Choosing The Right Business

Graduate TodaySocial Media

Starting a businessThings Entrepreneurs should know

Brainstorming:Choosing The Right

Business

Kareem McMichaelSavannah State Alumni

Promoting your business

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See What’s Inside

8 Promoting businesses through social media

5 How to build a successful business

10 Brainstorming:Choosing the right business

13 Addicted to Money

14 Think Globally, Act Locally

16 Student entrepreneurship

17 Beauty Supply Conference

18 African-American home business expert

19 Debt Deal impacts college students

Graduate Today StaffExecutive Editor, Graphic Designer and

PhotographerWhitney Hunter

Contributions by Janay Kingsberry, Troy Fosterr, Beauty Supply Institute, and Kareem

McMichael

Kareem McMichael, is an Savannah State University Alumni and owner of Karmac Productions and Graduate Today’s graduate of the month

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How to Build a Successful BusinessBy Whitney Hunter

Many college students faced with

a declining job market find

entrepreneurship appealing, but few know

the process to create a successful business.

Start with a blueprint that features the

goal of the business, the target audience,

and funding. Good questions to ask while

preparing a blueprint are: What niche is

the business trying to fulfill in the market

place? What makes my product important?

What will this product achieve?

Next, think about the target audience

and whether this product will appeal

to a younger demographic of 18-26

or an older demographic of 40-60.

Knowing what audience to penetrate is

crucial because many businesses fail

due to communication issues.

Conduct primary and secondary research.

Primary research consists of surveys and

questionnaires where you ask the intended

audience how they feel about a product.

Some questions may be how much money

someone is willing to pay for a product or

does he or she feel this product is sorely

needed in the market place. Try to limit

the sample size to 25 people. Remember

“the customer is always right” is the first

rule of business and knowing customers

will increase revenue.

Secondary research can also be useful.

This research consists of books, journals,

magazines, newspapers, and other useful

secondary information. Remember when

using online sources to evaluate them

closely because not all information on

the Internet is good information; a person

should look for scholarly sources not

information found 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.

Next consider how to get seed money for

the business. Small business loans are one

resource, but because of the

economy, those may be hard to come by.

The best way to obtain funding is to attract

investors who believe in the product; it

is never a good idea to spend personal

capital.

Develop a coherent and realistic budget

plan that shows the start up costs of

the business without financial strain.

Planning is everything, so do not

be too eager to grasp the pot of gold

before getting things in financial order.

Lastly, choose a business structure that

is beneficial such as a partnership or

corporation.

Following these steps will ensure a

succesful business, however research is

key to determining whether a business will

stand the test of time.

Check us out online !!!!!!

Whitney Hunter/Graduate Today

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Starting back in February of 2007 at WJCL up until now at WTOC, a good

four and a half years later I am leaving behind working for my first love. Every since I was 5 years old sitting at home watching 13WMAZ news in Macon, GA with my family being a news anchor was something I knew I wanted to be. I knew I wanted to grow up and do something in television and film. However due to different factors not everyone is well paid and mostly everyone for some reason or another is not fully happy. But perfect is the image and the look that must sale off to the viewers regardless of how one may feel about certain things and when the cameras go off, while they are on the viewers must be informed. But I’ll get into details about working the business later. Maybe write a film about it. This message is not for that. When I was in school I was able for the most part to maintain very well. Nice pay and had hours that didn’t conflict with my class and extra activities. Yep going into work at 4am work just fine for me...NOT!!! Well it was most times when I got up on time ha ha ha. You don’t think about working those hours when you are 5 years old. But I was satisfied. I was gaining experience and working in the business I wanted to work in since I was a child. I can not honestly say I was not loving every minute of it but I did love it. I do not regret how any of it happened. It was a rough start getting use to working early hours and with different people. Some people cared and some didn’t. Technology

