Collegepreneur The Magazine For Today’s Young Genius
Spring 2008
Preview: Global Entrepreneurship Week 300+ Colleges, 50 Countries, One Mission
Should You Venture For Capital? Start-Up Money Strategies
Collegepreneur Conference Call For Nominations!
Got Dressonality? What your clothes say about you
Sherrie, baby! From College Coed To Executive Regional VP How does a 19-year-old, with perfect skin, sell anti-aging skin care products? (and a LOT of it!)
5Questions with Stedman Graham
College Vote 2008 Is Anybody Running Except Obama & Clinton?
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F ra n H a rris , P h . D .
Founder, Publisher, Editor-In-Chief
Contributing Editor Tonya Banz Copy Editing Triumph Communications, LLC CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Bree Barton Samuel Bickham Nicole Braddock Donna Cutting Matt Darby Adam Davis Lou DiToro Louise Edgerton Joe Farlese Amy Goldsmith Jen Groover
Kent Healy Kyle Healy Bill Hilton James Malinchak Debra Nixon, Ph.D. Micha Nixon Beth Philley Geoff Sanders Omar Soliman Jonathan Sprinkles
ART Art Director Veronica Sirotin Design Services Veronicas Graphics Stock Imagery BigStockPhoto Advertising, Sales & Business Development Fran Harris Enterprises, LLC 5600 W. Lovers Ln, #116-190 Dallas, Texas 75209 p. (214) 260-7742 f. (866) 846-4908 Editorial Offices 5600 W. Lovers Ln, #116-190 Dallas, Texas 75209 p. (214) 260-7742 f. (866) 846-4908 Subscriptions To subscribe, renew your subscription, or buy gift subscriptions, call (214) 260-7742 or visit www.Collegepreneur.com
Write For Us Go to www.writeforcollegepreneur.com for details! Employment Opportunities We’re always looking for reliable and creative players to add to our team. Send your resume and cover letter to jobs@collegepreneur.com. We’d love to hear from you! All general inquiries, praise, flowers, kudos, feedback and suggestions should be emailed to letters@collegepreneur.com Reprints & Permissions To order reprints of any article or to get permission to reproduce an article appearing in Collegepreneur, call (214) 260-7742 or email reprints@collegepreneur.com.
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Content 36 Sherrie, baby!
From College Coed To Executive Regional VP How does a 19-year-old, with perfect skin, sell anti-aging skin care products? (and a LOT of it!)
10 Preview: Global Entrepreneurship Week
300+ Colleges, 50 Countries, One Mission
20 Should You Venture For Capital?
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Start-Up Money Strategies
24 Questions with Stedman Graham
Collegepreneur Conference Call For Nominations!
10 Got Dressonality?
What your clothes say about you
10 College Vote 2008
Is Anybody Running Except Obama & Clinton?
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You Got Mail
?
Using a post office or drop box as the business address downplays the fact you are a home based business. It’s also a nice security measure
What is Affiliate Marketing Affiliate Marketing, also known sometimes as referral marketing, allows you to make passive or residual income by driving traffic to a particular website. For instance, if you’ve ever gone to a random website and seen an Amazon.com banner or ad on the page, chances are, the owner of that website has signed up for Amazon. com’s “associate” program. Each time someone 10
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buys from the ad or link, the website owner gets a commission. That’s affiliate marketing in a nutshell. ClickBank.com is one of the largest affiliate marketing portals online, offering thousands of “digital” products for sale. Affiliate marketers sign up for a free account and within minutes are ready to promote a wide array of affiliate products from their vast
marketplace. One of the most appealing aspects of affiliate programs is that you don’t even need your own website. Instead you can promote your unique affiliate link to your permissionbased address book via email. When people click on the link, they are taken to a sales page (created by the affiliate product or service owner), and when your referral buys, you get paid. Is that easy or what?
Name It + Domain It If you don’t already have a domain name that matches your business name, go to CollegepreneurDomains and search for it. Keeping the brand consistent across channels is key.
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The
the doors of Starbucks every single day of the year? Could it be the tall, half-caf caramel macchiato has them in a trance? Is the coffee truly superior to other houses? Some would argue yes but even staunch Starbuckians will tell you that what makes them loyal, almost obsessive about Starbucks has about 10% to do with the actual coffee and 90% of the way they “feel” at Starbucks. The ambience. The friendly baristas who not only know their names but also what they’re going to order the minute they walk through the doors. They like the cool music that plays in the background as you wait for your drink. Could it be any of those things? Or is it all of those things? A multi-million dollar brand doesn’t become one by accident. The caretakers of the Starbucks brand understand that if you create an “experience” with customers they will follow you to the ends of the earth and trust that you will get them there safely.
of Leadership
By Fran Harris, Ph.D.
S
Someone once said, “tasks are managed, Great leaders embrace Accountability. If you’re people are led.” To be a great leader not willing to take responsibility for your own you must also embody the qualities of mistakes, you’ll never be an effective leader. a great coach. The old school way of leading Accountability inspires confidence among the created a fairly stagnant marketplace. Workers team. When individuals know that you are worked, managers managed and no strong enough to “own up” to your Great leaders one questioned the status quo. Today, decisions - good or bad --, they will we live in a much more dynamic are friends of be more likely to own up to theirs. environment where innovation and Laughter. Humor This level of accountability leads to a ingenuity are not only embraced but finely tuned machine where the team is the best also expected. becomes excellent stewards of the medicine and is company. While there are many great leadership without question qualities, I’ve narrowed the list down Great leaders are friends of Laughter. an essential to my top five, C.A.L.C.E. These are the Humor is the best medicine and tenets I stress when teach teambuilding ingredient for is without question an essential in Fortune 100 corporations and sports ingredient for compelling leadership. compelling teams alike. You don’t need to be a stand up comic, leadership. but you do need to have a healthy Great leaders are master Communicators. We’ve sense of humor and the ability to see the lighter been conditioned to think that great leaders side of things. If the leader can enjoy a nice belly talk all the time. That they’re non-stop chatters. laugh, you can bet morale will benefit. Always forcing their opinions and ideas onto the group. Not necessarily so. The best leaders must Great leaders are ambassadors of Compassion. know when to talk and when to zip it up. In fact, The best leaders are those who have not the consummate leader must also be an effective forgotten what it’s like to be on the front line. listener. He must not only hear the needs and Many leaders believe that by empathizing or concerns of his teammates but also possess the having compassion that they lose the respect of ability to filter out what’s needed to take the their team. Not so! Contrary to popular belief, team to the next level. His communication style showing that you’re human, is a good thing! must convey confidence and at the same time, People want solid leadership not a robot in enlist the thoughts of those on the team. The command. best leaders are those who create an atmosphere where diverse voices are not only heard but also Great leaders create an unparalleled Experience. valued. Why do millions of people stampede through 12
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Know Thy M a r k e t Spend a few weeks researching the industry you’re going into. Read magazines and books on trends and hypertrends. And of course, the Internet puts mounds of research right at your fingertips.
Just Checking! First things first. Separate your personal income and expenses from your business income and expenses. No cohabitation! Then, call several banks to find out what kinds of checking accounts and specials they offer new business owners. And please read the fine print. Those fees can add up.
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Ideaphoria Afflicting Entrepreneurs Worldwide…Do You Have It?
Score
Big
with
SCORE
I
’ve been an entrepreneur for the twenty years. I’ve had great ideas and ‘not’ so great ones. I’ve started five businesses with numerous successes and a few fabulous failures. Here’s what I just discovered about myself. I have ideaphoria. Now the question is, do you? Does this sound familiar? You’re heading down the Big E road! No one forced you, but somehow you are here. You couldn’t be stopped. Your brain is constantly thinking and moving. You’ve had these amazing thoughts that ricocheted into the stratosphere. You’ve turned problems into solutions. You cannot fathom what it means to be “risky” or “fearful.” Usually “non-entrepreneurs and parents feel this. Instead, your ideas are always flowing and you feel kind of high…as though your endorphins are in overdrive, pumping up your adrenaline, your ambition, your creativity and greedily feeding your healthy ego (all good!). Do I know you? Don’t laugh, “ideaphoria” is a real “condition.”Are you constantly coming with up great ideas? Do you feel as though one thought triggers a round of even more brilliant ideas? And of course you think they’re all brilliant (until a reality check is done and then some fine tuning is usually in order). When ideas flow freely they often create solutions to problems and inspire those around you. What better life is that? Is Ideaphoria contagious? I hope so! Jane Ubell-Meyer is an author, teacher, and a “Master Manifestor” who’s known in Hollywood as a film and television producer, She founded Madison & Mulholland an eyewear company and VIP celebrity goodie bag company. Jane speaks and conducts seminars nationally. Write to Jane at jane@dearjane.us 16
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by Maurcia DeLean
f
FREE Help Is Available
For more than 40 years, SCORE volunteers have been equipping small business owners all across the nation with the knowledge they need to make their businesses grow. SCORE offers small business owners a wealth of business advice and knowledge, all at no cost.
