Online Companies :: Page 11 :: millennialentrepreneurs.com

Archive for Online Companies – Page 11

Freaky Fast Food

Posted by Ben Tobias

· Friday, September 18th, 2015

· No Comments

For the last decade, Amazon has claimed the title of king of the online shopping world. With the company seeing 2 billion orders from customers in the past 2014 fiscal year, they dominate the online market. While Amazon continues to announce further upgrades and innovations to their overall experience, the process of implementation and usage has been another matter, and many, smaller, smarter, and ambitious companies are hungry to accommodate customers in light of Amazon’s failures.

Putting a spin on Amazon’s concept, young millennial entrepreneur Max Mullen started Instacart in 2012 to provide customers with a simple and quick option for buying their groceries online. Mullen, who studied entrepreneurship at the University of Southern California in Los Angles, created a startup that partnered with stock grocery warehouses, and a fleet of branded vehicles to deliver the goods to customers on an order basis. In some cases, the delivery occurred within 12 minutes of the customers order! Investors quickly took notice of Max’s success, as by 2014 he received a 2 billion dollar valuation, and had already expanded to 15 major metropolitan areas.

Grocers are recognizing the power of the application as well, as customers purchase 2.5 times more product when shopping online. The software predicts similar grocery items the shopper may want, and as such has improved impulse buying for all grocery chains involved with the app. Instacart is already looking to innovate, as in April they added Petco to their retail roster. Instacart has realized that they can be so much more than just a grocery service, and is looking to the future in hopes to provide a better and quicker service than many of the larger online shopping companies.

Max Mullen showed the world that innovation doesn’t have to be an idea that nobody else has stumbled upon, on the contrary, he saw the need to improve on something that was already good, but could be made better with some slight tweaking. Just like the grocery market, there are other industries begging to be improved by the right person. Mullen defied those who said his idea would never work, and pushed through until he could claim success.

No Comments

Categories : App, eCommerce, Food, Millennial Enrepreneuers, Online Companies, Websites

Adam Horwitz: 18-Years-Old, $1.5 Million, 3 Days

Posted by Jordan Hudock

· Wednesday, September 16th, 2015

· 1 Comment

noun_43547_cc

I love reading about any young entrepreneurs, but I’m especially captivated by extravagant success stories. 18-year-old Adam Horwitz has one of those. In just 3 days, his online course “Mobile Monopoly” made him $1.5 million.

In an interview with Income Diary, Adam explains that he first got interested in digital entrepreneurship when his father took him to a seminar about online marketing one day. “That kind of opened the doors to me to see that there is potential out there for making money online,” he says.

Before “Mobile Monopoly”, Adam sold a few other online courses, such as his courses “Tycoon Cash Flow” and “Cell Phone Treasure.” Each made him around $100,000. “Mobile Monopoly” was his first million dollar program.

His success sounds unreal and unmatchable, but he lives by business principles that are actually pretty simple. He says that his biggest tip to anyone in the online world is to take their business one step at a time. “I think a lot of people’s struggle is they set up like eight different campaign [at once].” Instead, he urges people to start with one and wait until it is successful before they spread their focus out to other projects. “If you just do a bunch of different products… you’re not going to make a sale for any of them.”

His other big tip is just as simple — make your content easy to consume. People have short attention spans, especially when going through information-intensive courses like the ones Adam makes. “The best way to do it is through video,” he says. “[People] don’t want to read a lot, they want to watch you talk.” I think this can be applied to anything. I feel the same way about websites and social media posts — I’d rather see a video or an infographic than lines and lines of dull words. If it looks like an essay, I’m probably going to click out. People are busy and they want to hear what they need to hear quickly and easily.

The last point that stood out to me was how Adam views all of his success. When asked if he likes being his own boss, he said that he doesn’t even think about it like that. “I don’t think of this as work. This is fun, this is what I’m doing.”

Adam is in college like all of us in Entrepreneurial Mind. His friends have minimum wage jobs while he has made over a million dollars, simply because he had an idea and the drive to do something about it. I think Adam showcases the possibility and opportunity of entrepreneurship, specifically digital entrepreneurship. He’s a reminder to me that being successful is always possible, no matter what your age, other commitments, or circumstances.

1 Comment

Categories : Blog, College, Great Ideas, Millennial Enrepreneuers, Online Companies, Websites, Youngest Entrepreneurs

Tags : millionaire, online course

Hype Machine

Posted by Maddie Williams

· Monday, December 15th, 2014

· 1 Comment

Many entrepreneurs get their start from solving an everyday problem that can benefit vast numbers of people. Anthony Volodkin is one of those entrepreneurs. The idea of Hype Machine originated in Volodkin’s desire for a better way of finding cool new music.

