The information technology (IT) industry gave many people opportunities to reach the pinnacle of success. Some of the richest and most highly-regarded entrepreneurs attained wealth through their innovations in this forward-thinking business. One of them is David Duffield, PeopleSoft co-founder and former chairman.
Duffield entered the IT industry when innovation and competition were in full swing. He graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor’s degree in engineering and a Master’s degree in business administration. After completing his higher studies, he worked at IBM. Capitalizing on his skills and experiences, Duffield quit his job to form his first company, Information Associates. He made a business producing systems for higher learning. He also formed another company before proceeding to create PeopleSoft in 1987.
As the backbone of the company, Duffield used his visions to make things happen. Eventually his co-founder stepped away from PeopleSoft, leaving him to fulfill the responsibilities they were supposed to share. He assumed the position of CEO a couple of times before settling as chairman. His leadership made PeopleSoft the second-largest software company in the United States before it was sold to Oracle in January 2005. He later admitted that the ten billion dollar hostile takeover took a toll on him as well as his colleagues in the company.
However, losing PeopleSoft did not lead Duffield to lose his vision. He bounced back to business in 2007, challenging industry giants Oracle and SAP AG with Workday, producer of on-demand software that allows customers to manage business tasks via the Internet. His fifth startup also faced the challenges posed by the brutally competitive and crowded marketplace, but he managed to persuade even the most risk-averse corporations to take their chances with him.
With quite a number of feathers in his hat, Duffield is considered as one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world, as well as the richest. His long streak of success is bound to continue for many years.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
From Farmer to Hotelier: John Willard Marriott’s Story
One summer day, a thirteen-year-old, J. William Marriot, noticed an oddity on the family farm near Ogde, Utah. Two hectares of unused land were hard to miss, especially for a boy as observant as he. He decided to see what he could do about it, so off he went to Ogden and spent a few days in produce markets to check the trade. Again, based on his observation, he was able to identify what was in demand and what was short in supply: lettuce.
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| Marriott Hotel at Orchard in Singapore. photo: William Cho |
Young Marriot went home and plowed the land from sunup to sundown. He also asked his father for money to buy lettuce plants and cases of soda pop — not to water the plants but to coax his brothers and sisters to help him with the planting.
Within six weeks, he was able to take samples of his lettuce to Ogden and drive a bargain with a large dealer for his crop. He harvested the next day, took the crops to the market and handed a two thousand dollar check to his father.
It took Marriott quite some time, but dreams are never impossible to achieve with hard work. While keeping his family afloat by planting and selling crops, he pursued education and devoured every book he could get his hands on. So dedicated was he to complete his studies that he successfully graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor’s degree. A year after college, he built his first restaurant and never looked back.
Now his name is strewn in more than 2,700 hotels and resorts in the whole world. The farmer became one of the most successful hoteliers in the world with Marriot International, and inspired many people with his hard work, innovation, and optimism.
With a talent for seeing opportunities and the drive to seize them, Marriott was clearly a natural entrepreneur.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Billy Blanks’s Routine to Success
Adopting an active lifestyle has benefited Billy Blanks in more ways than one. Aside from becoming a physical fitness instructor, he also became one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the world. How did he manage to convert his discipline into a multi-million dollar enterprise?
Blanks was born in 1955 with an anomaly in his hip joints, impairing his movement. Growing up with this physical deformity, he was often taunted by his siblings — which made him think that he would never amount to anything. Blanks, however, found a way to overcome his impairment with karate. He began his study of the martial arts when he was eleven, and later on took up taekwondo as well. As the discipline program transformed his body, Blanks aspired to become a world martial-arts champion.
Blanks, however, found more opportunities for martial artists in Hollywood. He began his acting career in the 1980s when he participated in several low-budget films. He never became a big name on screen, but he soon created an innovative routine that made him the most popular gurus and entrepreneurs in the fitness industry.
Blanks invented the Tae Bo workout while running a karate studio in Quincy, Massachusetts. He merged elements from martial arts and boxing to create a workout routine that later attracted celebrities like Paula Abdul. With quite a star-studded following, Tae Bo became a pop culture phenomenon. Blanks banked on his routine’s popularity and started releasing mass-marketed videos — ultimately turning him into a very successful — and very fit — entrepreneur.
Recently, the inventor of the Tae Bo kicked off a new workout program, PT 24/7. According to him, this program is so powerful that people will feel the results in twenty-four hours and see visible results in just seven days.
Blanks is showing no signs of slowing down after over two decades in the fitness industry. With Tae Bo and PT 24/7, he retains his status as the most bankable fitness guru-turned-entrepreneur today.
Blanks was born in 1955 with an anomaly in his hip joints, impairing his movement. Growing up with this physical deformity, he was often taunted by his siblings — which made him think that he would never amount to anything. Blanks, however, found a way to overcome his impairment with karate. He began his study of the martial arts when he was eleven, and later on took up taekwondo as well. As the discipline program transformed his body, Blanks aspired to become a world martial-arts champion.
Blanks, however, found more opportunities for martial artists in Hollywood. He began his acting career in the 1980s when he participated in several low-budget films. He never became a big name on screen, but he soon created an innovative routine that made him the most popular gurus and entrepreneurs in the fitness industry.
Blanks invented the Tae Bo workout while running a karate studio in Quincy, Massachusetts. He merged elements from martial arts and boxing to create a workout routine that later attracted celebrities like Paula Abdul. With quite a star-studded following, Tae Bo became a pop culture phenomenon. Blanks banked on his routine’s popularity and started releasing mass-marketed videos — ultimately turning him into a very successful — and very fit — entrepreneur.
