The response has obviously been overwhelming. Its taken a lot of time, but I have gone through every post. More than 1,400 of them.
As is usually the case with any blog post, the vast majority of people don’t actually read the post before they write a response. So the vast majority were dismissed because they did not quality under the required terms. Of those that did meet the requirements, I gave priority to those that were already operating. My feeling is that if a business is profitable , or close to it, they are more likely to know how to use the capital to their advantage than a startup would be. There is more certainty in how they would use the funding and the results that could be gained from the investment. After all, the idea is to try to help businesses grow and add employees.
As of this morning, I had requested more information from 12 businesses. Of those, we have setup visits to see their operations for 2 of them. We are in the process of further evaluating another 5, and after receiving information from the other 5, we have decided not to pursue an investment.
If all goes well, the 2 will be funded in less than 2 weeks, start to finish. The other 5 will hopefully end up in visits and funding as well. Of the 7, the amounts requested range from about $20k to more than $100k. As we finalize the deals , either to completion or to a determination that we walk away, I will post more information.
I also continue to welcome posts with your business ideas. This process has worked well. I have to admit that there were ideas that were new to me, but posters educated me on competitors and issues for those businesses. Others weren’t as interesting, but posters added more information that made the idea make more sense. I want to keep this going as long as we can. If you keep on posting, I will continue to review them. For as many as I can, where I think I can ask a question or comment that adds value, I will do so.
As a reminder for those of you who actually do read the posts, here are the rules once again:
1. It can be an existing business or a start up.
2. It can not be a business that generates any revenue from advertising. Why ? Because I want this to be a business where you sell something and get paid for it. Thats the only way to get and stay profitable in such a short period of time.
3. It MUST BE CASH FLOW BREAK EVEN within 60 days
4. It must be profitable within 90 days.
5. Funding will be on a monthly basis. If you dont make your numbers, the funding stops
6. You must demonstrate as part of your plan that you sell your product or service for more than what it costs you to produce, fully encumbered
7. Everyone must work. The organization is completely flat. There are no employees reporting to managers. There is the founder/owners and everyone else
8. You must post your business plan here, or you can post it on slideshare.com , scribd.com or google docs, all completely public for anyone to see and/or download
9. I make no promises that if your business is profitable, that I will invest more money. Once you get the initial funding you are on your own
10. I will make no promises that I will be available to offer help. If I want to , I will. If not, I wont.
11. If you do get money, it goes into a bank that I specify, and I have the ability to watch the funds flow and the opportunity to require that I cosign any outflows.
12. In your business plan , make sure to specify how much equity I will receive or how I will get a return on my money.
13. No mult-level marketing programs
And one new rule.
14. If you contact me separately, whether via email or the contact form on the blog, your request WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. It must be posted on this blog for all to see and comment on.
Good Luck !
Twitter asks “what are you doing.”? My startup asks “what do you want?.”
Once they sign up at the site, users tweet random requests. Followers tweet back with solutions or suggestions.
Businesses or anyone wishing to sell something sign up with a business account to have their tweets bypass the follower system, for a fee of a couple cents per tweet. The tweets by businesses or anyone wishing to sell something will be controlled by the website to optimize the response to the user and limited by the website to eliminate spamming.
If the site is popular, it will generate millions of requests per day, millions of responses from followers, and millions of sellers per day. Followers are not charged for responses. But when sellers are charged one cent per tweet to bypass the follower system so that we can tweet their solution/suggestion, that comes to about $10,000 per day.
Investors will get half of the revenue from the website.
Comment by Tim -
2. It can not be a business that generates any revenue from advertising. Why ? Because I want this to be a business where you sell something and get paid for it. Thats the only way to get and stay profitable in such a short period of time.
http://www.prweb.com/releases/SMaSh_Technologies/Mark_Cuban/prweb2340914.htm
I guess it’s ok to sell the kool-aid mix, just not the kool-aid?
Comment by Matt -
Hi M.C.-
This is my idea. A sanitary bed that enables people with little or no mobility to expel impurities from the body, exerting little physical energy due to medical condition, age or other physical factors. How is this bed beneficial: It gives the person a since of dignity, self reliance and respect. It also allows medical staff, Home health staff, assistance living staff, and patients living at home less stress due to lifting, moving, and assisting in the process of bowel movement. The bed will eliminate the process of cleaning unwelcome messes. How this bed works: Picture a hospital bed or a regular bed with a stool mechanically installed into the bed. There would be two levers on the side of the bed that controls the mechanics of the bed one lever to open the bed and bring up the stool flushed with the bed.Once flushed you could adjust the bed to ones comfort so that defecating or urinating would be simple. The second lever would be used after one had finished there business to extract the waste in a simple process that has lining within the stool to take up and dispose. This idea Sanitary Bed would revolutionize the bed industry and offer a lot of relief to people with the stated physical conditions. Every person I have communicated this idea to can relate to this through a family member or friend how it would be helpful. How do we create such a bed? I have contacted the manufacturing gurus of the industry Hill- Rom corp. and N.O.A Bed manufacturing .Hill Rom has not responded I guess due to the fact that they due over a billion in revenue a yr don’t have time for the little guy and N.O.A has responded which I will share with you,don’t have the resources they say. I have contacted the Governor office (Rick Perry) for assistance in new idea invention and funding resources and was sent an email of some information that I don’t see how it would help. This bed would create jobs just in the manufacturing of it and sales would I believe soar because of its need. The investor would set his or her terms of how they would receive there return. I believe in this idea/product and I hope you will to. Below is an email correspondence I had with N.O.A on the idea. Thanks for your time in reading.
From: Jones, Micah
Sent: Thu 3/26/2009 8:38 PM
To: ‘Amy Holtmeyer’
Subject: RE: bed invention
Hi Amy-
I am sending some drawings in a pdf file. The engineer will be able to see what I am trying to put together. My peers think sending information before the paten is complete isn’t wise. You have responded to my e-mail and have promptly returned information concerning the idea and I believe that we will have a wonderful working relationship if your company decides to move forward with this awesome idea. Thanks, Micah
——————————————————————————–
From: prvs=0336399a91=aholtmeyer@noamedical.com [mailto:prvs=0336399a91=aholtmeyer@noamedical.com] On Behalf Of Amy Holtmeyer
Sent: Thursday, March 26, 2009 2:38 PM
To: Jones, Micah
Subject: RE: bed invention
Hi Micah-
My engineer is asking for more details…like pictures, drawings, etc.
Thanks,
Amy
From: Jones, Micah [mailto:Micah.Jones@dhs.gov]
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2009 5:24 PM
To: Amy Holtmeyer
Subject: RE: bed invention
Hi Amy, I’m in the process of trying to get a Prototype, C.A.D and Paten on the idea. It’s a matter of me getting it funded. The process takes awhile “I’m learning”, that’s why I contacted your company for possible help in the process. To elaborate this bed is an invention that would enable patients with little to no mobility expels feces or other impurities. Giving the patient a sense of integrity and less stress on staff and family members.
——————————————————————————–
From: prvs=0333089ac2=aholtmeyer@noamedical.com [mailto:prvs=0333089ac2=aholtmeyer@noamedical.com] On Behalf Of Amy Holtmeyer
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2009 8:08 AM
To: Jones, Micah L
Subject: bed invention
Good Morning Micah-
Could you elaborate a little more for me so I know who to send your information to please?
Thank you,
Amy L. Holtmeyer
Sales Administration Manager
NOA Medical Industries
800-633-6068
636-239-7600 ext. 110
636-239-6900 fax
Comment by Micah Jones -
Mr. Cuban–
This request is not so much about starting a new business as it is about finishing up some business.
I am a high school agriculture teacher. My student organization (FFA) held a meats sale fundraiser this year. In year past we would take orders from the community in advanced, order from the fundraising company, wait two weeks for delivery and distribute the items to our customers. Every year I get calls from people that either missed the sale or want more. The company and more accurately our school, doesn’t allow reorders.
This year I chose to try something different. I looked at our sales numbers for the past 3 years and added 10% to 20% to it and ordered the items in advance. I thought that when we announced our sales, the community would come to us. I was wrong.
Our original bill was $17,000. To date we have earned through sales and other events approximately $8,000. The company has not charged any late fees or set a due date yet. We have items in the freezers here at school and are making small sales daily.
My administration has frozen all student activities for our organization. They have cancelled our planned trips this summer. We had planned to attend the State FFA convention in Dallas in July and send students to a leadership conference in Washington DC. We had set aside other funds for these trips and were working separately on the money for them.
Mr. Cuban, you don’t know me and probably we will never meet. I’ve debated with myself about posting this blog. I remember listening to you on the Russ Martin show a few years ago when I lived outside of Dallas. You always struck me as a business man that is willing to help young people out. I am asking for your help in this. I have a feeling that if this debt is not paid by the end of school (June 5th) they may shut our program down and let me go. Your generous gift of $4,000 or $5,000 or even all remaining $8,000 would be appreciated. I’ll even bring my members and come cook fajitas, tamales, chicken strips, hams or any of our other items for you in Dallas.
Mr. Cuban, I thank you for your time and attention to this. Once again I know this is not in the true spirit of your stimulus package as posted, however, I felt it was worth a shot.
Comment by Donnie W. Reed -
Mr. Cuban, We realize we may be a little late, but we would like to present to you, Kind Bicycles LLC. Our entire business plan is posted on slideshare at:
http://www.slideshare.net/KindBicycles/kind-bicycles-business-plan-1246763
Kind is a new brand focusing on affordable and easy to buy, ride and maintain bicycles in the fastest growing cycling category, the urban/city market with a commitment to sustainable social and environmental business practices.
Kind Bicycles offers bike shop quality bikes that are simple, versatile, affordable, functional and competitively priced delivered to your door.
Selling bikes online has created obstacles in the past but Kind eliminates them by offering free delivery, fully assembled bikes (just attach the front wheel and minor adjustments to the seat and handlebars and you are ready to go) and a simple fitting system that fits a large range of body types.
Kind is seeking $80,000 in capital for the final assembly, shipment and delivery for our current order of 300 bikes from Asia to the U.S. We anticipate being cash flow positive from the outset and have a 128 unit break even point with a forecast of 175 units sold in the first 90 days based on interest in the current model.
Kind will pay a dividend of 8% annually and pay back the $80,000 in equal installments in years three to five, leaving the investors with a total of 40% equity in the company after the payback.
After the initial investment and selling through the first order, Kind retains sufficient cash-on-hand that allows for a healthy growth every year through year five without the need for additional capital.
Comment by Wayne Thompson -
Mr. Cuban
If you are still looking for ideas to fund. Here is one. I am the guy you see at the Lifetime Club, doing Karate and talking to you sometimes.
I think that this project will produce a profit within 60 days, or less. It is a project to do a series of DVD’s and Books to train people to be a MMA fighter. You already have all the necessary ingredients to make it very inexpensive to do. You can use your production facilities at HD net to film the DVD’s and you can use your HD Fights shows and HD Fights internet presence to promote and sell the DVD’s. So your expenses will be very small. I have a detailed spreadsheet if you want to look at it.
Do not take any of the Productions numbers below as facts, as you can write most of them off. All we need to pay is a little to the “talent” for the DVD sections, and many of them will do it for the back end money potential.
Would love to talk to you about it, not at the club, where I bother you, but to one of your people at an office.
Dr. Ted Gambordella
http://www.blackbeltinabox.com
The Ultimate Mixed Martial Training Program DVD’s
So you want to be a Mixed Martial Artist?
Think: Mixed Martial Arts is Hot and there is NO comprehensive Training Program that teaches all aspects of what it takes to be a Great MMA Fighter. Until Now.
Synopsis:
So you want to be an Ultimate Fighter? The MMA Training Program is the first and only MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) training program that teaches All training that is needed to be a Great MMA. . Each DVD we will feature interviews, highlights and training with the World’s Best MMA Fighters and Teachers. It will be the first time that the huge MMA audience can receive actual Training in MMA techniques, not just videos of fights, but actual fighting techniques from the World’s Best Trainers.
We will train young men and women who want to be an Ultimate Fighter and show them in training with the best Teachers in the World. They will learn ALL the techniques and training required to become a World Class Ultimate Fighter or Mixed Martial Artist Fighter.
There are millions of young men and women who watch MMA fights each week and who would like to learn some MMA techniques. And there are 1,000’s of martial arts schools teaching Some of the MMA techniques required to become a World Class Fighter, but most MMA teachers simply do NOT know all the techniques. This is the first time that full MMA training will be taught in a DVD Series. We also intend to feature the entire training program Online with full access to training and downloading of videos.
This will be the first time that Actual MMA Training will be done by World Class Teachers. Each show will feature several full training scenes where they competitors will learn to do actual techniques along with the audience. Chokes, Take Downs, Boxing, Throws, Kicks, Conditioning, Weight Training will all be taught. Everything one needs to become an Actual MMA Fighter will be taught on the show.
We will feature on site training from the World’s Best Trainers. Each DVD will showcase specific skills, techniques and training for individual aspects of becoming a Great Mixed Martial Artist. The audience won’t want to miss a minute of the exciting training and interesting interviews and demonstrations.
12 Set DVD Program Includes:
1. Wrestling Takedowns: Featuring Olympic Wrestling Gold Medal Champion, Kenny Monday. Mr. Monday will show us some effective Take Downs. How to set them up, make them work , and practice alone and with a partner.
2. Kick Boxing: Featuring former the only World Kick Boxing and World Boxing Champion, Troy Dorsey.
3. Muah Thai and Tae Boxing: Featuring World Champion Muah Thai Boxing Teacher. Saekson Janjira • 6 Time Undefeated World Champion
4. Weight Training: Featuring 8 times Mr. Olympia, Ronnie Coleman. Ronnie will show us how to lift weights and get the body ready for competition.
5. Boxing Training: Featuring the trainer of World and Olympic Champion Box trainer. Dan Campbell
6. Judo Throws and take downs: Featuring Piotr Chelstowski
Yo-Dan – 4th Degree Judo and San-Dan – 3rd Degree Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt is a professional European martial arts trainer, who graduated from the Polish Academy of Sport and Physical Education and holds a Masters Degree, with a Judo Specialization. As a competitor and a Martial Arts instructor he has studied several hand-to-hand combat systems including judo, jiu-jitsu, sambo, kick-boxing and aiki-jitsu.
7. No Gi Jiu Jitsu: Featuring World Champion Carlos Machado. Carlos will show us how to do finishing moves and how to protect yourself on your back.
8. Conditioning: Featuring World Famous Trainer Larry North. Larry will show us how he conditions the body to be able to go 3 rounds at super high intensity.
9. Mental Conditioning: Featuring Grandmaster Ted Gambordella. Author of 38 books and 24 DVD’s.
10. Nutrition: Featuring World Famous Nutritionist, Terry Ashford. Terry will tell us what to eat to get the maximum training benefits and to stay fit for the fights.
11. Clothing: Featuring Art of War clothing and equipment, for male and female.
12. Kicking and MMA techniques: Featuring former World Kick Boxing Champion and UFC Champion. Guy Mezger.
12 Set DVD. Cost $120 to $240. Or $20 individually.
Production Costs:
Talent: $6,000 to $12,000. $500 to $1,000 per teacher for filming. Plus 10% of 10% of profits from sales. Plus 50% discount for personal use or resale.
Filming and Editing: $6,000 to $12,000. $500 to $1,000 a DVD. We plan of shooting each teacher 4 to 8 hours and getting 1 to 4 hours of usable video.
Production Costs: $2,500 artwork, packaging, literature
Executive Producer: $5,000. Grandmaster Ted Gambordella. Plus 25% gross profits from all sales. Ted will produce all the shows, write scripts, do editing and posting and arrange production of final products.
HDN Organization: 65% of all Net Profits. To be shared as they see fit with investors.
Profit Potentials: Wal-Mart, Best Buy 10,000 units in 6 months. 50,000 in 2 years. $12,000,000 Net
Online: 1,000 monthly subscriptions in 6 months. 10,000 active in 1 year at $25 a month. Or $120 downloaded. $2,400,000 net.
International: 10,000 units in 1 year. $2,400,000
Comment by Dr. Ted Gambordella -
And now it’s back times two – – FREAKY!!!
More “power” to you Ana. Think you have a great idea. hope others take the time to read it. have fun!!!! i am checking out your website!
Comment by r.wright -
Benjamin Franklin said, “Energy and persistence conquer all things.” Driven to make a difference is Siale, LP. This green energy company dares you to throw out your disposable batteries and cut the cords of conventional electrical devices. Renewable, sustainable power supplies that are not bound by the limits of the nearest outlet or the burning of fossil fuels. Our breakthroughs in power generation, recovery, discharge and storage are balanced with the forging of new magnetic technologies to revolutionize this industry into more than just a cliche. Do you know when the wind will blow or the sun will shine? Siale, LP is poised to emerge as the leader in alternative energy production through the independence of their devices and innovative adaptations of their technology.
We are currently seeking an infusion of investment capital to not only finalize remaining prototypes and fact sheets, but in preparation for fulfilling several multi-million dollar contractual obligations. Understanding that inspiration and innovation are spawned by experience, our ideal investor will not only be accredited, but willing to lend their time and talents to the exciting creative processes at Siale, LP. In exchange for your fiscal and professional support, an investor can expect to receive a substantial return on their investment including contractual residuals in conjunction with royalty payments.
Mr. Cuban, we are seeking immediately available funds in an effort to meet accelerated time tables provided by some of our pending business partners who are pressing us to obtain our technologies. We are soliciting an initial investment of $500,000 to $1,000,000. Our suggested return on investment would be 2.5% to 5.0% of annual revenue (distributable cash). As per our Business Plan and Product Placement Memorandum, this would be up to 5% of our Class B ownership interest, which is capped out at 10%.
We have attached a copy of our Business Plan, but have not attached a copy of our Product Placement Memorandum. The PPM contains patented and proprietary information and is not available for publishing. Any additional information required will be provided upon request.
Business Plan
Siale, LLC
&
Siale, LP
This document contains proprietary and confidential information. All data submitted to the holder of this document is provided in reliance upon the holders consent not to use or disclose and information contained herein except in context of business dealings with Siale, LLC and Siale, LP. The recipient of this document agrees to inform it’s present and future employees and partners who view and have access to the document’s content of it’s confidential nature.
The recipient agrees that they must not disclose any information concerning this document to others except to the extent that such matter are generally known too, and are generally available for use by, the public. The recipient also agrees not to duplicate or distribute, or permit others to duplicate or distribute any material contained herein without Siale LP’s direct consent.
Siale, LLC and Siale, LP retains all title, ownership and intellectual property rights to the materials and trademarks contained herein, including all supporting documentation, files, marketing material, and multimedia
BY READIND THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENT, THE RECEPIENT AGREES TO BE BOUND BY THE AFOREMENTIONED STATEMENT.
Quick Information Sheet
Siale is a Technology Company focusing on Research and Development:
The economic projection is to grow the company’s net profits to $100,000,000 over the next three years.
Our primary mission for the first two years is research and development and high end industry partnerships, which will ensure the marketing of our product.
Siale will take on the role of in house manufacturing in the third year of business to generate an even higher profit margin.
Siale will remain on the cutting edge of renewable power generation technology
Siale is supported by leading industry developers to help insure this company stays competitive, coupled with strong corporate manufacturing partnerships.
In order to protect both designed and intellectual property, Siale owns and will develop the main utility patents and several design patents, on which their technology is based.
Siale will avoid technological obsolescence by remaining focused on cutting edge research and development. Siale has the advantage of being the first truly effective renewable energy company.
We will retain key employees by offering competitive pay and benefits, focusing on team development, and by keeping our staff engaged in the technologies we continue to develop.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
By focusing on it’s strengths, key customers, and the underlying values they need, Siale will increase research, development and trade, while improving the gross margin on sales, cash management and working capital.
Siale is built on the notion that the management of technology and the desire for innovation are key goals for our business. The achievement of these goals will position us as the most influential leader in the field of renewable energy.
In order to accomplish our objectives, the keys to success over the next three years are:
· Differentiate from non-renewable energy sources and for
profit conglomerates, by offering and delivering new,
renewable, environmentally friendly energy, service and
support – and charging for it.
● Increase gross margin to more than 30%.
● Increase our energy supply and modular power hardware
sales to 100% of possible manufacturing by the third
year.
“Green Energy” or renewable energy is the fastest growing segment of the power, energy, and fuel market. The growth potential for such a resource is limitless. Siale has positioned itself to be a leader in this industry and take full advantage of the constant demand for change and the demand for a cleaner source of stable and reliable energy.
Siale is complimented by the amazing working relationships of the partners and the knowledge and integrity they bring to the table. Siale has some of the leading engineers and scientists fueling the expanding development process; coupled with two of the leading minds in marketing and business solutions.
This business plan leads the way. It encompasses our vision and strategic focus: adding value to our target market segments and new power sources to the everyday consumer, as well as to the worldwide corporate powerhouses. It also provides the step-by-step plan for improving the gross margin on sales, cash management and working capital. In order to implement these changes and improve profitability, we plan to actively seek investments for up to $10,000,000 this year. This amount is in-line with the balance sheet capabilities.
This funding will further our research and development process as we continue to seek large consumer contracts based on the renewable kinetic energy concepts Siale is developing.
Siale was founded as a research and development company in the field of renewable energy. Siale is pioneering new ways of harnessing kinetic energy utilizing break-through Technology merged with Faradays Law. At Siale we are making advancements in maintaining power supply and duration, while implementing a constant source of renewable energy. There is an increasing and voracious demand for renewable energy. The engineers of Siale have devised a way to meet the demands by putting an emphasis on design, service and support to distinguish this company from short-term, profit-only oriented competitors.
Siale is a privately-held LLC with an LP owned in majority by its Founder and President, Elizabeth Ann Capell. There are other owners and Partners that currently make up the Board of Directors at Siale. The company will include 7 initial employees, under the President and Board of Directors. Our two management divisions are Research and Development and Marketing. The Research and Development division currently handles the largest amount of Siale’s work and interest, including but not limited to, design of new technology, researching current power needs and capabilities, support, training, and development. At present, Siale’s greatest opportunity for improvement is in the area of manufacturing capabilities and marketing programs, Siale has made it a goal to license manufacturing for the first two fiscal years of our business so we can develop the strongest manufacturing plan possible.
Recent changes in the energy generation market have adversely affected our competitors but have proven to be a great advantage to Siale as we have developed a much sought after form of renewable energy. The challenges for our competitors include: demand for renewable energy, margin squeezes, longer collection periods, and lower inventory turnovers. All of these concerns are part of the general trend affecting and limiting the current companies trying to compete in the oil, electric, and power generation markets. Siale will benefit from these obstacles as our flexibility will allow us to generate substantial growth. The margin squeeze is happening throughout the energy industry worldwide. There has not been a significant advancement in the creation of energy since World War II, but Siale is revolutionizing the development of new and renewable energy sources, which gives us the greatest competitive edge on the global market of energy production. Our research and development services, which will capture the market share, are to include such services as; research and development, marketing, upgrade offers, installation services, power configuration services, and much more. The company will seek to aggressively pursue new opportunities.
BUSINESS DESCRIPTION AND STRATEGY
The following description of our proposed development should be read in conjunction with the information included elsewhere in this Memorandum. This description contains many forward-looking statements concerning our proposed development. These forward-looking statements involve a high degree of risk and many uncertainties, some of which are set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors.” As a result, the Partnership’s actual future results could differ significantly from the anticipated future results discussed in this Memorandum and from the Desired Returns.
Overview of the Industry:
High oil prices, new exploration and production of new technologies, aggressive cost-reduction programs by industry and the emergence of unconventional resources contribute to the outlook for continued growth in non-fossil fuel based energy.
M. K. Hubbert (Shell Oil scientist and USGS geophysicist) used a clever calculation to incorporate economic principles. He determined the energy it takes to extract a barrel of oil and pointed out that when it takes more energy than it generates, production will cease. “Hubbert’s Peak” is the point at which oil extraction costs increase enough to cause a decrease in oil production. Specifically, the peak will be defined as the first year in which production is lower than the previous year due to the costs of extraction. In the real world, this will be the time world oil prices rise, forcing alternative energy into the limelight.
In reality, the NYMEX oil futures market will cause oil prices to rise well in advance, making investment in alternative energy economic well before the peak.
The limitation of current alternative fuels lies not so much in the availability of renewable resources, or the technology to harness them, but the cost of doing so. Most of these technologies cost more, currently, than using fossil fuels.
The real issue with fuel cells is that they’re not as good as their proponent’s say they are. The problem with wind and solar is their reliability. The sun doesn’t always shine; the wind doesn’t always blow.” The energy being generated from the research at Siale is constant, reliable, and renewable.
Today’s alternative fuels have limitations in their high production costs and low yields of energy. These sources also have high opportunity costs associated with their production. At Siale our alternative energy products are not only manufactured with cost in mind, but the challenges of meeting escalating energy demand while minimizing waste and pollution.
Siale’s Kinetic Energy will directly compete with the world’s 4 largest fuel sources, oil, gas, coal, and biomass. It is one of only two renewable energy sources not requiring massive government subsidy to compete with fossil fuels. Siale’s energy has application in 90% of all power generation markets, compared to a 2% maximum market share for wind and solar energies. Siale has the only immediate strategy that can radically reduce green house gas emissions at little or no capital investment costs to industry, and with huge returns based on the projected market share.
The Problem:
Recent changes in the energy generation market have adversely affected our competitors but have proven to be a great advantage to Siale as we have developed a much sought after form of renewable energy. The challenges for our competitors include: demand for renewable energy, margin squeezes, longer collection periods, and lower inventory turnovers. All of these concerns are part of the general trend affecting and limiting the current companies trying to compete in the oil, electric, and power generation markets which will , and generate Siale’s growth. The margin squeeze is happening throughout the energy industry worldwide. There has not been a significant advancement in the creation of energy since World War II, but Siale is revolutionizing the development of new and renewable energy sources, which gives us the greatest competitive edge on the global market of energy production.
Our Solution:
Siale is a research and design company focusing on a renewable power energy source. This source is based on energy of motion. What makes Siale such a powerful company s that the research engineers working for Siale have found a way to manipulate energy into a constant renewable resource at a very low cost to the consumer. It is a highly advance technology with limitless fueling capabilities, at Siale, the scientist have come up with ground-breaking ways to manipulate Faraday’s Law and implant new kinetic energy solutions with real work applications.
Sales and Marketing Strategy:
Siale’s current market plan is simplified to be cost effective to the company’s benefit. During the first two years of fiscal operation, Siale will remain a research and development company. Technologies will be licensed for manufacturing and large sales contracts will be obtained through major global corporations, to support Siale’s net profit growth. During the third year Siale will undertake a transformation and begin to expand to in house manufacturing of products we develop, giving us a greater share of the potential profits we are seeking.
Strategy for Return on Investment:
Generating strong, stable cash flow is a major focus as we strive to build our business. Siale will maintain and enhance financial flexibility, and increase shareholder value.
Our priorities for the use of cash flow include funding innovation in our products, acquiring contracts with companies and brands to complement our existing business. Prioritization depends on which uses are expected to generate the highest shareholder returns. At Siale, we will stay active and successful on all fronts.
Siale has already started establishing major partnerships with industry leaders and fortune 500 companies that specialize in power generation. This will help Siale grow to a $100,000,000 company within the first three years. Market research suggests, based on the current demand for renewable energy, that, while saving the average consumer money and providing an environmentally friendly product, Siale will have the opportunity to modernize current energy usage into a new market. At Siale, the Partnership is continuing to seek large industry partners who are willing to adopt the technology for widespread use through the world
How will we produce, sell or license our ideas?:
We believe such partnerships, as stated above, will provide a substantial up-front licensing fees for exclusive use of the Technology, with ongoing royalties to be paid thereafter. We anticipate such partners will fully fund the costs associated with the appropriate governmental approvals and will be responsible for the ongoing marketing of the technology. While still allowing Siale to maintain full control over the patents.
DESIRED RETURNS
The following Desired Returns were developed by the General Partner and are based upon assumptions that the Partnership believes to be reasonable. The assumptions may be incomplete or incorrect, and unanticipated events and circumstances are likely to occur. Actual results for the periods in the projections will vary, and the variations may be material and adverse. The Desired Returns should be reviewed in conjunction with “Risk Factors” and “Description of the Business.”
Desired Return on Investment:
The goal of the Partnership is to license rights to the Technology for approximately $500 million. We will be able to reach these goals in the following ways:
Siale currently has several companies that are currently in the process of negotiating sales contracts for Siale’s technologies. These companies have engaged Siale with strong intentions of buying royalties of current designs.
$10,000,000: “The Pinwheel” project – Initial contract for the market design of product.
$200,000,000: “The Pinwheel” project – Secondary contract for the market design of product to include high density alterations and advanced characteristics. (2nd generation product.)
$160,000,000: “The Rounder and The Shake-Up” project – Primary contract for combined technologies leading to Siale’s 3rd contract for the market design of product.
$150,000,000: “Reverse Polarization Battery” project – Market design of several of our designs to create a total package of innovative technology in the renewable energy field, completing Siale’s 4th contract.
In addition, we anticipate another $50 million in “milestone payments” to be earned as follows: (a) $20 million upon approval by the EPA and the DOE; and (b) $30 million upon approval by United Nations Green Energy Network.
Finally, we anticipate ongoing annual royalties equal to 25% of pre-tax net revenue.
Methodology for Pricing Structure and Royalties
The need for renewable energy has been the dominate force in the current energy producing market. Bio-mass companies have been generating about $250 million collectively plus milestone payments (based on regulatory approvals) and royalties. These details were widely reported in scientific journals and newsletters and through the Department of Energy since May 2001.
In contrast, Siale’s energy source can be used in several additional applications making it universal in application. Accordingly, since the Technology is universal and has certain provable advantages over conventional technology (i.e., durability, low cost of product, renewability and safety), we placed a value of $500 million on the rights to the Technology. That is, an amount twice times that of other renewable energy sources (due to its multiple uses) that has been reasonably discounted to take into account certain redundant conceptual features.
Historically, new energy technology royalties can range anywhere from around 6% to 40% based on certain criteria which includes profitability, uniqueness, and exclusivity. Siale has chosen to pursue a 25% royalty on pre-tax net revenue, representing a median percentage.
We believe these projections are achievable due to (a) historically high gross margins (as much as 34%) on these kinds of products and (b) the dramatic increase in market share and profitability the technology will bring to the licensee.
you said be persise and follow the following rules:
1. It can be an existing business or a start up. – we are considered a start up.
2. It can not be a business that generates any revenue from advertising. Why ? Because I want this to be a business where you sell something and get paid for it. That’s the only way to get and stay profitable in such a short period of time. – we don’t
3. It MUST BE CASH FLOW BREAK EVEN within 60 days. – This is very possible as we have already made huge contacts within the power generation industry, as well as several marketing and merchant contacts to lease and sell the technology to.
4. It must be profitable within 90 days. – see response to number 3.
5. Funding will be on a monthly basis. If you don’t make your numbers, the funding stops – okay, and agreeable
6. You must demonstrate as part of your plan that you sell your product or service for more than what it costs you to produce, fully encumbered – this is demonstrated in the business plan in several sections including marketing and intended returns.
7. Everyone must work. The organization is completely flat. There are no employees reporting to managers. There is the founder/owners and everyone else – I am the owner and I put in as many hours if not more then everybody else. we all work hard, but myself, and the partners are in the trenches with the team. we operate as a team and more as a collegice brain trust. we have no offices but an open design floor.
8. You must post your business plan here, or you can post it on slideshare.com , scribd.com or google docs, all completely public for anyone to see and/or download. I have posted the majority of the plan here. for legal reasons i cold not post the PPM or the parts of the plan that contained propriety information. The plan is long, however you have asked for precision.
9. I make no promises that if your business is profitable, that I will invest more money. Once you get the initial funding you are on your own – this is reasonable
10. I will make no promises that I will be available to offer help. If I want to , I will. If not, I wont. – again reasonable, see 9.
11. If you do get money, it goes into a bank that I specify, and I have the ability to watch the funds flow and the opportunity to require that I cosign any outflows. – we have well established bank accounts, however would not argue with this point. I would always encourage an investor to keep track of the business spending, and would welcome and encourage you as a cosigner.
12. In your business plan , make sure to specify how much equity I will receive or how I will get a return on my money. – this is specified in the business plan as well as in the above blog to you.
13. No mult-level marketing programs – we are not.
And one new rule.
14. If you contact me separately, whether via email or the contact form on the blog, your request WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. It must be posted on this blog for all to see and comment on.
Comment by ana -
There was a blog post that was just on here. from some company “Siale” (???) it was there and now is gone? anybody know where a very long good proposed business plan went? what the heck did it just disappear?
whoever you are Siale, put your post back up.
Comment by r.wright -
wow!!!! Ana that is a lot of information. wanted to say though, really useful info!!! when i started reading i thought this was another person on here using the blog to spout off idealogy, but good plan, so what is your company really all about? do you have a website that the averge joe schmo call look at?
Is there really a peak preformance issue and a usage issue,can you comment on what happens if and when we really run into an energy crisis? Are we in an energy crisis right now? how does you company get us around the issue or out of trouble all together? It seems like you have really done some good research? I am really just currious to know more. dude, is al gore right???? or is it all silly? and how would “Siale”(???) benifit financially either way? Is it a good deal for an accredited investor? sounds kind of unreal and star treky, but you have my attention!!!
Comment by r.wright -
Benjamin Franklin said, “Energy and persistence conquer all things.” Driven to make a difference is Siale, LP. This green energy company dares you to throw out your disposable batteries and cut the cords of conventional electrical devices. Renewable, sustainable power supplies that are not bound by the limits of the nearest outlet or the burning of fossil fuels. Our breakthroughs in power generation, recovery, discharge and storage are balanced with the forging of new magnetic technologies to revolutionize this industry into more than just a cliche. Do you know when the wind will blow or the sun will shine? Siale, LP is poised to emerge as the leader in alternative energy production through the independence of their devices and innovative adaptations of their technology.
We are currently seeking an infusion of investment capital to not only finalize remaining prototypes and fact sheets, but in preparation for fulfilling several multi-million dollar contractual obligations. Understanding that inspiration and innovation are spawned by experience, our ideal investor will not only be accredited, but willing to lend their time and talents to the exciting creative processes at Siale, LP. In exchange for your fiscal and professional support, an investor can expect to receive a substantial return on their investment including contractual residuals in conjunction with royalty payments.
Mr. Cuban, we are seeking immediately available funds in an effort to meet accelerated time tables provided by some of our pending business partners who are pressing us to obtain our technologies. We are soliciting an initial investment of $500,000 to $1,000,000. Our suggested return on investment would be 2.5% to 5.0% of annual revenue (distributable cash). As per our Business Plan and Product Placement Memorandum, this would be up to 5% of our Class B ownership interest, which is capped out at 10%.
We have attached a copy of our Business Plan, but have not attached a copy of our Product Placement Memorandum. The PPM contains patented and proprietary information and is not available for publishing. Any additional information required will be provided upon request.
Business Plan
Siale, LLC
&
Siale, LP
This document contains proprietary and confidential information. All data submitted to the holder of this document is provided in reliance upon the holders consent not to use or disclose and information contained herein except in context of business dealings with Siale, LLC and Siale, LP. The recipient of this document agrees to inform it’s present and future employees and partners who view and have access to the document’s content of it’s confidential nature.
The recipient agrees that they must not disclose any information concerning this document to others except to the extent that such matter are generally known too, and are generally available for use by, the public. The recipient also agrees not to duplicate or distribute, or permit others to duplicate or distribute any material contained herein without Siale LP’s direct consent.
Siale, LLC and Siale, LP retains all title, ownership and intellectual property rights to the materials and trademarks contained herein, including all supporting documentation, files, marketing material, and multimedia
BY READIND THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENT, THE RECEPIENT AGREES TO BE BOUND BY THE AFOREMENTIONED STATEMENT.
Quick Information Sheet
Siale is a Technology Company focusing on Research and Development:
The economic projection is to grow the company’s net profits to $100,000,000 over the next three years.
Our primary mission for the first two years is research and development and high end industry partnerships, which will ensure the marketing of our product.
Siale will take on the role of in house manufacturing in the third year of business to generate an even higher profit margin.
Siale will remain on the cutting edge of renewable power generation technology
Siale is supported by leading industry developers to help insure this company stays competitive, coupled with strong corporate manufacturing partnerships.
In order to protect both designed and intellectual property, Siale owns and will develop the main utility patents and several design patents, on which their technology is based.
Siale will avoid technological obsolescence by remaining focused on cutting edge research and development. Siale has the advantage of being the first truly effective renewable energy company.
We will retain key employees by offering competitive pay and benefits, focusing on team development, and by keeping our staff engaged in the technologies we continue to develop.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
By focusing on it’s strengths, key customers, and the underlying values they need, Siale will increase research, development and trade, while improving the gross margin on sales, cash management and working capital.
Siale is built on the notion that the management of technology and the desire for innovation are key goals for our business. The achievement of these goals will position us as the most influential leader in the field of renewable energy.
In order to accomplish our objectives, the keys to success over the next three years are:
· Differentiate from non-renewable energy sources and for profit conglomerates, by offering and delivering new, renewable, environmentally friendly energy, service and support – and charging for it.
● Increase gross margin to more than 30%.
● Increase our energy supply and modular power hardware
sales to 100% of possible manufacturing by the third
year.
“Green Energy” or renewable energy is the fastest growing segment of the power, energy, and fuel market. The growth potential for such a resource is limitless. Siale has positioned itself to be a leader in this industry and take full advantage of the constant demand for change and the demand for a cleaner source of stable and reliable energy.
Siale is complimented by the amazing working relationships of the partners and the knowledge and integrity they bring to the table. Siale has some of the leading engineers and scientists fueling the expanding development process; coupled with two of the leading minds in marketing and business solutions.
This business plan leads the way. It encompasses our vision and strategic focus: adding value to our target market segments and new power sources to the everyday consumer, as well as to the worldwide corporate powerhouses. It also provides the step-by-step plan for improving the gross margin on sales, cash management and working capital. In order to implement these changes and improve profitability, we plan to actively seek investments for up to $10,000,000 this year. This amount is in-line with the balance sheet capabilities.
This funding will further our research and development process as we continue to seek large consumer contracts based on the renewable kinetic energy concepts Siale is developing.
Siale was founded as a research and development company in the field of renewable energy. Siale is pioneering new ways of harnessing kinetic energy utilizing break-through Technology merged with Faradays Law. At Siale we are making advancements in maintaining power supply and duration, while implementing a constant source of renewable energy. There is an increasing and voracious demand for renewable energy. The engineers of Siale have devised a way to meet the demands by putting an emphasis on design, service and support to distinguish this company from short-term, profit-only oriented competitors.
Siale is a privately-held LLC with an LP owned in majority by its Founder and President, Elizabeth Ann Capell. There are other owners and Partners that currently make up the Board of Directors at Siale. The company will include 7 initial employees, under the President and Board of Directors. Our two management divisions are Research and Development and Marketing. The Research and Development division currently handles the largest amount of Siale’s work and interest, including but not limited to, design of new technology, researching current power needs and capabilities, support, training, and development. At present, Siale’s greatest opportunity for improvement is in the area of manufacturing capabilities and marketing programs, Siale has made it a goal to license manufacturing for the first two fiscal years of our business so we can develop the strongest manufacturing plan possible.
Recent changes in the energy generation market have adversely affected our competitors but have proven to be a great advantage to Siale as we have developed a much sought after form of renewable energy. The challenges for our competitors include: demand for renewable energy, margin squeezes, longer collection periods, and lower inventory turnovers. All of these concerns are part of the general trend affecting and limiting the current companies trying to compete in the oil, electric, and power generation markets. Siale will benefit from these obstacles as our flexibility will allow us to generate substantial growth. The margin squeeze is happening throughout the energy industry worldwide. There has not been a significant advancement in the creation of energy since World War II, but Siale is revolutionizing the development of new and renewable energy sources, which gives us the greatest competitive edge on the global market of energy production. Our research and development services, which will capture the market share, are to include such services as; research and development, marketing, upgrade offers, installation services, power configuration services, and much more. The company will seek to aggressively pursue new opportunities.
BUSINESS DESCRIPTION AND STRATEGY
The following description of our proposed development should be read in conjunction with the information included elsewhere in this Memorandum. This description contains many forward-looking statements concerning our proposed development. These forward-looking statements involve a high degree of risk and many uncertainties, some of which are set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors.” As a result, the Partnership’s actual future results could differ significantly from the anticipated future results discussed in this Memorandum and from the Desired Returns.
Overview of the Industry:
High oil prices, new exploration and production of new technologies, aggressive cost-reduction programs by industry and the emergence of unconventional resources contribute to the outlook for continued growth in non-fossil fuel based energy.
M. K. Hubbert (Shell Oil scientist and USGS geophysicist) used a clever calculation to incorporate economic principles. He determined the energy it takes to extract a barrel of oil and pointed out that when it takes more energy than it generates, production will cease. “Hubbert’s Peak” is the point at which oil extraction costs increase enough to cause a decrease in oil production. Specifically, the peak will be defined as the first year in which production is lower than the previous year due to the costs of extraction. In the real world, this will be the time world oil prices rise, forcing alternative energy into the limelight.
In reality, the NYMEX oil futures market will cause oil prices to rise well in advance, making investment in alternative energy economic well before the peak.
The limitation of current alternative fuels lies not so much in the availability of renewable resources, or the technology to harness them, but the cost of doing so. Most of these technologies cost more, currently, than using fossil fuels.
The real issue with fuel cells is that they’re not as good as their proponent’s say they are. The problem with wind and solar is their reliability. The sun doesn’t always shine; the wind doesn’t always blow.” The energy being generated from the research at Siale is constant, reliable, and renewable.
Today’s alternative fuels have limitations in their high production costs and low yields of energy. These sources also have high opportunity costs associated with their production. At Siale our alternative energy products are not only manufactured with cost in mind, but the challenges of meeting escalating energy demand while minimizing waste and pollution.
Siale’s Kinetic Energy will directly compete with the world’s 4 largest fuel sources, oil, gas, coal, and biomass. It is one of only two renewable energy sources not requiring massive government subsidy to compete with fossil fuels. Siale’s energy has application in 90% of all power generation markets, compared to a 2% maximum market share for wind and solar energies. Siale has the only immediate strategy that can radically reduce green house gas emissions at little or no capital investment costs to industry, and with huge returns based on the projected market share.
The Problem:
Recent changes in the energy generation market have adversely affected our competitors but have proven to be a great advantage to Siale as we have developed a much sought after form of renewable energy. The challenges for our competitors include: demand for renewable energy, margin squeezes, longer collection periods, and lower inventory turnovers. All of these concerns are part of the general trend affecting and limiting the current companies trying to compete in the oil, electric, and power generation markets which will , and generate Siale’s growth. The margin squeeze is happening throughout the energy industry worldwide. There has not been a significant advancement in the creation of energy since World War II, but Siale is revolutionizing the development of new and renewable energy sources, which gives us the greatest competitive edge on the global market of energy production.
Our Solution:
Siale is a research and design company focusing on a renewable power energy source. This source is based on energy of motion. What makes Siale such a powerful company s that the research engineers working for Siale have found a way to manipulate energy into a constant renewable resource at a very low cost to the consumer. It is a highly advance technology with limitless fueling capabilities, at Siale, the scientist have come up with ground-breaking ways to manipulate Faraday’s Law and implant new kinetic energy solutions with real work applications.
Sales and Marketing Strategy:
Siale’s current market plan is simplified to be cost effective to the company’s benefit. During the first two years of fiscal operation, Siale will remain a research and development company. Technologies will be licensed for manufacturing and large sales contracts will be obtained through major global corporations, to support Siale’s net profit growth. During the third year Siale will undertake a transformation and begin to expand to in house manufacturing of products we develop, giving us a greater share of the potential profits we are seeking.
Strategy for Return on Investment:
Generating strong, stable cash flow is a major focus as we strive to build our business. Siale will maintain and enhance financial flexibility, and increase shareholder value.
Our priorities for the use of cash flow include funding innovation in our products, acquiring contracts with companies and brands to complement our existing business. Prioritization depends on which uses are expected to generate the highest shareholder returns. At Siale, we will stay active and successful on all fronts.
Siale has already started establishing major partnerships with industry leaders and fortune 500 companies that specialize in power generation. This will help Siale grow to a $100,000,000 company within the first three years. Market research suggests, based on the current demand for renewable energy, that, while saving the average consumer money and providing an environmentally friendly product, Siale will have the opportunity to modernize current energy usage into a new market. At Siale, the Partnership is continuing to seek large industry partners who are willing to adopt the technology for widespread use through the world
How will we produce, sell or license our ideas?
We believe such partnerships, as stated above, will provide a substantial up-front licensing fees for exclusive use of the Technology, with ongoing royalties to be paid thereafter. We anticipate such partners will fully fund the costs associated with the appropriate governmental approvals and will be responsible for the ongoing marketing of the technology. While still allowing Siale to maintain full control over the patents.
DESIRED RETURNS
The following Desired Returns were developed by the General Partner and are based upon assumptions that the Partnership believes to be reasonable. The assumptions may be incomplete or incorrect, and unanticipated events and circumstances are likely to occur. Actual results for the periods in the projections will vary, and the variations may be material and adverse. The Desired Returns should be reviewed in conjunction with “Risk Factors” and “Description of the Business.”
Desired Return on Investment:
The goal of the Partnership is to license rights to the Technology for approximately $500 million. We will be able to reach these goals in the following ways:
Siale currently has several companies that are currently in the process of negotiating sales contracts for Siale’s technologies. These companies have engaged Siale with strong intentions of buying royalties of current designs.
$10,000,000: “The Pinwheel” project – Initial contract for the market design of product.
$200,000,000: “The Pinwheel” project – Secondary contract for the market design of product to include high density alterations and advanced characteristics. (2nd generation product.)
$160,000,000: “The Rounder and The Shake-Up” project – Primary contract for combined technologies leading to Siale’s 3rd contract for the market design of product.
$150,000,000: “Reverse Polarization Battery” project – Market design of several of our designs to create a total package of innovative technology in the renewable energy field, completing Siale’s 4th contract.
In addition, we anticipate another $50 million in “milestone payments” to be earned as follows: (a) $20 million upon approval by the EPA and the DOE; and (b) $30 million upon approval by United Nations Green Energy Network.
Finally, we anticipate ongoing annual royalties equal to 25% of pre-tax net revenue.
Methodology for Pricing Structure and Royalties
The need for renewable energy has been the dominate force in the current energy producing market. Bio-mass companies have been generating about $250 million collectively plus milestone payments (based on regulatory approvals) and royalties. These details were widely reported in scientific journals and newsletters and through the Department of Energy since May 2001.
In contrast, Siale’s energy source can be used in several additional applications making it universal in application. Accordingly, since the Technology is universal and has certain provable advantages over conventional technology (i.e., durability, low cost of product, renewability and safety), we placed a value of $500 million on the rights to the Technology. That is, an amount twice times that of other renewable energy sources (due to its multiple uses) that has been reasonably discounted to take into account certain redundant conceptual features.
Historically, new energy technology royalties can range anywhere from around 6% to 40% based on certain criteria which includes profitability, uniqueness, and exclusivity. Siale has chosen to pursue a 25% royalty on pre-tax net revenue, representing a median percentage.
We believe these projections are achievable due to (a) historically high gross margins (as much as 34%) on these kinds of products and (b) the dramatic increase in market share and profitability the technology will bring to the licensee.
you said be persise and be guided the following rules:
1. It can be an existing business or a start up. – we are considered a start up.
2. It can not be a business that generates any revenue from advertising. Why ? Because I want this to be a business where you sell something and get paid for it. That’s the only way to get and stay profitable in such a short period of time. – we don’t
3. It MUST BE CASH FLOW BREAK EVEN within 60 days. – This is very possible as we have already made huge contacts within the power generation industry, as well as several marketing and merchant contacts to lease and sell the technology to.
4. It must be profitable within 90 days. – see response to number 3.
5. Funding will be on a monthly basis. If you don’t make your numbers, the funding stops – okay, and agreeable
6. You must demonstrate as part of your plan that you sell your product or service for more than what it costs you to produce, fully encumbered – this is demonstrated in the business plan in several sections including marketing and intended returns.
7. Everyone must work. The organization is completely flat. There are no employees reporting to managers. There is the founder/owners and everyone else – I am the owner and I put in as many hours if not more then everybody else. we all work hard, but myself, and the partners are in the trenches with the team. we operate as a team and more as a collegice brain trust. we have no offices but an open design floor.
8. You must post your business plan here, or you can post it on slideshare.com , scribd.com or google docs, all completely public for anyone to see and/or download. I have posted the majority of the plan here. for legal reasons i cold not post the PPM or the parts of the plan that contained propriety information. The plan is long, however you have asked for precision.
9. I make no promises that if your business is profitable, that I will invest more money. Once you get the initial funding you are on your own – this is reasonable
10. I will make no promises that I will be available to offer help. If I want to , I will. If not, I wont. – again reasonable, see 9.
11. If you do get money, it goes into a bank that I specify, and I have the ability to watch the funds flow and the opportunity to require that I cosign any outflows. – we have well established bank accounts, however would not argue with this point. I would always encourage an investor to keep track of the business spending, and would welcome and encourage you as a cosigner.
12. In your business plan , make sure to specify how much equity I will receive or how I will get a return on my money. – this is specified in the business plan as well as in the above blog to you.
13. No mult-level marketing programs – we are not.
And one new rule.
14. If you contact me separately, whether via email or the contact form on the blog, your request WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. It must be posted on this blog for all to see and comment on.
Comment by ana -
Thanks for the new customer!:
“She loved them. Thanks again, and I will be telling my friends.
Just FYI, I found you guys on the Mark Cuban blog post about small business opportunities.”
Comment by Jeff -
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Hüzün Adası Türkiye’nin Flash,Flash Şiir,Flash Dersleri,Windows Live Messenger-MSN Messenger,konularının ağırlıklı olarak işlendiği genel içerikli Türkçe web sitesi..http://www.huzunadasi.org/
Comment by gezgin -
Please pitch to the NBA to create a 1 v 1 play. This 1 v. 1 play would be similar to a penalty shot in hockey. how cool would it be to see lebron vs. kobe 1 v 1…sure it would slow the game done..but it sure would be cool
Comment by todd -
John Dahl, these technologies exist and are being used. I don’t know the vendor for the first one but have seen it used. Something like SecureCheck. Google. For the second one you want to look up RFID chips. It will add so much to the price of the product that your customers will all go to your competition who is not using it. There is a reason this is only used on more expensive products (than candy bars) such as DVDs and even those are getting so low as to not be worth the technology’s cost. You’re better off not wasting your time on it. See http://www.spychips.com/ for the dirty scoop.
Comment by Walter Jeffries -
I want someone to figure out 1) a way to stop theft by check; I own a C-store in Minnesota and there is no way determine whether or not someone has sufficient funds in their account to cover the amount of the check they are writing. They do it with debit cards, why not paper checks?; 2) a way to stop shoplifting; is there someway we can put a tiny chip on a candy bar or or any other piece of merch. that has to be deactivated before it leaves the store? If this technology exists will someone please let me know.
For those of you who want to start a business, take a look at the margins generated by an automated car wash.
Comment by John Dahl -
Hello, I will get straight to the point. I have a job that will pay $1,000 dollars on the spot. An additional $1,000 dollars will be donated to charity upon completion of the task that I am offering. If you can arrange for a meeting of 40 minutes of face to face sit down time with one Mark Cuban. The reason for the sit down face time you ask? I have a PPP (private placement platform) that I will like to offer Mr. Cuban. I am quite sure he is familar with the term, this particular platform is trading in medium term notes. For a $10M CD, BG, MTN ETC he will see a 20% weekly return for a 40 week duration. Both Cash and Bank Instruments enter trade by being blocked with a MT760 or MT542.(That way his funds are NEVER in jeporday of being lost) We can NOT accept Leased Funds. Proceeds are paid in 5 banking Days after going into trade. Program Manager is located here in the U.S. Very fast turn around time. We work directly with the facilitator. Compliance Consists of: CIS, Color copy of PP, Bank Account Statment of Funds. We work with Paymasters to assure all terms are met before entering trade. Also, if Mark decides to enter into the platform we will pay you an additonal $25k for the arrangement of the face to face meeting. If he does not enter into the trade we wont pay any additonal money to you above the $1000 I have already promised. Now this arrangment of the meeting is not a overwhelming stimulus plan in the long run but if you are a associate of Mr. Cuban’s it could amount to about 10 minutes of your time. (I’m also aware that if you are a associate of Mr. Cuban you probably don’t need $1k). But nevertheless it is still a valid and honorable offer. I’m sure he has a limited schedule for people that pitch offers to him. However, I hope the sincerity and viability of this platform is demonstrated by the $1,000 commitment to anyone that can arrange a meeting with Mark Cuban.
Comment by E.O Mcmillan -
Dear Mark,
It’s a funny old world, when you stumble across a post like this – and find someone has put your very own startup business up for an award like this, without me having any knowledge of it.
Stephen (comment-60421) be grateful if you could get in touch through the 8.45 club site – clearly you’re a fan – be interested to know why you nominated my business without my knowledge? Intrigue factor, if nothing else.
Best,
Mark, Founder the845club.com
Comment by Mark Copeman -
Mark,
I currently work for a private wealth management firm in New York and am exposed to the tumultuous activity of the market every day. Given the uncertainty and lack of real valuation in the last 15 months, particularly within the equities markets, I find it odd that investors fail to discern the benefits of the sports gambling industry, a perfectly fair market with much better (and less misleading) information available than the stock market can provide.
