start ups
EmmanuEl Hall
shows the synergy between his vision and his talents by andre Burnett
A
journey to entrepreneurial success bereft of any anecdotes of sacrifices made for the benefit of the business would make for a terrible speech at a dinner party. As such, Emmanuel Hall’s yarn of weaving through corporate area traffic, successfully and once…unsuccessfully, to deliver letters and samples to prospective clients would no doubt yield applause from the stoniest of audiences. Mr. Hall delivers the story with a big smile and a shake of the head but there is the sense that a transportation issue would be but a hiccup in the realization of his entrepreneurial vision…eBusiness Synergy Inc. The 29 year old Manning’s School and U.W.I graduate formed eBusiness Synergy in November 2007 with a full staff complement of exactly one person and a belief that there was a space in the business landscape for his particular skills and talents. Mr. Hall describes the business as a web development/ IT firm that develops websites with a heavy emphasis on the marketing perspective. “A website in its essence should be a marketing solution which either generates revenue, saves costs or both”, relates the CEO, “a website should be tailored to the needs of a business and should appeal visually to the target audience while Emmanuel Hall succeeding it its funcfounder of tionality. eBusiness Synergy Inc.
his foot off the gas. “With regards to the potential of the business, Technology is normally a safe bet, and it is so expansive that there is virtually no limit,” explains Mr. Hall, “right now Jamaica is just opening up to web development.” Start/Ups asked Mr. Hall to give us some perspective on the challenges of a small business: k you need , if you thin ly al s and re al u and abilitie e individ Capital d are skills get dent on th e n e ’t e n n p o u e d D yo . is “This u need . What ’t yo n at o d th ss. ly al al cc it p re the ca e for su e capital you or attract prerequisit at a te th t ra o d e n n an is ge it hat I had ded but w these will e d e n se u is I al it e, so cap there for m lan of attack. me wrong, ital wasn’t p dp o ca , go e a m d h Wit ilities an ab d an s ill was my sk ple, calling peo ial stages, it h was in g ac n e ti th ro e p k in r ap Ma arketing ers. My m tt le ct nace g ir in d d y n t was m te I used very sample websites, se as differen w ing d at ri m h e ts w th n , g sendin d for clie y people e k an o m lo I m . o e fr nt t don not differe y belief it could ge ament to m belief that st y m te a d is an y at it ; th my bicycle around on ate Jack e consumm the th as w I y so s in Labour ay anybod all the role afford to p ar I played t people. ye a gh ri an e I couldn’t th th invest in For more to s. e as ad w e who is tr r, l ye of al howeve t emplo n rs fi la p y cing y m m n o ion and pri business. In rupled when I took at negotiat s nill e ss sk ad e u is is q H it e Revenu see that g director. n in ca ag u an yo m e e so currently th d at the tim mbers. was neede me at h am w te re f e w t mix o gh ri e th ve tial to ha
Mr. Hall sites a local example of two competing Jamaican companies as evidence that the aesthetics of a website can make or break the online efforts of a company. Fortunately for him he studied art and designing up until sixth form and is an avid painter and mural designer. “I have learned that sometimes it is best to go with your natural inclinations and talents”, said Mr. Hall, “It was while studying for a degree in economics and management that I took up web development as a hobby, a hobby which eventually facilitated my talents.” eBusiness Synergy netted its first client in August 2008, a full 8 months into operation and since then Mr. Hall has not taken yourmoney ezine
Business Lounge
cutting your fees NCB encourages its customers to Bank Smarter
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or Immediate Release January 21, 2010 NCB encourages its customers to Bank Smarter. The effects of the recent global financial crisis have pushed many individuals to start exploring their options to see how they may control the cost of using licensed financial services. This becomes even more urgent when such financial services are likely to cost more because additional taxes – such as the increase in GCT to 17.5%, which became effective January 1, 2010 – will force banking and other financial services which already attract such government taxes to pass them on to customers. However, Jamaica’s largest commercial bank, NCB, has recognized the extent of the current challenges and has moved to educate its customers on banking options that will allow them to bank smarter and save.
in 2009, which is geared towards helping NCB customers with budgeting tools and tips, savings options, and debt consolidation. NCB has made further Sheree Martin information on these banking options available through the NCB website at www.jncb.com. The information is also accessible at www.cutyourbankfees.com, as well as at Jamaica Observer online and The Gleaner online.
On January 20, 2010, NCB launched a new educational campaign titled, “Cut Banking Fees”, in an effort to build awareness about how customers may bank in ways that help them to minimize or eliminate paying fees altogether. Some of those options include using NCB electronic channels such as ABMs and internet banking; accessing banking packages such as the NCB SME Financial Services for businesses; or NCB First Class and the Gold Club savings accounts for qualifying individuals. The campaign also encourages NCB customers to sign up for NCB Midas Plus, which gives customers all electronic banking transactions free of cost. Sheree Martin, NCB’s Senior AGM – Group Marketing and Communications, has explained that, while banking fees may go up across the sector because of the increased operating costs, “we saw it fit to launch this campaign in an effort to ensure that our customers are made aware of ways to minimise the impact. Essentially, this campaign is geared towards educating our customers about ways to ease some of the financial burden,” she added. The NCB executive noted that the bank continues to remain focused on meeting the needs of its customers by offering financial services with real solutions. In keeping with that focus, NCB also launched its Money Matters campaign yourmoney ezine
your money insights
The changing faces of Marketing by Andre Burnett
A
n oft misquoted signature line from the 1989 American fantasy film, “Field of Dreams” reads, “If you build it he will come”. The word “he” is usually substituted for the more agreeable “they” and the line instantly becomes a mantra for belief in one’s establishment and consequently one’s product. But is it true, will they indeed come? Even if you have created the remedy to premature balding, excess abdominal fat and a vodka hangover all in one citrus flavoured tablet it certainly won’t help your bottom line if no one knows about it. Thus the need for marketing becomes painfully apparent. Marketing has always been the more glamorous, little sister of business ever since ancient man realized that his stock of wheels and fire starters weren’t going to buy themselves. Something had to be done and that something was probably a simple exchange between neighbours which led to the transfer of valuable information that led to an exchange of commodities.
Guerilla marketing is ideal for the small business and entrepreneur who has a very clear understanding of the needs and the psychology of his targets. Big business has taken notice however; in 2005 Burger King in Asia underwent a brash campaign which saw representatives donning the stationary McDonald’s mascot with Burger King merchandise and placing footsteps leading away from McDonald’s saying, “Gone to Burger King”. Infectious and effective, these two examples of modern marketing are showing the modern business owner that creativity is never overrated.
The face of marketing has changed tremendously over time, with the advent of the print, radio, television and now the internet with campaigns reaching colossal figures yet some of the most effective campaigns nowadays rely simply on the raw creativity and audacity of the marketers. Attaching the words “viral” and “guerilla” to the term marketing might seem an odd mix at first but in today’s increasingly minute global marketplace viral marketing and guerilla marketing are steady carving out a niche. Viral marketing techniques work just as the name implies by spreading from one person to another like a virus using existing social networks as the vector of transmission. Word of mouth, physical delivery and the now near ubiquity of the internet can achieve far more marketing clout than an exorbitant Super Bowl ad ever could. A Ponzi scheme is an excellent if somewhat unsavoury example of viral marketing where happy investors spread the word. A more recent example is the advertisement of the blockbuster movie “Cloverfield” bereft of a title, only a release date. Guerilla marketing techniques while just as creative as viral techniques were designed to circumvent the constraints of a meager budget by relying on time, energy and creativity. yourmoney ezine