Recently, the inventor of the Tae Bo kicked off a new workout program, PT 24/7. According to him, this program is so powerful that people will feel the results in twenty-four hours and see visible results in just seven days.
Blanks is showing no signs of slowing down after over two decades in the fitness industry. With Tae Bo and PT 24/7, he retains his status as the most bankable fitness guru-turned-entrepreneur today.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Stuart and David Pikoff’s Mobile Party
Brothers Stuart and David Pikoff thought that entering the gaming business seemed like a good idea. The opportunity they saw, however, was far from what any other average entrepreneur would possibly think of. Instead of programming their own game, they turned retrofit vans and trailers into mobile party units, complete with video games and other comically-named games.
Stuart and David started building their careers as entrepreneurs by running small businesses in various industries, such as telecommunications, property management, and homebuilding. Their mother, who was involved in real estate, importing art, and raising emus, influenced their choice of profession and raised them to be free-thinkers.
Stuart and David long wanted to start a business together. In time, they decided to leave each of their respective ventures to create a joint project. Although their initial plan was to buy an existing franchise, they ended up building something of their own to avoid labor costs and high employee turnover rates. They deviated from the trappings of communication and real estate business and entered the entertainment industry, where party options were very limited. In 2007, the brothers launched Games2U, a literal party on wheels.
Work is all fun and games for Stuart and David with their company Games2U, an Austin, Texas-based franchise that brings the party to the people. The brothers provide an over-the-top mobile experience with a wide array of games and entertainment to add life to the celebration for kids and the young at heart.
In just one year, several Games 2U franchises were up-and-running. Stuart and David’s unusual business became an instant hit, not only with kids but also with corporate professionals. They were able to tap the inner child in everyone and recreate a fun, jovial, and carefree atmosphere that can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere.
Stuart and David started building their careers as entrepreneurs by running small businesses in various industries, such as telecommunications, property management, and homebuilding. Their mother, who was involved in real estate, importing art, and raising emus, influenced their choice of profession and raised them to be free-thinkers.
Stuart and David long wanted to start a business together. In time, they decided to leave each of their respective ventures to create a joint project. Although their initial plan was to buy an existing franchise, they ended up building something of their own to avoid labor costs and high employee turnover rates. They deviated from the trappings of communication and real estate business and entered the entertainment industry, where party options were very limited. In 2007, the brothers launched Games2U, a literal party on wheels.
Work is all fun and games for Stuart and David with their company Games2U, an Austin, Texas-based franchise that brings the party to the people. The brothers provide an over-the-top mobile experience with a wide array of games and entertainment to add life to the celebration for kids and the young at heart.
In just one year, several Games 2U franchises were up-and-running. Stuart and David’s unusual business became an instant hit, not only with kids but also with corporate professionals. They were able to tap the inner child in everyone and recreate a fun, jovial, and carefree atmosphere that can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Three Women Create Stylish Products for the Aged
Many people experiment with fashion during their prime years. As they age, their sense of fashion also evolves – from experimental to conservative, flashy to conventional. Consequently, there are less wardrobe options for older people than younger generations.
Entrepreneurs Rie Nørregaard, Susy Korb and Susan Towers believe that the golden years don’t have to be so boring. They therefore decided to create a company that sells fashionable canes, walkers and other living aids to senior citizens. Ohmu seeks to reinvent aging and change the way people think about it with colorful and whimsical living aids.
The three women behind Ohmu began their business in 2008. Korb and Towers set up a business partnership that year, and later on became friends with Nørregaard, who was pregnant at the time. As Nørregaard shopped for items for her newborn baby she realized that there was nothing good to buy for an elderly parent.
Nørregaard pitched this gem of an idea to Korb and Towers, and it was well received. It just so happened that all three have seen how their parents’ health deteriorated throughout the years, with an increasing dependency on these living aids. They decided to reinvent the old, stale industry of these aids and created Ohmu.
The trio did an enormous amount of research into the market, originally targeting older women. But with the company’s assorted and appealing product designs, their initial plan of bringing style to senior citizens expanded to include a diverse audience. The company now has a customer base from ages 15-92, proving that canes aren’t just for old people.
Nørregaard, Korb and Towers share the same sentiment about their business. The trio strongly believes in the idea of creating a product to make people happy, and seeing seniors get back on their feet again – with flair – has given them a feeling of satisfaction and sense of purpose.
Entrepreneurs Rie Nørregaard, Susy Korb and Susan Towers believe that the golden years don’t have to be so boring. They therefore decided to create a company that sells fashionable canes, walkers and other living aids to senior citizens. Ohmu seeks to reinvent aging and change the way people think about it with colorful and whimsical living aids.
The three women behind Ohmu began their business in 2008. Korb and Towers set up a business partnership that year, and later on became friends with Nørregaard, who was pregnant at the time. As Nørregaard shopped for items for her newborn baby she realized that there was nothing good to buy for an elderly parent.
Nørregaard pitched this gem of an idea to Korb and Towers, and it was well received. It just so happened that all three have seen how their parents’ health deteriorated throughout the years, with an increasing dependency on these living aids. They decided to reinvent the old, stale industry of these aids and created Ohmu.
The trio did an enormous amount of research into the market, originally targeting older women. But with the company’s assorted and appealing product designs, their initial plan of bringing style to senior citizens expanded to include a diverse audience. The company now has a customer base from ages 15-92, proving that canes aren’t just for old people.