My brother owns his own sports handicapping service and has yielded exceptional returns ITD in his 8 year tenure. My goal is to consolidate his expertise in the industry along with my professional experience in the hedge fund/PWM industry to create Balfeview Capital. Balfeview Capital will create a customized asset allocation plan for each investor based on their risk aversion and liquidity preferences. Many investors in the equities markets have minimal knowledge within this industry. With the proper education, they will be able to see the correlation between the securities industry and the sports gambling industry. We will incorporate straight wagers, futures, parlays (which have recently been legalized in the state of Delaware), moneylines hedged with wagers on the opposite side with spreads and capitalize on areas of arbitrage between different sports books. Futures wagers will be hedged with straight bets. The selling point for potential clients is to show them the proof of my brother’s track record, which outperformed the DOW approximately 65% in 2008. There is a misconception in the marketplace that engaging in the sports gambling industry is too risky and conflicts with the concept of simple and safe long-term wealth preservation. With an MBA in Finance and years of exposure to the best practices in maximizing wealth for clients, my customized allocation model for each investor will prove to yield positive results and negate many of the risks associated with the average gambler. In any multi-billion dollar industry, profitable opportunities always exist. As investors become decreasingly confident in today’s market environment, my job is to introduce them to a much more sound and structured market, where “good news” isnt considered being informed that you only lost 30% of your wealth instead of the 35% of your benchmarks.
Initially, our client base starts with the the existing clients that have been with my brother since inception. Collectively, they will comprise a general pool and will each become LP’s. The next set of clients will be professionals within my network in the hedge fund, private equity and real assets industries.
Revenue will be generated via management and performance fees. If Balfeview Capital was operating in 2008 and we used the Dow as our benchmark, for example, profits would have been astronomical. Investors will receive weekly reports, complete with performance metrics, capital account statements as well as a brief market update.
We have already designated $50k to fund Balfeview. The capital required to become operational would be for an office in New York, Philadelphia or Las Vegas (rent/lease/buy) which you would have 100% ownership as well as $40K to budget for administrative, travel and entertainment expenses for purposes of onboarding prospective clients. Your ROI will be 40% of all profits and if we fail to be profitable after 90 days, we will refund your investment with interest. These terms can obviously be modified at your discretion.
I definitely appreciate your time. Please contact me for additional details as I have a complete business model available.
P.S. We would obviously exclude any wagers pertaining to the Dallas Mavericks.
Comment by Ryan -
My idea all though not totally fruitioned would not require but maybe two persons to start a web guy and marketing. I am a Realtor and can handle the marketing.
Basically in my experience with required credit scores for home purchases going up to 600 that takes even a large number of people in the cold that were once approvable at a 560 or above.
These people mainly have debt from past mistake alot of the time its medical and have the money to pay the payment and in turn would be paying the same amount to rent.
the nuts and bolts of the idea is very similar to prosper.com. Where you have people with sub par credit post there credit info for private lenders to look. Ideally a purchaser and lender would be hooked up before the home search begins once it begins the investor will have final say if the property is ok to purchase.
the investor would be able to have an option to retake the property if payments are not made and at that time do with it what they like. Otherwise they finance the loan at a point above competitive market and work as a bank on a bank type amortization schedule. you could also do incentives as far as if the buyer agrees to go into credit repair and purchase the property outright in 6 months to 3 years the investor will discount points.
Investors could actually buy houses at 20% down and be able to cash flow monthly.
Basically I have the web guy ready to build the site with 1/3 interest and me willing to look over and place effective marketing for 1/3 interest and you mr cuban as 1/3 interest.
the actual site could make money a few different ways. charging a setup fee for buyers minimal 20 to 30. charging a one time loan and doc fee to the investor and also selling leads that come in to realtors.
thanks for your consideration and I would love the opportunity to discuss this with you or anyone interested.
as far as cash flow in sixty days its possible, not 100% likely due to the fact that you would need some marketing, but if the marketing can be done effectively enough on the web actualy investment could be very low. reaching the buyers would obviously not be a problem its reaching the private investors that would be.
RJ
214-682-0598
214-682-0598
Comment by RJ Avery -
All those New York editors that just got canned? Some of them are very good. Amazon, Kindle and Oprah are ready to make a major play to digitize and utterly transform the publishing industry.
The only thing that is lacking is a way to somehow make digital publishing credible. The door is open right now to grab up the editors, brand them as ‘the team’ through which the credible new literature is passing. Telecommute the whole thing. POD, or print on demand publish hard copies in set batches and with DVD-like extras available only through Amazon, who you team with. The huge cut that used to go to the publishing company for really doing nothing more than fronting the money and carrying the torch of credibility/quality along with the other huge cut that went to the bookstores, is now split between run costs,writer, editor, marketing staff and Amazon. With a nice price cut for the consumer if they go digital only. The hard copy will be more like a collector’s edition-high quality.
Ultimately this is going to happen, but now is the time to snag up the editors, utilize the crumbling, antiquated state of the old publishing apparatus and remake it all in one fell swoop. Other organizations will follow, but typical publishing houses won’t be able to remake themselves fast enough. As for quality of product, the editors will bring the first wave of it, as some portion of their writers will immediately follow. Eventually, recreate the agent/editor relationship to allow a scouting model versus the present wait-and-see model. 100k grabs four top (hungry, unemployed) editors right away on a 3 month contact to renegotiate; first novel (a verifiable hot item) is already in possession and goes to print within two weeks. Remaining funds go towards setting up website and branding/marketing on the first project.
Tell the whole story to Oprah and you just remade an entire industry that at present simply can’t figure out how to get it done. Cut a first look deal with 2929 and off it goes, access to the finest stories that the bygone publishing industry has passed over in favor of Laura Bush’s bio and another celebrity cook book. Every component is just sitting there waiting for capital.
Until something like this happens the publishing industry will stagnate under shipping, production and retail issues. Why wouldn’t Harper et al just cut the deal? Because everyone knows Amazon has them up against the wall and they can’t lose the meager profit margin they currently retain. Meanwhile, a world of customers waits for digital delivery of books…if only you can prove to them that the quality is there.
Comment by A. Edwards -
This was submitted earlier, but it never appeared. And so, we try again:
I am happy to post this idea here because I do not fear someone taking the idea, since it would take years to develop it, and I am the only one that currently has access to the working source code.
I am posting this here to request a sum that will advance my project to the next level. I have been working at it, on and off, for about ten years. The initial development took five years for the working code, and it has been another five years of testing and modifications. The software is a learning algorithm that searches for patterns within the stock market (specifically the S&P 500). It then tries to predict what the market will do next. Three years of historical price data from a single company is the input to the algorithm for each run of the program. The output is a prediction of price movements for about 20 to 40 trading days. At its core are several technologies, including: neural networks, genetic algorithms, time-series analysis, and global optimization techniques.
Each run of the program takes about 12 hours on a 2 GHz processor. The system currently has 10 processors. Between starting, stopping, reboots, and such, it takes about 6 weeks to consecutively analyze the S&P’s 500 companies.
The system is able to find a rare signal, now and then, that is worthy of placing a trade. These rare, predictable, signals, may appear once every three months.
More details can be found at our website.
The system, at least in a superficial way, seems to beat the older methods of Black-Scholes, statistical relations, or the newer methods that use the Gaussian copula.
The only sense I have that it can beat these other systems is the fact that those are “static” in the sense that they cannot easily bend with changing variability. Whereas, the learning algorithm will always develop new methods each time it runs, since I kill it and restart a new algorithm for every new run. Thus, the algorithms that it finds this week will not be the same as the algorithms it was using six months ago.
But to seriously study how well the learning algorithm does against the other systems, an experiment would have to be setup to test this comparison. But that is yet another project for another time.
Currently, I am planning to invest $1500, of my own, to double our processing power from ten cpus, to twenty cpus. This will allow us to double to number of analyzed companies from around 500, to about 1000 companies. The may improve the chances of finding the rare predictable events, to at least once every two months, or better.
I am asking here for a sum of $50,000 to increase the power of the machine to 80 processors. This would allow analysis of about 4800 companies in the same six week period. The breakdown for this money would be: 10k for new hardware, 10k for test investment money, and 30k for my time (6 to 12 months) to build the new hardware, and make further modifications that are needed to the software.
This is certainly not a “get rich quick” scheme, but rather it is a system that can slowly and methodically generate cash over a long period of time. It can keep making money for as long as there is a stock market in place. This is were I can see this plan diverging from the stated rules, in that, I don’t think this can be generating a lot cash within 90 days. But who can predict the future?
Comment by Rafael -
Mark,
Our P & L has been posted to the links below.
LINKS:
http://www.slideshare.net/category/business-mgmt?page=26&view=full
http://www.scribd.com/word/full?id=12597376&access_key=key-25d9ckcbu241fwfig1o
* We are DALLAS based. We are seeking $90,000 in capital infusion.
We have developed a new software application targeting Law Enforcement, Government agencies, Military Branches and private corporations.
The application and documentation are ready.
• We did solid primary and secondary market research and discovered an extremely high demand for the software. This product did not exist in a single application that allowed the end user to segregate all data and assets in one single repository. We built the first application.
• We previewed our beta version at a major law enforcement conference (5 states participated) on the East coast last fall. There was tremendous enthusiasm and demand.
• The application is browser-based; the database is MySQL, configured for XP pro, Server 2003 and 2008. We will have a Linux platform ready within the next 30 days. We have tested on numerous networks without problems.
• The application is geared toward enterprise level multi-licensing and will support unlimited end-users without loss of performance. The smaller agency will simply be able to take advantage of the additional features built in.
• We have commitments from two large enterprise State Agencies for installation and purchase when our product is released, plus several smaller agencies.
• We have a strong collaborative alliance with a 20 year established company that produces complimentary software products for the same three venues as ours. Our alliance allows us to utilize their customer base of over 9,000 agencies, with mutual commitments for co-marketing each of our products. We will create a package that will separate us from any competition.
NOTE: We have full in-house video and digital media production for our own distribution and marketing. Our website is submitted.
• OUR OPERATION IS FLAT. No management levels. We will not ask of any personnel to do work we are not willing to do ourselves. We operate on the TEAM concept and intend all who participate to enjoy company profit sharing.
• We have the additional personnel waiting to join our team to create the infrastructure needed to train, evaluate networks, do installations, establish the technical support needed, and help administer company operations.
• Over the second 30 – 60 days we will be able to generate substantial sales from the prospects that are waiting for our release.
• We have more than 20 years experience in law enforcement and judicial related venues, and extensive experience in marketing and administration with start-up companies.
• We are seeking $90,000 to launch and support the application; i.e. to hire the additional needed personnel, establish the environment and equipment infrastructure to support our end-user training and technical needs, network IT support, establish our distributorships, and conduct company operations. We are structured to accept monthly infusions of capital. We expect to hit or surpass our target numbers.
• We have a 4 year P & L prepared (links submitted above)
• We fully expect to break even in 60 days, and be profitable within 90 days of full operation. A conservative forecast is $1.2 – $1.5 million first year sales with a 45%- 52% overall cost to sales ratio.
• We are prepared to payback the investment in a timely manner with reasonable interest (example 10% per year, plus offer a substantial equity position to you in the company. All terms are negotiable to you.
Much of our business plan is stated here. Additional details available.
P & L being posted on: slideshare.com , scribd.com and google docs. Will also post full prospectus if you show any interest. Our “sister” company is involved in our complete prospectus.
Thank you for your consideration.
Robert Miller
Comment by Robert Miller -
Hi Mark,
I’m Jenna Ryan, owner of The Marketing Shop.com, a Frisco based web marketing agency. My website is http://www.TheMarketingShop.com/. I am interested in your Stimulus Plan. We sell the following products and services:
– Websites
– Blogs
– Email Marketing
– Telesourcing / List Building
– Web Development
– Social Networking
– Search Engine Optimization
– Web Hosting
– Branding / Corp. Identity Packages
Here’s a few points about my business:
– We are profitable.
– We need funds to hire people, etc…
– We’ve been in business since 2004.
– We have 40 clients on recurring fees.
– It’s me and my staff of three, plus India workers.
– We outsource some work to India.
– Our client base is middle-market businesses in DFW
– We also serve real estate agents.
– I have extensive back-end systems that I’ve built to track client work, etc…
Please let me know if you’re interested.
Enthusiastically,
Jenna Ryan
http://www.TheMarketingShop.com/
http://www.BuzzWebMarketing.com/
http://www.jennaryan.net/
972-335-9922 Office
866-697-7638 Toll Free
Comment by Jenna Ryan -
Thank you for being the wonderful person that you are,
Yes I did read the previous post and this one as well. I hope that you understand that as the High Ideologue of the House of Ideology it is my duty to make a pitch to you. I also mistakenly posted a version of my pitch that did not include the location on the Internet of my business plan: My business plan can be found on the Internet @ http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=df5rnmrw_0cxbbzbch.
I define nationalism as a noun meaning a devotion to the interests, needs, and aspirations of a particular nation and or culture of people. I define spiritization as a noun meaning the act or process of imparting a spiritual nature, or treating as having a spiritual sense or meaning. Nationalistic spiritization is the propagation of a myth that imparts a spiritual nature to the existence of one totality described as being in the best interests, and reflecting the needs and aspirations of a particular nation and or culture of people. If the truth is that myth is myth and optimism correlates with happiness and health, then nationalistic spiritization involves use of ideas that are both possible and imaginable to build in our minds a model of the existence of one totality that enables us to have the highest esteem of the existence of one totality. I choose to believe in a most optimistic myth about the existence of one totality: I choose to believe in the existence of an infinity, divinity, eternally, one; that manifests for the purposes of enjoying entertainment as an infinite seed, an infinite body, an infinite soul, and an infinite spirit.
A brief survey of several reference sources reveals that Negativism is a noun with numerous definitions. I define negativism as any of the following:
1. A negative or pessimistic attitude;
2. A tendency to resist external commands, suggestions, or expectations or internal stimuli, such as hunger by doing something contrary or unrelated to the stimulus;
3. Any system of negative philosophy, and or;
4. A state of mind or behavior characterized by extreme skepticism and persistent opposition or resistance to outside suggestions or advice.
All four of these definitions apply well to those who resist, oppose, refuse, and negate; healthy, agnostic, positivistic, nationalistic, spiritization. I should expect that anyone who denies his or her own and our worlds innate eternal divinity would have a negative and or pessimistic attitude about existence. Devotion of energy, space, and time; to ideas about lower self, lower world, and lower future, leads to lower esteem of existence; and the experience of powerful emotional responses of sorrow, fear, and anger that could lead to sad, mad, and bad behavior. Devotion of energy, space, and time; to ideas about higher self, higher world and higher future, leads to higher esteem of existence; and the experience of powerful emotional responses of joy, faith, and love that could lead to glad behavior. Devotion of energy, space, and time; to ideas about fractal, infernal, temporal, seed body; to the exclusion of divine, eternal, soul spirit; or vice versa; leads to an unbalance of the emotional forces of the mind and unhealthy behavior. Devotion of energy, space, and time; to both ideas about fractal, infernal, temporal, seed body; and ideas about divine, eternal, soul spirit; leads to a balance of the emotional forces of the mind; and healthy behavior.
I have often found that pointing out the connection between ideas, emotions, and physiology; and the freedom to change ideas to change emotions and physiology for the better; has no impact upon negativists. The model of the existence of one totality that a negativist uses to explain the world to self and orient self towards the world is often so deeply engrained within the physiology of the brain, and the structure of their community and or society that any alternate model seems foreign, strange, wrong, and difficult to grasp, and or imagine. Often negativists self organize around philosophies that include defense mechanisms that in effect prevent challenge by other competing philosophies. As such, extreme skepticism, persistent opposition, refusal, and or resistance to outside suggestions or advice may characterize the reaction of negativists to my devotion to a belief in the one myth about the existence of one totality that enables me to have the highest esteem of the existence of one totality.
Theistic negativists build models of the existence of one totality that lead members to have low esteem of the existence of one totality and thereby fail to put members in the best possible position to achieve and maintain happiness and health. Some resist, oppose, refuse, and negate; any alternative model to their negativistic model of the existence of one totality because it is at variance with that model accepted on faith as being perfect. It is a lie to claim that myth is truth. Based upon the lie that myth is truth, religious leaders praise the perfection of the sacred scrolls said to contain the ‘perfect word of God’ and said to explain the ‘perfect will of God’. Based upon the lie that myth is truth, religious leaders lead communities of faithful believers to resist, to oppose, to refuse, and to negate; anybody that disputes the perfection of the sacred scrolls.
Atheistic negativists, resist, oppose, refuse, and negate; the very idea of building a framework of myth and fantasy within a model of the existence of one totality because it is not possible to verify the accuracy of any given framework of myth and fantasy by means of the scientific method. It is not possible to explain the existence of one totality by means of the scientific method alone. Scientific method relies upon senses to gather objective evidence, and perceptions of the mind to make logically valid inferences necessary to arrive at scientifically reproducible conclusions. However, the alien, fractal, infernal, temporal, characteristic attributes of our seed bodies limit our senses and perceptions. The best the scientific method can do then is explain the existence of one totality as being made up of a combination of the existence of discovery and the existence of mystery. Only the creativity and imagination of the human mind limits the number of possible frameworks of myth and fantasy that people may use to describe the existence of discovery and the existence of mystery. Amongst these possibilities, there is no way of using the scientific method to determine the one framework of myth and fantasy out of all possible frameworks of myth and fantasy that is true. A search for knowledge of the one true framework of myth and fantasy is pointless. Therefore, many atheistic negativists conclude that the idea of building a model of the existence of one totality that includes a framework of myth and fantasy is pointless. Therefore, many atheistic negativists, resist, oppose, refuse, and negate; my model of the existence of one totality because it includes a most optimistic framework of myth and fantasy.
I agree that I do not know how to verify the accuracy of a model of the existence of one totality that includes myths and fantasies. I think, believe, and expect, however that ornamenting my model of the existence of one totality with myths and fantasies is valuable in establishing my identity. Establishing my identity in this way enables me to give deep answers to the grand enigmatic questions surrounding the existence of discovery and the existence of mystery. Who am I? What am I? Where am I? When am I? How am I? Why am I?
I answer these grand enigmatic questions of identity surrounding the existence of discovery and the existence of mystery in a way that produces the highest esteem of the existence of one totality. I am the High Ideologue of the House of Ideology. I am seed body joined with soul spirit to form life. I am located in a body-consuming biosphere on a crusted magma globe with a sun and a moon reproducible in a galaxy of stars, in a universe of galaxies that is one of an infinite seed of large universes of the correct kind to support life. I have been, I am, and I will be eternally. I am created by an infinity, divinity, eternally, one. I am living for the purpose of providing fractal infernal temporal entertainment to our divine eternal soul spirit. Without answering grand enigmatic questions of identity surrounding the existence of one totality, I would experience an identity crisis. The ancients summed up the whole of human wisdom in the maxim, know thyself. I believe there is for me no more important as there is no more difficult knowledge, than knowledge of myself and I express this knowledge of myself by building my model of the existence of one totality. I find the most optimistic way to answer the grand enigmatic questions of identity surrounding the existence of one totality.
Some negativists fail to see the importance of finding the most optimistic way of answering the grand enigmatic questions of identity surrounding the existence of one totality. When confronted with their own mortality or the mortality of a loved one, some of these negativists may wind up being overwhelmed by feelings of sorrow, fear, and anger. Some may suffer from depression, anxiety, and or become alienated. Some may losing hope and faith, turn to drugs and behave in a sad, mad, and or bad manner.
Some atheistic negativists choose for themselves an identity as bearer of the burden of proof. In so doing some atheistic negativists make as their default position a belief in a pessimistic myth about the existence of only things scientists can find and only things theories predict. I recognize that finding the most optimistic way of answering the grand enigmatic questions of identity surrounding the existence of one totality puts me in the best possible position to be able to produce emotional balance in my mind that is conducive to happiness and health in my life. Therefore I choose as my default position a belief in the myth about the existence of; things scientists can find; things theories predict; and everything else that enables me to have the highest esteem of the existence of one totality.
I expect that bearing the burden of proof leads atheistic negativists to create a pessimistic myth about the existence of one totality. This pessimistic myth about the existence of one totality follows from the idea that only things scientists can find and only things theories predict exist; and everything else must be presumed to not exist until proven otherwise. I expect that bearing the burden of proof could lead atheistic negativists to give pessimistic answers to the grand enigmatic questions of identity surrounding the existence of discovery and the existence of mystery. I expect that giving pessimistic answers to the grand enigmatic questions of identity surrounding existence of discovery and the existence of mystery could lead atheistic negativists to experience emotional unbalance. I expect that the experience of emotional unbalance would interfere with their need and aspiration to achieve and maintain health and happiness.
Similarly, I expect that bearing the burden of exclusive divine revelations leads theistic negativists to create a pessimistic myth about the existence of one totality divided by a spiritual conflict between a good one in Heaven and an evil one cast down to and ruling over Earth. Bearing the burden of exclusive divine revelations leads theistic negativists to give pessimistic answers to the grand enigmatic questions of identity surrounding the existence of discovery and the existence of mystery. I expect that giving pessimistic answers to the grand enigmatic questions of identity surrounding the existence of discovery and the existence of mystery could lead theistic negativists to experience emotional unbalance. I expect that the experience of emotional unbalance would interfere with their need and aspiration to achieve and maintain health and happiness.
In some parts of the world, the state opposes, resists, refuses, and negates; the very freedom to think, believe, and expect about the existence of one totality differently than heterofascist, atheistic, perfectionistic, nationalistic, negativists dictate. The vast majority of people in the world today live in states where either there is an official belief and others are repressed; there is an official belief and others are tolerated; or there is no official belief but favoritism is in practice. Only a small minority of states practice evenhandedness. Within many of these states, a particular myth receives substantial state funding. Many states force an official myth upon all in the hopes that an official myth will help sustain the state.
Negativism is a tendency to refuse to do, to do the opposite of, or to do something at variance with what I ask. What am I asking? I am asking that heterofascist, atheistic, perfectionistic, nationalistic, negativists respect my freedom to make up my own mind about the existence of one totality. I ask for tolerance, freedom of thought and expression. Across the global culture, some states resist, refuse, oppose, and negate tolerance. In some states, bias leads to intolerance. Intolerance leads to the formation of small groups of fanatics. The formation of small groups of fanatics leads to the formation of even smaller groups of terrorists. I love to take healthy, agnostic, positivistic, nationalistic, spiritization of the existence of one totality to its’ logical extreme. I educate, entertain, and lead us; to converge upon the most optimistic thoughts, beliefs, and expectations about the existence of one totality; and thereby to produce emotional balance in our minds that is conducive to happiness and health in our lives. In the global culture, many states negate my freedom to take a love of healthy, agnostic, positivistic, nationalistic, spiritization of the existence of one totality to its’ logical extreme. In so doing, states resist, refuse, oppose, and negate; the motivation of the spirit to revive conscious awareness of an infinity, divinity, eternally, one; in the minds of the many of our global culture.
Comment by Kevin Michael McDaniel -
Dear Mr. Cuban:
I need funding to restore & sell Classic Muscle Cars to an elite group of collectors & high-net worth individuals. My organization is flat. I have identified individuals for the paint & body work; interior restoration; and mechanical restoration. We are ready to go; we just need the financing to get started. We have the ability to meet all the requirements of your initial posting.
1. It can be an existing business or a start up. Start-up business
2. It can not be a business that generates any revenue from advertising. Why ? Because I want this to be a business where you sell something and get paid for it. Thats the only way to get and stay profitable in such a short period of time. Does not generate revenue through advertising – company will generate revenue through marketing a specific product to a specific niche market – Collectors & high net worth individuals
3. It MUST BE CASH FLOW BREAK EVEN within 60 days Company will break-even within sixty (60) days.
4. It must be profitable within 90 days. Company will be profitable within ninety (90) days.
5. Funding will be on a monthly basis. If you dont make your numbers, the funding stops. Initial monthly funding should be enough to acquire inventory, prepare product, and make product sale.
6. You must demonstrate as part of your plan that you sell your product or service for more than what it costs you to produce, fully encumbered. I have the ability to demonstrate the product will sell for more that what it costs.
7. Everyone must work. The organization is completely flat. There are no employees reporting to managers. There is the founder/owners and everyone else. Completely flat organization – work will be subcontracted to the mechanical team; interior team; and the paint & body team.
8. You must post your business plan here, or you can post it on slideshare.com , scribd.com or google docs, all completely public for anyone to see and/or download. Business Plan to be posted as required.
9. I make no promises that if your business is profitable, that I will invest more money. Once you get the initial funding you are on your own. Initial funding is what I am seeking. You will see success and profit quickly.
10. I will make no promises that I will be available to offer help. If I want to , I will. If not, I wont. Please help me get this started. This business will help provide capital resources for the local economy & funds into a local rural economy which will benefit numerous families and business operations.
11. If you do get money, it goes into a bank that I specify, and I have the ability to watch the funds flow and the opportunity to require that I cosign any outflows. Absolutely agree that you have the ability to watch all funds and cosign any outflows.
12. In your business plan , make sure to specify how much equity I will receive or how I will get a return on my money. Return on your investment will be realized upon first transaction – I am open to your feedback regarding reinvestment of profits toward additional business development, or a % of all net profits actualized from each transaction.
13. No mult-level marketing programs (added 2/10/09 1pm) This is not a multi-level marketing program, just a business that will be run with sweat-equity, and a passion for success.
Comment by Seth Fritz -
Mark, I’ll bite.
Concept: People spend a ton of time online today making blog posts, putting up photos, making art, etc….what do they have to show for it afterwards?
What we sell: Good looking bound books made out of your online blog posts/photos/emails/other electronic media
Why people buy: -As an archival backup, -As a way to re-purpose all their blog content, insights, etc. (i.e. I have a job interview, why not give a copy of my professional looking self-published book to the interview full of my tech industry/political commentary to really impress them…I’ve already written all the posts. Or I’m a rich kid looking for a way to impress colleges by including a copy of my book with my application) -To give to grandma and grandpa -To create baby books with all the blog posts and photos about the kid -to give to family that’s not on the internet
How we make it: Write some software that downloads from major blog software, flickr, facebook, email providers, etc. Make some templates. Have the user choose what content they want to include in the book and the order in which to include it in the template.
Upsells (crowdsourced when possible, then we take a 20% cut): Text editing services, Photo editing services, Better layout templates, custom templates, Adding stock photography, adding characters/logos (i.e. you want mickey mouse on the baby book, it’ll cost you), literary agent introductions, order on demand (we guarantee that we’ll always be able to ship your book to someone within N days in exchange for a monthly fee), translation services, etc.
How we get rich: We’ll make a 100% margin on top of the printing/shipping costs to make the business viable day to day (within 60 days.) But, to get rich, we retain the printed publishing rights. So if your book ends up being a huge hit and you want to order 100,000 copies, you have to buy it from us or buy the rights back to sell to a publisher.
How we breakeven within 60 days: Do everything virtual at first. There are other self-publishers but nobody does it well starting from CGM. Instead of writing all the software at first, try taking some orders and faking it by buidling a few books by hand. 1st month expenses should not exceed $25K for proof of concept to ship the first orders.
What it’ll cost you: MC gets 10% equity stake for $500k investment, I’ll put up 50K of my own money and take no salary for the first year.
Hope to be your most trusted business partner one day.
Chris
Comment by Chris -
Hey Mark I haven’t blogged you in awhile been really busy trying to get my business off the ground I know my product is new to Texas but I’m having a hard time finding people who understand solar let alone photovoltaic module my problem is I have to educate people on my product before I sell it to them I have no problem with that because I like talking about this system but our work force is not prepaired our cities can’t write erection permits if you want to install on your house I went to a planning commission meeting that was supposed to be for wind I asked if I could show up with my presentation they liked the product and I want to install it on my house but I may not be able to get a permit from this city until next year I did the right thing and went to my community the race for the greenest city is on and this community has the means and the ability to do this but would rather turn a blind eye or can’t here you stand anyways I’m going to proceed it just a shame I have to take it to another community that will take it and run with it I could be showing profit in sixty days but I can’t even get the gate opened you’ve been a great guidance for me so far and I thank you for it, any idea how we can get Texas’s attention on this great oppoturnity we’ve got here also I contacted a professional electric union to see if there was a work force I could go to for experienced workers the union told me they were working on it but right now there not training anyone now I called the union in colo and they have already in place a six week course and are gearing up to put together a six month course now they’re working on it Texas is going to be left in the dust if we don’t get Obama’s plan going thank’s for letting me get this off my chest I’m still pounding the pavement
Comment by David Hughes -
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I throw this idea out for any young enterprising person with a scanner and lots of energy ….
We have seen proposals here for “take a scanner and scan old pictures at $X per picture”.
Personally, I wouldhave no interest in that as a consumer, especially when there are retail stores that will do the same thing.
But, take your scanner and form a partnership with multiple doctors and physician’s practices, so that I can get a PDF copy of my historic data.
Often, insurance companies and other places will require a “copy” of your medical file from your general practioner. For someone in their 50s, the file can be 1-2 inches. Typical cost for a copy is $25-$50.
Get your own, mom, dad, aunt, uncle data and practice. See how much data there is,and how long it will take to scan it. How big will the PDF file be? Will you need to break up the PDF file into different years? Maybe that should be an option to your “service”.
HIPPA and other privacy issues might be a problem. You need to research. Perhaps you need to be bonded.
I would opt for this value added service over a standard copy. If the doctor told me $50 for a hardcopy, or $100 for hardcopy+PDF, I would go for the hardcopy+PDF.
Comment by George -
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I like to think big. My plan would provide a larger return and an even larger economic stimulus. The time frame may be a little longer than you are looking for, but I ask that you read-on.
Being a Dallas man, I am sure you have driven down I35W in Ft. Worth at some point or another. Growing up a Texan, I have watched Ft. Worth become more and more like a ghost town, losing popularity to the trendy Dallas scene. My proposal is a brownfield investment where we revitalize an abondoned/run-down high rise (I have on in mind) in downtown Ft. Worth. With a front-heavy investment to get the project rolling, we can turn the old building into a luxury/trendy hotel with mixed-use retail space on the street level. Think about the W Hotel in Victory Park in Dallas except with a “Texas Modern” twist as a tribute to the old Ft. Worth. The name: “MARK’S @ THE STOCKYARDS”
This plan would stimulate the entire Ft. Worth downtown and provide countless jobs and new business opportunities. The retail space at the bottom could be reserves for startup restaurants and shops instead of big chains.
Your profit position would be that of a semi-silent backer. You will reap the total profits. Once the project is opened, my income will be salaried as the Property Manager. The hotel will be fully profitable and self funding based on the leased retail space and room charges per night.
I am sure that as a young man, people passed your ideas over because you did not have a proven track record. Those people are kicking themselves today when they see what they could have invested in. I am in the same boat. I am a senior in college. I graduate in May with a double business degree from a top tier university. I have ideas that could make millions and change city infrastructures and economies. Changes would be seen to the FT. Worth economy within a few months as entrepreneurship will be encouraged in the revitalized downtown. We can bring back the skyline and do something that will outlive us both. All I need is someone to believe. Do you believe?
Comment by Kyle -
Rev. Robert H. Lacy of Baton Rouge, LA, is the Devotional Chef. His Cookbook, currently in rough PDF form, is under review by print publishers, and contains southern US and Cajun recipes, along with devotions from some of the most well-known evangelical Christian figures in the USA today. He is currently working on a Spring 2009 mini-cookbook strictly for online sales, available in about a week.
The Chef will have a product launch of his seasonings in New Orleans-area Whole Foods Markets in May 2009.
He is seeking $400K in start-up funding to develop into a national media chef brand, aimed primarily at the underserved evangelical audience. With $30-35K he can have a strong product launch, leading to greater Whole Foods participation and possibly access to other chains.
With the brand launched, Rev. Lacy intends to pay it forward, by opening a soup kitchen in the New Orleans area.
The location of the Chef’s business plan, available for anyone to view, is:
http://www.slideshare.net/rongraham1/business-plan-2-0-for-devotional-chef-enterprises
Comment by Ron Graham -
HOW DO WE MAKE MONEY?
Below are main revenue streams, definitely not from advertising. We will charge employers, not candidates.
1. The usual fee per job posting.
2. A per minute charge on the length of interview conducted.
3. Fee for job posting if the employer wants to be in our featured list or in the “Top Ten Careers” list.
The website has been built and launched, but it will need marketing funding and further development and enhancement.
I do have a business plan but it was written four years ago, and it will need updating. I will definitely update it should you require it. By checking the website alone, you are smart enough to know immediately if this would be a killer app or not.
Comment by Hirecules -
My website combines internet technologies and telephony communications technologies. Main technology is IBM Lotus Domino.
The site enables employers to:
1. Post a job vacancy.
2. Select an interview question type for job applicants. Their selection would range from Managerial, Behavioral, Historical, Custom, Case Studies questions for candidates to respond to during the audio interview. Interview question types can be further developed as the site grows.
3. Have the ability to post a comment, critique on the audio interview of candidates for other employers to review. In this way, the audio interviews of candidates don’t go wasted because it can still be reviewed by other employers.
4. Conducts the interview anytime, anywhere.
Comment by Hirecules -
My strategy now is to send small posts for my business idea. It seems that a long post never goes through.
With over 2.6 MM jobs lost in 2008, and more than 600,000 lost so far in 2009, my website is an idea whose time has come. Employers need a candidate pre-screening tool that would assist them in selecting competent candidates, while on the other hand, job applicants need a communications tool to voice out their career strengths to as many job postings as they can. A two-page text resume is boring!
Comment by Hirecules -
I hope you can forgive the third post, but after the first post did not go through, I decided to break it up into parts and verify each made it through before going on to the next.
SignAndTrade.com currently utilizes advertising to support the site. The adverstising revenues are supplemental and are not a requirement. If any investor chooses to invest and takes on a certain amount of equity they would of course be able to veto the use of things like advertising. The advertising helps us get from month to month right now as our userbase is not large. As the userbase grows and revenues from sellng addons / services the need for advertising will lessen. Interestingly, as we grow and need lessens the amount of revenue that can be generated will grow. It is the same as with so many other things in life… the less you NEED it the more it AVAILABLE / PREVELANT it becomes. This is a business decision that can be made at a later time, but I can demonstrate profitability without advertising (I have models / spreadsheets available upon request) once a certain numbers of users are turned on to the site.
Finally, keep in mind that SignAndTrade makes more than just fantasy sports leagues available. In addition to our hosted games we also provide fantasy sports tools for analyzing your fantasy teams and our blog is periodically updated with expert analysis of the sports world with a focus on how it affects the fantasy landscape. The blog also contains advice on building the best fantasy teams. Our forum / message board rounds out our goal of fostering a “fantasy sports community” comprised of sports fans and fantasy sports players. Whether you play your fantasy sports at SignAndTrade or elsewhere SignAndTrade can help you win your league.
That’s it for now. I look forward to hearing from you all.
Comment by Josh -
I attempted to post earlier, but it seems to have disappeared. The second post went through. Now they are in the wrong order, but so be it… here is the first one again.
Please see my investment opportunity document below.
To all others, I would be very interested in your comments about the tools that SignAndTrade.com has available for fantasy sports players. Even if no funding comes about from this I would consider this comment time well spent if I get some good feedback regarding (1) the tools SignAndTrade.com offers and (2) what tools you wish you had available.
You can send feedback to (f-e-e-d-ba-c-k@SignAndTrade.com) [remove the dashes].
——- BEGIN OPPORTUNITY DOCUMENT ——–
Ahlstland Sports Inc. – Investment Opportunity
SignAndTrade.com, by Ahlstland Sports Inc, offers customizable fantasy sports leagues fit for those serious about their fantasy sports, but user friendly and intuitive enough for novice fantasy GMs.
In 2004, the founder of Ahlstland Sports Inc and several other fantasy sports enthusiasts set out to find a website that would provide all of the necessary services to run a salary cap basketball fantasy league and that also supported keeper leagues or long term contracts. This group wanted to be able to sit down and set up their league however they saw fit and they were willing to pay for the privilege to do so. Based on the frustrations brought about during the process of searching for a site that provided this capability, SignAndTrade.com was born.
The group outlined a set of rules governing the fantasy basketball game they wanted to play. Then the programming of the first version of the SignAndTrade.com website began. For the next three years the site has been regularly improved upon while also retaining the ability for their league to be customized in every way. The SignAndTrade.com website was made public in September 2007. At that time the site provided fantasy basketball league hosting only. Football will be available for the 2008 NFL season.
SignAndTrade.com leagues are customizable in scoring systems (scoring weights), draft type, player acquisition method, team size, league size, ownership rules, positions played, salary cap or not, salary determination methods, and keeper status. It is our desire to make sure that no other site can honestly claim to have the level of customization that SignAndTrade.com makes available to its users.
In addition to fantasy sports league SignAndTrade.com offers a variety of fantasy sports tools such as player rankings, queryable player statistics, player comparison tools, trade analyzers, and more. Including the blog and the forum (message board) SignAndTrade has all the ingredients to be one of the primary fantasy sports content and game providers.
Reasons for seeking investment
Ahlstland Sports Inc started with a vision. That vision is now on the verge of becoming a reality. SignAndTrade.com has a semi-mature fantasy basketball engine and has a similar fantasy football engine in the works for the 2009 NFL season. SignAndTrade.com can become a fantasy sports content and game providing powerhouse with some guidance, hard work, and up-to-date sports content as well as funding to help supply the “hard work” and “content”.
1. Guidance – Ahlstland Sports Inc seeks investors who have their own experiences of starting a business from scratch. It is our belief that this type of investor would be a great fit for several reasons. They will enable us to use their life experiences and knowledge to our advantage thus accelerating positive growth and minimizing mistakes. We also know that there are a lot of subjects in which we are not the experts. We believe these types of investors will be willing and able to help fill those knowledge gaps.
2. Hard work – For the most part SignAndTrade.com has been created and maintained thus far by one person on a mostly full time basis. As the website’s scope has grown and the vision of what the business can be has become clearer it has become apparent that the work that needs to be done is far more than a one man job. Aside from there being a lot of work to do, there are also a lot of types of work to do; to this end it has also become clear that it requires more than one man’s knowledge / skill set as well.
3. Up-To-Date Content – A fantasy sports site will provide a game, but to maximize its potential it will also provide “non-game” content such as sports news, statistics, commentary, etc. Some of the sites “non-game” content will be created by in-house sources. However, much of this content can also be purchased on a subscription basis for commercial use.
Investment Considerations
There is virtually unlimited growth potential over a relatively short time with relatively small risk as well. While we recognize that the previous statement is quite strong we also believe it to be true. The investor should read the quick facts listed below about the fantasy sports industry to get an idea of the money being spent by consumers on fantasy games.
Ahlstland Sports Inc has positioned itself appropriately and is poised for quick growth in the coming years. The existing website and fantasy game means investors do not have to include those first years of “getting off the ground” time in their time of investment. Instead investors will have the opportunity to get in at the early stages of a great thing and to be involved in helping the company to reach its potential.
Quick facts about the Fantasy sports industry
Stats Inc. – “Since its earliest days as ‘rotisserie’ baseball 25 years ago fantasy sports has become big business. About 15 million Americans participated in sports fantasy games last year, according to the fantasy sports trade association. The average player spent $154 playing anything from fantasy NASCAR to fantasy bass fishing.”
News.com – “… fantasy users typically pay money to subscribe to leagues and get additional perks… “
Business Week – “Last September [2006], 10 million people played fantasy sports on the three top sites, Yahoo Fantasy Sports, Walt Disney’s (DIS) ESPN, and CBS’s (CBS) Sportsline, says TJ Mahony, managing director of Compete, an online research firm that monitors fantasy sports. Online fantasy sites have grown 20% to 25% a year over the past five years, Mahony says. “We have only begun to see the growth of fantasy—this evolution from males in dorm rooms with a pen and paper to people organizing large groups on the Internet.”
Closing remarks
The young Fantasy Sports industry in which Ahlstland Sports Inc’s flagship SignAndTrade.com is engaged is growing quickly, and competition will likely become a factor in the next few years. This being the case, it is important that the necessary resources and knowledge be acquired and leveraged quickly. This will enable Ahlstland Sports Inc to enter into and become a major player within the industry.
Comment by Josh -
On the SignAndTrade.com response I made previously I did not include an equity explanation. I am looking for a particular amount of funding and that is why I did not do so.
I am looking to hire atleast 1 other programmers and myself. I would prefer to hire 2 programmers in addition to me + maybe an intern. The best case scenerio for me would be to see $1,000,000 pledged over three years, but since growth is required on such a short timescale I am not sure this falls into your “program”. Maybe it does, or maybe you have another program it would fit under.
I am not sure that SignAndTrade qualifies based off your rules 3,4,5 for the reasons I previously specified, but if you are interested in discussing I will gladly go over my numbers with you and maybe we can figure something out. The $1,000,000 item would give you a 40% equity (stock) stake. The company is already set up as a C-Corp and I think we can simply turn over 40% of the stock to you.
Your exit strategy will be to sell your stock or take your share if the company is ever acquired. I set the company up to be “investor friendly” using the C-Corp. Hopefully what I did makes sense. Your comments are appreciated.
~Josh
Comment by Josh -
I have a product that has been successfully selling. This is my third year. It is a natural FDA approved pharmaceutical grade sunscreen that is so water resistant you can apply it underwater. So environmentally friendly fish can swim around while I am doing the water demo. My sales have been generated thru 1 trade show, telemarking and website (currently being redone and SEO’d) along with word of mouth. I sell gallons to the US Navy Seals, Convenience packets to Major and Minor league stadiums, zoo’s, botanical gardens etc. I have 5 formula’s. I am seeking investment capital to produce more inventory and keep up with the demand from sales.
Comment by Simone -
Mark Cuban, thanks for the opportunity that you have given to many to have their business funded. Whether or not mine gets funded, it is a thoughtful gesture and helpful to all.
In this technological society and age of the computer, or mobile PDAs, the art and critical skill of handwriting has been lost though it is still necessary for job applications, essays, personal notes and school work or tests. As a registered and licensed Occupational Therapist, many of my school based referrals come from teachers who have students with illegible handwriting. Subsequently, I am currently pursuing my handwriting instruction service and would benefit from the capital to help it launch properly.
My business is to offer kid friendly and fun handwriting camps for ages K-5 as well as easy to learn, systematic instruction to High School students for instruction in cursive writing. Research shows that students who had what appeared to be immature printed essays on their SATs attained lower scores than their higher scoring counterparts who wrote their essays in cursive writing, therefore affecting their possibilities for college acceptance. Though many of my referrals are given because of poor handwriting, most mainstream, typical students do not qualify for Occupational Therapy services because there are no underlying physical, visual or neurological deficits that are contributing to their problems and they are left with nowhere to turn to help them with their difficulties and improve their writing skills. Also, because of all of the government mandated requirements in schools now, little time is dedicated to actual handwriting instruction even in lower grades. My business is needed, requires low overhead costs, and has good income potential.
1. Start- up costs include legal and business fees, marketing materials, and camp supplies, props, a camp aide, low cost instruction materials (workbook, pencils, chalk…) and space rentals if necessary.
2. Camps would be for 2 hours per day for 4 to 5 days of daily or weekly instruction. Usual and customary rates for a service of this type with a qualified person are between $200-$300 per person for the camp. Independently, I would be able to deliver up to 4 camp sessions per day. Quality service is essential for referrals, word of mouth advertising, and credibility, so a limit of 6 people per camp session would be necessary. Therefore, an income of $6000 for every 4 camps could be the potential. This could be done weekly, on weekends, or both, doubling the income.
3. Camps would be offered as after school program options, fitness club camps, Summer camps, Winter, Spring and Fall break camps, Intersession camps, college prep camps , YMCA camps or classes, and classes in hospitals.
4. As a former NCAA basketball player with a heart for athletics, another setting I would like to connect with is to provide a service as an adjunct to professional athletes’ nonprofit programs, athletic camps and academic foundations (ie Tiger Woods Foundation, Major League Baseball’s Urban Youth Academy, AC Green Summer Leadership Camps, NFL Superbowl committee, etc…).
5. Expansion of the business would include accepting multiple offers for camps and employing other qualified Occupational Therapists or Certified Handwriting Specialists to administer instruction and run camps.
6. Start up costs are 10k for items in #1. I will run at least 10 sessions in 90 days at an average cost of $250 per person with 6 people per session totaling $15k. You will get back your start up costs and a return of 20% per session for up to $3000 for 10 sessions.
7. The business can continue to build revenue quickly and maintain itself with low per session costs of approximately $500 with a profit of approximately $1000 per session.
My business is simple, low cost to administer, a great and necessary service and potential for high profits. I have Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy and I am a month away from completing my Certified Handwriting Specialist program. Thank you for the opportunity.
Comment by Adrienne Scott -
Hi.
My business has low-overhead, and for the time being only requires a one-person operation. It operates in four departments.
1) Talk-show. “Skeptic Beliefs” is a weekly show that features the stranger things in our universe. Guests so far have included and expert in Biblical UFO sighting, a psychic matchmaker, an expert on 2012 survival, and an inter-species communicator.
2 Subscriptions. “Ward’s Daily Almanac” provided daily free of charge via email. Although subscription is free, the Almanac contains information on up-coming shows as well as promotional announcements for the website, souvenir store and CD sales.
3) Sales. Through both an online souvenir shop and a small collection of CDs (I am also a musician), listeners to the show are encouraged to visit and purchase my products. The products themselves are also promoted on the show with on-air give-aways.
4) Recording. Since most of my guests are also published authors, I have began offering a service where I would record an authors work converting it into an Audio book on CD. The customer would receive masters on CD as well as MP3 copies where they can retain and distribute at their leisure. (Working in concert with another company, I can also offer assistance in packaging if they desire.) I own my own small digital studio and am equipped to make high-quality recordings.
Comment by W.B. Ward -
P.S. Mr. Cuban, my “CONCEPT C,” continued…
@CheriSigmon updating two components of biz plan:
MARKETING PLAN and CASH FLOW: I have just checked quotes from T-shirt vendors to include estimates on our initial order. With a SMALL “initial” order required to include the graphics setup, I estimate surpassing our profitability target dates of 60 and 90 days by weeks. After designs are set, campaigns are in motion, and sales are flowing, supply chains can become just-in-time delivery (i.e., order “on demand”). Simple product line = fast ROI projected.
Like CONCEPT C’s consultancy aspect, our T-shirts require very little overhead. E-commerce venues are already established; this unique “start-up” can be operational within a week or less, including custom web site programming. We can take massive action — fast. If you have any questions, please just ask!
P.P.S. Also, I like the IDEA for the “Little Eye” to protect children online and give parents’ more control over kids’ web surfing activities.
Comment by Cheri Sigmon (@LongestWiener) -
Mr. Cuban,
Thank you for the opportunity to apply for funding. The “open” approach you are using is unique and it serves people well.
In fact, since I work full-time now, other people’s involvement would become critical to our actually implementing and growing this simple new business.
It involves selling T-shirts, with a percentage of each T-shirt sold used to fund a Consultancy for two or more non-profit groups connected in a common cause. A “for profit” business connects with non-profit entities to create jobs and “win/win/win” situations which benefit both people and animals.
It’s a very large vision; I simply cannot do it all by myself. I have begun the research phase already.
I am offering you my CONCEPT for a simple, solid business with the following benefits that you are seeking personally:
1. has low overhead;
2. does NOT need to be a technology leader to succeed;
3. can generate cash that can be put in the bank (and monitored by you); and at some point,
4. offer payouts to shareholders (potential for you and others to cash out with a defined exit strategy).
Here are the explicit details of my CONCEPT C:
A. The Consultancy (a DBA name TBD by partners) is very flat and exists to provide legal structure, daily guidance, awareness, grass-roots exposure, management, and initial funding for business to commence and operate. It is NOT a non-profit entity itself; however, it serves to connect,
organize, and communicate business processes among existing and well-established non-profit entities.
My concept can be applied to any non-profit group in any area of interest, hypothetically. My goal precisely is to connect Animal Rescue groups and Disabled Veterans’ groups. Their groups’ assets, infrastructure, legal entities, staff, volunteers and equipment already exist and can be leveraged.
It just makes business sense to spend and reinvent less, in order to use funds more for the causes the groups serve! Other people can freely “steal” my concept and apply it to connecting other groups who could benefit from a synergistic relationship. For example, you could steal this concept and apply it to your Children’s Interests Groups connected with Educational Groups or connecting A to B or X to Y.
B. The PRODUCT line is incredibly simple and it is ideal for e-commerce, offering multiple choices of designs and graphics to consumers. My rationale: T-shirts can have low price points, so they are affordable and sought after by people in almost every demographic group buying online (& offline). The product line and lifecycle are easy to manage.
Separately, a T-shirt is a product which can ALSO contain a message to further promote the specific non-profit group that is being served. Again, feel free to steal my concept and apply it elsewhere. I believe in a world of abundance and “doing good.”
C. Our customizable T-shirts promote and serve three interests that I’ll outline specifically:
1. Saving animals from kill shelters (and other situations where animals become unwanted or homeless during foreclosures).
2. Employing Disabled Veterans from all wars to TRAIN some of these animal breeds, if and where appropriate, to become “therapy” animals. The
proper term is Animal-Assisted Therapy or AAT. (I have worked with a therapy dog in a nursing home; we made a difference in someone’s life).
3. Serving others in need by providing AAT animals which have been trained by the Disabled Veterans. Recipients of the benefits of these Service Animals could be other Disabled Veterans, other disabled people, or the homebound, injured, or elderly.
D. Replicate this process in every country, state, and locality; every nation, people, and culture can be affected by wars. I said it is a large vision.
E. Create jobs during a critical time when this process can employ hundreds, if not thousands, of talented, caring people AND save helpless animals.
FUNDING REQUEST: US $187,775.00 per annum estimated
FUNDING USES: To enable Consultancy as described above; NO office overhead such as space, utilities, furniture, or equipment is required since work will be done at home with existing home offices and computing assets). FUNDS will drive the Awareness Mission. There may be limited travel to meet face to face with stakeholders at non-profit entities; however, most of the daily work will be VIRTUAL.
BRAND: To be determined by partners. I have ideas in mind and have registered some domain names, but that should be negotiable.
EQUITY: A minimum of 25% for Mr. Cuban; depending upon level of interest and potentially other assets contributed, it could be more. It is negotiable.
NEXT STEP: Review of concept.
Again, thank you for accepting my application for funding, Mr. Cuban. I hope to hear from you at your earliest convenience.
Regards,
Cheri Sigmon
National Capital Region, USA
Twitter: @CheriSigmon
Charity: @LongestWiener
E-MAIL: CheriSigmonCISSP [AT] Gmail.com
Comment by Cheri Sigmon (@LongestWiener) -
Mark Cuban, thanks for the opportunity that you have given to many to have their business funded. Whether or not mine gets funded, it is a thoughtful gesture and helpful to all.
In this technological society and age of the computer, or mobile PDAs, the art and critical knowledge of handwriting has been lost though it is still necessary for job applications, essays, personal notes and school work or tests. As a registered and licensed Occupational Therapist, many of my school based referrals come from teachers who have students with illegible handwriting. Subsequently, I am currently pursuing my handwriting instruction service and would benefit from the capital to help it launch properly.
My business is to offer kid friendly and fun handwriting camps for ages K-5 as well as easy to learn, systematic instruction to High School students for instruction in cursive writing. Research shows that students who had what appeared to be immature printed essays on their SATs attained lower scores than their higher scoring counterparts who wrote their essays in cursive writing, therefore affecting their possibilities for college acceptance. Though many of my referrals are given because of poor handwriting, most mainstream, typical students do not qualify for Occupational Therapy services because there are no underlying physical, visual or neurological deficits that are contributing to their problems and they are left with nowhere to turn to help them with their difficulties and improve their writing skills. Also, because of all of the government mandated requirements in schools now, little time is dedicated to actual handwriting instruction even in lower grades. My business service is wanted and hard to find, requires low overhead costs, and has good income potential.
1. Start- up costs include legal and business fees, marketing materials, and camp supplies, props, a camp aide, low cost instruction materials (workbook, pencils, chalk…) and space rentals if necessary.
2. Camps would be for 2 hours per day for 4 to 5 days of daily or weekly instruction. Usual and customary rates for a service of this type with a qualified person are between $200-$300 per person for the camp. Independently, I would be able to deliver up to 4 camp sessions per day. Quality service is essential for referrals, word of mouth advertising, and credibility, so a limit of 6 people per camp session would be necessary. Therefore, an income of $6000 for every 4 camps could be the potential. This could be done weekly, on weekends, or both, doubling the income.
3. Camps would be offered as after school program options, fitness club camps, Summer camps, Winter, Spring and Fall break camps, Intersession camps, college prep camps , YMCA camps or classes, and classes in hospitals.
4. As a former NCAA basketball player with a heart for athletics, another setting I would like to connect with is to provide a service as an adjunct to professional athletes’ nonprofit programs, athletic camps and academic foundations (ie Tiger Woods Foundation, Major League Baseball’s Urban Youth Academy, AC Green Summer Leadership Camps, NFL Superbowl committee, etc…).
5. Expansion of the business would include accepting multiple offers for camps and employing other qualified Occupational Therapists or Certified Handwriting Specialists to administer instruction and run camps.
6. Start up costs are 10k for items in #1. I will run at least 10 sessions in 90 days at an average cost of 250 per person with 6 people per session totaling 15k. You will get back your start up costs and a return of 20% per session for up to $3000 for 10 sessions.
7. The business can continue to build revenue quickly and maintain itself with low per session costs of approximately $500 with a profit of approximately $1000 per session.
My business is simple, low cost to administer, a desired but hard to find service and has a potential for high profits. I have Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy and I am a Certified Handwriting Specialist. Thank you for the opportunity! Adrienne Scott MS OTR/L
Comment by Adrienne Scott -
Mr. Cuban –
I have a proposal that is extremely lucrative already and will become more lucrative if and when real estate prices fall further.
