Filed under: Uncategorized
So I have idea of a way to take money from the pockets of corporate big wigs and put it in the hands of the artisans. When Jessie and I went to Southeast Asia in 2006, we had the amazing opportunity to spend a lot of time with local entrepreneurs and business owners. One thing that I found was how inexpensive some of the hand-crafted products were. So we had the idea of bringing these products to the US and target a disposable income market. Something that would sell for maybe $6 in Viet Nam could sell in a global market for at least $30. we could pay the artisan 3x what they would make otherwise and keep the profits for growing the business.
I think that if folks knew that profits from their purchase would go towards helping small time entrepreneurs grow their businesses and help to strengthen foreign economies they wouldn’t mind spending a little more for hand crafted goods, unless you think Sam Walton could use some more money.
What do you think I could do to refine and strengthen this idea? Other comments?
Filed under: Uncategorized
I do apologize for the lack of posts lately. It has been really easy for me to neglect my promise to make, at minimum, weekly posts. The end of the school year, finals, and vacations flew by without any attention to all of you.
So on to other things. Have any of you heard of the Shingo prize? If you go to USU and have been in the business building, you have noticed a large, metal, gear with a red ribbon going through it, that is the Shingo prize. USU is the host for the Shingo prize. Basically the Shingo prize is a prestigious award given to manufacturing businesses that are operating the most effective and efficiently. A major philosophy that is being promoted is LEAN Training. It is an innovative program that aids any business in their goals to operating more effective and efficiently.
Why do I bring it up? LEAN is only offered at physical locations, what the Shingo prize committee wants to do is offer LEAN training online. This would make it easier for businesses around the nation to be able to receive training without having to travel to Utah to other universities for the training. I have volunteered to help set up this online LEAN Training course. I am working on the Marketing side of things and was wondering if any of you have any thoughts on a good way to catch students attention and interest it taking LEAN courses. Having an employee in the leadership of a business that is LEAN certified can be a very valuable asset to any company. Our market are students and existing business leaders
If you have any thoughts on what I can focus on that would be great. I hope you all had a great holiday and a happy new year.
~Sean
Filed under: Uncategorized
My buddy Eric Miller is refining a business idea. His idea is an Insurance company that has cheap premiums and low deductibles for students. If you could choose which medical services were covered what would your top 3 coverages be? I would choose:
1. Basic wellness visits (colds, Physicals, simple injuries, and the like)
2. Chiropractic
3. Emergency Room
If you could reply to this that would be great. If you have interest in talking to Eric about his idea let me know. I know that he is working on his idea for a class right now and wouldn’t mind talking about it.
Filed under: Thoughts
Well, lets get started! I’ve been reading a couple of books recently that I think have been pretty influential: “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Steven R. Covey, “Positive Imaging: The Powerful Way to Change Your Life” by Norman Vincent Peale, and “Winners Never Cheat: Lessons We Learned As Children But May have forgotten” by Jon Huntsman. Have any of you read any or all of these? Tonights reading was from Winners Never Cheat. Huntsman speaks about how the idea of the American Dream seems to be so unreachable in today’s world that the only way to be successful is to compromise ethics and morals. To obtain the American Dream, Huntsman mentions, takes courage, determination, integrity, and a few breaks.
Can we all agree with this? I like what Ron commented regarding obtaining anything worthwhile will “require blood, sweat, and tears.” Also Peale remarks about how he “never understand why the consequences of sin aren’t glaringly obvious to everyone.” I recall a news article about a man who owned two companies, one of which had just been accepted into a prestigious position on Wall Street. Shortly after the man was arrested for “cooking the books” with said successful company. He’d transfered millions of dollars worth of expenses to his second company so that the first company could bring in more shareholders dollars.
So what would we do if we were inches away from “success”? All you have to do is make one small choice and you’ll be on top. The great thing about all of these books is that the principles can all be found in the scriptures.
I was listening to “The Secret” this summer with Jeremy Brown and we couldn’t help but laugh at how simple the concepts the book was presenting. I felt like we went back to kinder garden. I then felt very grateful for the knowledge and privilege that the gospel enables us with. For Jeremy and I, we found “The Secret” to be not so much a secret as it was common sense.
What I gather from I’ve read so far is that anything worth having isn’t just worth working for, but fully desiring, enduring, selflessly giving, and exercising faith for.
Where do you stand? Gray isn’t Black or White.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Here is the article that John mentioned in his comment to “Something Big!” Check it out!
Filed under: Let it out
I’ve been thinking lately that i want to start something big. I’m not sure what, but I feel like it is larger than myself or most anyone else I know. I think that most of us want to be part of some think. For myself, I don’t know what that is. I have started up 5 businesses and have gotten nowhere. I definitely have learned from the experiences and wouldn’t trade them for the world, but I don’t feel like I have much to show for it other than a business card that says: Sean Smith; Student/Entrepreneur.
What are you pondering?
~Sean
Filed under: Introduction
I just attended a business meeting about blogging and I was so impressed. So, I started my own. I am looking forward to this worthwhile venture. And maybe I can do some valuable networking while I am here.
A little bit about me, my name is Sean Smith and I am currently a finance major at Utah State University. I am married to Jessie Smith, whom you will here from in the future. We have been married for about 2 and a half years now. I was born in Sandy, UT, grew up in Las Vegas, NV, and now enjoy all of the outdoor pleasures that Utah has to offer.
I would like to have this blog available for open entrepreneurial ideas, brainstorming, suggestions, and the encouragement of personal ethics. May the open forum begin!
~Sean
Thesmith 