WE'VE MOVED!

We are proud to announce our NEW community destination. Engage with resident experts and fellow entrepreneurs, and learn everything you need to start your business. Check out the new home of StartupNation Community at startupnation.mn.co

Could We Create a Business Together?

145791026

Comments

  • bjflanaganbjflanagan subscriber Posts: 0
    2.  StartupNation Magazine -  go head to head with Entreprenuer magazine.  Same concept, with the power of all us SUNners creating the articles, selling the ad space, promoting it online, etc.  We`d sell the magazine via the usual channels, and again split the revenue.  We`ve got plenty of people here on SUN to make this one work. 
    Thoughts?
     Great idea! It just so happens that I am a writer and editor:Word AssociationHere`s recent piece that`s more like straight essay. Now, before you say, "O, man, this guy`s out there past Pluto," please be advised that, while that may be true, it is also the case that Stanford is going to be hosting a symposium on this very thing, come spring. They seem to think it worth mentioning at Cambridge.It`s also worth noting -- especially for entrepreneurs -- that this event signals a major shift of paradigm. The last time this happened, the technological spin-offs included transistors, lasers and nuclear energy -- or, the basis of our modern economies.
  • JeffJeff subscriber Posts: 1
    I`m so glad to see lots of great ideas and desire to make something happen. I`m interested in being part of it on behalf of SUN....Just know that I`m here when we`re ready to do something....
    Jeff
  • magnetmagnet subscriber Posts: 0
    PORTANT :  University of Victory has PreLaunched and for 4 days only is offering FREE enrollment to distributors who got burned in PAS, clones, emerald passport to prosperity etc.Moreover this will help you to save something to the tune of 2000 dollars
     
    www.UniversityOfVictory.org
  • EricEric subscriber Posts: 8
    Mitey Mite living up to the name.  Great post. I love to see somebody cracking the virtual whip. (hmmmm there`s an idea somewhere there all by itself)
    MM, I have an idea that could not be pulled off without a collaborative effort from a sizable group. Deciding upon anything less than a huge idea is not thinking big enough for this group.
    Unfortunately sharing it here openly would be a terribly wreckless move. What little research I have done on the subject points to the idea being approached only on a limited basis but also points to it having a significant impact..........yeah it could make a lot of money if built properly AND run well. Since you have a fire burning there, I`m going send you a message with a few details just to see what you think. I could be all washed up. This is nothing I want nor is it something I personally need. I just think it`s a darn good idea and too big for any one individual to pull off. Way too big.
    You are absolutely right about needing to address a screaming need and leave behind the screaming wants....as you put it.
    ~Eric
     
     
  • bjflanaganbjflanagan subscriber Posts: 0

    Hey Brian:  It`s interesting you mentioned a major paradigm shift as I was going to bring that up in the Bootstrapper thread which by the way some of you here may want to check out.  Entrepreneurship is beginning to experience a major paradigm shift.  We are so very fortunate to be living during a time when advance in technology provides such fertile ground for entrepreneurs.  The internet is but an infant~ just think about that! 
    Thanks for your thoughtful reply. I agree with you on all points.
    I`m close to retiring the term, "paradigm shift"; it`s been used so much, it`s nearly lost all punch, but I do believe it applies here.
    We are indeed fortunate; it`s easy to get jaded about the internet and good to be reminded that it remains a mere babe.
    I appreciate your enthusiasm;  SUN is far and away the most lively venue of its kind (that I know of) and it is both a pleasure and a privilege to meet so many bright, dynamic individuals.
     bjflanagan2006-10-26 12:18:12
  • JeffJeff subscriber Posts: 1
    MiteyMite is onto it....
    I am happy to participate.....but he`s right...the business we create needs to stand on its own merit, related-to of course, but independent of StartupNation.
    We run the risk of things getting overcomplicated. To streamline all of this...I propose the following action steps be taken:
    Let`s all start listing potential business ideas. I proposed an e-commerce company which would retail security and privacy products; someone else proposed a group getting together to form a web development and online marketing company (I like this idea); and others have proposed additional alternatives. Let`s plan to gather all of the ideas by the end of this week and start to sort through them. Once we settle on maybe one to three of the ideas to begin to investigate more thoroughly, we can begin to have people indicate whether or not they`d be interested in joining this business team, what role they might be able to play in its development and/or in its operations, and then we can create a business plan, determine if we need funding and how to get it, and launch the business.
    Remember, we might have many businesses formed this way, so not everyone needs to jump onto the first idea. If an idea rallies enough support and interest, it`s worth going to the next step, if not - we drop it. Once one idea is underway with a group, then let`s repeat the process of posting business ideas, vetting them, etc, etc...
    So...I suggest for now, we simply focus on posting what each of us believes might make for good business ideas. Let`s not focus on how to get funding, etc until we settle on an idea. One thing we`ve learned is that if you have a solid business idea, rock solid business plan, and great team behind it, the funding is no problem.
    Cool???
    Jeff
  • SethSeth subscriber Posts: 2
    Time to choose.
    A poll is really needed here but if this is THE list, I`d put my name on #7, an E-Commerce site for advertising specialties.
    Why?
    1. Practically every business uses some form of incentives, promotions, give-a-ways, or POP (Point of Purchase) advertising.
    2. Most every company has a shirt, hat, apron, pen, coffee mug, or jacket with their company logo printed on it.
    3. Almost every business uses printed forms, envelopes, stationary, and business cards.
    4. Traditional advertising (print, TV, Radio, Direct Mail) has been on the decline...actually a free fall! Businesses are looking for alternative marketing opportunities.
    5. What business does not give corporate or company gifts to their best customers and employees?
    These are all advertising specialties. How many of the above do you use?
    As a former Advertising Creative Director and Vice President I can tell you, through experience, that promotional advertising (advertising specialties) offers a healthy profit margin with little overhead and practically no inventory. Their is no shortage of vendors to buy from, products to offer, or business customers who need, want, and use these products. 
    Is their a great deal of competition in the marketplace? Oh yeh...but what SUN member isn`t up for that? 
  • stevesteve subscriber Posts: 14
    One problem I see with using a linear model (forum) to discuss this is
    that it`s very easy for ideas, questions and comments to be lost.

