Investment bottelnecks removed for the mid- atlantic branch of angel investment network

Investment bottelnecks removed for the Mid- Atlantic Branch of Angel Investment Network

Read the papers today, and you’ll feel like start-ups are a rare breed in 2009.  Many sources say less people are starting up companies, albeit successfully too – citing the lack of investors available as one of the top reasons. But perhaps they are not looking in the right places.  

A paper in Philadelphia (Philadelphia Inquirer & Daily News) recently did a story in which a start-up CEO almost seemed to feel like securing angel investment was easier in this market than before.  And it makes sense, since less competition combined with more places to look for funding make this a good time for companies to secure investment.  

It is true that angel investors are becoming more cautious, and one will need a strong, convincing business plan (or some already existing activity) in order to secure such funding, but this has always been the case.  However, sites such as the Mid-Atlantic Investment Network help potential entrepreneurs and existing start-ups alike find more channels in which to reach these investors.  

Many companies will look to raise “Seed Capital” from a wide variety of courses, including friends and family.  But the Mid-Atlantic Investment Network allows members to look beyond that, with the ability to broadcast your plans to other potential investors online.

While technology remains one of the top niches in angel investment (such as the recent development by an entrepreneur in Maryland to develop software that uses facial recognition technology to determine who can see the content on-screen), other fields are also attracting entrepreneurs and angel investors these days.  Our network has active investors and entrepreneurs in fields such as Real Estate, Retail, Business Services, Transportation, Health Care, Entertainment, Agriculture and more.  

A wide range of investors are members, including various angel investors from within Mid-Atlantic regions such as Delaware, Maryland (including Baltimore), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, etc), Virginia, West Virginia and Washington D.C, but also features investors located across the country and internationally.

Join the Mid-Atlantic branch of the Angel Investment Network today and find someone to help get your business off of the ground.

How to excel at the ultimate oxymoron: a recession-era corporate holiday party

How to Excel at the Ultimate Oxymoron: a Recession-era Corporate Holiday Party

Copyright (c) 2008 Jennifer Selby Long

Today I’d like to share with you my thoughts on the upcoming holiday season and that most complex event: the corporate holiday party that coincides with an economic meltdown.

Despite the weak economy, or perhaps because of it, most companies in the U.S. plan to carry on with their holiday parties. As a leader in attendance at this event, it’s important to strike a tone that is festive without appearing to lose sight of the larger context. Remember that all eyes are on you, even in non-office settings — perhaps even more so in non-office settings where your behavior will be seen as «the real you.»

Corporate holiday parties remain one of the weirdest hybrids of work and play that I have ever experienced. They’re a veritable minefield in which if you perform well, absolutely no one will remember you, and if you perform poorly, everyone will remember you for years to come — for all the wrong reasons. In the spirit of ensuring the former and not the later, I offer these tips.

How to Get in the Right State of Mind

As a leader, if you’re stressed and fearful, your feelings will leak out no matter how hard you try to appear confident. The more you feel freaked out, the more people around you will feel freaked out, no matter how hard you try to hide it, so you’ve got to go to the source.

Whenever you feel fearful, focus your attention on the vision for the company, on positive steps the leadership team is taking to lead the organization through the recession.

I sat in on a senior staff meeting held by one of my clients earlier this week and he was absolutely inspiring. He told his team, «We have to plan for the worst, but we also have to plan for the success that will follow this downturn — because when it comes back, we will see absolutely enormous demand.» While acknowledging a rough current situation, he was also reassuring his team that he saw a bright future for the company.

Now, I’m not suggesting that you discuss the prospect of lay-offs or plant closures at the holiday party! However, do keep your mindset positive in the coming weeks so that whenever you are surrounded by employees, that positive energy rubs off on them and your upbeat attitude is authentic.

How to Choose Your Attire: This Year, It’s Easy

This year, even if you are doing well, it’s a good idea to dial down the bling a notch or two.

— Leave the gold Rolex at home. You don’t have to wear a Swatch, but please be cautious about flashing a $30,000 timepiece to people who are worried about getting laid off, paying their bills, and other basic needs.

