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Sunday
Arup Banerjee: Conquering all Directions
Arup attended Duke University
What are the names of your companies? What is your position within each?
I currently operate two active companies: Campus Destinations, Inc. and Beer Universe, LLC. I am the Chief Executive Officer for both companies. Campus Destinations has 34 employees and Beer Universe has 7 employees.
In the past, I also started Emerald Art Designs, which was a web consultancy firm which I operated from 1998 - 2007. I have had numerous clients during my tenure there, where I was a Managing Partner and the Chief Executive Officer. When I was in college, I also aided in the development of Rival Magazine, where I was their online editor and webmaster.
What services does each of your companies provide?
Campus Destinations is the premier mapping and informational services company for college campuses. The mission of Campus Destinations is to save students time and money by creating an interactive portal. Money is limited to college students and Campus Destinations aids students in making the most out of it. Our slogan is: "Know where you are and where you are going..."
Beer Universe will launch in Spring 2008. Beer Universe is a website which seeks to provide a consolidated-online platform for users to actively contribute about beers, breweries and bars. Beer Universe also provides an interactive platform for all beer accessories. Our slogan is: "Your Choice. Your Beer. Drink Up."
Which one did you start first? What was your inspiration?
I started my first company in 1998, when I was 14 years old. I was very interested in the entire Internet revolution and at the time even a 14 year old could make some serious money. I found a lot of arbitrage opportunities and it propelled me to major in Economics & Computer Science when I was at Duke.
As I became interested in business, the strategy and the opportunity to create something new became very appealing. I began to see new ideas and developed ways of how to put them into action. I started writing business plans and sought out advisory from professors, experienced professionals, family and friends. Learning something new every day, working with intelligent individuals and being part of a potentially revolutionary company is truly rewarding.
What inspired you to start the other companies?
Campus Destinations was truly my first company. Through the process of developing Campus Destinations, I learned a lot about incorporations, business structure, management and overall administration. Originally, I started the company to cash in on
the revival of the Internet revolution (ultimately, the rebuilding after the bubble burst). However, as we progressed further, I began to see a revolutionary product which I could bring to the market and aid my fellow students. After graduation, the company has only grown exponentially and become even more helpful to students around the country.
Beer Universe was an idea I had my senior year, discussing beer options with my roommates. While our drinking habits were changing as we became older, there was no consolidated platform that allowed us to search for new craft beers. Moreover, there was no online source for us to develop our knowledge. After my experience with Campus Destinations, I knew I could start a successful second company and not experience the same hiccups. Hopefully, when we launch in the coming months, my prediction will be true.
Are you focused on one company more than the other? How do manage running them successfully?
Campus Destinations is a much more mature company than Beer Universe. As we expand, more time is required for the larger company, but I still run Beer Universe with the same dedication. I have two great individuals helping to run the companies: Seth Warner for Campus Destinations and Heath Gray for Beer Universe. They make my job a lot easier and it has been a pleasure growing each company with them.
In general, how do you get the word out about your services?
We have utilized traditional advertising techniques - flyers on campus, production of marketing / promotional materials, newspapers and online advertising to market to our niche audience.
We also rely on the constant dedication of our employees to spread our company's mission through word of mouth, in which they have been doing an excellent job. We have press kits / media kits available for each company as well.
Where do you see yourself in the next five years? Do you plan to expand?
In five years, I do hope to return to business school and to have graduated, but also to have developed sustainable, profitable corporations. Campus Destinations will be expanding to as many universities as possible and our databases will be used to help visitors, alumni, faculty and students around the country.
Beer Universe has no current expansion plans into other markets, but we will be a force to reckon with :-).
Do you have peers who are also entrepreneurs? How important is it to start while you're young?
I believe all the individuals who work for my companies are entrepreneurs. They are extremely dedicated, hard-working and most of all passionate about what they do. They believe in an idea and want to make it a reality.
I also utilize my network to meet other entrepreneurs around the country and discuss business solutions. Because we are all doing similar things, we have a great amount of respect for each other. Many of those connections have helped me grow and expand my business and I am grateful for that.
I believe that in today's world, following your passion is extremely important. If you are passionate about business and entrepreneurship, you should go out there and try it. I respect all the individuals who take the opportunity to try and create something. Innovation and technology are where the future is going and we must nurture that constantly. I regularly help others who have ideas and offer any experience that I have to help them avoid the hardships that most entrepreneurs initially face.
Start young, work hard and good things will happen.
Impressed? Check out Arup's thriving companies at: http://www.campusdestinations.com http://www.beer-universe.com http://www.emeraldart.comMonday
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Wednesday
The Game of Politics
Disclaimer: The political bug bit me. I didn't see it coming.
For discussion purposes only.