Ideaphoria: noun
An experience where one feels a constant onslaught of new ideas, creating a euphoric state of idea creation. (Source: allwords.com) Seven tips to help you embrace your “Ideaphoria”: 1) Keep your generous mind engaged 2) Remember, you have the ability to inspire people and get them moving 3) Surround yourself with optimistic people who “get” your brilliance 4) If someone tries to stop” your ideas from flowing, just leave the room 5) Write down your ideas 6) Try not to be too impulsive 7) Make sure you have someone on your team that you respect and who will thoughtfully give you a reality check but be inspired as well
S
Score Big with SCORE
Starting a business is always a challenge. Are you up to it? Sure, you have a great idea that’s bound to generate interest and profit. But what do you really know about starting and running a small business?
The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) estimates that nearly 600,000 new businesses will be started this year. Unfortunately, as many as half of those start-ups will close their doors just as quickly as they open them. Why? The #1 reason for small business failure, according to the experts, is a lack of business savvy, coupled with the inability to get the help needed to turn a struggling business venture into a thriving one.
“Business success is achieved by bringing your best qualities to your business and building a team of advisors to round out your skills,” stresses Paul Kepelcheck, Board Chair of SCORE, the Counselors to America’s Small Businesses.
“Every day of every year SCORE stands ready to provide mentoring to help today’s entrepreneurs achieve their small business dreams,” Kepelcheck adds. To date, SCORE has helped more than 7.5 million small business owners to succeed. With more than 10,000 retired executives willing to share everything they know about starting and running a business, SCORE is more than capable of handling any question or concern you may face as a small business owner. In addition to independent counseling sessions with SCORE volunteers, the organization can be an invaluable business resource, offering over 7,000 workshops and seminars and 115,000 online counseling/training sessions every year on a variety of business topics, such as: • • • • •
financial and tax tips marketing strategies hiring help budgeting basics finding investors for large-scale projects • creating a solid business plan
With nearly 389 local chapters in communities all across the nation, it’s easy to find a SCORE office near you. Go to www.score.org for a complete listing of locations. COLLEGEPRENEUR
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Publisher’s Rant
Venture Capital
Fran Harris, Ph.D.
I’m pumped. The second issue of Collegepreneur magazine is here and it’s even better than the premier. You see, I’m always looking for the “next best way” because that’s the nature of being an entrepreneur. We’re always asking ourselves, “How can I make this better?” or “How can I create more distinction for myself in the marketplace?” I played college basketball at The University of Texas at Austin and each year our coaching staff brought in some of the best players in the country, which meant that even though I was one of the team’s “go to players”, each year I had to step up my game. That’s sports in a nutshell. Become complacent and you’ll quickly become irrelevant. And even though I’d been captain and leading scorer on UT’s NCAA championship team, when I tried out for WNBA in 1997 I still had some tall chips stacked against me. I hadn’t played in nearly eight years and most of the girls who were trying out were fresh out of college. But instead of back peddling or thinking that I couldn’t do it, I decided to access my entrepreneurial superpowers to compete. I sat down one night before the tryouts and asked myself the following questions: • What can I bring to the team that no one else can? • What do I know that my competitors don’t know? • Why should the Houston Comets choose me over the other 250 women?
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Once I’d answered those questions I was ready. When I arrived in Houston on Mother’s Day 1997 I knew I had at least a 70% chance of making the team. Why? I’d answered my three questions: Because I had something those other 250 girls didn’t have: over six years of experience as a USA National Team player. Because I knew something they didn’t know: that making a professional sports team isn’t always about “physical” talent. Because I was willing to be a “role” player on a team of superstars. I was going to be a great teammate because I was just thrilled to be a part of the inaugural season of the league. So what can you learn from my hoop dreams that can propel you to greater entrepreneurial success? Know your assets. Know your market. Know your areas of vulnerability. Know that you can do it.
To VC Or Not To VC So, you had a business idea and you ran with it. It worked; you successfully built a business and even created profits. You have a solid business plan in place, a strong management team, and you’re ready to take your business to the next level. There’s only one problem: you don’t have the money necessary to make this happen. For an established, profitable business, one of the best places to turn for funding is a venture capital firm. Venture capitalists also known as VCs, invest in other people’s companies for a share of the equity (or stock) in that company. Here are a few things to consider. Who’s Company Is It Anyway? Allowing a VC to invest in your company typically means that they get a say in company decisions. However, the upside for most people, is that the money provided by VCs and the opportunities that money affords the company make this sacrifice easier to accept. Choose Wisely Finding a VC who fits well into your business plan is imperative. Even though the money is tempting, you shouldn’t move into a venture capital relationship without following due diligence protocol. Once you’ve gone through that process and have decided venture capitalism is the right move for your business, and you’ve decided what type of VC would benefit your company, you must build a compelling package that entices VCs to support your business plan. Just because VCs have a lot of money and you think they should share it with you doesn’t mean they’re going to. Your proposal must contain solid financials, realistic growth projections and an exit strategy. Source: Venture Capital Investing: The Complete Handbook for Investing in Private Businesses for Outstanding Profits, David and Laura Gladstone. This topic is so important that we’re going to run a series of articles on it. Stay tuned!
Intern, Anyone? Write a Business Plan We know, we harp on this topic but that’s only because we want you to be successful. Don’t fight us, just GetRdone! A good business plan should cover many topics including a descrip-
Sound strange? It’s not. You’re going to need help and besides, there’s no faster way to increase your productivity and help another entrepreneur than through an internship. Call the guidance counselor at a high school or college departments to start building a pool of young talent.
They make a definite impression -good or bad - on the people who receive them. If you are not certain what is most suitable and effective, consult a graphics designer or advertising agency.
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Oh-oh, Say, Can You 501-C3? What are you planning to do on spring, summer or winter break? Feed the hungry? Protect the environment? Mentor kids after school? If you’ve ever thought about being a social entrepreneur, then you might want to consider starting your own non-profit organization. And the good news is that the process is not difficult at all.
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Complete an Application for Recognition of Exemption at www.IRS.gov. You’ll be asked about your organization’s mission, services, leadership and financials.
2
Apply for an EIN or Employer ID Number This is nothing more than the equivalent of a social security number for your business.
3
Pay the necessary application fees New organizations can expect to pay at least $300. For details, be sure to visit http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/ index.html
The entire process can take anywhere from 8 to 12 weeks or more. Take your time when completing the application because if you fail to provide all of the necessary information, the decision on your organization’s status could be delayed considerably. And that’s never fun. If you’re in a hurry you can pay what’s called an “expedite” fee, which could shave a few weeks off of your application process. 20
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How do I… …write a business plan?
advice on how to get started. Yes, it’s time-consuming. No, it’s not fun. Yes, it’s necessary, especially if you want to borrow money for your startup, or expand your business.
…get business cards?
…set up my website?
Paper Trails
Structure It!
The three basic legal forms are sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation. The most common is the sole proprietorship.
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Organizing your receipts, invoices and documents will prove helpful at tax time but it’s also a great practice any time of the year. Use a pocket divider for each month’s receipts, bank statement, deposit tickets, and canceled checks.
The best resources for writing your plans are actually free! Visit your local small business development center for unlimited advice. This is a service of the government’s Small Business Administration. Another source of great advice is SCORE, a group comprised of retired executives who now give advice to small business owners. Online, visit SBA. gov or SCORE.org. There are services that will write your business plan or marketing plan for you, but they’re often expensive. It’s been said that the exercise of writing the business plan is as important as the actual plan itself, so you’ll be much better off tackling this important task yourself rather than farming it out. Do an internet search for “business plan” to find
There are lots of awesome sites to help you set up the website for your business: collegepreneurdomains. com offers low cost domain name registration, hosting, e-mail, site builders, and SSL certification, as well as 24/7 support. Purchasing your domain name can cost anywhere from $1.99 to $10, depending on which other services you buy at the same time. Hosting might run you $3.99 to $12.95 per month. Each provider offers various deals and packages, allowing you to customize your purchase so you only buy what you need. Check out CollegepreneurDomains.com.
Any local printer can print business cards for you. You can even design them on your computer in about 15 minutes if you’re in a hurry. Cards are normally purchased in batches of 250 or 500 cards, costing anywhere from $25 to $150, depending on the type of paper you choose, as well as whether you prefer one-sided or twosided cards. If you prefer to print a smaller batch, printing your own allows you to change the information on your card whenever you want. Most office supply stores carry preperforated card stock. Look for the words “clean edge” to avoid the tacky perforated edges of cheaper brands. You can also purchase cards online from sites such as VistaPrint. com, which actually gives you free cards in exchange for
Get Organized
Make a list of the things that have to be done on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis in order for your business to operate. Buy a notebook to keep track of mileage, great ideas, and errands to run. If you’re tech savvy, you can certainly keep these items in your PDA. Just make sure you’re keeping records.
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Q2. What was it that really propelled you to start your own company? Stedman: I didn’t understand anything about business at all, and this gentleman was a Management Consultant. I traveled with him all around the world; just helping him and doing whatever he asked me to do. He was also Special Assistant to President Nixon It’s to manage at one time and the ego and be was a nominee for the Ambassador open enough to for South Africa, accept criticism, and he was a black be open enough man. So I thought to accept it was fascinating for a black man to information that be in that position somebody might and have the give you opportunity to do the things he was doing and to learn from him.