THE OPPORTUNITY
My proposal is a bank that lends to customers that have rationally decided to walk away from their underwater mortgages. In exchange for a large up front payment, our bank will guarantee a line of credit and a pre-qualified mortgage to homeowners that want to voluntarily walk away from their mortgage if they had high credit scores previously.
This is a lucrative niche. Millions of homeowners who still have the cash flow to easily pay their existing mortgage would prefer to walk from those mortgages in order to lock in a lower house price on a new purchase. Even though almost all mortgages are non-recourse, these homeowners are deterred from this path because their FICO score would be decimated and they would not be able to get a new mortgage.
Our bank will work with these homeowners to extend them an offer for credit before they let their current bank to foreclose on the mortgage. Our fee will be an upfront fee of about 3% of the total credit we guarantee to them. They will happily pay 3% because it will enable them to lock in property prices that have fallen 25% or more and leave their bank holding the large loss on their old house.
The 3% upfront will enable us to break-even within the first quarter of operations but we will generate additional profits over time from the above-market interest rate we will charge. After 7 years when the default ages out of their credit score we will also be able to sell these mortgages as prime mortgages.
If you like, you could further magnify the returns by shorting house price indexes or buying default swaps on the regions we heavily target or shorting the banks that have significant exposure in those regions as we would be increasing their default rate (note – need to investigate the short aspect for legality).
YOUR ROLE
As this is a highly capital intensive plan you would probably want to be a lead investor but not the sole investor. With a moderate investment we could start lending immediately after clearing basic regulatory hurdles. However, with your investment we would also have the credibility to approach a number of pension and private equity funds. Many of these investors are keen to invest in the banking sector but are looking for banks that do not have overhang from mortgages issued at the peak of the boom. We would be extremely attractive to them.
INVESTMENT REQUIRED
The minimum investment would be approximately $600K to enable us clear the regulatory hurdles and hire an experienced banking compliance lawyer and engage an auditor. If you would broker introductions to other large potential investors, your investment would be much more effective and you could get a quicker assurance that this is a viable business plan.
YOUR RETURN
100% of the equity. You may choose to give up some of this as we line up other investors, but you start as the 100% owner and have complete control how much you decide to dilute that stake in return for expanding our capital base and hence the amount we can lend. (Note we will still be able issue non-voting preferred shares for ordinary capital raises).
100% equity will make it easy for you to ultimately sell the business if it proves profitable or dispose of if it does not meet your expectations. Why mess around with these illiquid 20-30% stakes others are offering?
Why would I give you 100% equity? Simple – if this project succeeds my involvement will be adequate compensation and this success will give me the credibility to raise capital for other businesses down the road. I’m young and have plenty of time left to leverage this success in the future.
If you would feel more comfortable with me investing along side you, I am willing to do that as well. I will also work for free for the first 6 months.
If this of interest, I will make a more complete pro forma available along with a more detailed presentation.
Alex
Comment by Alex F -
Your document is publicly viewable at: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dchmgsmj_1hqx6gk43
Comment by Kim -
Hello, Mark
My business idea description touches on: Pittsburgh, sports, race relations, and music.
I am a musician and author and I have created a series of programs that use music as a catalyst for dialogue about race relations in America. I was born and raised in Pittsburgh and, of course, I am a huge Steelers fan.
Simply put, I need two things: expert marketing and investment dollars to pay for it.
I am precisely what you described in your blog post: “Businesses that just need a jump start to get the ball rolling and create jobs.”
In 2008, working part-time on the business, I grossed $12,000 and netted $5,000 with my concert/lecture program. My current solo performance fee is $1,700 (This is net, pre-tax profit — hotel, travel and meals are paid by client). Cost for full-band concert is $3,000+. Also, in 2008, I received licensing revenue of $850, for the use of my recordings in internet ads, administered by Getty Images.
I have appeared at Brown University, The University of South Carolina, Oklahoma State University, Penn State University, Washington and Lee University, Carlow University, Rollins College, The Consortium for Public Education, The CORO Center for Leadership, The Mayor’s Council on Youth, Presidential Classroom, high schools, churches, and many other venues.
I have my CD and downloadable files on iTunes and many other outlets. I have the product/services, and the means of distribution. The only piece I am missing is marketing-publicity.
I would like to use investor money for marketing that would allow me to grow each of these areas: concert/speaking engagement revenues; music CD sales and downloads; licensing revenues from film, TV and advertising; branded merchandise sales; and book sales.
Your return on investment would be a mutually agreed upon percentage of each of the above-mentioned revenue streams.
RACE AND SPORTS: A few years ago I was talking to someone in Pittsburgh about race relations, who recounted how he had seen you, late on a Saturday night, hanging out at the “O.” He was marveling at how a lot of white people were afraid to go there at that time of night but that you went in there and were getting all these high-fives from the young African-American men in the place. I thought that was interesting.
I have always been fascinated by how the fields of sports and music – more than most other fields – seem to be ahead of the curve when it comes to race relations in America. There just seems to be a way that the mutual love of the game/the music brings people together in ways that other fields somehow do not.
On that note, I am proud of Dan Rooney (and hopefully, by extension, Pittsburgh) for instituting the Rooney Rule (for readers unfamiliar with it, it requires that NFL owners interview at least one person of color for coaching positions that become available).
Also, how great is it that the first African-American coach to win a Super Bowl was a Pittsburgh Steeler in his playing days, and now the youngest coach to win the Super Bowl (who also happens to be African-American) is the Steelers head coach.
THE CONCEPT AND THE BOOK: In addition to having original music and programming that I use as a catalyst for dialogue on race, I am currently completing a book that offers a revolutionary approach to the topic, that I think could really help Americans. Below is the book info:
—
“THE MISSING LINK: How One Small Change Could Revolutionize Race Relations”
Tired of talking about race? Think we don’t talk about it enough? Either way, this book is for you.
Even though we just elected our first African-American/biracial president, there is still a perceptual chasm – a very real disconnect – between white people and people of color. America still doesn’t quite know how to talk about race. What if, however, this missing link were a simple yet profound shift in how we frame the conversation?
Imagine if there were a new paradigm, one in which white people felt they were not being asked to feel any guilt for the simple fact of being white. In his new book, J.G. Boccella uses the phrase “The Both/And Approach to Race” to describe what this paradigm shift would look like.
This both/and paradigm would effectively remove a fundamental barrier because it would allow white people to acknowledge that it is both true that no white person alive today had anything to do with slavery and the treatment of the indigenous peoples, and it is also true that things are still not equal in America. It would give white people a way to acknowledge the reality of the ongoing legacy of racism, without feeling personally accused of bigotry. It would also, by extension, create a space for the voices and concerns of people of color to be heard in a new way, and clear a channel for a much more frank and realistic conversation about race.
===
Some people have called race in America, the defining issue and greatest challenge of our nation. Therefore, regarding the social impact of the investment, creating jobs while also helping America take a quantum leap forward with race relations would be of great value.
Thank you sincerely for your time and attention to this proposal.
Best Regards.
PS: GO STEELERS!
==
Comment by J.G. Boccella -
This is already an established organization. 4 years of sweat, hard work, and no pay for the directors. Solid and established in southern California.A Youth basketball league. grades k-12. A full 501-C3 non profit, 300 + players, 300 + games, sponsor high school coaching clinics in the off season. donate proceeds to community,schools, and scholarship as many children as needed. Currently operate at 6 indoor courts. We employ students from these areas wih part time work on game days and other league functions. Our own brand, ball, and attitude. The mission is to promote hard work, confidence, and community spirit through athletics. This message and program could be spread with a partnership. To double in size means an investment of 100,000. A return of 7-10% is reasonable. These proceeds would come from tournaments at the venues which are seperate from league play which also would return around 5%. Our youth are our strength, investing in them is very wise.
Comment by William -
I can’t find my recent first posting about my business in response to Mark’s stimulus plan. I posted it on Feb. 28 at around 12:30 a.m.
Would it just appear later on as I see recents postings up to a certain day and time.
Or do I need to post again. Maybe I’ll wait a couple more days.
Comment by Hirecules -
I’m a 25 year Food Service Professional seeking funding for a project with a minimum projected CASH FLOW of 42% or more per year based on total project investment. Due to the banking industry problems in the first quarter of 2008 which had a negative effect on my SBA loan and the recent market developments which put my two investors on a permanent hold. I’ve decided to make a final effort to seek funding for a project I am convinced will be a success even in the current economy. You can view my online INVESTOR PRESENTATION at eatzapizzaardmore.com. I look forward to all comments.
a
Comment by Mark Harrold -
This is a Singapore Based Start-Up, already registered and set up with official company bank account.
The Plan:
Internet Based Aggregator and Distributor of Learning and Game Apps for Multiple Platforms, Multiple O.S.’s, Multi-Lingual as heck,all on one server and website.
Catchy domain, slick, easy url to remember and a super branding
to go long with it to make it global.
MicroPayment models and discounted pricing specials for the
online games as well.
Game or learning program demos can be played on the fly, through your browser, no need for downloading the demos.
If you like it you buy, if you don’t , you move on to look
for something else.
Easy on the eyes e-commerce with interactivity, no psychadelic
colors or setup.
Contant addition of content and choices galore.
Funding needed for branding solution and quick content build-up,
solid content distribution solution server, rapid website completion.
Amount estimated: $140,000 U.S.D.
Your equity: 20% in shares of company.
Your first payback on a monthly basis starts in the third month from the date of your investment.
Full R.O.I. planned within 6 months.
Comment by Adam -
My business is simple and will be profitable within the first month. I am one of those evil traders who has caused the markets to implode buying (and selling short) 100 shares of a few given stocks that I have watched for years.
My method, which I have perfected over the last five years tracks teh depth of market participation cycles that are common among all markets, across all time frames. My method has a very small risk factor, usually 40 cents for that 100 share trade. I then let profits run as long as the market will permit.
This works. I have over 12,000 hours of screen time studying and perfecting this method.
Just because 19 of 20 people trading markets do not make money, it does not mean there is one that does not. I am that one.
Flame me…..but if you do, at least give me the opportunity to prove you wrong.
Comment by Sean -
My economic stimulus
I have read many of the responses to Mark’s plan and spent days trying figure out a true stimulus business plan, one that could create a sustainable business and also help the consumers of that business. So far I have one, but keeping it close to the chest. I love the idea of open source but im about to graduate and want to keep my competitive advantage if I choose to peruse the idea. So I found something that I can share that will hopefully help people get some $ in their pockets to spend!
Unclaimed Property:
State law requires the Texas Comptroller’s office to hold abandoned and unclaimed property reported by businesses and financial institutions until its owners or their legal heirs claim it. The agency attempts to find the rightful owners of unclaimed properties through annual newspaper advertising, direct mail notices and the agency’s Web site. (Truth is they don’t try very hard)
The comptroller of Texas provides a website where you can search by person or business to see if they have any unclaimed property. I encourage everyone to check and see if you or your business has any money unclaimed. Most of the time it is because someone moved addresses. This money is just sitting around stagnate so let’s get it back and spend it! You will be surprised the amount of money that is unclaimed.
As a business plan:
If you had the time (might take quite a bit of time) to go through and make a list of people with significant sums of unclaimed property, contact them via letter or email and let them know how much and where they can claim it. You will have to operate on the basis of the honor system and ask for a % cut. This would possibly work well for a nonprofit company asking for donations of either the whole sum or a percentage. Think of this example: say you lost your money clip and someone takes the time to find you and return it wouldn’t you want to give a little for their effort. I would. The important thing is to get the money back into the economy.
By the way other states do this too!
Mark- thanks for providing a true proactive economic plan. Also the Dallas Mavericks Charitees has $120 unclaimed.
Thanks, Travis W.
Go mavs MFFL
Comment by Travis W. -
Business Plan
About Idea:
This isn’t so much a business plan, as a plan for a charitable organization. By nature, they are not in existence to make money, just provide help to those in need, and allow individuals to make tax-deductible donations to those individuals. I am a CPA, and am continually asked how donations get to be tax deductible, or have to explain why helping out a friend or relative in need does not necessarily make it tax-deductible.
Problem:
There are many charities that are not businesses. Whether it is giving $20 a month to your mother-in-law so she can have some spending money at her care facility, or paying the college tuition of your grand children – neither is a business that can accept a tax-deductible donation. Nor is it worthwhile for either to file for 501(C)(3) status to become a charity. Anyone can give them a gift, but gifts (while deductible from your estate), are not deductible from your income tax. They cannot give their neighbor money to buy his kids Christmas presents, when they know he just lost his job (and have it be tax deductible). But they can donate to a school or church, which can do it. For those unversed in tax law, it can seem pretty confusing.
Proposal:
I would like to set up a 501(C)(3) organization (foundation) that processes restricted donations. Donations that are specifically limited to the restricted use specified by the donor, and would be fully tax deductible by the donor. Similar to the way United Way pools tax-deductible donations and directs them to non-profit organizations that do not have their own 501(C)(3) status.
Each donation would be reviewed for charitable purpose, related to certain areas. Specifically evaluated on the merits of Elder Care, Medical Care, Education, Community Service and Poverty to evaluate the merit of the donation. Reoccurring donations would be allowed (payroll deductions), and the donations would be directed to the (approved) charitable purposes. Each donor would get a statement as to the charitable deduction, and each donee would get the donation (and notification of who gave them the donation, if desired by the donor).
Operation:
Foundation be run out of my home, with an online presence, until the operation was self-sufficient. I would donate time to process the donations, until the operation could afford a physical location, and a staff to process the donations. Their operations would be funded by individual donations (if any) and a small surcharge on the donations. The surcharge would be eliminated when the foundation had enough funds to pay for the operation of the foundation. To accumulate funds, surcharges in excess of operating expenses would be invested, at the direction of board of directors until an annuity to cover operating expenses could be used (fully funded). At this point, surcharges would be dropped. All staff compensation and foundation spending unrelated to directed donations would be approved by the board of directors. Directors would be compensated for time (at the discretion of the board), after foundation was self-supporting.
Individual fund accounting system would have to be designed, as well as the online interface. This could be done over time, as the operation got larger and needed it.
Capital Outlay
Capital required is very minimal. I am a CPA and can set up most everything. It would be foolish to put money into the foundation before 501(C)(3) status was attained, but there would be costs associated with getting the exemption. I would think that the organization could be set up for around $1,000. All monies not directly used for license fees, bank setup fees would remain in foundation account (this is not something I would expect to be paid for).
It would be advisable, to seek the advice of someone well versed in Charitable Organization law, to develop a review process for the donations. We could not risk our status by allowing donations that are genuinely charitable. For example, someone buying their 16 year old kid a car is not charitable, but buying a minivan for a single mother of three may very well be. We want to avoid the appearance of non-charitable acts by having a review process that would refuse non-charitable donations. It would be best to develop this by gaining the experience of someone well versed in charitable organizations (I do not have the experience in that area). If we allow the organization to handle the purchasing, and payment issues (and do not give cash) this would help as well. We should rule out dependents, but not rule out relation. Sometimes the relatives and friends closest to someone who needs help will be giving it regardless – it is up to us to assure that their donation is tax deductible (as it would be for giving the same thing to a charity).
Why do I want or need Mark Cuban’s involvement?
To get the venture started, I don’t. It may start slower, or take a while before we have the legal groundwork done to be able to process donations without a little help on the front end. Lawyers don’t come cheap, nor do advisors. Especially when they realize that you don’t plan on making money to pay them. Initial capital, in the form of money to purchase the legal advice, or even just time with his legal team would help tremendously. An hour or two with one of his lawyers, would be much more worthwhile than trying to do the research by myself. Especially if one of his lawyers has experience with charities, and foundations. Might be nice to have an estate attorney as well (we don’t want to step on any Generation-Skipping-Transfer issues, if a grandparent wants to pay for his grandkids college). Granted, throwing cash at most problems usually helps, but in this case it is really not needed. To make the foundation actually make a difference it will need to be known, and Mark Cuban has a forum, and ability to help make it known.
Comment by Al -
Folks, is there a site/service that currently does this?
http://tinyurl.com/djsojl
Comment by matt schulte -
Dear Mr. Cuban,
In the event you respond favorably to any idea I mention, I will follow it up with a business plan to the best of my ability.
The success of any investment made relies on people. We all have our given individual strengths and weaknesses. I am posting a couple ideas because I especially liked criteria #7. As a man of simple means I do not think the man who risks working in the mine or any other host of hazardous occupations is worth less than a man who works with the pen. I do think if America had a true free market economy more flat or bottom up companies would exist.
Idea #1
I have installed cabling and most of the cable caddies available are an A frame simple caddy that sits on one place. I built my own vertical/horizontal cable caddy on wheels that also carries small parts. Because I have built my own prototype and used it I have field experience on areas I would improve upon it if it were ever to be manufactured. I can’t patent it (besides the cost) because I have used it in the public domain but could possibly patent the design improvements. I am estimating it would likely cost around $20-$30 to manufacture (likely less if produced in qty) and would likely sell around $70-80+. It is a niche market product which makes marketing easier. There are some websites and publications that can be advertised in to reach a vast majority of the independent contractors, which is the target market that would get it profitable in 90 days. That market can also be reached by direct marketing to the companies who utilize contract labor. At the same time one would pursue the tool distributors and the larger companies for bulk sales. The benefits of the product are better cable management reducing material waste, increased safety because people are not carrying around A frame cable caddies with spools on them, and increased productivity and morale. I have a couple other inventions in this category I have used to follow this product up upon its success.
Idea #2
When I was a budding teenager I created and built a game out of wood in the barn using the old mans tools. It was quite popular among my friends and we played it for hours. I have always wanted to produce it but just because you are good at tinkering, creating, and making things work does not make you a great business person. Picture an indoor soccer field. I created that out of wood. I think I used 2×6’s on the bottom for the frame and then used a thin smooth wood like material that would bend to make the walls and the turf. I cut the goals out with a jigsaw. I then took some wire mesh that acted as nets above the walls (this was the first improvement as well since we had many scrapes from that damn wire hehe). I also had wire mesh simulating net behind the goals. The mesh worked good because I was able to form a goal with a slit at the bottom in the back and did not have to frame it. I took one of those plastic army figurine toys and mounted it to a dowel rod which was the goalie, the dowel rod stuck out the back under the slit. For a ball I took one of those styrofoam balls you make atoms with and cut it in half. It glided perfectly across the surface. We had lines painted on the field and had a set of rules. Picture air hockey except an indoor soccer version. You have a goalie on a dowel rod and a foam ball to flick. It was a blast. What made it so fun was the foam ball would float which allow you to get really creative in the flicking bouncing it off the wall etc. I took the idea even farther. I had an old NCR computer with CPM/80 operating system (like the old monochrome screens) and programmed a scoreboard. Man we were high tech :). There was a clock that you could set timed periods, you could press a key to increase your score by one. I even had a little text based fireworks animation and the speakers beeped a medley. I have so many improvements for the game. Obviously in todays world you could do it out of wood but would probably do it with plastic molds where it can fold up and be compact, etc. The styrofoam balls were great because they wore out after enough flicking. They would be an accessory. Ours were just plain white because we wanted to play but they would have been cool if they were painted like a soccer ball. The scoreboard would be very easy to do as an electronic nowadays. And would use real netting instead of scraping the forearms on wire mesh lol. Regarding the costs I do not have a lot of experience on injection molds but I looked into it one time and it was in the $25-$50k range then you had the per unit cost on top of it. Don’t have any game marketing experience or contacts as Hasbro. Other than making some, throwing them on a web site, and doing some good old fashioned direct soliciting to game distributors or manufacturers, I am wide open to the best marketing strategy. I called the game “Flick”.
Idea #3
Clone ebay and Craigs List creating a virtual marketplace using a commodity based currency as the medium of exchange. Or even competing commodities. I am not going to elaborate on this idea. This is one of those ideas that could change the world. It is also an idea that has a unique legal structuring startup cost.
Idea #4
In this growing age of identity theft and concerns over digital privacy I believe there is an opportunity. Implement a subscription based total privacy service using encrypted proxy servers for web browsing, encrypted voip servers for communications, and public key servers for encrypted email exchanges.
#3 and #4 likely would not meet your 90 requirement due to a development timetable. Could certainly have some type of implementation in 90 days but I reservations on whether they could be profitable in 90 days. I would love an opportunity at #1 and/or #2 so I could roll any personal gain into idea #5 which is what I would really like to be tinkering with more.
#5
Revive steam transportation. Abner Doble built a steam automobile that got 1400-1500 miles on 24 gallons of water in addition to direct drive from high torque, and a short start time. With advances in steam turbines, electrolysis, high pressure pumps, etc. I think steam is a very viable alternative to fossil fuels. Steam is a proven technology we use everyday to generate electricity that has not been fully explored in personal transportation. If some good ol American do-it-your-self types like myself had access to any part of the auto bailouts we would have some prototypes of viable alternatives to fossil fuel based cars, personal generators, etc.
Kudos to you for taking an active personal interest in the economy leveraging your monetary successes in life to inspire entrepenuers. Regarding equity and getting a return on your money I am wide open. Selling has never been my greatest asset. I do not have the means to manufacture a bunch of anything. I’d be content just having a job myself right now to pay the bills. The only way my ideas have come to life is if I build one for myself or someone with means such as yourself took an interest.
Regards,
-Sean
Comment by Sean -
gary the real thing is ideas are easy what is hard is all of the other steps you gotta go through to bring yor product to the customer and then get paid
anyone can have ideas
very few ideas are good
telling someone yor idea deosnt mmean they can do it
figure out how to make your presentation
a bank would make the same demand
gotta have a business plan
Comment by Annie -
Hi Mark,
This is a play created by a group of Bdway actors on their downtime. PERFECT HARMONY is a comedy about a championship high school a cappella group. It’s been the little show that could – was a fringe play with great reviews (New Yorker et al), sold out, transferred, sold out again. Now we’ve raised capital to mount a full commercial production.
Slides up at:
http://docs.google.com/Present?docid=dgmnnkkm_401gfp4q9ch
The pitch for you is on slide 9.
Thanks for taking the time to read this far.
andrew
Comment by Andrew Grosso -
Ok, I don’t get this “Proposal”. I have a great idea for a new product that I’m just supposed to share with the world and allow someone to steal my idea and run with it to make money and I’m stuck holding the bag??? C’mon, Mr. Cuban. I’m just a guy who is laid off and broke, but with a great idea to make a product that almost eveyone would want in their own home or business. I have no capital, or means of investing in my own idea, I need an investor who would give me a chance.
But if that doesn’t happen, then I will hold onto this until I come up with some way on my own…. Partner with me and we will both be better off. I believe in this. Just a chance, that’s all I ask. Thank you.
Comment by Gary Brookens -
Hi Mark,
Thank you for this opportunity. We hope this is of interest to you.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dckjfjh8_12f6x5sbds
Regards,
Roger
Comment by Roger -
Thank you for letting us submit.
Regards,
Barry
Comment by Barry -
I know that this doesn’t meet the requirements of your stimulus plan, but is more of a personal investment for you. Have you ever wanted to own your own ski resort? In central Idaho there is a beautiful resort called Tamarack. At the end of March Tamarack will be closing it’s doors and shutting down it’s lifts, for good. Tamarack is only four years old but the investors tried building it up to fast. The banks are losing money on it and may be willing to sell it at “foreclosure” rates. Take a look at the website tamarackidaho.com, click on the about tab and see just how amazing this resort really is. By the way I am in no way affiliated with tamarack, I just love skiing and just hate to see such a beautiful resort shut down, so if you are interested in such an investment I would like to be an asset in whatever way possible. In one of your blogs I read, you mentioned not to get into a business unless it is an obsession, that is why I am posting this.
Comment by Jared -
Thank you, for allowing us to submit.
Regards,
Barry
http://www.scribd.com/doc/12843971/Cuban
Comment by Barry -
Hello Mr. Cuban,
The Business of Blackjack Card Counting.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddt39pn9_3cr7gj9f7
I look forward to hearing from you.
Brian
Comment by Brian -
Franchise Out Our Current Company
~We turned a profit on our 9th business day.
~Currently we are a three person team
~We take an existing product and give a sales talk to a homeowner.
We show them the value by upgrading to a green product and how
it saves them directly on their monthly utilities.
We show them how their modest upgrade investment improves their
living conditions, reduces their carbon footprint and saves them
real dollars within 3 years (depending on region).
~We have been doing this for 2 years and cant keep up with demand.
But hiring the right people for expansion isn’t what we have in mind.
~We want to be the premier brand for a franchise that is nationally (perhaps internationally) known. So we are in need to contract a legal services dealing with franchises, and to attend trade shows to show the opportunities to potential small business owners.
Our business model with the expansion of a nationwide franchise model will put literally thousands of people to work.
~The profit margin is that of a retail product markup
~The profit margin increases by securing contracts with 2 different manufacturers (never have all your eggs in one basket) thus buying in volume.
1. It can be an existing business or a start up.
We are in business as we speak. And profitable from day one by the way! =)
2. It can not be a business that generates any revenue from advertising.
Done.
3. It MUST BE CASH FLOW BREAK EVEN within 60 days
First Franchise sold is more than 80% profit from startup
4. It must be profitable within 90 days.
From the first franchise sold
5. Funding will be on a monthly basis. If you dont make your numbers, the funding stops
Not a problem.
6. You must demonstrate as part of your plan that you sell your product or service for more than what it costs you to produce, fully encumbered
Already in place. We do it as a 3 person operation, we can certainly carry it over to a Nationwide 3,000 independent franchise plan. Think along the lines of the Marriott Hotels and how they carry their plan and operation into each of their brands.
7. Everyone must work. The organization is completely flat. There are no employees reporting to managers. There is the founder/owners and everyone else
We work in conditions that some find rather unpleasant. But we also have great benefits from doing the work ourselves.
8. You must post your business plan here, or you can post it on slideshare.com , scribd.com or google docs, all completely public for anyone to see and/or download
See above for the plan
9. I make no promises that if your business is profitable, that I will invest more money. Once you get the initial funding you are on your own
We greatly appreciate the chance to take this operation to a minimum, Nationwide model and to put thousands of people to work.
10. I will make no promises that I will be available to offer help. If I want to , I will. If not, I wont.
Understood.
11. If you do get money, it goes into a bank that I specify, and I have the ability to watch the funds flow and the opportunity to require that I cosign any outflows.
Your money, your rules.
12. In your business plan , make sure to specify how much equity I will receive or how I will get a return on my money.
ROI:
Do you want an exit strategy or long term revenue stream?
~Exit strategy: Within the first 12 months we pay back your initial investment monies. Within 18 months we pay an amount double to your initial investment monies.
~Long term partnership: ROI of initial monies within 12 months. A 30% ownership and profit sharing for the duration of your partnership.
13. No mult-level marketing programs
NEVER – Franchise with territories only serviced by the owner.
And one new rule.
14. If you contact me separately, whether via email or the contact form on the blog, your request WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. It must be posted on this blog for all to see and comment on.
I don’t go out to basketball games much or to Texas so this shouldn’t be an issue.
Please drop an email and I will share with you the first to market national franchise (specifically what it is we are doing and doing well)
Thanks Mark. Not just for consideration but for the idea and the willingness to try new, straight forward ventures. Oh one more thing…thanks for your willingness to read these postings!
P.S. With your ownership status perhaps you could get into the Commissioner’s office of the major sports and present a “Sports Stimulus” package.
*The owners of each team/major sport agrees to sponsor 2 nights a month to focus on one small business in their community.
**The team’s marketing department helps with the branding and signage, and samples for the chairs. (This comes out of the team’s profit for the night)
***The team’s announcer describes the business, location, benefit to the community.
Roughly for a season:
NBA 7 months of home games, approx: 14 businesses featured
MLB 7 months of home games, approx: 14 businesses featured
NFL 5 months of home games, approx: 10 businesses featured
NHL 7 months of home games, approx: 14 businesses featured
Thats around 52 businesses that could get a stimulus. One owner helps out one business. That business is able to expand. Employs more people. Those people have more money to……..
Comment by Benjamin -
Mark…..
A close friend read about your “Stimulus Plan” offer in the Los Angeles Times and urged me to share my company with you. Based on your passion for athletes, business and technology I think you’ll be excited by what we do. Here’s the “nutshell” version.
I started a company 3 years ago called Athletes to Business. The unique business model we’ve developed allows us entry into the highly protected world of college athletic departments. There we help the schools, prepare their student-athletes for that scary day when their uniform comes off for the last time and they have to get ready to join the “real world” (which sadly they’re generaly very ill equipped to do).
We coach every student-athlete we meet one-on-one helping them overcome the anxiety and fear they feel. We make them realize they have special talent. We help them develop resumes, interviewing skills and actually create interviews for them with world class companies – our clients (Target,Enterprise,Johnson & Johnson, Waste Management etc.) who are eager to hire these highly motivated and diverse future leaders.
Most of the schools we currently help are here on the west coast. They include DI, DII, DIII & NAIA schools including UCLA, USC, San Diego State UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, Peperdine, Long Beach State, Arizona State, U of Arizona, UNLV and many more.
To date, we have coached and mentored over 2500 student-athletes and placed close 250 into fantastic entry level positions. Athletic Director’s like Stan Morrison at UC Riverside, Gary Cunningham formerly UC Santa Barbara, Vic Cegles Long Beach State would give us glowing references. So would our corporate clients who love hiring our student-athletes but can’t get access to them.
When they come to campus to recruit, the athletes are to busy to meet them which is a lose-lose for both parties. We simply connect the two.
We meet all the criteria you listed above and would be excited to discuss our vision in more detail with you. Certainly, your advice, suggestions and money would be greatly appreciated. I will look forward to hearing from you. Our web-site is athletestobusiness.com
Regards Ross
Comment by Ross Lerner -
Hello Mark, my name is James Donelson, and I have been developing a music production company along with ideas to create a new music industry. The production company is called RE-Productions and we have developed a music event called O.U.R. Festival.
We are in need of funding to produce the next O.U.R. Festival and to continue the development of RE-Productions. The O.U.R. Festival is an extremely unique music gathering. The reason that it’s unique is, we book from every genre of music and we try to propel regional and local musicians so they may have successful careers. The “O.U.R” stands for the Original- Underground- Revolution. We named the production company “RE-Productions” because that is what we are going to do. Just think, what if a company could develop a plan to start a new industry where the artists own the rights to their art, and they are developed the right way for longevity and success.
I have been working on this plan for a long time and have developed a formula that will work. The key is in the development process. This is something that has been lost long ago in the music industry. The O.U.R. Festival has developed from a small town music gathering into a very popular event. In 1999, the festival attracted a five hundred person attendance to over five thousand the next year. In 2000 The O.U.R Festival was one of the top ten music festivals in the country. It was nominated by Relix magazine and I was able to do that with out any capitol.
As you know, you can not develop a company with out money and we kept on breaking even. Since 2003, I have been slammed with emails asking when I was going produce the show again. If we had funding for the event I could get acts and produce an event that would generate money not just allow me to break even.
The business plan below is for a single O.U.R. Festival and proves how profitable it will be within 90 days. We will be generating money within 30 days through pre-sold tickets. I would like to convey that this one or series of events will produce enough capital to fund a company that will create many new jobs, and make some existing companies more financially sound. Below the O.U.R. Festival plan I have added the RE-Productions bio, the plan for RE-Productions, the plan for the O.U.R. Festival tour and my resume.
I. The O.U.R Fest
a. RE-Productions will set up The O.U.R fest. The festival will be Thursday through Sunday. RE- Productions will invite 25 regional acts and 3 comedians of all genres that we have scouted internationally. In addition to booking the regional acts RE-Productions will book 3 headliners.
b. RE-Productions will provide all of the vending under the company rather then having out side vending. This will increase revenue within the company.
c. RE-Productions will have Zeo Brothers Production provide the stage, lights, sound and electric.
d. RE-Productions will provide all other necessary personal and miscellaneous services to run the festival including but not limited too volunteers, security, EMT, restrooms, trash removal. RE-Productions have about 150 volunteers and a professional security team.
II. Cost/Income
a. Cost for The O.U.R Festival
Cost of property- $10,000
Regional acts- $15,000
Headliners- $200,000
Zeo Brothers- $20,000
Vending- 10,000
Food- $5,000
Restrooms- $2000
Medical- $2000
Merchandise- $2000
Advertising- $3000
Miscellaneous- $3000
Bringing the total to-$272,000
b.Income for The O.U.R Festival will be as followed
• Ticket sales- $55.00 x 15,000 = $825,000
• Vending- $20.00 average per-person= $300,000
• Merchandise-$10.00 average per-person = $150,000
Bringing the total in revenue to about- $1,275,000
The investment would be paid in full after the event plus, percentage agreed upon by the investor and me.
RE-Production’s Biography
RE-Productions is a music production company based out of Schwenksville Pennsylvania. RE-Productions was organized in 1998 by a group of musicians led by music promoter Gary Ross. The name RE-Productions (A.K.A. RE-Pro) comes from the idea that there is a dyer need to reproduce a new form of a musical industry, helping to balance the odds of success with performing art.
From 1998 till 1999, RE-Productions held events through out North Eastern P.A. Gary Ross was a manager at the time of the musical group “Grow” that was based out of Norristown, P.A., and was the creative force behind the “R festival”. The “R festival” was created in April 1999 and was held in May 1999 at Spring Mountain in Schwenksville P.A. Due to a low budget, the musical gathering only hosted 500+ but began the building process of RE-Productions. In June 1999, Gary decided to hold two “R festivals” a year and turned to James Donelson (A.K.A Jimmy D) for help with promotion and the booking aspects of the production company.
In July 1999, Gary Ross with the collaboration of Jimmy D. and the RE-Pro crew, started to develop RE-Productions and the Original Underground Revolution was born, the “R festival” became “The O.U.R festival” and a new concept of how to allow musicians to develop and flourish would become RE-Production’s main priority and number one goal. Since the creation, RE-Productions has developed into one of the most well known production companies on the East Cost.
RE-Productions
RE-Productions is an artist development company that has been in existence since 1998. Our goal is to develop, produce and market artists/ bands to ensure that they are successful. The purpose of RE-Productions is simple; the focus is on all aspects of music promotion that will increase the amount of successful artists and to facilitate a career path for potential performing artists, and technical liaisons. The main way to help them with their success will be to provide them with the tools and guidance that is necessary to become a money making business.
RE-Productions has over fifty staff members, which include artists/musicians that are professionals, and are hired to do various jobs in the production company. Although they may be hired as a manager, marketing specialists or roadies, they all have one job in common, to give guidance to the artist signed to the production company. By having the staff members perform more than one job within the production company, we are able to have more money for the artist and keep sub-contracting down to a minimum. For example, one of the marketing specialists to the company will be an A&R REP {ARTIST AND REPRESENTIVE}for one of the bands. Part of the guidance will be to develop certain tools to help them, such as a good press kit, developing a management team, purchasing top of the line equipment, finding practice space that will not distract them, finding them studio space to record, record an album in the studio or live, developing market areas and setting up tours.
There are three levels within RE-Productions. The first level we start the artists off with the tools and guidance mentioned above and will bring in little or no money to the production company. The artists will be paid from the monies generated by the second and third levels. The second level we have the artists beginning to tour more often and headlining the tours that we set up. Less time is focused on the things that the artists have already done to develop and spent on using the tools put in place to achieve financial stability. Artists can be signed to the Production Company and go straight to the second level if they have already developed to the company standards. For example, if they already have a following of at least three hundred, have a manager that has as much or more experience/ knowledge about the industry as we do.
The production company will take all of the money made off of the contracts for each tour set up, and will pay the artists depending on the level that they are at. For example, if it is a ten show tour and there is a level one, two and three on the tour, the production company will charge each club two thousand dollars for the show. We will pay the level one band/ artist three hundred dollars per show, the level two five hundred dollars per show and the level three seven hundred per show, brining in five hundred per show to the production company, five thousand per tour.
The artists will have full rights to their music and merchandise. The artists will be put on the third level if they have sold over ten thousand albums, have a following of five hundred or more and have shown the production company a stellar business model. The production company will make the same as above on the third level artists but will make one dollar off of each album sale when they reach ten thousand and every ten thousand after words.
There will be no additional charge afterwards. When the artist is bumped to the third level, they will be put on the line up for the O.U.R Festival tour. After the completion of the tour they will be asked if they would like to be shopped to a major record label at which time the label will buy the contract or they can stay independent at which time they will be asked to sign a three year contract. It will state in the contract that they will play one tour and one O.U.R Festival for free
.
RE-Productions will sign each artist to a one year contract to the level they are at. After the artist has completed the one year contract, the artist has the right to resign or not, except for third level artist resigning to a three year deal.
If the artist defaults on a contract and leaves, they will not be aloud to resign with us ever again, but if they leave after the contract is up, they can come back depending on the circumstances of leaving. RE-productions will render its services to major and independent labels. If a record label wants to uses our services, the production company will charge the label depending on the label size and budget not the artists. Artists already signed to a label will be put on the second or third level at the production company’s discretion.
I. The O.U.R Fest Tour
a. RE-Productions will set up the tour. It will be a 12 week tour, every weekend from June through August. The festival will be Thursday through Sunday and will be on the new site by Tuesday of every week.
b. RE- Productions will invite 25 regional acts and 3 comedians of all genres that we have scouted internationally to join the tour. In the contract it will state that all acts are required to participate in any media/multi-media events, which RE-Productions will set up prior to the tour or will be produced while on tour. In addition to signing the regional acts RE-Productions will book 3 different headliners for each festival.
c. By having different headliners throughout the tour it will increase the revenue and keep the focus on the regional acts.
d. RE-Productions will provide all of the vending under the company rather then having out side vending. This will increase revenue.
e. RE-Productions will have Zeo Brothers Production provide the stage, lights, sound and electric for the tour. They will be signed for the length of the tour.
f. RE-Productions will provide all other necessary personal and things to run the festival including volunteers, security, EMT, restrooms, trash removal. RE-Productions have about 150 volunteers and a professional security teem.
II. Benefits
a. RE-Productions will be exposing the 28 acts to a U.S tour (eventually expanding to Europe), which will draw on an average of 15,000 per festival 180,000 for the tour.
b. The O.U.R Festival is not the only tour that RE-Productions will be producing for these acts, but will be the largest and most attended of all RE-Productions shows. RE-Productions will have more bands under its wing then the 25 acts that will be performing, that just have not developed enough yet to go on The O.U.R Festival tour. RE-Productions will have all regional acts singed to a one year deal to play all RE-Productions shows but only the ones selected for The O.U.R Festival will be singed and paid for the tour RE-Productions have about 100 bands and several comedians involved.
c. By exposing these acts to a major tour, mass public and having to do Radio, TV interviews; RE-Productions will be able to present these acts to major record labels or private investors.
d. Regional acts will make a steady income while gaining exposure in the U.S and eventually Europe, developing there act into a business.
III. Cost/Income
a. Cost for The O.U.R Festival tour will be as followed
Regional acts- $140,000
Headliners-36 headliners at an average cost of $70,000= $2,520,000
Zeo Brothers- $168,000
Food- $60,000
Gas- $70,000
Restrooms- $12,000
Medical- $12,000
Merchandise- $300,000
Promotion- $10,000
Miscellaneous- $20,000
Bringing the tour total to- $3,300,000
b. Income for The O.U.R Festival will be as followed
Ticket sales- $50.00 x 120,000 = $6,000,000
Vending- $20.00 average for each person = $2,400,000
Merchandise- 10.00 average for each customer $3,600,000
Bringing the total in revenue to about- $12,000,000
JAMES DONELSON
436 2ND AVE. ROYERSFORD P.A 19468
PHONE 484-614-4622 • E-MAIL JAMESDONELSON@GMAIL.COM
OBJECTIVE
To obtain an A&R/Producer position, with a record label that will allow me to be the powerful force that I could be in the music industry.
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
• Throughout my storied musical career my forte has been to develop a diverse repertoire of musical experience. Including but, not limited to; scouting, development and promotion of upcoming and established artists. My sole purpose was to obtain an A&R representative position, with a record label that would embrace and propel my talents and expertise on the scouting and development of artists. I have been a successful musician for most of my musical career, since 1998 I have honed in on my promotional attributes with the development of RE-Productions. I have scouted and booked over three hundred bands/musicians nation wide, and have counseled many of them on becoming more profitable. Producing musicians and their music is my specialty; I have an ear for music and the ability to obtain the best out of musicians. If it is in the studio or if it is their live show, I can get them to sound, look, function, act professional and be amazing.
WORK EXPERIENCE
1998 – present RE-Productions
• Since 1998 RE-Productions has developed into one of the leading production companies in the U.S. Responsibilities include over seeing all operations of the company including but not limited to, Public Relations, Marketing, Promotion, Management and Talent Scout.
• RE-Productions are the founder of The O.U.R Festival. The O.U.R Festival is musical gathering that allows musicians to expand to a wider market and allows RE-Productions to scout musicians.
• Since the development of RE-Productions I have scouted talent for the last ten years and have acquired a large portfolio of talent nation wide.
1995 – 1998 Dome sound and Ultra-Psyche Records
• In-house A&R rep at “Dome Sound” from 1995 till 1998. My responsibilities were, but not limited too, scouting potential artists/bands, pre-production, liaison for artists/bands before and while at the facility, set up for recording and production.
• Assisted with the production/mixing of “The Bloodhound Gang’s” triple platinum “One fierce beer coaster” album. I also worked with “Rain Still Falls” featuring legendary musician “Chuck Treece”, “Monster Magnet” and legendary recording artist “John Whitehead”.
Comment by James Donelson -
Mark, thanks for this opportunity.
My name is Tony Ross.
We manufacture the “only” in home 3D Gaming and Movie Player/Media Server available “today”. As you know 3D is quickly becoming a hot topic and yet a niche market.
Our technology is proven and currently selling today. We have several major strategic technology partners supporting our market push.
It would be a pleasure for us to have you and your team to visit our office and demo the technology. The scenes come right off the screen. Feel free to visit our website http://www.glaciermediasystems.com.
We currently have shared office space, manufacturing facilities, and administrative services with a couple of all supporting partners. They believe in our product and have extended their support.
Our organization is totally flat, with everyone wearing multiple hats (sales, support, manufacturing, admin, etc.)
As with everyone else our problem is lack of operating capital and investors. Our investment thus far has come from personal saving, credit cards, and sweat equity.
We seek $50k – $75k per month investment.
This will be used to pay employees and marketing.
We believe establishing a brand na Our systems and services are design to meet the requirements of all consumers. Our systems and services are design to meet the requirements of all consumers. me early around 3D will be the key to our long-term and short-term success. The name is currently up for grabs and we have created a little bit of a buzz in the market today. Google us.
Target Audience:
1. All Consumers
2. CEDIA Dealers
3. Retail Electronic Stores
4. Commercial Business
Products and Services:
1. Home Entertainment Media Servers (Music, Movies, Photos, etc.)
2. 3D Gaming and Movies Systems
3. Digital Home Lifestyle
We do it for Middle-America:
1. Our systems and services are design to meet the requirements of all consumers.
Why do our customers/clients care?
1. Our customers and clients want a user friendly product that makes home entertainment easy.
2. They are tired of the guest work and difficulty of integrating several different manufacturer products in order to delivery mediocre home entertainment.
3. We have developed an ALL-IN-ONE Home Theater server solution that delivers ease of use, a high quality system, and at an unbelievable price.
What does our company do?
1. We provide an affordable home entertain system solutions for the digital lifestyle for all consumers and incomes.
Why is our company different?
1. Our company has merged the best of Custom Audio Video techniques with Basic Information Technology creating an affordable experience like none other.
What is our company?
1. We are media server manufacturer, who is focus is on bringing entertainment technology into the home with reliability, ease of use, and a bit of Wow!
What environment is our company operating within?
1. We operate in both the CEDIA and Retail sales channel. The challenge is to offer a high quality product at a highly competitive price point that delivers that “WOW” factor.
What single thing does our company do better than any other?
1. We are the best in the industry at innovating and delivering best-of-breed products and services at a price no one else can match.
Overview:
1. We are 1 of 15 companies that are Gold Certified Microsoft partners
2. 3D Ready-providing solutions for both movies and gaming
3. Our systems are Dolby True HD & DTS HD certified
4. We have dynamic strategic relationships with key partners: Microsoft, Mitsubishi, NVIDIA, Seagate, ADM, Intel, Cortexa, Eparts, and Aspen Media Products, etc.
Comment by Tony Ross -
http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=F.b27d7066-fe35-4986-b7d1-070d439ba0da
Regards
Comment by Barry -
Please someone grab this idea, create a business plan that meets Mark’s requirements, and run with it 🙂
I think there’s room for a service that does monthly credit card arbitrage. Not a “you’re in credit trouble, we’ll save you” but I’m looking for a service that will pay off my 20% interest credit card every month. I’ll then pay them, say, 18%. Because they’re paying my credit card in full every month, the 18% is all profit to them.
Credit card interest rates are inefficient, and credit card companies don’t do a good job of creating rates that reflect a consumers creditworthiness. The interest rates are as high as they can make them. I think there’s a lot of room for arbitrage here.
Tom
Comment by Tom Lianza -
Ok…. I read your other comment about “not reading everything” and getting dismissed for not meeting all the requirements.
Here is my post from earlier.. I’m sure you received a lot, so you’re not going to remember who I am by name alone….. so, here you go:
“I don’t have an item to sell to someone that they will buy and never use again. What I want to do is something for the community. I want to keep our kids off the streets. I want to do something for our younger generation who will be our leaders very soon (after or during the recovery of our country). They, too, need the self-confidence, humbleness and the focus of a TEAM, as our current leader [Obama] possesses. I believe paving the way to a healthy future has to start with protecting the morals and strength in our children. I want to create a place for our children to go where education is promoted and turning to “the streets” can be eliminated. That with my mom’s idea of teaching Latin dancing to kids will give them exercise and boost confidence. I want to also teach the children the competitiveness of the “grown up” world and industries, we can have several different competitions related to education, business, dance. I don’t know what you mean about “advertising” but I will get the kids in the building and money generated if I can just get up and running in a location that is central and visible. (I have a couple of ideas about location). Let me know what you think. This hasn’t been completely thought through because a window of opportunity has never been opened. I can get whatever details you may need if you’re interested. Thanks for your time in reading my post.”
Here is my comment according (and numbered) to Cuban rules.
1. Startup business
2. no revenue from advertising – should not be a problem at all.
3. I want to help the community so I want to charge a fee that will be reasonable and helpful – I want them to know they are getting their money’s worth so they return each and every week.
4. Where I want to start up is in a community where there lots of children (teens) that have no where to go and nothing to do after school. Some need to stay at school for tutoring and that is not available all the time. I want to give them somewhere to be for education, recreation and mentorship. (I can find teachers who are no longer employed due to the economy cut-backs or teachers willing to volunteer a few hours after school to be here). – I feel this will be a good turn around because our community of Oak Cliff does not have a place like this. The local recreation centers are there, but I want to give them more interaction and a little more of the entertainment and interactive lifestyle they’re looking for (with guidance and supervision, of course). Like a weekend hang-out place also. Today, they are sneaking into clubs and getting big brother/sister to buy them alcohol. Here, they will have the club “scene” on the weekends, they will have to already be a member with a card to swipe for entry and exit (so we will always know they are there). During this time, there will be constant supervision and security.
5. I’m very confident we will make our numbers because of the drive that all that are involved already have.
6. I feel there are a lot of adults (young and old) that will also be willing to volunteer some time for this.. AND I want to help the older teens achieve their “volunteer” requirements for scholarships as well. I think this will be a BIG plus to obtaining volunteers that can help with tutoring and/or mentorship to the younger children and helping high school kids obtain scholarships is a big deal to me. Our community needs more college-bound students. They are, after all, our leaders of tomorrow and they need to be well-educated and I believe this place can assist in that… and help give strength in bonding with each other as well.
7. This will be run and operated by those of us trying to achieve the same goals for the facility. I feel this rule is easily managed.
8. officially posted.
9. I feel that if you find my idea worth taking a chance on, then it must be something that can/will go somewhere. I strongly feel that it will. So, in that case, I understand and we will work it out on our own after initial funding!
10. Although your help will be greatly appreciated, I feel we can find the help in our own community. More people than we realize want to make our community a better one and are willing to help in any way possible. (of course, careful screening will be involved with each person spending time with our minor children).
11. That’s absolutely fair since it is in fact YOUR money!!
12. This is the part of the details I mentioned in my earlier note that hasn’t really been thought completely through. But if you’re interested in this, I will get with the other 2 people I wanted to get involved in this and we can work all this out together. I can get you an answer within a day or two. I believe that location is going to be a big key to income, profit, and debt repayment … and I will have to dig more into that.
13. I don’t even know what multi-level marketing programs are.
14. I don’t know your email address.
On another note, jobs will be provided for teaching, caregiving and securing this business as a whole.
Thanks for your time reading my post [again].
Comment by Paula -
Mark,
My Idea is simple… An application that will provide a means to view guitar tablature on the iPhone.
The iPhone is the #1 mobile development platform right now and it is time to take advantage of it with an innovative product.
1. Easy to read, easy to navigate
* Voice activated sheet pages (Say next — moves to the next part, previous, chorus, etc)
* Swipe activated (Gesture based)
2. A tablature locker that stores all of your favorite tabs allowing you to create, upload, or share your tabs.
3. The App will take a look at the current music in your phone and offer you the ability to view tabs for those songs.
4. Viewing user submitted how-to videos for songs.
5. Also would like to create a nice clamp that holds the phone next to the neck of the guitar for easy viewing and sell it via the site.
Money
Requested Capital: <= 20k
Sell the app for $2.99 and apple takes their 30%.
Applications needed to sell to break even: 9569
Process
Contract a iPhone developer and work closely with them to produce the app as soon as possible.
Contract a developer to create the site.
Investment
Return of 100% taken. 1st priority
20% profits for 6 months. 2nd priority
I’m not looking for a get rich quick scheme… I am also not looking to take any of the capital to pay myself or any employees.
This would be an easy project to create/produce with one person(myself).
Thanks Mark!
Comment by Shawn Ramey -
Introduction
Goodlite Products, Inc. is a family business that specializes in packaging and distribution of non-prescription pharmaceuticals to the Sundries Merchant Wholesalers Industry. We have been in business for over 30 years with a strong customer base and 1.7 million in sales for 2008. With proper capital we expect to easily exceed our financial forecasts through increased sales.
The Company
Goodlite Products, Inc. mission is to be the leader in packaging, distribution and customer service to the market. Through close customer contact and excellent relationships, we will meet the needs of our customers wherever we can.
Goodlite Products Inc. is a privately-held Texas corporation and maintains an office and warehouse in a mixed-use area of Dallas, Texas.
Barbara Hett, the founder and CEO has both entrepreneurial and industry experience. Ashley McMillan brings operational management skills to the company. 12 other employees run the day-to-day operations ranging from shipping, packaging, processing and accounting. The founder and CEO, Barbara Hett has an excellent personal credit rating and Goodlite Products, Inc. has above average D&B rating.
The Products
Goodlite Products has multiple product lines, each with our brand packaging. Our products line includes:
Johnson and Johnson Products: Tylenol, Tylenol ES, Tylenol PM, Tylenol Cold, Tylenol Sinus, Tylenol Allergy, Tylenol Rapid Release, Benadryl, Motrin, Pepcid Berry and Imodium
Proctor and Gamble Products: Dayquil, Nyquil, Pepto Bismol, Pepto Bismol Original Liquid, Pepto Bismol Max Liquid, Dayquil Original Liquid, Nyquil Original Liquid, Nyquil Cherry Liquid, Vicks Vaborub, Scope Original, Scope Peppermint, Secret Invisible Solid Powder, Old Spice AP/DO Invisible, Crest TB Regular and Gillette Foam Shave Cream
Bayer Products: Aleve, Alka Seltzer, Alka Seltzer Plus, Bayer, and Midol
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Products: Excedrin, Excedrin Tension, Excedrin Sinus, Excedrin Back and Body and No Doz.
Weyth Products: Advil, Advil PM, Advil Liquid Gels, Chapstick Regular, Chapstick Cherry, Chapstick Strawberry
Insight Pharmaceuticals Product: Anacin
Boehringer Product: Zantac
Carter Wallace: Trojan Red, Trojan Blue, Trojan Gold, Trojan Black Magnum, Trojan Purple, Trojan Navy, Trojan Green
Medtec Product: Clear Eyes
Most of our products are purchased in bulk from the above companies and then repackaged into 25, 30 and 50 count boxes with the exception of Johnson and Johnson products that come packaged in their own boxes. Goodlite Products, Inc. houses their products in our own warehouse to be distributed with other products to fill customer orders.
The Market and Competition
The Sundries non-prescription pharmaceuticals industry is a multi billion-dollar industry. Goodlite Products has found a niche in the 2 pack 25, 30 and 50 count boxes.
Our competition:
Select Distributors: 2008 sales of 10,000,000.00
Lil’ Drug Store: 2007 Sales of 15,000,000.00
Sessions Wholesale: 2007 sales of 13,000,000.00
Eagle Distributors: 2007 sales of 10,000,000.00
Financial Considerations
The Company has an investment capital need of a $300,000.00 line of credit. All investment capital will be used to acquire inventory from above listed pharmaceutical companies. Inventory control is always our top priority so that product flows in and out of the docks with minimal cash in inventory on the warehouse floor. Administrative expenses will come from bottom line profits that are accrued from the sale of products. Our accounts receivables have a 25-day payment history with a strong and loyal customer base. We currently have $90,000.00 in sales we cannot fill with $57,000.00 in accounts receivables.
We project our monthly break-even will by roughly $20,000.00 or $120,000.00 in sales. Our sales with inventory in stock will easily exceed our break-even point. We expect to generate $430,000 of net profit on $ 3 million worth of sales in 2009 with proper inventory levels.