Nørregaard, Korb and Towers share the same sentiment about their business. The trio strongly believes in the idea of creating a product to make people happy, and seeing seniors get back on their feet again – with flair – has given them a feeling of satisfaction and sense of purpose.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Omar Hamoui: Google’s Coveted Jewel
Tech entrepreneur and innovator Omar Hamoui has successfully merged two great ideas with AdMob. This ad network melded together of the benefits of internet-connected smartphones with Google’s operating system to create a new industry: advertising on mobile devices. With the increasing dependency of people on mobile devices and the rapid demand for new ways of marketing, AdMob potential to become an industry giant is evident.
Because of this, Apple and Google got into a bidding war over AdMob in 2009. The latter won and brought $750 million to Hamoui’s company. Since then, AdMob has placed nearly 200 billion ads in mobile phones and applications downloaded by users of Google’s Android devices. In reply, Apple has launched its own mobile advertising system, the iAd.
Before the success, the bidding wars, and the multi-million dollar deals, Hamoui actually created AdMob to build traffic for his young company. It was a firm that created photo-sharing software for cell phones. He first tried marketing his company through Google ads, but found that it cost too much. Since his application is meant for smartphones, he thought that the best way to market it was directly through mobile devices. But such industry was still unheard of when he initially thought about it.
As a result, Hamoui can be considered as a pioneer in the mobile ad industry. The cost of marketing was shockingly cheaper compared to regular Google ads, too.
Upon seeing how cost-effective this strategy was, Hamoui introduced AdMob to the public market in 2005, attracting the two largest tech companies in the industry.
The wisdom of Omar Hamoui is reflected on the short period (around three years)it took him to create a pioneering company that consequently became the largest player of mobile Web ads. As Google’s coveted jewel, Hamoui is expected to rise up to the challenge and demand of a growing industry in the years to come.
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| photo: Eirik Solheim |
Before the success, the bidding wars, and the multi-million dollar deals, Hamoui actually created AdMob to build traffic for his young company. It was a firm that created photo-sharing software for cell phones. He first tried marketing his company through Google ads, but found that it cost too much. Since his application is meant for smartphones, he thought that the best way to market it was directly through mobile devices. But such industry was still unheard of when he initially thought about it.
As a result, Hamoui can be considered as a pioneer in the mobile ad industry. The cost of marketing was shockingly cheaper compared to regular Google ads, too.
Upon seeing how cost-effective this strategy was, Hamoui introduced AdMob to the public market in 2005, attracting the two largest tech companies in the industry.
The wisdom of Omar Hamoui is reflected on the short period (around three years)it took him to create a pioneering company that consequently became the largest player of mobile Web ads. As Google’s coveted jewel, Hamoui is expected to rise up to the challenge and demand of a growing industry in the years to come.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Ben Kazez: Bringing Travel to the Palm of Your Hand
Ben Kazez founded the app creating company Mobiata in August 2008. In its first year the company generated more than $1 million in earnings and became a top app company in the business travel niche. In fact, its top-selling app, FlightTrack, was one of apps listed on Mashable’s “6 Essential Android Apps for Business Travel” in 2010.
FlightTrack has that elusive combination that the best apps always seem to have being both beautiful and usable. It enables air travelers to track flights and their arrivals and departures in real time through the phones in their hands. Within days of its iPhone app launch in November 2008, FlightTrack became the top-selling travel app at that time.
FlightTrack was just the beginning. Some of the other mobile phone apps Kazez and Mobiata created are HotelPal, FlightBoard and TripDeck. HotelBoard gives users the power to browse and book from more than 100,000 hotels across the globe. It also has availability information, photos and reviews. On the other hand, FlightBoard is an amazing app that turns your phone into the real time arrivals and departures board for any airport in the world. According to Mobiata website, the flight board was designed after the Charles de Gaulle Airport’s. Moreover, TripDeck is a free app that gives the user the ability to manage flights, car rentals, hotel reservations, meetings, restaurant reservations and cruises all through a single app.
Continued success, according to Mobiata’s website, “comes from a combination of working extraordinarily hard, being meticulous about design, focusing on user experience and making sure that every one of our products is an indispensible tool for travelers. We take exceptional pride in our products and we think it shows.”
To learn more about Kazez and Mobiata’s successful travel apps, visit:
• Ben Kazez Interview
• My Interview with Kazez
• Review Tripdeck
• FlightTrack Review
• FlightTrack Live Flight Status Tracker by Mobiata
FlightTrack has that elusive combination that the best apps always seem to have being both beautiful and usable. It enables air travelers to track flights and their arrivals and departures in real time through the phones in their hands. Within days of its iPhone app launch in November 2008, FlightTrack became the top-selling travel app at that time.
FlightTrack was just the beginning. Some of the other mobile phone apps Kazez and Mobiata created are HotelPal, FlightBoard and TripDeck. HotelBoard gives users the power to browse and book from more than 100,000 hotels across the globe. It also has availability information, photos and reviews. On the other hand, FlightBoard is an amazing app that turns your phone into the real time arrivals and departures board for any airport in the world. According to Mobiata website, the flight board was designed after the Charles de Gaulle Airport’s. Moreover, TripDeck is a free app that gives the user the ability to manage flights, car rentals, hotel reservations, meetings, restaurant reservations and cruises all through a single app.
Continued success, according to Mobiata’s website, “comes from a combination of working extraordinarily hard, being meticulous about design, focusing on user experience and making sure that every one of our products is an indispensible tool for travelers. We take exceptional pride in our products and we think it shows.”