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5 Questions CP Publisher, Fran Harris, met entrepreneur Stedman Graham at a Washington D.C. conference where they were both speaking. Well aware of his passion for young people, she waited in line to talk to him and secured an exclusive interview. You can listen to the whole enchilada at www.Collegepreneur.com Q1. What was your first entrepreneurial venture? Stedman: Let’s see, first entrepreneurial venture was in the sports marketing business and I was doing special events and I did a golf tournament as a special event. 24
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Q3. What’s the one thing to watch out, booby trap and feel that college entrepreneurs, young entrepreneurs, I know you work a lot with teens, should be mindful of. You know for me it’s all about, you’ve got your own path, but if you don’t have to step in this mind field. If I can give you some insight into what might be out there, what would be the one thing that would be a mind field or booby trap to watch out for. Stedman: Ego. It’s to manage the ego and be open enough to accept criticism, be open enough to accept information that somebody might give you. And not think that you know everything. Q4. The three essential ingredients to success, whether you’re a young entrepreneur or any kind of entrepreneur, what would you say, if you had to single out three of them?
Stedman: Be clear on who you are and what you should be doing in your life. So, your purpose and your mission. Number two is to understand the business and be able to understand the business that you’re in, be clear on your business, know your business, be an expert on your business. And the other one is to build relationships with people and establish a strong network of people in your area of influence. Q5. I’m hearing you say literally, from the beginning, that developing your entrepreneurial, your own path, you’ve been partnering with, unless honestly, if I’m missing something is really different for entrepreneurs because we tend to think I’m going to go out, I’m going to do this thing. I’m going to show the world. I’m going to do all this. So where did you get the sense that partnership was the way to go from the beginning. Stedman: All of your success, this is very critical for young people to understand especially, is that your success is built on relationships. Saying to you, I’m going to mentor you. I’m going to help you because you’re struggling. You don’t know that you’re struggling. So people give you business. And today, even today I’m pretty well established. I’ve written a number of books, and I speak around the country and all that, and that’s fine. But even today I’m still building relationships. People give me business because they know me, not because they particularly want me to do the business. It’s just built on relationships.
Don’t Think Big… Think Mega! Thinking big is soooo yesterday. What used to be big thinking is now the bottom rung. Want to know how to start a million dollar business? Ask the 12-year old down the street who used to mow your lawn for $5 each Saturday morning. Chances are his new landscaping business just topped $2.5 mil this year. That’s the world we live in. Entrepreneurs know that the sky’s not the limit -- it’s just the beginning. So, whatever you’re thinking about doing in sales this year, double it. You can probably blow those numbers out of the water. Just ask the 12-year old money magnet a few houses down.
Stedman Graham is chairman and CEO of S. Graham & Associates (SGA), a management and marketing consulting company that specializes in the corporate and educational markets. His book, Who Are You? A Success Process For Building Your Life’s Foundation, is in bookstores now and is also available at www. StedmanGraham.com. COLLEGEPRENEUR
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College Insider Secrets
by Jimmy Moore
Do You Have
“You’re in a hot bed of creativity and talent”
Y
ou’re sitting in English class daydreaming about your million dollar business idea, trying to takes notes as Dr. Boring babbles on about climatic emphasis. You can’t wait to get out of school so you can start your own business. Well, wake up, co-ed; you’re sitting in a veritable cesspool of creative energy, priceless resources and free training. Look around; your college campus is wrought with opportunity. Your campus offers you the opportunity to bring together two central ideas for business success: college and entrepreneurship. Together these create a winning combination for any aspiring business owner. By applying certain techniques while you’re in college, you have the chance to start and develop your business with a solid foundation beneath it. And you get to do this while you’re still in school. There’s no pressure. You can learn and grow and make mistakes at a time in your life when you’re expected to make mistakes. No one expects a college student to start a million dollar company. But they love hearing the story when it happens. So start turning those daydreams into reality by using the resources at your fingertips.
Networking Paradise: Your College Campus
If you’re not yet convinced of the value of networking, imagine how you’d feel if your computer died. Of worse yet, the Internet died. Most people use email and the Internet as primary sources of communication. You’d feel lost, cut-off from the world, abandoned. Without a properly built network, your business will suffer the same fate. People in your network will be the source of referrals, business leads, start up funding, professional expertise and so much more, if you build it correctly. Josh Whiton, 27, is the cofounder of Trans-loc, Inc., a wildly successful technology company that specializes in the collection and presentation of real-time transit information. As former students at North Carolina State University, Josh and the three other founders utilized the incredible networking opportunities on their campus to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs. “You’re in a hot bed of creativity and talent. Meeting other people with the entrepreneurial spirit is invaluable to building a business that is going to work,” says Whiton.
Jimmy Moore is a university educator, professional speaker, author and coach from Orlando, FL. For more visit www.achievemoore.com 26
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Dressonality?
By Fran Harris, Ph.D.
W
hether you’re an aspiring No matter what, these quick rules entrepreneur, current business should never be broken: owner, or future member of Corporate America, how you dress will impact your success. • • Wear clean shoes Should you be judged by what you wear? • Keep your hair well Probably not but the reality is that most of us groomed are judged by how we look. So, given that reality • Always have cleaned how should you approach your packaging? and trimmed fingernails • Take it easy on the If you’re planning to work in a corporate cologne or perfume environment erring on the side of conservative • Adhere to minimal tends to be the order of the day. If you work in or no visible body a place where jeans and t-shirts are the norm, piercings have at it. In either case it’s always a good idea • Commit to clean teeth and fresh breath to research a company before you head too far • Absolutely no body odor in either direction. Adding your own personal style is advised as long as it’s consistent with the organization’s culture. Dressonality is all about you “doing you,” yet it’s also about representing the company well. When you’re the head of your own company The key isn’t to try to be someone else – because you have the privilege of setting a new standard that never works. The key is to make a statement for dress codes. Keep in mind though that once with your personal style without making the rules are set, it’s difficult to turn back. Once everybody around you pay the price. Especially you giveth “casual Friday” it’s going to be hard if you decide that your personal style involves to taketh it away. Still every organization is dressing in a way that’s going to adversely affect different and if you ever have any questions the company’s ability to do business. You get it, about what’s considered appropriate dress, the be you, just be smart about it. best thing to do is ask. COLLEGEPRENEUR
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The Spirit of Success Call it weird, call it “woo woo,” call it whatever you want, but these days more entrepreneurs are recognizing the role of spirituality in the workplace in raising employee consciousness and fostering innovation. From new startups to multi-billion dollar global conglomerates, employees now enjoy new freedoms to take meditation breaks, participate in lunchtime yoga classes, or work off-site in a more tranquil environment. And yes, in many of these companies, business is booming.
with my own personal purpose and values,” he since then he’s founded, grown and sold a half explained. “My goal was to change the industry dozen others. That’s six businesses in a little over standard by building a company that would give a decade. The spiritual focus he developed as a back to not only the shareholders, but also the young entrepreneur has stayed with him to this day, customers and, by association, the arts inspiring him to write the popular book “My goal was world as a whole—all while still being a Zen Entrepreneurship. to change the profitable entity following all of the best industry standard business practices.” In a post on zenentrepreneur.com, Zirk by building a recalled his journey: “It was not easy company that While some focus on spirituality as a for me to come to the realization that would give back heartfelt choice, others view it as more success or failure in the business world to not only the of a natural force emanating from within. is not simply about ‘dollars and cents,’ shareholders” Some observers believe that spirituality that it could in fact be an integrated and entrepreneurship go hand in hand. part of a path of spiritual growth According to Luke Burgis, co-founder and and personal discovery. I discovered managing director of healthy vending machine that starting a business is as much an act of self company Fit Fuel, “Creating is a very primal human expression as it is a professional one. I found that desire—from artwork to friendships to human life. our beliefs, energetic patterns, and our thoughts It is also the root of most spirituality, and it’s what manifest themselves in our careers in ways that I being an entrepreneur is all about. I think that this hadn’t, and couldn’t have, imagined.” fundamental connection is what makes building a company so fulfilling.” Denise Covelli is a Chicago-based communications specialist. She writes on a wide range of topics At the age of 23, Rizwan Virk started a high-tech including spirituality, business and technology. company and quickly grew it into a multi-million dollar success. That was in the mid-‘90s, and
By Denise Covelli Of course, none of these intangible fringe benefits would be possible without support from the executive suite. With companies such as Google and Apple weaving enhanced consciousness into their stellar success stories, many young entrepreneurs have been inspired to follow suit within their own organizations.
Self-help and spiritual/inspirational books represent a multi-million dollar slice of the book publishing pie, which might explain why employers are making a shift in the workplace. “Spirituality motivates many entrepreneurs to skip the traditional career path in search of something more meaningful and fulfilling. This was the case for me,” said 22-year-old Joel Holland, founder and CEO of Footage Firm, which provides broadcast quality, royalty-free, digital stock footage. Recently named the 2007 “Small Business Entrepreneur of The Year” by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Holland built his company upon a solid spiritual foundation.