Standing Out in the Crowd
A few weeks ago, I attended a discussion on race in the current presidential election. The official title was “Narratives of Race and Gender in the 2008 Election”, however much of the discussion focused on race. It was led by NYU Professor Charlton Mcllwain, who is currently conducting intensive research on the race and gender elements of the current presidential election. As a member of the Department of Media, Culture, and Communication, it fits in perfectly.
Mcllwain opened by showing a number of campaign commercials done by past black candidates running for office. These commercials sparked a brief discussion on terms consistent in each commercial, “hard work” and “play by the rules.” We then were shown a few presidential campaign commercials for Barack Obama. We picked out how Obama’s commercials combine the elements consistent in earlier commercials for black candidates. We discussed how as oppose to only saying “hard work” or only saying “play by the rules”, his commercials displayed a combination of the two resulting in his popular themes of hope and change. This then led us to a highly probable theory.
Professor Mcllwain theorizes that Barack Obama is attempting to portray himself as the black candidate without portraying himself as the black candidate. At first glance, this may sound confusing. However, it is quite true. In comparison to commercials done by previous black candidates, Barack Obama avoids sticking to one side. He does not solely make statements that combat specific stereotypes applied to African Americans. Instead, he incorporates stereotypes and attacks them accordingly. His commercials will discuss one element and then discuss another element within the 30 second time frame. His commercials will display him with black supporters and then display praise from white intellectuals. In doing this, Barack Obama is stepping outside of a general stereotype applied to black candidates campaigning for office. He attacks all elements of stereotypes and produces a perfectly sculpted 30 second feature. The concept of his commercials evokes change and the actual filmed elements induce hope. He is portraying himself as the black candidate without portraying himself as the black candidate because he is a different kind of black candidate.
This theory then leaves us in a pondering place. What does it mean? How is it that this candidate is able to separate himself so tactfully from the rest? A simple answer could be marketing. His campaign could have hired the most sought-after marketing firm to put together these 30 second spots of genius. A more probable answer, however, may easily lie in the idea that Barack Obama is in the right place at the right time. It is a fact that if Obama had attempted to run in previous presidential elections, he would have had a more difficult time gaining support. America’s current state calls for a man of Obama’s specific breed. From his mixed heritage to his opposition to the war in Iraq, he encompasses the type of leader this country is yearning for. That is not to say that other candidates in the race are not qualified, but it is to say that Obama may just be the man for the job. At least for right now.
Any responses?
Talk to me.
-Jonna
Saturday
*THE INTERNS DESK*
Is money in your future?
Let this young man manage it for you one day.
Initially, when I considered the prospects of interning at KPMG LLP’s headquarters in New York, I was a little hesitant. The accounting industry, while a respected and quite lucrative career path, wasn’t the most appealing job in my eyes. I wanted to go into corporate finance. Furthermore, outside of two introductory accounting courses, I had no understanding of what exactly a public accounting firm did. But the prospects of interning in the “City” and gaining overall exposure to the financial services industry proved to be opportunities that I couldn’t let pass. I received my internship through the Institute for Responsible Citizenship’s Career Program (http://www.i4rc.org/) and was selected as one of six sophomores to participate in the KPMG Summer Scholars Program. The program lasted eight weeks and offered three rotations through the firm’s three major lines of business (tax, audit, and advisory) in addition to a week of training. For each rotation, we were assigned to a senior partner, for whom we did various projects.
From the start, I was surprised by the depth of the projects that each of us were assigned. At the end of the first week, all six of us, presented a competitive gap analysis of the Big Four Accounting Firms to a panel of senior executives. At the time, we were all unaware of the level of seniority that we were working with, but we would learn quickly as the summer passed. My first rotation lasted only a week in which I worked in KPMG’s insurance advisory business. The partner I was assigned to there was extremely helpful in giving me feedback as I completed various projects for her. Throughout the week, my primary goal was to complete a SWAT analysis of the Big Four firms’ insurance advisory businesses. At the end of the week, I was to give a formal presentation, but as I would soon learn, plans change at the drop of a dime. Instead, I traveled to Dallas with her to attend a two-day partners meeting and had to deliver the presentation on the returning flight. The change of pace was exciting and the stay in a five-star hotel made it even more worthwhile!
My second rotation was in the audit sector. There, I was assigned to KPMG’s Pfizer engagement and as a result had to work from Pfizer’s nearby office. While not as entertaining as my last rotation, I learned the valuable importance of having enough resolve to work through grudge-work. Analyzing annual reports, editing roll-forwards, and organizing audit workbooks weren’t the most thrilling moments of my internship, but they allowed me to become more familiar with financial statements in addition to providing insight on how an audit team works.