To learn more about Kazez and Mobiata’s successful travel apps, visit:
• Ben Kazez Interview
• My Interview with Kazez
• Review Tripdeck
• FlightTrack Review
• FlightTrack Live Flight Status Tracker by Mobiata
Saturday, November 19, 2011
American Ingenuity
Plato summed it up perfectly when he pointed out that necessity is the mother of invention. Every day, entrepreneurs work diligently to fill gaps in a specific market or create a new product. Some of these entrepreneurial inventors are successful, while others encounter failure after failure.
The amazing product that Patricia Billings invented is one of the successes. Billings, born in 1926 in Clinton, Missouri, studied art at Amarillo College in Texas. Billings specialized in plaster of paris sculptures. During an incident in the late 1970s, she experienced an immense disappointment when a sculpture she was working on shattered after falling over.
Billings subsequently learned that sculptors in the Renaissance period used an additive to increase the longevity of their plaster, which spurred her decision to create a modernized version of this additive. It took her eight longs years of conducting experiments in her basement, but Billings succeeded in creating the additive. When mixed with gypsum and concrete, the additive makes a plaster that is indestructible. She showed it to a friend of hers who happened to be a scientist. Her friend discovered that the new material was heat resistant in addition to being indestructible. Following another eight years of tinkering, Billings introduced Geobond, a virtually indestructible building material. Geobond is non-toxic and fire-proof, making it an excellent and healthy replacement for asbestos. Billings, now a great-grandmother, remains in control of the company and refuses to reveal her secret recipe. She also holds two patents on Geobond.
The amazing product that Patricia Billings invented is one of the successes. Billings, born in 1926 in Clinton, Missouri, studied art at Amarillo College in Texas. Billings specialized in plaster of paris sculptures. During an incident in the late 1970s, she experienced an immense disappointment when a sculpture she was working on shattered after falling over.
Billings subsequently learned that sculptors in the Renaissance period used an additive to increase the longevity of their plaster, which spurred her decision to create a modernized version of this additive. It took her eight longs years of conducting experiments in her basement, but Billings succeeded in creating the additive. When mixed with gypsum and concrete, the additive makes a plaster that is indestructible. She showed it to a friend of hers who happened to be a scientist. Her friend discovered that the new material was heat resistant in addition to being indestructible. Following another eight years of tinkering, Billings introduced Geobond, a virtually indestructible building material. Geobond is non-toxic and fire-proof, making it an excellent and healthy replacement for asbestos. Billings, now a great-grandmother, remains in control of the company and refuses to reveal her secret recipe. She also holds two patents on Geobond.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Ashok Bagdy’s Business and Entrepreneurial Background
As Vice President of Outsourcing Services for Cameo Corporate Services Limited, Ashok Bagdy serves as a business leader for the Chennai, India-based company’s Healthcare Outsourcing Division in Tampa, Florida. Ashok Bagdy has contributed in this capacity for six years, calling on his skills as a businessman and entrepreneur to develop and maintain relationships with the company’s entire US client base.
Much of Ashok Bagdy’s success in his current position stems from his career experience working in an array of progressively responsible positions for firms in India and the United States. After earning a Bachelor of Commerce from Madras University in India and an MBA from Bharathiar University in Coimbatore, India, he served as a Principal for the Bagdy Group, a family business of mineral mining and processing firms. In this role, Ashok Bagdy first obtained international business experience, developing new client relationships in China. He was tremendously successful in this position, increasing receivables turnover, enhancing gross margins, and participating on a team that doubled revenues in a two-year period.
Ashok Bagdy brought this experience to his position as Head of US Operations for Hiltex Exports. During his tenure, he initiated the Indian export company’s American business, building a customer base, negotiating transactions, and performing other functions as necessary to successfully maintain a national division.
Upon leaving Hiltex Exports, Mr. Bagdy served as Director of Business Development for YouKnowBest.com in Celebration, Florida. There, he leveraged his extensive experience in maintaining important corporate relationships and his international business skills. He worked to grow the start-up through vendor initiatives, strategic marketing plans, and partnership agreements with companies such as Microsoft Corporation.
Since 2003, Ashok Bagdy has continued to excel in business, serving in progressively responsible capacities for his current company. With his strong knowledge of international business relations, his ability to identify promising entrepreneurial opportunities, and his networking skills, he has helped the enterprise increase its American clientele.
Much of Ashok Bagdy’s success in his current position stems from his career experience working in an array of progressively responsible positions for firms in India and the United States. After earning a Bachelor of Commerce from Madras University in India and an MBA from Bharathiar University in Coimbatore, India, he served as a Principal for the Bagdy Group, a family business of mineral mining and processing firms. In this role, Ashok Bagdy first obtained international business experience, developing new client relationships in China. He was tremendously successful in this position, increasing receivables turnover, enhancing gross margins, and participating on a team that doubled revenues in a two-year period.
Ashok Bagdy brought this experience to his position as Head of US Operations for Hiltex Exports. During his tenure, he initiated the Indian export company’s American business, building a customer base, negotiating transactions, and performing other functions as necessary to successfully maintain a national division.
Upon leaving Hiltex Exports, Mr. Bagdy served as Director of Business Development for YouKnowBest.com in Celebration, Florida. There, he leveraged his extensive experience in maintaining important corporate relationships and his international business skills. He worked to grow the start-up through vendor initiatives, strategic marketing plans, and partnership agreements with companies such as Microsoft Corporation.
Since 2003, Ashok Bagdy has continued to excel in business, serving in progressively responsible capacities for his current company. With his strong knowledge of international business relations, his ability to identify promising entrepreneurial opportunities, and his networking skills, he has helped the enterprise increase its American clientele.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
An Empire Built on Mistakes
Before the age of computers, important documents had to be produced using a typewriter. While this was a great way of producing printed documents, if you made one mistake at the end of the document, you had to retype the entire page. With a little creativity and perseverance, an executive secretary by the name of Bette Nesmith Graham came up with a solution that would allow typists to cover their mistakes and salvage their documents.