Although the word “spirituality” has numerous meanings, in the corporate world it’s widely viewed as a personal focus on meaning, purpose and values (which may or may not include formal religious practices), with the ultimate goal of living a better, more fulfilled life. For some, this has the added benefit of fueling business success along the way. “One of the main reasons that I opted for the And make no mistake: CEO’s, young and veteran, entrepreneurial route was the ability to build a are taking notice. company from the ground up that I could infuse 28
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feature College Prowler’s Secret Weapon: Print-on-Demand Publishing
College Prowler CollegeProwler.com: A Young Entrepreneur’s Dream Enterprise
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Luke Skurman started out like any other kid—completely dazed and confused, not really knowing what he was going to do with his life. But leave it to a kid like Luke to turn confusion into profit—CollegeProwler. com was born. Between an Internet presence and a publishing company, College Prowler became a booming enterprise, helping young people all over the United States make informed decisions about college and their futures.
Although he may be a successful entrepreneur these days, Luke Skurman started out just like any other high school kid—completely clueless about what he wanted to be when he grew up. Growing up in San Francisco, CA, Skurman was surrounded by well-established, reputable schools, but had no idea which one he wanted to attend. While he knew he needed a college that would give him a solid start in the professional realm, he didn’t know how to choose. Most of the information provided by schools focused on academics. Very few provided solid details about the campus life, experience, or pros and cons. As far as nightlife, cafeteria food, and anything other than academia were concerned, the college industry was suffering from a real lack of valuable information. The Beginnings of Greatness: A Desire to Know Skurman had a desire to know what campus life was really like, and during his sophomore year at his final choice, Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA, Skurman had a project idea that was bound to change the course of his entire life. It was then that his ingenious business idea first came to pass. 30
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Of course it took more than trusting investors and a leap of faith to generate revenue. While books were selling, the publishing industry is a finicky one and it’s easy to lose valuable money. In response to this, College Prowler began to utilize printon-demand publishing, virtually eliminating the risk associated with printing unwanted copies of a book. “We realized that [off-set publishing] wasn’t going to work,” says Skurman. “So as we got an order, we would literally print them and sell them and we had virtually no inventory risk. Still to this day, we print on demand everything.”
“I felt like I really wanted to solve this problem of getting more informed and helping [students] make better decisions,” Skurman says of his business venture. It seemed that the problem with the college market was that there was a substantial lack of information pertaining to the type of things college students really want to know about universities. Sure, the level of academics is very important, but there’s so much more to the whole college experience than just books and final exams. Friends, fraternities and sororities, campus life and so much more—these are also things young people care about when it comes to choosing a college. But, as Skurman found, colleges weren’t providing the nitty-gritty for students. So, CollegeProwler.com was born. College Prowler’s Big Break Like most new businesses, College Prowler started out slowly. “It looked like potentially a good idea, kind of a class project gone wild,” says Skurman of the beginnings of his business idea. “The turning point for us was ‘04-’05.” It was then, after completing his Master’s degree at Carnegie Mellon University that Skurman had the opportunity to speak with the University President about his business idea. Intrigued by his idea and the passion behind it, the President made an introduction to the University Board of Trustees and “led a whole round of investments,” according to Skurman. From there, the business venture took off, moving from a free collegerelated information site on the web to a publishing venture. College Prowler went from self-publishing their first series of 60-page books and selling them for less than six bucks a pop to their professionally designed and refined second series of books. These second books offered more than 150 pages
of vital information and sold for $14.95 a piece. “I think that the real pivotal period for us knowing that we had something was that ‘04-’05 period when we were able to get the investment and then also create that distribution and get the product out there,” says Skurman of how the nature of his business suddenly changed. At this point, the College Prowler company had gone from being Internet-based, dabbling in e-books and free information on the web to having business dealings with Barnes & Noble and Books-a-Million as well. These changes gave them the opportunity to really put their product out there for all to see.
Today CollegeProwler. com continues to be a hot topic. What’s on the horizon for the young company? Expansion and improvements–“We’re really excited about making the website stronger and stronger and more interactive, making it more userfriendly and trying to make it more interactive,” says Skurman. “Slightly bigger picture goal is to have a book on every four-year university in the United States.”
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Slightly bigger picture goal is to have a book on every four-year university in the United States.
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Check out CollegeProwler.com for more information on College Prowler books and how you can be a part of the exciting College Prowler adventure. COLLEGEPRENEUR
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Dr. Manners’ 7 Interviewing Tips Face it, at some point we all go through the interviewing process. If you find yourself sitting on the other side of the desk, staring at a recruiter, here are some ideas to help you knock it out of the ball park.
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Relax
If you’re too tight, you won’t make the best impression. Keep the interview light and conversational.
Prepare
Do some research on the company so that you can ask pertinent questions that will impress the interviewer.
Ask Questions
When the interviewer says, “Do you have any questions for me?” Never, never, never say, “No.” You always have questions. It shows initiative and leadership. If the interviewer fails to ask you if you have questions, you say, “I actually prepared a few questions if you have a few additional minutes.”
Dress appropriately “you”
Never go into a job interview trying to look like what you think they want you to look like. That’s a bad way to start off your career. You want to dress in a way that conveys your own style. If you have to change the way you dress to work for a company, maybe that company’s not the best fit for you.
Be well-groomed
Sounds like it’s a no brainer but we have to say it because a personal hygiene offense can ruin an otherwise perfect interview. So, brush your teeth, clean your nails, take it easy on the fragrance and get the dandruff flakes off your collar.
Don’t talk bad about other companies or executives.
Even if the recruiter bashes a competitor, you keep it zipped.
Be confident
Self-assurance is one of the most appealing qualities in job candidates. Know your stuff. Know your personal and professional assets and liabilities.
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feature
Arbonne as a College Success Vehicle by sherrie Handrinos
be successful just like those three women I saw magine you’re sitting in a Mercedes getting new cars. Benz dealership. To the left and right Arbonne is a network marketing company that’s of you are rows and rows of chairs been around since 1980. When I began building that continue to fill up with people, my business with Arbonne, I had no idea what all enjoying the upbeat music in the network marketing was. Now that I’ve been in background. Directly in front of you is a stage this business for over four years I’ve learned surrounded by three brand new, white Mercedes there are lots of opinions and thoughts from Benzes with very large red bows on them. This people about network marketing, both positive is exactly where I was July 12, 2003. It was and negative. Personally, I believe that network th the day before my 19 birthday and I was at marketing is a great opportunity because YOU a celebration presentation for three new vice get to decide how much money YOU want to presidents of the amazing company, Arbonne make. Finally, someone else isn’t deciding how International. As I drove home, I couldn’t stop much you’re worth! However, this isn’t an easy thinking about Arbonne! The business. When people ask how I “I knew I had people were amazing, genuinely built my business, I tell them, “This nice, and very fun; the opportunity an amazing isn’t hard work, but you need to opportunity. that Arbonne offered was work hard.” I had access AMAZING! Little did I know that You always need to work hard to to the best this one-hour car presentation achieve your goals. When trying products out would change my entire life. to describe network marketing, I on the market, always think back to high school and I knew if After leaving the presentation I when I was on the cheerleading I continued to began to do my research about and softball teams. I always had share those” Arbonne and the business coaches guiding me and telling opportunity that I could have. I me what to do to improve my was so excited, I started telling game. That’s how I look at network everyone! Not only did I tell everyone how marketing: everyone’s always trying to improve much I loved this company and the amazing their game and make themselves and their team opportunity, I also told them how much I loved better. In no way am I a boss to anyone who’s ALL of Arbonne’s products: skin care, hair care, on my team. I see myself more like a coach. In nutrition, make up, baby products and much Arbonne and in network marketing the people more. Arbonne has everything you need, from above you in the company want you to succeed getting ready in the morning to taking your because not only does it help you and your daily vitamins, and the best part is that every business, but it also helps the team and in turn single product Arbonne offers is “pure, safe, and helps the company as a whole. Coaches always beneficial” for YOU. want their team to win; every Arbonne leader ALWAYS wants their team to win. Have you I knew I had an amazing opportunity. I had ever seen or heard of a coach that made it to the access to the best products out on the market, championship game without helping their team and I knew if I continued to share those in every way possible win the desired title? No products, there was no way I wasn’t going to way!
