| October 29, 2009 |
| CONNECT WITH SMARTBRIEF |  |  |
|
 | |
- Pumpkin artist carves a profitable niche
Sean Fitzpatrick was an auto mechanic who turned to building snowmen and sand castles to express his creative side. After earning a few prizes and some media attention, he launched a Web site to feature his creations, and he branched out into pumpkin and ice carving. Even during a recession, he continues to make more money creating sculptures for corporate events than he did as a mechanic. The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model)
(10/27)      
- Why Hollywood hates those Redbox kiosks
Redbox, a creation of McDonald's business incubator, rents DVDs for $1 a day from 21,000 kiosks -- and President Mitch Lowe says Hollywood feels threatened by the company's success. Three studios won't release DVDs directly to Redbox, forcing employees to buy the discs at retail in order to stock the kiosks. Lowe insists that his company can help studios by promoting movies that might have performed poorly in theatrical release. "At some point they'll turn around," he says. Forbes
(10/26)
- Vinci uses a different game plan
Vinci, a family-owned maker of baseball gloves, is too small to pay for big-name endorsements, so it woos small names instead. The company befriends players in the minor leagues, and if those players get called up to the big leagues, the payoff can be huge. After the Atlanta Braves signed pitcher Vladimir Nez, more than 10 new retailers agreed to carry Vinci gloves. CNNMoney.com/Fortune Small Business
(10/28)
- Bankers are wary of Obama's small-business lending plan
Community banks have typically been slow to participate in government programs, and the White House's plan for boosting small-business loans may be no exception. Officials from the American Bankers Association say demand for some loans is low, processing loans through the federal program takes too long and that banks are reluctant to accept additional restrictions in exchange for the money. Reuters
(10/27)
- Don't flip under pressure
Our strengths are often the flip side of our weaknesses, writes executive coach Gill Corkindale, who notes that high-pressure situations can sometimes shift a positive trait to a negative one. Research in the U.K. has identified 11 such dichotomies likely to derail a career, including charming-manipulative and diligent-perfectionist. Harvard Business Review online/Letter from London blog
(10/21)
- What's your story?
An effective brand tells a story that allows consumers to form a relationship with your company, according to branding expert Mary van de Wiel. Your story differentiates your brand and makes you memorable, but it has to be authentic. "If you want others to recognize you, the best way to do it is to recognize yourself first," she writes. Entrepreneur.com
(10/19)
 | Do what you love and do it well. The money will follow."
|
|
|
SmartBrief delivers need-to-know news in over 100 targeted email newsletters to over 3 million readers.
All our industry briefings are FREE and open to everyone—sign up today!
|
|
|
 |
Babson College is the exclusive educational contributor to SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs. Babson College, located in Wellesley, MA, is recognized internationally for entrepreneurial leadership in a changing global environment.
Learn about our innovative undergraduate curriculum, our MBA degree - ranked #1 by U.S. News & World Report for the 16th straight year - and our executive education programs,
"among the best in the world," according to BusinessWeek and Financial Times.
| |
| Advertise |
|
Corporate Sales Director:
Tom O'Brien (212) 450-1679
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
| |
Recent SmartBrief on Entrepreneurs Issues:
- Wednesday, October 28, 2009
- Tuesday, October 27, 2009
- Monday, October 26, 2009
- Friday, October 23, 2009
- Thursday, October 22, 2009
| | | Lead Editor: Jesse Stanchak
Contributing Editor: Robert Jones
Mailing Address:
SmartBrief, Inc.®, 1100 H ST NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005 | |
| |
|
| © 1999-2011 SmartBrief, Inc.® Legal Information |
|