changed from old to new and people would come and people would go, whether they left on their own or was let go. The reality set in of how highly competitive and cut throat the business is and can be. Also after graduating reality started to set in with paying bills that with the hours I was cut down to, it was not enough for me to maintain. So like many of us do in this business when things get rough in one place we seek other opportunities else where that would be better for us to grow but make more money. It seems almost everyone is driven by the all might dollar. But I was save that for another time as well. After 2 interviews that went well but wasn’t moved to take the jobs I got the chance to interview with the #1 station in the city. Great! So I go in and have a chat with them and feel good enough to accept there offer. Though taking a pay cut, I gained much more hours, which still helped. Like with the previous station there is always the hot gossip, people coming and going, technology changing, and just trying to keep a float in a rocky industry. So then even after gaining more hours and more experience while working at the #1 station that just still seemed to not be enough. I was maintaining but still could do better. I was happy a loving the point I was coming to and was trying to make hopefully move up in positions which is hard to do when no one is leaving their post. A person eventually has to grow and learn new things. No one wants to get stuck. For me a chance came along that seemed to good to be true but it was

real and great. Everyone should want to continue to grow and prosper in their career and life. A great new position to switch gears and learn something new and with a salary that most people would leave any job for. But then it’s more than just a great salary it is the chance to grow and learn something that is familiar but much of the info will be new. The oppurtunity is also a chance to help build and watch something grow at the University that gave a lot to me. I am happy with my decision and many people are happy for me and would say I was crazy if I turned it down. But now on this day as I leave something behind that I have wanted since I was 5 years of age and have done for the past four and a half years of my life I can not help but feeling a void. Like something or apart of me will be missing at the moment. I’ve been accustomed to this different world with many different people and working crazy hours and access to so much information. Now I have to adjust to a normal 8 to 5 schedule. Though my new job is not totally out of my field but it is a change up from what I have been doing. I

still find myself in a rare situation where I am fully unaware of what I am going to do and how to adjust to this.

By Kareem McMichael

Visit karmacrex.blogspot.com and www.karmac.com

Reflection of the Rex

Photos taken by Whitney Hunter for Graduate Today

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Promoting Businesses Through Social Media

By Whitney Hunter

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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.”

Check us out online for more useful social networking sites

Photos taken by Whitney Hunter For Graduate Today

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Join us for an uplifting experience!!!!!!!!

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Brainstorming: Choosing the Right BusinessBy Whitney Hunter

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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.

Everyone has been the victim of long lines at the bookstore and high textbook prices.

Students benefit by buying textbooks from classmates because it eliminates the need to browse and compare deals, which can be time consuming.

A social media marketing business is also a great way students can get their foot in the door. For students, this can be as simple as volunteering to promote a school organization on Twitter or Facebook.

Another cost effective marketing tool is an e-newsletter. E-newsletters are cost effective for organizations because they enable them to reach a large demographic without the cost of printing paper and ink. Students can charge anywhere from $20-30 per e-newsletter and have a very lucrative side business.

Blogs are the newest craze and can be hugely successful. Virtually anyone can

start a blog, but the trick is to find a niche or topic that will draw interest. Choosing a hobby or passion is usually a good idea, because that person is knowledgeable about the subject and the content will be easier to write.

Janay Kingsberry, online content producer for the Savannah Morning News, has a blog called naytrekvoyager.com. The blog discusses everything from her travels to Chicago and New York, enrollment in free classes at Stanford University, music and book reviews.

Dominic Ross, a University of Georgia graduate student, bought domain space to create Dominicross.net. His blog explores music, movies, technology, and his life.

These two bloggers tapped into an essential rule of business: following a specific passion. If a person starts a

business just for the money, it is not going to be successful. It is the passion that drives success.

However, one cannot just make money by blogging about ideas, advertising is a must. Students can ask local businesses for advertising or utilize Google AdWords.

Google AdWords is a program that allows individuals to place Google advertising on their website. The more users click on Google’s advertising, the more a person is paid. This means the amount of “hits” a website receives is important.

Remember any business whether it is a purely online function like a blog or a barbershop on the corner, has to be the passion of the business owner.