Volodkin was really solving his own problem with the music industry. He would constantly travel to Philadelphia or Boston attempting to find new music. There wasn’t a reliable print source available due to marketing bias, and it just meet his standards. Hype Machine was born in this distress. In between classes at college, Volodkin started building a website that showed recent posts from a selection of music blogs. He would sample songs and let people know what was popular and what was good. The result was a way to find new music by crowd-sourcing. In its most basic form, Hype Machine shows music to users that they might like but may not have ever found.

Hype Machine took off after getting attention from industry leaders, but Volodkin learned from the mistakes of Napster. He made sure that his site was not competing with artists by linking to iTunes or other sites to purchase the songs. This well thought out business plan is what made Hype Machine well known in the internet community and its start up story can inspire young entrepreneurs today. Anthony Volodkin’s entrepreneurial journey shows us that it is never too early to start making our ideas reality.

1 Comment

Categories : Millennial Entrepreneurs, Online Companies, Websites

Michael Nardy: The Business Man

Posted by Maddie Williams

· Monday, December 15th, 2014

· No Comments

Michael Nardy has always been the businessman. From a young age he was always wanting to work, and was one of the first adopters of computer technology. He showed his entrepreneurial spirit as young as 12, when he channeled his passion for tennis into a profit by stinging racquets. His interests shifted towards medicine but then quickly shifted away after a few months of experience in the field. He attended Boston College in the 90’s and graduated with a double major in English and History. He says now, looking back, that his education was fare from the merchant services industry, but that he always “felt that you should do what you want that the pieces of your career will fall into place as they may.”

Nardy started EPI, an IT company doing Web programming and database development, in his dorm room that gained quite a few international clients. When he closed deals, clients would often think it was a huge business and no idea that Nardy was still in college. After Nardy graduated, EPI moved into his own house then into a sublet office then into an office building down the road from that.

Nardy is quick to act and admits that it is both his greatest strength and greatest weakness. Because of this he is always trying to keep EPI ahead of his competition. He strives to keep the small company atmosphere in the office and works alongside his employees. “The more accessible to your staff, the more cohesive the vision for your company can remain,” he says. “So being accessible is integral to the operation of my company.”

He is always looking for ways to grow the company. Nardy wants the company to earn more, sign more deals, and build a better business. It is this drive that always keeps EPI ahead of the game.

Looking at all that Nardy has accomplished should be proof to all entrepreneurs that you don’t have to be a veteran of an industry to be an industry leader.

No Comments

Categories : Millennial Entrepreneurs, Online Companies, Technology, Websites

United by Blue

Posted by Rebekah Fry

· Friday, December 12th, 2014

· 1 Comment

Founded in 2010, United by Blue is a Philadelphia based company that produces responsible & durable goods with a mission to keep the beautiful outdoors clean and ready for life’s next adventure.

“We believe that every living creature is united by the blue of our world’s oceans and waterways and we all have the responsibility to protect them.”

UBB uses only sustainable materials to make each product while donating their time to environmental action with each purchase. “For every product sold, UBB removes one pound of trash from oceans and waterways through company organized and hosted cleanups.”

Located in Old City, Philadelphia, they “use re-purposed materials…creat[ing] a space that mixes [their] complete line of apparel and accessories with a full-fledged coffeehouse serving up some of the city’s finest organic coffee and food.”

Their brand mainly focuses on producing outdoor apparel that will withstand continuous adventure. “We’re inspired by the go-getters, the landscape around the waters we clean, and a really good cup of pour over coffee.”

In the everyday clutter, for-profit businesses must stand above the competition. United by Blue captured the essence of putting a twist on the common retailer. I’m inspired by their mission to make the world a better place through sustainable materials. The millennial generation loves supporting causes and identifying with products, companies, organizations, etc. who contribute more than the banality of the everyday. These young entrepreneurs desire to not only share their passion for sustainable goods, but also give back to our community and earth. With countless other one-for-one businesses, UBB promises to support not just monetarily, but by giving their time as well.

To learn more about their company please visit http://unitedbyblue.com/pages/about-us.

#bluemovement

1 Comment

Categories : Apparel/Accessories, Clean water, Great Ideas, Online Companies

The Brilliant Bradlee

Posted by Travis Yohey

· Sunday, December 7th, 2014

· 2 Comments

What if the history of music we know is wrong? What if all of the hits we knew and loved growing up sounded just slightly different? This is the alternative history of pop music that Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox plays.

