Journalism and entrepreneurship are not two things that you generally put together but this class has taught us how those two can co-exist. But this class has taught us more than just the business side of media. Working on our very own startups was an extremely valuable project that has completely changed the way I… Continue reading Journalism and entrepreneurship can go hand in hand

This class has given us a lot of experience researching data and considering sides of business that people on the outside looking in would never consider. But another important aspect of the startup business process is the ability to give a great presentation, which we have practiced a few times throughout this semester. The presentation… Continue reading Less is more when it comes to business pitches

Our class gathered outside of Bailey Greenhouse last week on a beautiful day. We all anxiously awaited who we would meet next. We were greeted by Laurie Thorp, the program director of the Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment (RISE) at Michigan State University. Thorp has helped Michigan State start its first student-run… Continue reading Bailey Tea Project looks to expand on early return

This past Friday our class got to visit Detroit and some of its small business owners, along with a couple of very impressive city officials. We left the friendly confines of East Lansing early in the morning, piled into our small Michigan State-themed bus, eagerly awaiting what was in store for us. When we arrived… Continue reading Motor City entrepreneurs show great drive

Last week we had another great guest speaker bless us with her virtual presence. The class gathered together as we spoke with freelance digital content producer and former CNN producer Abigail Bassett via Skype. Bassett now works on projects mainly involving cars, real estate, luxury and technology. It’s a pretty lavish way to make a… Continue reading Abigail Bassett is one ‘bad b*tch’

Most people that are in the process of getting a startup off the ground know that getting a minimum viable product out as fast as possible is a big contributing factor in becoming a successful startup. If you have done even a slight amount of research you know this is a common approach. But the… Continue reading MVPs are all about trial and error

Defining a target market is a must for all start-ups that want to become more than a start-up, a fixture if you will. Some start-ups may have the strategy of saying anyone interested in our product is welcome. While that is a fine attitude to have in terms of clients or audience, it is a lazy… Continue reading A Narrow Target Market is a Good Target Market