My third and final rotation was in the tax sector where I worked under a partner in the Information, Communications, and Entertainment industry group (ICE). The first day I walked into the office, I was told to book a flight to Boston through the company’s travel services. There, I was expected to attend a Northeast tax partner’s leadership meeting. Again, I learned that I must always stay on my toes and be prepared to travel even at times when one doesn’t feel like it. Throughout the rest of the rotation, I conducted industry research reports, created revenue breakthrough reports, and attended various partner meetings.
At the end of the summer, my understanding of a Big Four accounting firm’s structure had improved tenfold. Additionally, I had made major connections with some of the most senior people in the firm. But perhaps the most beneficial thing that I learned from the summer was how important soft skills are in getting to the point where one is leading and managing people. Going into the summer, I had expected to learn tons of technical accounting standards. But watching how senior partners led and motivated some of the world’s brightest thinkers proved the greatest lesson of all. At the end of the summer, I had worked for one of the biggest accounting firms, received great pay, networked with some of New York’s most senior people, traveled, and most importantly, put myself in a great position for the next summer.
If anyone has any questions on the Institute for Responsible Citizenship or my summer, feel free to visit http://www.i4rc.org/ or e-mail me at pyles.warren@gmail.com.
Warren Pyles is currently a junior at the University of Pennsylvania.
Tuesday
Use Your Words
A few weeks ago, I experienced an unexpected renewal. I was once again reminded of how precious words can be, when used creatively. It happened on March 1st at Washington Irving High School in New York city. A close friend of mine invited me to see the Urban Word poetry slam finale. At the time, I was unaware of its significance.
Before attending the show, I of course did some background research. Urban Word is a nonprofit organization focused on uplifting young souls through spoken word. I discovered that I was being given a chance to look into the lives of teenagers from across New York City. All five boroughs were represented, as well as Long Island or "Strong Island" as DJ KaySlay the MC of the event referred to it. Afrika Bambaataa, the founder of the Zulu Nation, was in attendance and received an award for his groundbreaking work in and for Hip Hop.
On the night of the finale, we packed into Washington Irving with excitement in our hearts and minds to absorb the power of rhyme. By some random act of a power unknown, I was seated with Russell Simmons. Yes, Russell Simmons the hip hop pioneer and spoken word innovator. Why was he at an event such as this? Because he sponsored it of course. It was but the young version of def jam poetry and HBO was in clear presence documenting it.
A little past 8, the finale began and seemed to never end. It wasn't seemingly endless because the performances lacked entertaining value. On the contrary, it was seemingly endless because the poetry was so enthralling. Plain and simple, I didn't want the young poets to stop speaking. I wanted to hear more about this struggle we have come to love as life. I wanted to hear more vivid descriptions of sexual adventure and heart-wrenching tales of love gone wrong. I have always known words to be the most powerful asset available to any living creature, but I have never known words spoken by young minds to hit me so deeply. In a time in which technology has almost ruined the art of spoken conversation, this is quite outstanding.
After my Urban Word experience, I ask you to do me one favor: use your spoken word. Avoid our technological ways of avoiding direct conversations and speak freely. Use your words and you will have the power to change more than you can see.
Trust my words.
Jonna
Sunday
Michael Kopko: Cleaning up in style.
Michael Kopko is a recent graduate of Harvard College. He is currently a student at Columbia Business School, class of 2009. He is the creative mind behind DormAid , an extraordinary company that enhances the lifestyle of the ordinary college student.
What is the name of your company and what is your position?
DormAid. Chief Executive Officer.
How did it get started? How long did it take to launch?
I started it my freshman year in my dorm room. It took about a year to actually form a company and have it approved by Harvard College.
What services does DormAid provide? Does it depend on your school location?
Services do vary by location. Currently we offer Laundry, Cleaning, Bedding, Water delivery, and Computer Back-up services. We are working on launching Appliances, Loans, and Testing services this year.
What are the main goals of DormAid?
I have always believed college students can engage in a higher sense of success and accomplishment, that they are limitless in their potential. I wanted to build a company that did that on the service and employment side.
How did you get the word out about your online business?
We have focused on getting a high ROI for the marketing dollars we spend, investing in our people as brand ambassadors, and focused on what messages we communicate. We have also been blessed with wonderful press www.dormaid.com/press .
Where do you see the company in the next five years? Do you plan to expand upon what you've already established?
DormAid will become the college brand for services that enable students to focus on two things- working hard and playing hard. Our goal is to get all the other stuff out of the way and let people focus on what is most important. We are expanding every semester and plowing everything we make back into improving our business.
What advice would you give to a college student who wants to start their own business?
Stay committed and don't quit. It isn't easy for a reason- life is about weeding out the really dedicated from those who think they can just get rich quickly. You have to be smart and work hard.
For further information or to utilize his services go to: www.DormAid.com
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