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“I am where I ambecause I do what is neccessary to get the job done” -Azir Shakaur

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By Whitney Hunter

Addicted to MoneyFounder and CEO of Addicted to Money Azir Shakaur’s

hustler mentality may seem unearthly, but his work ethic

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

York project of St. Mays’.

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

early at 11-years-old when he started a paper route every Sunday

in his neighborhood. Shakaur not only profited from the sales of

his delivery route, but in

a business savvy move,

he charged customers and

additional $1.50 to deliver

items such as coffee and

tea.

Soon the paper route

was so successful he sold

his contact list to his best

friend.

“Next, I worked in a

barbershop called Six Corners as a shoe-shine kid, where I

was introduced to narcotics,” Shakaur said. Local pimps, drug

dealers, and hustlers saw the youth’s consistent work ethic

and soon he became a carrier for their product.. Eventually

his behavior landed him in jail and once released he did a

variety of odd jobs ranging from a dishwasher at a truck stop

to district manager of a pizza franchise. However, it was not

until he saw how much money his cousin, a local disk jockey,

made hosting a party that the idea for Addicted to Money was

born. “I got out of jail at 21, from 21 to 23 I was in the streets,”

Shakaur said. “Addicted to Money started off from the money I

put away from the streets.” 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.

Despite the changes in the economy, Shakaur assists his

company is thriving.

“People always need entertainment in this volatile

economy; they want to get away from their problems,

Every business experiences losses, but we are doing well,”

Shakaur said. So what inspires him after all these years?

“I met Jay-z and asked what

keeps him going and he said

‘poverty sucks’ and that quote

stuck with me,

I look myself in the mirror

every morning and say

“poverty sucks,” Shakaur said.

Some influences of the

married father of two are

Warren Buffet, Donald Trump,

P. Diddy, and the book “Think

and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. Poverty is unattractive to

Shakaur but he takes his drive and determination from another

source: his faith.

“I believe God wants all people to succeed and your trials and

tribulations are already written in God’s book,” Shakaur said.

“He is not going to put more on you than you can handle.”

He does not encourage young people to engage in narcotic

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

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

mind. “If you can conceive it then you can achieve it,” Shakaur

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

informed about the market you are trying to attack.”

Follow Addicted to Monney on Twitter @ATMENTLLC

“Every entrepreneur fails 38 times, always

keep yourself informed about the market you are

trying to attack.”

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The education system in America has been in shambles for years,

particularly in low-income African-American 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 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 parent-teacher 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.

www.graduatetoday.com

By Whitney Hunter

Think Globally, Act Locally

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How Students Can Get Free Money for Business Ventures

Student entrepreneurship was not on the radar of

American colleges, but in recent years they have given

buckets of cash to student businesses.

Arizona State University grants $100,000 to students every

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

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

accepted.

ASU is not the only university willing to go out on a limb to

support a student’s dream; many universities are answering this

call.

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.

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.

What’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

opened an entrepreneurship college. The college is funded

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

by a local entrepreneur.

The $30 million fund will allow each student to receive

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

submitted for review will receive the money.

Starting a business, especially for a student, can be

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

money is out there.

Whitney Hunter/Graduate Today

Editor’s Note:Research other

schools for more information.

Check us out online.16

By Whitney Hunter

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Beauty Supply Institute brings

their 3rd Annual Beauty Sup-

ply Entrepreneurship Conference to

Las Vegas, Nevada. The conference

consists of six specific classes to be

administered during the one-day con-

ference. Conference attendees will be

given take-home materials that cover

store layout, obtaining funding, select-

ing a location and more. Topics to be

covered in the classes include Avoid-

ing Industry Pitfalls, Increasing Store

Revenues, Determining Start-Up Costs,

Getting Distributor Accounts and more.

Professor Devin Robinson, the found-

er of Beauty Supply Institute says, “We

continue to be the educational leader

for the ethnic beauty supply industry.