1.1 Objectives
Goodlite Products, Inc objectives for fiscal 2009 are:
· Produce website to directly sell to small retailers and increase profit margin.
· Aggressively market to industry leaders in retail.
· Achieve $3,000,000.00 in sales
For the following two years our growth objectives are:
· Grow our revenues by 30% each year.
· Increase margin by 5%
1.2 Mission
Goodlite Products, Inc mission is to be the leader in bringing quality packaging and service to the market. Through close customer contact and excellent relationships, we will meet the needs of our customers wherever we can. Goodlite Products, Inc. will secure sufficient profits from free cash flow from operations to sustain its stability and finance future growth. We will add value to our community by maintaining a friendly, familiar work environment.
1.3 Keys to Success
As an existing company, we must be focused and work hard to create acceptance for ourselves and our products within the marketplace. The keys to our success are:
1. Quality support and service recognizing Goodlite Products, Inc. success depends most critically on the relationships it’s able to create.
2. Innovative, quality products that are able to both expand existing markets and create new ones for our customers.
3. Steady, disciplined pattern of growth.
4. Our customers and keeping them happy.
R.O.I.
Mr. Cubans return on investment can be one or two or three options:
10% return on cash used accrued at a yearly rate paid monthly.
Equity stake in the business.
5% return on investment with equity stake in the business.
Comment by Barbara -
Hey Cuban,
Were you going to comment on the concept of cops vs xcons to let
me know where I stand? I think you know more about this than I do
so what do you suggest we do with this? The only thing I have going for this right now is everyone says they would see this does that mean they will by tickets to an event?
That rule you have about not to advertise how do we promote it and
get it jump started. Not sure it’s going to turn a profit in 90 days can I get an extension? I’ll go 50/50 split with you. Maybe you can get Mike tyson to make his MMA debut and I would like to introduce the first ever tag-team event,should be worth millions
in the main event.
Going to need some funding for this about 20G so let me know what to do I’ll use about half that initially to stun eveyone that this is going to be a reality and is coming to Vegas.
Comment by Marshall -
Pingback: msmobiles.com Podcast 268 | Bet Mobile Wager
Well, I was just redaing some of your newer blogs and had commented on those and then read this blog and thought what the hell. My new site was started on FEB 12th http://recessionjunction.com. I already have the products and site built, so all I’d need is some marketing capital ( I’ve been going guerilla marketing so far). Hell even a shout out from your site would be strong for me.
Interested ok, if not enjoy!
Have Fun!
Comment by daniel -
Mark,
We have a computer business that was started last year. We are currently bringing in $2,000.00 a month and we are at a point that we cannot grow anymore. If we had the ability to drop our full time jobs and go at this we could have a steady growth and bring in $92,000.00 in the first year. We have all the numbers on what the cost would be and would be more that willing to show you. Pleas let us know and we can post on google docs for everyone to see. Thanks.
One Touch Engineering
Comment by Brent -
Mark:
I am not looking for funding, but for exposure. I am the owner of Irving Weekly, http://www.irvingweekly.com.
Irving is one of the largest suburbs in North Texas. We used to have a local newspaper called The Irving Daily News which was bought out by the Dallas Morning News. The Irving news section that the Morning News provides is very inadequate. That is the reason I decided to create the website. We are in need of sales agents, editors, and writers. We plan on hiring during this year. As we drive more traffic to the site, there are more opportunities to make a profit.
Another project that we are developing is http://www.agadari.com, a spanish language search engine and marketplace where the users can interact with each other, rate and review sites that they visit. There is really only one major search engine that only serves spanish sites which is terra.com. The possibilities are wide-open in a market that is a bit behind the U.S. web users, but is rapidly catching up.
Again, not looking for funding, but trying to get the word out. Any suggestions would be very beneficial.Thanks.
Comment by Hector -
I would like funding to take purchase foreclosures in the area and fix them up and either rent them or sell them. I’ve been doing this on and off for about 6 years. I usually buy and fix one home per year. The way I was funding this was by means of an equity loan on my main residence. With the loan money, I go and buy a home with cash which helps in the negotiation and makes for a quick closing.
The fixing usually takes about 1 month to 6 weeks. I don’t do the fixing myself but hire crews to take care of it. This provides income and jobs for many other folks. The earnings are substantial.
Examples: I bought a home in Irving for 37,000. It took me 10,000 to fix. I sold the home three months after purchase for $75,000. That one was my best turn around. A more realistic one was my last purchase. I bought a brick home, 3-2-2, for $61,000. It took 6,000 to fix and sold the home 4 months later for 85,000.
I would like to move this to the next level with the correct funding. With the equity loan, the interest is high and I have to make payments every month that I have the home which cuts into my profit and also the available cash for fixing the home.Let me know if this is doable.
Comment by Damian -
Mr. Cuban,
Please review the attached executive summary. This is a basic summation of our business model, projected growth over the next three years, and an introduction to our team. We have additional documentation to support the projections available at your request.
We are a start-up medical staffing firm located here in Deep Ellum (Dallas), TX across the alleyway from your building at 2909 Elm Street. I am also a Dallas Maverick Hoop Troop member (see Kirsten Seiter or Jim Tennison) and avid fan.
Executive Summary
http://www.scribd.com/doc/12801046/DEPI-Staffing-Business-Review
Best Regards,
—
Gerrit Salinas
DEPI Staffing
(877) 808-DEEP (3337)
gsalinas@deepellumpartners.com
Comment by Gerrit Salinas -
Ghazal – South Asian Skin Care Line
Hi Mark,
The company I am starting along with my girlfriend is a South Asian Skin Care line. The product line will be simple to start, and focus on five core products (balm, moisturizer, etc.) utilizing natural ingredients specifically from South Asian traditions. It’s decidedly business 1.0, but I want to prove that it’s possible to create a skincare brand, using low costs, natural ingredients and smart marketing, and eventually compete against the major names with an overall superior product.
The TWO KEYS are an increased public awareness of South Asian culture due to our friends at the Academy Awards and Slumdog Millionaire, and the all-natural ingredients being used. The natural part might seem trite at first, but after researching I’ve discovered how blatantly low quality the ingredients being used by major companies are, and how high the markups are. There’s no industries like fashion and skincare when it comes to 2000%+ markups. And as far as South Asian goes, I think we’re at a tipping point much like East Asian culture blew up around the time Crouching Tiger came out, and brands like Missha and Shu Uemura are big items in the US.
I have a couple marketing programs in mind:
-I want to partner with Yoga studios in NYC (where I am based) and other major cities to distribute a truly healthy, South Asian line of skincare products to match and complement the exercises already being performed by young professional women (and everyone else).
-I will generate press by using existing media contacts to get coverage, and focus on: South Asian unique ingredients (This part of the world has produced more beauty pageant winners than any other and the women are renowned for their skin). I will also focus an angle on weddings, and the enormous skincare rituals used in multi-day weddings (this opens up the entire wedding magazine/industry for additional coverage). Lastly I will talk about the natural angle, the myths of the skincare industry and generate controversy further creating buzz.
-I want to partner with some of the major charity walks to further expose the brand, and donate a portion of the proceeds to the right organizations. It will be an all-natural, and health conscious brand, not made from petrochemical leftovers.
Production:
Now this will not involve six factories across six continents. I estimate an initial investment of $30,000 will secure the initial production costs. I have explored packaging costs as well as original recipe manufacturers who mainly handle private labeling but can run batches. Along with light marketing (I expect to do a lot of traditional PR instead and yoga partnering) it will not exceed that cost.
Competition:
Extremely low. There is a flood of East Asian (mostly Japanese and Korean) brands, but very few originating from South Asian and utilizing South Asian ingredients. There is an amazing variety of plants and spices from this region of the world and I believe great results can be achieved using these ingredients. Truth is, whether it’s cutting edge peptides or all-natural ingredients you can’t really turn back time without spending 20 grand on a facelift. That’s the real truth. However, if you are gonna spend 100 bucks to get a little skin boost, you might as well get your money’s worth number one, you can get some exotic ingredients number two, and you won’t have petrochemical junk on your face number three. That’s the true value proposition (the consumer facing one is simply that it’s South Asian, Premium, and Completely Natural)
Founders:
My partner (girlfriend) is using her background for the formula having grown up there, and later England and finally moving to the US. Her business experience is in digital media for well recognized big media companies.
My background is also with big media companies, as well as with two internet startups – one incubated by a large company, another totally independent.
Business Model:
The first run can be managed according to initial demand, and be modified in size down to a minimum of probably 1,000 orders. I want to secure partnership with the Yoga Studios first (which I’m working on now), and some of the Spas, healthy shops, etc., even if on consignment. Then production can scale as needed from there. The initial design work will be done in-house for the labels. The label plates and bottling will run under 5k. At this point I’ll begin the PR/Marketing and to generate press, and see how far we can take the lid off this industry. Again, it’s an absolute sham the stuff being peddled. Between the vitamin industry and the skincare industry we haven’t progressed past 1920s snake oil salesmen.
INVESTMENT:
I will match anything you put in up to 15k (which is my liquid life savings, the rest is underwater buried at the bottom of the ocean). If you put in the full 15k, that will give us 30k to go out there and execute with. If you want to put more, and have further marketing channels that you think would have a positive ROI, then that is up to you.
You would get a 30% ownership of the company for that investment. Just think, the guy that partnered with Body Shop founder Anita Roddick did about the same thing and cashed out millions when the company sold.
Thank you for your consideration.
Comment by Bryan P -
The Problem
The Real Estate market is experiencing significant changes. Despite declining prices, sales are down, lenders are tightening up, and REALTORS are scrambling to leverage any and all available technologies to increase their access to qualified leads.
The Opportunity
The City Broker combines the quality tools and resources of a high-volume national company website with an emphasis on the area and attractions that local REALTORS rely on when converting buyers to owners. This is done, not through one corporate supersite for the whole country, but by building a website for each market (as defined by a combination of MLS zoning and search engine traffic).
Executive Summary
http://www.scribd.com/doc/12774573/The-City-Broker-Executive-Summary
Comment by Dan Gordon -
MC,
Just an addition to me post above. Some technical specs –
The temperature sensor with a range of -30°C to +80°C with a typical error of ±0.75°C in the 0°C to 80°C range.
The humidity sensor measures Relative Humidity from 10% to 95% with a typical error of ±2%RH at 55% RH.
The sonar sensor ultrasonic rangefinder that can detect objects at a distance of 6 to 254 inches with a 1 inch resolution.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
James
Comment by James -
Mark,
My idea is a product that could be sold at any college or pro arena or campus. Everyone has seen the Incredible Hulk fists that are green and they make noise or have a saying when punched together. Well I have tested it out and it is possible to cut a hole in the top of the hand so that a can or bottle would fit in it like a coozie. It would be the perfect beverage holder at all games. You could make the hands or hand the color of team and put the logo on it. If punched against something, one of your sayings or a team chant would come on.
I can just see thousands of college kids having these in the stands of a football game or kids having them at their favorite sporting event. You could sell these anywhere from 20-30 dollars a piece or set. You would make your money back by getting a percentage of the sales. You could put these in your pro shops at the stadium and the word would catch on. I saw how fast Big Head caught on and now they do everything. Every college and pro team would want to be selling these.
I don’t know if this is what your looking for but it could be a huge money maker. I have made one out of a Hulk fist and it works great and looks amazing. Thanks for letting me share my idea!!
Comment by chad -
MC,
We have three people in our soon-to-be business that we all play are role and do our parts equally – as a matter of fact we could care less about titles. We have developed a Home Monitor system – this is not like the commercial products today that require you to run wires through your house and pay a monthly service for monitoring. We have a Home Monitor system that plugs into a Microsoft Windows PC (XP SP2 and Vista) that uses a temperature sensor, humidity sensor and a water level sensor using sonar that once a criteria (entered in by the user) is met it will send an email, text message to your email account or phone alerting you of the problem. Uses for our product are at the home in basements to detect leakage, can tell you when your house reaches a certain temperature or humidity level, can be in server closets notifying you when the server closet reaches a certain temperature, a greenhouse where humidity gets to a certain level and the list goes on and on. We are also currently testing a new addition that will be a motion sensor to alert you of movement. There are no monthly maintenance charges. There is only a one time fee for the product.
Thank you for your time and consideration!
James
Comment by James -
I want $20,000 to start a wagering fund. The fund will profit in three ways, starting with the most important –
1. Arbitrage opportunities – identify opportunities in the market between various sportsbooks and calculate the risk required to guarantee a 2% or greater return per wager.
2. Blackjack – The fund walks to the table with a 53/47 edge over the house. Through basic strategy and money management, the fund plans to return 5% per day with no loss greater than 18% per day.
3. General wagers – the least steady but show the greatest returns. The fund does NOT plan on having general wagers from the start.
The money behind the plan is simple –
EXPENSES –
$5000 (travel, computers, general office, etc)
$15000 – $10000 will be risked per day over 15 sportsbooks.
RETURNS – *All returns are based on 2% per day, with the goal being 3-4%. All returns are based on the notion that daily profits will be put back into the fund, to be distributed at the end of each quarter.
After 30 days – the fund will be worth $27k
After 60 days – the fund will be worth $49k
After 90 days – the fund will be worth $87k
Obviously, this will have to be setup off-shore, where this is legal. I have scouted a few locations in Costa Rica, mostly because I actually know a few people there.
Your equity stake will be 10-30%, dependent on our discussions. Please let me know your thoughts.
Thanks,
ST
Comment by ST -
Mark,
We are an assisted living co. We currently have 24 units. It covers debt srvice plus 3-4K. We have enough land to add 61 units more of regular assisted living (our current facility is alzeimers). You can take your equity in common stock or preferred until the new building is complete. Upon completion HUD has a refinnace program that will allow you to get all cash back and retein equity Kicker through warrants. Projections, bank statements etc available upon request. Plan is to file a 211 and trade as nonreporting company on Pink sheets.
Thanks,
SD
Comment by SD -
Mr. Cuban
Thank you for this amazing opportunity,
The Idea: I am attempting to get my Start-up LeaseMonster.com up and running. Leasemonster.com is a social market place where people interested in purchasing/ leasing a specific make and model vehicle are linked together according to geographic regions and time frame. New vehicle dealerships, who have registered on the site, bid to earn the business of the group. The site would also serve as a centralized repository of current lease offers from both manufacturers and dealers, a communication hub linking like minded consumers. The aim is to create an automated proactive social shopping network.
Why is this a good investment?
The customer: We will be selling memberships directly to Auto dealers. Dealerships on average have a monthly advertising budget of 30k-50k dollars. Just watch TV for an hour and count the dealer commercials, Take a drive and you’ll see the billboards, the radio and newspaper print ads. They spend out of necessity, They need to give people a reason to come to their dealer instead of the dealer down the road.
The Consumer: At present the process of buying/leasing a new car is excruciatingly painful. The process is designed to wear down, mislead, distract and finally screw the customer as much as possible. I say this as an insider, I have worked in auto sales and finance for 11+ years and have witnessed and taken part in the process thousands of times. The site creates a safe and friendly environment were people shop together. Consumers unite and save.
Scarcity: I have created 4 memberships slots per vehicle make per State. (4×40×50) equaling a potential total of 8,000 members monthly. This is the same business model Cars.com uses and it has proven effective. Dealers gobble up the spots before their competition does. The memberships slots would be different for each states but would average to 4 per make. (California has over 75 Toyota dealership). The site would allow the dealers to sell in bulk. The auto business has for the most part become a volume game. The old days of huge grosses on new car leases are gone. This would allow them to compete head to head with other dealers for a lot of consumers.
Leasing: No other site focuses solely on Auto Leasing. Some U.S. auto manufacturers have dropped auto leasing because the value of the un predictable nature of their residual values, but for the majority of other manufacturers Leasing is becoming more and more popular. Why? People want to drive nice cars but don’t have the money to pay for them. Lower monthly payments than financing, lower down payments and they get a new car every three years. 70% of customers come back to the same dealer 3 years later. They maintain the vehicles more regularly ( Service customers) and Leased vehicles are a business deduction.
Misc: The sales model would allow for a break even in 60days and should be profitable in less than 90 days. As for the business model being copied I could offer per State or per vehicle Make franchising. The site is 85% percent complete, the start-up capital I am seeking would be used to complete the site and plug it into the current business flow via advertising. As for your return it would depend on how long you would be vested, I’m sure we will discuss it further if the idea has peaked your interest. I have a business plan ready for your review. I hope to hear from you soon.
Please excuse the appearance of the site, our focus has been on the coding.
Regards,
Mustafa M Matari
Comment by Mustafa Matari -
This is not an idea to make money, I am not trying to start a company. I do think I have an idea that the banks and our government might be able to use to jump-start our economy. I put this out there for all of you to dissect. I really see no way to monetize this other than for the banks, but I’m all ears!
As I see it, the housing market is at a standstill. Those with enough money to get financing are waiting on the sidelines until the prices hit rock bottom. Those with houses to sell can’t find a buyer and are faced with foreclosure. Those with the bare minimum of money can’t get financing. This means that there are no transactions, no tax revenue, no real estate commissions, etc. The system has ground to a halt(pending Obama’s master plan to fix the whole thing of course).
We currently have variable RATE loans, but I think the banks should offer a variable PRINCIPAL loan. We’ll use a 500K house as an example. The seller thinks the house is worth 500(and that is the appraised value), buyer thinks the house is going to be worth 400 in a year. The loan documents are written such that the buyer borrows for a 450K loan, but is approved for 500. In a year(or some other set time), the home is appraised, or compared to comps, etc., and the principal value changes based on that finding(the variable portion(50K) would need to remain in escrow for that time period). There would need to be an upper and lower limit(agreed on during negotiations and approved by the bank), and there would need to be a specific set of rules used in determining the start and end value.
At the end of the term, when the house is re-evaluated, there would be options. If the house was actually now worth 400, the buyer could have 100K taken off of the principal, they could use it for additions/improvements, or anything else the bank thinks is appropriate. If the house was now worth 500 the buyer could refinance, or the monthly payments would change to support the new 500K principal rather than the 450.
What do you guys think?
Thanks,
Charlie
Comment by Charlie Davis -
The US is in a world of hurt right now and this is an excellent business buying/funding opportunity for alot of folks with cash. I think now is the best money making opportunity rather than when the economy is on its ‘high’.
Good luck with your investments and keep up the work on this blog.
Comment by Charlotte SEO -
In the spirit of open source, here is an idea for anyone to take and run with. I choose not to, as I am focused elsewhere.
This idea was given to me about 3 years ago by my brother, a senior cop in Houston PD. Through the many years of his tenure, he had pretty much run every department there. He passed away about a year after his retirement. Those are the bona fides for the developer of this concept.
According to him, home alarm systems really do little good. You might scare off someone, but by the time the police get there, the bad guy is gone. Plus there are lots of false alarms caused by things like big dogs. Also key to know, is that over 50% of the time, if your house is robbed, you will know who the robber is … either the kid next door, the guy down the street, your cousin, or a worker in your house.
The idea is to integrate a still camera, storage, and a motion sensor all in one low cost, disguised, stick on the wall unit. You would switch the unit on/off, like your alarm system. With some set variables, the unit would automatically take a picture every X time interval (maybe 5 seconds?) if it senses motion.
I imagine the unit as being something like a 3megapixel camera with 2-4GB storage card, built like a thermostat or wall switch.
Now, think about the usage paradigm. You come home and the alarm system went off. You immediately pop the card out of your unit, scan any pictures, and print out the picture of the bad guy for the police when you submit the police report. Hey, it is Redneck Cousin Rob who stole your VCR.
Or the alarm went off, but nothing is missing. You scan the card and see Big Cat setting it off. You can change the sensitivity on the alarm. Or put the cat outside.
I see such a unit going for $49 retail shelf price. Or at least that’s what I’d be willing to pay for it. I’d probably buy 2-3 of them, if the first worked correctly. Easy enough also to take with you while traveling to stick on the hotel room wall.
A great direct market would be realtors. How many times have you heard about something going missing during an open house?
I would be more than happy to work with anyone who wants to take this open source idea on. Obviously, you need the proper distribution expertise, as well as design and manufacturing capabilities. You can outsource both of those, with a little dough of course. I’ve got Chinese manufacturing connections and can help with that.
Any takers?????
Comment by George -
Very happy to read your blog
This with real pleasure and a great honor to write a passionate and generous man
I’m a fan of Mark Cuban
I am in Africa in Mali. I was born poor in a class
I chose your blog for you and based my life and my hope
I am a student and poverty condemns me at all. I live almost $ 2 a week
That why I come to you around to help the success of my studies and my life in general
I ask you at least a few thousand dollars could follow my studies in the United States or Canada. I am full of projects, but banks do not lend us money because our soul and our courage is not enough as guaranteed
I think that with your humanist you will respond to my message and let me off from this misery
You are my hope
And this applies to any other wise player who wants help to free this misery
My email: a3333p@yahoo
bp:729 bamako mali
Comment by diabira tombo -
Mark,
I just want to say that I really appreciate what you do for the community and for your readers. Your advice is priceless.
I am a web-developer by trade, but that is not who I am.
As you may know, families in America are really hurting. Not only are families hurting for cash, but they are hurting for companionship. It has been a long time since a lot of families sat down to eat together. It isn’t just the poor that hurt, but the rich as well.
So here is my plan-
Notsgots. Notsgots is the name of the restaurant of my dreams. Notgots is a place where those who have not (nots) can enjoy a meal with those who have (gots). This restaurant would have high-quality food, but not food like you would get at a steakhouse. This would be real food. Food like your mom would cook you. Healthy food. Filling food. Good food. For a great price (under $7 for any dish).
This restaurant would also be a place where a family could hang out. There would be board games on the table (instead of rushing people through, let them stay and have fun as a family). There would be a “submit your recipe” and have our restaurant feature each week’s winner on a Friday night. The community participates and the community benefits.
The employees would be those who others passed up on. I believe that everyone has a good heart, and with enough (tough) love will work hard and change the way that they live. This does not mean that I hire current drug dealers. This means that I hire the guy who lost everything he has, may be homeless, but says “I want to work hard.”
I believe that this restaurant would be profitable simply because it doesn’t aim to be profitable. The whole goal is to serve the community and the family. As a direct result the restaurant would be packed and publicity (although not the goal) would be great.
I appreciate your consideration. Keep on blogging. Oh, and you were right about Hulu vs. Youtube. Hulu has a much better model than Youtube.
Comment by Brandon Hansen -
Mark C.
The concept is cops vs xcons the newest in MMA. No investors or
sponsors yet so if those are red flags I only look at the green flags. Those are from MMA fans because I ask them about cxc at the fights and their all like “when the hell does this start” and
“shit ya I’ll go see this”. I have plans to get this marketed and in a spectacular way on the vegas strip since I live here.
Since I trademarked this and copyrighted it ten times over and also as a motion picture. One plan is to get the fighters who are
not MMA cut but athletic enough to make a respectable card. Then
begin to promote it and pre-sell the event requiring deposits to see which direction it’s going. Could go better in tougher cities
but based in Vegas. Can you let me know why there have been no investors yet and in your opinion is this concept ever going to be a reality?
Thanks,MM
cxcpro.com
Comment by Marshall -
SaaS Solution.
catering to the IT industry, Seasoned IT consultant that has seen the need for this solution time and time again at client after client. I have started and almost finished the first half of development, and can do this without Cubans help. However, I would like to do some marketing beyond the ‘tradional spam’ type marketing I see posted all over the internet. I would like to also hire a sales guy to help market around the dallas area. I’m currently employed in a leadership role at a major .com in dallas. If funding was to arrive I would leave that role for this avenue. Otherwise, its a slow build on my own. This is a subscription service that has a value oriented price point. and a VERY targeted market directed at servicing the IT industry. funding until this point has come completely from myself.
Comment by CloudsOfIT -
Mr. Cuban:
Thank you for this opportunity.
I would like to form a company to produce a new radiant heat system utilizing access to existing patented technology. Unlike conventional floor heating systems which utilize water running through pipes or electric mats, this system would utilize electrically conductive ceramic tiles; that is, the floor would heat itself by producing heat through electrical resistance. This provides significant installation cost savings over existing systems (through use of fewer materials) while maintaining the same advantages of traditional radiant heat systems over forced air: even heating and low operating costs due to high efficiency and low energy use.
As with any electrical device, safety is a concern. A ground fault circuit interrupter, which breaks a circuit upon detection of an imbalanced current, will work in conjunction with electrically insulating glaze to prevent electrical shock to the end user. Thermal runaway, or continuous and uncontrolled increases in temperature, will be prevented by the programmable thermostat.
$500,000 is needed to complete engineering and raise conductivity of the tile in order to make it suitable for this application. While writing the complete business plan for this idea as part of my senior year entrepreneurial studies class, I contacted the patent inventor regarding the patent use for this purpose. The inventor believes that with a small team he can discover if the ceramic can be used for this application within three months; if it can, he can complete engineering in an additional three.
As requested, the documents regarding this business idea are publicly posted. You can find them here:
http://tinyurl.com/cllucs
My business plan does violate one of your rules (unfortunately the only one with added emphasis) in that it is not profitable after 90 days. Development of the product, laboratory certification, preparation for production, and finding distribution partners will cause this business plan to take much longer to turn a profit.
If you or your associates have any interest in this idea, please contact me at your earliest convenience. Thank you.
–Zachary Telschow
Comment by Zachary Telschow -
Dear Mr. Cuban,
Thank you for this opportunity to present my company, Bridgewater Consulting, Inc. (dba Custom Builder Management Solutions) to you. I have the $1Million Idea that people write books about and am already on the way to executing it, but like many small start-ups, cash (or lack thereof) has been an ongoing problem. My program is already through the development cycle and has proven itself by producing gross revenues of over $100,000 each of the past two years. In 2008 I was able to compensate myself over $75,000 from $135,000 total revenues.
However, there is a hefty debt load that I have incurred during the process of developing, and learning how to sell, Custom Builder Management Solutions. In addition, when I made the choice to stop being a Builder and start pursuing this new dream, I learned the hard way that shutting down a business can be more expensive than starting one up (I don’t have a formal business education, but my experience in closing a company the right way and not leaving employees, nor anyone we worked with ‘hanging’ is at least the equivalent of a formal MBA).
I am moving in the right direction, but a chance to consolidate the debt and perhaps bring in a partner is sorely needed. Upon personal reflection, I know that this jump will require one main decision on my part – the guts to move from a ‘cash flow’ mindset (where I try to make enough each month to pay my bills and service my debt) to true entrepreneurial thinking. In short, I need to become a leader, as I learned to do in the 1990’s as a Marine Corps Officer.
I have posted my full Business Plan at http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dd322w56_9d732n8dv. I have also posted comments from some of our customers and can send you copies of their letters (the files are too big to post – nothing speaks better of a product than happy customers) http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dd322w56_19c729b6g8
Here is the reader’s digest version: My father founded a custom homebuilding company in 1979 and built it to a point where he was basically able to retire at age 55 (he stopped working due to a health concern, but had been smart enough to prepare for that future). When I left the Marines in 2001 to join his business, we had a solid reputation as the ‘go to’ builder in northwest Ohio; however, we knew from our own self-examination that our process could be better. We continually had problems with turnover and training new employees. We built a great house and had happy Homeowners, but we were always asking for different information from those Homeowners and we processed that information (and ran the jobs) in a somewhat hap-hazard way. So we set out to fix all of those ‘entrepreneurial’ problems by designing a step-by-step operating procedure that would ensure we had a PROCESS that was transparent to our Homeowner, employees, and sub-subcontractors.
I built Job Descriptions, Standard Operating Procedures, and outlined our best practices. I created forms and templates and instructions for our office and field staff to follow. I created a Homeowners Manual to guide our customers through the thousands of decisions required to create a unique home. I took all those ‘good ideas’ (from seminars, symposiums and experience) out of the file cabinet and actually executed them and integrated them within our new system.
In short, I created a business template for a small to medium sized homebuilder. That template was created within the Microsoft Office environment so it could be easily edited and modified and did not require learning a complex computer program. I didn’t re-invent the wheel, I simply organized everything. We shared the idea with some fellow Builders and they encouraged us to market the concept. We transitioned out of being a general contractor and I now sell Custom Builder Management Solutions (CBMS) to medium sized Builders and Remodelers full time.
The concept seems simple, but that is why it is effective. We change our Builder’s lives. We make them more efficient and we make their Homeowners happier. We now have over 200 Builders using CBMS in the US and in Canada, and all those sales have been made by either my father or I over the phone/internet after meeting the potential Builders at tradeshows (we rarely, if ever, have the opportunity to sell in person). We charge $3900 for our basic package, with 80% of our Builders hiring us for additional on-site consulting and implementation training for $1500 per day plus expenses. Our production costs per unit are minor and we have no support or other ongoing service issues. Our ‘Builder’ runs his own small business with 3-5 employees, building 6-12 homes per year.
In 2008, after trial and error, I finally established a sales message and techniques that allows me average a sale of CBMS per week. In the 4th Quarter of 2008, I began recruiting ‘manufacturer representatives’ to work five state areas (currently I have established 3 representatives working only for commission, my goal and business model calls for 10 – there are no current employees except for me). I anticipate the increased sales volume to require the hiring of one full time ‘Expediter’ in 2009 and a second one in 2010. A reseller prospectus is written and available for my new ‘manufacturer representatives’ as is a Job Description for the Expediter position. These Job Descriptions are posted as well: http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dd322w56_20fsbgpkgn
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dd322w56_22cwqnvqdt
I am looking for a $100,000 investor to obtain a 10% partnership in the company for operating funds and/or to help re-finance my current debt. Although I have an excellent credit rating, the volume of my current debts combined with current conditions has thus far precluded me from consolidating debt in a traditional manner.
Thanks for your consideration.
S/F
Nate Schoen
Comment by Nate Schoen -
I have the patent on a computer keyboard that has a smart chip and a mouse trap embeded within. In a bull market the mouse trap is triggered when you try to hit enter to send a short trade. In a bear market it is triggered when you try to hit enter to send a long trade.
As for the business plan, I need $10,000,000 to get this going. $9,999,000 for my salary for 3 months and $1,000 to buy 10,000 of these units from China. If we don’t sell $10,000,000 in keyboards the first three months Obama will bail us out.
If I didn’t have the patent on this I’d never post this great idea online.
Comment by Carl O -
there is a failing organic food co-op in my hometown that I have given thought of taking over and renovating.
The main problem in my opinion is that it is too expensive, and the store itself while serviceable could have cleaner floors and more pleasant lights and could stand to lose the weird scent that greets you when you walk in.
However, it has a great location in the middle of a college town, and a supplier network, which is important since I’m coming from outside the grocery business. Especially as the economy sours, people will start shying away from restaurant meals and going to grocery stores more.
A few of my ideas for renovating the business:
1. As mentioned before, work on making the place cleaner and more friendly to the outsider shopper who isn’t the most stringent on organic foods.
2. Accept student debit from the university. The students at the school are a huge source of potential income, and by accepting student debit a big market is opened up, one that is not served by the junk food that populates our food court.
3. Offer some specialty items. There’s a good roaster in the next major city (where I am currently situated) that I would import coffee from. There are various Indian and Chinese food sauces and spices which I would carry. I would get a presser for fresh soy milk, which could be a great new product, as fresh soy milk tastes infinitely better than the stuff you get at the grocery store. I would eventually carry fresh tofu.
4. Focus on ready to eat meals. One of the biggest problems is the high supply cost…eventually I’d work to find cheaper (and likely non-organic) suppliers, but in the present the existing supply network is fairly high priced, local, and organic. Thus, the store has a hard time competing against the big chains. But, the high commodity cost can be masked to a degree if there is an increased focus on service, say a package of hummus and pita chips for the go, or a wrapped avocado and cheese sandwich. A pre-packed lunch selling for $3.50/$4.00 with some fresh fruits/vegetables could be a hot seller.
5. carry 5 copies of a certain cd or book every day at the counter in a woot.com type of deal. This is kind of a gimmick, but is fun, draws attention, and can be very profitable. For instance, on Monday carry the latest deerhunter album, on Tuesday carry a copy of Philip Roth’s The Human Stain. Since grocery store bills come out to between $30-$50, an impulse buy of a $15 cd can be better justified than buying a $4 latte and the $15 cd.
6. Give a real discount for people who buy and use the store reusable bag. Say, 5%, which is bigger than the $0.10 that Whole Foods gives. This is done for a few reasons. First of all, it builds brand loyalty by creating an extra step. Many times I’ve left the apartment meaning to go to a certain store but I end up going to another on a whim. Secondly, it acts as free marketing and also gives green credibility in the community. Third, the store is within walking distance to the dorms, but walking a city block with plastic/paper bags is frustrating. The paper bag handles break off. The plastic bags hurt the hands. A reusable bag is generally more durable and better to carry groceries with. Lastly, it could be the start of a fashion statement, which is buzz building.
6. Internet ordering and van delivery. This is the big idea which would probably be implemented last, after a year or two of getting the place up and running. I know that during the internet bubble several startups appeared which offered internet groceries, and that they failed. Here’s what I would do differently. First, I would have a set delivery schedule, say between 5-9PM in the evening, when the delivery van would make its rounds, following say a 3PM order deadline. Secondly, I would have a retail store presence at that time, during which customers could become accustomed with the store’s brand and product line-up in person. This gives my idea long-term growth potential, as I can think of no other grocer in my area which offers this service. Of course, there is likely a reason for this, but at the same time, trying to make another Whole Foods or Safeway is inadvisable. This would set the place apart and allow for growth without having to expand store space.
Funding is where it gets tricky. I am unsure as to how much the co-op would demand for a sale. They had difficulties a year or so back and flirted with bankruptcy, but are still there. I would guess that the business could be bought for $100,000. I could put up $50,000, so I would need approximately $50k-$60k from you. More details would require access to their books, but if I had potential backing when making the request, it could be done. Again, I think that in a new economic climate, retail food outlets will diminish as people eat-in more, but at the same time demand for lower-cost (than retail) meals will increase.
Comment by vjk2 -
Hi Mark – I need your mouth more than I need your money, but you’ve heard that before.
AskMen.com has 7 million monthly readers, young males…my demographic. AskMen is owned by IGN Entertainment, which is a unit of Fox Interactive Media.
The President of Fox Interactive Media will take your telephone call, he won’t take mine. My request is that you request he consider a pay per sale advertising campaign for JustPaperRoses worth about $100K over 5 or 6 months – we’ll pay them $8 per sale. Tell him it will create 5 new jobs, quickly. Then request he call me.
He’ll do this for you. He won’t do it for me.
AskMen.com wouldn’t be a bad place for Dallas Mavericks to advertise – like Atlanta Braves being “America’s Team” because they were first to broadcast on cable nationwide, There must be a large number of readers of AskMen.com who don’t live near an NBA team city – they’re a fan base just waiting to happen.
I lied to you. I’ve explained my business to someone before. He was an old dying Jewish businessman in Frenchman’s Creek in Florida. He had zero need for money. When I showed him my stuff, he lit up. He said “you don’t need money, you need contacts” and with that had his assistant dialing phone numbers before I could even say “eh, no, I really could use some money”. A few days later my phone rings and a man asks for me, I say it’s me and he introduces himself – Morry Weiss, CEO of then $2 billion American Greetings Company. I’ll tell you the full story when we meet.
So Mark, do this just because you CAN do this. Get a sweetheart deal for me with AskMen.com and it WILL create employment. And all it takes is…your mouth.
Jeff
Comment by Jeff -
Hi Mark,
We need between 6-9k to do web marketing for our startup, btwnjobs.com.
The idea was to make lemonade from the lemons that seem to be all around us today – stock market, housing market, job market.
This site is a resource for those who have been recently laid off (over 500k new candidates per month these days, unfortunately), complete with tips, resume advice, job market trends, and networking opportunities (forum coming this week) – nothing new there.
What makes it unique is that when you visit the site, you’re asked to join our informal unemployment tally, and asked if you’d mind being contacted by competitors of your former employer if job opportunities arise.
At the same time, employers can ’subscribe’ to a particular type of laid-off employee, specifying their competitors as former employers.
For example, Google can set up a subscription so that the moment a Microsoft employee is laid off in Seattle, the Google HR office in Seattle is notified. Or when an accountant from Ernst & Young is laid off in Chicago, the PricewaterhouseCoopers recruiter there gets an email.
The cost is negligible to an employer (a full year ’subscription’ costs less than posting a job on most job sites), so we are betting that employers small and large, will say ‘why not?’
This concept tries to capitalize on the Human Resources notion that the best candidate for a position at my company is already employed by my competitor.
With your marketing investment, we’ll be able to sign up about 60 employers in the first month, 300 the next month, and would hope to continue to grow by about 200 per month as word continues to spread.
This allows us to break even in 60 days, make a profit the following month, and revenue will grow to 35k/month by the end of the first year, with very few expenses.
Thanks,
Paul
Comment by Paul M. -
Mr. Cuban,
My business idea is for mud logging equipment. Mud loggers are basically on site geologist that monitors gas and conducts test on the rock chips coming out of the hole during the drilling of an oil or gas rig. Most of the equipment in the industry is running dos based systems and using big bulky equipment. I know of very few other companies that have moved to a more computer based equipment that can run on Windows. The product I want to sell an advance gas detection system that is computerized. The computer program (developer version) needed would be a onetime buy. The equipment to build would be around 4 to 5 thousand dollars and would go up as the extras are added. The equipment could be sold for almost double. Discounts for buying more than one and as stated extra equipment can be added for advanced features. Giving support and selling tech help would be an added service that could be given for extra monthly income. The first month would be a building month and would only require 2 maybe 3 people. Ordering the parts, programming, and building the actual product (maybe 2 to 5) would be the main goal. The second month would be mostly selling. Contacting the many companies and selling the idea to suppliers, mud logging companies and any other company that monitors in this way. It would only take 3 units to sell to pay for the first month and 2 to pay for the second month if only two people are working. Most of the orders would start around 5 to 10 so more employees would be needed to build the product. I know of a number of companies that would like to upgrade their technology. The third month would be a balance of how many units could be built with the minim number of employees to start a good steady growth and some of the profits could be returned to the company to expand the extras that could be offered with the product. The rest of the profits could be returned to you for a profit on your investment.
Thank you not only for your time but for taking an interest in helping.
Comment by Greg Weatherley -
We have incorporated a Community Development Corporation as a stand alone 501c3 to encourage economic development. Revive Enterprises, Inc. is an entrepreneurial not-for-profit Community Development Corporation (CDC) established by the Las Vegas-Clark County Urban League (Urban League) to create new businesses that employ disenfranchised workers in severely depressed areas of West Las Vegas. The West Las Vegas community has more than twice the unemployment rate and less than half the average household income of the surrounding metropolitan area and the United States as a whole. The CDC is a revolutionary concept in niche market business development, presenting an unprecedented opportunity to employee more than 50 workers at a sustainable income, with medical benefits from date of hire, and the potential for those employees to gain job skills needed to attain an income that is more than twice the regional average.
The business model for Revive Enterprises supports five critical success factors:
• Purchase of a profitable business franchise with a projected 4.13% 5-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in the target area.
• Sourcing employees from the prisoner re-entry program and low-income community, which suffers from 13.5% unemployment.
• Paying an average hourly rate of $15 sufficient to support an annual income of $31,200, — more than double the per-capita rate in the target area.
• Reducing ex-offender recidivism from 70% to 30% by providing a sustainable income, job training, business and vocational classes, and social services from date of hire.
• Producing a net economic impact in excess of $5 million in savings on incarceration costs and dollars leveraged within the community.
The business plan for Revive Enterprises requires an estimated $1.75 million in startup funding in the first three years. The plan conservatively estimates earned income of $14,000,000 and a cash balance of just over $2,000,000 by the end of that same period. Income from operations will fund the provision of social services to employees by the Urban League. Income from operations will roll over into new business development within depressed communities in and around Las Vegas, providing a continuing source of funding in support of the Urban League mission.
Revive Enterprises has already received $350,000 in startup funds in the form of a grant from the Nevada Economic Development Fund (NEDF) as part of its mission to address the economic development needs of West Las Vegas. The grant requires the CDC to develop employment channels for ex-offenders and other low-income individuals not otherwise able to find sustainable employment. The initial grant funded capacity building and planning, as well as partial payment toward purchase of an anchor business and establishment of mobile franchises in the project region. Funds in the amount of $174,000 have been secured from the Urban League’s Community Service Block Grants. The remaining balance is now being sought to further expand these initiatives.
By establishing a CDC in the most severely depressed area of West Las Vegas and focusing on business development at the outset, this initiative will create jobs and provide employment opportunities for the local workforce, encourage entrepreneurial activity, and increase consumer spending in the community, thereby stimulating development and asset building opportunities. The CDC will continue to grow coalitions and partnerships with other community service providers to leverage funding.
Revive Enterprise’s long-term goal is to support aggressive business development in Las Vegas and vicinity by identifying local market opportunities, designing business solutions for niche markets, forming partnerships with established businesses, and spinning off ownership of incubator businesses to local entrepreneurs. With success, Revive Enterprises will expand its scope to address other critical community needs, such as affordable housing and senior services. It will expand its geographic scope to address other areas of Las Vegas, the county and state. This plan is scalable and replicable and may grow to a national initiative through our association with the National Urban League and its more than 100 affiliates in 35 states and the District of Columbia.
Comment by Maile Tsurusato -
Award winning film writer/director Jeff Kramer’s Five Stones Productions has several projects in development, which include “The King Of The Cowboys”, a trilogy based on the iconic western star Roy Rogers, in partnership with Roy Rogers Family Entertainment Corp. The property historically generated in excess of $1 billion through film, TV, music, comic book/publishing, & licensing/merchandising.
Another film project: A war drama that depicts several sides of the same conflict and draws inspiration in part by Operation Iraqi Children, a charity formed by Gary Sinise that builds and supplies schools in the Middle East. Other projects include an original screenplay/political thriller plus other projects in various stages of development.
Five Stones business prospects are bolstered by both distribution relationships and cast packaging through Mr. Kramer’s relationship with Steve Tellez @ Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Mr. Kramer has experience in film-making (notably “Smile” 2005) plus experience operating a public company and thus keeps an eye on expenses. Mr. Kramer has completed extensive prep work for the war drama including budgets and timetables. Mr. Kramer has selected filming locations to take advantage of tax incentives offered by various states for film projects.
In return for 100% of financing, a financier would recoup from 100% of revenues after distribution fees, and then 85% of the back end revenues, less any back end for above the line talent (actors, producers, etc.). Five Stone Productions thus retains about 15% of the back end revenues.
Comment by Kevin Yeats -
Dear Mr. Cuban,
I have already established and currently run a 5 million dollar paint company that nets me about 400,000 per year. I built it from scratch and now its one of the most recognized multi-family paint companies in Texas and surrounding states. I do not have a partner and I am the sole owner of the business.
A simple explanation of what we do; we paint new construction apartments. If it’s a new apartment complex and you can see it from the highway here in Dallas, then there is a 60% chance my company has the paint contract on it. I say all of this just to let you know that I have the ability to take something from scratch to success, although I do not have any type of college degree or even a high school diploma for that matter.
The above is just to let you know that I am already successful and not in great need of any type of money.
Your offer to fund start ups has certainly intrigued me. The way you have come out and basically said that you would rater invest in people than in the stock market is really very cool, so that is why I’m going to present you with a business opportunity that will intrigue you and employ many people for the long term.
A word of caution, I read your rules, but I’m not very good with rules. My ideas never have the ability to fall within some strict guideline or meet some quick return time.
You could have never pushed Edison or Ford into a corner and told them to make a light bulb and invent a power grid in 60 days, or build an assembly line and create a network of highways in 60 days and make it profitable in 90. My ideal may be too daring and too large for this blog challenge. None the less, here it is Mr. Cuban.
I have noticed that the folks in America that you never really hear anything about or that never need any financial assistance from anyone is food companies. I have never picked up the Dallas Business Journal to read “Food Sales at an all time Low”. Nope, food sells almost as good as water sells.
I believe there are folks that own food companies that also own sports teams. The long term outlook for food is very good. I don’t think anyone is going to downgrade food stocks anytime soon. Last I checked there is a great shortage world wide for food products. Besides God, water and air, I think food is the most sought after commodity on the face of the earth.
Here we go Mark.
1. We will need to buy/lease a huge warehouse down in the much neglected South Dallas area of Dallas. Over close to Tyson would be nice.
2. We will need to hire experts in the food industry manufacturing process to help us set up our plant. We can recruit from already successful companies.
3. We will need to hire workers to make the production lines hum. You already know the state of unemployment across America, the work force is there.
4. We will need to connect to farms and buy from them direct. We can make this happen and run competition with Cargil. Farmers will sell to us I’m sure of it.
5. We will need to get our products into retailers around the world. I can get this done with little to no trouble once are products are ready to go.
The companies I want to challenge are Salsa, ketchup, sausage, beans and many others. All these products can be made in very large batches and be manufactured on assembly lines if you have the right equipment. Basically, I want to make any food product where you put raw materials in one end of our factory and out the other end comes a finished product that is competitive in the market place and makes us a fair margin.
Why you need me – I can build it and make it happen for us Mark. I’ve done it on a small scale and I can do it on a large scale, I promise you that sir. Don’t write me off until you meet me Mark.
Why I need you – I don’t have the millions it will take to make this happen. I will some day make the above company happen, but it will have to start very small scale and I can grow it from there. With you as my backer and mentor I can close down my tiny paint company and begin a journey to take me for “Good to Great”. You have already completed that journey and I’m looking forward to it.
As far as how much salary I want to be the CEO of this company; well that’s up to you. I figure you treat your players very good, so why would you not treat your top business builder with the same type of funds if the returns are as good or greater in the long run. I can make you more money over a longer period of time than any athlete every will and I promise not to show my butt in the locker room, although I may require a signing bonus.
Thank you for allowing me to dream out loud on your blog Mark. I’m sorry that I can’t meet your 60 and 90 day rules, but thank you anyway.
Sincerely,
Ricky James Underwood
Comment by Ricky James Underwood -
Pingback: Mark Cubans Stimulus Plan -- forall.ch - worldwide!
Every time an incident happens, whether it be a car wreck, fire, dog bite, death etc. there is a report filed. In order to process the claim and/or determine fault, the insurance companies require the report on the case. They currently have no where to turn except to their adjusters. They pay them on average $25 per hour to sell policies and they end up paying them the same wage to track down reports. This is where we come in. When a report is required the companies simply fill out a report request online or by fax and we locate and retrieve the report for them at a fraction of the cost that they are paying their adjusters. We then send the report back to them and they never had to stop doing their day to day business and were out as little as $5.95. It just makes sense that every one presented this idea can understand in today’s world time = money. Therefore if we can keep their employee’s working they will be on board and happy that someone decided to make life easier for them. I have already spoken with a State Farm agent and he told me “this is the most genius idea I have ever heard of and if you were in business today I would be on board”. That tells me that every other insurance company that this is presented to will feel the same.
It has been a lifelong dream of mine to own my own business. I have finally found a business that I know will turn a huge profit and grow beyond my wildest dreams. Jennifer and I intend to be owner/operators to ensure that we know every aspect of this business and to ensure complete customer satisfaction and the growth that we expect. There is no end to the potential growth in this business but without a firm foundation, it will never get off the ground. This is why we have decided to do whatever it takes to make it work.
The fundamentals of the business are simple. Our business is selling a much needed service to insurance companies. We save them money by doing the leg work that they are paying their valuable employees to do. We free up their time so that they can continue to sell policies instead of tracking down reports. This is a business that is a new concept and as time goes on more and more agencies are seeking this type of service but they have no where to turn because they simply aren’t available. I can only hope that you can see the potential that I see in this business.
I am looking for an investor. I need $55,000 to get this business started and to keep it a float until the first billing cycle. After that it will simply take off on its own. I am willing to do everything. I require nothing but an investment. I will make this business profitable. I will provide quarterly financial
statements to the investor along with a check for 25% of the quarterly profit. At the end of the first year I will give the investor two options 1. Stay on board at 20% and continue to be a silent partner or 2. I will buy you out for the original amount invested and you keep any profits you made during the first year. There is virtually no risk involved. I would hope you can see the potential in my business plan and that you don’t miss out on this opportunity to be a part of something new and exciting.
From MC> so why not starting hiring yourself out to see how the idea works ? If you can get it going on your own, then we can talk about financing going forward
Comment by Dusty Buckley -
With this stimulus plan it almost sounds as if you believe small business is the backbone of America…perhaphs you feel it is backwards to invest billions of dollars into the top of the pyramid when it is crumbling from the bottom? This only means my theory of today’s best leaders and decision makers stay away from the government sector. I read the Wikipedia version of Mr. Cuban and besides relating to the maverick thing I am partial to the diversity of his interests. I doubt the sole purpose of this is to hedge against a bad stock/real estate market, but also to fulfill that desire of seeing all of your dream become a reality. I know I’d love to own a sports team, write a blog that people read, and I have a fantastic idea for a movie if I had an interest in some of the companies he does.
It is scary to discuss the ideas of your creation. I have been working on my ideas for years, but there is a reason there are risk/reward cliches. We all (most of us) are suffering from the state of the economy. If you have money it is a fantastic time to be risky, but the rest of us can’t get loans because the banks have tightened up so much. The banks are telling me my very good credit is pretty much useless at the moment because of a lack of history (6 years is an understandably short time,) and that I don’t have a mortgage history on my credit. This lack of vision is very disturbing. I have great credit in an age range (24) that is notorious for its lack of responsibility. I chose not to buy a house because they were overpriced, and by not having a mortgage I do not currently have a depreciating asset I owe more on than it’s value.
So I take this opportunity to share what I’m working on because I do not know where else to turn. At the risk of someone taking my idea I need capital to get it started. If it gets stolen at least it will get to fruition even if it is not by me.
My business plan has been scrapped and I am now sending it to a professional in hopes they can improve upon it enough to get funding. Since I am a start-up it was mostly hypothesized anyway. Instead of an actual business plan I can currently offer this plan of action, so to speak, and if interested I should have the actual plan done very soon.
Essentially I want to start a company that brings small clothing companies, designers, bands, small record labels, and other various artists onto a site to express their art. This has been done before, the problem is it has not been done properly. There are things like cafepress but that is very…to use a term I hate…commercialized. There are also other site, like big cartel, that simply act as a shopping cart for companies similar to what I’m looking for. If I own a small clothing company and I’m using one of those sites, if I see you on the street I would direct you to their site and ask you to look up my company name via their site to buy my stuff. Obviously on my site that option is available, but there are several other options as well. Regional, gender, genre searches along with other criteria mean you can see clothing/music/art you want as well as stuff that will introduce you to a whole different world.
Other sites strive on you generating your own business and often have a flat fee so they get paid no matter your success. This means they do not have to advertise, they can sit back and let you do all the work. We want to drive customer to you by creating business for ourselves. We recommend you do not only use our site in substitution for your own. We want to increase your sales on top of what you already do. We want to set up a contract with as many owners as possible that will allow us to go to clothing shops across the country that buy “underground” lines. We want to set up shows, calendars, and other events that allow the creativity of the small guy to shine.
The biggest thing we need the money for is the technology I want to apply to our site. This is also the biggest separation between us and our competitors. Four or five years ago when I wanted to do this they told me it would be extremely expensive because the technology wasn’t out there yet and they would have to create it. I know it’s out there now so I assume it would be cheaper. This would allow individuals instead of just clothing companies, to come on the site and upload any image they created onto a shirt, hat, or any other piece of apparel of any color and see it instantly. They could place the image anywhere they wanted and even change the color of the image itself. One of many problems before, was when you upload an image it has a white background, with this new technology you would be able to take that out. We then can create the shirt, sell it and share the profits.
We earn our income as a percentage from every sale in most cases. We also offer a kick back to members if their PIN is used during someone else’s purchase. There are two things about my company that I love. First it is a tool for people that can use the help. We offer jobs and we offer growth for lots of individuals that want to express their creativity and allow others to share in its significance. Secondly, and even more important to me, it comes with its own foundation for the less fortunate. As small companies we do not always sell all of our product, we sometimes have a little extra of a shirt that didn’t come out the way we wanted or a size that didn’t sell. Also as small companies we hate to throw anything away. Clothes, CD’s, or anything you that you create and can’t sell can be donated to our foundation which we then of course donate to the less fortunate. It’s amazing how, especially at times like these, when you give it can make you feel better than getting. Seeing someone in something I created makes me feel great, but I feel even better when I gave it to them because they needed it.
As far as the return on your investment, realistically I feel I can get hundreds of companies on my site at no monetary cost. If I can get my site to full capability, they will be able to upload their own stuff. Getting them interested will be very easy and free. From there in order to make money, obviously I need customers. Our company will be selling a wide range of clothing, and each company sets their own prices, so my potential market is enormous. There are several free avenues of web advertising I have in mind, as well as a designated amount of the stimulus designated to marketing. I, along with several people I will have to hire, will contact (via phone or in person) small clothing shops across the country to get the clothes of our clients into their stores. No part of the stimulus would go toward a paycheck for me, and we should be profitable almost instantly since most of our cost is upfront expenses. I’ve never looked into an investor before as I wanted to do it on my own, so I am not sure how it works exactly, I would need more information on how quickly you would want the original investment back along with its rate or the percentage of the company you would be interested in.
It kills me to write all that, some ideas I’ve only shared with a select few. Maybe everyone won’t see the potential I see, or worry too much of the competition, but competition is good, especially when they are competing to catch up to my vision. Perhaps I fear even more that everyone will hate the idea. If you are interested in a rough draft of what the site may look like please feel free to email me, its a work in prgoress but is very close to what I envision.
The company is called Faction Uncorporated (yeah we made a couple sweet FU hats.) A lot of people don’t know what faction means so its definition is on the site.