I
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So just like in football or baseball, every player has his own personal goal for the season. Maybe it’s how many touchdowns they want to score or homeruns they want to hit. But even though every successful athlete has personal goals, they always focus on the “big picture,” which in most cases is getting to the championship game. It doesn’t matter how many points you score—you can’t win the game without your teammates. In network marketing, everyone has their own personal goals, but in the end, it’s all about being on a winning team. A winning team consists of individuals who have personal goals but also focus on the bigger picture. Your goal might be getting a new car, earning income to pay for your college education or buying your first house, but it can’t be accomplished without working as a team. That’s why network marketing is so amazing; you have the chance to share a championship win with people you know, like and trust, and you can do it together while helping others achieve their own personal goals and dreams. July 12, 2003 was the day I decided to begin building my business with Arbonne. I was turning 19 the next day and went full force jumping into this business with both feet. When I decided to do this I was working 30 hours a week at a physical therapy clinic, going to college full-time and rushing a sorority–I was busy! But I wasn’t too busy to let an opportunity like this go by. Arbonne was everything I wanted. No boss, no set hours. I worked around my school schedule and I got to pick the people I wanted to work with. How many jobs let you do that at the age of 19? Within six months, I was the person standing on that stage in that very same dealership receiving the keys to my brand new Mercedes Benz convertible.
loves to have fun, be with my friends, travel and go to sporting events. But most importantly, I’m living proof that you really can build a great business and still have fun while doing it!
3 tips on how to build a successful business while in college:
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NEVER let your age be an excuse. You may be younger than most people in your business but it doesn’t mean you can’t tell the same stories and share the same opportunities they can.
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Get your priorities straight. Give up a few nights of going out to build your business. In the long run, it pays off big time! Don’t stop dreaming. No matter what, there are always going to be “dream stealers” in your life. Don’t let them get in your way or discourage you. Keep dreaming and dream big!
Who Am I? I’m Sherrie Handrinos, I’m 23 years old, and I’ve been with Arbonne for about four years. At 19, I became the youngest person in the company’s history to be promoted to the level of Regional Vice President . I’m a senior at Wayne State University, graduating with a Business Management Degree and am also in Delta Zeta Sorority. I’m still a normal college student that COLLEGEPRENEUR
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A Video’s Worth A Thousand Words Got something to say?
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ell, you could write it but that would Here are a few quick tips to help be soooooo 1990’s…or you could you make an impact. create a video.
There’s no shortage of video sharing websites in cyberspace, so there couldn’t be a better time to blast your video message to the world.
Ask yourself, “Why am I creating this video?” Is it to entertain, enlighten, educate?
Figure out what you want people to DO with your video. Do you want them to share it or embed it?
Tell them what you want them to do. Don’t assume that just because we “see” the words share and embed that we’re going to actually share and embed. Research shows that you’re more likely to get people to do what you want them to do, if you tell them what you want them to do.
Create regular, fresh contact. Video can create a loyal audience faster than other formats. If someone likes your video, they will want more of you and will probably subscribe to your videos. Don’t disappoint them. Keep the content coming!
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Engaging Diversity Through Relationship Mary Catherine Bateson
Insight, I believe, refers to the depth of understanding that comes by setting experiences, yours and mine, familiar and exotic, new and old, side by side, learning by letting them speak to one another.
D
Diversity is the buzz word of the 21st Century, with the entire business world--corporate, governmental, and educational--scurrying about to determine diversity best practices. My fear is that after everything settles, we still will have missed the most important element in diversity—the relationships—the people or personalities. Diversity is not just the differences in our appearances; it is in the multiplicity of ways that we think. When we acknowledge and leverage those differences we get “best” practices. Our leveraging our diverse talent is not just for political reasons--meeting quotas or lip service etc but for successful enterprises. Being successful, then, is not just about the bottom line. It is about sincerely engaging all relationships in the work place. It is about listening and valuing all voices—especially the radical ones. It is allowing differing per-
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spectives to “speak to one another” and then finding the best solution. It will be the best one because every possible vantage point was considered and none ignored. So, engaging diversity is more about how we consider and value every voice. Our valuing and honoring our differences--different perspectives-- will, ultimately, determine what we do and how well we do, period. Success with diversity is not about how many different people working on a project, it’s how well that personnel is engaged. Diversity, then, can be a precious gift, but only when it is properly engaged. Diversity is a gift because it is in midst of difference that something new emerges; and that something can be the difference, as Greggory Bateson says, that makes all the difference.
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Am I An Entrepreneur? If you’ve ever looked at something and thought, “There’s gotta be a better way!”, then you’ve got the E-gene. But hold on a second. Entrepreneurs aren’t just people who think about how to innovate, they’re people who follow through on instigating change and innovation.
Mother Teresa One of the world’s most innovative social entrepreneurs, she traveled the world serving those in need. Jared, The Subway Guy He took a goal of losing weight and turned it into a viral marketing campaign that proved to be a win-win for him and the sandwich giant. Dick Vitale, ESPN Announcer He’s got the E-vibe, bay-beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! Who can ignore one of college basketball’s most recognizable voices? Dickie V. can make the most boring instant replay into an event. His energy and animated style changed sports broadcasting. So, you see, entrepreneurship is not just about business, you can turn your passion into a community, social, environmental or business venture! Good luck.
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Lights, Camera, Action, Profits! By Fran Harris, Ph.D Did you know that about 25% of the people in television hosting, TV reporting or news anchor jobs did not go to college to become broadcasters? It’s true. Many of them majored in things like geography, music, art history, or business. So how did they end up on the tube? Well, the road to television isn’t as linear as you might think. And breaking into the biz is a lot easier than you might imagine. If you think you’ve got what it takes to be on television, here are a couple of insider tips from your wonderful Publisher.
Insider Tip #1: Be passtionate Have a passion or interest that you can talk about non-stop for at least 5 minutes. Take the late, great Steve Irwin. He took something he loved – wildlife - and turned it into a multimillion dollar empire. Insider Tip #2: Practice speaking in soundbites A sound bite is a morsel of information that’s spoken in short intervals of 15, 30, or 45 seconds. If you need examples of sound bites, watch the news tonight.
set up your own website or post your video on some of the popular social networking sites. If you start to get traction or overwhelming responses, consider sending a 3-5 minute “highlight” reel to your local television station’s news director to explore taking your show off the computer screen and on to the television screen.
Insider Tip #5: Sell Your Content Experts are selling their content online and offline. If your “show” would appeal to a loyal audience you can probably sell it. TV stations produce Insider Tip #3: Be Telegenic a lot of their own content but many of them also have Big word for a simple concept. “experts” that they commission Telegenic means that the to produce segments centering camera loves you. In other words you look and sound good around things like gardening, business, parenting, fitness and on camera. When the lights household repairs, to name only come on some people are quite natural through that lens, while a few. So, find a niche and start others look like a squirrel that’s producing! about to have a close encounter with an SUV. If you can tame the nerves and avoid
Insider Tip #4: Launch Your Own Online TV Show The only way to know if television is right for you is to actually get on camera and test it out. Buy a $200 consumer video camera and start shooting your own show. You can either buy YourNameTV.com and
Collegepreneur Founder/Publisher, Fran Harris is a former ESPN, Lifetime Television and FOX Sports announcer. She’s appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Comedy Central, BET, The Style Network, The Learning Channel, CNN and hundreds of other television shows and networks. To learn more about breaking into TV, visit www. TVHostingBootcamp.com 44
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Money Talks Do you have an important message you want to get out on campus or in the world? You can probably take your gift for gab and not only change lives but also make an enviable income in the process. Here’s what you need to do to launch your speaking career? To learn more about becoming a speaker, visit www.
Step 1:
Pick ThreeTopics What are you passionate about? Did you overcome a difficult childhood? Did you achieve something incredible in junior high? Got any success tips that could help someone else? You don’t need tragedy or Olympic medals to become a speaker, you just need a great story that can inspire others.
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Step 2:
Decide On Your Audience You probably wouldn’t talk to 50-year old CEOs about how to succeed in college so you want to make sure that you match your topics with the right target market.
Step 3:
Write An Outline What are the main points you want to address in your talk? Here’s a quick start outline. Tell an opening story that leads to the “theme” of your entire talk. Address three points that support your them. Tell a closing story that cements your theme. Of course, this is a simple formula to get you going. As you become more experienced, you’ll add more ingredients to the mix.
Step 4:
Set A Start Date It’s one thing to have a dream of speaking, it’s quite another to just go out and do it. So, put your “target” date on the calendar and launch on that date no matter what – even if it’s only to two people sitting in the student union.
Outsourcing Power Whether you’re looking for someone to edit a paper or you’re looking to offer your services to a global community, here are a few CP-recommend resources.
Elance.com – Elance is a great place to
find and hire a contractor or offer your services. It’s a good tool for anyone who needs help building a website, creating software, as well as marketing and admin help.
Guru.com
– Guru is another great option when trying to break into the freelance market or find freelancers for everything from transcription to website design to brochures and marketing materials
Rent-a-Coder – Rent-a-Coder is a cool
resource for those who need to hire someone to create a script for a website, or to develop a software product. You can find fast and inexpensive help from many programmers across the world. COLLEGEPRENEUR
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Jamie Mautz, Co-Founder of
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amie Mautz, founder of Pacific Ink. Jamie and her brother started Pacific Ink while Jamie was completing her master’s degree. The Pacific Ink business plan was Jamie’s master’s thesis project. Since then, Pacific Ink has grown to be a successful online and telephone order business. This is what Jamie had to say about her entrepreneurial success.