— For the female executives, this is an easier year for corporate party attire than last year, since a more classic, subdued look is appropriate to the economic climate, as well as to your role as an executive. Choose from the many options out there, or go full-on recession-chic by wearing something already in your closet.

— I always greatly admire a woman with the guts and style to wear an elegant tuxedo to a corporate event, but only try this if you have great style and the confidence to pull it off without showing off. Corporate parties are about reinforcing teamwork, not about individual stars outshining the rest of the pack.

— There’s no need to be downright drab. It’s a party after all. Wear a little bling if it’s your style. Just don’t take it as far as you might in boom times.

All bets are off if you work in the entertainment industry. If that’s the case, take everything I’ve written and ignore it.

And Now, for the Part You Really Don’t Want Me to Tell You…

If you’re as outgoing as I am when stone cold sober, just imagine how goofy you must look after a few drinks. A general guideline — you can probably handle about half as much as you think!

Particularly limit yourself to one or two drinks during cocktails, since there’s more to come with dinner.

This tip applies even if your superiors are stone-cold blottoed. That promotion or transfer you may want will in part be based on your good judgment in a variety of settings. No, it’s not fair, is it?

How to be a Great Conversationalist — a Pain-Free Approach

Nobody really cares what you do for a living or what projects you’re working on. Yet, in American culture, like work-a-holic lemmings we instinctively ask, «What do you do?» This is a particularly sensitive subject this year as many employees and spouses at the event may be recently laid off or anticipating the ax coming down soon. Don’t let party conversations turn glum by opening with shop talk. Make this party a chance for people to forget about their problems for an evening.

Become the greatest conversationalist they’ve ever met in their entire lives by not asking about work. Try, «What interests you outside of work?,» «What are you doing these days for fun?,» «What are your kids up to?,» or anything else that invites conversation on a subject of interest other than work.

Follow-up questions help, too. («You do scrapbooking with your friends. I didn’t realize that was a group hobby. How did you become interested in it?» «So your teenagers are budding Emo-Punk t-shirt designers. Wow. I’ve never heard of that. Tell me more.»)

Introduce yourself to every person at your table, and talk with each of them at some point during dinner, including the spouses, who will speak highly of you forever simply because you steered the conversation away from endless droning on about the office.

Bonus points if you remember names and introduce people to each other. Here’s a great trick for remembering names. My husband swears by it. As soon as you are introduced, say the individual’s name, as in, «Pleased to meet you, Kate.» Then use it two more times early in the conversation. The repetition makes it stick in your head.

And Now for my Favorite Tip for a Sit-Down Dinner

When you sit down next to the CEO, avoid eating his or her food by remembering that your bread plate is to the left and your drink is to the right. Cue yourself by forming an «o» with your index finger and thumb. On the left hand, this forms the letter «b» for bread, and on the right hand, the letter «d» for drink.

Try it now. See? Nifty, huh?

Don’t worry about getting caught doing this. It’s a great conversation starter. For example, the person next you just might say, «Ah, I see you read Traveling Light…»

Learn what you can do to be successful in your business, even in a recession

Learn What You Can Do to Be Successful in Your Business, Even in a Recession!

News reports contain plenty of bad news about the economy that can make an entrepreneur fear that it is not possible to be successful during a severe recession. Utilizing the right tools and mindset, it is very possible to be successful. Here are some things other profitable companies have done to grow profits during economic downturns.

Turn off the news and think about this: Customers will still spend money in a recession; they just become more selective on where to spend their dollars. They look for what appears to be a better deal, whether it is better pricing, better customer service, a special add-on, easier sales process, and more.

Even during the Great Depression (that began in 1929), consumers were still spending. Companies that survived, and even thrived, got creative and took action. Here are just a few examples from that time period:

* Kellogg and Post were once pretty close competitors until the Great Depression. Kellogg came out swinging, with heavy marketing; Post took the no-growth strategy — thinking they needed to save money and not spend it. Kellogg overtook Post, and Post has never caught up.

A similar situation occurred with Chevrolet and Ford. Chevrolet increased their marketing and had a large market lead over Ford for many years.