Faction- a group of unified persons forming a minority within a larger group.
“Fortes fortuna adiuvat”
Comment by Nick R -
Copper/Tin/Nickel arbitrage. Buy bulk ingots, store them locally, wait till the dollar depreciates, then sell them back locally.
Storage cost is low, so no major cash flow problem after 60 days. Miniscule initial transport cost if you rent storage near an existing warehouse (or 0 transport cost if you pay the selling warehouse for rental). You have potential buyers with surrounding warehouses reducing the sale transport costs also.
“Profitability” in 90 days? Congress and the Fed have taken a machine gun to the dollar, and the banking mess along with low commodity demand has made a huge dollar bubble. You might not be profitable in 90 days but I don’t see a scenario where you wouldn’t be in two years.
Costs:
$1000 — to set up a chapter S corp for myself and any local investors.
$20,000 — of my own cash as equity in the corporation.
$1000 — searching for local warehouses
$2000 — Secure a $500,000 loan from the SBA at below market rates to further inflate the dollar under the guise of making widgets :p
Use 80% of cash to buy ingots, insurance, and a 90 day rental contract with a warehouse with an option after 60 days to extend the contract.
Wait for the dollar to crash.
Profit, pay off the loan, and send Mr. Cuban a picture of me vacationing somewhere nice 🙂
Unless you are going to give me better terms than the SBA why would I take your money? Isn’t socialism great 😛
Comment by Anon -
Mark could you recommend a website developer for us??? thank you.
Comment by A.B. -
Proposal: I am obtaining exclusive distribution rights for a fine stationery company that ran into difficulties unrelated to sales or product issues. The distribution system is in place, but I need the cash to print the materials that are in demand as well as to expand the line and the market availablity. Items are currently sold online and in high end boutique shops only. Product sells for $32.65 for box of 10 (retail). Plan to create a premier line and exclusive lines for shops like Target for example. Based on demand and current sales, investment in printing (supplies and marketing materials) will turn into profit in 3 months. The business will break even the first month as there will be immediate cash flow from sales of existing product, but replacements are needed to keep sales up. There are 4 employees, and owner (me, who works separate job until profit increases). This is printing related and I work in the print industry.
Comment by Joyce Belford -
MARK
WE HAVE JUST FINISHED OUR THIRD WEEK OF SERVICES, AT A NEW START UP NON-DENOMONATION CHURCH. WE HAVE A CORE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO ARE DEDICATED TO GIVE OF THEIR TIME AND MONEY. WE ARE OFFERING A GIFT THAT WAS FREELY GIVEN TO US, BUT YET PEOPLE ARE BEING ENRICHED DURING THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES. WE ALREADY HAVE A POSITIVE CASH FLOW, BUT WE ARE STARTING A BUILDING PROGRAM THAT WILL REQUIRE US TO TAKE OUT A LOAN. YOUR INVESTMENT IN THIS PROJECT WILL GET YOU A TAX CREDIT, BUT THE REAL BLESSING YOU WILL RECEIVE CANNOT BE MEASURED. WHAT A BETTER WAY TO HELP PEOPLE, WHO ARE HURTING, BY BEING A PARTNER IN A NEW WORK THAT WILL CONTINUE TO BLESS PEOPLE FOR YEARS TO COME. THANKS TOM
Comment by TOM -
There are some good ideas on here, I hope all of you one way or the other get your businesses going!
Comment by JT -
Dear Mark Cuban,
I have the best business plan you ever heard. i would like to sell roasted corn and baked potato at american airlines arena for maverick’s home games.I currently have a family owned bbq catering business in the Little Elm, Texas and wish to expand.
All we would request is $10k start up to buy the roaster and i’ll give you 20% of the profit every night and everyone goes homes happy and the fans will enjoy roasted corn.
(kcholly@verizon.net)
Comment by Kevin Holly -
Are you still accepting new applications for funding?
Comment by Betty Fenderman -
My business plan is a start-up. If a start up is going to be break-even cash flow in 60 days and profitable in 90, then it better be simple. Below is one of the simpler stimulus plans you will review. I have verified all of your requirements are met by this plan.
The Poker CD.
Unlike many industries that boomed over the past 10 years, the poker bubble has not busted. Anywhere from 40 to 60 million Americans regularly play poker, and the figure grows every year. The poker boom has made weekly neighborhood and friendly tournaments part of our lives, and my idea capatilizes on this.
My stimulus idea is to create a compilation of the greatest poker songs of all time and make them available on a cd through website sale. I’ve done enough research to know that copyrights for music can run anywhere from $.25 – $1.25 per song. Getting copyright permission on these songs is the only real challenge here, but I have a copyright lawyer I’ve already spoke with about this. Therefore there are two keys to the success of this plan:
1. The tunes – I have spent more time than I care to admit researching the best poker songs. I have the best possible list ready to be burnt.
2. The marketing plan – I think there are two target markets for this product. First is the neighborhood poker game host. Everyone wants their poker game to be fun and tunes are a key part of this. Among other places, websites offering poker tournament management software, poker forums, and other sites are common place to reach this market. The second market is made up of the wives, moms, and mother-in-laws of poker players. This market will be purchasing as a great gift idea for their husband, son, etc.
Advertisments placed on these sites will direct traffic to a new website where simple credit card purchase is available.
Proof of profitability:
Cost of copyright = $.50 avg cost per song * 14 songs = $7
Cost of packaging = $.60 (or better) per cd @ bizreplication.com
CD Price Point = $18 per cd based on compilation pricing research
Additional costs for advertising and website enhancements will be incurred as revenue is generated from sales.
Your cut: 25%
Comment by Jimmy P -
Hey Mr. Cuban i am going to pay for the beginning of my business with 7000 i already have saved to create my site. This amount is more than enough to do what i need to do but my only problem is that i do not know who to turn to. Finance major down here in CC, TX yall should pick up Vince Carter but anyway can you recommend a website developer that we can trust?? Thank you.
Comment by A. B. -
Pingback: Followup on a real stimulus « Arkansas Property News
kiss
(keep it simple, stupid)
I was in DC a few of months ago visiting a friend. We went out to the local pubs with his boys and I noticed one of them drinking PBR (Pabst Blue Ribbon). Why you ask? I’ll tell you why. Not because PBR is cheap. Not because PBR tastes good. BECAUSE PBR IS TRENDY! I reacted the same way as everyone else does. “You’re drinking PBR, HaHaHa, THAT’S GREAT!” Seeing someone drinking PBR reminding me of when I was a kid (25 years ago) and my dad (a frugal guy) actually bought plain label beer. I shit you not, it came in a plain white can with the only graphics on the can being four capital letters that spelled BEER.
Thinking back on that I thought to myself, that’s brilliant! If you’ve ever read “The Tipping Point” you have an idea of how powerful and profitable a trend can be.
So that’s my idea, BEER. Sell a plain white label BEER. And it fits my favorite acronym which I apply to business and life in general, kiss – keep it simple, stupid.
My business plan is as follows:
1. Make a good quality beer at a reasonable price. It doesn’t have to be Samuel Adams great, just good like bud and miller good.
2. Offer two types of beer. BEER and LIGHT BEER.
3. Start with a grass roots effort. No expensive marketing but instead just go pub to pub in my local market just like a liquor salesman does (or Red Bull salesman these days) and try to sell a couple of cases to each pub for them to offer to their customers. I believe this will be highly effective. Bartenders, Bar Managers, and Bar Owners will get it! My guess is a good number of them will be rolling on the ground in laughter with me trying to sell them BEER and that’s the point. From a bartender’s perspective imagine working during a slow time before the night really gets started and you have someone pull up a chair saying “give me a beer or what type of beer do you have”. The bartender can throw a plain white can that says BEER on it in front of the bar patron and is sure to get a good laugh. And everyone likes to be funny so these types of scenarios will feed the trend. I currently live and work in LA and what better place to start a grass roots effort than in Hollywood. I mean talk about trendy! Maybe I’ll get lucky like Sprinkles did and end up on Oprah or for this product Jimmy Kimmel Live! might be a better fit.
4. Offer territory sales franchises starting with the major markets across the US. Dallas, Chicago, DC, New York, etc.
5. Trends are rarely planned and are usually spontaneous so if we’re lucky enough to start a trend then just simply capitalize on it.
Core strengths of my plan:
1. A simple niche
2. Being 1st to market
3. Low start up cost
4. Grass roots marketing
5. Scale production/expansion accordingly
6. I believe in it therefore I can sell it
I can see some people saying that being a trend is a weakness long term. My response to this objection is that if we’re lucky enough to capture lightning in a bottle by starting a trend then bring it on. We can only hope to have the problem of selling a hot trendy product that we cannot manufacture fast enough. That’s a problem we want to have. And if we make good beer people will want to drink it.
The future evolution of kiss:
My company name will be “kiss” given there are no conflicts with Gene Simmons in using this name. Maybe we can cut him in as a spokesperson. He seems like a guy with a healthy sense of humor. Some current and future potential themes we can look at doing:
• Limited release RECESSION BEER
• Phrases – instead of printing BEER on the can we can come up with some catch phrases like – I’M SINGLE. Now there’s a conversation starter for bar patrons.
• Green cans with white lettering for St. Patty’s day. We can come up with endless themes around holidays throughout the calendar year.
• Pastel Pink cans with white letters for breast cancer awareness month and to get females drinking our beer.
Bottom line:
Creating a trend is the hard part. If we can do this then we can stay creative to capitalize on the trend and evolve as a company.
That’s it. Thank you for your time. I hope everyone enjoys my business idea with a BEER. Any comments and ideas are appreciated.
The balls in your court Cuban. We can get together and discuss my plan over a beer.
Comment by Kevin Rumbaugh -
Mr. Cuban:
A. Sports Training Product:
B. Company: The current company (SI) will launch a new company (TSP). This new entity will launch a new and exciting sports product. SI offices and warehouse will provide inexpensive overhead and operations for TSP. (SI) was started in 2005 by a coach and former player who’s initial training product paved the way to the current opportunity.
C. Immediate Launch with Basketball, Football, and Lacrosse product models: Launch Baseball and Volleyball in 2010.
D. Product is recently patent protected. New, Innovative, Functional, Affordable. Basketball design may be used by coaches for team training. Basketball design may be used by individual players in the home environment. Basketball product may be used effectively at all levels of the game.
E. Product is one of a kind without competition. Product is based on a simple yet important training need. Improves player’s technique, simplifies coach’s instruction of game tactics, raises the level of training and results in better players and better team play. Product has application in all sports but Basketball is first target market due to size in the USA and world wide.
F. Sales / Distribution: During production samples will be presented to Team Sports Dealers U.S. wide. Team Dealers will be interviewed and exclusive and semi-exclusive territories and initial orders will contracted.
G. Revenue Forecast: $130,000 sales first 60 days. 60% Gross Profit on product sales. Minimum overhead as warehouse, offices and workers are currently in place and being funded by privately held company.
H. Annual Sales Projection: Year 1 = $500,000, Year 2 = 1,000,000, Year 3 = $2,000,000…Sales Projections based on researched numbers of prospective customers in the U.S.A. with international growth in years 2 and 3.
I. Investment Required: $75,000 (To produce initial product inventory.) Wholesale value of initial inventory = $260,000. Retail value of initial investment = $479,800.
J. Equity Offering: 110% return of investment and 25% Equity in Company.
Comment by James -
Dear Mr. Cuban,
I am informed that you are interested in promoting ideas and inventions which would be of asset to the public. Consequently, I am presenting you with this invention which is patented, having spoken with your Foundation about it.
PRODUCT:
Doll, called “Anat Doll” (short for anatomy)
This doll is unique and is a valuable educational toy and tool. It is the only one in its class. It is intended to be an educational asset to children, the world over, between the ages of 4 years and 11 years.
CONSTRUCTION:
The front portion of the doll, from the head down to the groin area, can be removed thus displaying the various internal organs, their size and relative location of one organ to another.
The younger age group can dismantle the organs and replace them in their proper positions, whereas for the older age group, the organs can identify themselves and relate their functions.
The organs identified are: Brain, heart, lungs, stomach, intestines, liver, gall bladder, spleen, kidneys, pancreas, reproductive organs.
This invention has met with the approval of: Doctors, nurses, teachers, school districts, lawyers, ministers, lay people, and, of course, the Patenting Board.
It is the intention to have two sizes of dolls: A smaller about 18 inches tall to meet the needs of the indivual in the home; and a larger about 36 inches tall for schools, doctors offices etc.
This product was patented December 2000, eight years ago, but because of funds, production was delayed.
I do hope that you, Mr. Cuban, can help financing the advertisement, making of prototypes and production of this product which would be of great asset to the children the world over. The educational system desperately needs this product.
Estimated cost to get this product to the manufacturers and on the market is about $250,000.00 to $500,000.00.
I would appreciate any assistance you could kindly provide. If you have additional questions, need further information, or would like to schedule a meeting, please do not hesitate to contact me via email at alison_hill@sbcglobal.net.
Thank you for your time.
Respectfully,
Belden J. L. Coomansingh
Comment by Belden Coomansingh -
Mark
If you don’t think ARRA will be enough on its own (and I agree) – take a look at these 7 slides.
http://www.slideshare.net/average_joe/cuban-economic-stimulus-augmentation-plan
Comment by John -
If I posted my business plan three days ago but don’t see it appear does that mean you are holding it in moderation while you look at it? Or perhaps was there a glitch and I should repost it?
What I want to do is not some “Next Big Thing” but rather basic main street business that provides good jobs, good service and good products I can make with myself and the help of a few employees. Profits in the $10K a month range. Nothing big or fancy. Is that in range of what you are thinking of?
Comment by Adam S. -
My little sister game me a wonderful registered english bulldog male that I have named “Augustus Disgustus”. Today I am buying a registered female “Izzy’s Bulldacious Lily” that comes from a line of champions for $2500. She comes into season in about 2 months and has been bred before. Lily is 16 months old and Gus is 28 months old. My over all plan is to build and run a family kennel for breeding and caring of pure bred lovable adorable devoted canine companions.
I have a small kennel that is too small and in bad repair that came with the house I bought 2 years ago. I have been working on a set of plans for the kennel I want to build.
With the uncertain economic times we now indure, I have opened my home to my step daudhter. She has as great a love for animals as I and comes with several years of vet tech experience.
My plans are to build a 16 run kennel, 12 with 5×8 foot interior runs and 5×15 exterior runs, 4 with 10×8 interior and 10×15 exterior runs for moms and their pups, 4 welping rooms, food prep area, storage, reception area, and office for record keeping and mechanical room for air conditioning and water heater.
Drain trenches will be built into the floor and the kennel floors will have a 3 degree pitch for easier cleaning and quick drying.
My main focus will be in breeding and selling pups but will also offer boarding, grooming services and pet products.
Currently I work as a technician for an oil field service company and with the down turn in petroleum prices, and the fear of layoffs, I want to change careers and do what I love to do, work with dogs, bar-b-que, and have some quality in my life.
Should you want to invest in our project, I would give you first pick of the litter and turn you on to some wonderful Texas “Down South Homestyle Cooking” and a percentage.
Bulldogs come into season twice a year. With profits from my first pups, I will buy or trade for more sires and dams.
My wife is on board with all this but wants me to go slow. I just turned 55 yesterday and I don’t want to go too slow, I want to get it done and enjoy the rewards while I still have time.
Thanks,
Mark W.
Comment by Mark Williamson -
Pingback: GNC-2009-02-20 #453 Recorded on Rebuilt Machine « Technical Support Geek
Mark,
I wanted to add something to my post above regarding the “PUSH” foundation.
This is not a start up business. My company is already doing this with other groups for their Humanitarian efforts. I wanted to clarify this because I am already actively involved in bringing groups to this Trade Platform for funding to go towards their Humanitarian efforts. I am just hoping to do the same for my own focus.
My proposal is for funding the first bond only, which is re paid within 60 days. Security comes from the bond itself and the gauarantee that the bond can be re sold if something catastrophic happens. Also, with the bond in your name you will receive the monthly or quarterly yields the bond generates while you own it.
For reference purposes only, the Trading Platform I am using has recently approached you through a broker to purchase your corporate jet but they were told that you wanted to keep the plane until the basketball season was over. They are a very strong group doing some very good things with their Humanitarian funding and they are still interested in your Jet.
So, if you are truly interested in selling your jet, the commission alone I would receive for brokering your Jet would purchase the bond needed to get my efforts rolling. If this is an option, you can take my commission and purchase the bond to get my idea kick started. So, with your help I am now showing you a way to help me pay for my own bond.
If nothing else, why don’t you take a chance on me, and we use the trading platform to fund many of these worthy businesses with my business being one of them.
I will donate my time to spearhead this and would eagerly accept your input. I don’t want a job or become one of your projects, but if you feel the highest and best use of the platform is to fund some of these businesses I would give 110% to that effort.
Also, the platform itself has said for those projects that fit their Humanitarian criteria they will consider adopting qualified businesses to receive some of their funding. So now we can possibly help twice as many with their ideas.
So, once again my business:
1) Helps stimulate the economy and invests in People.
2) Pays you back in 60 days and is profitable in 90 days.
3) Secures your investment with a bond paying interest.
4) Will gauratee an Exit for that bond once we are finished.
5) Additionally shown you a way, (if you are interested in selling your jet) to generate a commission to purchase the bond needed to kick start my business, a Win/Win situation.
6) Also as an alternative, I will work lead with the platform to generate enough capital to fund all of ideas you deem worthy along with my own.
7) Finally, I have possibly come up with a way to have those businesses that qualify from a Humanatarian purpose to be additionally funded through the Trading Platform itself.
So, what do you have to lose? I will gladly fly to you or you can come to me to show you all of my sources and we can meet directly with the Trading Platform so you can see some of the projects they are currently funding.
That’s my final pitch! Thanks for the wonderful opportunity! I hope to hear from you soon.
God Bless!
Comment by Dale Grinstead -
it’s seems that my plan is crash…i’am so, so disappointed, but tnx for all (73 views)
Comment by marko -
Mr Cuban.
I am the majority owner of a semi start up and qualify for many and numerous Federal Government contracts. One program we submitted for was the SBA’s 8(a) program and were declined due to our balance sheet. Which is a reflection of today’s current economy on small business. I have a small business plan and would love to submit it to you with numerous options for your return. These benefits can provide short term and long term benefits and return on your return. But as a a good businessman I would prefer to have a Non-disclosure agreement in place prior to any formal questions and answers. I hope this does not cause an inconvenience for you. If you do decide to move forward I can assure you the large primes are doing well in government contracting and we are viable enough to be one of these huge primes. Thank you for your time.
Luis
Comment by Luis -
I have been another who has had a great time reading through all the ideas– it is true that our ingenuity is perhaps our greatest resource. This is a wonderful thing you are doing for our country, thanks!
Figured I’d throw out an idea for you, or anyone here really, on a search for “the next big thing” that I thought could sort of be integrated into the plan here. I’m a little biased in this because I work in the field myself and see it day to day, but our Universities are full of incredible kids with some amazing ideas and dreams, ones that I’m sure many would be happy to contribute to those with the resources to actually take them and run with them right now… the problem facing the students these days is, of course, how the problems with the economy have affected their funding; many are now facing having to leave the institutions they are at. A scholarship competition that awarded business ideas I would think could turn up some really incredible results, and the award amounts wouldn’t have to be that much to inspire them to enter their ideas. It would also be an interesting way to “fish out” some of the brightest and most innovative young minds before they graduated and hit the market.
Anyways, keep up the great work with the ideas, everyone!
Comment by Rebecca -
I have posted my business plan to google docs. Here is the link.
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dhsz43pf_1g99jzgcz
Comment by George A Phillips -
I am really enjoying reading all of these comments and ideas. Some gems some fluff thats the normal mix. Sift and sieve. Sift and sieve.
Comment by Jane G. -
Mark:
Here’s an existing business that meets/can meet all of your criteria and can make good use your stimulus offer. We’ll make it with or without you, but an infusion would create jobs faster and help us contribute back to the economy sooner.
http://www.slideshare.net/mlogix/mattresslogix
Thanks for your time and consideration.
John
Comment by John -
Thanks for doing this. If more people with deep pockets gave back like you, then we wouldn’t be in this global mess.
Comment by Paul St. Amant -
so let me guess this straight…you convince me with your blog to post my start-up and then decide well No thanks to start-ups!! The money goes to the business…plain and simple! What in my proposal said other wise???
Comment by Denton -
Return on Investment
Start small and grow voraciously.. The Cuban Entrepreneur School begins by selling a series of affordable on-line seminars on how to create legitimate start-up success. In an economic time where folks have to have a plan B/C in their back pocket, for $99 per seminar/presentation customers can purchase valuable lessons to take charge of their own financial independence.. presentations for purchase include: sound strategies for creating business plans, strategies for attracting investment, etc.
(Mark, with your time and attention being limited and highly valued, a simple series of instructions from you can be produced into media, multiplied, and resold indefinitely… your series of steps listed are already a valuable education on what is to be expected from attracting legitimate investment.. Without your direction, this info can still be cataloged through various business resources and simply be approved by you or appropriate agent..)
Income is reinvested in the company, advertising for the start-up products expands generating more sales, and expansion of the Entrepreneur School follows.
Highly successful teachers who want to contribute to the community volunteer time to teach promising but underprivileged adolescents. The contests start small within the school, rewarding the most skillfully crafted inventions, ideas, etc. With return on investment from those ideas, the large-scale contests begin with adequate investment being funneled to CTTE.
Cash Flow Break Even Within 60 Days
To recoup investment of the initial Entrepreneur products website & fixed cost (approximately $5k), 50 customers would have to purchase for $99.
Profit Within 90 Days
To become profitable, 51+ buyers would purchase presentations for $99.
Product being sold for $99, above the break even point, is more than what it costs to replicate new presentations & mail to customers, and/or more than what it costs to allow them access the online presentations via password. New additions to Entrepreneur Enterprise product line would be entertained as profitable.
Equity distribution for the Entrepreneur School is 100% reinvestment until the CTTE contests are launched successfully.
Equity distribution for CTTE is 70% for Mark, 15% to distribute accordingly to partnerships/investments contracts, 10% for re-investing in the Entrepreneur School and 5% for Christian.
So, heard about the blog this morning.. with my day split between studio + school, this is as far as I’ve arrived.. Would love to share more if I can be of help.
P.s. what you’re doing is not just brilliant, it’s empowering. Thank you kindly.
Christian Behl
behlc@tjsl.edu
Comment by Christian Behl -
Thank you for your time in inviting this kind of contribution. I strongly respect your involvement in making new solutions possible. Appreciating the opportunity to present at a moment’s notice is very special, and that said, I believe this is the kind of opportunity that can also produce sustainable, measurable, and long-lasting benefits to investors and whole global systems repetitively.
In gaining a realization for our power as consumers and product-users, I feel it’s only been recently that big businesses have looked to the average consumers for intelligent feedback on design or innovation. I believe it’s a win-win system and I believe in a new era where this concept of farming start-ups can become a re-generating economy of scale for entities with the adequate resources.
Cuban Think Tank Enterprises.
With a focus on user-generated start-ups, CTTE releases it’s seasonal requests for submissions, welcoming well-planned investment propositions from a select group of 4-5 topics & industries. Each season, the group of topics rotates, welcoming new submissions from different fields with one focus: solving the most complex human challenges in a global habitat.
Potential categories:
Education
Empowerment & Human Capitalization
Energy
Environment
Infrastructure
Medicine
Arts & Entertainment
Food, Health, & Wellness
Communications & Media
Digital Security
Economics & Business
Social Justice
Reversing Global Plight (Poverty, Malaria, Epidemics, etc.)
Technology
Water
Winners have three possible awards: CTTE partnership/investment, an outright reward for the transfer/sale of intellectual property, or an outright donation on behalf of the Mark Cuban Foundation.
Cuban Think Tank Enterprises exists as an infrastructure to enable the profitable realization of user-generated concepts. Consisting of a world-class development team, marketing team, intellectual property team, and associated execution teams, CTTE implements sound formulaic business strategies across the spectrum of human enterprise.
The Cuban Entrepreneur School co-exists with CTTE as a respected institution for global human resources, educating some of the world’s most impoverished people to enable their own integrated success as players in the global economy.
Comment by Christian Behl -
This is a wonderful idea.
I hope that many people start their own businesses.
It is great that you are promoting both startups and existing ones.
We need more investors like you.
Thank you mark.
Comment by Andy -
those double arrows, huh? You didn’t want to deal with those how don’t know dbl arrows?
Comment by marc johnson -
Dear Sir,
I am a consultant in the mining and construction materials industries. I am acting as a broker for the sale of Durable Crushers Inc.( DCI ) , Eugene, Oregon. Up to now DCI has been an R & D company. It was started by Louis Johnson, and was incorporated in 2004. Louis Johnson was recognised world wide as the leader in innovative cone crusher design and manufacture. He designed the world’s first roller bearing cone crusher, called the El-Jay rollercone, in the 50’s, and his company was hugely successful selling all over the world. El Jay was bought out by Iowa Manufacturing company( a member of the Rayethon Group ) in 1975. Louis then went on to design another cone crusher (and related equipment)that was way in advance again of the El-Jay rollercone, called the ultracone. There are approx 12 of these currently working in Idaho and Washington.He formed DCI in 2004 as an R & D company to develop what he considered to be the ultimate in cone crusher design. He designed two crushers, the Duracone and the Duracone SRM. Only one Duracone has been built, and is considered to require a little more development. The Duracone SRM is fully developed and there are two prototype units working in Canada, one for approx. 22 months, and one for 8 months. They have passed all tests and are considered ready for production.The company now has everything in place to progress to being a production company.There are 5 other size models that need to be developed to complete the necessary size range of models, but these will all be the same basic format, and very little design and development work will be needed. Louis passed away in October, 2007, at age 91. His widow wishes to sell the company to an American group only, who are willing and prepared to make a success of this Duracone range of cone crushers similar to the success of Louis’s original El Jay rollercone, and thus perpetuate Louis’s legacy. At this stage the only company pushing vigorously is the Swedish international company, Sandvik. We don’t wish to see 50 years of Louis Johnson’s work go overseas to a foreign company, and are trying to find an American group who can finance the purchase of DCI.To buy out the current shareholders, cover debt, and have sufficient funds for development and working capital will take approx. 7 million dollars initially.
Have you any interest.
Comment by Laurence James McMahon -
The “Streamlined Modification Plan,” or SMP, which is an expansion of what many lenders are already doing, will be implemented by December 15, 2008. “This is an important effort by the mortgage industry to help homeowners,” said Faith Schwartz, HOPE NOW’s executive director. “This is a big step forward that will make it easier to modify loans for the most at-risk homeowners so they will be able to avoid foreclosure and stay in their homes.”
Under the new SMP, lenders will use an expedited process to modify, or restructure, a mortgage so that the homeowner can afford the monthly payments. The streamlined process will apply to at-risk borrowers who are 90 days or more late on their existing mortgages and whose loans are owned by Freddie Mac, FNMA or participating balance sheet lenders/servicers.
After compiling the homeowner’s information, lenders will use a simple process that reduces the homeowner’s monthly payment to no more than 38 percent of the borrower’s monthly income. This may include in any combination (1) extending the number of years of the loan, (2) reducing the interest rate, and/or (3) forbearing part of the principal. If these steps are cannot reduce a homeowner’s monthly payment to that affordable level, the borrower will receive an additional loan-by-loan review that will include all other options to prevent foreclosure.
While many lenders have used some combination of these SMP components up to now, the real benefit of the program will be the systematic and uniform approach that lenders will now apply to modifications. This is expected to streamline the process significantly. According to Schwartz, SMP’s consistent guidelines and standards will make it much easier and faster for homeowners to get the assistance they need. “This effort compliments those being made by other institutions and should provide homeowners with real confidence that the mortgage lending industry wants to help them avoid foreclosure,” she said. “SMP will help stabilize the housing market.”
Helpful source: http://yourbankconnection.com/smp1.htm
Comment by Your Bank Connection -
I have so many ideas I’m afraid I won’t be taken seriously. To get it out of the way, I expect to be the most widely heralded artist of this era. I’m 56 so can’t say of this generation. Please see at http://www.12m.us . I’d like to advertise to stimulate looks. I have a 3D website coming up which I plan to promote aggressively (blogging), pointing out anything anyone buys now has a legitimate chance to become extremely valuable.
On a more practical level I paint motorcycles here in Daytona and with Bikeweek next week this may become a moot exercise although I’ve been disappointed for years. I’ve just never been so well prepared before. Again, an advertising budget could launch me and my paint and body man support. As for your benefit; free paint! Haven’t I seen you on a Harley?
Lastly, I took up custom painting golf clubs (see my unique instructional golf swing video on YouTube; search PNTRMARC) and found a method where I can sand, adhere and reclear over anything one can print. I tried on ebay believing as a small fry I could probably get away with doing a few team logos. This would be a main need, to associate myself with a company with the rights to use Pro and College team logos. And again, an advertising budget. I had over 1,800 looks at ebay but no takers. Unbelievable. With no money, apparently I’ll never get this going. And there would be work for others but the need to know how to reclear flawlessly prevents this from being done another way by someone bigger.
I’m lucky enough to attend many Magic games with my former boss. We sit 20 feet from the visitors’ bench!
Comment by marc johnson -
Thank you for your time in inviting this kind of contribution. I strongly respect your involvement in making new solutions possible. Appreciating the opportunity to present at a moment’s notice is very special, and that said, I believe this is the kind of opportunity that can also produce sustainable, measurable, and long-lasting benefits to investors and whole global systems repetitively.
In gaining a realization for our power as consumers and product-users, I feel it’s only been recently that big businesses have looked to the average consumers for intelligent feedback on design or innovation. I believe it’s a brilliant win-win system and I believe in a new era where this concept of farming start-ups can become a re-generating economy of scale for entities with the adequate resources.
Cuban Think Tank Enterprises.
With a focus on user-generated start-ups, CTTE releases it’s seasonal requests for submissions, welcoming well-planned investment propositions from a select group of 4-5 topics & industries. Each season, the group of topics rotates, welcoming new submissions from different fields with one focus: solving the most complex human challenges in a global habitat.
Potential categories:
Education
Empowerment & Human Capitalization
Energy
Environment
Infrastructure
Medicine
Arts & Entertainment
Food, Health, & Wellness
Communications & Media
Digital Security
Economics & Business
Social Justice
Reversing Global Plight (Poverty, Malaria, Epidemics, etc.)
Technology
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Winners have three possible awards: CTTE partnership/investment, an outright reward for the transfer/sale of intellectual property, or an outright donation on behalf of the Mark Cuban Foundation.
Cuban Think Tank Enterprises exists as an infrastructure to enable the profitable realization of user-generated concepts. Consisting of a world-class development team, marketing team, intellectual property team, and associated execution teams, CTTE implements sound formulaic business strategies across the spectrum of human enterprise.
The Cuban Entrepreneur School co-exists with CTTE as a respected institution for global human resources, educating some of the world’s most impoverished people to enable their own integrated success as players in the global economy.
Return on Investment
Start small and grow voraciously.. The Cuban Entrepreneur School begins by selling a series of affordable on-line seminars on how to create legitimate start-up success. In an economic time where folks have to have a plan B/C in their back pocket, for $99 per seminar/presentation customers can purchase valuable lessons to take charge of their own financial independence.. presentations for purchase include: sound strategies for creating business plans, strategies for attracting investment, etc.
(Mark, with your time and attention being limited and highly valued, a simple series of instructions from you can be produced into media, multiplied, and resold indefinitely… your series of steps listed are already a valuable education on what is to be expected from attracting legitimate investment.. Without your direction, this info can still be cataloged through various business resources and simply be approved by you or appropriate agent..)
Income is reinvested in the company, advertising for the start-up products expands generating more sales, and expansion of the Entrepreneur School follows.
Highly successful teachers who want to contribute to the community volunteer time to teach promising but underprivileged adolescents. The contests start small within the school, rewarding the most skillfully crafted inventions, ideas, etc. With return on investment from those ideas, the large-scale contests begin with adequate investment being funneled to CTTE.
Cash Flow Break Even Within 60 Days
To recoup investment of the initial Entrepreneur products website & fixed cost (approximately $5k), 50 customers would have to purchase for $99.
Profit Within 90 Days
To become profitable, 51+ buyers would purchase presentations for $99.
Product being sold for $99, above the break even point, is more than what it costs to replicate new presentations & mail to customers, and/or more than what it costs to allow them access the online presentations via password. New additions to Entrepreneur Enterprise product line would be entertained as profitable.
Equity distribution for the Entrepreneur School is 100% reinvestment until the CTTE contests are launched successfully.
Equity distribution for CTTE is 70% for Mark, 15% to distribute accordingly to partnerships/investments contracts, 10% for re-investing in the Entrepreneur School and 5% for Christian.
So, heard about the blog this morning.. with my day split between studio + school, this is as far as I’ve arrived.. Would love to share more if I can be of help.
P.s. what you’re doing is not just brilliant, it’s empowering. Thank you kindly.
Christian Behl
behlc@tjsl.edu
Comment by Christian Behl -
Mark, In the comment above, somehow a smily face was substituted for the numeral 8 that was to proceed that point. I want you to know that I am totally serious and that glitch is unfortunate. Thanks, Stephen.
Comment by Stephen -
Mark, like many who have posted here, I think your idea is fantastic. You are the perfect host for this kind of thing; an in-the-trenches serially successful entrepreneur.
Knowing that this can’t last forever as a comment section project, I began to wonder if you would be interested in a permanent version. I have a format I’ve been working on for several years, and I am willing to give it to you if you will keep me involved. I believe that it would satisfy your personal expectations as expressed in your stimulus plan.
This project requires two distinct entities. I have given them place-holder names; the “IdeaGarden,” and “Visa2.0 Incorporated.”
The following 12 points outline what I am proposing.
1) IdeaGarden is a wiki linked to your blog.
2) Instead of proposing business ideas as comments on your blog, community members would do so by opening a new page in the wiki where it would be available for all to critique, shape and formalize.
3) Periodically, the community would vote to determine which of the business ideas they think should be funded.
Here is where Visa2.0, Inc. enters the picture.
4) To participate in the IdeaGarden, a community member must become a member-owner of Visa2.0, a venture capital investment firm based on the Visa International business model. As such, the community will organize around a non-stock, for profit membership corporation with ownership in the form of nontransferable rights of participation.
5) Once formed, the corporation would launch the wiki and all business operations. It would perform exactly as would any VC investment firm, but with this difference: the corporation will not keep profits. All profits will be returned to the member-owners based on a set of actuarial criterion that determines levels of participation and contribution.
So how will this project get started?
6) In order to become a member-owner, one would “buy in” by paying a one-time fee of $27. Paypal will hold all membership payments in escrow for a fee. If we fail to get 1000 committed member-owners, all funds will be returned less that exact fee.
7) To propose a business idea and open a wiki page would require another fee of $27 – each submission would be a separate page requiring a separate fee.
8) Voting would require a $5 fee for each vote placed. Member’s can vote more than once.
Buying in at $27 would enable this project to become completely self-funded. The $27 idea submission fee would pay the expenses of the wiki, and the $5 voting fee would provide the seed funding that Visa2.0 would need to assist the launch of each selected project. Absolute transparency would be required.
9) The community via Visa2.0 would shepherd projects along in the same manner as any VC. Visa2.0 would assist in seeking additional rounds of funding, etc., etc. Any community member can participate in these funding efforts independently of the community.
10) Anybody can become a member simply by buying in and agreeing to abide by a few simple guidelines. Members would retain ownership of their ideas and the opportunity to structure deals however they want.
11) Ideas would be protected. The wiki would be limited to members, and all members would be required to endorse a general agreement, one stipulation being that members are prohibited from stealing ideas. A breach of the agreement would lead to embarrassment, loss of status, and even dismissal.
12) Finally, nobody owns this idea, not even me. I am presenting a platform. The idea needs a community to invent it. If there is a business here, it needs a community to build it. The platform requires a few pieces of obvious infrastructure, and I volunteer to shoulder that responsibility. This is not to be taken as a leadership role. Consider me your servant.
What’s in this for you?
This proposal does not require an investment. This will be a crowdfunded project, to use the new lingo. If I understood you correctly, this seemed to be the main objective expressed in your stimulus plan; a way to inspire people to create businesses that would be self-funding.
However, it does need your support. If you are willing to become the catalyst this project would need, you will realize 4 clear benefits. You would have 1) the opportunity to create a stunning new kind of organization, adding to your legacy as an Internet trendsetter. 2) This project would continually produce new opportunities for you to take positions in promising new businesses. 3) The community would filter new proposals reducing your work and potential risk. But more importantly, I think, is the fact that 4) this proposal is a dead-on match with the higher ideals expressed in your plan.
If you take this idea, I hope you will keep me on board. Still reaching for my 15 minutes of fame, I am ready to commit totally to this project. Let me know what you think.
Comment by Stephen -
This is no joke, I want to work directly for you Mark Cuban. I believe the future of corporations is to have a conglomerate of people all over the world. Where there is no more bureaucracy, just the owner and everyone else. The employees would act as watchmen in their area. My plan for a business would find a solution to people who have good credit and for some reason or another are late on a credit card payment. Where there interest obviously sky rockets. This solution would not involve hurting the customer’s credit. Another idea I have is to provide a mass day care for the elderly/baby sitting. Leasing out schools that have been shut down could be one way to obtain the setting for this. I would go into greater detail, but you know after the first few sentences if you are going to take me serious or not. Thank you and hopefully David Stern will not rigg the playoffs again this year, coming from a Pistons fan.
Comment by Mike -
WELCOME Mr. Cuban to Volare Gear Inc., an innovative and revolutionary product to promote motorcycle safety and style. Volare Gear Inc.; is on the verge of an amazing transition into a heavily increasing market. We are offing a multi-million dollar corporation, with huge returns for potential investors all based off of obtaining less than 1% of our U.S. market. We will also go global from day one, as our product will be adopted worldwide. Everywhere you turn you see more and more motorcycles on the road. From crouch rockets, to mopeds, to custom built Harley’s, the fact is that motorcycles have increased drastically over the last 10 year period. There are many reasons for the increase, one of which is; economic concerns due to higher gas prices.
Likewise with the increase in riders there has also been an increase in motorcyclist fatality rates. According to the National Highway Safety Commission and the Department of Transportation, the motorcycle fatality rate has increased by over 127% since 2006. The second most common factor for all motorcycle related fatalities is the inability of other drivers on the road not having a clear visibility of the motorcyclist. In United States market alone there are over 6.7 million registered riders, with over 45,000 pubic sector motorcycles in use. (DOT) These facts alone only represent the United States, however this is a truly global product where there will be no limits to the success of the company as we reach for Asia, Europe, and South America.
Volare Gear Inc. has developed a state-of-the-art, motorcycle safety vest that allows 360 degrees complete visibility of the rider when in use. Volare Gear’s fully patented vest allows “A WAY TO BE SEEN,” (corporate tagline) for all motorists on the road. We are currently pursuing three main target markets. They include, Military bases, Police Officers, Leisure Riders, and various Government Agencies. Our intentions are to make our product a requirement for all riders to ensure their safety.
Financially our figures are gathered off of obtaining less the 1% of our total U.S. market within five years. We did a marketing analysis of 100 motorcyclist and 87 of them would purchase the product that is an extremely good percentage once again our figures do not calculate the 100 million + riders around the world. However, we will assure a breakeven point within 60 days, and a profit within 90 days with the website open for business, Volare Gear Inc. has the capability to be completely self sufficient within a 3 month period. Our initial funding request will be approximately 240,000.00 US Dollars. This will suffice to erect the company and initialize production. Volare Gear Inc. is a completely flat organizational structure, with room to grow, likewise; this product will generate a substantial number of jobs within this country alone. For instance, Volare Gear is projected to be worth over 23,000,000.00 in 5 years. Not only will jobs be generated internally, but also all the way down our supply chain, retail, transportation, logistics, legal, and R&D. Volare Gear will be a contributor to assist in stimulating the economy. I will offer a 20% return on debt generated within our 90 day dead line. After the 3 month period, you will once again be in position to join our team with 20% of the company.
Mr. Cuban this is technology driven company we want to set the standard with the best materials, quality control and design for safety.I strongly believe with your investment and your input in our vision will help us become a Future Reality
Thank You.
Mario Maese
Comment by Mario Maese -
Hello,
What an awesome thing to do for our country Mr. Cuban.
I heard about this blog through a musician friend of my father, Len Barnette. My father, Eric Stuer, passed away with my mother, Deborah Stuer, and his only love, on June 6th of 2008 on our way back from a library drumming show case in Mississippi in front of my eyes and I haven’t been able to leave their side since. (we still have video of the showcase)
Our father and mother left us, my two younger sisters and I, a site named rhythmweb.com that I have tried to keep online and in-tact. It has been taken down a few times due to lack of funds and it may contain many broken links online but I still retain the full site structure on my papi’s computer box here at home. This site is a gold mine. It has the potential to integrate my mother and father’s life story through music art and love. It also serves to promote peace through world rhythm. My fathers research and text based site brings in around 16,000 unique visitors a week.
I work with a good group of friends who have offered their help. I would like to touch up this site by the anniversery of their death on the 6th of June 2009. This is a huge web based project to fix all broken links, plug in more relevant content, and keywords (in addition to adding google and yahoo tools to highten the search engine rank). Over 200 pages!!
This economy has been very tough on me at this time. I have 3 degrees (Applied Technology, UNIX, Network Administration) and I’m used to making much more than this. With our economy on vacation and the beloved gaming company I had so much promise invested in: gamedaemons.net, now fully owned, and written off by Speakeasy and Best Buy, I have been without work since August 2008 with my comrads.
I need just $225 a week to cover our house expenses whilst we revamp my fathers site. This is all I need to float and work solely on rhythmweb for 60 days. My father has around $16,000 in his email in lost earnings that I have been too strapped to work with properly due to time and money (I’ve been trying to work contract to make up for the lost wages) to follow up on since they passed. I can follow up on these leads but they may not yeild as much as they were originally sent to my father: stu@rhythmweb. This demonstrates the profitability. Some of that $16k will be realized in step 6 of the business plan.
So, the 8 point business plan is as follows:
1) Create an Ebay and Paypal account in their honor.
2) Create more information about their life and death on the about page and link to the homepage where the 2008 schedule is. Also place a donation button.
3) Touch up all links across the site with relevant site content. Add site content (rss feeds and new youtube video) and keywords where needed.
4) Create a proprietary Drum shop with one of dad’s friends >> Georges Drum Shop and add affiliates on every page, touching up our sales process for boomwackers, and contemporania (brazillian drums).
5) Create a multilingual chatroom or blog (with an enhanced schedule of the world)
6) Re-establish relationships with Affiliates, subscribers of Myspace, Youtube, various blogs, and consolidate our email list of 200+ dedicated musicans by sending a multi-cultural (this would include around 12 different languages) information update.
7) Replenish Loan after 60 days
8) Get input and brush up processes to keep going after 90 days
Thanks for your time and the opportunity to let you know about the project our family has been working on. Please let me know if you need any more material.
Sincerely,
Jules Dylan Stuer
Comment by Jules Dylan Stuer -
Um, er, why would a profitable company want $20k from you or anyone? Having run (and sold) one business for $350M I’d never think of it.
Comment by geewhiz -
Dear Mark,
My company, Global Smoothie Supply, Inc. has developed the first truly innovative turnkey self-serve smoothie program designed primarily for the convenience channel. Our state of the art blending equipment, with a push of a button, individually blends a Specialty Shop-quality smoothie in less than 60 seconds. After the blending of each drink the blending chamber is rinsed and after every four hours the machine goes through a complete sanitation cycle. This all happens with virtually no employee or attendant interaction. Ultimately the Consumer wins as, all across America, adults and teens and kids choose Fruit-Filled Blended Smoothies over the “Empty” calories of artificially flavored sodas, slurpees and ices.
Program highlights include:
•High quality fruit purees developed exclusively for this self serve application
•The machine’s small footprint (three square feet) offers 8 flavors with a great margin for the retailer and a great value for the consumer.
•Professional installation and three year service program
•Offers convenience stores and other channels the opportunity to participate in this high growth category
Mark, I know this program does not meet all the criteria that you have listed. However because of the great innovation, I thought you should consider being part of the opportunity. Please contact me for more information and a demonstration of our state-of-the-art self-serve smoothie program.
Global Smoothie Supply, Inc.
David Tiller, CEO
214-769-0836
dtiller@gssww.com
Comment by David -
First, and foremost, I am posting my idea here and encourage everyone to steal it. Also, I will donate my time to help anyone who requests it, but you will have to raise your own capital. Hopefully this might be something Mr. Cuban can help us with or an Angel investor.
My biggest problem in this format is I have signed non disclosures with key principles already involved in this, so I can’t disclose my sources openly or provide exact details for the financial part of this transaction but the basic concept is here for all to see. I am actively involved in doing this right now and this issue of non disclosure can be solved by signing a non disclosure with those financial institutions and companies I am currently engaged with. (this is for those that want help)
My company is a residential and commercial lender and we all know how that’s going. Foreclosures on homes are now higher then what they have ever been. Bank foreclosures increased 81% in 2008 with a total of 3,157,806 filings. (http://www.realtytrac.com/foreclosure/foreclosure-rates.html)
Banks are also carrying non performing notes on their books from homeowners sitting and waiting to be foreclosed on.
So what will the banks do with these homes? They will sell them to Vulture funds at 33 to 50 cents on the dollar and wipe the debt off their books while taking a tax write off.
On a positive note, there are funds, such as Magic Johnson’s, Canyon Johnson-Urban funds, that are purchasing these to revitalize ethnically diverse communities. Magic’s information can be found at http://www.cjuf.com/.
So the foundation of my plan is much like Magic’s but my focus will be anyone in any community who qualifies can be helped and the focus will be those still living in their homes and wish to remain in them. This would not be for second homes or investment property, only primary residences.
Initially I feel that only those that have income and can make payments will be the initial focus. This is primary due to the fact that homeowners will still need to keep the electric, water, cable, pay property taxes, insurance and upkeep like mowing the yard.
How do we do it? Two years ago I approached a certain bank I was doing business with (this is where the non disclosure comes in) and inquired for a large Hedge that was seeking to purchase a bundle of these non performing notes or REO’s. I met with huge resistance and was told that banks did not do this, but I was given a name and a phone number to call someone that might be able to help.
To make a long story short, the person I contacted ended up being the court appointed receiver who was assigned to certain pre foreclosure and foreclosed properties. This person showed me where to find a list of all of the others like him in every state that serves in the same capacity (it’s all public knowledge). He also instructed me on how the foreclosure process worked and certain tricks to find exactly where and who the bank contacts were that disposed of the notes.
Additionly he showed me where Fannie Mae posts them right on their website and can be purchased in bulk if you qualify. There website can be found at http://www.fanniemae.com/index.jhtml.
How do we pay for it? This is where a little more non disclosure restricts me but without disclosing too much, I have a trading platform that will take a Security, such as a Treasury, T-Strips, CMO’s, etc and leverage it for a trading line of credit. This trading platform will then use this trading line of credit to Buy/Sell securities to pre existing contracts that they already have with very large entities (Pension funds, Hedge funds, etc).
These trading platforms can accomplish this because they can buy these securities for a deep discount. Their primary purpose is to make very large returns to fund Humanitarian projects (70% of the proceeds go to these projects). This is and has been going on for many years and not so surprisingly under the scrutiny and in conjunction with the Federal Government.
Why doesn’t everyone do this? The biggest reason is money and the fact that these platforms are “invite” only. You also have to have a minimum of $100 Million or better while also having a qualified Humanitarian project. Seem impossible, it’s not!
The platform that I deal with loves the concept of helping to stop this economic downturn while allowing people to stay in their homes. All I need to do is purchase an instrument for them to leverage. I happen to have a very good friend on Wall Street that has 20 plus years experience that specializes in bonds and will aide in this process.
Ironically the instrument that I will seek to purchase and leverage is a CMO. This is a AAA rated bond that is full of performing mortgages that can be purchased at a very deep discount.
The platform will take this bond and leverage it to generate the $100 Million trading line of credit. More non disclosure material here but the bonds are more affordable then you think.
Also, the money invested in the bond is safe because the bond stays in the purchaser’s name (Hopefully your name Mr. Cuban). These bonds do yield some interest so more positive cash flow.
I am hitting the highlights here but I have almost 1 year formulating this plan. So already in place is:
•The source for the Non performing notes (I have banks on board and more will follow)
•The source for the Trading platform
•The source for the bonds
•The knowledge of Real Estate and Residential financing (I am licensed as Realtor, mortgage broker, and Certified building Contractor in home State).
•The educational background, BA and MBA
•The practical knowledge (20 plus years running my own businesses).
My business idea will meet all of Mr. Cuban’s criteria.
1.First, it will only take one bond, this bond will be leveraged and trading will begin within 3 weeks of purchase. The initial monies needed for the first bond will be paid back to the investor in 60 days from the proceeds generated from trading.
2.The bond will be issued in the investors (Mr. Cuban’s) name and ownership will never change during the contract for trading thus securing the investors investment (If the platform is not successful my buddy on Wall Street will sell it for him for what was paid, this is possible because he is going to sell us a bond at direct cost with no spread for his profit).
3.The company will be profitable in the first 90 days and will begin purchasing notes on the 91st day or soon after.
4.The investor (Mr. Cuban) will receive the bond’s yield (2.5% to 3.5%) for the year of the contract as well as a 15% return on his initial bond investment.
5.This will Stimulate the economy, keep people in their homes and allow people to free up some disposable income by having an affordable home.
Seventy percent of all monies will go to purchasing non performing notes. The remaining 30% will go to Administrative, additional bonds and setting up the facility to restructure the notes. Lending will be at a fixed rate based on Prime plus 1, but this will be decided through seeking advisement and is not set in stone at this time.
Now, this is where it gets a little more complicated because these funds are being generated for Humanitarian purposes so the money is essentially not for repayment. The problem with handing people free homes is that will do nothing to help stimulate the economy because we want people to work and repay their loans, while reestablishing their credit. So we will use the monies and interest for purchasing new homes and building more ancillary humanitarian projects.
What we will set up is (This will be ever evolving):
1.A lending facility that works as a source to utilize loan proceeds to purchase more homes and sponsor community projects and special interests.
2.A relocation component for those that have lost their jobs and don’t qualify for staying in their home. For those that have found work in another community where work is available, we will assist them in purchasing a home in another community. This home will come from the purchase of a REO or a foreclosure.
3.Some of the monies will go to employing those that are locally out of work but can help with repairing abandoned homes that are purchased and in need of some TLC. A worker can qualify for a home much like Habitat for Humanity does while earning wages.
4.More to come!
My focus and what I will encourage others to do is to start small by helping those that qualify in their community and surrounding areas.
I feel to be successful and to make a true difference this is important because I feel the Government is not going to be able to solve this dilemma anytime soon. They are looking at this from a Macro stand point when I feel we need to start on the Micro level.
I know this is big, but starting in one community and growing outwards will still make a difference. Using Banks will also help this to grow because they can service loans, find qualified home owners and assist with any lending issues such as “Usuary” laws that may be involved. I feel with the right synergies this could grow quickly.
The name of my foundation will be The PUSH foundation, the acronym PUSH stands for “Pray Until Something Happens” which is what many in this situation are doing every day.
So go ahead, Steal it, pick it apart, or make it better but please make a difference in someone’s life. If you have been helped then “Pay” it forward, there are those that need your help. I will donate my time and efforts to anyone that needs it.
What are your thoughts Mr. Cuban? I am ready if you are! Someone like yourself behind a project like this will make a big difference in many peoples lives.
For everyone else, keep “PUSH”ing! There are some great ideas posted here and it only takes a forum such as this to get things rolling!!
Thanks Mark! You are doing what I hope to do, Paying it forward.
Comment by Dale Grinstead -
hey mark another idea,
what do you think about for sale signs that people place in their cars – i think one that is normal on one side and glows in the dark on the other side so it can be flipped over at night and people can actually see the sign. it would include a glow in the dark marker that can be used to write the price and contact info on the glow in the dark side would be great for someone who is looking to sell a car. i think most of the big retailers would be willing to carry it.
Comment by hilton -
Hire me and get some truly great ideas (that I can’t share here because they are simply the best). In turn I will create multiple businesses that will slowly build profit during these times, and create new jobs and once the economy starts to grow again, these businesses will take off and create more job opportunities than anything anyone will post here.
Comment by Jason R -
Mr. Cuban,
My company is an upstate NY based, African-American owned Car & Limousine Service. I have a question regarding acceptable information to post; my business plan, in electronic form is spread over a number of formats (word document, spread sheet, and powerpoint presentations); generally I have forwarded hard copies. I’d like to know if I can post: Executive Summary, 1’09 P&L, Operational Development Loan Proposal, and 1st Annual Operational Report. Note that the Operational Development loan proposal is a short-term development piece that will add immediate value towards positioning for the long-term.
I do also have a business plan teaser in Powerpoint format, it is a greatly condensed version of the business plan (32 pages in length) that could be posted as well.
I look forward to hearing from you in response and beginning the process.
Gary Thomas (Founder & Owner – Expression Limousine Inc)
Comment by Gary Thomas -
I have the solution for the auto-industry.
I have developed an internal combustion engine that works on the same principle except much less friction, and as a result more more miles per gallon. More than diesel or hybrid combined.
I need enough money to build a prototype, obviously you can go over my idea/drawing after an NDA. You can also have an engineer or someone you trust to go over it with you.
I have no idea how much it’d cost to make or even begin to, I don’t really have those resources. I’m trying to figure the costs
up but manufacturing, labor.
No, I’m not some crackpot crazy in a woodshed either.
Comment by Nathan Sullivan -
Pingback: Need Money For Your Business? | My Small Business Journey
Mark, What if you have an existing company not a start up?
are you looking at those as well who had a great product and just need funding to mass produce?
