Latest Entrepreneurship Articles

Young black entrepreneurs

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 21:16:27 -0500

Young successful black entrepreneurs continue to give honor to the many black men and women who persevere in the past to attain equal rights, liberation and acceptance in society. One thing good about the black community is their strong support and encouragement for young blacks to succeed.

Nowadays, there is a strong network of support available for black students, like the Young Black Entrepreneurs, Inc., (YBE), an online support group founded in 2002 with a mission to educate and train African-American students on running a business, promote entrepreneurship and create future leaders who are business-minded and financially independent.

Likewise, the website www.blackengineer.com provides not only up-to-date news about technology-related employments for skilled black Americans but also valuable inspiration for young working blacks, coming from highly motivational testimonials of employment professionals. A recent resource speaker, Daisy Jenkins from the Raytheon Missile Systems encouraged young black women to pursue technical degrees which are in demand and where black women can excel alongside their male counterparts.

A best representative of a young black entrepreneur is no other than 30-year-old Tim Campbell, winner of Great Britain's first The Apprentice reality TV show season in 2005, where the challenge was to be the best project manager and events planner. Tim won a lucrative employment contract from businessman Sir Alan Sugar's health and beauty company Amstrad. After two years of work, Tim ventured on his own beauty and grooming business. He also founded Bright Ideas Trust, a support group for young entrepreneurs needing help in equity and funding.

Tim appreciates the fact that in reality TV, there is an equal playing field where aspirants can prove themselves regardless of their skin color and creed. Determination, talent and skills are all that mattered. However, this is sadly not the case in the real world, where personal discriminations still exist. Not to be let down by this fact of life, Campbell chose to accept it as a challenge for black people and other races to prove themselves in the world of business. Tim's self-assurance and pride in his ethnicity and color was nurtured by his mother, a single mom who raised him through sheer determination.

Qualities of an entrepreneur - Are you an entrepreneur

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 01:43:01 -0600

Entrepreneur is described as a person who forms a business out of nothing. Entrepreneur sees the opportunity where a common man just passes by. Everybody who starts a business is not an entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs are not made; in fact they are born with these qualities. Some distinctive features of an entrepreneur are

1. Self Motivated
2. Opportunist
3. Hard working
4. Education
5. Immoveable

Self Motivated:
Entrepreneurs are self motivated. To be an entrepreneur, you have got to be passionate by nature and capable of seeing hope in the gloomiest of situations. An entrepreneur life is prone to failures, disappointments and hazards. Entrepreneur should be able to fall, recover, stand up and get going again all on his/her own. Small pitfalls can not shake their belief in themselves.

Opportunist:
While the word may sound a little harsh and more of a negative trait than positive but the fact is that entrepreneurs are extremely good at spotting the opportunity and grabbing it with both hands when it comes their way. Not only will they make lemonade of every lemon they get, they will look forward to sell it.

More Work – Less Talk:
Entrepreneurs do not indulge themselves in years of planning and thinking process, they are more interested in executing the idea, instead of looking for its drawbacks. They prefer to give it a try. If you have got some business idea and you have been discussing it with everyone around you for sometime without doing anything about it, then you can be anything but an entrepreneur.

Education:
Mostly entrepreneurs are pretty sharp and intelligent when it comes to grasping the basic ideas but you will hardly find them topping the position chart or scoring extra ordinary marks in exams. They are normally interested in knowledge that is going to help them in their future ambitions; they don’t go around stuffing their mind with extensive knowledge which they know will never be used.

Immovable personality:
Entrepreneurs are bad listeners when someone is trying to discourage or criticize their plans. If they think the opportunity is there to grab, they will simply discard all “what” and “if”, especially if they are coming from someone else. This may hurt their social reputation but they hardly ever care. However, this stubbornness will never stop them from being flexible; they are quick to figure out if something is not working, and they are ready to change. They are quick to accept failure and move on to the next venture.

Indian textile Industry is growing up day by day

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:48:04 -0600

India, being rich in variety of cultures and traditional values offers a pool full of different designs in textile along with ample amount of companies dealing with its manufacturing. It stands among the countries which are the oldest and the richest textile manufacturing firms in the entire world. Indus valley is said to be the place of its origin.