* Proctor and Gamble began a huge branding campaign by being the first company to sponsor radio soap operas, which was a significant form of entertainment and relaxation for listeners. Their name became a household word and remains so today.

* Bixler Jewelers, credited as the oldest jeweler in America, saw a drop in customer traffic and decided to open a free lending library in the store. This creative service addition brought more people into their store, and also kept their current customers coming back. In time, sales began to increase. Bixler Jewelers survived the Depression and are in existence today.

* A.E. Schmidt was a billiard table manufacturer when the Depression hit. They diversified and sold janitorial supplies to restaurants. They also sought new markets for their billiard tables, approaching the US government about the need to provide inexpensive and positive activities for those in government work camps during the long, boring evenings when they weren’t working ? and billiards became one of the top activities at those camps.

* Cornell Iron Works was a specialty ironworks provider. In the Depression, they broadened their market so that they not only made specialty railings, grates and stairways; they also made plain metal siding for delivery trucks and security doors.

Some entrepreneurs saw opportunities that others didn?t see during the Depression, and took them.

* Warren Buffet?s father, Howard, noticed that many brokerages had closed or were not taking new customers, yet there were still some people who wanted to invest in stocks, so he opened a brokerage.

* Walt Disney knew people still wanted entertainment, and provided it at a low cost through animated cartoons.

* Ever hear of Monopoly? The rise of this game occurred as another form of cheap entertainment. A small investment for the Monopoly game became a way to see hope in the future, and as players developed their money making skills, they could pretend they were real estate barons.

There have been severe recessions since the Great Depression ended, and during each one, new and existing businesses were built to great levels of success.

Two companies that began business in a recession are Domino’s Pizza and Toys R Us. They thrived by using new marketing models. Domino’s Pizza created a marketing campaign that no other pizza company had: if they didn’t deliver the pizza within 30 minutes, the customer did not have to pay for it. Toys R Us transferred the warehouse store concept to selling toys — a first for that niche.

A very short list of some other companies that started business during economic downturns include: Wrigley Gum, UPS, NewEgg, Super 8 Motel, Microsoft, Symantec, Nantucket Juice, Zippo Lighters and Hewlett Packard. These companies are giants, and are well-known by multitudes!

What are the main keys to success in these examples?

1. GET CREATIVE with marketing, business models, product diversification and positioning, and,

2. SEEK the opportunities that others do not see, and,

3. TAKE ACTION, because of, and in spite of, the economic news.

Don’t get caught up in the fear that is being propagated on the news channels. Instead, focus on what you can do to create you success, regardless of the current economy.

Lcd tv installation made simple

Lcd Tv Installation Made Simple

A lot of us prefer flat screen LCD and Plasmas over conventional TVs. If you have just bought a LCD TV and wondering where and how to fix it, look for appropriate mounts. Apart from mounts, there are other things that are required to fix your new TV on one of your favorite walls. Whatever your needs maybe, look online and get all that you need to fix your flat paneled TV. Now fixing your dream entertainment system at you home is as easy as a breeze with right flat screen TV mount and other products. You can also get help in terms of fixing them also. Everything related to installation of LCD or plasma TV at your place is at your fingertips now.

Recessed Cable Control Plate can be useful in connecting your flat TV to A/V components or receiver without any mess. If you do not want to show the cables and want to conceal them smartly, this cable control plate is a must. All your AV cables are relocated behind wall with clean and organized installation method using control plate. You do not have to deal with hideous wires anymore as cable control plate hides them underneath. TV mounts are also necessary for holding your flat screened LCD or Plasma TV. You can get different types of TV mounts that include ones that stand on the floor and others to hang your TV on wall. You can buy the easy to install TV mounts using internet now. Look for a company that provides you with LCD wall mounting kit to make your work easier.

Apart from TV mounts, cable control panel, recessed power receptacle is an important tool for placing your LCD. After acquiring the required equipments, you can also refer to guides online fir hanging your TV properly. There is ample information provided by the experts to hang the TV in place and without any botheration. Even with the detailed instructions, you still have problems in installing your TV, do not mess anymore and take professional help.