Comment by dean -
My name is Jamie Garrison, I’m 24 and have been exposed to construction waste in my field of work. I have even taking the opportunity to recycle some of the materials, drywall to make a repair, even collected the aluminum from the trim for an extra dollar….
….Mark, Mine is more of a dream and I believe it would work. It’s also more of a regional plan that has two purposes, one jobs and two environment. I can only use Jacksonville, fl as an example for its where I live and where my daydreaming started. No, this is not all my idea I believe CA does a lot of recycling but not this in depth.
I want to open a “recycle center” for new construction debris only. I worked for a new construction clean up company and the amount of debris that is generated and could be recycled (which is 95% ) just goes straight into the landfill.
So here it is, it cost me $38 per ton of waste in Duval county and $57 per ton of waste in clay county and that is taking it to the county landfills. If I had the opportunity to open a new construction recycle center I could charge $30 a ton accept debris from all surrounding counties. It would be cost effective for the dumpster companies to dump there waste saving money for the contractor and so on to the home or business owner. The average 2000 sqft home produces about 14 tons of debris. So we will use those numbers to make some money
14x$30= $420 per 2000sqft
So for every home you bring in just on dump fees $420
In 2007, Duval County 21,668 new homes were built so just in dump fees $9,100,560.00
In 2008, Duval County 23,124 new homes were built so just in dump fees $9,712,080.00
That was just new Home construction there was 34,055 business built you can do the math but note that the average business was 7800 sqft so more debris more money.
Now what do you do with all the debris….
The average home get four dumpster pulls
Frame
Drywall
Then two misc. which is full of cardboard and plastics
With the wood all untreated wood (90%) can be turned into mulch dyed and sold for an additional profit
The drywall can be processed into raw gypsum and sold back to the manufactures
Plastics and cardboard can be recycled as we all know,
leaving only 5% going into landfills is a positive thing
What I would need is a deep pocket to get started. I have already spoken to the DEP in Duval County they said that they would work with me on all the permit stuff and safety stuff.
Mr. Cuban I’m still dreaming but I feel it would more than pay for its self and save some space in the landfills.
Thank You for your time
Jamie Garrison
Comment by James Garrison -
Pingback: | My Small Business Journey
My name is Daniel Louis and I represent Grand Studios, a startup entertainment media company that is set to produce games, books, toys, television serials and/or films as well as mass merchandising from our intellectual properties. It was founded and is principally operated by Mathieu Louis Jr., our lead 2D artist and lead character designer; Kelly Louis, our lead writer and character designer; and myself, lead designer and production coordinator.
As this is a startup business we currently have a team of eight, including ourselves. We are deferring compensation until profitability. We work and collaborate primarily through emails and occasionally hold meetings to discuss strategies and plans moving forward.
Our flagship property, Celestrial Realms (http://www.celestrialrealms.com), is a rich, dramatic, character-driven space opera with high-adventure, super-heroic motifs and deep, emotionally impactful themes. The title “Celestrial Realms” is a blend from the words ‘celestial’, meaning of the heavens, and ‘terrestrial’, meaning of the Earth (or in this instance, home world); thus “the worlds of the heavenly realms”. Mathieu designed the majority of the characters’ appearances, Kelly provided the bulk of the character concepts and back stories, while I designed and programmed the website.
The property is highly expandable, generationally renewable and can generate income and revenue streams that are only limited to the creativity and resourcefulness of the licensees and/or any of the parties involved.
Below is an outline of our “grass roots” strategy both in the short term and long term:
————————————————
I) Short-term Goals: Build a fanbase of 500,000 members:
————————————————
This would require Grand Studios to manufacture products and engage in “get the word out” marketing by ultimately using http://www.celestrialrealms.com as the springboard and central hub:
A) Penetrate low-cost production markets such as:
1) Trading Card Gaming
2) Pen-and-paper Role Playing Games
3) Comic books and Graphic Novels
4) Market specific merchandising
I) T-Shirts
II) Action Figures
III) Posters
IV) PVC and Resin Models, Statuettes and Model Kits
V) Relevant Dry goods and sundries.
B) Commission popular comic book artists, illustrators, writers, and designers to boost notoriety.
C) Interactive Website
1) User-created and owned* characters to used as an avatar at Celestrial Realms Social networking website.
2) Forums and blog
3) Flash games and features
D) Attend Trade Shows and Conventions
1) San Diego Comic Con
2) Dragon Con
3) Mega Con
4) NY Comic Con
5) Licensing International Expo
E) Advertisements
1) Trade magazines
2) Comic books
3) Relevant websites
4) In-game ads.
————————————————
II) Long Term Goals: Expand to High Yield markets
————————————————
Either through licensing the property or producing tie-ins in-house:
A) Developing high-cost production projects
1) Video Game titles spanning different genres: FPS, RTS, RPG, Action/Adventure, Fighting, Simulation, etc.
2) Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) video game: Celestrial Realms Online using user-created characters
3) Various animated Television Series – which may feature popular user-created characters / stories
4) Animated and Live Action films
B) Licensing the brand to relevant markets.
————————————————
III) Repeat the process with another creative entertainment property
————————————————
Speaking forth rightly, this business model isn’t new, original or creative; however the Celestrial Realms brand is. Grand Studios seeks not only to provide our constituents with opportunities of fiscal growth and creative undertakings but also our fans and the consumers interested in following our example.
Here’s how:
*With Celestrial Realms, being a property as infinitely expandable as the universe itself, we would allow fans to create characters they would partially own and produce their own for profit merchandise based on their character. Their character would exist in the same ‘universe’ as other user-generated characters. This would allow for fans to become entrepreneurs in their own right without the legwork of having to produce an entire media franchise themselves. There would be contractual limits and content control, of course, to protect the property as a whole, but the creators’ success both creatively and financially would only be limited by their imagination and dedication.
With the right blend of artwork, story, characters and overall concept coupled alongside hard work and thoughtful execution, as I strongly and sincerely believe we at Grand Studios have, anyone can become a creator and owner of their own destinies.
We are currently gathering accurate, reliable data and working on the financial plan, break even analysis, and profit and loss projections.
Comment by Daniel Louis -
Why was my last post deleted? That post had my links on it?
Comment by V Smith -
Mark,
Under the banner of too good to be true, I don’t think I’ll have a fighting chance; but I’d like to add one to the mix anyways.
A product idea I have had for quite a while is to “capture” the fan experience. I’ve been going to games all of my life (MLB, NBA in particular) and I’ve always thought there should be a setup to capture my friends/family and I during the game as it was for memory sake. Cellphone cameras don’t cut it. So here is what I was thinking.
I would like to prototype, build and implement a project that uses a couple fixed mounted cameras within arenas for the sole purpose of taking pictures of “fans in the seats” during games. Just like how amusement parks have that one ride where your picture is taken during.
Give each team that has the “connect” experience a phone number that handles all texts. In the literature of the game program would carry simple directions.
Text a list of ticket numbers to that number.
You’ll recieve an automated phone call when it’s picture time.
That automated phone call gives you a countdown.
The picture is taken. (an MMS photo could be returned to phones supporting MMS)
To get your picture you would go to kiosks that would be put anywhere in the arena and use your ticket. Forcing the use of a ticket enforces that the photos would be within your party and not someone who didn’t want a photo taken. You can have up to 5 pictures taken, you are not forced to purchase until you go to the kiosk which should alieviate gun shyness in taking them. You can see them in full before purchase.
The cameras themselves are ran on automation software to move and pan to the required section. All texts are put into a queue and addressed accordingly. Using ticket numbers it shouldn’t be too hard to move the camera and pan where the seats would be the center point in the shot. If there’s a group then the list of ticket numbers should represent that so the camera can capture the entire group.
It doesn’t have to be just a photo that is picked up at the end of the game. What you pick up from the kiosk could include a photo of you and your family/friends along with a boxscore of the game attended, a particular shot taken of one of your marquee players ingame, or even an overhead shot of the entire court during a play. It can be formatted to include one of your top sponsors logo in a corner if needed.
It’s cost effective because there’s already printing kiosks that print on film paper for this type of operation in use in amusement parks for roller coasters. Even a nominal charge of 10 dollars a picture should present a profit for the team and the servicing company without any headaches. If someone gets in the moment and decides that they don’t want one, then it’s simply deleted during servicing or at an automated time before the next game (It’s just hardware space anyways). It’s not wasting anything as it’s presented to be on demand and self servicing at the point of sale.
I have worked on kiosk applications before, so I have experience in parts of the domain, but I would need to hire someone on the hardware side to aide in developing the camera portion. It’s something that directly ties into markets you’re already apart of. It enriches the “going to the game” experience, gives a keep sake that is cheap to reproduce but memorable (not an easy combination) and it adds to entertainment value. Given the result it could even be used for autographs and would make a fantastic backdrop for one.
It would probably take until the 09-10 season to be fully installed and completely trail tested so it doesn’t qualify for your profitable in 90 days requirement. It doesn’t need a lot of overhead it’s mostly elbow/mental grease getting it to fruitation. Given that I could see a contract where there’s milestones in development over numbers to meet until implementation is realized. You would get a direct return as you carry a team so there would be revenue sharing upfront. Given the contacts needed I’m more than open to talk on equity.
If it wasn’t you doing this I must admit I’d probably never take the time to type this one out, but as a fan I’d love to have this as an in game option. Just imagine Kidd in the background just off an outlet pass as Dirk is mid jumper on one side, my family and I cheering on the other side and the boxscore running down the middle. Awesome.
Comment by Robby -
I am in the process of making interactive TV which is, sad to say powered by advertising and sponsordeals (rules are there to be broken no? ;).
The good thing about the recession is that everybody wants to join, the bad thing is that nobody has money but is willing to invest a little bit so I have sponsors lined up which do not cover my startup costs entirely yet.
What I have:
– A trailer made allready by all the involving parties, made entirely out of donations of us all.
– I have the host of the show which is one of Hollands most famous stand up comedy guys to make 2 shows as a favour and because he likes the idea.
– The production company is investing in it with work (do need to pay them later).
– the programmers have made some steps for free.
– I’ve got the willingness of the biggest community in Holland to startup with them (not for free but reasonable).
– I’ve got the biggest site in traffic to push and work together in generating advertising .
– I’ve got a tv channel who is interested in organising a dedicated channel to this who I am talking to next week.
– I’ve got 15 small sponsors, and 3 big ones not convinced yet.
What I need:
€ 100.000,- would enable my fist startup for 4 shows and 10% for you.
€ 200.000,0 will enable me to do an international rolout and 20% of the holding company but I would like the willingness and help of your network.
These shows will then be partially funded by the sponsors I allready have. Can be made in 10 weeks (programming time, sorry this is longer then 60 days) and proof of concepts in the 4 weeks after as we are aiming for a target audience which is highly visible on a specific time every weerk….it involves 4 shows.
Comment by Peter van der Helm -
Mr.Cuban,
How about a stimulus plan that not only generates income for a cash strapped city while providing jobs for hundreds, but an investment that will ultimately educate and promote a higher spiritual reality to humanity. Capitalism with a cause.
Already the subject of numerous front page features, radio interviews and TV spots, the re-discovery in San Diego of a mile wide giant face etched onto a popular local mountain named El Cajon Mt. aka as El Capitan, has attracted attention from around the world. The remarkable 3-dimensional image has been featured in “The Daily Californian” the “Beach & Bay Press”, “GOOD TIMES” Magazine, KGTV Channel 10, and more. The obvious male face is also surrounded by what appears to be a perfect circle and is clearly visable from over 20 miles away. While I may have discovered this anomally by chance while researching my photo collection for a project as an art major in college, hundreds of callers to the “Daily Califorian” included numerous old timers that were well familiar with “The old man in the mountain”.
It wasn’t long before I teamed up with a T-shirt company and designed a handsome logo that outlined this mysterious GIANT face. Although the shirts and hats sold well at the local swap meet, I lacked the funds to advertise this 9th wonder of the world and take it to the next level. It was obvious to me and my small circle of believers however that this one-of-a-kind discovery, if properly marketed, could attract tourists from around the world who would purchase countless items that carried this popular logo and pay a fee for a guided tour to the location.
Now for the really strange part of this very true story. Years later after this discovery on El Capitan while hiking with 3 friends in rural San Diego on 7/1/90, I accidentally captured 10 UFOs hovering over a distant hillside in the background of a scenic photo. Within 3 months of having the objects blown up to grain I had discovered a repeating pattern on several of the objects that were also present in other UFOs as well as hundreds of ancient artifacts, crop circles and the Nazca Lines in Peru. One of the ten acorn shaped objects in my picture was hovering over the backside of the GIANT face on El Capitan.
It was the courage of Los Angeles Times Bureau Chief Tony Perry that got the ball rolling. He challenged me to prove my theories in his office, which I did and the headline 3 days later read, “HEY YOU THINK ITS EASY BEING CHOSEN TO SPREAD THE UFO GOSPEL?” That set the stage for the flood of headlines and radio interviews across the nation and Canada that would follow.
My CBS Special in 2006 on KFMB Channel 8 (still viewable on my website) not only confirmed the authenticity of the UFOs in the photo, but we traveled to the actual location where I took the photo which was at scenic spot #7 at Inaja Memorial Park in Santa Ysabel. As thousands of shocked San Diegans watched 15 feet behind the spot where I photographed the UFOs is a large boulder shaped exactly like an aliens head which I discovered on my third trip back to the spot. This alien boulder was also featured in the Daily Californian and will certainly be a must see for the horde of tourists that will eventually flock to San Diego to take the Paranormal Tour of a lifetime.
Each tourist will also have access to my book, “UFOs in San Diego, The Photo That Cracked The Nazca Code” as well as a DVD highlighting the discoveries. The book is done with 327 pages but it will cost me $2500.00 to have it professionally edited and printed. The DVD will be based upon my historic 2 amatuer videos “UFOs in San Diego” which were mentioned in the L.A.Times. I’m also creating a coffee table book with full color pictures of the UFOs and all the rock faces, many which I haven’t mentioned, at http://www.blurb.com
The Los Angeles Times has labeled the evidence “UNSETTLING” which over 300,000 visitors to my website have witnessed for themselves. Before I invite Mark and his fans to visit my site I would warn them that what you will see on my website is more than eye-opening and may represent the next phase of human evolution as mankind grows closer to joining a long existing interplanetary society where we will work hand in hand with beings of every possible description and all of our problems; unemployment, disease, homelessness even death will be vanquished and replaced by a new reality that even our grandest dreams could not imagine. Even without Mark’s help on this project this event here in San Diego will one day capture the world’s attention especially as the Mayan Doomsday prophecy of December 21 2012 rapidly approaches. Numerous TV shows have covered this looming event recently. Google “2012” if you’ve been living in a cave and need to catch up.
As far as specifing how much equity Mark will get on his investment I will state this clearly for all to see, I’m not in this for the money, cash for me is only a tool. Without it however I would not have the computor that I’m typing on or the camera, the DVD player, the TV and all the tools over 20 years of research has required me to use. I’m in this to improve the quality of the civilization that I find myself in and a very precious gift has been handed to me. I have the burden of knowledge which anyone courageous enough to explore all of my 20+ pages will also be responsible for. So Mark can have whatever percentage he wants. Consciousness is the only true vehicle and thats what we take with us when we leave this blue ball.
So I wish good luck to all and Mark, should you desire to read my book or see the photos for yourself, you have only to ask. Now Google my name or “Inaja UFO Photo”
Best regards Mike Orrell
Comment by Mike Orrell -
Mr. Cuban,
Here is an investment opportunity you may find intriguing.
Synopsis in their words:
10-minute, video-based e-courses delivered to inboxes for people with no time to learn. Suddenly, training is affordable again.
Individuals and businesses of all sizes and sectors can learn techniques across key business areas in a simple, easy to watch video format, alongside e-books, links, downloadable documents, free software and podcasts.
Who has time to be sent on full day or week courses any more? Times are hard but people still need to be motivated, inspired and trained.
Learn as part of your day. Cut out the fluff and get your business training with The 845 Club.
[Disclosure] I am not affiliated with The 845 Club in anyway. It is a startup that I recently discovered and I feel that it has a strong potential for growth. It appears to me that The 845 Club meet all 12 of your rules and that it would be an ideal candidate for your stimulus package.
There is a 60-second video pitch on the Web site. http://the845club.com
Thank you for your time and good luck finding the right business to invest in.
Always enjoy reading your posts, keep up the good work
Stephen
Comment by Stephen -
Pingback: Car Wash Water Softner Car Wash Promotion Ideas Car Wash Water Pressure | Championkanye
Mr. Cuban,
As I was looking on line for a small business loan, my husband was reading the sport page and came across your article and could not believe what he was reading, that you would be helping people in need, like us.
My husband and I were both drug addicts, ex-gang members living dysfunctional lives. But for the last 15 years we have become productive individuals and we both have worked very hard.
We have had a dream to be able to open a café of our very own, where we would be able to give back by working with convicted felons helping them with temporary employment, while introducing them to a new way of life.
So we were given an amazing opportunity to open up a café, but with the economy as it is, it does not seem that it this can happen. We have been saving money and this is just not enough. We need start up financing. We have come so far and would hate to lose such a great opportunity that has been offered to us. So I’m hoping and praying that you would consider us. I would be truly and very grateful and so thankful if you would allow us to be chosen.
Respectfully,
E.L.
Comment by E.L. -
Dear Mr. Cuban,
We have updated our business plan with more detailed information and added all of our floor plans to our business plan. Again, I am only a senior in high school, but I have gotten much backing from various sources in our community, and really need it as soon as possible so our basketball league will have a place to play (the SBA, sbabasketball.com). I would really like to hear absolutely anything you have to say, it would really mean alot to hear any of your suggestions. Again, thanks so much for your time, and here is the link for my updated business plan (with links to pdf versions of the floor plans and elevation sketches):
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfbws5pg_0gkhpxjdb&hl=en
Thanks again,
Ryan Girardot
Comment by Ryan Girardot -
BACKGROUND
NATURE OF BUSINESS
We are considering the purchase of an existing business that currently has $1.2 million in revenues and provides healthcare exclusively for women. This business was started 25 years ago by a Doctor that still owns and runs the business. We are in a position to purchase this already-profitable business from the Doctor for approximately $1.5 million.
Presently, the facility employees three doctors, including myself for the last six months. Since, I have started working at this facility I have been able to see all aspects of the business including how it is doing financially. With my 35 years of experience in the medical field (specializing in women’s healthcare) and previously owning another similar medical facility I have been able to assess the financial stability and this opportunity for investment.
In 100% of the cases, payment is rendered at time services are provided and payment consists of the following: 80% Cash and 20% Credit Card. Business is NOT dependent upon any insurance (i.e. PPO, HMO), Medicare/Medicaid or any other governmental programs. As such, there is NO Accounts Receivable. Most of the services provided are specialized and unique, similar to lasik or plastic surgery. Therefore, insurance rarely covers these services.
The current patient mix consists of 40% that are recurring. Approximately 25% of the patients come from physician referrals.
This referral network is one in which I am very familiar with and is well respected within this group. It should be noted that many of the referring doctors consult with me on a recurring basis.
MARKETING PLAN
We will continue with the yellow page advertising that is currently being employed, in the Dallas/Forth Worth Market and ads in smaller surrounding communities in North Texas and Oklahoma.
In the age of the Internet, we will make maximum use of getting our name out in the marketplace. We have contacts to a web design company to host our website. This Company works exclusively with Women’s Clinic only throughout the United States. This advertising medium is growing rapidly and is not currently being utilized by existing ownership.
Additionally, we will advertise in the Hispanic marketplace utilizing yellow pages and Hispanic TV network.
DISCUSSION OF P&L
In FY 2008, this facility had total revenues of approximately $1.2 million. This current revenue base is derived from a pricing structure that has not been updated (i.e. increased) in over 3 years. Since I have started working at this facility I have noted that there is tremendous opportunity to both increase revenue (by improving existing services and adding additional services) and cutting expenditures (by improved purchasing decisions and careful management of labor). The business currently has 20 workers in various capacities (i.e. doctors, nurses, medical assistants, and front office staff).
INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY
If we buy this business outright the cost will be $1.5 million, which is not fully negotiated, as result it may be less. It is an already profitable business thus the only investment needed is up-front purchase cost. Immediate return on investment can occur from DAY ONE.
We are prepared to payback the investment in a timely manner with reasonable interest and/or offer an equity position in the company. We have full P&L’s for 3 years compiled which include repayment options on the investment that will be discussed in person with you.
Comment by J.S. Walia -
Mr. Cuban,
I currently own and operate 3 Salon & Spas with my brother and cofounder. We have been in business for over 4 years now. My brother and I are very active in the day to day business. We both work 7 days a week and one of us is in a salon almost everyday. My family has been in the hair business for over 20 years and we believe it to be a great business. The hair industry is a $60 billion dollar a year industry with tons of opportunity. There is a great need for good owners in our industry. Ask most stylist and they will tell you that their owner sucks!
I believe we have developed a great business plan that will help improve the professionalism in our industry while providing the best possible environment for our people to reach their maximum potential. Our number 1 motto is: “Treat people right.” We know that if we never lose sight of our motto, we will continue to grow and be successful. Our business is all about managing relationships. Between the 3 salons, we have more than 90 people working. That’s a lot of people in a small amount of space. In order to make it work, everyone must get along. You achieve this by developing a system and…treating your people right.
Our salons have styling stations, spa rooms, private hair rooms, manicure stations, pedicure chairs and a retail area. Most of the people that work in my salons are licensed professions that rent their working space. The rest are people cutting hair on commission, receptionist and maintenance crew. We also retail beauty products and sell gift certificates. Our business is recession resistant. We have seen the most growth in our business over the past 6 months.
I stumbled across your blog while reading the Los Angeles Times Sports section this morning. I figured I would check it out and after reading a few blogs decided to participate.
As I mentioned, our business continues to grow. That’s where you fit in. One of our locations is too full. We have too many people working in the space. In fact, we have 5 to 6 more professionals that want to join our family and work in our space too…good problem. We don’t have room and I hate to turn people away.
Here’s the opportunity:
At the above mentioned location there is an empty bay next to us, available to rent. We would like to expand our business into that location. We currently have 16 styling chairs, 3 spa rooms, 4 manicure stations and 2 pedicure chairs. We have about 30 people working in the salon, a lot of people have to share space. Our idea is to add 8 to 10 private rooms in the new space. The rooms would be used for spa treatments or as private hair rooms. There is a high demand for these type of rooms especially in a busy salon. We would rent the rooms for about $300 a week. This would add $2 to $3K a week in revenue while our only major increase in expenses would be rent. The new space is about 1800 square feet. Once the funding is in place and the permits are pulled, we could build it out in about 6 weeks. The way the market is right now, we should be able to negotiate a great lease with some free rent. I’ve talked to the landlord a little about the space. He mentioned he would give us T.I. through free rent. Due to the fact that we would have free rent and that we have people ready to move into the space, it would be cash positive as soon as the construction was done and the people could move in. More due diligence needs to be done but, we believe the build out will cost between $80 to $100 per square foot. If you where to loan the money into this project, we would treat it as a note, paid off in 5 years with an interest rate of 10% per annum. We would be open to other terms.
The goal is to develop our brand nation wide. Once you get a taste of our business and are impressed with the operations we’re hoping there may be some interest to help grow the brand on a larger scale. The loan we’re asking is a starting place for which we will have the opportunity to start that relationship.
Thanks for your consideration.
Comment by Chad Nelson -
(Hope I’m not disqualified, as I am not sure where to post this information… So, I hope this is where to post…if it isn’t, would someone kindly guide me – you can be part of the company for hte help)
G-Force Events, Inc.
G-Force Foundation
G-Force Eco-Virtual University and Science Camp
Ft Worth Texas, February 2009 – G-Force Events, Inc. in collaboration with (select sponsors, of matched cause), launch the first annual G-Force Science Camp SM – a unique 6 day experience that gives young people from across the country full access to a scientific study laboratory, manufacturing plant and outdoor arboretum. The program focuses upon “The Family of Tomorrow’s Green-Eco Smart and Human Friendly Healthy Lifestyles”.
From July 10 through July 14, 2010, this one-of-a-kind Science Camp awards 20 boys and girls, ages 14 to 18, an exciting experience in select alternative energy providers’ and select cutting edge corporations’ headquarters and unprecedented access to the inner workings of the eco-study industry.
These students are also treated to visits from legendary energy thought leaders and political influencers, as well as renowned authors, for personal interaction and meetings with some of the greatest minds of our time.
G-Force Events, was formed as an event planning company dedicated to Green-Meetings and Events, to G-ive Back through percentage of profits, community initiatives and corporate sponsored programs, to promote family green initiatives and eco-friendly human-smart awareness and program education.
The camp is designed to inspire all young people to be educated, action oriented and to become our next world’s leaders. This program is funded solely through sponsorships and corporate contributions, raised from solicitation and vendor services for meeting execution and/or team building, which may or may not also benefit various retired professional sport organizations because retired athletes will be used to participate in the corporate team building events (with the team events have a G-ive Back task, i.e, build toys / bikes for inner city kids, and kids in Women’s Shelters, etc)
G-Force Events, Inc. hopes to develop this program to connect young scientific minds – many of whom will be the first in their families to step forward and commit to an education curriculum that lead our future into global saving efforts that save our precious earth.
The curriculum is developed to engage the students in a laboratory and natural setting, enabling interactive brainstorming sessions, laboratory activities and “National Geographic” & “Green Peace Corporation” presentations, including a visit from “G-Wear Re-Fashion Clothing Designer”, an eco-smart clothing company, that teaches creativity in the use of recycling old clothing with a personal flair and personal individuality amongst young people. All in an effort to support the goal of inspiring and engaging our youth of today, about the declining environmental earth issues and make them hungry for the knowledge, so they can become our global eco-smart leaders of tomorrow.
This model of mentoring is a customized, highly-interactive virtual university (on-line/web based streaming program) focusing on insight into new product development processes, from start to finish; access to research facilities and brand strategy meetings; including face-to-face interaction with high-level executives from the various energy and wellness industries.
The students will be given camp scholarships, by teacher recommendation, based upon their individual merit of participation and contribution in the virtual university program (Free access to all schools via the web)
The camp will be divide by regions and interest groups, accordingly to two specific categories:
1. Human-Friendly- Healthy Lifestyles
2. Eco-Smart for Green Global Field
We developed the idea of the camp, because we want to inspire young people and hopefully pique their interest to pursue a career in the areas of human-friendly wellness with an eco-smart emphasis on alternative energy, to find a “greener” / “healthier” way to live every area of our life.
G-Force Events, Inc. believes if we touch the grass roots of our families today, we’ll influence the leaders of tomorrow.
It is our hope to expand the camp nationally increasing the on-going number of students. This will be made possible as we enlist more and more corporation who share our mission and support the necessary funding for this world-wide cause impacting all of us.
We hope you choose to support such a cutting-edge program and give students access to a variety of disciplines necessary to deal with the degradation of our population’s health and wellness, and to experience first-hand how global warming exacerbates our eco problems. We hope you’ll be encourage by our quest to teach those who want to make the essential discoveries through scientific research, who want to become our leaders of tomorrow, and who truly want to save our world!”
% of company ownership to Mr. Mark Cuban, at least 50% and / or have the camp scholorship as a name sake.
G-Force Events, Inc.
Comment by G-Force Events "Go-Green Eco Events" -
Mark,
With over 1700 responses to your unique stimulus plan, you are no doubt being inundated with proposals from all over the nation, so I figured I’d get in on the action:
When a guy gets off work, he wants to quit thinking about slumping sales-this and imminent recession-that. He needs a way to take his mind of these tumultuous times, sit back, relax, and be entertained. But with a salary freeze on at work, his 401K down, and the threat of layoffs in the near future, how does he keep himself sane and entertained without breaking the bank?
SLED. SLED is not an original idea. In fact it’s basically a rip-off of Redbox, the automated DVD dispensing machines located at McDonald’s and Wal-Marts nationwide offering DVD rentals for $1 a night. However, unlike Redbox, SLED machines are strategically and conveniently located right where thousands of people are everyday: at work on large corporation campuses. 25 Fortune 500 companies are headquartered in the DFW area alone, not to mention the numerous other major corporations with locations in the region. So, a SLED machine is placed at, for example, Texas Instruments headquarters on Forrest Lane, workplace of 3000 employees. When 5 o’clock rolls around, our guy stops by the SLED machine on the way out the door, picks-up a DVD for the next night or two, and heads home with the evening’s entertainment in hand–and for only $1 a night. After he’s finished enjoying the movie, he simply returns the DVD when he walks in the door the next morning.
Each SLED machine costs about $10,000 to purchase and $100 per month to operate and maintain (electricity and internet connectivity). Each machine holds 600 discs for rent, and up to 100 discs for resale (discs previously rented out), all of which are purchased for about $10 each from distributors. If the SLED can accomplish having 400 of these 600 discs rented out every night for the first 50 nights, revenue of $20,000 will be achieved inside two months (400 discs x $1 per night x 50 nights). 20% of this revenue ($4,000) goes directly to the host corporation. As time goes on and new titles arrive, discs are taken out of rental circulation and made available for purchase from the SLED. The revenue generated with these sales covers the first two months’ machine operating costs. With $10,000 in machine purchase costs and $6000 in initial DVD costs, the SLED breaks even in two months. After the first 60 days, with the machine paid for and rental rates commensurate with the first two months, profits are generated simply from the rental and resale of DVDs.
The SLED machine capitalizes on the captive market on major corporation campuses, by offering affordable entertainment at a time when budgets are a little tighter than usual. I need approximately $16,000 in total initial capital in exchange for 50% equity. I tried my best to keep the overview of the business model as succinct and straightforward as possible. Thanks so much for your time and the opportunity to get in on the business pitch frenzy.
Best,
Sean March
Comment by Sean March -
My business plan is real simple. Convert fear and volatility into money via options writing.
Comment by Hugo Drax -
Sell 100 put contracts on the SPY for a strike of 75 march on friday.
Comment by Hugo Drax -
Hi Mark,
You may be interested in this as it pertains to the game of basketball. I have developed a Free Throw Fundamental that teaches stability which has been overlooked by one and all. Back in the 80’s a study was done at the Department of Health and Physical Education at Rice University on free throw shooting skills and one of their conclusions was …greater stability(balance center of gravity and vertical trunk inclination)is related to higher skill. I know you have heard many times over that a player had choked at the line and cost his/her team a win by pulling back their arm on the follow through – clank or air ball. This is all due to the loss of balance of the lower body and the upper body is compensating to maintain equilibrium. The solution to this problem is “Free Throws With Sole”. It is a method that will improve one and all…..amateurs to the pros.
Testimonials….Keith Erickson and Paul Westphal. We can put this on a website and have the consumer download it.
Comment by Dan Karavas -
Mark,
I would like to shoot “60-Minutes”-like television episodes
about the most amazing Mark Cuban Stimulus Plan
success stories.
Comment by Vincent Lalo -
Mark,
We are a startup that has been around for about three and a half years. We sell online training to the senior care industry (Skilled Nursing, Assisted Living, Home Health, etc.). This focus allows us to create training courses that specifically meet their needs. In addition, the founders/owners also own nursing facilities and therefore we have in-depth knowledge of how they work and what they need, as well as facilities to pilot new offerings. Besides the actual training courses, we have a Learning Management System (LMS) that helps them with the record-keeping of all training, licensing, etc.
Our system helps to really improve the training in these facilities. Since training hours and topics are mandated by Federal and State regulations, it is usually being done but poorly. Training often focuses on meeting the regulations on paper, not making sure the staff learns anything. Using our courses, they have easy access to good, consistent, cost-effective training. It also helps with the night shift staff who often receives even worse training than the day shifts.
There are a few players in this market and we are always in the final group of vendors. Our competitive advantage is the quality of our training. Our courses are far better, not only because they are designed to help adults learn and retain information, but they are more entertaining and interactive. We have been featured by the Center for Medicare Services (CMS), the federal organization that sets the rules for nursing homes, and have also worked with other educational groups that appreciate high-quality training.
Healthcare in general, and senior care in particular, is one of the few industries that are still doing well in this economy. The recent Federal stimulus plan should only make this even better.
We are an ongoing profitable company. All the major infrastructure work has been done and paid for so ongoing costs are low. Sales are billed monthly as a subscription service and are perpetual until cancelled so almost all revenue is predictable and recurring. We have very few cancellations of existing clients. In fact, almost all of our clients really love us and are always happy to serve as references.
We are already a successful company and will continue to grow and become more profitable every month as we stand now. We are limited at this point only by our ability to spend on marketing, advertising and sales. Additional cash would go primarily to these three areas (more sales staff, more tradeshows, more ads). The publicity from getting selected for this would be a benefit as well.
Regarding your compensation, here’s one approach. We would view it as a loan with a higher interest rate on a preferred basis with no owner distribution until the loan is paid back, something like a 2 year loan, 10% coupon, payable quarterly.
We look forward to your thoughts or comments. Thanks.
Comment by Ken -
HURRICANE BUSTERS INCORPORATED
611 University Avenue, # 106
Honolulu, Hawaii 96826
(808) 941-5092 Email: jrdeluze@hotmail.com
February 19, 2009
Mr. Mark Cuban
Attn: Mark Cuban
Re: Investment with Hurricane Busters Incorporated
Dear Mr. Cuban;
Thank you for your interest in investment with American business startups. Hurricane Busters, Inc. is an engineering and research company. Unfortunately, it does not fit within your rules of being able to show a profit within 60-90 days. However, it represents a profound investment potential. If you wish to pass because of the rules you made, that’s ok. Maybe someone else might show interest. But I’m offering a profound investment opportunity for the right people. I’m working on a new process for the production of alternate energy by the hot fusion of Hydrogen into Helium via nuclear reactions. Research and development will take a few years. Once a test reactor is operating, then the technology can get licensed and income to the company result. These technologies promise a better world, environment, and economy.
Hurricane Busters was formed to promote a new nuclear explosive as a solution to stopping hurricanes at sea. Hurricane Katrina had the energy of about 400 Megatons (Mt) of explosives. Stopping such a storm will require energy levels on such a scale. I propose to stop a storm like Katrina with 100 Mts of explosives. This would be five 20 Mt explosives arranged in a symmetrical pattern around the eye at 40 to 50 miles out from the center. We face the prospect of increasing numbers of these very destructive storms due to global warming. It is an issue of great public concern.
Nuclear explosives were previously considered for stopping hurricanes, but the problem has been fallout. My approach to solving the radioactive nature of existing nuclear explosives has been to focus on the fusion of Hydrogen and the initiation of fast fission reactions of Lithium, as opposed to a chain reaction of heavy elements Uranium or Plutonium. Their absence allows explosion without harmful radioactive fallout. Such a device can safely stop a hurricane at sea. A coordinated release of Hydrogen detonations of sufficient yield into a hurricane structure will so alter the storm’s structure that it will quickly dissipate harmlessly. Shock waves will destroy the eye wall structure. Much of the material in the eye will be expelled upwards and outwards. A diffraction pattern of shock waves will form within the storm’s airflow. These will form impenetrable barriers to the wind. The normally orderly, cyclonic, laminar air flow of a hurricane will be changed into a pattern of disorganized turbulence. The net wind will be zero. This will eliminate the storm surge. The heat content of the storm will be spread over a greater area resulting in an increased rate of heat radiation into space. The storm will dissipate in 24 hours the amount of heat that it normally would take 72 hours. Storms such as Ike and Katrina could be safely stopped at sea.
The problem with existing approaches to Hydrogen fusion is the reliance upon magnetic confinement. Magnetic confinement uses large amounts of electric current to generate strong magnetic fields. These fields compress Hydrogen to a plasma, raising both it’s temperature and pressure. Increased temperature and pressure increase particle speed. But temperature and pressure are not determinants of fusion. Only particle collision velocity is a determinant of fusion. Spending energy on the indirect determinants temperature and pressure is inefficient and uneconomic. It’s more efficient to spend energy directly upon particle velocity. Only a particle accelerator can do this.
Our reactors are concentric, multi axis, bi directional, AC particle accelerators. Much of the proof of concept research has all ready been done. Brookhaven and Lawrence Livermore Labs have developed efficient DC particle accelerators. In 1989 Brookhaven National lab in Utica, New York published research on the use of a particle accelerator for Hydrogen fusion power production. Their device was a single axis, unidirectional, linear, DC particle accelerator. The device operated with high efficiency. It represented a new pathway to hot Hydrogen fusion.
In November of 2006 researchers at Lawrence Livermore Labs in Berkley California received a patent. Their device is a multi axis, concentric, unidirectional, DC particle accelerator. It also operates with high efficiency.
The problem with DC particle accelerators is that they are “one shot” devices. Our reactors use AC rather than D.C. AC particle acceleration has been known for about one hundred years. It has not been applied to Hydrogen fusion. Without getting overly technical, I will say there is a difference with our approach. Previous AC devices operated with internal arcing. This was not a problem with their previous uses, but would make them non functional as hot Hydrogen fusion reactors. This invention eliminates the arcing. This combination combines particle acceleration efficiency with a continuos cycling of the reaction going on and off. This allows the reactors to both run continuously and to be efficient.
In the original application, I listed what I called phase I reactors and phase II reactors. This original application was split into multiple applications, for it encompassed multiple separate inventions. A spherical version of the phase I reactor is presently under review. Presently in the patent application process, the patent office is asking: how is my invention different from these other devices? They are all quite similar and the basic operational principal is the same. I am presently pointing out the similarities and the differences in order to present my invention’s place within it’s relationship with these other devices.
All of the previously mentioned particle accelerators used a physical target, as does the phase I reactor. The phase II reactor is the phase I reactor inverted. The target is “virtual” in that it is not comprised of actual substance. It is a point in free space.
In the phase I reactor the physical target is the site of the nuclear reactions. The intensity of reactions possible is limited by the temperature at which this physical target is able to survive. The phase II reactors are the only fusion particle accelerator reactors where the target is a point in space. There are no power level and temperature limitations imposed by a target. Power limitation is determined only by the reactor envelope. This can be quite distant from the reactions. These reactors can operate at much higher power levels.
At the reaction site, the particles collide with one another. Their approach is head on from opposite directions. Collision velocities approach and exceed the speed of light with sub speed of light particle velocities. All hot Hydrogen fusion technologies, including the Brookhaven and Lawrence Livermore devices, are just attempting to fuse heavy Hydrogen isotopes Deuterium and or Tritium. Fusion of light Hydrogen takes about 50% more energy. The head on collision of particles results in collision velocities which allow the phase II reactors to fuse light Hydrogen.
Controlled fusion of Hydrogen is a very big leap in technology. The fusion of light Hydrogen is a second leap in technology just as big as the first! I’m claiming to be able to do both! A reactor fusing light Hydrogen will also fuse all forms of heavy Hydrogen. These reactors will run on plain, every day hydrogen! Separation and concentration of heavy Hydrogen fuel is not necessary. I’m the only one in the world who can make such a claim. Current researchers hope to make fusion of just heavy Hydrogen economically efficient in 40 to 50 years. The US has spent over one trillion dollars on an approach that will not work. Confinement will work on the Sun, but not at the earth’s level of gravity and atmospheric pressure. Brookhaven and Lawrence Livermore are on the same path which I am on. I’m just a step ahead. The basic process has already been proven and researched by these very eminent nuclear physics research institutions. But with this, the technology is now here, today! This solves the problems of controlled hot Hydrogen fusion.
In about 1.1 gallons of water is about 1 pound of Hydrogen gas. This pound of Hydrogen fused into Helium releases the energy of burning about 10,000 Tons of coal or 50,000 barrels of oil. The applications of this new technology has caused Hurricane Busters, Inc., to expand its original goal to now include: 1) providing technology for providing electrical energy; 2) supplying massive amounts of water for agricultural and human consumption, and the development of arid real estate; 3) a systematic solution for cleansing the globe of water and air pollution; 4) licensing the technology globally; 5) the recycling of green house gases into useable and clean fuel for cars in the form of Octane; 6) a process called the Fusion Syncrude Process for recovery of hydrocarbons from underground deposits; and 7) after issuing and IPO for the development of its first nuclear research facility and power plant, to pass through to shareholders an ever increasing dividend on a regular basis.
There is lots of interest in the recovery of oil from tar sands, shale, and other untraditional oil sources. There is interest in underground coal gasification. The Fusion Syncrude Process is applicable to all underground hydrocarbon deposits. Steam or other hot gases are injected into these deposits to release hydrocarbons. This requires the burning of product to provide the energy of recovery. Hydrogen fusion can be used to supply this energy. Recovered product usually consists of long chain hydrocarbons with a high Carbon to Hydrogen ratio. Subsequent hydrogenation provides lighter, more energetic hydrocarbons.
The Fusion Syncrude Process combines both steps into one. Steam is generated. Hydrogen is separated from water. Hydrogen is combined with the steam and then pumped under pressure into the hydrocarbon bearing deposit. Product recovery and hydrogenation occur as one step!
This process can also be used to increase oil production from older oil fields. Oil companies and coal mining companies could become the ultimate green industry. All the oil and coal burnt, which has not been recycled by plants, is still in the atmosphere as greenhouse gases. It will become economical to recycle these gases back into synthetic fuel. This country has plenty of resources adaptable to this technology. Not only can we mine underground Carbon deposits such as coal and oil for Carbon content, in the future it will become possible to “mine” the atmosphere for Carbon. This becomes the ultimate recycling scenario. This is an example of the type of advanced engineering solutions possible with cheap, clean, unlimited energy.
Hurricane Busters, Inc. is seeking seeking financing to fund the research and development, to fund the ongoing patent process, and to market the introduction of these technologies. We prefer to work in partnership with private industry.
This research project will bring these reactors on line. It will involve both phase I and II reactors, the use of gases for catalysis, and the construction of a demonstration power plant. Then comes the marketing and licencing this technology. It should start with the electric power generation industry. Development of the hurricane buster will follow.
I have worked out this budget: Patent office and lawyer fees at three million dollars. This covers the first two to three world wide patents. The construction and research program is budgeted to be five to six million dollars. The research program is based on three years. I’m attempting to raise 20 million dollars in order to have an adequate cash reserve on hand. To those who invest, the return will be better than that realized by those who invested in Xerox when it was in a garage.
If you are interested, and if you are a potential major investor, I ask that you send me a letter to this address. Your letter must be on a business letterhead. Your concern must be willing to invest at least one hundred thousand dollars in this project. Include financial references on your concern. I will have your material appropriately reviewed. After our acceptance, I will return to you a non disclosure agreement prepared by my lawyer. I ask that you keep the original blank to serve as a master. I ask that you, and everyone else who will review my material, sign a copy and that you mail it to me. I have written two books. “STOP HURRICANES” is about 50 pages and describes the explosive technology as it applies to hurricanes. “THE DELUZE FUSION REACTORS” is over 200 pages and describes the fusion reactors. It is currently under revision to bring it up to date with the latest patent applications. Both have a complete NIST, ATP National Institute of Standards and Technology, Advanced Technology Program grant application. The reactor book also has four SBIR, Small Business Innovation Research grant applications and three patent applications plus other material. The research program proposed is the same program outlined in the NIST grant applications. The budget is the figures from these grants multiplied by a factor of 2.5 to 3. This is a very realistic estimate. The multi year budget is from the 2004 NIST, ATP proposal.
These books are on a DVD in the PDF format. You can print them out on your computer. I want you to see the technology, so the material is quite detailed. I want you to know what you are buying into. Once you look this material over, I suggest that you get a physicist to review it and to advise you. But before you let anyone review this material, you must get them to sign a copy of the non disclosure agreement. I think the magnitude of this investment’s potential will become obvious.
I sincerely believe there is a profound opportunity here for all of us. Your funding will bring this technology to market and great financial reward. But you will also help to change the course of history, bringing unlimited, clean energy to a world that desperately needs it. Let us work together to this end.
Sincerely and Aloha;
Dr. James R. DeLuze, D.O.
President
Comment by Dr. James DeLuze -
Open Source Challenge to Advanced Vehicle Manufacturers: 1.2m track width.
“Ecosystem of business”
Greetings,
We are an industrial design firm with the patented HumanCar® Inc. Imagine_PS™ which delivers greater than 100mpg and is a breakout street legal LMV (600lb car). http://www.humancar.com/
In this instance it’s not about us, as a part of our 200 year business plan we have developed an “Open Standards Agreement” for progressive manufacturers can have vehicles that accommodate an advanced Sync-Guideway system. http://www.humancar.com/synchguideway.htm
We are just about to release this new vehicle to the public with over 100 preorders currently established. We are interested in partnerships to develop franchise dealership channels and boost our existing and privately funded research facility/manufacturing center.
Investment opportunities exist. Please visit our site and watch the CNN piece for visual information.
Reality:
NEV PHEV V2G a vehicle that pays for itself as an UPS 100+mpg $15k retail USD
Feedback:
chuck@humancar.com
Welcome to the future.
Comment by Chuck Greenwood -
Mr. Cuban,
I did not see any mention of non-profits so I am going to submit my idea and hope that you respond (yes, I did read the post). I currently own a very successful bridal shop in Indianapolis, IN. It was a startup business that was immediately profitable and we were debt free in 1 year. I love providing jobs for people, including myself, and we are always looking for new areas to grow. However, I would like to focus some of my energy and resources on a devolping area in Indianapolis.
Just this morning I gathered with 4 other people that are interested in purchasing an abandoned apartment building located in Indianapolis. Our goal is to eventually purchase the building, rebuild it and provide apartments for both low income (or people that may be temporarily out of work)and middle class. There are 16 apartment units. The plan is for half of the tenants to pay full market rent which would cover the subsidy on the other units. As you know in many developing cities people rebuild while pushing the current residents out with nowhere to go. We would like to provide a bridge for that. The building is listed for $169K, although we believe we can negotiate it for much less. The construction is estimated at $115K. That would mean a minumum mortgage of $2,000 per month which would easily be paid by renters. The ongoing expenses and upkeep would be covered by the remaining 6 units that are fully paid. There is also a desire for a community area where tentants could come together. This could provide job opportunies as well.
We intend to operate this on a volunteer basis at first and remain employed by our personal businesses. Being a small business owner I am already familiar with taxes and admin. details. Everyone in our group is personally successful and desires to help those that are in need right now. We are lacking capital since many of us have only been working 6-9 years in our careers and have previously invested in ourselves. However, we are willing to invest our own money that we do have in the building, we just do not have enough.
It is difficult to give your return on investment since the capital would be in a building, but you could have ownership of the apartment unit. This project can easily be self sufficient in 90 days from the time the building is revamped. And the initial capital will break even by the value of the unit going up.
Although this may not be the type of stimulus you were thinking, it definitely provides help in tough economic times and will also help raise the value of the local properties around it.
Thank you for your consideration. I am willing to provide much more personal detailed information as needed.
Mr. Cuban,
I did not see any mention of non-profits so I am going to submit my idea and hope that you respond (yes, I did read the post). I currently own a very successful bridal shop in Indianapolis, IN. It was a startup business that was immediately profitable and we were debt free in 1 year. I love providing jobs for people, including myself, and we are always looking for new areas to grow. However, I would like to focus some of my energy and resources on a devolping area in Indianapolis. Just this morning I gathered with 4 other people that are interested in purchasing an abandoned apartment building located in Indianapolis. Our goal is to eventually purchase the building, rebuild it and
Comment by Grace Michelle -
Mark,
I invented a condom which custom-inflates
to any shape, color and size.
So however demanding your girlfriend or wife is,
frustration is a thing of the past !
MSRP : $ 19.99
Comment by Vincent Lalo -
This is actually a good idea, but why not use some kind of hybrid as the taxi? That way the “green” element can be a selling point.
Comment by Destiny Kruse -
Mr. Cuban,
I have a plan that I have been working on for the past two years. I started a small all sports company called I.S.A.-Institute for Student Athletes. What it is, is a program that train athletes in all sports or a specific sport & sports performance. I hold speed & agility training, camps & clinics for athletes and coaches. Also my program offers a flag football league and youth track & field club. The age range that I target is from 5 years old to adult training. I live in Southern California and the market for the speed/agility and sports performance training is booming even in this recession. I work with current and formal pro & college athletes from various sports. My plan is to gain all the proper equipment and a facility to hold training, also to have the top notch camps & clinics around, this will help catapult myself over competitors. My clientele is by word of mouth and I work in the field where I have unlimited access to athletes from school age to pros. If you invest in me you will see immediate return in your funds and a constant income from your investment. Thank you for your time and what you are doing with helping out the small buisness is awesome….
Comment by Domonique Holloway -
Hi Mark,
If you’re interested, we’d be happy to set you up w/ an Investor Group on the http://www.BusinessCatapult.com. This would give you a web based platform that provides a standardized look at all of the applications, and also the ability to invite others in to help you screen, comment on, rate & rank the deals. And a fair amount more…
Though the BC’s still in beta we’ve already over 1,000 investors accessible to the entrepreneurs using our site, so if you’d like to partner up with any of them, we can help you with that, too. Our goal’s simple – To build better entrepreneurs and investors faster. So far, so good.
And yes, the BC’s been well tested. We’ve been doing this progressively as we’ve developed our tools for about 2 years now. On this note, we’re currently supporting the http://www.ColoradoCapitalConference.org, the http://www.AngelCapitalConference.org, and a couple of business plan competitions being run by local universities here in CO.
We’d love to hear from you!
Back to work…
Best,
Kevin Johansen, founder
Bio: http://www.Linkedin.com/in/KevinJohansen
Comment by Kevin Johansen -
Mark,
We are re-posting because our LINKS apparently did not get attached to our last post.
S.L. Development Group
V Smith and B Miller
Our P & L has been posted to the links below.
LINKS:
http://www.slideshare.net/category/business-mgmt?page=26&view=full
http://www.scribd.com/word/full?id=12597376&access_key=key-25d9ckcbu241fwfig1o
* Our website is being updated.
** We are DALLAS based
*** With your history in software we are confident you’ll understand the potential of what we have built.
We are a software development partnership, plus have an award winning database architect and programmer. We have vested close to 5,000 hours of hands-on work to design and construct this application. We have also invested thousands of $$. We hit a brick wall regarding the personnel, environment, and support infrastructure needed for installation, distribution and operation.
We have developed a new software application targeting Law Enforcement, Government agencies, Military Branches and private corporations.
THIS IS NOT VAPERWARE; we are personally vested(Time,$$,and hands-on work) and built the application after receiving numerous requests within our target venue as well as requests coming from another company’s established customer base.
• Our software applications targets specifically three segments of the venues list above. We have built a law enforcement version, and a corporate version which are ready for release.
• We did solid primary and secondary market research and discovered an extremely high demand for the software. This product did not exist in a single application that allowed the end user to segregate all data and assets in one single repository. We built the first application.
• We previewed our beta version at a major law enforcement conference (5 states participated) on the East coast last fall. There was tremendous enthusiasm and demand.
• The application is browser-based; the database is MySQL, configured for XP pro, Server 2003 and 2008. We will have a Linux platform ready within the next 30 days. We have tested on numerous networks without problems.
• The application is geared toward enterprise level multi-licensing and will support unlimited end-users without loss of performance. The smaller agency will simply be able to take advantage of the additional features built in.
• The first of our three applications is complete and ready to launch. Our database will support the other two applications and they will follow within 120 – 160 days.
• We have commitments from two large enterprise State Agencies for installation and purchase when our product is released, plus several smaller agencies.
• We have a strong collaborative alliance with a 20 year established company that produces complimentary software products for the same three venues as ours. Our alliance allows us to utilize their customer base of over 9,000 agencies, with mutual commitments for co-marketing each of our products. We will create a package that will separate us from any competition. NOTE: We have full in-house video and digital media production for our own distribution and marketing.
• We are personally vested in time, work and cost of the database architecture and development. We are a private company and the company is nearly debt free. OUR OPERATION IS FLAT. No management levels other than owners and personnel. Our principals wear many hats, and will not ask of any personnel to do work we are not willing to do ourselves. We operate on the TEAM concept and intend all who participate to enjoy company profit sharing.
• We have the additional personnel waiting to join our team to create the infrastructure needed to train, evaluate networks, do installations, establish the technical support needed, and help administer company operations.
• Over the second 30 – 60 days we will be able to generate substantial sales from the prospects that are waiting for our release.
• We are Dallas based. Our principals have more than 20 years experience in law enforcement and judicial related venues, and a combined 50 years of marketing and administration within fortune 500 and start-up companies.
• We are seeking $150 – $200,000 to launch and support the application; i.e. to hire the additional needed personnel, establish the environment and equipment infrastructure to support our end-user training and technical needs, network IT support, establish our distributorships, and conduct company operations. We are structured to accept monthly infusions of capital. We expect to hit or surpass our target numbers.
We had an earlier commitment for $160k but it fell through due to a tightening of the current financial markets. That individual is available to cooberate what I have said.
• We have a 4 year P & L prepared and will submit our 10 page business prospectus.
• We fully expect to break even in 60 days, and be profitable within 90 days of full operation. A conservative forecast is $1.2 – $1.5 million first year sales with a 45%- 52% overall cost to sales ratio.
• We are prepared to payback the investment in a timely manner with reasonable interest (example 10% per year, plus offer a substantial equity position to you in the company. All terms are negotiable to you.
Much of our business plan is stated above.
P & L being posted on: slideshare.com , scribd.com and google docs. Will also post full prospectus if you show any interest. Our “sister” company is involved in our complete prospectus.
Thank you for your consideration.
We look forward to hearing from you.
S.L. Development Group
V Smith and B Miller
Dallas, Tx
Comment by V Smith and B Miller -
Hello Mark,
I read your lead in at the top of the blog saying that you had read all 1400 of the messages and had picked around a dozen for further consideration and in some case’s funding. My question is why you did not pick ours ( The Kidz Outlet Feb 11th. around 6pm.)or even comment on it! Our program met all of your requirements and has already opened it’s doors. We don’t expect any special treatment but your comments good or bad would be appreciated.