When Scott Bradlee was young he was thoroughly inspired when he listened to Gerswin’s Rhapsody in Blue. He taught himself how it to play this on the piano, however, he was unsatisfied stopping there. He quickly picked up the steps of 1920’s ragtime music; fast, reckless, and fantastically loud. It captivated him. His comprehension of what made pop music from all ages truly great enabled him to slur together various styles of music, yet, he was still able to contain the core meaning of each song he recomposed. This is the brilliance of the man.

What can an artist do to make a name for himself? Bradlee made the traditional move aspiring artists make. He moved to New York City. Sadly for Bradlee, Jazz pianists, which he was marketing himself as at the time, were everywhere in the Big Apple. Refusing to break from his dream Bradlee made the sensible move and went to Astoria, a far less populated area with cheaper rent. While he was there he started making videos for YouTube. His first hit was a hit was a ragtime themed medley of 1980’s pop music that scored over a million views, and thus began his true career.

With the assembling of Post Modern Jukebox Bradlee finally had a crew of all shapes and kinds to help him achieve that truly spectacular sound he had always dreamed of. Since their forming, they have taken hits from the 1970’s to this very day and rewritten them in the full spirit of Postmodernism. At this moment Scott Bradlee has a following of 844,00 subscribers and approaching 150,000,000 views on his YouTube videos. Starting this year they are scheduled to tour North America and Europe. Thankfully, for those completely hooked on his videos, he shall still be making them while on tour.

2 Comments

Categories : Millennial Entrepreneurs, Music, Online Companies, Orchestra, Uncategorized, YouTube

The Forager

Posted by Rebekah Fry

· Wednesday, October 29th, 2014

· No Comments

(V.) to wander in search of. Growing up as an architect’s daughter, I gained an early appreciation and love for aesthetically pleasing composition, form, etc – a simple joy in beautifully crafted design. In a recent conversation with Grove City College past student Delaney Kochan, I was made aware of a new publication venture, with which she is currently working, The Forager. Officially launching this fall, The Forager is a self-proclaimed “lifestyle brand dedicated to creativity, art, & design. Based upon the concept of foraging & rooted in communal creativity.”

Upon further research, I discovered that The Forager is an online publication looking to future print endeavors. With its minimalist, elegant, and clean branding, it offers a beautiful viewing space with thought provoking content.

Daniel Pink, in his book A Whole New Mind, addresses the importance of good design stating, “Cultivating a design sensibility can make our small planet a better place for us all.” The Forager not only grasps this concept but puts great effort into effectively communicating it to its readers.

The publication world is littered with countless periodicals; many of them not worth a second glace. The Forager, however, seems to combat the clutter by appealing to our design sense and society’s need for substantial subject matter. It also understands the technological age and is publishing first via the internet before moving into print form.

The publication’s focus on “communal creativity” is another innovative aspect as it understands the millennial generation’s need for community and participation. Our individualistic society is becoming more and more integrated as people realize the benefit of collaboration; or as Steven Johnson writes, “high-density liquid networks makes it easier for innovation to happen.”

The Forager, and those working to ensure its success, inspire me as I look toward future career options. It combines multiple communicative forms in one beautifully crafted package- appealing to my interests and passions. In a world where left brained professions often garner the most profit, I find it hard to justify my dreams. But when individuals like those who work for The Forager break through those barriers, my hope is renewed.

I am sincerely looking forward to the first publication and I hope you spend a moment discovering The Forager as well!

http://www.theforagr.com/

http://instagram.com/theforagr

No Comments

Categories : Art, Great Ideas, Online Companies, Uncategorized, Websites

Rent a textbook for $5 a day?

Posted by Matthew Levernight

· Sunday, October 12th, 2014

· 4 Comments

As a college student, Mike Shannon realized that some textbooks are rarely opened by students because they are only used a few times in class, but students still need to buy the book. To save money, most students try to purchase used textbooks if at all possible, but this creates something of a vicious cycle as textbook manufacturers raise prices to compensate for the fact that while they only make a profit once, the book may be resold 4 or 5 times. Shannon realized this was an inefficient business model where all parties lost out to a certain extent. In addition to the costs, his research revealed that 78% of students open their textbooks less than once a week.

His creation: Packback, currently in its beta period, puts a twist on conventional electronic textbook rental models by allowing students to rent the book for just 1 day at a fee of $5 per day. This allows students to save money on textbooks that are only used a few times during the semester, and if a student finds they are referring to a certain book more than a few times all the daily fees will be credited towards the semester long rental price. So, there is really no risk to students if they decide to rent a book for a single day.