Historical facts presents clear picture of the different manufacturing processes being used earlier. One of the witnesses is given in the Rig veda which states about the waving procedure during that time. Apart from this, much more is represented by the Indian mythology specifically about the ancient textile division of the country. Some of the instances for fabric of that era are well documented in Mahabharata and Ramayana. What an amazing tradition of clothing they had. Aristocrat dresses visualizing richness and significant appeal. These can be said to be on one hand while on the other there were fine ordinary clothing for the sadhus. All this is mentioned very correctly in the epic.

Gujarat has been the best in its cotton material which is proved by the fabric found in the tombs of Egypt. Indian textile is famous since ages. It is the most talked manufacturing countries of the world in the books of past. Most of the writings clearly state the facts about the cultural and textile richness of India.

Historical facts and musings which talk about the famous Empire of Vijaynagar clearly explain outstanding results of the Indian textile during that time. They have come up with the fact that additional garments and clothes were exported to different countries. An important position was given to the textile industry during the era in which India very well secured its profound position.

India being rich in different cultures is not the sole reason behind its popularity. There were some factors or actually supporters for it too. They are favorable climate, suitable environment, and customs along with the most important one, raw material which was available all the time and also of all kinds. Now this was something strange and different, as if nature wanted India to be rich and famous all around. No other country is there which can compete with India in terms of textile or any other thing. In trade too, India has gone international long back having huge tie ups with the Western and Eastern companies and countries.

Indian textile Industry has everything of its own, brand identity, global recognition and establishment and imprints for future survival and success. And the task is being well performed by the manufacturing and design companies in order to support their country in remaining at the top position as ever. It’s a promise of the textile industries to help India in flourishing further and gain acceptance around the globe. This would be the mark of excellence on their part and security for the entire nation.

The success of each one of us contributes to the success of country which should be the interest of every individual.

Online textile designing

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 04:46:20 -0600

Textile designing earlier was simply concerned with some specific designs getting printed on few kinds of fabric. It never, used to include variations, though hundreds and thousands of manufacturing industries were still working to bring some innovation in them and enhance the quality still couldn’t do much to it. Education, otherwise too was not so much appreciated and in terms of designing, there were hardly any institutes and schools for them. Especially in country like India, designing on professional terms was not ever chosen by people. But now the definition of textile designing has changed completely. It is much more concerned with learning and completely understanding about the various available fabrics and materials. Then, creating something unique but intimated with the materialistic world.

If we consider the technical side of it, textiles is the basis to whatever we are wearing today. It’s fundamental to clothing and real representation of our inner self. Textile brings us live in front of the others. It is closely associated with our social identity and individual feature which is somehow constructed by textile only. There are different other features too which attracts everyone towards it nowadays, riding off the traditional concepts. It’s time for diversification. Due to this and various other reasons, textile designing has been introduced as a professional course by different design institutions. Here, professionals work as teachers giving students knowledge about the real textile world. And another best way of gaining textile design education is online textile designing.

Online textile designing is an innovation for this industry. Now, more and more artists are taking professional knowledge for gaining mastery in their existing skills. Different streams are there for deigning, fabrication and the process of decoration etc which is further sub-divided into cultural richness and individualistic expression modes. Practical and theoretical sessions are also there in the sub sections.

The basic purpose behind online textile designing is to spread awareness about the broader range of different processes in textile. It can also be learned with other designing areas like interiors and fashion. Communication in a creative way is the purpose of designing of all kinds. And it entirely depnds on the designer, how they do it. If they are capable to understand the society, they would surely come up with something unique and appealing and would give the best to the people.

Online textile designing is being used as an important way of imparting knowledge about textile firms and countries dealing with them. This task is not only performed by the educational institutions only. Even the well established manufacturing companies are coming ahead to provide technical and practical knowledge through internet to students or people who are willing to learn about the industry in depth.

Internet provides different means to them in order to accomplish the task. As a result, we can see more and more people moving towards the industry and working side by side which increases their qualification and skills on an increased rate making them successful in their own streams.