    Jeff, does SUN have the resources (servers, staff, etc...) to host a wiki?

    The wiki model has successfully supported some large dynamic sites (Wikipedia for example) and I believe it would greatly help our collaborative business planning.


    I`m thinking it would need to have secure access for those involved and
    be archived so all changes are recorded along with who changed what,
    and when?
  • EricEric subscriber Posts: 8

    Everybody emails their input to the point man/woman with their argument on why we should decide on that paricular decision.
    The point man formulates a poll which includes the what and why for that decision,
    All interested parties vote, and the first business is then decided upon.

    Outstanding! .....An excellent suggestion. Getting down to business.
    I would like to nominate as "point man", the whip cracker...... Mitey Mite. Anybody second that or have another nomination?
    ~Eric
  • rexiedexierexiedexie subscriber Posts: 97 Silver Level Member
    Hi Jeff
    Jeff    I developed software to do this some years back but my business partner passed away before the project was finished.
    The software can control franchises or agencies or agents or members buy a large number if criteria including employment category or job etc etc    .
    This project has remained uncompleted since 1990. I have been seeking to find a local business partner in Melbourne Australia to finish the project. But as yet I have not found the ideal person. I have come close several times.
    The software can do matching for singles/dating or employment or can also be easily adapted to many other uses. I need someone local to complete this software as due to problems with the original software company I no longer have the site design specifications which took several years to prepare.
    If you can find a project we could all be a part of, I would be happy to consider the be involved.
     
     
  • EricEric subscriber Posts: 8
    I agree with frnchps that a Point Leader thread be established for the purpose of lining up candidates and a deadline for their nomination AND alert people interested in this project.
    I think that we are far enough along to create a code name for this project. Any suggestions? I was thinking very simple SuN Project #1....
    So far I see three nominiations:
    Mitey Mite
    Kat33
    Ideas and Innovations (Mike)
    frndchps,   I love your enthusiasm but I believe that the thread title for this task should state exactly what we are trying to accomplish and leave behind any personally identifying text such as MOSAICarnival: Member Venture (not that I don`t support you personally, I just think that it`s important to not cloud what is to be a mostly democratic process with any hint of self promotion even as I am sure that such was not your intention.) Every effort should be made to reinforce the attitude that this is truly a collaborative process.
    Coming to mind for a thread title to accomplish this task is a simple:
    Point Leader Nomination and Election for SuN Project # 1  Deadline: [date that we all agree on in advance of posting the thread]
    Hopefully a title such as this one would accomplish two things,

    Announce the intention of the thread
    Draw interest (People can`t resist deadlines)
    All active members of this thread Please post your Opposition or Agreement in regards the above thread title in the following posts. The consensus will establish or deny it. (Should we say a 48 hour majority vote?)
    Remember we already have a good number of people that have expressed an interest in this project. Those individuals will need to be identified through previous posts and sent a personal message alerting them to the threads existence.
    ~Eric Eric2006-10-27 7:20:38
  • EricEric subscriber Posts: 8
    Duane,
    If you run through the pages and pages of this thread you`ll see that the point leader is not "running the team"  This point leader`s primary function is to draw focus and gather information for review by the group.
    This is a preliminary position and the only qualifications needed are a strong desire and confidence to handle the task and a willingness and ability to spend their personal time toward the project and take a boat load of email.  
    I don`t believe that there is fear of this becoming a pouplarity contest.
    The need now is for a simplification of the process. Ideas have been tossed around randomly until now and the point leader position will deliver the order that (as was pointed out earlier) is lost through this linear format.
    I hope you agree with this as the time has come to settle on this preliminary position so that the project can become more focused.
    Please read the entire thread. It`s a lot of reading but you`ll soon understand why a point leader is the next logical step. 
    Thanks for joining the group. We`re glad to have you aboard!
    ~EricEric2006-10-27 18:34:33
  • EricEric subscriber Posts: 8
    Katt,
    So you accept the nomination. I have it from Mitey Mite that their nomination is accepted and Ideas and Innovations (Mike) is nominated for the position also.
    Any other nominations can be added by anyone this weekend and all  members of this thread will be informed to cast their vote for Point Leader throughout next week.
    Everybody cool with this so far?
     
  • CreativeGalCreativeGal subscriber Posts: 2
    I`ve been following this thread for some time, and I`m definitely very excited about being a part of this venture.   The one thing that has been on my mind is that we need a place that serves as a database or repository of the names of those of us who want to participate, along with all of our skills, resources and knowledge that we can offer.  (Perhaps this is what rexiedexie software could do for us?)
    This may even help define in which (if there are several) venture each person wishes to participate.  For instance,  the magazine idea sounds the most interesting to me as I could offer my writing, graphics design, and photography skills.  However, I have an interest in marketing, so contributing to any of the ideas would be a great opportunity.
    I`d like to hear others ideas, but I`m thinking this database of everyone with their contributing skills is essential before we get too much involved as we can use it to help establish teams that can work together for given tasks.
    Count me in!
    Creative Gal
  • JWDJWD subscriber Posts: 0
    I am a business attorney to large and small companies. I will donate my services to get a company going in an LLC. This is an interesting idea worth exploring.
Sign In or Register to comment.