Graham was born in 1924 in Dallas, Texas. After divorcing her first husband, she went to work as a secretary at a bank to support herself and her son. While working as a secretary, she became frustrated with the electric typewriters that were replacing the older models at the time. The electric models did not allow the user to erase mistakes, so every time she made a mistake in a document, she'd have to retype it. Inspiration struck while she was watching painters decorate the bank windows. When they made a mistake, they just added another layer of paint over the original, thereby masking the mistake. Graham put some white tempura paint in a bottle and used a paintbrush to paint it over her errors.
Over the next five years, she worked with her son's chemistry teacher to tweak her formula. Graham named her new product Mistake Out and started marketing it in 1956. Upon launching her own company, she changed the product's name to Liquid Paper. Graham ran the company until it was sold to the Gillette Corporation in 1979 for $47.5 million.
Graham was born in 1924 in Dallas, Texas. After divorcing her first husband, she went to work as a secretary at a bank to support herself and her son. While working as a secretary, she became frustrated with the electric typewriters that were replacing the older models at the time. The electric models did not allow the user to erase mistakes, so every time she made a mistake in a document, she'd have to retype it. Inspiration struck while she was watching painters decorate the bank windows. When they made a mistake, they just added another layer of paint over the original, thereby masking the mistake. Graham put some white tempura paint in a bottle and used a paintbrush to paint it over her errors.
Over the next five years, she worked with her son's chemistry teacher to tweak her formula. Graham named her new product Mistake Out and started marketing it in 1956. Upon launching her own company, she changed the product's name to Liquid Paper. Graham ran the company until it was sold to the Gillette Corporation in 1979 for $47.5 million.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Experience and Trust
An experienced entrepreneur, Danny Shabat has over 35 years of experience in business management, administration, and ownership. Throughout his career, Shabat has successfully founded, acquired, directed, and sold a range of companies in the private health care sector, including nursing homes, technology start-ups, and pharmaceutical businesses.
Raised on the East Coast, Danny Shabat moved to Chicago, Illinois, in 1977 where he entered the field of health care as an employee of the Royal Gardens Nursing Home. After establishing himself as a successful nursing home administrator, he purchased Royal Gardens, renaming the facility The Waterford. As The Waterford flourished, he purchased additional long-term care facilities, including Diplomat Nursing Home and Senn Park Nursing Home, which he renamed Heritage Nursing Home Inc. After more than three decades of industry leadership, Danny Shabat continues to own and operate each of these long-term and rehabilitative care providers.
In addition to his holdings in the field of nursing care, Daniel Shabat is the owner of medical, technical, and pharmaceutical companies, including LifeScan Laboratory, Inc., and PharMore Drugs, LLC. He is also the owner of Micro Innovations Corp., a privately held computer hardware company headquartered in Edison, New Jersey. Shabat recently sold LifeCare Ambulance, Inc., a 24-hour urgent care service provider based in Elyria, Ohio. A proponent of engaged leadership, Shabat assumes an instrumental role in directing each of his businesses, pairing entrepreneurial skill with experience and innovation.
Dedicated to service, Daniel Shabat has contributed financially to a range of organizations throughout the United States and Israel, including Migdal Torah, Ohr Somayach, and the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy of Greater Washington. An active member of Congregation Adas Yeshurun, a synagogue in Chicago, Shabat serves on the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Institute for Torah Study. He is a prior President of the Arie Crown Hebrew Day School and the Adas B’nai Israel Congregation. He also previously served on the Board of Directors of Helping Hands, an organization devoted to those with disabilities.
Raised on the East Coast, Danny Shabat moved to Chicago, Illinois, in 1977 where he entered the field of health care as an employee of the Royal Gardens Nursing Home. After establishing himself as a successful nursing home administrator, he purchased Royal Gardens, renaming the facility The Waterford. As The Waterford flourished, he purchased additional long-term care facilities, including Diplomat Nursing Home and Senn Park Nursing Home, which he renamed Heritage Nursing Home Inc. After more than three decades of industry leadership, Danny Shabat continues to own and operate each of these long-term and rehabilitative care providers.
In addition to his holdings in the field of nursing care, Daniel Shabat is the owner of medical, technical, and pharmaceutical companies, including LifeScan Laboratory, Inc., and PharMore Drugs, LLC. He is also the owner of Micro Innovations Corp., a privately held computer hardware company headquartered in Edison, New Jersey. Shabat recently sold LifeCare Ambulance, Inc., a 24-hour urgent care service provider based in Elyria, Ohio. A proponent of engaged leadership, Shabat assumes an instrumental role in directing each of his businesses, pairing entrepreneurial skill with experience and innovation.
Dedicated to service, Daniel Shabat has contributed financially to a range of organizations throughout the United States and Israel, including Migdal Torah, Ohr Somayach, and the Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy of Greater Washington. An active member of Congregation Adas Yeshurun, a synagogue in Chicago, Shabat serves on the Board of Directors of the Wisconsin Institute for Torah Study. He is a prior President of the Arie Crown Hebrew Day School and the Adas B’nai Israel Congregation. He also previously served on the Board of Directors of Helping Hands, an organization devoted to those with disabilities.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
IKEA’s Humble Beginnings
Although you’ve most likely never heard of Ingvar Kamprad, you’ve probably heard of his company. You may have even shopped there at one time or another. Kamprad is the founder of IKEA, a popular inexpensive furniture and home goods store. Kamprad, who was born in Sweden in 1926, showed his aptitude for business at a very early age. After discovering he could buy matches in bulk and sell them to his neighbors individually for a profit, he started selling matches from his bike. Over the years, he expanded his selection to include various items, including Christmas decorations, seeds, and pens and pencils.
