Graduate Today by whitney Hunter

Graduate Today

Social Media

Choosing The Right Business

Tips For How to Start a Business

See Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Inside How to build a successful business by Whitney Hunter.........................................................p. 5

Promoting businesses through social media By Whitney Hunter............................................p. 8

Brainstorming: Choosing the right business By Whitney Hunter...........................................p. 10

Addicted to Money By Whitney Hunter............................................................................p. 12

Think Globally, Act Locally by Whitney Hunter................................................................p. 14

Student Entrepreneurship: How students can get free money for business ventures By Whitney Hunter....p. 16

Beauty supply conference...... p. 17

African-American home business expert Troy Foster.....p. 18

Debt Deal impacts college students By Janay Kingsberry................................................p. 19

All advertising was used with the permission of the advertiser or owner of the advertisiment.

How to Build a Successful Business By Whitney Hunter

on a blog.

Now it is time to evaluate the

market. For instance, if an individual wants to open a pizza restaurant chances are it will fail because many businesses like that already exist. Examine what are the major trends and how this will affect the success of the business. Use search engines like Google, ZoomProspector and Yelp.com. ZoomProspector provides helpful commentary on current economic trends and Yelp.com shows the competition in various markets. Whitney Hunter/Graduate Today

Next consider how to get seed

money for the business. Small business loans are one resource, but because of the

Primary research consists of surveys and

economy, those may be hard to come by.

with a declining job market find

questionnaires where you ask the intended

The best way to obtain funding is to attract

entrepreneurship appealing, but few know

audience how they feel about a product.

investors who believe in the product; it

the process to create a successful business.

Some questions may be how much money

is never a good idea to spend personal

someone is willing to pay for a product or

capital.

features the goal of the business, the target

does he or she feel this product is sorely

audience, and funding. Good questions

needed in the market place. Try to limit

budget plan that shows the start up costs

to ask while preparing a blueprint are:

the sample size to 25 people. Remember

of the business without financial strain.

What niche is the business trying to fulfill

â&#x20AC;&#x153;the customer is always rightâ&#x20AC;? is the first

in the market place? What makes my

rule of business and knowing customers

not be too eager to grasp the pot of gold

product important? What will this product

will increase revenue.

before getting things in financial order.

achieve?

Lastly, choose a business structure that

Many college students faced

Start with a blueprint that

Secondary research can also be

Develop a coherent and realistic

Planning is everything, so do

useful. This research consists of books,

is beneficial such as a partnership or

audience and whether this product will

journals, magazines, newspapers, and

corporation.

appeal to a younger demographic of 18-

other useful secondary information.

26 or an older demographic of 40-60.

Remember when using online sources

a succesful business, however research is

Knowing what audience to penetrate is

to evaluate them closely because not

key to determining whether a business will

crucial because many businesses fail

all information on the Internet is good

stand the test of time.

due to communication issues.

information; a person should look for

Conduct primary and secondary research.

scholarly sources not information found

Next, think about the target

Following these steps will ensure

Check us out online !!!!!!!!!

Social Media

Promoting Businesses Through Social Media

Promoting businesses through social media

By Whitney Hunter

Social networking can be a very useful tool in today’s market place where it’s about who and what a person knows. Many big-name businesses use social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Linked In to promote their business. Savannahnow.com, the online version of the Savannah Morning News, frequently post links to articles on Facebook and Twitter. Readers can click on the links and comment, “like,” or “recommend”articles to friends. The theory is the more people who press “like” or “recommend” the more people will see the article and this will increase traffic for the website. This is a smart idea in an era where the newspaper is dying and most are becoming “digital first.” The digital first concept should be applied to any business looking to phase out the competition. For example, if a person runs an apparel business, it is a good idea to use social media to promote the sales and upcoming products of that store. Customers who are Facebook savvy, which is the majority of the population, will be able to get a first glance at sales and clearance items before walking in the store. This is the goal of the “digital first’ concept: to hook the customer and plant the seed of impulsive buying. No one wants a “cherry picker” customer. A “cherry picker” is a customer that comes in a store and buys one item. The best way to avoid this is to upsell; this means offering more than one product at the point of sale. Credible businesses such as Walmart and Sears utilize Facebook to promote different aspects of their business. Sears shares upcoming sales, information on Energy Star products, and managers from various stores interact with customers to provide a better shopping experience. Walmart has a feedback button where customers can type questions and have them answered by managers. Customers can also complain about poor customer service. Bottom line: Being able to interact with customers long after the transaction can be a helpful tool. It assures the customer that their needs are being carefully considered and provides the business owner with valuable feedback. Twitter is also a social networking giant. Many