Thanks
Sam
Comment by Sam Clymer -
Dear Mark,
My name is Lance A. Jackson, and I am the President of SHOTMASTER LLC. My partner and I have a US Patent on the most amazing basketball training aid on the market today. You can visit our website at SHOTMASTER.NET to view our videos, and see our product in action. We are going to introduce our product to America at the NABC Convention in Detroit at this year’s final four. We are a start up looking for a platform to expose our product on a larger scale. We have been operational for almost a year, and have repackaged and improved the manufacturing of our product.
SHOTMASTER is a Basketball Training aid without peer. It is a revolutionary training aid that works on the Kinesthetic Sensory System developing muscle memory for the shooter. SHOTMASTER helps eliminate bad shooting habits, and establishes a solid and consistent shooting pocket. SHOTMASTER is non restrictive, and works with the player’s natural physiology. SHOTMASTER produces dramatic results from its first application.
The Golf industry has exploded with different training aids in recent years. Golfer’s are constantly searching for an edge to help them improve their performance. SHOTMASTER is a revolutionary tool that will transform the way shooting is taught to the next generation of shooters.
SHOTMASTER works on boys and girls age 10 thru adult. SHOTMASTER is no gimmick, its engineering is pure genius. SHOTMASTER works in conjunction with sound fundamental shooting principles, repetition, and hard work. SHOTMASTER is currently used by the following teams, and coaches.
1. Pat Summitt University of Tennessee
2. Chip Engelland San Antonio Spurs Shooting Coach
3. Niki Caldwell UCLA Women’s Basketball Coach
4. Brad Holland UCSB Asst. Coach
5. Marty Wilson Pepperdine University Asst. Coach
6. Gib Arnold USC Asst. Coach
7. Kerry Keating Santa Clara University
In addition, the following professional athletes have their sons and daughters training regularly with SHOTMASTER. Jerome Pooh Richardson, Kenny Smith (TNT Basketball analyst), and Mark Jackson have all seen the benefits of SHOTMASTER, and will validate what I’m sharing with you about the product.
Mark we have a product here that is international in scope. The popularity of basketball worldwide makes our potential unlimited. Nike built a company around a waffle iron, and a better performing track shoe. We have a product that improves the users ability to shoot the basketball consistently. We need to expose our product on a worldwide basis utilizing mass media to tell our story. We need to create an infrastructure to support a product with spectacular potential.
The profit margins on our product are within acceptable guidelines, and I would love to share the particulars with you if you find our proposal meritorious. Much like the secret formula for Coke, I can not disclose over the blog the unique characteristics that make up SHOTMASTER. Everything I can share can be found at our website SHOTMASTER.NET. I hope you find our proposal compelling, and interesting. We are excited about the prospect of meeting you, and hopefully developing an ongoing working relationship.
Finally, the equity position we offer you will be based on your ability to help us generate, and expose SHOTMASTER thru mass media. We believe we have done our due diligence, and we are focused on achieving our goals. We believe a relationship with you, considering your NBA connections, and passion for basketball would make you a good equity partner.
Thank you in advance Marc for your time, consideration, and the opportunity. I really appreciate it and I’m looking forward to meeting you.
Sincerely,
Lance A. Jackson
President
SHOTMASTER LLC
Comment by Lance A. Jackson -
I have been wanting to start up a chain of thrift stores throughout Indianapolis Indiana. Being a pastor of a church I have come accross several people who are having a very difficult time finding employment. The idea came to me a few months ago because I am looking to become a solution for “hard to hire” people throughout Indianapolis.
I made the decision to start thrift stores because I have storages full of goods and I can sell those items and create jobs at the same time.
I have been looking at storefronts around my church area. I have already accumalated a large amounts of good through donations and rummage sales over the years. I will not be spending much money on products initially and the main costs would be for payroll, utilities and the space needed for the store.
I would hire employees who have a difficult time finding employments ie; convicted felons, persons with disablilities, and those who have been recently laid off due to the economy.
My idea is based mainly on creating employment opportunities. I currently own and operate a childcare business and we are a 501k non-profit company. I have hired as many people as I can for the business that I have but I would really love to do more. If you did decide to fund us your funding would be considered a donation and be tax deductible.
My businesses are always faith based and I also want to work on building responsible and honest people with integrity. Everyone will feel equal in this business and will come to realize that they are the reason for the stores existence. I would encourage employees to attend church services (at any church they choose) on Sundays. I will operate on a point system to reward attendance, community outreach, and faith building.
I am already operating as a church and daycare and this would be another extension of my outreach. I hope you think this idea is as good as I think it is. Thank you very much for your time and consideration. God Bless.
Comment by Pastor Wynn Samuels -
My business plan :
I would make a documentary movie about Donald Trump
called THE NEED FOR GAMBLING CASINOS DURING A SOMBER DEPRESSION.
The film would show unemployed and recently laid off workers
waste their bottom dollar at slot machines.
I would then sell the footage to him. The Donald.
Comment by Vincent Lalo -
Mr. Cuban,
We are seeking start-up financing:
Cinema Octane is revolutionizing the cinematic experience by using magnetic swipe card technology to automate admissions and concession sales at movie theaters. The system we are developing will accelerate the admission process, reduce labor costs, stimulate greate concession sales, eliminate lines at the box office and encourage brand loyalty to theater operators who utilize it. Cinema Octane will provide the system (hardware, installation and maintenance) to operators at no cost, in exchange for access to their customers. The system will be marketed to consumers as the “Moviecard” program, which will allow theatergoers to efficiently “swipe” their way into theaters or purchase concessions using either a debt-style or credit-linked card.
Numerous initiatives have been made in recent years to improve the convenience and efficiency of the movie-ticketing process. Although some of the competing systems have merit, none allow for the rapid, completely seamless entry process that the Moviecard does. Cinema Octane will charge a one-time $1 fee to cover the cost of a new card, and that cost is practically invisible to the consumer, because it is simply charged or debited to the card accordingly. The Moviecard can then be used over an over again.
Funding request, return, and exit plan:
Cinema Octane Corporation is seeking an investment of $6 million. Though this number is higher than the break even, Cinema Octane would like to be prepared should demand exceed projections. With an investment of $6 million, Cinema Octane will be able to meet a modest to high client demand for years to come.
Cinema Octane is prepared to offer a large percentage of equity in return for venture capital. Due to current market conditions, we understand that different VC firms may prefer on exit stategy over another. This is why Cinema Octane is prepared to negotiate all possible exit startegies with potential investors.
Best regards
Comment by Keith Walker -
BUSINESS PROPOSAL
SoleTalk is a start up company. This incredible idea has already been conceived, designed and developed. SoleTalk does have basic needs that include capital to facilitate the marketing and production of the product. As the owner of SoleTalk I am willing, in exchange for the investment, to contribute time, effort and ‘sweat equity” into all aspects of marketing and production.
For Grassroots marketing SoleTalk has to date produced a label, “Clueless”, that is being worn nationwide by a select focus group. They are currently wearing the SoleTalk label on their shoes, purses, backpacks, etc. They have been reporting back their findings that include public opinions and durability. Further marketing efforts are needed. Craft shows are a great way to get to a generalized market of people. SoleTalk could do several craft shows that would help to determine not only target demographics but also the want and need for the product. SoleTalk has been working with a manufacturing company to produce the first label, “Clueless”.
SoleTalk has a website (www.soletalk.com) that is now up and running. This website could be used to further promote SoleTalk and their relationship to users. Both audio and video testimonials from all of the Grassroots marketing campaigns could be posted on the site.
A YouTube video was produced by SoleTalk. To date over 500 views have been logged. This particular video targets a younger, trendy audience. SoleTalk could also produce videos for all age groups. There are currently 79 million baby boomers turning 60…what an amazing group to target.
I see several options in the Mark Cuban relationship. The first would be for Mr. Cuban to purchase the SoleTalk idea. He would have all rights to the idea and product. Under this scenario the SoleTalk team could be paid to stay on to facilitate all of the needs to produce the labels.
Another scenario would be for Mr. Cuban to invest in SoleTalk. I see this scenario happening in phases:
Phase I:
a) Start up costs: These costs would include but not be limited to
all Creative/Design charges, Grassroots Marketing costs, and all other Administrative and Publishing costs.
b) Grassroots marketing: In this area SoleTalk would do 2-3 craft shows. SoleTalk could also place the product in various boutiques
and gift shops. The more exposure the better.
Phase II:
a) Manufacturing: These costs will be explained and calculated based upon the results of the Grassroots Marketing and all other demand for the SoleTalk labels. Physical costs per item can be discussed at our first meeting.
b) e-commerce: These costs will involve all web needs that arise
from selling online. There will need to be host charges for orders taken, fulfillment and shipping.
c) Widespread Marketing: This area would cover costs for ads, video’s and all other marketing ventures.
Phase III:
a) Acquisition of SoleTalk by another entity after all goals are met.
In conclusion, Mr. Cuban truly would benefit from a relationship with SoleTalk. SoleTalk lends itself to the NBA and all brands of footwear. The SoleTalk label would look fabulous! SoleTalk is a fun and fresh style. It allows people of all ages to express themselves using a really cool fashion accessory.
I look forward to discussing these options further. Mr. Cuban and SoleTalk would definitely be a win-win relationship.
Sincerely,
Cindy Arlantico
SoleTalk
“Let Your Sole Do The Talking.”
Comment by Cindy Arlantico -
Mark,
I have uploaded our stimulus request to slide share, but here is the link. http://www.slideshare.net/herihudson/rfp-mark-cuban
Thank you in advance for reviewing our proposal. Thank you as well for doing this plan. It is a remarkable show of character!
I am sure you will be impressed with our proposal. It meets all of your qualifications, and the opportunity is an incredible one. This is a company that will create jobs and fill employment shortages in the healthcare field. It is a national based company, and will change the lives of many people all over the country.
Thank you again!
Comment by Amanda -
Hello Mr Cuban. My business plan is for an alehouse in Los Angeles called Dockweiler’s. The name and concept is based on my great-great grandfather, Henry Dockweiler, who was one of the founding fathers of the city of Los Angeles back in the 1800s. At that time he owned a bar downtown called the Mammoth Saloon. My great interest is in craft brewed beers, which are very popular today, and the only segment of the beer industry that’s growing (12% growth last year). So following in my great-great grandfather’s footsteps, so to speak, I have been trying for the last two years to get my project off the ground. It is a start-up project, but considering the popularity of craft beers today, especially in the Los Angeles area, I think it is a project that will be very successful. Thank you for this opportunity to share my idea.
Comment by Rick Brady -
I see a very specific niche market created by the housing industry bubble burst. Homes valued at $250K and up are simply not selling in most regions throughout the country. The demand (in my city) is for homes in the $100K to $150K range. If we had the resources to feed more homes into that market, we could make a ton of cash, and change some people’s lives for the better.
Where would these homes come from? Are you kidding me? They’re everywhere. People that really should have bought a $150k house 3 to 5 years ago, bought the $250k house instead, because they could. These are your customers looking for the $150k home now. People that really had no business looking to buy a home at all 3 to 5 years ago bought the $150k home. And now they’re being foreclosed. But by the time they leave the home, it is destroyed. And the banks are taking the hit.
Case in point: My friend just bought a foreclosure listed for $20k less than the recently appraised value. He submitted a bid for $60k less than that, and was accepted. Trust me, these homes are everywhere.
So now you see the market, and the supply. On to the business. We are talking about flipping homes. But not like the TV shows that take run-down disasters and turn them into dream homes. We are talking about revitalizing an industry. Buying abused and neglected homes at wholesale prices, and restoring them to market-level. If it’s not a dream home, you may ask how we intend to sell it in a buyers market. There is so much cash to be made that we can afford to sell below market price to leave 5% equity (sometimes more) to the new owner the day they move in.
So much of the business plan is difficult to put on paper because we want to do what so many others have done, but do it with more integrity. I’m honestly interested in changing lives. Helping people whose home is a burden, move into a home that is a blessing. And I believe that you can still make fat cash in this industry as an honest, decent businessman. I don’t have to act like the other guys in order to make more money than they do.
As I read back over what I’ve read, I realize how cliche and sappy I sound. I want you to invest in me, not the business model. Oh, well. There are so many more details about the business that I don’t have the space here to outline. I wish I could, because so much of this model’s success is founded on guiding principles that I have not even mentioned.
Comment by Daniel -
IS DALLAS GOING GREEN???? Not by a long shot. I want to start a SOLAR STORE. This store will sell and install solar products on homes and businesses. Solar panels, solar lights, solar turbines, etc. at affordable prices.
It’s that simple! MARK! GIMME A CALL AND LET’S GO GREEN!!!!
Comment by Robert Holman -
My business would take advantage of the growing trends towards consumers being more environmentally and health conscious. Many people would like to have a vegetable garden at their home to reduce their environmental impact while simultaneously eating more healthily, but don’t have the time to put in the effort to set it up themselves. My company would set up an easily maintable tiered garden with pre-planted plants for customers. However, we would charge a premium for this service, and then spend that premium towards partnering with local charities and setting up similar gardens in lower income neighborhoods. In this way our customers would be able to eat more delicious and healthy foods, while helping the less fortunate in their local community to have the same opportunity.
Because fixed costs are so low, this business would easily be able to break even in a short amount of time. If we were merely selling gardening our product would still be able to turn a profit, however, because we will provide additional services to the community I believe we can charge a premium while still differentiating from competitors. The organization is obviously flat, as it would initially be the founders performing all necessary duties, hiring additional employees to perform the same tasks as demand increases.
As far as repayment of the initial funding there are a few options. One would be as something similar to a long term debt, where once we have broken even in under 60 days we begin repayments with either a higher coupon, or as a heavily discounted note with a greater principle to compensate you for taking on more risk. Alternatively, we could set up a kind of preferred equity, where once we turn a profit we pay a specified return such that the net present value of the equity offers you a sufficient return on investment.
I believe that while not as lucrative as some of the other ideas you have no doubt received this business will easily be able to turn a profit, while perhaps more importantly serving the greater goals of improving our environment, health, and societal well-being.
Comment by Eric Brady -
I think it is outrageous you spend your money on things like this, but still run out on the check at diners around America. Over the years, you have probably stiffed these business of countless thousands of dollars – not counting waitress tips!!
And, that sneaky look on your face after you’ve pulled off your little caper. You should be ashamed of yourself. I have a sidewalk burger/hot dog cart that isn’t doing too well, but I don’t want a dime of yours to help my business. However, to make amends to all of those unknown souls you have stiffed over the decades (plus waitresses), send me $50k and America will call it even. I’ll make sure the money gets to the right people…!!!
Comment by Vince Spence -
M – Genius idea. It’s great to see a man in your position doing some good, stirring the pot and innovating…especially after you read about guys like this (http://business.asiaone.com/Business/News/Story/A1Story20090219-123056.html). I’ve come up with 4 business ideas (and counting) just from reading these posts. I don’t know that any of them are worth posting but I’ve already started one of them. My guess is this is going just as you hoped. Maybe you’ll even make a buck in all this. Either way thanks for doing this…business has been slow for me lately and this is giving me an outlet to tap my creative/entrepreneurial ideas.
p.s. Where are the 1400 posts?!? I was only at 1100 when you took them down.
Comment by Brian G. -
Dear Mark Cuban,
Thanks you for the opportunity to post my information. I know you already review my first post and my Company was not ecepted as one you are funding although i would welcome feedback because I’ve been working on my project so long and no one every gives me feedback even when its’ requested.
What my Company does is:
Athletes’ Oasis® is launching our lead product a patented balanced water bottle system that sells within a 56 billion dollar industry so people that run and walk for fitness can conveniently and properly stay hydrated helping them lose weight and increase their endurance in less time.
My Company will help create many jobs as we grow and become a globally recognized brand.
http://www.slideshare.net/AthletesOasis/slideshows
Thanks!!
John R Hobbs
CEO
Desire Innovations, Inc.
Comment by John R Hobbs -
First, Kudos to you for what you are doing to help stimulate not only the economy but the people. My startup meets none of your requirements but I am encouraged by your comments.
I am after the venture money because I see a change in the technical climate. One of the changes is small IT once again. After 30 years as an IT guy it seems like it is time to move into the business shoes and take advantage of the technology already available you know the things that worked well but were left aside for another big dollar project.
There are some interesting ideas here and I wish them all the best of luck.
Comment by Rick Fahnestock -
One point to note for all that might be useful in getting to break-even/profitability faster:
For venture-backed businesses in the IT and telecoms space who are seeking to extend their runway and conserve cash, you can apply for a cash grant from the Singapore government that supports up to 50% of base salaries for your R&D / engineering staff based out of Singapore, with a maximum grant duration of up to 24 months. The grant is obtained through a reimbursement basis. With this, you could technically have an offshore captive devt team (be it the same folks you relocate, or fresh hires) at half the price. From an accounting perspective, I believe grants are treated as income. Go figure.
No catch, as long as the folks doing the work are based in Singapore. Existing venture-backed infocomm companies interested in finding out how to structure something to bolster their appeal, feel free to drop me a line for some friendly advice!
Disclaimer: I’m not doing this to earn a single cent, from either sides. Purely info-sharing 😉 for the good of all. Belt-tightening in the capital markets is really playing havoc with innovators around the world. Kudos to Mr. Cuban for this move!
Comment by James Chan -
I want you to open up the largest no-kill shelter in Texas (similar to http://www.bestfriends.org/). It will make you money in the sense that it is a tax break. It is a good thing and good p.r. I will not run it but I can make reccomendations of who to hire.
Kind Regards,
john
Comment by john nation -
Hi Mark,
I submitted our company’s plan about a week ago, I hope properly. I don’t see it posted on your site. I know you are too busy to respond, so I will wait a few days and re-post it to be safe. Plus, it’ll capture some changes since we originally posted it. Your blog helped us flush out some poor concepts. On the off chance that you are still reviewing it, I have included my email and cell below. Anyhow, thanks.
David Hooper
White Elephant Media
dhooper@whiteelephantmedia.com
312-933-2697 (direct)
Comment by David Hooper -
http://grooveshark.com, music startup
Comment by chanel munezero -
No business plan, just wanted to thank you for doing this. It has been entertaining reading the ideas and may motivate dozens of people to start a business, even if they don’t get funding.
Comment by Jason -
Mark,
We just found out today about your blog for helping small/start-up companies with investments. We have a product called Cajun Sports Cream. It is a topical analgesic with an ingredients list unmatched by anthing else in a multi-billion dollar market. We started as an unknown product at Academy Sports and Outdoors in October 2007. We had 5 competitors at that time, including Icy Hot and Ben Gay. By October 2008, Cajun Sports Cream is the only product on the shelves at Academy. We have been sending our product to professional, college and high school teams for their opinions of our product. We have been told that nothing works as well as Cajun Sports Cream by most of those that have been given our cream. HEB grocery and drug stores have recently picked up our product and another large sporting goods chain, Hibbitts, has contacted us after hearing good things from others about our product.
We know someday our product will be used worldwide, that is how good it really is. We already have people buying our product from other countries through mail order. We also have people raving about how well it works on ezcema, gout and chronic itching.
We have recently sent some to your trainer, Casey Smith, hoping he would give our product a try.
Now you probably wonder why we would contact you when we obviously have been growing the company on our own quite well. We are still an unknown product to most and as most things in life are “it’s not what you know, but who you know”.
Our company is located in Irving, Texas and our product is manufactured in Irving.
We are going to build a serious business plan and submit it to you soon. I hope this blog will pique your interest in our company.
Marcy Jordan
President
GHFSJ Products, Inc.
(214) 441-9555
Comment by Marcy Jordan -
Here is my submission to the Mark Cuban Stimulus Plan.
CyPhrons is a science-fiction saga about the future. It is an adventure about life in the year 2050 and spans over a series of three books: In Search of the Remnant, Code of the Realm, and Deep into the Abyss. The website for this saga is http://CyPhrons.com with links to a blog – http://CyPhrons.wordpress.com and a virtual store – http://Cafepress.com/CyPhrons
The business plan is fundamentally simple — managing the rights of copyrights and trademarks for merchandising. The goal is to negotiate the rights of the written story, indicia, and associated products produced for film, games, education, publishing, and anything digitally downloadable, i.e. ringtones, singtones, spoken word tones, music, comics, stickers, images, DVD, etc. The use of the aforementioned web sites are essentially a marketing preview of the material for agents, attorneys, publishers, and media executives. While browsing the CyPhrons.com site you can listen to the audio narration and even download it from the WordPress.com blog.
All the materials are copyrighted and trademarked with the assignment to Robert L. Dunbar – creator, writer, illustrator, and producer. My educational background is in the humanities and my work experience is in computer and information technology – Harvard, MIT, NASA and currently in the legal field. The CyPhrons material is extremely unique but the plan is not. Primarily all the work has been accomplished by one individual with the exception of several contributing voiceovers. Therefore this project’s only expense is approximately $25 a month to maintain its web presence. You read it right, only $25 a month. The wonders of comparative research and testing of various processes, resources, software and good old fashion hard work and diligence has produced a very efficient operation.
The most important steps now are updates to the Networml store that began in January 2009 to add indicia to the various products and to the blog once there are posts. The initial audio narration is complimentary allowing potential consumers to learn about the saga. A “Cipher Fire” version will be release in the near future that will be available for purchase along with other products as appropriate. There is only one staff member (myself) and I collect no salary currently. A certain equity share of the value of my portion of the project will be split with those who have contributed creatively and having Work for Hire agreements. Currently, I am the sole owner of the project and maintain the sole rights for negotiation.
I am asking for $10k in return for 5% ownership of the project. The $10k will be specifically used to secure registrations of indicia and audio products, perform image searches, and then to register various trademarks in their respective classifications within the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). This is necessary for building the foundation of exponential growth with the indicia and audio products. The registrations will leverage financial incentives for worldwide publication and royalty compensation to the assigned owners of the copyrights and trademarks. This is how J.K. Rowling and her legal counsel was able to initially sign for $500 million in compensation on February 10, 2000 with Warner Bros. Studios http://www.allbusiness.com/manufacturing/miscellaneous-mfg-doll-toy-games-games/6388866-1.html for the rights to license the Harry Potter series.
As proof, this CyPhrons Model is derived from J.K. Rowling’s business model – file and register trademarks, and follow up with publishing, marketing, and signing licensing deals.
The following info is publicly available from the USPTO at http://www.uspto.gov
J.K. Rowling Trademark Filing for Abandonment of Trademark Classes for Harry Potter Owner (APPLICANT) Joanne Rowling INDIVIDUAL UNITED KINGDOM 10 Eel Brook Studios 125 Moore Park Road London SW6 4PS UNITED KINGDOM
Trademark Classes 9, 16, 20, 21, 25, 28, 41 became the domain of Warner Bros. USPTO Filing Date was January 25, 1999 and finalized on February 3, 2000.
Somewhere out there is another adventure waiting to be discovered. The dawn of a new saga about the future is here….. It is now! Is it you? Find it at CyPhrons.com Encoda Moda!
© 2009 Robert L. Dunbar
Comment by Robert L. Dunbar -
“In fact, if you don’t fund this within 3 days of its posting to your blog, I might launch it within a month with the hacks as my service engine.”
To clarify this point a bit, I should have written if I don’t receive a sign of interest in funding in 3 days of this posting, I’ll do as indicated above. I am not expecting a decision so fast even though the implementation, profit potential and defensibility do merit it in my view!
Thanks again,
David
Comment by David SL -
Mr. Mark I am a Wounded Warrior from Fort Eustis VA. I was released from active duty because of medical reasons. Though i still can work i will like to go into business for myself. Where i live here in Newport News Virginia and the seven cities their is nothing for the kids to do. I have two kids and they look at me with for entertainment. What i would like in the hard times a place for adults and kids to have fun . No matter the economy people like myself will spend money on kids. The place will have rids for the kids , movie room rated G , game room , bouncies, concessions, interactive characters that will visit local Ronald MacDonald house for sick kids,party rooms, wireless internet and computers for parents.. IT will do big here day and night schools for field trips rain or shine employ people to work because it has to be ran by at least 30 employees encluding myself mon-sat sunday later i want people to go to church. THIS WILL MAKE MONEY THE FIRST DAY OPEN BECAUSE THIER IS NOTHING LIKE THIS FOR 200 MILES AND THE SEVEN CITIES IS 600,000 PLUS PEOPLE….. HAMPTON, NEWPORT NEWS ,CHESAPEAKE, PORTSMOUTH, SUFFOLK, NORFOLK, YORKTOWN
Comment by michael -
Hi Mark, I am the guy that knows more than anyone you know about collaboration and scalable distributed web design.
I was an incredulous Mark Cuban follower, when I heard how you made the bulk of your riches with the broadcast.com technology. I thought “lucky bastard”. 😉 I thought you were dead wrong on your trashing of YouTube (which you were) but you are the billionaire, you can afford to keep trying ideas ..They cost you nothing to proffer and you’re already riding the financial hog high from that first big one at MicroSolutions. Everyone makes mistakes, but the key is to learn from many relatively low risk mistakes to use as ammo. For taking big bets on things that look high risk to others but because of your data in hand, are very low risks to you. You mastered that when you build broadcast.com and that put you in the stratosphere. I’ve made hundreds of these low risk moves, that build up to high success potential over time, I have always kept an eye on my environment to know where I am relative to my competition and sharpen my focus on the goal which has become more certain of being achieved with each passing day.
All that said, here’s an opportunity that satisfies every single one of your criteria. I’ll just Repost your requirements and indicate my proposal in the response:
1. It can be an existing business or a start up.
My technology is highlighted in a business web collaboration startup in stealth mode called numeroom.com, the first spin off of my 7 year old software company Apriority LLC, the web site is up and running but not quite launch ready. I have 3 servers running (I can send you the URL privately to scan) on my proprietary distributed platform called *********, which is scalable to geographic levels. Numeroom.com is a secure, business focused web collaboration site, okay you say. there are a couple of dozen of those now…sure, with various combination’s of services, file sharing, guest invitations , security, yeah yeah…all easily put together by a competent team fairly quickly today, but what distinguishes ours is the ability to do something none of the others can. *Efficiently* Translate group chat conversations in real time between multiple languages. So imagine you have a business, you are having a chat with partners in Spain, France and Germany while chatting yourself in English. They speak in their languages, you speak in yours. Our technology makes everyone think everyone else in the room is speaking their language. That’s cool and novel but now that it is out in the open, what is stopping all the other guys reading this from copying it? I took almost $4,000 of my retirement savings (now virtually zeroed out) 2 years ago to secure a patent on this most efficient method shortly after getting the first working prototype done (took about 2 weeks). I have the patent pending on the implementation method and it should be up for review imminently at the USPTO (damned junk patents have clogged the system down to a 2 year backlog) So my method which my research has shown is the most efficient method for this type of many to many translation in an n scalable architecture is defensible, it is also implicitly distributed Mark. That means, as I add nodes to my geographic scale cluster of servers they implicitly scale the group chats without me writing a line of code. When we have our funding meetings I’ll bring the patent application so you can see why my implementation is solid against easy copying. The guy in France could be on a node in a datacenter in France, the guy in Spain on a node in Spain, the guy speaking English somewhere in Texas. but all of them participating in the same secure group chat with real time translation. This distribution makes the TOAD (translations on agent demand) feature more scalable and efficient than any of the other options (all of which can’t do TOAD) by miles (which almost to a service require pooling of users chatting in the same room to given servers or otherwise moving session data between servers, we don’t do any of that we send the user to the conversation, not the conversation to the Users..that’s the key of the innovation). You name the popular dogs, user plane, meebo, campfire, parachat, webex…all require lots of servers to handle their current conversations (most use Flash. while ours is pure, clean, easily runs on an IPHONE OR A GPHONE web standard AJAX) To top it all off we have some additional unique features that tie the web collaboration experience together in a way that is perfect for SMB’s with a desire to do international real time business without hiring a translation specialist. Also, in this contracting market you’ve noticed the big marketing push companies like WebEx have put forward why? In a recession businesses look for ways to save money. what better way than to bring your employees together to share files and chat securely and to interact with partners and customers IN their language implicitly?? This is a game changer Mark. Not to compare to google but just as they simplified search, just the basics….our meat and potatoes is the real time language translation. That is why people will say “wow” when they see it, it is why they come to us and no one else and pay for the service, everything else is just icing to steal share from all the chat-o-clones out there. Read on for the caveat to the technology that requires your vision.
2. It can not be a business that generates any revenue from advertising. Why ? Because I want this to be a business where you sell something and get paid for it. Thats the only way to get and stay profitable in such a short period of time.
This business makes money with paid service plans, but the paid plans help feed a free ecosystem of “consumer” rooms allowing anyone on the internet to try a limited version of the service. The money cow in a low volume environment are paid plans that allow Users ad free ability to create group chat rooms, add contacts, share files, send IM’s , offline messages, even interact using feeds called TimeLines. We even have site service plans that allow a business to set up with the click of a credit card, their own web collaboration portal. They can create Users, invite guests, manage their own portal of rooms for the corporation, they can delegate users to serve as customer service agents (like what providesupport and liveperson do but this with implicit multilingual support Mark!) Imagine being able to language enable existing web sites to allow visitors speaking different languages to ask questions of products in their desired language. The site plans allow Users to delegate permissions and create workflows I can show you the site working online today but one thing is missing… the translation dictionaries have to be licensed from a company that provides the software like google (translate), systrans (the software that runs babelfish),freetranslate, prompt, idomax…etc. My platform makes adding them plug and play (literally done in a matter of minutes) but the commercial providers are charging an arm and a leg for those valuable dictionaries. Money I don’t have. Google doesn’t make any money off their service translate service so they might be interested in a revenue. share where we give them a piece of dough made from our use of their service. As the money starts coming in, we can open the contract and have them bid to be plugged into the numeroom.com site. I can even allow multiple dictionary support and take cream from them all. Your rolodex would be useful in securing that..or we can just buy one of the stand alone guys stuff out right (though some of them try to suckle from you with per transaction fees)…the long term solution is to make my own statistical translation dictionaries and I have an idea for that later…but for now, buying access or rev. sharing access would cost around $30,000 to start (this comes from a recent quote received from prompt Ltd who like idiots turned down a rev. share proposal I made them, their abysmal loss). Also since the Site plans are multi tenant, businesses can easily use their Numeroom plan to provide immediate real time collaboration for their entire enterprise without installing a thing, and enable access any where to their employees, partners, customers and guests all from a single efficient interface. They can brand their site as they wish to match their own branding by changing logos and colors.
3. It MUST BE CASH FLOW BREAK EVEN within 60 days
Easy, once I have money to do the following in about 20 days.
0) javascript bugs need fixing; I need to hire a consultant to work on it while I do the other business things necessary. I suck at coding JavaScript because JavaScript sucks at being OO, and haven’t devoted much time to it other than building my UI which is functional and aesthetically sparse, my AJAX implementation works but an expert can come in and in a few days get rid of the bugs on the interface side and enable rock solid stability (the back end side has been tested out the wazoo and has only a few minor issue to fix)
1) put some trademarks on various names and logos already designed.
2) buy a site license to the translation dictionaries needed to fuel the real time language translations OR strike up a rev. share with a smart translation service like Google (you have any friends there?) or Systrans (provider of Babelfish’s translation service)
3) Set aside money for the doubtless ridiculous growth that will come once people all over the world (wherever language support is provided by the translation dictionary used mind you. right out the gate) to add new servers as scale goes up. Oh this is easily monitored by the way, as my technology has fine grained dynamic load redistribution algorithms (something I can patent later) that allow me to throttle load from and to node machines in real time.
4) Marketing to existing businesses online to allow them to set up their own secure web collaboration portal, any business vertical , doesn’t matter. Integration is as easy as copying URL’s and adding auto generated link code to existing pages. Viral marketing the rooms, free and pay plans, in various social networks, MySpace, Face book, LinkedIn..etc., just like how meebo does accept without the restrictions of language for anyone entering the room. 😉 A total category killer this is.
5) Pick up business clients, SMB’s will find our prices very reasonable. Efficient and tight code means we can support ~4,000 Users per 2Gb Ram on our nodes at current optimization levels. Doesn’t sound like a lot until you realize for chat it is pretty darn good! User plane has over 150 servers for their service and they have 288,493 rooms on their service as of this writing. Divide that and that is about 76 servers for numeroom.com to support the same amount of Rooms. What they do in 150 servers, we can do in half the amount of servers, which means lower operating costs and lower prices which we can use to scale faster than any attempts to compete with us…oh and they don’t have a real time translation capability and it would be pure hell (architecturally and fiscally) for them to add it, shucks for them.
So total outlay to get to “add clients” stage can range from $15,000 to $65,000 and most of that would be in any needed dictionary licensing fees and consultant fees for fixing the JavaScript bugs I have a design concept for my own statistical dictionary technology but I don’t have time or money to fund it yet. be sure when I do it will evict the current license provider unless they are Google, in which case I’ll use them in a rev. share deal until my tech. is done. naturally. ;))
+ $10,000 per month for the first 3 months to feed, cloth and house me, I am 37 and living in my sisters basement…I need to be free of bills while I go into pure demon mode on marketing and selling this awesome business.
I designed, developed and funded the underlying platform by myself. My company Apriority LLC , has no employees other than myself, I have no kids, no wife, the platform and the two applications built on it (entity management system and the web collaboration system commercialized as this product) have been my life, wife and baby for the last 8 years…if you wanted to know what dedication is, there it is buddy. I am a hard core geek and polymath. I run at least 27 miles a week, I taught myself how to draw well enough that I could work as an illustrator if I wanted to, I also do graphic design and have a BS degree in Electrical Engineering. I love the history of science and history in general, I enjoy cooking, writing poetry, love all types of music and enjoy digital photography as other hobbies. Here’s your chance to ride your next Broadcast.com level rocket, you’d be an idiot to pass on this for a pittance of ~ $100,000 (and in a recession, what!!!!) and the opportunity to work with me an admittedly eccentric guy from Brooklyn with one hell of a golden egg laying goose.
4. It must be profitable within 90 days.
You give the money I need ($75,000 is a fraction of the cost of many of your cars and they just sit in your garage depreciating in value. ;)) and I’ll bet you a bottle of $1000 dollar wine (no big deal for you, painful for me) that we are profitable in less than 60 days not 90. This is just a personal bet. I am not asking to be let out of the 90 limit you’ve imposed. (I ain’t no idiot.)
5. Funding will be on a monthly basis. If you don’t make your numbers, the funding stops
Fair enough, I presume you mean if we don’t make our numbers in the milestone periods of 60 and 90 days respectively? In the longer term you would loosen this criteria I’d imagine. especially as you’ll stand to be making money hand over fist in the partnership even in the midst of this recession. 😉 I’d give you 25% equity of the commercial numeroom.com.
6. You must demonstrate as part of your plan that you sell your product or service for more than what it costs you to produce, fully encumbered
I can show you that now, my servers run at $1570 for the current set of 3 (2 nodes and one database server) from Rackspace my host, I have 8 plan types , 7 are pay types. The site management plans (most lucrative) start at $25 a month. If I get 67 clients at this price alone, the site is already paying for itself, I have a $50 plan that offers more rooms and delegated users, I only need 34 of those to be in the black with the servers (the free rooms are limited in maximum number of participants and guests to prevent resource starvation for pay plans so I can control how they effect node load). I have additional $100 and $200 per month plans for bigger enterprises, which bring the “in the black point” to single digit number of clients!!! I have the plans set to apply discounts when purchased across longer terms, 3 month, 6 month, 12 month…so it is possible that a few clients pay out the operating costs to the business within a few days. or a few hours!. let alone 60 or 90 days, to take advantage of those discounts.
7. Everyone must work. The organization is completely flat. There are no employees reporting to managers. There is the founder/owners and everyone else
Well there is the founder (ME) and possible miscellaneous consultants to do one shot assignments (javascript as mentioned) and **then it’s a money minting machine that runs itself**. In fact I don’t even need developers to come to any physical location to work on my code, changes to web templates (jsp) can be delegated to specific Users on the system via the fine grained permissions of my platform (which I call the ********* Framework for obvious reasons) I can have a dynamic workflow between myself and my developers (where ever they are in the world) such that I can have them write the code, submit it to me for review and comments and then send it back if needed , before actually publishing the changes to the live servers. The closest provider to these functions would be Salesforce.com platform and mine is better in many ways than theirs. The ********* framework has built in auditing, user monitoring, email notifications…I did say I built it over the last 8 years…if it needs to be in an internet scale piece of software it is already in the platform and that reduces the amount of work needed to run it. In fact much of my designs are things that don’t exist in other platforms and all are used implicitly by numeroom.com built on top. Oh by the way my software is rock solid and memory leak free. It sips on memory for each logged in user and opened chat room. Marcus Frind (founder of plentyoffish.com) will be very jealous! I have a lot ideas for new applications that can easily added to the existing site with zero down time but that is for the future.
8. You must post your business plan here, or you can post it on slideshare.com , scribd.com or google docs, all completely public for anyone to see and/or download
Done. Thus the “copy clock” is ticking…but I am not worried I’ve got that defensible patent pending and a really well thought out implementation to a very hard problem already online…bring it on you uncreative, innovation starved fools!! I did it first and I am doing it better!
9. I make no promises that if your business is profitable, that I will invest more money. Once you get the initial funding you are on your own.
You’d be an idiot not to after reading what is presented above, but I see your reason for caution at the time you wrote that. 😉
10. I will make no promises that I will be available to offer help. If I want to , I will. If not, I wont.
Accepted as well, we are both confident, sarcastic and vocal guys…. hopefully you will be fueled by the challenge of working with me as much as I am by the honor of working with you. One can never grow surrounded by “yes” Men.
11. If you do get money, it goes into a bank that I specify, and I have the ability to watch the funds flow and the opportunity to require that I cosign any outflows.
Of course.
12. In your business plan, make sure to specify how much equity I will receive or how I will get a return on my money.
As part of initial funding deal you get 25% of all profit that comes in after cutting out operating costs to the business. (Remember I am in a basement I don’t need much for now) As the success of the product picks up, we’ll see about possibly going public with you again getting 25% of whatever equity is generated from an IPO or my selling out my share to you for a tidy sum. I need capital to secure my life and fund my list of other great ideas waiting in the wings, just as you did with MicroSolutions, you first big bet!. 😉
13. No mult-level marketing programs (added 2/10/09 1pm)
None of that here Mark.
So there it is. I thought at first to come at you with a formal plan with graphics but really the NY street seller is best here…this is the sweat of my labors of the last 8 years (Malcolm Gladwell , hope you are right! *grin*), I’ve focused on and watched the industry move while slowly building my answer ensuring relevance at every stage. I knew distributed web platforms would be big back in 2001 so I started building one using core java SE technology, long before there was a Ruby on Rails, long before there was a hibernate persistence API I designed my own efficient one for my core API. Ruby has Rails, my platform is a Java Rocket. 😉 Xml core for all object classes, fine grained permission system, distributed load processing all was in place while RoR (which scales…not so easy) was getting all the googly eyes, I looked at the landscape and kept focusing, by 2005 I had finished the distributed web platform and decided to build a generalized content managements system and then by 2007 a collaboration API, I knew language translation was coming years ago so I got the patent started in 2007 prompted by difficulty chatting with an ex. girlfriend who was Romania 😉 . I had the implementation working in less than a week by hacking the free Google translate, Babel fish and freetranslate.com services to use on my test machine. In fact, if you don’t fund this within 3 days of its posting to your blog, I might launch it within a month with the hacks as my service engine. Here I am about to cross the line, I’ve researched this area intensely for the last few years, now either I’ve wasted 8 years of my life, all of my 401k, all of my personal savings and put myself in $12,000 debt for a stupid idea or I put it like a laser on a sure thing. If what is listed above doesn’t look like a sure thing to you Mark, take off your youtube.com glasses for a minute. This is a business that is online now, will probably cost you less than the tax on one of your homes to invest in, will return 25% of profits once it starts minting money in less than 60 days and will change the world of business and casual chat with its revolutionary technology. While being entirely profit focused the numeroom.com site will create a revolution in communication that the world sorely needs, the last barrier to communication (language) will be handled elegantly …no more regional chat rooms since anyone can speak any language in any room and everyone understands one another. Contribute to breaking down barriers of culture that exist with the current real time communication world, where language is very much a barrier. Speak with native Chinese without knowing what characters they are looking at, speak with Russians without caring about Cyrillic text. Businesses can go from “English”, “Spanish” , “German” or “French” implicit versions today to international clients over night!!! It will usher in a revolution in human communication, not just be an outstanding business implementation. Imagine having the impact of making language flat for the world, no longer will Chinese speakers be left out of conversations with English or other supported languages in a chatroom. Opening the last frontier to human communication, that is what this does. At the same time consumers from all over the world, can get their own rooms or enter free ones. They can participate in events held by businesses with rooms that make them public. Did I say already that this was a category killer and game changer? So, here I am putting my ass on display for the world to see (and try to steal) …..I’ve got the balls and the big gun (barrier to entry is huge to any watching potential copycats) to prove I am ready for war, want to take control of your big gun and fire away at my side? I am ready to do it, show me the money and let’s do this! I want to be in China on vacation by mid year, put me there and I’ll give you 25% of Numeroom.com, the first post “recession of 2008” web 3.0 business that will change the world!! Okay that was a bit over the top, but it should relay a bit of the excitement I feel about this product and the opportunity that exists for both of us to truly impact the world in a meaningful way that will stay with humanity for a long time. That is my ultimate life goal, to have my name remembered in a thousand years for something meaningful…this is that thing, help me make it and share immortality by my side! Thanks for your time and opportunity.
Regards,
(Mark, please contact me via email for a live walkthrough)
Comment by David SL -
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From S.L. Development.
ADDED NOTE: Interest on Original Capital @ 10% example is yearly, with final payout at 24 months)
Comment by V Smith and B Miller -
Mark,
We are S.L. Development
Here are our links to our 4 year P & L. It clearly indicates how the original investment money will be paid back to you, PLUS we offer a substantial equity position to you in our company. Terms negotiable under your leadership and requests.
http://www.scribd.com/word/full?id=12597376&access_key=key-25d9ckcbu241fwfig1o
http://www.slideshare.net/category/business-mgmt?page=26&view=full
FINAL REVISED POST COMMENT:
* Our website is being updated
** WE ARE DALLAS BASED (Existing Offices in N.W. Dallas)
*** With your software background, we believe you will clearly understand what we have developed and its potential.
We are a software development partnership, plus have an award winning database architect and software programmer. We have vested close to 5,000 hours of hands-on work to design and construct this application, plus thousands of $$ of our own capital. We hit a brick wall regarding the additional needed personnel, environment and technical infrastructure being in place prior to installation and distribution of the product.
We have developed a new software application targeting large and small Law Enforcement and Government agencies. Our venues also include NTSB, FAA, Military Branches, OSHA and Insurance Companies, U.S. and Canada.
THIS IS NOT VAPERWARE; The software application is developed and we are personally vested(time,$$,and hands-on work) after receiving numerous requests within our target venue as well as requests coming from another company’s established customer base.
• Our software application targets specifically three segments of law enforcement, government agencies, the military, and private corporations. We have built a law enforcement/government version, and a corporate version, and these are ready for release.
• We did solid primary and secondary market research and discovered an extremely high demand for the software. This product did not exist in a single application that allowed the end user to segregate all data and assets in one single repository. We built the first such application.
• We previewed our beta version at a major law enforcement conference (5 states participated) on the East coast last fall. There was tremendous enthusiasm and demand. We are conducting additional field testing.
• The application is browser-based; the database platform is MySQL, configured for XP pro, Server 2003 and 2008. We will have a Linux platform ready within the next 30 days. We have tested on numerous networks without problems.
• The application is geared toward enterprise level multi-licensing and will support unlimited end-users without loss of performance. The small agency will simply benefit from the added enterprise level features.
• The first of our three applications is complete and ready to launch. Our database will support the other two applications and they will follow within 120 – 160 days.
• We have commitments from two large enterprise State Agencies (States of Georgia and Wisconsin) for installation and purchase when our product is released, plus several smaller agencies are waiting in the wings.
• We have a strong collaborative alliance with a 20 year established company that produces complimentary software products for the same three venues as ours. Our alliance allows us to utilize their customer base of over 9,000 agencies, with mutual commitments for co-marketing each of our products. We will create a package that will separate us from any competition. NOTE: We have full in-house video and digital media production for our own distribution and marketing.
• We are personally vested in time, work and cost of the database architecture and development. We are a private company and the company is nearly debt free. OUR OPERATION IS FLAT, owners only plus the additional personnel needed. Our principals wear many hats, and will not ask of any personnel to do work we are not willing to do ourselves. We operate on the TEAM concept and intend all who participate to enjoy company profit sharing.
• We have the additional personnel waiting to join our team to create the infrastructure needed to train, evaluate networks, do installations, establish the technical support needed, and help administer company operations.
• Over the second 30 – 60 days we will be able to generate substantial sales from the prospects that are waiting for our release.
• WE ARE DALLAS BASED. Our principals have more than 20 years experience in law enforcement and judicial related venues, and a combined 50 years of marketing and administration within fortune 500 and start-up companies.
• We are seeking $150 – $200,000 to launch and support the application; i.e. to hire the additional needed personnel, establish the environment and equipment infrastructure to support our end-user training and technical needs, network IT support, establish our distributorships, and conduct company operations. We are structured to accept monthly infusions of capital. We expect to hit or surpass our target numbers.
We had an earlier commitment for $160k but it fell through due to a tightening of the current financial markets. That individual is available to cooberate what I have said.
• We have a 4 year P & L prepared (Linked above) and will submit our 10 page business prospectus.
• We fully expect to break even in 60 days and be profitable within 90 days of full operation. Conservative sales forecast is $1.2 – $1.5 million first year with a 45% – 52% overall cost to sales ratio (See P & L).
• We are prepared to payback the investment in a timely manner with reasonable interest (Example 10%), plus offer a SUBSTANTIAL EQUITY position to you in the company. All terms are negotiable to you.
P & L is posted on: slideshare.com , scribd.com and google docs under S.L. Development, V Smith and B Miller. More than happy to also post complete prospectus if you show any interest. Our prospectus is linked to our “sister” company commitments.
Best regards. We look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you,
V. Smith and B. Miller
S.L. Development
Dallas, Tx
Comment by V Smith and B Miller -
I would like funding to start a company that builds electric cars that can fly. I have spoken with two people that are familiar with some of the technology needed to create them.
Comment by Kevin -
Well I broke rule #14 immediately! And as far as rule #2, I already sell something and get paid for it, its called advertising! So if there are any other Angel Investors reading this blog, check out http://www.PinkMemo.com. See you all on the Pink side. Cheers M 🙂
Comment by Max -
Perhaps I have been watching too much “Flip this House” on HGTV but, having done so, I know that this does work.
The housing market is flooded with forclosed homes, I know because I am currently trying to buy one. The problem that I am having is that when the owners move out they strip the house of all it’s contents (light fixtures, appliances, etc..). Also, the flooring needs replaced as well as paint and assorted small repairs (drywall, plumbing, yardwork).
I would have bought one already except for the fact that I can only borrow enough to purchase the house. This leave me with no money to fix up the home to make it livable, if I was to buy it. I am sure that others are in the same boat.
What I would like to do is purchase these homes and fix them up for resale. Buying way below market value would allow for repairs while still being able to resell below market value at a desent profit. This leads itself to the company name : “Instant Equity Homes MC”
> Start up funds needed = 100-200K
> profitable within 90 days (more likely less)
> We payback the investment in a timely manner with reasonable interest, plus equity in the company
Comment by Ryah Robb -
Mr. Cuban,
It’s hard to believe that we’re still not watching what WE want to see on TV. How many times have you turned on the TV and caught a show that you love only to realize it’s had already started or is almost ending.
With the technology that is available to us, it is not that hard to imagine having a system that is either directly connected to the Internet (through a coaxial cable or a RJ-45 cable). Much like existing satellite TV, you could browse a list of ALL available movies and TV shows and control the starting, pausing and the stopping of it whenever you want. I personally think that would drastically increase the amount of viewing hour of the average person providing more appealing coverage for ads.
‘HD’ and ‘High Quality’ movies are already accessible on the webvia streaming on such website like Veoh, Youtube, Ustream to name a few. But not all computers are equipped with a Video Card (or connection) strong enough to support such streaming. Not to mention the fact that watching TV on a computer is far less comfortable than on a couch.
Revenue would be made by selling the initial system, selling ads and a monthly subscription fee.
The only problem I see is buying the legal rights to broadcast the shows.
I have more technical detail available (I have a degree in computer science and currently a university student in software engineering) such as optimal file compression, network optimization (basically once a show is downloaded the system becomes a ‘node’ in a p2p network increasing subsequent and facilitating streaming speed).
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Nicolas martin
Comment by Nicolas Martin -
I second Joe Rudzinski’s motion for his tickets and jerseys. Your post was great, hope you see a game this year. We’re going on a winning spree, I know for a fact!
Comment by Michael -
I would like funding to help Melvin Dummar get the money Howard Hughes left him to in his will. Melvin needs to go back to court and I was told by an associate of his that it would cost about $40K. His case would need to be heard by the supreme court of the United States his associate told me.
Comment by Kevin -
It looks like our original posting was pulled for not following rules, so here goes again with direct responses to questions/requirements following the pitch.
—
Democratizing Theatrical Distribution with Portable Cinema Kits
Movies were credited with giving Americans a much-needed escape and lift during the Depression. I’d like to think that the same thing would happen to us now, but our viewing options are so limited at the megaplexes. What we need is more Landmark Theaters! Tens of thousands more for the “long tail” of cinema.
Every year over 14,000 films go to the festivals worldwide, but only about 600 make it to the movie theaters. Even Slumdog Millionaire almost never made it to the theaters. What other movie gems are we missing?
What we need is the democratization and open-sourcing of theatrical distribution. We can do it with online digital distribution and by putting thousand of people to to work as independent theater operators, complete with their own cinema kit – only costing about $1500, and including:
A 12 foot inflatable projector screen – $200
http://www.amazon.com/Airblown-Inflatable-Movie-Screen-Storage/dp/B000TLDCRS/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1234478725&sr=8-1
A 3200 lumens projector that can support HD – $750
http://www.amazon.com/Vivitek-D732MX-3200-Lumens-Projector/dp/B0013916FK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=office-products&qid=1234479252&sr=8-5
230 watt portable amp/speaker system – $120
http://www.amazon.com/Pyle-PWMA230-Pwma230/dp/B000CHJTG2/ref=pd_cp_e_2?pf_rd_p=413863501&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000CHHS5Q&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1VPYTZKEX2QPS7BZMTAA
Multimedia Laptop – $500
http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=dndopm2&c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&kc=features~laptops_great_deals
This setup can be used in cafes, bars, restaurants, parks, and even parking lots, and can accommodate 50-100 people per screening.
Our website will offer a web-based SaaS service that allows you to plug in to do online ticket sales, get HD video delivery, filmmaker webcasts, and more! you can learn more about CineGoGo at http://www.cinegogo.com/investors.
—-
Notes:
1. It can be an existing business or a start up. – We are a start-up company that encourages the investment in thousands of freelance cinema operators who will run CineGoGo franchises and, on a rev-share basis, power big-screen movie screening events in their local communities.
2. It can not be a business that generates any revenue from advertising. Gross revenues from movie ticket sales are shared with freelance franchisees hosting movie screening events.
3. It MUST BE CASH FLOW BREAK EVEN within 60 days – in the plan – There are costs for online marketing for movie audiences, as well as the marginal cost of online delivery of HD media content, but cashflow positive is a key goal.
4. It must be profitable within 90 days. Check – launch it and they will come.
5. Funding will be on a monthly basis. If you don’t make your numbers, the funding stops – Check.
6. You must demonstrate as part of your plan that you sell your product or service for more than what it costs you to produce, fully encumbered – Check, can show that marginal revenue greatly exceeds marginal cost.
7. The organization is completely flat. – Can’t get much flatter – CEO is already doing hands-on stuff with PHP, running digital projectors, and doing posts on blogs.
8. You must post your business plan here, or you can post it on slideshare.com , scribd.com or google docs, all completely public for anyone to see and/or download – Powerpoint deck available at: http://www.slideshare.net/cinegogo/open-source-cinema .
12. In your business plan , make sure to specify how much equity I will receive or how I will get a return on my money. – In exchange for investing in 100 different freelance movie cinema franchises at $1500 each, Mr. Cuban gets 33% of that theater franchise, which does an equal revenue share split with CineGoGo and the filmmakers/distributors.
13. No multi-level marketing programs – This is not an MLM scheme. We need boots on the ground in local markets to power projectors; not sell tickets. Only with that local independent representation can we fully democratize theatrical distribution.
Comment by Kal Deutsch -
WDXfreight.com
WDX Freight Connect provides the motor carrier freight industry with a new best of breed solution for tariff quoting as a SaaS e-marketplace, currently in revenue producing beta. Relationships are preserved between truckers and their volume shipper customers through the “Approved List” (including discounts and privacy), and new relationships can be forged (with quoting available through the “Open List”). A wide variety of motor carrier services are accommodated, including: LTL, full load, partial load, pallet, and drayage, including ALL accessorials, as well as a wide variety of trucking equipment types.
The powerful, flexible, and easy to use system provides “Instant Rates” (automated single-query apples-to-apples comparisons), “Scale Rates” (also known as “rate blocks”), and “Spot Quotes” (human interactive), as well as management tools. It is a unique and innovative e-marketplace at its core that creates value for the motor carrier freight marketplace by focusing on improving the critical processes where money is directly made or lost: revenue generation for motor carriers, cost savings for shippers.