These professionals are well acquainted with installation process and also know where to place your entertainment system so that the place looks good and you are comfortable watching it. All the hardware that is required by your system is also looked for by these experts. They can help you with addition and system upgrades on timely basis so that you enjoy convenient and enjoyable Television experience. Consult the people who know about this area and you will be relish great services.

Look for the company that provides TV installation products, professional services for installation and also information on using these products. Getting in touch with such a company will help you in saving your valuable money and time. Have a happy entertainment experience with professional assistance by your side. Whether it is buying Recessed Outlet for your Plasma or availing services of installation; search online and let the experts handle it for you. You will not have a hard time setting up your entertainment system now.

How to benefit from working with speakers bureaus

How to Benefit From Working With Speakers Bureaus

What Speakers Bureaus Do For You

The bureau’s job is to know where and how to find the right speaker for your event, send you materials to review, schedule conference calls, secure / contract the speaker and facilitate financial arrangements. Like travel agents, speaker bureaus smooth the process for securing talent for your event and charge you nothing while saving you enormous amounts of time. Since speaker bureaus get paid from the speakers fee, they receive compensation only when you book a speaker they suggest.

Bureaus act as partners for researching speakers and finding the perfect match for your event. They can assist with determining the appropriate mix of content, personality and entertainment for the presentation. Finding the right speakers who can meet your needs and budget is the bureau’s objective.

Bureaus generally represent a large roster of speakers (ranging from local business experts to worldwide celebrities), and can also book speakers they don’t exclusively represent. Speakers bureaus work with professional speakers who are seasoned experts and have demonstrated excellent speaking skills, professionalism and expertise of their topic. The bureau interviews them, checks their references, reviews their performances in person or on tape and determines that they will deliver the best presentation for your event.

Bureau Process

First, bureaus will ask you about the goals and objectives for your event and about your company / division. During the interview, a bureau agent will listen to your program needs and assess what type of speaker would fit your program objectives and budget. Is your company downsizing? Experiencing tremendous change & growth? Sales slow? Company morale low? Conference theme?

Next, your bureau agent will research the large pool of available speakers to develop a short list of the top candidates for your event. Your agent will then send you you press kits and/or videos of the speakers you find most interesting. Finally, they will confirm availability for the speaker(s) you have chosen and will arrange all contracting, finances and specific presentation and travel requirements.

How to Maximize Your Bureau Relationship

Using Multiple Sources to Find Your Speaker

Since speaker bureau services are free, meeting planners will often contact numerous bureaus to help find a speaker. This can lead to confusion and wasted time. Instead of developing a close relationship with your chosen bureau and receiving a few excellent speaker suggestions for your event, you will receive piles of speaker kits (many duplicates) and dozens of calls from various bureau agents and speakers.

By using numerous bureaus, you can quickly diminish the time savings you would gain in the first place. Often, bureaus will not devote much time to these «multiple bureau» projects since they have less chance in closing a deal and the speakers they work with will be confused from multiple bureau contacts.

For example, a meeting planner contacts five bureaus and five bureaus send them four speakers for review (many are duplicates). What do they do then? Who do they choose to book the speaker? The meeting planner will have all five bureaus calling them to find out what their decision is and how they can help.

Communication

Bureau agents work hard to help meeting planners locate and book the perfect speaker. It is important to clearly communicate throughout the speaker search process. Give your bureau agent as much information about your goals and your chosen event theme as you can. Provide clear and quick feedback on speakers they may suggest and keep them informed about your selection process.

We all know the meeting process can be ever changing, especially committee run selection processes. Your bureau agent knows this, so don’t be afraid to involve them in your process, even if it means letting them know the budget has been cut this year or that the theme has changed. Your bureau agent wants all your events — for years to come — to be successes.

If you are using other sources, it is always a good policy to let your bureau(s) know others you may be working with. Let them know immediately if you are considering booking a speaker from another source. This way, multiple bureaus won’t continue contacting the same speaker trying to secure «holds» for your event date.

Bureaus take care of many of the details for booking speakers — from locating the perfect speaker(s) available for your event to contracting negotiations and presentation details — which ultimately saves you time and money. Working with bureaus is a time saving and rewarding experience.