Focus and determination are the subjects of this 1921 parable about a "never-say-die" salesman who is given a challenge and gets it done. Updated by business writer Alan Axelrod, the tale moves quickly with vivid characters and well-timed suspense. By the time the parable ends, the listener is ready for the moral of the story, which is offered in the form of old-fashioned advice. The premise of being tested by a strict boss and succeeding may seem outdated in the current climate of free-agent entrepreneurial thinking. But the real lesson is the timeless one of how to identify what's important on a job--independent of what we're told--and succeed through a flat-out desire to get it done. -- T.W. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Recommended Reading: The Go-Getter by Peter Kyne
This week's recommended reading comes from Ron Beraha. The story is called "The Go-Getter: A Story That Tells You How to Be One." I've pasted a review from Amazon below.
Focus and determination are the subjects of this 1921 parable about a "never-say-die" salesman who is given a challenge and gets it done. Updated by business writer Alan Axelrod, the tale moves quickly with vivid characters and well-timed suspense. By the time the parable ends, the listener is ready for the moral of the story, which is offered in the form of old-fashioned advice. The premise of being tested by a strict boss and succeeding may seem outdated in the current climate of free-agent entrepreneurial thinking. But the real lesson is the timeless one of how to identify what's important on a job--independent of what we're told--and succeed through a flat-out desire to get it done. -- T.W. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine
Focus and determination are the subjects of this 1921 parable about a "never-say-die" salesman who is given a challenge and gets it done. Updated by business writer Alan Axelrod, the tale moves quickly with vivid characters and well-timed suspense. By the time the parable ends, the listener is ready for the moral of the story, which is offered in the form of old-fashioned advice. The premise of being tested by a strict boss and succeeding may seem outdated in the current climate of free-agent entrepreneurial thinking. But the real lesson is the timeless one of how to identify what's important on a job--independent of what we're told--and succeed through a flat-out desire to get it done. -- T.W. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Join the TYE Social Network!
TYE Students and Staff, Prateek Sahay has set up a great social networking site for all TYE students. Please click here to join. If you have any questions or concerns, please email Pat, Hooman, or Rajeev.We will use the site as a means to learn names, faces, and basic information about each other. As we break into groups, we will try to set up additional infrastructure to support your activities.
Just so we're all on the same page, we would like to establish some ground rules.
- This social network is for professional use only. Please refrain from making any comments that could be inappropriate.
- Make sure you post a) your full name b) a face picture and c) profile information so that we can all learn about each other. This requirement will be helpful once we start breaking up into groups.
- Please encourage your TYE friends to join. We would like to make sure that everyone is included.
- Please provide feedback whenever you want about the use of the social network. We want to make sure that it is being used effectively.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Recommended Reading: The Monk and the Riddle by Randy Komisar
TYE Students, I'd like to take a minute to recommend a fantastic book. The TYE Co-chairs will only post extremely relevant content on the blog, so if you have a chance to check out the book The Monk and the Riddle: The Art of Creating a Life While Making a Living, please do so.
Here is a review of the book: Prospective entrepreneurs may think they know everything there is to know about starting a business in Silicon Valley. They can draw up business plans, have meetings with venture capitalists, maybe even get funded and actually launch a start-up. However, in The Monk and the Riddle, Silicon Valley sage Randy Komisar reasons that's only half the equation for success. And it may not be the important half. Komisar has worked with a number of companies--Apple, LucasArts Entertainment (the gaming division of George Lucas's empire), and WebTV among them--and has come to a rather startling conclusion: if you can't see yourself doing this business for the rest of your life, don't start it. In other words, he wants to see passion and purpose in business, not just spreadsheets and a by-the-numbers business model. To illustrate, Komisar takes the reader through a hypothetical Silicon Valley start-up, with an eager entrepreneur named Lenny trying to get funding for an online casket-selling business. As Komisar helps Lenny find the real purpose of the business, the passion behind the revenue projections, he reflects back on his life as an entrepreneur. Komisar emerges as a master storyteller, the kind of guy you'd feel honored to share a bottle of wine with. And you believe his conclusion: "When all is said and done, the journey is the reward." It's great if you've made billions on the journey, but the important thing is that you do something you can truly throw yourself into. -- Lou Schuler (from Hardcover)
Here is a review of the book: Prospective entrepreneurs may think they know everything there is to know about starting a business in Silicon Valley. They can draw up business plans, have meetings with venture capitalists, maybe even get funded and actually launch a start-up. However, in The Monk and the Riddle, Silicon Valley sage Randy Komisar reasons that's only half the equation for success. And it may not be the important half. Komisar has worked with a number of companies--Apple, LucasArts Entertainment (the gaming division of George Lucas's empire), and WebTV among them--and has come to a rather startling conclusion: if you can't see yourself doing this business for the rest of your life, don't start it. In other words, he wants to see passion and purpose in business, not just spreadsheets and a by-the-numbers business model. To illustrate, Komisar takes the reader through a hypothetical Silicon Valley start-up, with an eager entrepreneur named Lenny trying to get funding for an online casket-selling business. As Komisar helps Lenny find the real purpose of the business, the passion behind the revenue projections, he reflects back on his life as an entrepreneur. Komisar emerges as a master storyteller, the kind of guy you'd feel honored to share a bottle of wine with. And you believe his conclusion: "When all is said and done, the journey is the reward." It's great if you've made billions on the journey, but the important thing is that you do something you can truly throw yourself into. -- Lou Schuler (from Hardcover)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
TYE Students
The TYE managers can't be happier with this year's class. We've posted a collage of all of the students who participated in the "What is Entrepreneurship" session. Can anyone list all of the students? Pat has a $20 bill waiting for the person to do it perfectly (Note: proper spelling only!) If you are missing from the picture, then we did not snap a picture of you. Please send us one ASAP to be included.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Congratulations TYE on the 2nd Annual TiE Global Award!