We give specific directions to all con-

ference attendees that significantly in-

crease 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 attend-

ees 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 rea-

sons, living in Korea in the 90’s, own-

ing 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. Conference and room pack-

ages are available at a special confer-

ence discounted rate. Seats are limited.

Registration is open now for $299 and

includes the conference, meals and ma-

terials. Later registration is after Nov.

1, 2011. Registration will close on Jan.

13, 2012 or when capacity has been

reached.

To register, visit www.beautysupply-

conference.com or call 202-684-6699.

Blacknews.com

Beauty Supply Institute Hosts Conference foraspiring entrepreneurs

The conference will be hosted in Las Vegas for aspiring enterepreneurs

Earn Income at Home with Free Webinar !!!!!

Blacknews.com

There is a fortune to be had working from home, but this is not something you’ll ever learn attending graduate busi-

ness 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, accord-ing 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 Market-ing, 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 consis-tently 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.

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Webinar: Free class on the web teaches people how to put their computer to good use and earn money from home Whitney Hunter/Graduate Today

To learn, or not to learn? That is the

question for many college students

during the upcoming academic school year.

The government’s agreement to raise the

debt ceiling comes at a dire cost that nearly

all Americans will feel. Over the next de-

cade, spending cuts of at least $2.1 trillion

will slice through programs such as Medi-

care, Social Security, and federal loan pro-

grams for college students.

Graduate school is often considered a safe-

ty net, or back-up plan, for college graduates

struggling in the job market. But the debt

deal drastically changes several aspects of

paying for college and paying off loans.

“I’m not sure what my plans are after col-

lege” says Jesmine Mitchell, graduating se-

nior at Savannah State University. “I’m ma-

joring in Homeland Security and sometimes

I’ll just browse for jobs. But I’ve noticed

there are hardly any entry-level positions

open. Everyone wants you to have a Mas-

ters, but to be honest, all of these cut-backs

in graduate funding really discourages

me.”

Subsidized loans, one of the most popu-

lar types of loans offered in college, will

no longer be open to graduate and pro-

fessional students. Beginning next July,

graduate students can still borrow up to

$138,000 in federal loans, but no subsi-

dized loans will be available. Subsidized

loans are of extreme importance to col-

lege students because the government

doesn’t charge interest while students are

in school. Therefore, these loans have a

major impact on how much is owed upon

graduation.

Eliminating subsidies for graduate students

provides a $17 billion increase for the Pell

grant’s undergraduate funding. Pell grants

are a vital part of further education for many

students in need.

Khimean Casey, a sound design major at

Savannah College of Art and Design, is a

Pell recipient and he says he’s excited about

the extra funding Pell will receive. “It defi-

nitely helps a lot of families, I just hope it

lasts.”

About 10 million recipients depend on

Pell grant, which can award a maximum of

$5,550 a year. As reported by the Associated

Press, the extra money closes a Pell funding

gap and protects the program from having to

make any cuts in the near future.

Another major blow for students are the

loan discounts offered to borrowers who

make their payments on time. The discount,

which varies depending on when the loan

was disbursed, will no longer be available

after July 2012. However the incentive to

set up automatic debit payments will earn

borrowers an interest rate reduction of 0.25

percent.

As lawmakers continue to weigh proposals

to reduce the deficit, there is a possibility of

further impacts to college federal funding.

Student loan tax deductions, interest rates,

and tighter restrictions for borrowing are

real issues that will be examined as the con-

gressional committee considers a deficit re-

duction package for its November deadline.

“This is a serious issue to be dealt with,”

says Mitchell, “ but its not the first one to

undergo major cuts and it definitely wont be

the last. We’re college students. We’ll even-

tually rise from this.”

Although the general college outlook is

still grim for many students, Casey believes

there is still hope in achieving his collegiate

and career endeavors, “We have to hold faith

that our government is looking out for our

best interest,” Casey said.

Visit www.whitehouse.gov to learn more information about the debt deal impact on college students and other federally funded programs. 19

Debt Deal Impacts Further Education By Janay Kingsberry

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