CP: Jamie, you had an unusual childhood with respect to starting businesses. How would you describe your entrepreneurial spirit as a child? Jamie: Ever since I can remember, I have always had little ventures. I was into crafts and stuff like that. I would constantly be making stationery, like handmade stationery, and selling it doorto-door. I made these little reindeer pins; I would sell 48
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Pacific Ink “I don’t know much about printer cartridges or really anything about that industry, but it is definitely something to look into.”
them at Christmastime for women to wear. I used to go and find beautiful flowers and make leis and sell them. Pretty much anything. Then the usual lemonade stands and garage sales and all of that kind of stuff. As I got older, I ended up buying candy and selling it to students to kind of compete against the snack bar. I was able to make some money that way. Over the years I had so many little things I did, just because it was something that interested me, that I was able to buy my first car with my own money.
and found the San Diego State Entrepreneurial Management Center. They just have a wonderful MBA program in entrepreneurship, which I know is nationally ranked now. I did that for a couple of years and that’s when I got into doing more business plan writing and a lot more entrepreneurial kind of ventures. CP: And that’s when your brother approached you about Pacific Ink. How did that idea come together?
Jamie: At the time, I was actually competing in a CP: Did you continue that business plan competition into college? for another idea in Nebraska. San Diego State sends people Jamie: I went to the University to different universities to of Wisconsin Madison and compete. It was something that I had a full ride scholarship we didn’t know if we were going there to play volleyball. A lot to be able to make happen. My of my day, six hours of my brother called me up with the day, was playing volleyball and idea and I said, “Sure, it sounds the rest was going to school. really good. I don’t know We did a lot of traveling and much about printer cartridges everything. I didn’t have a lot of or really anything about that time in college. I did take one industry, but it is definitely entrepreneur class and it was something to look into.” I just kind of in the beginning stages. started doing a little bit of I think it was the first year that research and ended up making they had it. it my master’s thesis project, to write a plan for the launch I worked for a couple of years of this business. It just looked
awesome. It looked feasible and We had our own little secret so we decided to launch it. language sort of speak. Same thing with working with my CP: Where did you get your husband. I know it is not for initial funding? everybody. It’s just one of those things where it depends Jamie: We got our funding on your relationship with your from student loans and credit family member. cards. My husband was working for the Chargers at the CP: That was 2003, a lot time, so he had a job. I did like has happened since then? four or five odd jobs. I did some consulting. I was working at Jamie: We moved to a larger the San Diego Entrepreneurial office building, a 2400 sq. ft. Management Center and building. We just realized that working for the Padres and lots it was taking up too much of of other things. Just kinda boot our time and our strategic time strap. A lot of our funding in to manage the customer service the very first year or two came so we outsourced it, from doing computer shows. so then we would We would just pack up our ink downsize and go in our car and go to these little into a smaller computer shows and get money building. that way until our key words The same hit in the search engine and with our the Internet business started to take off. CP: I think a lot of people are hesitant to get involved with family and friends and business relationships. What advice can you offer?
fulfillment house. We outsourced fulfillment after we Jamie: Oh boy. Open got it out of communication. With the garage. There relationships in any shape or were a lot of control issues, form, communication is the key. inventory management, they Just always making sure that just weren’t able to do what you are on the same page and we needed them to do and the other person understands get the orders out the door where you are coming from. I the same day, which is what think with family you have that. our commitment was to our We had a close relationship customer. before and so it’s not like you had to get to know somebody CP: How exciting. Tell new. I already knew everything me about this motto, about my brother, to a certain “Anything is possible.” extent. I knew little nuances.
Jamie: Anything is possible, that’s just what we believe. Everything that we have done, we’ve come up with the ideas, we talked to some of our key people that we work with and somehow, some way it always happens. We just feel like anything is possible. You can dream it up and make it happen. CP: What is your best piece of advice for a collegepreneur? Jamie: I feel like I have to say something wise. We are still finding our way. I would just say follow your passion and go for it. There is no better time than when you are in college to do this. I have seen so many people that just feel like they are trapped, if they have kids or they have to make mortgage or something that they just simply cannot quit their job and start this. We had nothing. We were used to the student lifestyle. So there wasn’t all that much to lose. I think college is the best time, plus you just have a pulse on what the younger generation is looking for and is interested in. In college you have the resources. You have professors. You have the university who will get behind you, and PR. Universities love that kind of thing. There is just no better time. It’s such an exciting time for it.
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Graduation Party Tips
Striking Internet Gold…or Silver?
You did it! 4 (or 10) years of college and you’re ready to take on the world. Hold on, grasshopper. Don’t forget about the whole reason you went to college in the first place: the after party.
by Fran Harris, Ph.D.
Here are some quick tips to help you throw the mother of all graduation bashes. Tip #1: If you haven’t planned ahead, at least plan well now. Decide on the location. Look for a place that won’t care how loud and rowdy you get. Tip #2: Read your location’s facility agreement thoroughly, especially the part about “if you break or damage something”. Tip #3: Set up your invitation system. Using something like evite.com will help you keep it al organized. Be sure you set a limit to the number of people who can come so that you don’t violate any codes. Tip #4: Hire the DJ, caterer, entertainment and bouncers.
Tip #5: Do something different. How about a video slide show from freshman orientation to your finals examination day. If you don’t have video from way back then, make copies of photos and station them around the room for people to look at throughout the event. Tip #6: Make sure there’s enough food, especially if there’s going to be drinking (is there ever a party where there’s no drinking?” Tip #7: Thank everybody for showing up and most of all, have a great time. You’ve probably earned it.
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I had no skills, whatsoever as a web designer.
Y
anik Silver is the son of a Russian immigrant but that hasn’t stopped him from getting a hefty slice of The American Pie.
“I had just left my dad’s business and I had a marketing business going. Selling to doctors, showing them how they could get more patients,” said Silver. Making money on the Internet wasn’t entirely new, after all, airlines and bookstores were already cashing in online. “I thought I was really late to the game,” said Silver. But he wasn’t. In fact, in the early to late ‘90s, the Internet was still wet behind the ears. Silver noticed a trend. People were selling ebooks and digital downloads from simple websites. He did some research and was amazed by what he found. “People were selling their expertise, their passion. I literally woke up with an idea at 3:00 in the morning. My first website was called Instant Sales Letters.” Silver then did what every mega entrepreneur does. He took action. “I literally jumped out of bed at 3 o’clock in the morning, registered the domain name, and went to work on it the next day.” By the way, he quickly added, “I had no skills, whatsoever as a web designer.” This was in the year 2000.
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the next month, and about $7600.00 the month after that. The fourth month, it grew to about $9500.00,” he said. The online community took note. Out of nowwhere folks started calling Silver asking him to share his secrets. More products and websites followed. And the rest, as they say, is Internet history. Silver is now considered an Internet marketing forefather, routinely making seven figures from his online marketing efforts. He teaches others how to make money online and produces one of the most popular marketing seminars on the planet called the Underground Online Seminar. At this weekend event he exposes the strategies and tactics that continue to make him rich. What’s even better is that he believes the getting is still good. “It’s still early This is the absolute golden age for online businesses.”
Yanik Silver is one of the most successful Internet marketers on the planet. Starting with no mentors and no roadmap, he has amassed a multi-million dollar empire online in numerous niches. His book, “Moonlighting On The Internet” shows you how he did it…and how you can too. You can pick it up at http://moonlightingontheinternet.com/
“I made $1800.00 my first month, $3600.00 50
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What Business Are You In?
Make a list of things you like to do, your work and volunteer experience, and items you own that can be used in a business. Look over this line-up, and using ideas from it, list possible businesses to start.
Meet the Banker: How to Write a Loan Proposal Approval of your loan request depends on how well you present yourself, your business, and your financial needs to a lender. Remember, lenders want to make loans, but they must make loans they know will be repaid. The best way to improve your chances of obtaining a loan is to prepare a written proposal. A good loan proposal will contain the following key elements: General Information • Business name, names of principals, social security number for each principal, and the business address. • Purpose of the loan: exactly what the loan will be used for and why it is needed. • Amount required: the exact amount you need to achieve your purpose. Business Description • History and nature of the business: details of what kind of business it is, its age, number of employees and current 52
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business assets. • Ownership structure: details on your company’s legal structure. Management Profile Develop a short statement on each principal in your business; provide background, education, experience, skills and accomplishments. Market Information Clearly define your company’s products as well as your markets. Identify your competition and explain how your business competes in the marketplace. Profile your customers and explain how your business can satisfy their needs. Financial Information • Financial statements: balance sheets and income statements for the past three years. If you are just starting out, provide projected balance sheets and income statements. • Personal financial statements on yourself and other principal owners of the business. • Collateral you would be willing to pledge as security for the loan. COLLEGEPRENEUR
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High Definition Selling Most people would rather drive nails through their eyes than to sell their product or service. Are you sellophobic? Believe it or not, selling is mostly listening. Shocking, isn’t it? If you listen, the customer or client will actually tell you how to close them. To ease some of the anxiety you may feel around the sales process, here’s a quick and easy formula. All you have to do is plug in your content and style and pretty soon you’ll be on your way.
