Kickstarter Projects Generate Millions of dollars

Kickstarter Projects Generate Millions of dollars
By PETER SVENSSON

 
A funny thing happens on Kickstarter the website where people ask for money to finance their projects. Sometimes, they get more money than they ask for.

Sometimes, they get millions more.

In April, three-person startup Pebble Technology sought to raise $100,000 to make 1,000 wristwatches that can be programmed with different clock faces. Donors on Kickstarter showered them with more than 100 times that amount: $10.3 million. It would have gone higher had Pebble not put a cap on contributions and ended the fundraising early. see complete storyKickstarter projects generate millions of dollars

How Women Lead Differently, And Why It Matters

Alyse Nelson - August 9, 2012
President & CEO, Vital Voices
Fast Company Contributor

I think it's time women have a candid conversation about power. It's a conversation that will impact men and needs to include them. Together, we've reached a population of 7 billion; in another 38 years, we'll rise to 9 billion. Women make up 52 percent of the global whole and control $20 trillion in annual consumer spending. Our decisions have a measurable impact on local businesses, regional economies, and the transnational marketplace. How we choose to conceive and exert power as a group has the potential to define the 21st century.

In recent years, we've seen calls for accountability, fairness, and openness galvanize revolutionary movements and thinking. Long-held assumptions about who has power have been radically disrupted by technology and the culture of a digitally native generation. Influence isn't just wielded from the corner office anymore--influence is wired, it's mobile, it's six thousand miles away, being transmitted via Twitter. For Full Story go to How Women Lead Matters, and Why it Matters

Women-Owned Businesses Grows in 2012

New OPEN Study Reports Growth of Women-Owned Businesses for 2012

New Research on Women-Owned Business

Did you know there are now more than 8.3 million women-owned businesses in the US?

SIFE and Collegiate 100 Women in Business Seminar

Tamra Lewis -TRB & Associates

The members of the Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) at Prairie View A&M University teamed up with the 100 Collegiate Women of America for a Empowered Women's Business Seminar on March 27.

The purpose of the seminar, which was funded in part from the Walmart* Women's Economic Empowerment Partnership Grant, was to introduce and show women how to Start and Run Your Own Business. The Frederick Douglass Leadership Institute was also one of the sponsors for the program.
 
The seminar featured business woman and entrepreneur Tamra Lewis, owner of TRB & Associates of Houston, Texas.

Ariadne Pollitt - SIFE

Program Leader, Ariadne Pollitt, a member of SIFE and the 100 Collegiate Women, welcomed the audience, informed them of the program and the importance of them getting involved and introduced the speaker.  She also named several members of SIFE who had started their own business to include Brittani Phillips, who had authored a book and had created a Cookie Company, Jasmine Wiggins, co-founder of the Collegiate Mom Pageant Organization and Celestial Hall, owner of Claritoli Fashion Designs.  Incidentally, Ariadne also runs an original purse and handbag making business.


Under the banner of "Captain of My Ship" and "We wear the Hats", Lewis emphasized the importance of knowing who you are and what you want.  Part of the program focused on goal setting, identifying strengths and weaknesses, leadership and picking the right people to work with.  "Just because they are your friends, it does not mean they can be good business partners," Lewis cautioned the ladies. Highlighting her business venture, Lewis told the audience that "it's not going to be easy but you have to persevere and be committed to your passion. No one can do it like you, you go for it unceasingly." Incidentally, Lewis was a national speaker for the National Kidney Foundation having receive a kidney transplant, which has given her a new life to run her business.

The second part of the program presented by Frederick V. Roberts, one of the Advisors for SIFE and the Collegiate 100 Women focused on the how to start the business program.  Roberts distributed, what he called a simple "How To Model for Women Entrepreneurs" to ladies.  He discussed the need for creating and developing the idea for the business or the product, protecting the idea with Trade or Service Mark, developing a business plan, registering a DBA (Doing Business As assumed name), requesting EIN Number to establish a bank account, seeking capital, filing taxes and keeping great records. Roberts also told the audience about the importance of providing excellent services or products if you wanted to stay in business.  


The audience also received handouts and resources on the top businesses in America, which included the Best Businesses for Women, Business Start-ups by Women, Minority Business Success, Women in CEO Leadership in established businesses to emulate and organizations such as the American Business Women's Association, that could help them in their business ventures.  Mrs. Rebecca Faison donated information was from the Small Business Development Center at Prairie View A&M University for the participants.


This was one of the many planned events to enhance Empowered Women - The Business Connection and to expose the students to the myriad of  resources available to them.


The SIFE Team president is Alexus Hall, a junior Electrical Engineering Technology from Lake Charles, Louisiana. Dr. Rick Baldwin, Management Professor is the SIFE Sponsor/Advisor.  The Project Advisor is Frederick V. Roberts, former Assistant Director of Career Services.

For more information on the programs contact sife-pvamu@yahoo.com or the100collegiatewomen@yahoo.com.

Women at Prairie View A&M University and the surrounding communities of Hempstead and Waller, Texas can now count on the Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) to assist them in moving to the front of the line when it comes to business.  Why you may ask? Well the SIFE team recently received a Walmart Women's Economic Empowerment Partnership Grant that will fund and support its Women on the Move: The Business Network.  

The project is being led by Miss Ariadne Pollitt, a junior education major and Vice President for Programs in SIFE.  The project is designed to  assist college and high school female students and college moms in the creation and understanding of how to start and run a business.  the program will provide them with the education and resources needed to start a business.   They will also be exposed to successful women entrepreneurs in various industries who could serve as mentors and guide.

Participants will have an opportunity to punch the right buttons.

The Project will include various seminars, workshops that will provide assistance in product and service selection, legal assistance in registering trademark.  The participants will also learn the

details and procedures to creating a business plan, registering their businesses to secure DBA’s Certificates requesting and EIN Number, establishing a bank account and record keeping

The target audience is primarily college moms, college and high school women and women. The businesses are primarily in the beauty industry such as hair dressing, nail designs, fashion designs and other personal cosmetics and jewelry, and tutoring.

Participants in the program will come from various organizations that cater to the female students. The organization will also work with the student employment office to gain information on the students who have registered for employment but have not received an assignment. We will also work with the local Workforce and Worksource offices to provide assistance with the female clients who may have a skill that could be converted to a business operation.

The SIFE Team president is Alexus Hall, a junior Electrical Engineering Technology from Lake Charles, Louisiana. Advisor for the project is Frederick V. Roberts, and a Sam Walton Fellow.