businesses find sending messages of 140 characters or less effective. This may be because the attention span of today’s consumer is short and research shows people do not like a lot of information at one time. Hit Squad Entertainment, a party hosting organization, uses Twitter to promote parties, events, celebrity hosts and the recent Hit Squad Entertainment blog. The structure is similar to Savannah Morning News where links to new posts are placed on Twitter for followers to read. This again follows the “digital first” concept. Linked In is different from Twitter and Facebook. Linked In is like going to an online networking conference. There is a basic profile everyone has to fill out which includes a description of present and past positions. There are also job postings and “connections” that can be made. Connections are just that: how many people a person is connected to on Linked In. These cool features allow individuals to connect with professionals and vice versa. The amount of regional access a connection has can also be determined. Social networking whether via Facebook, Twitter, or Linked In is an essential tool for small businesses and is an alternative to costly advertising so think “digital first.”

Editor’s Note:

“Social media workshops are another great way to build on business skills” 8

Brainstorming: Choosing the Right Business By Whitney Hunter

Choosing a business that will

stand out from the comptetition can be tedious. Here are some business ideas that are sure to succeed.

These days businesses try to

minimize costs anyway they can. This is where a discount supply business can come in handy.

Discount supply businesses are a

rapidly growing market and buying items wholesale and selling them for a cheaper price can be very lucrative. In a student’s case this means tapping into the school supply market.

Whitney Hunter/Graduate Today

Everyone has been the victim

of long lines at the bookstore and high

can be hugely successful. Virtually anyone

business just for the money, it is not going

textbook prices.

can start a blog, but the trick is to find a

to be successful. It is the passion that

niche or topic that will draw interest.

drives success.

textbooks from classmates because

it eliminates the need to browse and

usually a good idea, because that person is

make money by blogging about ideas,

compare deals, which can be time

knowledgeable about the subject and the

advertising is a must. Students can

consuming.

content will be easier to write.

ask local businesses for advertising or

utilize Google AdWords.

Students benefit by buying

A social media marketing

Choosing a hobby or passion is

Janay Kingsberry, online content

However, one cannot just

business is also a great way students can

producer for the Savannah Morning

get their foot in the door. For students,

News, has a blog called naytrekvoyager.

that allows individuals to place Google

this can be as simple as volunteering to

com. The blog discusses everything from

advertising on their website. The more

promote a school organization on Twitter

her travels to Chicago and New York,

users click on Google’s advertising, the

or Facebook.

enrollment in free classes at Stanford

more a person is paid. This means the

University, music and book reviews.

amount of “hits” a website receives is

tool is an e-newsletter. E-newsletters

important.

are cost effective for organizations

Georgia graduate student, bought domain

because they enable them to reach a large

space to create Dominicross.net. His blog

it is a purely online function like a blog or

demographic without the cost of printing

explores music, movies, technology, and

a barbershop on the corner, has to be the

paper and ink. Students can charge

his life.

passion of the business owner.

anywhere from $20-30 per e-newsletter

and have a very lucrative side business.

an essential rule of business: following

a specific passion. If a person starts a

Another cost effective marketing

Blogs are the newest craze and

Dominic Ross, a University of

These two bloggers tapped into

Google AdWords is a program

Remember any business whether

Visit DominicRoss.net and naytrekvoyager.com today

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am where I am because I do what is neccessary to get the job doneâ&#x20AC;? -Azir Shakaur

Addicted to Money By Whitney Hunter

Founder and CEO of Addicted to Money Azir

Despite the changes in the economy, Shakaur assists his

Shakaur’s hustler mentality may seem unearthly, but his work

company is thriving.

ethic can be traced back to his days as a youngster in the Bronx,

New York project of St. Mays’.

economy; they want to get away from their problems,

33-year-old Shakaur’s introduction to the business

“People always need entertainment in this volatile Every business experiences losses, but we are doing

world came early at 11-years-old when he started a paper route

well,” Shakaur said.

every Sunday in his neighborhood. Shakaur not only profited

So what inspires him after all these years?

from the sales of his delivery route, but in a business savvy

“I met Jay-z and asked what keeps him going and he

move, he charged customers and additional $1.50 to deliver

said ‘poverty sucks’ and that quote stuck with me,

items such as coffee and tea.

“poverty sucks,” Shakaur said.

Soon the paper route was so successful he sold his

I look myself in the mirror every morning and say

contact list to his best friend.

Warren Buffet, Donald Trump, P. Diddy, and the book “Think

“Next, I worked in a barbershop called Six Corners as

Some influences of the married father of two are

a shoe-shine kid, where I was introduced to narcotics,” Shakaur

and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill.

said.

