Merchant Money Blog

March 8, 2010

Three Enemies of Innovation

Filed under: Small Business Brief — @ 6:47 pm

If innovation’s such a good thing, a good idea, the secret of success, then why isn’t everyone doing it? Could it be that there are hidden obstacles? Are there inhibitors to innovation that dampen enthusiasm and chill the spirits of the most innovative people in any organization? You bet there are! I will cover just three of the biggest and most common ones.

Click here to read the full article…

Related posts:

  1. How You Can Still Make a Fortune with Google
  2. Can You Get Paid to Tweet?
  • Share/Bookmark

How Do I Maximise Twitter for My Business?

Filed under: Small Business Brief — @ 6:47 pm

First off I always look to emulate people who are using Twitter incredibly well. Since most women love shoes, what better example than Zappos.com. Check out their Twitter page and follow what they do. The founder is a prolific twitterer with over 1.6M followers and also encourages his staff to tweet and integrates it into all their marketing activities. Given they were just bought by Amazon for $928 million I’d say they’re a shining example of success.

Click here to read the full article…

Related posts:

  1. Twitter Search and Money
  2. Reaching Millions With Twitter: The Whole Foods Story
  3. How to Track Twitter Friendships for Business and Pleasure
  • Share/Bookmark

Employed with a side of startup

Filed under: Small Business Brief — @ 6:47 pm

Most people start their first company while they still have a day job. It makes sense: You don’t need loans, and you don’t need funding. If you “fail” all you’ve lost is time, but considering the fun, the stories, and everything you’ll have learned, that’s hardly a failure. But you’ve also placed yourself in a hazardous, potentially legally ambiguous situation. If managed improperly, you’re unnecessarily risking lawsuits and worse. Here are my tips for how to pull this off.

Click here to read the full article…

Related posts:

  1. The Dark Side Of Blogging: When Free Gets Ugly
  2. OpenOffice.org 3.2 Improves Startup Times, Office 2007 Compatibility
  • Share/Bookmark

Great plan, bad credit — seeking funds

Filed under: Small Business Finance Forum — @ 6:47 pm

To experienced minds,

I recently started a video production company and I have spent close to 20k on equipment..( HD CAMERAS etc ) of course in the video world that isn’t much. I am seeking investors or loans that would allow me to advertise, web site creation, buy more equipment, hire lead positions ( Lead Editor, Lead Audio, etc ), and most importantly to get an office with. we intend to also rent out our gear and office space to create extra funds once we have it all in order. We do everything from weddings to full features. All the persons that I have found to be in the lead positions have their Bachelors degrees in the subject they are in charge of such as Film, Composing, Graphics etc. We would love to expand and get out of my basement. The biggest problem I am having is that I am the sole owner and my credit is bad, I still have some things from my recklace youth hanging over my head that I am trying to fix, and now of all things, all of my school loans are more than just knocking on the door, they are setting up shop and taking over.

It is a catch 22 at the moment and if I had the funds I needed, the kink in the chain could be starightened out in no time. As of now the company makes just enough to get by on, however, we haven’t been able to advertise to let anyone know we exist. There are a few companies willing to sub-contract many projects to us, but I haven’t been able to answer them due to the lack of equipment in order to give the golden seal of quality to them. If nothing else I at the least just need a few more computers and a server w/software as our post house will draw in most of the cash flow until we get established as a high end production company.

Since I have told you my life story, does anyone have any suggestive wisdom to throw my direction? I have plans that would make any investor a very happy one, given the chance to prove that my star does shine.

Here is what we are about:

Mission Statement:
Chroma Shake Productions, LLC aims to satisfy requested objectives while delivering a speedy, yet quality production of various types of video and film services. These services may range from concept to completion for the general public, other production companies, or individual professionals in need of development. We also desire to help those in need and inspire through artistic formation of multi-media services, often regarding the humanities through helping not for profit organizations a few times each year by producing and creating media for their cause as well as projects of our own.