7 Steps to A Sale 1
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Plan: know your prospect Do your research. Know all of the relevant information that would make them say yes to your offer. Start with an opening that will get their attention. If I could show you a way to get $200 in free gas for your car each month would that be worth 10 minutes of your time? Ask questions along the way How much do you spend on gas each month?How much has your gas bill gone up in the past six months? Make a “benefits-loaded” presentation Benefits are the emotional or tangible payoffs that the customer seeks (more time with their family, lower taxes, etc.) Don’t be frightened by resistance People don’t enjoy being sold but they actually like to buy. A prospect is conditioned to resist your sales pitch. Don’t get nervous because they utter words that may sound like “no”. It may mean that they need additional information. Close When you hear a “yes”, shut up. Don’t keep rattling on with your pitch. Hand them the contract for their signature or simply ask, “Will that be cash, check or credit card today?” Follow Up The sell is not officially over when you get the dough. A great salesperson follows up to make sure the customer’s happy. You can do this with a postcard, phone call or any other kind of follow up technique. COLLEGEPRENEUR
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How To Write, Publish, Market & Sell Your Own Ebook...in 5 Days or Less ...Even if you know nothing about the Internet, have never published a book and can’t spell to save your life!
Websites vs. Blogs
Y
ou’ve no doubt heard of the “blogosphere,” and are likely an active participant in it. But for those who aren’t familiar, the word “blog” is a shortened form of the word “weblog.” So technically there’s no difference between a website and a blog; a blog is a website. But from a business standpoint, as it relates to attracting potential customers, there’s a practical difference between the two. And it has to do with content.
Both websites and blogs are designed to give information and news about a given topic, but a blog is designed to be more of a forum. A blog is a twosided interactive arena. Visitors to a blog come not only to gain information about a certain topic, but to actively participate in the views expressed on
the topic by adding their own posts. Because they’re perceived as more informational and less “commercial,” blogs tend to attract more visitors than a website that is blatantly there to sell something. So, the question to ask yourself before you purchase web real estate is this: what is the purpose of my website? Do I want to start and maintain a conversation? If so, start a blog. If your desire is to transmit information about you and your company, launch a website.
“So techni-
cally there’s no difference between a website and a blog; a blog is a website. relates to at”
Promoting your business The art of business promotion is just that—an art. and successful strategies is to write (or have someone write) an article related to some aspect of your business and post it for free on various websites. At the bottom of your article you’ll be able to put a link back to your website as well as phone and email. These links heighten your website’s search engine ranking and help drive traffic to your site. Various websites let you post such articles for free, including HubPages.com, EzineArticles.com, IdeaMarketers.com and others. You can also create other hooks back to your site through You can hire a professional or go it alone. press releases, online advertising on key inWhichever route you choose, there are numerdustry websites, online blogging, email newsous proven techniques you can leverage to letters and more. drive site traffic. One of the most cost-effective 56
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Dear Internet Entrepreneur: I’ll keep this short. I’ve been making money online since 1998 when I launched my first Internet-based business. It brought in over $25,000. I’ve written and published over 14 books, 30+ audio products, a dozen or so home study courses and about 25 video products. My writing has appeared in The New York Times and USA Today. But nothing was more thriling for me than what happened in the year 1999. I was coming off of an incredible season with the Houston Comets in the WNBA and we had just made history by winning the league’s first championship two years prior. I was an announcer for Lifetime Television and began chatting online during the games with fans. That’s when I started tinkering around with writing online articles, reports and ebooks. My first ebook was about basketball my first love -- and we sold about $350 in ebooks -- in the first hour. Once again I witnessed the awesome power of the Internet... and I was hooked.
all. In fact, it’s super easy when you have a step-by-step guide like the one you’re getting today with the 5 Day Ebook Solution. This guide answers the question I’m asked almost every week: “How do I write an ebook”? So, I’ve broken it down into simple steps that even my 12-year old niece has followed to write her own book. When you follow the steps in the 5-Day Ebook Solution, you’ll... * become known as the expert in your field * outline and organize your book effectively * be able to complete your first book in 5 easy steps...and many more afterwards * be able to start making money online within 24 hours * create a product that’s PURE profit (no shipping and handling) * learn how to start accepting credit cards for FREE * have instant credibility online because you’re accepting credit cards * have something in hand to score thousands of dollars in publicity * give people a reason to pay you hefty coaching and consulting fees * have the blueprint in hand to DUPLICATE over and over and over * discover your niche and much more!
But don’t take my word for it. Listen to a few happy customers: “After just 30 minutes with Fran As you know, the fastest way to she helped me to see that Internet any destination is with a roadmap. Marketing isn’t as hard as I was That’s what the 5-Day Ebook making it…she helped me discover Solution is...your navigator into products that were aligned the world of high profit ebook with my coaching program and publishing. showed me how much money I was leaving on the table!” Debbie Writing an ebook isn’t difficult at Olsen, www.WalkingFearless.com
“I purchased Product Creation 101 and within three days I was able to set up my business online – finish writing my ebook and get set up to accept credit cards. Thank you, Fran!” Cathyann Greenidge, If you’re looking to test the waters of making money online, an ebook is your best bet. And I’ve even made your entry into the marketplace virtually painless. For only $37 you get the simplest, yet most comprehensive “how to guide” available on the Internet for a investment you simply can’t afford to pass up. Order at www.5DayEbookSolution. com Your ebook will be delivered instantly as a downloadable PDF! Your purchase is backed by my 30-day money back guarantee. Absorb the simple, practical and effective strategies in the 5-Day Ebook and if you don’t find it to be the easy-to-follow roadmap that I’ve described, simply log in here and let us know, and we’ll refund your money (less a small processing fee) -- no hassle, no drama, no questions. To Your Online Profits! Fran Harris, Ph.D. www.franharris.com P.S. Don’t make the mistake that most people make of waiting to invest in yourself. We are planning to raise the price in the near future. It may be $47, $67 or $97, we haven’t decided. But there WILL BE A PRICE INCREASE, so get yours now!
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7 Secrets To Getting FREE Radio & TV Publicity Do you have a book, product, service or expertise that millions of people should know about? Ever had visions of being a guest on Oprah, The Today Show, CNN Headline News, Larry King or TMZ?
‘Til Debt Do You Part ago. One of these is among the top five lenders for students seeking higher education. This particular institute was sitting on over a quarter of billion dollars worth of loans for the ‘06-’07 school year and the word from their camp was that they weren’t sure how many students requests would actually be fulfilled.
Most people think it’s really hard to get booked on radio and TV shows. That’s not necessarily true. The key to landing millions in free exposure is in knowing the insider tricks of the trade. Here are 5 are secrets to help you get your 15 minutes of fame. Secret #1: It Ain’t The Book, It’s the Hook Stop focusing on how wonderful you think your book or CD or invention is. If you don’t have a compelling hook, you won’t get booked. A hook is nothing more than an angle that’s undeniably unique. Having a dog that can bark The National Anthem is an example of a story with a great hook.
In 1994, the median repayment time for student loans was 6 1/2 years; yet in 2003, 23 % of those borrowers still owed as much or more than they owed when they left study according to www.educationcounts.govt.nz
Secret #2: Create A Tight Media Kit Before you run out and buy linen, monogrammed presentation folders, know that your media kit can be as simple as a high quality PDF (portable document file) that has essential text alongside product images or publicity shots of you.
With that being said “there’s a guy, here’s the latest trap who to this day, for you economic leaders of tomorrow: is still paying shiny new credit cards. on a large pizza Don’t fall for it. I know it’s tempting but and a six-pack of beer he bought there’s a guy, who to this day, is still paying 10 years ago” on a large pizza and a six-pack of beer he bought 10 years ago!
Secret #3: Producers are LOOKING for you Yes, you. There are over 1,000 television stations, over 200 radio stations in the United States and they need new stories every single day! So, you’re a hot commodity. Many folks don’t pitch themselves to the media because they think producers don’t want to hear from them. That’s not true. They not only want to hear from you, they NEED to hear from you. Secret #4: If You Build It, They Will Call Did you know that while producers are constantly on the lookout for interesting stories and angles that they are thrilled when someone pitches them a show idea instead of pitching them a person? It’s true. Producers are looking for solutions for their audiences, first and foremost. They want to book people who can add value to their listeners. So, when you pitch a producer or a host, don’t pitch YOU, pitch a show idea with you as an integral part of the show. Secret #5: You’re Auditioning When a producer or editor calls you, they are pre-qualifying you. They’re calling to see if you’re the expert they seek. Are you confident or are you going to fumble around with your words? Lots of producers WANT to hear directly from the people they’ll be potentially interviewing and in many cases, they can make a determination on the spot about whether to have you on the show. Secret #6: Energy Sells When you land the interview – on radio or TV, and even with a print interview: bring the energy. Nobody wants to interview someone who’s boring. Speak with passion and authority. Secret 7: Ask For The Sale Every great salesperson knows that your chances of getting what you want increase dramatically when you simply ask for what you want. After you’ve done your interview be sure to let the interviewer know that you’re open to providing ongoing expertise. You’d be surprised how much “repeat” publicity you can get by simply making a journalist’s job easier. 58
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by Ron E. Harris The bell has rung, kids. It’s time for recession! Maybe you don’t really feel the money crunch yet but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening. Ask your parents. Our great land isn’t flowing so much with milk and honey these days as it is with overdue bills, late payments and bloating finance charges. A few days ago I came across a caption on one of the Internet news websites claiming that student loans were the next big lending group to feel the burn, so I had to investigate. What I found shocked me. The three organizations I checked had major issues dating as far back as two to three years
You are faced with a great number of obstacles. If you’re looking for money for school, my first suggestion is to explore Pell grants. Second, go online and look for any and all essay scholarship contests, apprentice programs, and non-profit educational assistance programs. Do your due diligent with the myriad of student loan programs out there and negotiate for a good interest rate. If you already have credit established in your name, protect your FICO score. Those three digits will mean a lot when you get your first house or car. Remember, more than two-thirds of you will graduate with a hefty share of student loan and credit card debt. Think about that the next time you treat the crew to some wings and brews on the weekend. COLLEGEPRENEUR
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can join for a small fee (usually about $25 or less). Alumni Association members have access to exclusive events and publications that connect them with other members. College and university alumnae build and maintain an inner circle of sorts. Some grads will do business exclusively with other alum from the same college. This could be an instant client base for a start-up company.