Local pimps, drug dealers, and hustlers saw the youth’s

Poverty is unattractive to Shakaur but he takes his drive

and determination from another source: his faith.

consistent work ethic and soon he became a carrier for their

product.

trials and tribulations are already written in God’s book,”

Eventually his behavior landed him in jail and once

“I believe God wants all people to succeed and your

Shakaur said. “He is not going to put more on you than you can

released he did a variety of odd jobs ranging from a dishwasher

handle.”

at a truck stop to district manager of a pizza franchise.

narcotic trafficking to achieve riches, but says the key to success

However, it was not until he saw how much money his

He does not encourage young people to engage in

cousin, a local disk jockey, made hosting a party that the idea for

does not lie in the resources one uses to get there, but lies in the

Addicted to Money was born.

mind.

“I got out of jail at 21, from 21 to 23 I was in the

“If you can conceive it then you can achieve it,”

streets,” Shakaur said. “Addicted to Money started off from the

Shakaur said. “Every entrepreneur fails 38 times, always keep

money I put away from the streets.”

yourself informed about the market you are trying to attack.”

Shakaur borrowed from his cousin’s business platform

and turned Addicted to Money into a party hosting business. The company has hosted events in New York, Connecticut, Florida, Colorado, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

They have also featured Hip-Hop acts Trina, Charlie

Boy Gang, Wacka Flocka, Lil Rue, Dj Khaled, Rich Kids, and Juvenile.

Follow Addicted to Money on Twitter

Think Globally, Act Locally

By Whitney Hunter

The education system in America has been in shambles for years, particularly in low-income AfricanAmerican communities where resources are poor and teachers are limited. In some communities bad teachers are passed around like priests who molest children, going from parish to parish or school district to school district. Why? It is the result of an overburdened school system that chooses to promote bad teachers than fix the unfair distribution of resources. However, the school system does not bare all the blame. The people have to be the ones to demand a better education system so that students may compete with other students on a global level. This means completing the census every 10 years so that the government can provide resources that match the need. Many times citizens do not take this paperwork seriously and blow it off as another nuisance. For example, a district may have a population of 100,000, but if people do not fill out the census, that district with not receive half of the funds needed to build schools, roads, and provide afterschool programs that give at-risk youth a positive platform to express themselves. Another aspect of the education crisis: not voting the right people in office to get the job done. As the saying goes, “you can lead a horse to the water, but you can not make it drink.” This is true with local politicians: citizens can lead them to office through votes, but it is hard to make sure their policies are beneficial to

Whitney Hunter/Graduate Today the community. More transparency is needed. Citizens have to get off the couch and go to the public forums and ask questions: Who has the money? Where is the money going? How will this money benefit the community? Self responsibility is a must. The lack of cooperation with the census and a poor checks and balances system when it comes to local politicians, is part of the problem. The phrase “think globally and act locally,” is not in the American education system’s vocabulary or reference book. The curriculums in the elementary, middle, and high schools are not teaching kids to think globally. How can American students expect to compete with kids in China who go to school year-round and study from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.? This will not work and the system needs to be revamped. In a report published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, it was found that one out of three fourth grade students scored below average on a basic National Assessment of Education Progress reading

test. Clearly the old way of making students memorize information instead of learning it, is not working. This study also puts a spotlight on how education starts at home. Teachers are a vehicle in which information is absorbed like a sponge by students, but it is the parent’s job to make sure the information is absorbed properly. This means going to the parentteacher conferences and staying up late to help with those complicated math problems. Instead of teaching students about a crisis in the world, teach them how one country’s problems affects society and that the world is interdependent. Do not solely put the blame on teachers when parents sometimes do not do their jobs. Next year’s election slogan is “education reform.” America has already left its young people a mountain of debt; America should not leave them a poor education system with no light at the end of the tunnel. 14

Student Entrepreneurship: How Students Can Get Free Money for Business Ventures

By Whitney Hunter

The University of Wisconsin is doing something

similar. They started an undergraduate entrepreneurship major back in Fall 2006. They do not offer a entrepreneurship certificate, but they do provide an encouraging atmosphere for business professionals to interact with students. In other parts of the country students get a chance to pitch ideas to local entrepreneurs.

Washington University created the program

IdealBounce. IdealBounce allows students to pitch a business idea in front of a live audience. A judging panel rates the business pitches and five winners are selected.

Whitney Hunter/Graduate Today

Student entrepreneurship was not on the radar of

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the prize?

A $100 gift certificate and dinner with local

entrepreneurs.