Stress Free Success at Your Next Trade Show

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 03:37:22 -0600

Trade fairs and shows can be very rewarding, profitable and down-right fun, if you know what to do, and how to go about doing it. If not, they can be overwhelming and costly, to you and your firm. Before you register for that next trade show, here are some tips to help you negotiate the ins and outs, experience the ups without the downs, and enjoy yourself in general.

Know the Competition: Most trade show organizers, whether the sponsoring industry or the convention center where the trade show will be held, provides attendees with a list of exhibitors. It may be in the form of a web page, or it may come in your registration information packet. Whatever form it takes, study it carefully before you get to the trade show.

Determine your purpose in attending this trade show. If there are a lot of old names and faces, you may decide to spend your time at the show cementing those existing relationships with clients, customers or suppliers. If there are more up-and-coming or new-to-you exhibitors, you might want to spend your time at the trade show networking, getting your name out there.

Or you may decide that its time to see what is new and trendy, what the new kids on the block have to offer. If the exhibitors are a mixed bag, then you will have to decide just who would be the most profitable to spend time with on the trade show floor.

Make a Plan of Action: You have studied the exhibitors and know just who you want to see and why. Now, its time to create a schedule or plan that ensures you will fulfill your goal for the trade show. If you will be mostly cementing those long term relationships, you may want to allow yourself plenty of time for doing just that – hanging out at their booths, chatting and catching up.

Schedule long appointments, or schedule your appointments far apart, so you do not have to feel rushed with old friends and acquaintances. If you or most of the exhibitors are fairly new to the industry, you may want to spend large blocks of time just wandering the floor, getting a feel for who is who and what is what. You can schedule short appointments for meeting with those whose products and services interest you the most. You should try and schedule all your appointments, both with established clients and newcomers, before the trade show begins, so that you can be sure of getting a meeting with everyone you want or need to see while you are there.

Be Prepared: You may have the perfect plan of attack, but without the right equipment, you may be doomed for failure. Or at least sore feet. A great deal of your time on the trade show floor will be spent walking and standing. Pack and wear comfortable shows. The trade show is not the place to break in a new pair. Nor is it the place to wear that great looking but foot-crunching pair, either.

Wear comfortable clothing, too. Be sure and take a sweater or jacket, something that you slip into if the hall is too cool. Even if the show is in January, do not pack all your warmest gear, either. Crowded convention exhibit halls can get uncomfortably warm, and you do not want to show up for that important meeting drowning in perspiration. Take a notepad or mini-recorder for taking notes.

You may have a great idea on the second day of the show, but by the time you return to your office the next week, you can not remember a thing. A client may find you in the lobby and ask you for an impromptu meeting after dinner, but if you can not remember the name of the restaurant or the time he suggested, what good is it going to do you? Having some way of taking notes and jotting reminders for yourself will make your time spent at the trade show much more enjoyable and profitable.

You might want to bring a small wheeled train case, messenger bag or backpack with you. There are usually lots of marketing materials, promotional items and free samples given away at trade shows. Having some place to carry them without straining your back too much or occupying your hands for the entire show is a good idea. Some suggest that rolling cases can also create a path through crowded sections of the floor, if you push it ahead of you as you go. Other fair goers say they make it too difficult to sort through all the material gathered come the end of the day. You may want to try taking a backpack and a train case. Or take one to one show and an alternative to another to help you decide which goody-gatherer you prefer.

Be Flexible: As with your goody-gathering device, your entire mindset during the tradeshow should be one of flexibility. If a meeting does not pan out as you did hope, do not let it get you down. If a client you really hoped to see at the show had to cancel at the last minute, spend some time networking with new folks. Do not limit your entire experience to the show floor, either.

You may find groups gathered in the lobby or the hotel bar or in the restaurant across the street. While these areas may not conducive to serious business talks, they can be great opportunities to meet new people, learn a few useful facts about a new product or service, and perhaps schedule a meeting or appointment for after the trade show. While every meeting may not end in a sale, every meeting has the potential for a future meeting that may end in a sale.

Trade shows can be rewarding personally and professionally. They can be a great time to connect with others in your industry or profession. You can gain a good deal of knowledge, a good deal of business and have a good time while doing so. By being prepared before and during a show, you can avoid a great deal of stress while creating a success.