Your college campus creates an instant network for you and, with a little effort, these resources can be yours.
Greek Life
Go Greek! Involvement in a fraternity or sorority is not just for parties and homecoming parades. Brothers and sisters in these exclusive organizations often form a bond that extends beyond the borders of the college campus. This network includes anyone who is in the organization at any campus across the country. Pete Smithhisler, Executive Vice President of the North-American Inter-fraternity Conference, says, “Networking is one of the five tangible benefits of being involved in a fraternity.” Men and women who share Greek letters form an immediate bond that fosters a great personal or professional relationship
The same goes for your classes. Whiton admits that he “would sometimes take an elective that requires group work, just to meet prospective business partners.” You never know who is daydreaming next to you in Physical Science.
Bottom line: Once you leave campus, you won’t have access to these instant networks again. Take full advantage of the incredible opportunities you have at a school, and you’ll be learning from the best, until you become one of them.
by Jimmy Moore
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Alumni Association
Lorraine Scholler, Assistant Director of Student and Parent Alumnae programs at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, says, “Events like ‘Dinner with 7 at 7’ put our students at a dinner table with local alumni.” Do you realize how much information you can glean during dinner? By engaging in social events with potential mentors, financiers, or business partners, you develop relationships that SPRING 2008
could take your business places you couldn’t go alone. The time spent with a mentor could be the greatest education you get out of your alma mater. Not only that, but people are always eager to help college students who show potential. And keep in mind the doors that are open to you now may be closed after you graduate. Your college campus has a built-in network of alumni and the best part is, you don’t have to be a graduate to be a member. Any student
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Career Services
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Roommates/Classmates
Most students think this office is only good for one thing: to help you get a job. Don’t judge so quickly. Career Service offices offer advice on how to interview, how to network, how to dress for success and many other helpful tidbits. You can start learning more about the industry you want to explore and about your competition. Additionally, while you may not want a traditional job, your business will require assistance from those who have one. Keep an open mind and you might be surprised what you information you find.
Here are four campus goldmines most college students forget about.
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you all semester? Plus, most residence halls offer free high-speed Internet. Take advantage of the amenities available to you while you can.
“Live on campus!” says Jeanette Deckleman, an advisor at Nova Southeastern University in Tampa, Florida. Not only is campus housing more affordable and very supportive for innovative students, but college roommates often become lifelong friends. Who knows if your next business partner has been in the room next to COLLEGEPRENEUR
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By Roy E. Alston
Happy
Hiring
A
by Barbara Brown
As a young entrepreneur, you have so many plates spinning that sometimes it’s challenging to remember the day of the week or what town you’re in without checking your PDA. In the beginning, you probably did everything yourself or with the help of a small cadre of founding members. But, as your organization matures, you need to grow your employee base as well. In your organization, you will make few decisions more important than hiring the right people. Failure in this area can sink your business faster than you can say, “What iceberg?” So, here are some suggestions to successfully increase your employee base.
First, do you really need more employees? Ask yourself these questions: · Do I have work that is not getting done because no one is available to do it? · Are we behind on deliverables? · Are we supporting too much overtime in order to meet our contracts? · Do we have a new job coming in that we are not staffed to meet? · Do we have a backlog of orders greater than 3 months?
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If you answered yes, then it’s time to add some labor to ensure that you can meet your commitments. Second, do you need full-time on-site employees, or should you investigate alternatives? In today’s flexible workforce, you have many options to get labor hours filled. You can contract for support, hire part-time employees, off-shore some of your tasks, hire service organizations to free up hours for your key staff, or search for the right needle in the marketplace. All of these are viable options; you simply have to research to discover which option is best for your company.
Where’s The Money? There are three ways to finance start-up costs: use your own money, obtain a loan, or find investors. If possible, it is better to start small, use your savings, and not worry about repaying a debt.
Waiting On The World To Change? John Mayer’s hit 2006 song still strikes a chord with many of us. Sadly, it’s a fact. The world is full of followers. People who are “waiting” on someone else to change it. We only need to take a look at the 2008 Presidential campaign to see that we’re in desperate need of solid leadership. What’s interesting about this apparent lack of leadership in America is the fact that nearly all major universities claim that they’re developing future leaders. Don’t believe it? Check out your school’s mission statement. Yet, despite these stated and inflated goals, this fact remains unchanged: American institutions of higher learning have paid only minimal attention to student leadership development. The pundits will try to get you to believe that leaders are born but leadership is a learned skill. It can be taught and it must be practiced. Leadership development takes years of learning,
training, and practice. Leadership training and development in American universities and colleges should follow the same yearby-year transition as traditional disciplines such as engineering or political science. Starting with the basics, moving on to more advanced theories, and culminating in practical application. Students who have been exposed to leadership training show significant growth in civic responsibility, multicultural awareness, understanding of leadership theories, and personal and societal values. So, where do individuals who want to be leaders learn to become leaders? Apparently, school’s still in but the jury’s still out on that one. Roy E. Alston is a leadership expert and the author of RadioActive Leadership: How to Pursue Excellence and Positively Influence the Behavior of Others. COLLEGEPRENEUR
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Jen Rules
The ability and courage to adapt to your ever-changing surroundings will be your key to success.
by Jen Groover
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envy you guys. Never before in the history of mankind has opportunity abounded on such an infinite scale as it does right now. Never before have simple ideas held the distinction of being the most valuable commodity out there and you, as university students today, whether you or anyone else realizes it, are in the best possible position to take advantage of this incredible global transition. How can that be, you ask? How can a student not even or barely into their twenties sit at the most coveted seat at the table? How can the blinding expansion and evolution of world commerce and technology favor those not even out of school? How can I sit with a straight face and a true heart when I tell you that you possess more control over your destiny than any other generation has before you? The answer is literally simple: Simplicity. Yes, things are becoming more technical and complicated, but as that happens, the most basic and fundamental aspects of business and life are forced to the surface and those elements are what you possess right now in spades: Creativity, vision, courage, vulnerability, humility, passion, optimism, and exuberance. You don’t know what you don’t know and that today represents a huge edge. The dynamic of business has changed and is changing at such a dramatic rate that no one has too firm a grasp on what today brings or tomorrow might hold. While
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others are perpetually burdened by having to unlearn what they know, or break-down old and outdated models of business, you are free to enter the world unencumbered by the obsolete and dogmatic. The Internet has created such an immense range of viable, lucrative markets (for just about everything under the sun) that your individuality and unfiltered essence are no longer liabilities in a business sense but are tangible assets. Google, Microsoft, MySpace, SecondLife, etc… were all just home-grown ideas that were given life through the convictions of their creators and the awesome power of the Internet. The ability and courage to adapt to your ever-changing surroundings will be your key to success. Always continue to strive towards what is in your heart without ever becoming too complacent or safe for things will change for you as well. I challenge you to follow your dreams, learn from our mistakes, never judge…and be inspired.
The Power of
Thank You
by Jonathan Sprinkles
If you’re the head of a campus organization one of the fastest ways to create a steady stream of donations is by saying “thank you”. Likewise, if you want to completely turn a donor off, ignore them. A simple, yet powerful way to maintain a great relationship with the philanthropic community is via a regular newsletter where you prominently acknowledge your donors’ contributions to your cause or organization. Done properly, your organization’s bank account will begin to grow like wildfire! ----------------------------------Jonathan Sprinkles is a college leadership and motivational speaker who was voted National College Speaker Of The Year by the Association for the Promotion of Campus Activities in 2006.
Here are The Big Seven 1 Say thank you and meanit 2 Write a thank you letter. Invite them to lunch. Have the
3 whole group attend. 4
Host a special recognition dinner for donors and special guests.
5 Splash their name and logo on your website.
6 Ask them to come and speak to your group.
7 Dedicate a special portion of
your newsletter to them. Send them extra copies.
move
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