Kamprad was born in 1943 at his uncle’s kitchen table. The company sold assorted household items, including wallets, watches and stockings, and delivered them to area customers using a milk delivery van (About.com). Kamprad added furniture to his offerings in 1947, providing the foundation for all future IKEA stores. He used products from local companies to keep his costs low. The first showroom opened in 1953 and focused solely on furniture.
IKEA focuses on inexpensive (yet durable) furnishings that are packed flat and can be assembled easily. Packing the furniture flat saves money during shipping and allows customers to get their furniture home without having to pay for an expensive delivery.
Although Kamprad has a net worth of about $23 billion, he is notoriously frugal. He travels economy, drives an old Volvo and even recycles teabags. He challenges his employees to be frugal as well, urging them to write on both sides of each piece of paper and encouraging furniture designers to build economical and sturdy furnishings. Today, IKEA has more than 250 stores in 25 countries worldwide.
Kamprad was born in 1943 at his uncle’s kitchen table. The company sold assorted household items, including wallets, watches and stockings, and delivered them to area customers using a milk delivery van (About.com). Kamprad added furniture to his offerings in 1947, providing the foundation for all future IKEA stores. He used products from local companies to keep his costs low. The first showroom opened in 1953 and focused solely on furniture.
IKEA focuses on inexpensive (yet durable) furnishings that are packed flat and can be assembled easily. Packing the furniture flat saves money during shipping and allows customers to get their furniture home without having to pay for an expensive delivery.
Although Kamprad has a net worth of about $23 billion, he is notoriously frugal. He travels economy, drives an old Volvo and even recycles teabags. He challenges his employees to be frugal as well, urging them to write on both sides of each piece of paper and encouraging furniture designers to build economical and sturdy furnishings. Today, IKEA has more than 250 stores in 25 countries worldwide.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Adam Witty: The Entrepreneur’s Entrepreneur
Adam Witty is a youthful looking fellow and though he is also slight of stature and spectacled, he is a man with a grand dream and the courage to go after it. His dream is to help entrepreneurs succeed and to do this he founded Advantage Media Group, an international publisher of business books, magazines, television and video and educational software. Additionally, he has authored five books on success, business and entrepreneurship.
All of this experience along with his eagerness to teach others how to succeed, has turned Witty into a marketing, media and publishing, business development and entrepreneurship consultant. Witty is also a very popular public speaker. One of the things he is best known for is his “Mastermind Groups for Entrepreneurs,” in which he works personally with 14 to 18 entrepreneurs to help them with their big picture situations and perspectives unique to their particular businesses. These mastermind groups meet three times each year.
His ability to teach and expand horizons is appreciated by those he has helped. Talking about his time with Witty, Anthony David Adams, Founder of the DetentionSlip.org, said, “Adam Witty melted my reality. Hands down one of the best public speakers I have heard in my life. His proven mastery of marketing and branding combined with powerful delivery make for an amazing keynote. Witty engaged his audience from the start and didn’t stop. I walked away with a new and deeper understanding of how to build and leverage my brand.”
His publishing company, Advantage Media Group, has also found success in the six years it has been operational. In July of this year, it celebrated its sixth year anniversary by relocating to the Advantage Center, a 10,000 square foot headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina. The new headquarters is approximately 100 times larger than the first headquarters that was based in Witty’s bedroom.
To learn more about Adam Witty or his businesses, visit:
• Adam Witty
• Advantage Family
All of this experience along with his eagerness to teach others how to succeed, has turned Witty into a marketing, media and publishing, business development and entrepreneurship consultant. Witty is also a very popular public speaker. One of the things he is best known for is his “Mastermind Groups for Entrepreneurs,” in which he works personally with 14 to 18 entrepreneurs to help them with their big picture situations and perspectives unique to their particular businesses. These mastermind groups meet three times each year.
His ability to teach and expand horizons is appreciated by those he has helped. Talking about his time with Witty, Anthony David Adams, Founder of the DetentionSlip.org, said, “Adam Witty melted my reality. Hands down one of the best public speakers I have heard in my life. His proven mastery of marketing and branding combined with powerful delivery make for an amazing keynote. Witty engaged his audience from the start and didn’t stop. I walked away with a new and deeper understanding of how to build and leverage my brand.”
His publishing company, Advantage Media Group, has also found success in the six years it has been operational. In July of this year, it celebrated its sixth year anniversary by relocating to the Advantage Center, a 10,000 square foot headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina. The new headquarters is approximately 100 times larger than the first headquarters that was based in Witty’s bedroom.
To learn more about Adam Witty or his businesses, visit:
• Adam Witty
• Advantage Family
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Sachin Agarwal: Bringing Simplicity, Customable Features to Blogging
Three years ago, 30 year old Sachin Agarwal left Apple despite being an “Apple Fanboy” to start the self-blogging site Posterous. His goal, he said in this article, was to create a way to make blogging simpler; and a way for bloggers and others to better share information photos, posts and content on the internet.
Initially, Posterous succeeded simply by giving people the opportunity to blog without using Wordpress, Joomla or Drupal. This meant that they could blog by sending their blog posts, pictures or videos to a central Posterous email address from where it would be automatically formed into a blog.