We are very pleased and excited to share with you that TYE (TiE Young Entrepreneurs) Program, a TiE-Boston initiative was recognized as “Most Successful Involvement of Young Entrepreneurs” and received the TiE Global award for the second consecutive year.
Four factors play a significant role in the program success and they are:
- Passion and hard work of students, who make us proud
- Inspiration, knowledge and mentoring support provided by TiE Charter Members, General Members and Sponsors
- Dedication of the TYE team, and support from the TiE-Boston staff
- Involvement of parents
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Live from "What is Entrepreneurship?"
Welcome TYE students! Today we're going to cover a lot of material... if you didn't receive everything via email, let us know so we can get you up to speed. We started the morning with a couple easy ice breakers ("the IX" and the "think outside the box" exercises) and then we learned a little bit about each individual with the "two truths and one lie" game. Interestingly, we learned that one of you crashed into a horse while skiing, a few of you love your Nintendo DS, and some of you actually don't like the subject of biology. What will we learn next time?
The morning started with a presentation from serial entrepreneur and VC Ash Ashutosh from Greylock Partners. As you might remember, Ash talked about "What is Entrepreneurship?" We'll post the video here once we transcode it.
After Ash, we heard from entrepreneur Rajesh Nair from DegreeC Controls on entrepreneurial skills and values. We've posted his presentation below and will also post the video once we figure out how to upload it.
Rajesh Nair's Presentation on Entrepreneurial Skills and Values
We didn't cover this material in class, but startups are beginning to hear from their investors that they need to be conservative in their spending. Remember how we said that business plans help companies to define their strategic direction? This is an important lesson in good times, and in bad. Check out what top tier VCs are telling their companies in the presentation below. Note the slide cover: RIP Good Times.
The morning started with a presentation from serial entrepreneur and VC Ash Ashutosh from Greylock Partners. As you might remember, Ash talked about "What is Entrepreneurship?" We'll post the video here once we transcode it.
After Ash, we heard from entrepreneur Rajesh Nair from DegreeC Controls on entrepreneurial skills and values. We've posted his presentation below and will also post the video once we figure out how to upload it.
Rajesh Nair's Presentation on Entrepreneurial Skills and Values
Rajesh Nair Presentation -- Entrepreneurial Values
View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own.
We didn't cover this material in class, but startups are beginning to hear from their investors that they need to be conservative in their spending. Remember how we said that business plans help companies to define their strategic direction? This is an important lesson in good times, and in bad. Check out what top tier VCs are telling their companies in the presentation below. Note the slide cover: RIP Good Times.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Sample Business Ideas from TYE 2008
A few of you have asked if we could provide you with some sample business plan executive summaries from TYE 2008. We've pasted a few below. Let us know what you think... there are some great ideas in here! Our challenge for you is to come up with bigger and better ideas.
•EVOLINK: By focusing on an unattended niche in the current networking industry, we at EvoLink are able to create a product that meets the needs of a very large consumer market.
Currently, a large majority of the consumer population demands a trend toward wireless mobility, but at the same time they suffer from a lack of experience with new technology. For this reason, we have approached this situation by creating the EvoHub, a product that will tackle the two main issues we have identified before us. The EvoHub is a revolutionary wireless router that will allow for all peripherals to be wirelessly connected to any computer on the network via wireless USB. On top of this, EvoLink will stress “easy-to-setup, convenient” features. In turn, the EvoHub may likely become the next zenith in wireless connectivity technology.
•iCOOK: It is iCook’s goal to enhance the cooking experience for the common man by addressing key issues that both hassle everyday cooks and keep others from cooking. To do this we plan on: (1) Assisting cooks and aspiring cooks fill the intellectual
void that they encounter in the kitchen (2) Revolutionizing the approach to cooking by automating previously limiting factors; e.g. digitized voice directions, direct grocery delivery, and meticulous organization of all your favorite recipes (3) Supplement the definition, acquisition, and transportation phases of pre-kitchen meal preparation (4) Allowing people to access any recipe whenever and wherever they want, at the touch of a button
•LIVELEG: LiveLeg Inc. is being formed as a private company offering a unique approach to
the private jet industry. LiveLeg Inc. is a travel agency that works as a convenient interface between customers and private, and corporate, jets. The company also provides a distinctive way through which the “dead legs”, or empty seats on private jets, can be put to use, hence the name LiveLeg Inc.
