Copy This!

chiltr4

Hello to All! This is my first post here (I just joined about fifteen minutes ago and am glad I stumbled across this site). I am a twenty-one year old economics major and am also in the process of launching my first company which is an internet based content site. I just finished reading `Copy This!` by Paul Orfalea who was the founder of Kinko`s up until 2000 or so. First off, a fantastic read. He gets his points across in a easy to understand way (especially his business ideas), is an excellent story teller, and inspires anyone who wants to build a successful company. His ideas are unique which is why Kinko`s had such an interesting business model and I assure you, if you read it, you will not regret it. 

chiltr4

My partner and I have created our LLC and actually sent out for our Tax ID number today. We`re meeting with a fantastic group of web designers and programmers who work for a student run organization on my campus. We are also in the process of getting our trademark for our logo and name, and as as a copyright. This summer, we`ll be working with our team of designers/programmers and will begin our marketing efforts beginning with the new school year (so mid August or so) but we would like to have the site up and running by mid June to begin getting feedback from others (and our friends although honestly i prefer feedback from those I do not know because it will be more unbiased). So far, it has been an awesome time learning and navigating through so many different arenas from intellectual property laws to web site design. Feel free to contact me with any other questions and I`m excited to learn from everyone here as well as giving feedback to others.

GrillCharmer

Welcome to the board!!  Talking about IP, are you building your business around a new product you have developed?

chiltr4

We are not building our company around a product line...yet. It will be all content based, but we are looking down the road and if logostics allow, we will start a line of products which bear our logo including: t-shirts, sweatshirts, posters, kozies, frisbees, hats, etc. This idea is not one that would be implemented for at least nine to twelve months, if ever. To be honest, while it is an idea we have at the moment, we are more focused on alternative means to break even and become profitable (aka advertising and affiliate programs).
chiltr42007-4-18 19:59:9

chiltr4

I read your comments earlier today and decided to take some time and think about that idea. I have never thought of something quite like that but I can see how it could be successful and profitable if you structure it correctly. This type of firm (if you will) can take on all these disciplines and provide a place to get over the steep learning curve of starting a(n) (online) business. This type of firm acts almost as a consultant/partner/angel who can aid an individual or group with launching and/or operating it. If this kind of firm can take on some equity (even a small share), it could be very successful (almost operating as a VC) especially for budding entrepreneurs. And if you look at how this country is evolving into the information age, we see many more kids and young adults taking on interest in starting their own businesses. To be honest, this is a pretty legitimate idea. The firm could be an LLC and simply take on more partners as demand grows or simply hire employees (which I would be more apt to do if I had a stake in the original firm). You could compartmentalize the firm within the different areas of expertise as you mentioned above to provide a full range of services which would ultimately contribute to a better chance of some business becoming profitable, especially if the founder of that business is young without much experience in forming a company, knowing tax/IP laws, etc. etc. Anyway, great post and now you`ve really got me thinking. 

JDawg

Craig, how would your idea be any diffeent from freelance sites like e-lance or an employment firm like The Creative Ground? Just curious...

JDawg

Ah, gotcha... thanks for taking time to explain!

powerfulimpact

Best of luck to you in your new venture. We are forming an organization similar to what you described. We will help companies like yours grow and become successful. I can`t wait to see your project. Go for it!Copy This was great! I read it about 3 months ago. I couldn`t put it down.

MpyreDzirez

I`m curious to hear why you chose LLC for your business structure? Justin

Nelson

Hi and congratulation on your venture. And of course, good luck.  I also started a business with about 15 others.  Its Real Estate Developing and Management.  We just finished building a 10 store community strip mall in Santiago Dominican Republic.  We purchased two commercial lots in Florida for the same and encountered a set back, but we will prevail.  We are now planning on going OTC.  Our lawyer is working on it. 
It takes alot of courage to start a business.  Alot of people talk about it, but nothing gets done.  They are afraid of failure.  Good luck again.

ppappabearr

Sounds like you have something going here. As a business model or case study, you might want to look at USWeb/CSK, www.usweb.com</A>. They were one of the first of the "one-stop shop" companies for web marketing and online presence establishment. They partnered or merged over 150 small companies into a group that could respond quickly to a client`s needs. ppappabearr2007-5-9 12:21:0

chiltr4

MD- We started as an LLC because the pro`s outweighed the con`s. It was fairly cheap (it`s a Delaware LLC), it`s easy to run (no board of directors, annual borad meeting, etc. etc.), and most importantly it`s flexible in terms of an option pool. If we need to dish out some equity for whatever reason, it`s very simple and straightforward.Thanks for all the support from everyone on the board. I`m extremely excited right now, not only about the company launching soon but i just finished with my exams and have 109 days to be 110% focused on the tasks I and my team need to accomplish. In the next few weeks, I`m going to be opening up a thread dedicated to my journey and look forward to sharing my successes and failures with everyone here.