Independent and neutral SaaS + many to many carriers to shippers relationship = most efficient e-marketplace solution model for tariff quoting. We are not like other solutions with various disadvantages, including a brokerage, load/auction board, rate bureau, or vendor management system.
Comment by Gary Silver -
Mark–
Here is an idea… I live in Vegas and there is a lot of door frame and hardware companies, but what makes this different is that you would sell access control systems (finger print readers, key fob readers, etc) and be able to integrate it. Most door and frame contractors don’t know anything about Access control, how it works, what works and how to install it. Your service would provide the banks, universities an online control system.
This works here in Vegas (with the casinos and their hard count/ soft count areas) so it could work anywhere. The manufactures are already trying to accomplish this nation wide, but the companies that can do it are limited.
You could get anywhere from 40% to 100% profit on all products and up to 375% on the labor.
You would sell the bank on the access system, which would include hardware and electrical equipment plus the labor. If one bank likes it word tends to get around.
Here in Vegas we don’t advertise, everything is by word of mouth. This last year the company here increased it’s profit from 2007 by close to 50%
Comment by Erich H -
Bad links above… good ones below:
http://mightybigmedia.blogspot.com/2009/02/put-america-to-work.html
http://www.mightybigmedia.com
Comment by MIGHTYBIGMEDIA -
Mr. CUBAN sir…I’m not sure if my last post went through because I’m on a computer at the library and it sometimes screws up but I just want to scratch that last idea for an AIRLINES called SAFEFLIGHT AIRWAYS and pitch you some real ideas for a business proposal since I know for a fact that I would be the most successful businessman on this posting board…anyway, here goes….
First and foremost I am a musician and singer and have lots of songs that need to be recorded in the studio right away and are bonafied A+ #1 SOLID GOLD HITS and I will be auditioning for AMERICA’S GOT TALENT in FT.WORTH next month on the 14th and 15th to see where that gets me…but you could be a backer for me and put me in a cheap studio and help me to record my tracks that I KNOW FOR A FACT are better and more entertaining than the junk on t.v. talk shows and LATE NIGHT t.v.
SECONDLY…I know what MAKES MONEY!!! All I need is a storefront to sell and rent DVD’s or another business idea I have is to open a VIDEO GAME ARCADE/POOL HALL/ROCK club which is something that downtown FT.WORTH does not have whatsoever and I know for a fact that I could make it a BIG HIT!!! With your help…all the kids would swamp the place because of my business savy and decorating ideas.
THIRDLY…I am a master chef and could come up with a great menu for a killer new restaraunt anywhere because of my special detail to cooking….it would surpass all the other eateries hands down.
AND LASTLY….I would like the funds to buy my own professional movie camera and editing machine so that I can begin filming on my low budget movie that I have written a screenplay for that will have people lined up around the block to go see and would be #1 at the boxoffice and easily make over 100 mil domestically. It would be the greatest feature film at any FILM FESTIVAL and all I need is very little financing for some equipment.
Yours Sincerely, #1 MAVS FAN, Joseph Peter Rudzinski
p.s. do you think that you could at least come up with a couple of great seats to the MAVS game at the AIRLINES center and a NIWITSKY jersey and #2 KIDD jersey? I really wish a had a mavs cap too if you could throw that in as well. I am really broke right now and out of work and can’t afford to go and I would be THRILLED TO THE EXTREMES if I could see them play LIVE just once this year!!!
Comment by Joe Rudzinski -
Typo in previous post.
Hours vested: Total 5,000 as team
Cost to sales ratio: 45% – 52% first year.
Thank you for your understanding.
Comment by V Smith and B Miller -
Mark,
I applaud your efforts to help jump-start the economy. I suggested a similar enterprise in my blog of February 6th (http://mightybigmedia.blogspot.com/2009/02/put-america-to-work.html). Let’s hope the idea catches on with your peers.
If you decide to continue these efforts I hope you will consider expanding the criteria. New gifts rarely come in old packages. As the entire world innovates and automates, jobs will continue to evaporate. While producing a product or service will always be the lifeblood of business, how it is offered and monetized may look different in the future.
Thanks again for your inspiration and more importantly, your action… very admirable.
Comment by MIGHTYBIGMEDIA -
“Why no multi-level marketing?”
Because they’re scams at worst and just really bad “business opportunities” at best?
Comment by Guerrilla Billionaire™ -
Mark,
Revised Post:
* We missed some essentials in our posting last night, and this version hopefully clarifies and incorporates them.
** Our website is being upgraded.
We are a software development partnership of two, plus an award winning database architect and programmer. We have each vested close to 5,000 hours of hands-on work to design and construct this application. We hit a brick wall regarding a support infrastructure ater installation and distribution.
We have developed a new software application targeting Law Enforcement and Government agencies. Having a software history, we believe you will understand and see the potential as we did.
This is NOT vaporware; we are personally vested(Time,$$,and hands-on work) and built the application after receiving numerous requests within our target venue as well as requests coming from another company’s established customer base.
• Our software applications targets specifically three segments of law enforcement, government agencies, and the military. We have built a law enforcement/government version, and a corporate version.
• We did solid primary and secondary market research and discovered an extremely high demand for the software. This product did not exist in a single application that allowed the end user to segregate all data and assets in one single repository. We built the first.
• We previewed our beta version at a major law enforcement conference (5 states participated) on the East coast last fall. There was tremendous enthusiasm and demand.
• The application is browser-based; the database is MySQL, configured for XP pro, Server 2003 and 2008. We will have a Linux platform ready within the next 30 days. We have tested on numerous networks without problems.
• The application is geared toward enterprise level multi-licensing and will support unlimited end-users without loss of performance.
• The first of our three applications is complete and ready to launch. Our database will support the other two applications and they will follow within 120 – 160 days.
• We have commitments from two large enterprise State Agencies for installation and purchase when our product is released, plus several smaller agencies. We have others waiting. We have established application trainers ready to come on board.
• We have a strong collaborative alliance with a 20 year established company that produces complimentary software products for the same three venues as ours. Our alliance allows us to utilize their customer base of over 9,000 agencies, with mutual commitments for co-marketing each of our products. We will create a package that will separate us from any competition. NOTE: We have full in-house video and digital media production for our own distribution and marketing.
• We are personally vested in time, work and cost of the database architecture and development. We are a private company and the company is nearly debt free. Our operation is FLAT, owners only plus the additional personnel needed. Our principals wear many hats, and will not ask of any personnel to do work we are not willing to do ourselves. We operate on the TEAM concept and intend all who participate to enjoy company profit sharing.
• We have the additional personnel waiting to join our team to create the infrastructure needed to train, evaluate networks, do installations, establish the technical support needed, and help administer company operations.
• Over the second 30 – 45 days we will be able to generate substantial sales from the prospects that are waiting for our release.
• We are Dallas based. Our principals have more than 20 years experience in law enforcement and judicial related venues, and a combined 50 years of marketing and administration within fortune 500 and start-up companies.
• We are seeking $150 – $200,000 to launch and support the application; i.e. to hire the additional needed personnel, establish the environment and equipment infrastructure to support our end-user training and technical needs, network IT support, establish our distributorships, and conduct company operations. We are structured to accept monthly infusions of capital. We expect to hit or surpass our target numbers.
We had an earlier commitment for $160k but it fell through due to a tightening of the current financial markets. That individual is available to cooberate what I have said.
• We have a 4 year P & L prepared (Attached) and will submit our 10 page business prospectus.
• We fully expect to be profitable within 90 days of full operation. A conservative forecast is $1.2 – $1.5 million first year sales with a 45% cost to sales ratio.
• We are prepared to payback the investment in a timely manner with reasonable interest, plus offer a substantial equity position to you in the company. All terms are negotiable to you.
P & L being posted on: slideshare.com , scribd.com and google docs. Will also post prospectus if you show any interest.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Comment by V Smith and B Miller -
Those are great questions. I am assuming this environment is his reasoning — from my experience trying to finish our first round of financing during this time, as well as from hearing the trials and tribulations of other entrepreneurs, I am fairly certain that a lot of great ideas that would otherwise receive funding just aren’t. Rational thinking isn’t really going on. That being said, if your revenue model isn’t directly contingent on advertising spend, I feel like there would be no reason not to consider a great idea, even if in its infancy and unable to be cash flow break even in 60 days.
Comment by Dennis Stratton -
Yo J, with the sports exchange idea.
There already is a company doing it.
It’s called Protrade, look them up.
Comment by tp -
Microfinance. I’m a big fan. I have a business that would compete with Ticketmaster and put the scalpers out of business. Tickets for concerts, sport events, airlines, movies, etc should be sold through a sealed first-price auction. People buying tickets to an event place a bid that nobody else sees. Tickets are distributed according to their bid price. Highest bidders win the best seats. More in demand games generate better ticket revenue(nothing left for scalpers to make). Less in demand games get lower ticket prices and sold out stadiums. You could release a certain amount of tickets for season tickets and use the same process with a minimum bid amount for certain sections.
Comment by Rich -
Mark,
Count me among the masses that believe this is an innovative strategy to help stimulate/inspire.
It is understandable that the focus is on existing businesses with a proven history. Given the current round of business ideas, I would be moving towards the existing business focus as well.
However, if there is still a desire to see some innovation among start ups and you wish to light a fire under that innovation, then I want to pose two questions to you: When you owned MicroSolutions or Broadcast.com, were either of those cash flow break even in 60 days? Would you have been able to be innovative with either of those with a 60 day cash flow break even limit?
Comment by Neil -
Business Plan: http://www.screencast.com/t/u8No32y33B6
Demo: http://www.littleye.com/investordemo
littleye is a SaaS that allows parents to monitor and manage their kids online. It’s easy for parents and transparent to kids.
We are a two person company (a developer and a marketing/sales person) with a team of offshore developers. I have funded the company myself as the founder to create a 100% stable product, profit model and ready for the market!
Give us a jump start Mark!
Comment by Sandra -
That 200+ was in reference to the length of the yachts, sorry about that typo. Yachts two hundred feet and up.
Comment by Justin Evilsizor -
As more and more 200+ plus yachts are being built, there is an emerging need for logistics management and fleet operations that can handle the special needs and luxury demanded by owners of yachts that fall under “giga yacht” categories. These vessels have refueling needs in excess of 200,000 gallons, high end food needs for their onboard chefs, and other special needs that many ports around the world can not currently handle.
In short, their egos to build a bigger yacht have outpaced the world’s ports to catch up. They’ve got pride and (in many cases) unlimited funds as far as yacht maintenance is concerned. What the world needs is a logistics company that can handle there desires.
I want to create a company that provides logistical services, working with each of the billionaires that own these yachts and provide them with the ability to use their ships as they want. When more than three dozen want to make port in Monaco for the 2009 yacht show, they need a unified voice on the ground to handle the additional demand – no billionaire wants to park a yacht in a port’s industrial section.
I don’t need much startup funding, I need your connections.
Comment by Justin Evilsizor -
Pingback: The Open Marketing Plan and Mark Cuban – Frog Blog
OK Mark…now that I got the links posted.
Here is my business plan for Off-Grid Energy Solutions which will sell solar panels, wind turbines, generators and other renewable energy solutions. The thing that sets Off-Grid apart is the ability to test manufacturer’s claims and the community involvement. We would verify products will produce results in a real world situation. We would also have a high profile store front and hands on education programs so people understand the products. This would provide the push that some residential owners need to become more environmentally friendly. Like the ones that do not trust claims of online products or fear hard sell contractors. The first is the Business Plan and the second link is the Financial Worksheets.
One problem is the business becomes profitable at 4 months instead of 3 months. But I would rather not fudge numbers to make them work since I have a vested interest and have to live with them too.
Comment by Pat Branch -
Trying to post links to my plan…..
http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=dcs7wm3c_0k94rk3ht&hl=en
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pC0EvawO2FUzuGfaYAOtBMg&hl=en
Comment by Pat Branch -
Pingback: Paid Content : Checking In With Mark Cuban's Funding Reality Show: 1,400-plus Responses—Two May Get Money Soon
The suspense is killin me. Can you tell us which companies you
decided to invest in or give us a hint?
Trip Aces
Comment by TRIPLE ACES -
Mr. Cuban,
Before you made billions from the internet, did you give away your secrets to the world and hope they copied your ideas before you made any money?
I’ve got a pretty brilliant idea but I’m not willing to give it away to the rest of the world because unlike you I have not made my billions yet…
your money, your rules, just food for thought…
Comment by Jennifer -
It’s late, but I counldn’t sleep until I got this down. So I appologize in advance for spelling/typo’s. Here we go…
Intro:
When many of our ancestors came to America, “The land of opportunity”, they came here to pursue the “American Dream” of prosperity and they only option they had was to start a small business. Now and days, with the ever disappearing mid-class income and tightened lending regulations, it is near impossible for those with limited business experience to get the capital start a business. And if it isn’t capital they are lacking, it is actual “hands on” experience of mentorship to success.
I am a Houston entrepreneur and my plans were to invest in this concept myself, but I need credibility to get of the ground. This is where your proposal comes in. The business plan can be modified for how small or large you would like to go with this project.
Problems (separate, non-related issues to be solved):
1. Small investors (non-angel, less than $1M) are limited in investments opportunities that provide good returns with little risk.
2. Students are going to college where “Entrepreneurship” is a course they study. Very small percent of those who study “Entrepreneurship” will take a company public, or have the capital to build a business from scratch. Graduates today lack “hands on” experience,andall to often end up bank tellers making $30k/yr
3. Those with the money to invest do not have the time or interest to invest in building small businesses, and have limited access to people with a vested interest in their ventures success.
4. As liquid cash dries up, those looking to start their own business ,who have turned to franchised business will not have access to funding
Concept: Develop raw college graduates into successful entrepreneurs while getting a collection of franchised business built for us.
Part 1: We start here in Texas and contact prominent business men (Michael Dell, Ross Perot, T Boone Pickens, Red McCombs, Drayton Mclane; the list goes on and on, we have like 20-25 of the 400 richest American right here in Texas ). We offer then prime plus 2 or 3 for capital. We use the capital to build a private franchise holding company, as well as offer college business graduates the opportunity to gain hands on experience(see part 2 below). The terms are that we pay interest-only every month and can hold it for minimum 36mo with the right to extend the term if need be up to a maximum of 60mo before we return the principle. This fund will be used to invest in the startup of franchised business throughout Texas. Average franchise takes 9-12mo build-out, and then 16-24mo to turn profit. This is where the 36-60mo term comes from.
Part 2: We then for the “Mark Cuban Resources for Entrepreneur Development Program” or simple MCRED, program for graduates at all the major university business schools. The program will be a chance for the graduate to gain hands on experience launching a startup business. The graduate will have a mentor that they can meet with through the process, but they are 100% responsible for the startup. Our Mentors will keep an eye on the project and take over if the project gets out of hand. The student will receive a flat monthly rate to live on while the start their business and will be their only source of income from the project.
Graduate Pros:
§ getting real world experience and learning all aspects of business (managing contractors, costs, employees, etc) solved problem #2 above
Our Pros:
§ we get the hard part of a franchise startup done for us with only minimal direct effort.
§ We own the franchises 100% and only pay the interest on the money used for startup, build-out and graduate base. Average Franchise is $300k-450K to build out and the franchise I currently own (Pancheros Mexican Grill) averages $1M gross/year with 30% net. Prime is now 3.25 has been as high as 8.25 over last 36mo. That would mean we would pay investor group 6.25%-11.25% on their money, they are not going to get that anywhere else; hence solving problem #1 above. Example:$450k at 11.25% would cost us about $4220/mo per location, with principle due or payable as business begins to cashflow.
Part 3: We then start building up a cache of graduates that now have experience. We offer them the opportunity to become a partner and expand/launch franchises in other metro areas. We give them 25% to be an operational partner who build, trains, and manages managers for each location. From my example in part 2 above. Franchises gross $1M+ after 24mo with 30% or $300k/yr net, graduate partner takes $75k per location. If he remains partners with us for 5 years and helps launch 10 locations he could end up with a net of $750,000/yr (us with $2.25M/yr). Not bad for 5 years out of business school. Then we give him the option to sell his stake of the franchise and “cash out”. With the money he can start his own business of his choosing. We managed to get franchised businesses constructed, launched, and full staffed with managers(solved problem #3 in our favor); and he went from nothing to having experience and roughly $1M to start his own business.
Additional options:
• We can work a deal with multiple franchise groups and get a special deal setup; reduced franchise fees and special training programs for the graduates. Collect possible franchise broker fees as well.
• We can get a number of these projects going at the same time and locate them in shopping facilities we purchase or develop/build. Then we get the proceeds from the business plus the real estate value. Obviously this will take more upfront capital but in-turn creates a win-win for us.
• We can then offer this process [of 1)Launch a store for us on base, 2)partner to launch a metro area, 3)buy out] to anyone looking to get a stepping stone to owning their own business but doesn’t have experience or access to capital which solves #4 above.
Conclusion:
This is a brief overview and you can see this can be a very big project. The key is we are creating a PR winner with helping graduates get their foot into the business world. By creating a the “Mark Cuban Resources for Entrepreneur Development Program” we can get other big players to invest (and profit) from the project as well.
Comment by Jarrett -
who said “Why no multi-level marketing?” …??? LOL… dumbass…
Comment by James Stevens -
So, if there’s been no response (but we met the requirements), it’s safe to assume we didn’t make the cut?
Comment by Erik Dungan -
Mark,
I own a small computer consulting company in Denver Colorado that specializes in selling and support Microsoft Dynamics GP accounting software. I want to start an off-shoot business that would be an online training university for the Microsoft Dynamics GP software. Great Plains is one of the most common ERP systems in the world, and there isn’t enough training readily available.
My business plan is available at http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfnpnqwz_61csdcff53.
Thank you for the consideration.
Devin
Comment by Devin -
Pingback: News Flash :: Bill Tamminga Sales and Marketing
Here’s your free one everybody. Lubes and Boobs!! Imagine getting your oil changed at Hooters.
Somebody please do this for my own sake.
,Waylon
Comment by Waylon Jennings -
I like your plan to help established business people Mark.
Don’t worry I’m not going to try to get money from you.
I live in Canada and I work a regular job,run a music
biz and invest only in safe government investments.
Like you I think stocks are crooked and rigged.
And no I don’t want your money, just your value related
advice on how to get ahead little by little.
Thanks again Mark,
Mark
Comment by mark -
Didn’t know if I should post my entire biz plan here. I left a comment before but after reading these comments, I see I should include more info.
TraffiCare International, LLC provides guaranteed timely payments for traffic violations anywhere in the US. Our patented process has gained media attention from FOX, ABC and FNC. We have members in 47 states and are looking to expand and grow our business. Last Thursday I did an interview for Channel 3 (ABC Phoenix) discussing our business and how it helps citizens and government. It will air there later this week.
What we do: We have a membership based service where our members pay and small monthly fee (not premium as we have just recently won a battle with the state of Texas Insurance Dept.)ranging from 7.95 to 45.00 monthly. If they receive a ticket for any moving violation, TraffiCare pays the fine 100%. We also pay defensive driving, deferred disposition, attorney fees, and any increases in insurance premiums as a result of a ticket received while under contract. Our motto “Traffic tickets paid guaranteed” generates a large volume of inbound calls from people with existing tickets and warrants. So, in January of 2009 we launched RetroCare, a service that assist those people with getting warrants lifted and tickets either dismissed or reduced. We have a network of affiliate attorneys that accept these prepaid clients to help us in this area. Furthermore, RetroCare eliminates competition by traffic ticket attorneys because we distribute these leads evenly amongst our affiliates.
We have a 15% compensation request which solidifies our belief that people don’t sign up for our service to abuse it and drive recklessly (it is not designed for that).
Our service has a two pronged effect. First it relieves the financial burden for everyday drivers. Second it guarantees city income by offering timely payments for traffic tickets. A recent report in the Dallas Morning News revealed that the City of Dallas has a 177,000,000 dollar deficit specifically due to unpaid traffic tickets. Because of this the city has a hiring freeze, city workers can’t get the raise they deserve, and street repairs suffer.
We are seeking 250,000 for expansion. Our current close rate in our sales department for RetroCare is 80% and 30% for our normal membership service. Our average unit price for RetroCare is 455.00 per sale and 80.00 per sales under our normal membership service. We receive our sales leads from the city courts (free public information)
Your ROI (with an expanded sales staff) will be within 45 days.
Why we need the working capital – We moved our corporate office from Las Colinas to Dallas. Our old building was all inclusive. When we moved we basically started from scratch. We spent a ton of cash during the move and are now seeking capital to continue. Please note that this is not prepaid legal. We are better than that. Did I mention we are patented?
Thanks for reading
Comment by Troy Simpson -
MC,
Plan: I have been working on an idea that is already manufactured for past 25-30 years. I have completed drawings via AutoCAD of a new aged version of this product.
I have done my homework on the product and it is used in safety applications. I have also done my homework regarding the manufacturing of this product. This product can be manufactured by a company that makes a very similar product as mine. The company has just 1. Have not expanded 2. Do not have a strong marketing team/design team on their side. 3. Or do not think outside the box .
After this product is manufactured by this company it can be distributed by another and used for a certain industry.
I have contacted via email the company that manufactures product similar to mine and they express desire to meet with me in front of their board and discuss the concept/idea. I have declined due to disclosure reasons. Manufacturer is located in US and Manufacturer is backed by syscor.com a BC company.
Bottom Line: I can have a product produced similar to ones are ready made and can be sold in another market area, which deals with safety. This original product is used minimal due to age, my new version will be in high demand.
My main objective is to find an investor to back me and enter into an agreement/contract and secure a patent for this idea/concept and bring idea to industry/market.
This product will create jobs: manufacturing jobs, sales jobs and many more…
Competition you ask? Again 25-30 years product has been around and I am sure you have been around this product at some point in time. As for the competition we can slide something to them for they have hatched this product 25-30 years ago but it is out-dated by about 25 years.
I know I am not eligible for business agreement with you due to not posting idea here but direct me to someone who wants to sell a product that we do not have to manufacture (another existing company will) and we sell it to another market.
Please comment, and provide me with contact info or other investors that may be interested for I have many more ideas I am working on.
Comment by f -
My Start up is called KISS Keep It Simple Stupid. Really with our economy in the tank and I am looking for a job I still feel great and comfortable because of the plan I have been doing for the past few months and I can help others overt death and misery in this economy.
1-Stop using credit
2-Start paying off your debt with every mean’s possible get another job, sell some furniture, sell your house and rent. you can lease from me from the “W”. Ok maybe too much for who I am targeting.
3-Budget use cash set up an envelope system This is amazing how well this works.
4-Build an emergency fund 3-6 months expenses in a money market savings. Some alternative good rates with ING.
5-Invest in mutual funds safe if research has been done.
6-Give back really should be a part during the whole process. Example anyone can give there change to the help kids foundation at Tom Thumb for example.
This can be done by meeting a first time customer at Starbucks. Listening and then getting them started. The next individual consultation there would be a fee for an hour and half. Start doing seminars for $ per person per 1/2 day seminar. This is thinking out loud. I thought I would give it a whirl because it is something that interests me and I have a passion for teaching and helping. This has within a short period of time become so simple for to understand. So Keep it Simple Stupid.
Comment by Ryan -
@J.Sports Trading Idea…There was a very similar idea a while back. It is / was called the Hollywood Stock Exchange. Same concept only buying / selling Movies, actors, etc… http://www.hsx.com
People might be willing to participate more if it dealt with sports because sports are a better topic than movies.
Comment by Mike -
Great Idea Mark, this will make people really think about the capital they actually need and many will realize they don’t need an investor once they cut back where ever possible, also too many people do not follow through with their idea for fear that someone will steal it and this corrects that issue along with many others.
You are providing a great service and schooling here.
Comment by Daniel Cimera -
Here are 2 ideas up for open source grabs. I’ve enjoyed reading the blog and would like to contribute – maybe this falls in line with someone else’s expertise or resources who could make either follow Mark’s rules and turn it into something / or just run with it in general . . . I’ll be your first customer.
1. A gun that has a fingerprint reader for a safety (only the programmed fingerprint could release the safety and fire the gun)- this solves a big safety issue for guns at home and if good enough may cut down on theft.
2. I live in Dallas, I like to vacation in Destin Fl, but don’t like driving or flying there with all the gear, wear and tear of driving, etc. Someone at Greyhound could get smart and create a super nice bus with capacity for half as many people at twice the price (and none of the funk)-think train ride experience vs bus ride; a separate car hauler rig could follow carrying the rider’s cars so once you arrive, your car is right there coming off the trailer. You could run it on the weekends, set a drop-off/pick-up point and carry people/cars coming and going on a red-eye type schedule. . . probably even get a “goin’ green” grant from the gov. for saving gas. (Just used the Dallas to Destin as an example, could go between many destinations based on demand.)
Comment by Max T. -
Mark –
Love the concept. But you and I know that you’ll ultimately be making your decision on more than just how they stack up against your 13 outlined variables.
But I’m curious. Do you treat picking new ventures like you do drafting a new player for the Mavs? Outside of your 13, how do you make your process of choosing “less gut” and “more guided”? Do your scouts and player personnel use a similar set of criteria? 1) Team Player; 2) Can Create Their Own Shot; 3) Big Heart; 4) Inside/Outside Game; 5) Handle; 6) Hops; 7) Impressive BBall IQ, etc.
When it comes down to it, forward-thinking investors like yourself are not only looking for the next Dirk, they’re also making sure they’re able to avoid picking the next Nikoloz Skitisvili.
I run a boutique private equity advisory firm in Oakland and we’re on a mission to make the process for fostering entrepreneurial innovation much more efficient. For us, that begins by being more transparent with entrepreneurs and giving them visibility into the criteria that investors are actually using to evaluate their concept/business.
We just wrote some constructive prose on this very topic to help entrepreneurs and investors, called Breaking Through The Broken: The Transparent Guide To Overcoming The Inefficiencies In Early Stage Venture Capital. We even put in a Kwame Brown/NBA Draft reference to illustrate a point on in-depth due diligence. Anyway, I believe the content is right up your alley.
http://www.slideshare.net/NorthVenturePartners/breaking-through-the-broken-the-transparent-guide-to-overcoming-the-inefficiencies-in-early-stage-venture-capital-presentation
Looking forward to following your little experiment. Seeing if you can indeed find the next Dirk.
Cheers,
David Brody
North Venture Partners
http://www.dontgosouth.com
Comment by strategyman -
Think this is a great idea. Will submit soon.
Comment by V Smith -
Mark,
I would love to participate in this, but rule #8 is a problem given the nature my project. My project is an answer to a question you posted on your blog many months ago about the entertainment industry, where you offered a job to anyone who could answer your question. I think I have one possible answer.
Instead of asking you for funding, I’m sort of trying to ask you for your opinion. There is a reason I’m asking you as opposed to anyone I know working in the entertainment industry, but that’s all I can really say. Rather than a full business plan, I want you to read a paragraph or two and tell me what you think.
Please let me know how I can do this. Thanks.
Comment by Aaron -
Solving America’s obesity and heart disease problem through low-cost bison meat.
Bison meat is always grass-fed and heart-healthly. Bison are inexpensive to acquire – and/or option.
My proposal is to fund groundbreaking medical research on the health benefits of eating bison meat, while at the same time buying or optioning the near-term sales of bison meat from existing sources.
Longer term, I believe that funding a human clinical trial will substantiate how regular consumption of bison meat may reduce obesity and heart attacks among high-risk individuals. Publishing the results of this proposed study in a prestigious medical journal is likely to spark a worldwide increase in consumer demand for bison meat.
Why Bison?
America’s addiction to low-fat processed diets has led to over consumption of sugar and carbohydrates – which have led to obesity and heart disease. While expensive medications like Lipitor may reduce the risk of heart disease, the trends towards “slow-foods” and dietary nutrition have fomented interest in restoring health through non-pharmaceutical methods.
My own case is instructive here: despite my strict exercise regimen and vegan diet, my elevated blood cholesterol profile never improved much until eight months ago when I added lean bison meat and eliminated all grains and sugars from my diet. My level of HDLs – good cholesterol skyrocketed to 84 from the male average of 45. A world-famous cholesterol researcher who has followed my case for a decade, was more than a little impressed by my unusual methods and results.
My Dr. is convinced that the startling results of my diet may help many millions of individuals prevent heart disease, especially individuals like me who suffer from familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Approximately 1 in 500 individuals worldwide share my genetic issue, which translates into approximately 600,000 Americans – and millions more internationally. While I am not a medical researcher, my personal goal is to help others like me avoid early death through improved understanding of diet and exercise while making money on a boom in bison.
The Proposed Study
It is commonly accepted that people at high risk of cardiovascular disease should be treated more aggressively. By aggressively, it means that low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentrations should be lowered to less than 70 mg/dl. While this low LDL goal may be achievable for many individuals, individuals suffering from FH are not often able to achieve these LDL levels even with high doses of statins, like Lipitor. Also, younger and athletically active FH individuals, like me, rarely tolerate statin treatment because of muscular problems and other side effects to brain function.
High levels of exercise combined with consuming an ancestral hunter-gatherer diet including the regular consumption of bison meat may provide another path to controlling the risk of cardiovascular disease in FH individuals who cannot tolerate statins – or receive no benefit from statins due to their uncommonly high levels of LDL.
According to my Doctor’s experience on similar research, a well-respected research study will probably require at least $450,000 and about a year to do a decent study that could be published in a influential medical journal. Once published, demand in bison meat will boom.
Comment by Jon Carey -
Hello Mark! I’m Brandon, 25, and live in Austin. The company Im proud to be part of opened its doors in Dallas November 2005 and moved to Austin in October. We receive nothing but positive comments about our product and truly are the only company who offers such a product. Check it out and you will have one ordered before the week is over, I promise.
http://oasisfire.com/gallery/firetables/index.html
Comment by Brandon Campbell -
Mark,
Our team has completely bootstrapped an online backup service (www.backblaze.com) for two years and have won tremendous acclaim (from TechCrunch, Ars Technica, Cnet, US News, TUAW, and others) and were selected as one of the 14 best private companies globally by AlwaysOn.
We provide an unlimited online backup service for consumers and small business for just $5 per month per computer. Backblaze is easier on the front-end (installation/configuration) and more efficient on the backend (cloud storage that we have developed significant IP around.)
We are starting to look for financing options as our customer base is growing quickly, but we pay for equipment upfront and get paid via subscription ongoing. We are open to structuring this as a loan where we pay interest and principal or an investment. Our team members have been principals in three previous successful startups acquired by Excite@Home, SonicWall, and Thomson Corporation.
Would love to chat with you about the opportunity.
Thanks,
Gleb
Comment by Gleb Budman -
Hello Mark,
We have developed a new software application targeting Law Enforcement and Government agencies. Having a software history, we believe you will understand and see the potential as we did. This is NOT vaporware; we are personally vested and built the application after receiving numerous requests within our target venue as well as an established customer base.
• Our software applications targets specifically three segments of law enforcement and government agencies.
• We did solid primary and secondary market research and discovered an extremely high demand for the software. This product did not exist in a single application that allowed the end user to segregate all data and assets in one single repository. We built the first.
• We previewed our beta version at a major law enforcement conference on the East coast last fall. There was tremendous enthusiasm and demand.
• The application is browser-based; the database is MySQL, configured for XP pro, Server 2003 and 2008. We will have a Linux platform ready within the next 30 days.
• The application will support unlimited end-users without loss of performance.
• The first of our three applications is complete and ready to launch. Our database will support the other two applications and they will follow within 120 – 160 days.
• We have commitments from two large enterprise State Agencies for installation and purchase when our product is released. We have others waiting. We have established application trainers ready to come on board.
• We have a strong collaborative alliance with a 20 year established company that produces complimentary software products for the same three venues as ours. Our alliance allows us to utilize their customer base of over 9,000 agencies, with mutual commitments for co-marketing each of our products. We will create a package that will separate us from any competition.
• We are personally vested in the cost of the database architecture and development. We are a private partnership of two and the company is nearly debt free.
• We have the support personnel waiting to join our team to create the infrastructure needed to train, evaluate networks, do installations, establish the technical support needed, and administer company operations.
• Over the second 30 – 45 days we will be able to generate substantial sales from the prospects that are waiting for our release.
• We are Dallas based. Our principals have more than 20 years experience in law enforcement and judicial related venues, and a combined 50 years of marketing and administration within fortune 500 and start-up companies.
• We are seeking $150 – $200,000 to hire the needed personnel, establish the environment and equipment infrastructure to support our end-user training and technical needs, network IT support, establish our distributorships, and conduct company operations. We had an earlier commitment for $160k but it fell through due to a tightening of the current financial markets. That individual is available to cooberate what I have said.
• We have a 4 year P & L prepared.
• We believe we will be profitable within 90 days of full operation. A conservative forecast is $1.2 – $1.5 million first year sales with a 45% cost to sales ratio.
• We are prepared to payback the investment in a timely manner with reasonable interest, plus offer an equity position in the company.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Comment by V. Smith & B. Miller -
Mark, is this plan open to business projects outside USA. Thanks
Pedro Baquero
Toronto, Canada.
Comment by Pedro Baquero -
Mark,
Our Company, Spira Footwear is a shoe company premised upon a revolutionary technology called WaveSpring Technology. The technology is patented.
There are significant benefits associated with our technology over traditional footwear and technologies. Our company is profitable and growing rapidly. We need additional working capital to take advantage of what we believe are extraordinary opportunities.
There is a significant amount of information on website, http://www.spirafootwear.com. I will be pleased to share additional information if there is interest.
Best regards,
Andy Krafsur
CEO
Spira Footwear
Comment by Andy Krafsur -
Mr Cuban:
I have a business proposal that will make money and spur the economy through small business growth.
Business Opportunity:
Commercial Real Estate valuation is both costly and time consuming. With over 650k commercial properties that are for sale or lease, it’s often difficult for commercial developers to identify property that is of high value for development. Because of this, many properties are not developed to their full value potential.
Maximizing the value of commercial property benefits property owners, developers and business owners. Commercial development also contributes to the community by providing residents with services/products. Maximizing commercial development valuation leads to efficient commercial development, creating small business ownership opportunities and job growth.
What does it mean to mean to maximize commercial development valuation? A commercial property is worth differently depending on its location to other related business, traffic, population density, etc. Population demographics can also impact a commercial properties value. Example: Movie Theater – more valuable in area with lots of families and traffic. Less valuable within close proximity to another theater.
Solution: A website that calculates the value of commercial property for sale/lease. It also uses statistical analysis to determine the best use of that property (movie theater, car wash, restaurant, ect). Revenue can come from a monthly fee.
Requirements to make this possible:
web developer + statistician + access to commercial real estate listing.
Downside: I think this would really work with help from a major commercial developer. Without a buy-in from a major player, it would be hard to establish credibility.
Comment by Jay D -
If I leave an idea on here and Mark doesn’t like it, but somebody else does, steals it and makes a billion off of it, what’s in it for me? I understand your rule #14, but I have two ideas(more entertainment based) that I don’t want to be public knowledge. Can I contact you about those? HDNet would be a great venue for one of them.
Comment by Matt -
(i left out a couple of details so i am re-submitting)
Mark,
I would like to open a store that sells products to help people live “green”. Consider it a department/home-improvement store that is full of cool products and devices to help the average person live a more sustainable lifestyle.
For example, you could find all types and sizes of high-efficiency lights and appliances, backyard composting, “green” building materials, solar power gadgets, etc.
This is NOT a just a store that sells products made from “green”, organic or sustainable sources, it is a store that sells products to help you change the way you live.
As the store becomes profitable, the brand would be expanded to other cities.
I am putting together a more detailed business plan but the required capital would go towards initial inventory and business start-up (set-up, marketing, fixtures, etc). I estimate $400k over the first 90 days to start the store.
You would contribute most the capital and would receive 60% of the business. I would contribute the sweat equity and all the capital I have (which means I would be completely invested in the business) and for that I would receive the other 40%.
Comment by Marshall Turner -
This is my 15th posting attempt. Is there a word limit?
Comment by Angela Meek -
Mark,
I would like to open a store that sells products to help people live “green”. Consider it a department/home-improvement store that is full of cool products and devices to help the average person live a more sustainable lifestyle.
For example, you could find all types and sizes of high-efficiency lights and appliances, backyard composting, “green” building materials, solar power gadgets, etc.
This is NOT a just a store that sells products made from “green”, organic or sustainable sources, it is a store that sells products to help you change the way you live.
As the store becomes profitable, the brand would be expanded to other cities.
I am putting together a more detailed business plan but the required capital would be for initial inventory and business start-up (deposits, marketing, fixtures, etc). I estimate $400k over the first 90 days to start the store.
Comment by Marshall Turner -
Mark,
I own a currently profitable eCommerce site call http://www.EzGoBag.com. We offer Emergency Preparedness kits and related supplies. Rather than operate by heavy handed scare tactics, we endeavor to treat the items as simply as first aid kits.
While we have shown profitability since our second month, we are looking to increase sales to where this company could support ourselves and perhaps be able to hire. To that end we are in need of advertising capital which we would use to hire a PR person/firm in order to branch out from our basic Google based ad campaigns. In addition, I would like to bring our product line to select retailers. We have found that this is an under-represented product.
This business could surely be replicated, and in fact I would like to entertain the idea of selling “franchises” to people who would like to develop this type of business.
For those who are afraid to post their ideas/companies here, I say:
I have laid it out, if you can steal it and make a living from it go ahead. If you do and want to approach me as a supplier, great, if not, good luck to you.
The hardest part of business is not having the idea, but the execution.
I will be posting a comprehensive plan and proposal here as well.
Good luck to everyone.
Comment by Ian -
NBA idea.
Whats one thing every NBA fan focuses on other than the game at an NBA game? The players’ tattoos. Publishing a book of NBA players tattoos with reasons as to why they got them done. You heard all the fuss over all star weekend concenring Iversons hair, imagine over his myriad tattoos. As a fan, I would buy that book for sure. Do you know any NBA owners who could help me with this start up Mark haha?
Comment by William -
I’ve posted a venture plan on scribd. The link is http://www.scribd.com/doc/12548346/Ducks-Poker-Room-Venture-Plan. I recommend downloading it in .Docx form in order to maintain the formatting and graphs, but the information is essentially the same regardless.
It is a charity poker room to operate in Mid-Michigan. We will help non-profits obrain a charitable gaming a license, assist in the planing and promotion of their event, guide them through the regulations and processes necessary to hold a Texas Hold ‘Em fundraiser, provide professional equipment and a unique location,
and connect the non-profit organization with experienced, trained dealers that can maximize profits. We charge charities 50% of the revenue they earn during the event.
By providing a consistent location and a professional experience, we can operate profitably while also benefitting non-profits in one of the most economically depressed regions in the nation.
Comment by Steve Cronk -
I realize that in my previous posting I’d broken rule 12, as I’m more interested in your feedback than your money at this point. So I’m going to re-present my plan with the lowest-risk, best return deal that anyone has presented so far. Very few venture capitalists hit the 100x ROI mark, but this is your chance. Read to the bottom for the deal.
The business:
Big Blue Saw http://bigbluesaw.com
The pitch:
Big Blue Saw, in existence for more than two years, allows customers to design and create custom metal and plastic parts. You can use our online tools to design your part, get a quote, order, and have the part delivered to you.
Our customers use the parts they create with Big Blue Saw in robots, custom choppers, lighting fixtures, and much more.
The future:
We are expanding our marketing activities to get the word out about our services. Many of our potential customers don’t know that what we’re doing is even possible.
We will add new machines to increase the types of parts that we can create, offering our customers more choices and flexibility.
We are steadily improving the customer experience on our website, making it even easier to order.
Finally, we are considering adding an online marketplace, so that we can help our customers can sell the parts they design.
The competition:
Ponoko, eMachineshop, and, to a lesser extent, local machine shops that do not have an e-commerce presence.
The bottom line:
We currently have a core set of customers including engineers, artists, experimenters, and builders of all kinds. Sales increased 50% in 2008 vs. 2007. Big Blue Saw is cash flow positive and profitable, and has been from early on.
The deal:
In exchange for an investment of $10 (to be placed in our marketing budget), you will receive a check dated September 9, 2009 for $1000. Yes, this is your chance for a 100 bagger. This is no joke, you can see the check here:
http://www.bigbluesaw.com/saw/images/stories/stimulusrepayment.jpg
As a sweetener, you will receive a 1% equity stake in Big Blue Saw.
Finally, we will make for you a stainless steel Dallas Mavericks (or logo of your choice) desk accessory, of a similar material and quality to the part seen here:
http://www.bigbluesaw.com/saw/big-blue-saw/big-blue-saw-info/waterjet-cut-stainless-steel.html
Comment by Simon Arthur -
-MC-
Internet Based Company
Joe and Bob are @ work discussing sports either at lunch or actually during work. They talk about what teams or playes are doing well. They make bets or predictions on who will do well and who won’t.
Create a market where they can use real capital in real time to do just this.
Fantasetrade.com
Instead of just playing fantasy football, baseball, basketball etc… create an online market for these people.
Buy or Sell Players, teams as ETF of sorts, sell short fading dynasties, Buy IPO’s (on draft day)
Users will have accounts just like e-trade with up to date statistics, analysis, and a call in center etc.
Start up will mainly be costs for servers, and web construction.
ESPN or Yahoo acquisition = $$$
Only flaws – SEC (which I already have an attorney looking into)
– Player Unions (unless #’s are used instead of names)
– Team Ownership
You might hate this idea because you’re in an ownership position but it could work
+ How many guys wouldn’t be all over making money on this?
+ The introduction of minor leagues (not NCAA)
+ Users with highest rates of return are awarded Big Cash Prizes
If you had an inital start up and then “launched” the site on a specific date, you’re costs would be covered the first day by user membership fees alone. Also you could place fees on transactions at .99c just like Itunes
Comment by J -
At 1,400 comments, it seems that my formula is holding true:
1) Negative/Positive comment about the process (40%)
2) Pie-in-the-sky dreams that are not even real businesses (30%)
3) Illegal/Unethical (15%)
4) Afraid to post their “wonderful” concept (10%)
5) Legitimate business (4.5%)
6) Legitimate business worth investing in (.5%)
I think this open forum keeps everyone honest. Mark, I will post my plan in a few days. Just finalizing some numbers from contract manufacturers.
Comment by econ365 -
@Andrew: Why not create the texting-dispatch infrastructure and monetize it by leasing the technology to existing car service/cab companies? Assumption: competing as a start-up in the existing NYC car service/taxi service world is daunting; as is acquiring/maintaining the base & car licenses through the Taxi & Limousine Commission.
Comment by Terence -
@Andrew Julia
This is very popular in Singapore and other Asian countries and very effective. You will have figure out the logistics of the text congestion and there is no reason why this cannot work on major metros.
Take care.
Comment by TK -
1. It can be an existing business or a start up. – Start up
2. It can not be a business that generates any revenue from advertising. Why ? Because I want this to be a business where you sell something and get paid for it. Thats the only way to get and stay profitable in such a short period of time. – Check
3. It MUST BE CASH FLOW BREAK EVEN within 60 days – in the plan
4. It must be profitable within 90 days. – in the plan
5. Funding will be on a monthly basis. If you dont make your numbers, the funding stops – Check
6. You must demonstrate as part of your plan that you sell your product or service for more than what it costs you to produce, fully encumbered – Check
7. Everyone must work. The organization is completely flat. There are no employees reporting to managers. There is the founder/owners and everyone else – Absolutely
8. You must post your business plan here, or you can post it on slideshare.com , scribd.com or google docs, all completely public for anyone to see and/or download – Sure
9. I make no promises that if your business is profitable, that I will invest more money. Once you get the initial funding you are on your own – Check
10. I will make no promises that I will be available to offer help. If I want to , I will. If not, I wont. – Check
11. If you do get money, it goes into a bank that I specify, and I have the ability to watch the funds flow and the opportunity to require that I cosign any outflows. – Check, makes sense
12. In your business plan , make sure to specify how much equity I will receive or how I will get a return on my money. – Check
13. No mult-level marketing programs – Check
And one new rule.
14. If you contact me separately, whether via email or the contact form on the blog, your request WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED. It must be posted on this blog for all to see and comment on. – Check
I started a fair trade retail business for a church which has proved very successful. Sales covered all expenses and within the first year we became a destination point with shoppers coming from near and far (some from 50 miles away). The fair trade industry in the USA grew 47% in 2007, up from 37% growth in 2005. Even with the economic stab in the retail business for 2008, the one and only home decor fair trade franchise in the United States (Ten Thousand Villages) showed an 8.2% increase in sales.
My year’s experience of starting up a new store and growing it to profitability has positioned me to open up my own fair trade retail store with the plan of developing into a fair trade franchise. The start-up plan calls for $200,000 for inventory, site improvements and general start-up costs. I have found a location that has great foot-traffic. It is a middle to upper middle class demographic with a higher-than-average number of residents having college and post-graduate degrees. These factors contribute to a successful fair trade location.
Please let me know of your interest and in what format you would like to view the full plan.
Comment by Lynn Smith -
“If you want jump start economy, that’s the way to do it.”
By the way, here’s another innovative solution from one of the top historians today. Not only that, but Niall Ferguson is a “financial historian”. He recommends that we cancel thee debt.
Niall Ferguson: America Needs to Cancel Its Debt
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/politics/2009/01/niall-ferguson-america-needs-to-cancel-its-debt.html
Comment by Guerrilla Billionaire™ -
Can we know what are the 12 business plans that were considered? That would be interesting to read. Thanks
Comment by Dragos -
This is a very interesting idea and I can’t wait to see the results. Keep it updated. What kind of submits have you seen already by the way?
Comment by Steve L. -
Why no multi-level marketing?
Comment by eric -
THE CONCEPT:
Open a retail experience where customers have the ability to make and sell their own custom designed T-shirts. You can either make your own design, buy designs created by others, or sit with an artist to help with the design process. Imagine a “Featured” section where the months top 10 shirts will be displayed.
THE MONEY:
The cost of making t-shirts is minimal. Consultants would be available for people that want to make their own clothing line. Opportunities would be available for new artist to launch their t-shirt lines. Ownership of each company that is created in this retail experience is negotiable.
COSTS:
T-shirt printing equipment. T-shirts. Advertising. Real Estate? Web site? Artists.
This project is scalable.
This project can exist entirely virtually.
This project opens the door for anyone to be the next, “Ed Hardy” or “Marc Ecko”
Mr. Cuban will receive 25% equity in this company.
P.S. What a great idea!
Comment by Shelby Erickson -
I would like to see someone use an quasi open-source style website to let high school coaches/athletes get exposure to college coaches. This would be very beneficial to the 2nd tier and lower athletes and those that compete in sports with less exposure. High school coaches can upload video and stats regularly and college coaches would easily be able to sort through stats, player attributes, then easily watch some video that has been posted.
Access can be sold to either end user and could get further support from advertisers. I would actually prefer this be a non-profit or NCAA run entity, but clearly the NCAA is behind the ball on a lot of things.
I do not have the expertise for this, so I am just throwing it out there for the masses.
Comment by Lucas -
Hello Mark,
I just wanted to say thanks for creating such an awesome opportunity for people to do well in these tough times. Its great to see a person who has achieved great financial wealth be so humble, and down to earth. My idea for a business wasn’t posted before because I feel it is mainly “sweat equity” oriented, rather than investment capital oriented.
Anyway, best of luck on the businesses that you did decide to invest in.
Cheers,
Vincent
Comment by Vincent Decerto -
So, in reality, you have changed the playing field rather significantly. You are, in fact, not really doing VC/seed capital but, rather, providing investment capital to expand existing, profitable businesses. You are filling the gap left by the withdrawal of credit. It is less a stimulus than previously indicated – as your initial impetus was to create open source businesses that could be started throughout the country now you are saying you only want to further businesses already running in one place. Not the end of the world but worth noting Mark!
Comment by Noah -
In the spirit of open source, shouldn’t you post details on the companies and ideas you have evaluated and will fund, including levels of funding?
Comment by Ross C. Taylor -
Adding to the cab idea, how about an iPhone/mobile application that uses GPS to determine location and send that information to the cab companies? The application could have user data already entered, so when intoxicated, the user would just have to press a button.
To the previous posters, what are your thoughts?
Comment by JP Richardson -
I have an idea for a website called Money connection. Money Connection is a social networking site that allows the user to connect with other individuals in a system that allows you to trade or barter points with each other. Points can be purchased with dollars. When points are uploaded onto your account you can make a money connection. To open an account is free of charge, However In order to make a money connection in the beginning, You must purchase 2 points.(points are a dollar each)
From there on out, members can purchase as low as 1 point. You can view other profiles when you first sign up with the option of not uploading points. You can also trade points for services or items.(music, cars, radios, etc.,)
The concept of Money Connection is to create cash flow through a point system by converting dollars into points. all transactions will be made through the point system. Once the user wishes to convert there points into dollars, they will have the option to cash out and receive cash. All transactions 6 dollars and over will have a 1 dollar surcharge. 5 dollars and under,surchages do not apply.
The point system will act as a central banking system for the users and the surchages will be compensation for money connection. People can make transactions through a number of portals, Casual Conversation, Our online retail mall, Business, etc.
Vendors will be able to set-up a store in the Online retail mall section were the advertising is always free.Customers will be able to pay for merchandise with the points they have uploaded in there accounts.
Network with individuals on the casual conversation
section. Shake a virtual hand and meet a friend and exchange points with your social network. The more friends you have,the more points you can accumulate by networking with your peers.
I am willing to give the investor the majority stake in profits due to the fact that it is a risk investment.(risk capital)Or I can sell the rights upright for a set price and act as an advisor,or you can have your on team assembled to start the website.
Comment by Rod Jones -
Wow, so many people have posted. I had a thought about how to store all these blog posts of business ideas, keeping them useful and giving some ownership to their creators. Its a Mark Cuban Stimulus plan 2.0 – as it can be a channel for other Mark Cuban’s to get involved and is even more open (WOW).
So here’s my / your idea, which I’ve borrowed, souped up and regurgitated:
PetitePeche and Mark Cuban’s business:
Make this idea of Mark’s, into a bigger web hub linking edgy entrepreneurs with venture capitalists looking for interesting AND robust ideas to invest in / support.
Highlighting the ‘open’ aspect, entrepreneurs submit their ideas via collective commons license into a well categorised – tagged – easily useable database, so that they can be improved upon, until they’re totally excellent – thus be more likely to get funding.
Plus the site itself is semi open source so that it can be made more useable by its users – they can improve the databasing, user interface, etc…
Profit would come either via one of two models:
1. website admin charge, or membership fee, whereby the venture capitalists get their admin done (saves time and effort) and the entrepreneurs get the funding they’re after.
or
2. project takes small (like 5%) cut of project profits that proceed having evolved via the site, by becoming attached to the creative commons license of the ideas in the ideas bank. (Hmm I think I just invented a new component business model for the CC economy).
To illustrate:
As an entrepreneur, I can take another idea that has been posted on the site, improve on it, and if I make money out of it then its creator gets (after the agreed investment cut and website admin costs) a % of profits (which would maybe be standardised at a fixed 50:50 for every new iteration of the concept – erm maybe). Or it may go back into the ideas bank, someone else may improve on it then we all get a % if it ever comes to fruition. Maybe I got investment from the site, maybe not – the site still gets a % cut of any project that uses a creative commons license that has been through the site, as it becomes part of the collaborative process.
As an investor, I get to do pretty much whatever I want. I can pick and choose amongst projects and invest in a fairly traditional way. I can invest in the development of ideas and concepts that then go into the ideas bank seeking further funding. Or I can just put money into a pot, the recipient of which, the user community gets to choose (using the wisdom of crowds to my advantage) and I get a cut of that.
Hope you like your new & improved idea
Peche
Comment by petitepeche -
Mark,
How long are you going to run this project – is it going to run indefinately meaning you will always look for companies that are looking to become profitable or will you end this when the economy picks up, or sooner?
I don’t have a dog in the fight, but I think it is a good thing to have individuals invest in businesses rather than government.
Comment by Jimbob -
I like idea above about texting for a cab. Its very creative and very very profitable. My only problem with it is trying to text after drinking is always an adventure. Its to bad Mark doesn’t open up to advertising type companies. I run an online advertising company catering to PPC clients in multiple vertical searches. A cash in fusion could really take the company to the next level. Regardless, Mark you are doing a good thing with your stimulus plan. According to some smart guy at Harvard if they gave the money to the tax payer, everyone of us would get between 15-20k. If you want jump start economy, that’s the way to do it.
Comment by Position Clicks -
An idea that I have for the Brooklyn, New York area as well as the city. I am sure on your trips to MSG that you noticed the high demand for taxis. I was thinking about starting up my own car service business but here is my main selling point. Instead of the usual call for a car or just going outside and flagging down a taxi, I will offer a Texting feature where people will be able to text the car service number with their location and where they want to go and what time they want to be picked up(of course we will also have the normal phone to receive calls like an ordinary car service). After a text is sent, a confirmation text will be sent back to the number stating the Confirmation #, Time of pickup and price with the option to Confirm Y/N?
In response the person will text back a Y or N to confirm the car service order and then I will have a car sent to that location. My main target is people going to bars, clubs, and other events where talking on a phone is restricted or sometimes even impossible. I will advertise by handing out flyers by surrounding clubs and bars on “packed” nights to spread the word of the service.
My business plan for the car service is to get atleast 5-10 operating vehicles for the service, a small station for the car service where phone calls can be answered and text/online car service orders can be responded to. I would also need to pay for licensing in New York and any other fees that apply to the service. This business will be profitable in 2 months since the service is in very high demand.
I am currently an accountant in New York and if given the opportunity to run my own business, I would jump higher than Nate Robinson to reach my goals.
Please let me know what you think. Thanks once again.
Comment by Andrew Julia -