The Experiment of my Life

This semester I’m taking a couple of entrepreneurship classes. One is about start up funding and the other one is about writing a business plan and getting started from scratch. It’s a bit too early in the semester to tell how hard these classes are really going to be. But the idea is to go from idea to actual startup within a calendar year. It’s part of a contest called Alabama Launchpad that offers a $100,000.00 grant to help get the wining company going.

It’s a great idea in theory but the concept of balancing my existing job with classes and a startup seems almost impossible. That being said if I could actually pull it off I’m sure the reward would be worth it. Not that I have to do all of this alone. So far the faculty at UAB have been extremely supportive in offering advice and contacts to help me along. The biggest obstacle maybe over coming my own lack of confidence. So much of the advice I’ve been given so far seems to be about bravado being more important than trying to plan for everything. Which makes a lot of sense really because you have to have a certain amount of arrogance to risk everything on a venture that may or may not make it. So wish me luck as I take on another exciting semester and maybe start a company along the way!

My course work for my MBA has been very enlightening so far. I’m beginning to understand that marketing is the philosophy department of the business world. When we talk about marketing it is always a higher level of abstraction and big picture ideas.  Accounting so far has been a lot more fun than I remembered it being in high school. At this level accounting is all about financial data management.  Statistics is by far my hardest class but that may be because the professor is a complete ass. On the whole though at this point, midterm, I feel pretty good about all of my classes.

Just a quick update everyone, I’ve started taking classes towards finishing my MBA at UAB. So far the program is really great, but I’m only a week into things. stay tuned for more updates as things progress.

My computer will be in the shop till the end of next week. So I’m having to do everything via my iPhone. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how easy this has been. The iPhone may make a crummy phone, but it makes a pretty good computer substitute.

I laughed.  I cried. I got a little creeped out.

AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com.

In my attempts to update my Dad’s company’s web presence I’ve stumbled into a position to start a social media monitoring company. It seems I have a talent for discovering and mobilizing new media to promote a brand. Who knew! No, I haven’t forgotten about the beer industry or my dreams there. However, the cost of starting a brewery is daunting to say the least and at the moment I simply don’t have the capital to start such an endeavor. This company on the other hand simply requires a computer, the internet, and time.  All of which I happen to have.  Now all I need is a good company name that I can register as a domain.  any suggestions?

If you could imagine me in any career what would you pick for me? Any thoughts dear Internet?

My iPhone can post to my site now! Huzah!

http://eternal-earthbound-pets.com/

this is kind of silly. But it might be a great way to make some money…

Here is an interesting article on Sam Adam’s business structure. It’s a pretty short read and I’d love to hear people’s comments on this one.

Boston Beer Co. Profile – Beer Column – Lew Bryson – First Draft – Portfolio.com.