Boone & Kurtz Contemporary Business Weekly Updates » Part 2 Starting and Growing Your Business

Entrepreneurs jump on co-working bandwagon

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 10:01:57 +0000

Description: In 2008, Chad and Sandra Ballantyne moved their marketing and Web design company, Rhubarb Media, into its first office – a 1,300-square-foot space in downtown Barrie, Ont., which they shared with another small company.

Source: GlobeandMail.com

Date: 04/02/2012

Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/small-business/sb-marketing/customer-service/entrepreneurs-jump-on-co-working-bandwagon/article2386076/

Questions for discussion:

What lessons are there in this report for entrepreneurs?
What are the advantages and disadvantages for co-working?
What are some other co-working ideas that might work well?

Hustle and Hustle Smart in Startups

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:02:43 +0000

Description: Like many other successful entrepreneurs, Brian Wong worked at a startup before branching out on his own. He worked in business development at Digg, and though he was laid off he says he learned a lot from working there.

Source: Sprouter.com

Date: 03/07/2012

Link: http://sprouter.com/blog/hustle-and-hustle-smart-in-startups/

Questions for discussion:

What did you learn about entrepreneurship from Brian Wong?
How would you explain his success?

Entrepreneurship Isn’t About Money, It’s About Changing the World

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 10:02:56 +0000

Description: Entrepreneur Matt Mullenweg recently said that his motivation isn’t to make money, it’s to change the world.

Source: Sprouter.com

Date: 02/22/2012

Link: http://sprouter.com/blog/matt-mullenweg-wordpress-automattic-profile/?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=22+February+2012+%2F%2F+Hottest+StartUps%2C+Events+%26+Resources&utm_campaign=Sprouter+Weekly%3A+February+22%2C+2013&utm_term=_0D_0AEntrepreneurship+Isn_E2_80_99t+About+Money_2C+It_E2_80_99s+About+Changing+the+World_0D_0A

Questions for discussion:

Describe the characteristics that make Matt Mullenweg an entrepreneur.
Are there any of these unique when compared to the general description of entrepreneurs?

Bill Gates: Rich should pay more taxes

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:05:01 +0000

Description: The Microsoft founder and philanthropist says that the wealthiest Americans should pay a larger share of taxes than they do.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 01/26/2012

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/01/26/n_davos_gates_occupy.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion:

Summarize the key points presented about economic activity, incomes, taxes, and the government’s role.
What is Bill Gates’ position on the key issue facing business and society at large?
Do you agree with Bill Gates?
How would you assign the collection of taxes?

Enhanced eBooks: Next Frontier or Passing Fad?

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:04:11 +0000

Description: A new crop of digital books comes loaded with videos, songs, animated shorts and pop-up graphics. Is this the future of publishing or just a passing fad? Alexandra Alter has details on Lunch Break.

Source: Marketwatch.com – video report

Date: 01/19/2012

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/enhanced-ebooks-next-frontier-or-passing-fad/C6B97950-5E0F-4EBD-9986-3FB1369FE4AF

Questions for discussion:

Do you think this new concept in ebooks will be well received?
Which markets do you think will most likely be targeted by developers?

Social media success Rx: “Be a little crazy”

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:04:07 +0000

Description: Clara Shih is an early achiever. At age five, she arrived in the U.S., from Hong Kong, with her parents. With no access to bilingual education, she was initially placed in special classes for kids with speech impediments and advanced so rapidly that she scored a 1420 on her SATs — in eighth grade. She started her company, Hearsay Social, at age 27, made Fortune’s list of Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs last year, and married her neurologist boyfriend in October (delaying her honeymoon to attend the Fortune MPW Summit.) Last month, Shih was tapped to replace Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg on the Starbucks (SBUX) board. And today, she turns 30 years old. There is no better timing for the Hearsay Social CEO to share, well, lessons from her youth.

Source: Fortune.com

Date: 01/11/2012

Link: http://postcards.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2012/01/11/social-media-success-clara-shih/?iid=SF_F_River

Questions for discussion:

What does this report say about entrepreneurialism?
Do you agree with the argument that “everything will be social”?
What does this suggest about future start-up ideas?

MySpace Co-founder Moves From Social Networking to Social Commerce

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:01:49 +0000

Description: MySpace co-founder Josh Berman knows how to capitalize on online trends. The entrepreneur behind one of the Web 2.0 era’s most successful companies bet on the rise of social networks, and after spending four years at MySpace and selling the company for over $500 million, he’s on to the next trend.

Source: Sprouter.com

Date: 01/11/2012

Link: http://sprouter.com/blog/myspace-co-founder-moves-from-social-networking-to-social-commerce/?utm_source=MadMimi&utm_medium=email&utm_content=11+January+2012+%2F%2F+Hottest+StartUps%2C+Events+%26+Resources&utm_campaign=Sprouter+Weekly%3A+January+11%2C+2012&utm_term=btn-readon_png

Questions for discussion:

What suggestions does Josh Berman have for successful management of start-ups?
Why do you think these retail sites are so successful at selling to consumers?
Was MySpace a failure?

China’s Low-Cost Housing Boom

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 10:04:53 +0000

Description: Building low-cost housing projects is part of the Chinese government’s plan to restructure its housing sector. But some say it’s a risky strategy for the already shaky real estate industry. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report

Date: 12/30/2011

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/china-low-cost-housing-boom/8BAB1EA5-0CC6-4ECC-BA0B-D90B9CA2C4E3

Questions for discussion:

How does this project relate to the forces of supply and demand as they affect various areas of the Chinese economy?
Do you think housing prices will be affected by this project?
Why do you suppose some apartments nearby remain unrented?

Roll your own cigarettes in NY store

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 10:04:19 +0000

Description: Make your own cigarettes in a store in NY. Too good to be true for some? turns out yes. Cnns richard roth reports

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 12/29/2011

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/12/29/n_roll_your_own_cigarettes.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion:

What are the related ethical issues represented in this report?
Who do you side with?
Is the city government correct to control tobacco use?

Skate to Where the Puck is Going in Startups

Brahm Canzer — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 10:03:02 +0000

Description: Wayne Gretzky famously said that a good hockey player plays where the puck is, while a great player skates plays where the puck is going to be. Yammer founderDavid Sacks says it’s the same with startups. The former PayPal COO says you don’t want to create the 20th version of something that already exists, you have to be innovative and stay ahead of the proverbial puck. “Startups always have to do that, you always have to be ahead of the curve,” he says.

Source: Sprouter.com

Date: 12/28/2011

Link: http://sprouter.com/blog/skate-to-where-the-puck-is-going-in-startups/#more-2699

Questions for discussion:

Summarize the thinking about start-ups and their likely success.
What message does this article send to entrepreneurs?