Shannon believes Packback can boost revenue for textbook companies, reduce costs for students, and accelerate the adoption of digital textbooks, which he says has been stalled by the used book market, in effect playing a role similar to iTunes in its infancy as a platform to ensure content creators receive compensation for the use of their content while packaging it in a lower cost form.

I am impressed by Shannon’s creativity in developing a way to promote the adoption of digital books while benefiting both textbook publishers and students, only time will tell, but I think Packback has a great future and could become an integral part of how we acquire textbooks.

4 Comments

Categories : Academia, College, Online Companies

Thinking Outside the Box

Posted by Maddie Williams

· Tuesday, October 7th, 2014

· 1 Comment

Dropbox is a program that we are all familiar with in one way or another. The birth story of this company, however, is not as common knowledge.

Drew Huston, founder and CEO of Dropbox, has been given the title of Internet entrepreneur for his achievements in his field. The creation story of the company, Huston claims, was based upon an idea that came to him after having had to deal with constantly forgetting his USB flash drive during his studies at MIT. While he was a student he found an abundance of problems with already existing storage services and set out to solve this problem for himself before realizing that his solution could benefit others as well. In 2007, he and his co-founder Arash Ferdowsi were able to secure funding to begin the development of the program, and by 2008 they were ready to launch. Dropbox had an enormous success rate, and, after officially being introduced at TechCrunch50, broke records gaining 50 million users in just under three years. By the end of 2013 Dropbox had gained over 200 million users.

Huston’s success did not go unnoticed, however, especially by some of the executives in extremely high positions at the time including none other than Steve Jobs. In 2009, Huston was personally invited to a meeting in the Apple office in California to discuss this new startup, Dropbox, with the CEO himself. Job’s did his best to persuade Huston to partner Dropbox as a new Apple program, but Huston was determined to build this online storage system into a big company. He adamantly refused Job’s offer, disregarding the huge sum being offered for program. Not long after, Apple released its latest addition, the iCloud in a successful attempt at connecting all devices for better file sharing.

With this attack from such a major player Huston was shaken with the fear that Dropbox would fall alongside other names such as MySpace, Netscape, or Palm. This is the fear that drove him and quite possibly the deciding factor between his success instead of his failure. The company grew, reaching an even larger user basis while still remaining reliable and keeping its staff relatively small (fewer than 200 employees for its millions of customers). Huston is to this day still incredibly invested in his company personally, his share making up 15% of the company as $600 million on paper, and believes whole heartedly in its growth and success.

1 Comment

Categories : Millennial Entrepreneurs, Online Companies, Technology

Not Just a T-shirt

Posted by Rebekah Fry

· Friday, September 19th, 2014

· 2 Comments

T.J. Mousetis wanted to go to Russia. But travel was expensive and fundraising a trying task. So in lieu of sending letters, Mousetis bought one hundred blue t-shirts and had the phrase “walk in love” printed on the front. His plan: sell the shirts and use the profits toward the trip. Not only did he garner unexpected positive interest, but his passion for design and entrepreneurship sparked.

Soon walk in love., a Lancaster, PA based clothing store “dedicated to selling well-designed, high quality products with a positive and inspiring message,” was born. Mousetis took a simple idea, graphic t-shirts, and developed a business that empowered the individual through their positive messages.

Mousetis’ wife, Brooke Courtney, partnered her natural light photography company with the store to promote their merchandise through photographing local models and friends for the company’s campaigns and look books. Soon posters, advertisements, and marketing pieces featured everyday Lancastrian people in well-crafted walk in love. clothing.

The millennial generation is often characterized by its deep need for identification. Walk in love. has offered not only clothing that spreads a positive, Christian based message, but has also contributed to the furthering of Lancaster’s community through creating a company of which the people can be a part.

Walk in love. continues to grow and flex as they expand their store base and variety of products sold. Their fresh, slightly hipster, and all together fun outlook on design sets them apart from other stores. Each member of the executive team integrates his or her various talents within the business (photography, videography, design, entrepreneurial minds, etc.) Walk in love. also remains a great example of the redemptive use of social media as it has sprung up rapidly, promoting through their website, instagram, and twitter.

What started with a simple mission trip fundraiser has become a great entrepreneurial success story. But please do not take only my word for it, visit their website at http://shopwalkinlove.com/ to learn more!

2 Comments

Categories : Apparel/Accessories, Fashion, Online Companies