The student entrepreneurship craze is so much on the

rise that Grand Canyon University, a for profit institution, has

American colleges, but in recent years they have given buckets

opened an entrepreneurship college. The college is funded via

of cash to student businesses.

a $30 million venture-capital fund given to the university by a

Arizona State University grants $100,000 to students

every year based on a well-rounded business proposal. However,

local entrepreneur.

The $30 million fund will allow each student to

the funds are limited and only 15-20 submissions out of 100 are

receive $100,000, but only 10 percent of business proposals

accepted.

submitted for review will receive the money.

ASU is not the only university willing to go out on

Starting a business, especially for a student, can be

a limb to support a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream; many universities are

difficult and it may require hours of research. However, the

answering this call.

money is out there.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is

not handing out checks, but they are fulfilling a much needed gap in the education system: entrepreneurship classes. The classes are open to graduate students in any academic field and students receive a three course certificate. The program offers a enterprise track and a literacy track.

The enterprise track is for individuals who are sure they

want to start a business after college and the literacy track is for students who might not be opening a business after college, but want to build business and communication skills.

Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note:

Research other schools for more information. Check us out online.

Beauty Supply Institute to Host Beauty Supply Conference Blacknews.com Beauty Supply Institute brings their 3rd Annual Beauty Supply Entrepreneurship Conference to Las Vegas, Nevada. The conference consists of six specific classes to be administered during the one-day conference. Conference attendees will be given take-home materials that cover store layout, obtaining funding, selecting a location and more. Topics to be covered in the classes include Avoiding Industry Pitfalls, Increasing Store Revenues, Determining Start-Up Costs, Getting Distributor Accounts and more.

Professor Devin Robinson, the founder of Beauty Supply Institute says, “We continue to be the educational leader for the eth-

nic beauty supply industry. We give specific directions to all conference attendees that significantly increase their chances of opening stores... our un-coached testimonies speak for themselves.”

The summer conference has been held in Atlanta, Georgia on the weekend of the Bronner Brothers Hair Show for the past

two years, and has attracted attendees from all across the United States.

Robinson founded Beauty Supply Institute after he opened three stores within 18 months. He says “My instant success came

from a mixture of reasons, living in Korea in the 90’s, owning a salon and being kicked out of a Korean-owned store for no reason. It gave me the motivation to succeed,” Robinson said. “Our goal is to give specific instruction on how anyone can become a similar success. The beauty of our conference is our attendees get to physically meet other people in their same predicament and since we now offer financing of our larger services, opening a store is now more reachable for attendees.”

This added conference will take place at Circus Circus Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on February 18, 2012. Confer-

ence and room packages are available at a special conference discounted rate. Seats are limited. Registration is open now for $299 and includes the conference, meals and materials. Later registration is after Nov. 1, 2011. Registration will close on Jan. 13, 2012 or when capacity has been reached.

To register, visit www.beautysupplyconference.com or call 202-684-6699.

African-American Home Business Expert to Host Free Webinar

Blacknews.com

Troy Foster on the cover of Successful Magazine

“There is a fortune to be had working from home, but this is not something you’ll ever learn attending graduate business schools,” says Troy Foster of www.creatingwealthsystems.com while announcing a private, by-invitation only, no-cost live webinar, “Secret Formula Teleseminar,” to be hosted by his partner Rod Stinson.

During this 33-minute webinar, participants, according to Foster, will be given a rare behind-the-scenes look at Rod’s step-

by-step ‘Secret Formula’ for creating an absolute fortune working from home.

Most important, he says, people can begin using this ‘Secret Formula’ to start earning a consistent $497 to $3,497 daily - like

clockwork!

“This has nothing to do with MLM, Network Marketing, Gifting, Affiliate Marketing, PPC, SEO, Social Marketing, Blogs,

eBooks, or any of the other offers people usually hear about when it comes to making money from home,” said the enterprising Foster. Neither is it some gimmick of the month income scheme, points out Foster. “What you’re going to learn is a time tested and proven formula and methodology Rod has used to consistently earn five and six figures per month income for 19 years now,” Foster said.

In fact, Foster claims his partner, has never before shared this ‘Secret Formula’ publicly, but now, he is prepared to share it

with anyone who is ready to live a lifestyle of total personal and financial freedom.

Those interested in being a part of this private, by-invitation only, no-cost live ‘Secret Formula’ webinar, can simply go to

www.creatingwealthsystems.com and register for free.

Debt Deal Impacts College Students By Janay Kingsberry

“To learn, or not to learn?” That

wants you to have a Masters, but to be

discount, which varies depending on when

honest, all of these cut-backs in graduate

the loan was disbursed, will no longer

funding really discourages me.”

be available after July 2012. However

the incentive to set up automatic debit

Subsidized loans, one of the