However, my credit is around a 540 or something like that — when I need it to be at 700 or higher. I intend to consolidate soon though, hopefully changing that in time. I am what you would call a complete mess credit wise.. I am one of those crazy musicians that woke up one day and decided to change his life and went to college for a dream I have always had … to start a multi media company and eventually own a soundstage, equipment rental house, and office buildings of my own., music label, booking agency, and much more — a one stop shop if you will. I guess I aim to be a rags to riches story in the long run. I admit, at times it sounds too ambitious, but I bet walt Disney thought the same thing years ago when he first sat down and decide to get serious about his talents and ideas.

    • We are also in the process of creating a documentary film for Sundance – and are seeking funds for that as well. I fanyone here happens to be an angel, let us know. It is our goal to create at least one feature film a year, documentary of scripted. we ( me and my lead professionals ) have also collaborated ideas and have thought of various TV shows that we make create pilots for.

Thank you for reading this, any info or advice is highly appreciated.

Rochester, NY Guy

Related Blogs

  • Share/Bookmark

Great plan, bad credit — seeking funds

Filed under: Small Business Finance Forum — @ 6:46 pm

To experienced minds,

I recently started a video production company and I have spent close to 20k on equipment..( HD CAMERAS etc ) of course in the video world that isn’t much. I am seeking investors or loans that would allow me to advertise, web site creation, buy more equipment, hire lead positions ( Lead Editor, Lead Audio, etc ), and most importantly to get an office with. we intend to also rent out our gear and office space to create extra funds once we have it all in order. We do everything from weddings to full features. All the persons that I have found to be in the lead positions have their Bachelors degrees in the subject they are in charge of such as Film, Composing, Graphics etc. We would love to expand and get out of my basement. The biggest problem I am having is that I am the sole owner and my credit is bad, I still have some things from my recklace youth hanging over my head that I am trying to fix, and now of all things, all of my school loans are more than just knocking on the door, they are setting up shop and taking over.

It is a catch 22 at the moment and if I had the funds I needed, the kink in the chain could be starightened out in no time. As of now the company makes just enough to get by on, however, we haven’t been able to advertise to let anyone know we exist. There are a few companies willing to sub-contract many projects to us, but I haven’t been able to answer them due to the lack of equipment in order to give the golden seal of quality to them. If nothing else I at the least just need a few more computers and a server w/software as our post house will draw in most of the cash flow until we get established as a high end production company.

Since I have told you my life story, does anyone have any suggestive wisdom to throw my direction? I have plans that would make any investor a very happy one, given the chance to prove that my star does shine.

Here is what we are about:

Mission Statement:
Chroma Shake Productions, LLC aims to satisfy requested objectives while delivering a speedy, yet quality production of various types of video and film services. These services may range from concept to completion for the general public, other production companies, or individual professionals in need of development. We also desire to help those in need and inspire through artistic formation of multi-media services, often regarding the humanities through helping not for profit organizations a few times each year by producing and creating media for their cause as well as projects of our own.



However, my credit is around a 540 or something like that — when I need it to be at 700 or higher. I intend to consolidate soon though, hopefully changing that in time. I am what you would call a complete mess credit wise.. I am one of those crazy musicians that woke up one day and decided to change his life and went to college for a dream I have always had … to start a multi media company and eventually own a soundstage, equipment rental house, and office buildings of my own., music label, booking agency, and much more — a one stop shop if you will. I guess I aim to be a rags to riches story in the long run. I admit, at times it sounds too ambitious, but I bet walt Disney thought the same thing years ago when he first sat down and decide to get serious about his talents and ideas.

    • We are also in the process of creating a documentary film for Sundance – and are seeking funds for that as well. I fanyone here happens to be an angel, let us know. It is our goal to create at least one feature film a year, documentary of scripted. we ( me and my lead professionals ) have also collaborated ideas and have thought of various TV shows that we make create pilots for.

Thank you for reading this, any info or advice is highly appreciated.

Rochester, NY Guy

  • Share/Bookmark
Older Posts »

Powered by WordPress