Unfortunately, Agarwal found that as Facebook grew, Posterous became less popular. This led to a new concept, the introduction of groups. Agarwal explains: “What we’re finding is that Facebook’s network has gotten too big.” He continues to say: “It’s because they are so successful that people feel like they don’t have easy controls to indicate who can see what. It’s because of their success that we have this opportunity [with groups].”
It is impossible to predict whether Posterous will be able to continue to find success with its group platform. After all, we are talking about the world of technology where fortunes are made and lost overnight. By the way, when is the last time you logged into your Friendster or MySpace account? Now, Posterous faces competition from the giant, angry kid on the block, Google whose own social networking platform Google+ makes use of circles much in the same way that Agarawal’s Posterous uses groups to enable users to share information with all of their friends or with select groups or circles or friends.
To learn more about Argawal and Posterous, visit:
• Sachin Posterous
• Posterous Guide
• Posterous Review
Initially, Posterous succeeded simply by giving people the opportunity to blog without using Wordpress, Joomla or Drupal. This meant that they could blog by sending their blog posts, pictures or videos to a central Posterous email address from where it would be automatically formed into a blog.
Unfortunately, Agarwal found that as Facebook grew, Posterous became less popular. This led to a new concept, the introduction of groups. Agarwal explains: “What we’re finding is that Facebook’s network has gotten too big.” He continues to say: “It’s because they are so successful that people feel like they don’t have easy controls to indicate who can see what. It’s because of their success that we have this opportunity [with groups].”
It is impossible to predict whether Posterous will be able to continue to find success with its group platform. After all, we are talking about the world of technology where fortunes are made and lost overnight. By the way, when is the last time you logged into your Friendster or MySpace account? Now, Posterous faces competition from the giant, angry kid on the block, Google whose own social networking platform Google+ makes use of circles much in the same way that Agarawal’s Posterous uses groups to enable users to share information with all of their friends or with select groups or circles or friends.
To learn more about Argawal and Posterous, visit:
• Sachin Posterous
• Posterous Guide
• Posterous Review
Thursday, October 27, 2011
A Secure Smartphone, Thanks to John Hering
Each day, thousands of people each download several apps from mobile app stores, without having to concern themselves with security. Screens are soon filled with dozens of icons and quick links to Facebook and Twitter, as well as other games, photo apps and music. Unbeknownst to them, however, is the possibility that these downloads contain Trojan horses, viruses, or other malicious malware – any of which can affect their phone’s performance. So what should they do to protect themselves?
There’s no better person to ask than John Hering. A self-confessed pre-teen computer hacker, Hering is famous for being able to extend the range of a Bluetooth-enabled device to 1.2 miles. But that’s not all he can do. Hailed as one of the best young tech entrepreneurs by Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Hering is the co-founder and CEO of Lookout, a cloud-based smartphone security company. They not only develop security software to counter malicious software, they also offer data backup and phone recovery services.
Many people say that Hering lives and breathes smartphone mobile security, and they’re right. Prior to Lookout, he ran a non-profit company called Unwire Iraq, which offered wireless networks to U.S. troops. He also created Daily Wireless, which is an online news and information source. But neither of those two outfits can be compared to either Hering’s third company or the story of how he started it.
Hering and his team started thinking about smartphone security long before anyone had even thought they were possible. Back in 2005, he did a study to determine which attendees of that year's Oscars had mobile phone infections. Through a software script, he was able to discover that over a hundred attendees were carrying unsafe phones. This feat provided valuable information about the vulnerability of smartphones. It was the best campaign that anyone could have possibly imagined. It also became a platform for the launch of their company.
Today, Hering is not only one of the best tech entrepreneurs, but one of the most lucrative as well.
Many people say that Hering lives and breathes smartphone mobile security, and they’re right. Prior to Lookout, he ran a non-profit company called Unwire Iraq, which offered wireless networks to U.S. troops. He also created Daily Wireless, which is an online news and information source. But neither of those two outfits can be compared to either Hering’s third company or the story of how he started it.
Hering and his team started thinking about smartphone security long before anyone had even thought they were possible. Back in 2005, he did a study to determine which attendees of that year's Oscars had mobile phone infections. Through a software script, he was able to discover that over a hundred attendees were carrying unsafe phones. This feat provided valuable information about the vulnerability of smartphones. It was the best campaign that anyone could have possibly imagined. It also became a platform for the launch of their company.
Today, Hering is not only one of the best tech entrepreneurs, but one of the most lucrative as well.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Angelo Sotira’s deviantART, Online Home to Artists
Would-be tech entrepreneurs today are focused on developing the next big thing. Unfortunately, their ideas rarely become mainstream for a variety of reasons. It can be because the technology is too expensive, the idea was poorly implemented, or even because the consumers are not yet ready for it. However, Angelo Sotira has proven that a good idea can withstand the test of time, as long as you know how to target your audiences properly.
He is the founder of deviantART, a highly successful artists’ community on the internet. Founded in 2000, it is the predecessor to social media as we know it today. Before Facebook, in fact, even before MySpace and Friendster, it was encouraging online communities to create user-generated content. Artists, referred to as “deviants” on the site, sign up for free getting an account, blog and personal profile page. They use their profiles to chat, message and comment on one another’s art. The only real difference between social networking sites and deviantART, is that the latter has a highly targeted audience.
The key factors that have helped deviantART withstand the challenges and changes in the industry over the last decade are:
• Loyal Community – deviantART was able to grow successfully because it has a loyal base of artists who refer their friends and showcase their work. A significant number of artists also become paying members to get access to various virtual goods on the website.
