-up is convinced that it can grab a good share of a highly competitive market that HP has estimated to be worth USD 7.7 billion by 2009 (including photo mini-labs).
Pxi has developed a self-contained, full-service kiosk that offers photo printing, editing, storing and online sharing. Unlike other kiosks, which are usually placed within stores, Pxi is focusing on malls and other busy public spaces - airports, train stations, universities and hospitals.
For More: www.pxidigital.comContact: info@pxidigital.com
Pxi has developed a self-contained, full-service kiosk that offers photo printing, editing, storing and online sharing. Unlike other kiosks, which are usually placed within stores, Pxi is focusing on malls and other busy public spaces - airports, train stations, universities and hospitals.
For More: www.pxidigital.comContact: info@pxidigital.com
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Ello Mobile
Belgian Ello Mobile is a new mobile operator that was established with the sole aim of giving away 100% of its profits. Ello is a mobile virtual network operator – it uses an existing network. Instead of offering bargain-basement cellphone plans, the company offers its customers the chance to contribute directly to a cause with every call they make, and every text message they send.
Customers can currently pick one of six projects, from protecting the jungles of Sumatra to providing mobile schools to street children in South America. Another six projects will be added over the next few months, all of which have been selected by an independent panel of experts. Ello understands the need for charitable organizations to be completely transparent, and will share full profit and loss statements with its customers. To minimize costs, the company is entirely web-based, and works with a small administrative staff. Profit margins are forecast at 24-33% for the first three years, and are targeted to climb to 41% after 2009.
http://www.ello-mobile.beNew Way Of Advertrising
Los Angeles-based Spot Runner offers a solution, by making it fast, easy and affordable for local businesses to advertise on television.
The entire process is online and automated: customers pick from a wide range of ready-made videos that are tailor-made to their industry. After selecting an ad, the business customizes voice-over text and on-screen information, and tells Spot Runner how much it would like to spend on air time and which markets the ad should run in. Complete campaigns, including production and airtime, start at USD 1,500 and can be up and running within weeks.
While some businesses may balk at the idea of cookie-cutter ads, the production quality is higher then most local florists, pet shops and wedding planners would otherwise be able to afford. And the self-service approach saves time and should appeal to businesses who don't have budgets for working with agencies and media planners. Very comparable to Google's AdWords approach to advertising online.For more:: www.spotrunner.com
The entire process is online and automated: customers pick from a wide range of ready-made videos that are tailor-made to their industry. After selecting an ad, the business customizes voice-over text and on-screen information, and tells Spot Runner how much it would like to spend on air time and which markets the ad should run in. Complete campaigns, including production and airtime, start at USD 1,500 and can be up and running within weeks.
While some businesses may balk at the idea of cookie-cutter ads, the production quality is higher then most local florists, pet shops and wedding planners would otherwise be able to afford. And the self-service approach saves time and should appeal to businesses who don't have budgets for working with agencies and media planners. Very comparable to Google's AdWords approach to advertising online.For more:: www.spotrunner.com
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