•MySHOP: Shopping has become a gamble. It is a hit or miss where there is no guarantee that I will find something I love that fits me well. But, MyShop has
made it a guaranteed jackpot. Almost every person in the US has stepped into a retail store, and most encounter the same problems, so I thought “why not make a solution where everyone can reap the benefits of the integration of the three most popular industries: retail, shoppers, and advanced technology.” From any computer across the globe, someone can shop, try clothes on their own body, and buy apparel from their favorite stores. Every partner benefits. Retailers have access to a wider market, thus greater potential revenue, they increase their online sales, and reduce costly in-store operating costs. Shoppers receive a complimentary service where they can see exactly how clothes look on their body and try on any item from all of their favorite stores. We tap into these markets by exposing them to the “next big thing,” the developing virtual technology market.
•RVRtech: RVRtech is a fresh, new company aimed at changing the way we look at radio. Our
plan is to release a radio unit, called an RVR, that has all the capabilities of a modern DVR found in any new cable box. This means that our unit will give listeners the chance to interact with their radio in a way never before experienced. Just like the DVR changed the course of cable, so too do we hope that the RVR will forever change the course of radio.
•U-CALL: U-Call provides a combined package o
f services directed to eliminate the drudgery and distractions of college in the life of the student of today; this allows them to focus first and foremost on their primary objective: an excellent education. U-call will be providing our customers with a number of services such as: Moving, laundry, school supplies, hotel accommodation, transportation tickets, on-campus tickets, end-of-semester parties, restaurant reservations, groceries, student card that doubles up as a debit card outside campus. The demands for each service by each student can be placed through either talking to us at our main office on campus or through the website using their U-Call ID.
•AIM: AIM provides a low cost, high quality, online 24/7 SAT preparation 
service that caters to the needs of the student while satisfying the need of the parents. The students will be native English and Spanish speakers. A quality education is essential for success – our company will help students get the best SAT scores possible, without having their score dependent on financial status.
•EVOLINK: By focusing on an unattended niche in the current networking industry, we at EvoLink are able to create a product that meets the needs of a very large consumer market.
Currently, a large majority of the consumer population demands a trend toward wireless mobility, but at the same time they suffer from a lack of experience with new technology. For this reason, we have approached this situation by creating the EvoHub, a product that will tackle the two main issues we have identified before us. The EvoHub is a revolutionary wireless router that will allow for all peripherals to be wirelessly connected to any computer on the network via wireless USB. On top of this, EvoLink will stress “easy-to-setup, convenient” features. In turn, the EvoHub may likely become the next zenith in wireless connectivity technology.•iCOOK: It is iCook’s goal to enhance the cooking experience for the common man by addressing key issues that both hassle everyday cooks and keep others from cooking. To do this we plan on: (1) Assisting cooks and aspiring cooks fill the intellectual
void that they encounter in the kitchen (2) Revolutionizing the approach to cooking by automating previously limiting factors; e.g. digitized voice directions, direct grocery delivery, and meticulous organization of all your favorite recipes (3) Supplement the definition, acquisition, and transportation phases of pre-kitchen meal preparation (4) Allowing people to access any recipe whenever and wherever they want, at the touch of a button•LIVELEG: LiveLeg Inc. is being formed as a private company offering a unique approach to
the private jet industry. LiveLeg Inc. is a travel agency that works as a convenient interface between customers and private, and corporate, jets. The company also provides a distinctive way through which the “dead legs”, or empty seats on private jets, can be put to use, hence the name LiveLeg Inc.•MySHOP: Shopping has become a gamble. It is a hit or miss where there is no guarantee that I will find something I love that fits me well. But, MyShop has
made it a guaranteed jackpot. Almost every person in the US has stepped into a retail store, and most encounter the same problems, so I thought “why not make a solution where everyone can reap the benefits of the integration of the three most popular industries: retail, shoppers, and advanced technology.” From any computer across the globe, someone can shop, try clothes on their own body, and buy apparel from their favorite stores. Every partner benefits. Retailers have access to a wider market, thus greater potential revenue, they increase their online sales, and reduce costly in-store operating costs. Shoppers receive a complimentary service where they can see exactly how clothes look on their body and try on any item from all of their favorite stores. We tap into these markets by exposing them to the “next big thing,” the developing virtual technology market.•RVRtech: RVRtech is a fresh, new company aimed at changing the way we look at radio. Our
plan is to release a radio unit, called an RVR, that has all the capabilities of a modern DVR found in any new cable box. This means that our unit will give listeners the chance to interact with their radio in a way never before experienced. Just like the DVR changed the course of cable, so too do we hope that the RVR will forever change the course of radio.•U-CALL: U-Call provides a combined package o
f services directed to eliminate the drudgery and distractions of college in the life of the student of today; this allows them to focus first and foremost on their primary objective: an excellent education. U-call will be providing our customers with a number of services such as: Moving, laundry, school supplies, hotel accommodation, transportation tickets, on-campus tickets, end-of-semester parties, restaurant reservations, groceries, student card that doubles up as a debit card outside campus. The demands for each service by each student can be placed through either talking to us at our main office on campus or through the website using their U-Call ID.
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