• Different monetization schemes – the site has multiple revenue streams including subscription, advertisement, and a virtual currency system. When the ad market sank during the recession, the company was able to remain financially healthy.
• Strategic partnerships – the site has partnered with other tech firms to provide better features and functionalities to its users. In addition, the partnership with Microstock allows members to purchase images for their own artworks. Also, deviantART also accepted a $3.5 million investment from DivX.
Although Angelo Sotira never attended college, his business instincts are sharp and spot on. Success for this entrepreneur is being nimble and knowing when to evolve.
He is the founder of deviantART, a highly successful artists’ community on the internet. Founded in 2000, it is the predecessor to social media as we know it today. Before Facebook, in fact, even before MySpace and Friendster, it was encouraging online communities to create user-generated content. Artists, referred to as “deviants” on the site, sign up for free getting an account, blog and personal profile page. They use their profiles to chat, message and comment on one another’s art. The only real difference between social networking sites and deviantART, is that the latter has a highly targeted audience.
The key factors that have helped deviantART withstand the challenges and changes in the industry over the last decade are:
• Loyal Community – deviantART was able to grow successfully because it has a loyal base of artists who refer their friends and showcase their work. A significant number of artists also become paying members to get access to various virtual goods on the website.
• Different monetization schemes – the site has multiple revenue streams including subscription, advertisement, and a virtual currency system. When the ad market sank during the recession, the company was able to remain financially healthy.
• Strategic partnerships – the site has partnered with other tech firms to provide better features and functionalities to its users. In addition, the partnership with Microstock allows members to purchase images for their own artworks. Also, deviantART also accepted a $3.5 million investment from DivX.
Although Angelo Sotira never attended college, his business instincts are sharp and spot on. Success for this entrepreneur is being nimble and knowing when to evolve.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The IK in IKEA
Ingvar Kamprad almost single-handedly turned his furniture company into a global conglomerate. What started out as a venture to sell elegant furniture at reasonable prices became one of the world’s largest companies in its industry. Few success stories are as intriguing or inspiring as that of IKEA.
When he opened the business in 1943, 17-year-old Ingvar Feodor Kamprad wanted to give average families access to quality furniture products at affordable prices. He did this by shipping the furniture unassembled in flat-packs. The DIY concept eliminated the need for assembly labor. Also, the packaging policy cost him less in shipping while allowing him to ship more items at any one time. These lowered business costs and allowed him to keep his wares at bargain basement prices while maintaining profitability.
Kamprad’s methods revolutionized the way furniture and other retail items were sold. When his suppliers began to shut him out in protest of his low prices, the never-say-die entrepreneur launched his own production line to stay in the game. He kept IKEA costs low in order for his prices to remain low, forcing others in the business to follow suit.
Today, he pushes on with full control of a company that sells furniture to at least ten percent of European households. Its success has kept him high on Forbes’ list of billionaires year after year. Yet he continues to maintain a low profile and prudent lifestyle which most likely keeps him and his company grounded.
Kamprad’s business philosophies stemmed from his Swedish beginnings in a poor and struggling farming community. His hard work and frugality continues to shape the beliefs and goals of his company today.
When he opened the business in 1943, 17-year-old Ingvar Feodor Kamprad wanted to give average families access to quality furniture products at affordable prices. He did this by shipping the furniture unassembled in flat-packs. The DIY concept eliminated the need for assembly labor. Also, the packaging policy cost him less in shipping while allowing him to ship more items at any one time. These lowered business costs and allowed him to keep his wares at bargain basement prices while maintaining profitability.
Kamprad’s methods revolutionized the way furniture and other retail items were sold. When his suppliers began to shut him out in protest of his low prices, the never-say-die entrepreneur launched his own production line to stay in the game. He kept IKEA costs low in order for his prices to remain low, forcing others in the business to follow suit.
Today, he pushes on with full control of a company that sells furniture to at least ten percent of European households. Its success has kept him high on Forbes’ list of billionaires year after year. Yet he continues to maintain a low profile and prudent lifestyle which most likely keeps him and his company grounded.
Kamprad’s business philosophies stemmed from his Swedish beginnings in a poor and struggling farming community. His hard work and frugality continues to shape the beliefs and goals of his company today.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
The Cream of the Young Crop: Luke Skurman
Like most entrepreneurs, Luke Skurman’s business idea was inspired by personal experience. During his last year of high school, he found it difficult to learn more about the colleges that interested him. He realized that university brochures, guidebooks and other resources did not provide enough information that could help graduating students like him make informed decisions.
Thankfully, he was able to find a good college, but never forgot the hassle he experienced looking for one. During his sophomore year, he decided to launch a book-publishing venture to offer insider information on 200 campuses around the U.S. He aptly called his company College Prowler, which is now the largest provider of online college content.
Coming from a highly entrepreneurial family, Skurman obviously had the entrepreneurial gene. His experience as an intern in a company with over 2000 employees pushed him further to the path of entrepreneurship; he realized that no matter what he did or didn’t do, he couldn't effect change at such a large, austere setting. He began to think of what he could start. He had many ideas, but he believed College Prowler was the best.
In a conversation with Skurman, Pittsburgh CityPaper writer, Dan Eldridge, asked why business excited him. The journalist suggested money, but Skurman was quick to point out that money was just a part of it. He said innovation, creation and the idea of actually helping people are the things that excite him most.
As a new entrepreneur, Skurman followed his guts and took advantage of the dot.com rise. Although he had no significant skills in engineering or technology, he knew what he wanted to do, and that is to help students pick the right college. He forged partnerships to cover the holes, and in time was able to come up with an effective system that fulfilled his goals.
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