Thursday, November 01, 2007

Rick Ross Charities Inc. Partners with NFL San Francisco 49er Pro-Bowler, Running Back, Frank Gore and 21st Century Hustle Magazine to Launch Pre-IPO

Muhammad Ross

Venture Philanthropy Paves the Way for Community Development

October 29, 2007 (Miami, FL) For the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, Rick Ross Charities Inc., will distribute dozens of turkeys to families in the Miami community who are in need. This will take place Saturday, November 17, 2007 in Miami Gardens, Florida at the new franchise Hip Hop Grub Spot.™

Rick Ross Charities Inc. takes on urban community development through venture capital and is aiming to set an example for others to follow suit. By giving back to his community with concrete objectives, he is setting a standard. With the success of the 1st Annual Rick Ross Be Out Day this past August, it was confirmation that the organization is blazing that path to initiate change in the community.

"We believe the best way to stop the violence, crime, and broken homes in the community are through creating jobs, university economic partnerships with urban youth entrepreneurs, and sound business opportunities for investors through Hip Hop," says Rick Ross, Platinum selling rapper from Miami [Slip N' Slide/Def Jam Recordings].

Denise Fonseca Gomes, CEO of HBCUEntrepreneurs.com Inc. and the co-creator of "Hip Hop Grub Spot" states, "Venture capital is missing in Hip Hop right now. What you find in Hip Hop is a strategy to create artists [rappers] as brands, then approach major corporations to use these brands to market products and services for product placement opportunities. We are offering venture philanthropy as an alternative to this industry practice as a more profitable long-term solution." Gomes goes on to say, "The Hip Hop industry will allow you to believe that Hip Hop consumers just buy music to dance to. [Hustlin'] showed it was bigger than music. Many in the global Hip Hop community supported Rick Ross because they wanted to see how spending $20 on an album or $.99 for a ringtone or download changes urban society-- they can see that with Hip Hop Grub Spot™ and Rick Ross Charities Inc."

Hip Hop Grub Spot™ is a Hip Hop themed, healthy fast-food establishment which incorporates, young executive/entrepreneur training, in-store video gaming with support by Hip Hop artists and professional athletes. It will also retail magazines, dvds, mix-tapes and apparel; while serving fast, fresh, healthy grilled meats, vegetables, smoothies, and energy drinks created for the franchise by PepsiCo and Sysco Foods. The menu items also incorporate the names and likeness of some of today's hottest hip hop acts. The flagship location will be located in Miami Gardens, Florida and is open to sell 100 locations in three months.

NFL Running Back, San Francisco 49er and Pro-Bowler Frank Gore states, "I bought Rick Ross' album in 2006 because I identified with "Everyday I'm Hustlin" and I wanted to support an urban entrepreneur from Miami that went through the same struggle I did as a young black male from the inner-city. I knew that once Rick Ross made it, he would be in a position to help others. I am also in the process of starting a foundation to make it possible for urban youth entrepreneurs to attain the, "American Dream" of homeownership, college education, and owning your own business."
Ali Muhammad, Founder of 21st Century Hustle and former Vibe Magazine Executive adds, "There has always been a segment of hip hop culture that firmly identifies with the fundamental principles of the American Dream, and is not afraid to live accordingly. Rick Ross belongs to that group that embodies the spirit of capitalism and philanthropy."

Rick Ross Charities, Inc is currently accepting donations to further its cause as well as corporate sponsorship alliances. For more information, on both Rick Ross Charities, Inc and Hip Hop Grub Spot™, please contact Melissa Sessoms at sessomspr@gmail.com or (305) 772-6825.

Friday, October 19, 2007

New World Order pt3.5:

When we talked about netflix dooming movie gallery video stores the other day we posed the question was Blockbuster next. However, uner further inspection Blockbuster has launched its own version of online video rentals and is actually shaking netflix up!!

from inc.com
When it launched in 1998, Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) threatened to make the video store obsolete. Boasting quick turnaround and no late fees, the DVD-rental-by-mail company, which is based in Los Gatos, California, zoomed to nearly a billion dollars in revenue. Now, however, the company finds itself losing market share to a resurgent Blockbuster (NYSE:BBI), which began offering a cheaper DVD-by-mail service last year--one that also lets users pick up new DVDs at any of the company's 5,000 stores. In a bid to keep up, Netflix matched Blockbuster's lower pricing this summer, only to see its stock price drop. Can the onetime matinee idol find its way back into the limelight? We asked some entrepreneurs what they would do if they ran Netflix. read the responses

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Mr.Untouchable



"These guys could've been on the Fortune 500 list..There's a CEO, and a President, CFO, and a COO...There was something that was professional being done."

"What I call Sidewalk Executives"

New World Order pt 3:Death By NetFlix


Movie Gallery, the second-biggest video rental chain after Blockbuster, said yesterday that it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in an effort to cut debt and reorganize.

Is Blockbuster next? Do we need the Video Store anymore? Remember VHS ?

The Donald Kicks Ass(Again)



In promoting his new book "Think Big and Kick Ass in Business and Life" The Donald is to the Learning Annex, what Diddy is to club promoters! Big Money at the door! Except The Learning Annex is giving "some" of it back(sorta)

From the NyTimes


Several hundred people have gathered outside the Barnes & Noble on the southeast corner of Fifth Avenue and 46th Street for a book signing by the real estate developer Donald Trump. The line extended outside the store and down Fifth Avenue and around the corner onto 46th Street. But it wasn’t clear if they were truly fans of Mr. Trump’s writing or responding to a large ad in Metro New York today, which proclaimed, “Donald Trump Is Giving Away Money.” Well, in fact, it was not Mr. Trump giving away the money, but rather the Learning Annex, the continuing education company where he teaches large “wealth expos.”

The Learning Annex gave each of the first 100 people in line a $100 bill. According to the ad, the next 200 people were to get $50 each and the next 1,000 people were to get $10 each, for a grand total of $30,000 given away. (Here’s a tip of the hat to the Media Mob for taking note of this.) However, as this post will explain, in reality less than half of that money (all the $100 bills but only some of the $50 and $10 bills) was actually distributed....


...Bill Zanker, president and founder of the Learning Annex, said he decided to hand out money at the event in hopes it could inspire people.

“Donald changed my life [READ: MADE ME A WHOOOLE LOTTA $$$]and I try to change other people’s lives,” he said.[READ: COME TO MY "WEALTH EXPO" AND MAKE ME A WHOOOLE LOT MORE!]

He said he handed out $100 bills to the first 100, $50 to the next 100 and $10 to the next. “It was fun,” he said. “People were so happy.”

JD's Big Week

Jermaine Dupri is on a major push right now to get those much deserved props, with an Autobiography in stores, and a AD campaign with Courvoisier.the Ad campaign



The Book; "Young Rich and Dangerous." you can check some excerpts here.

I think Jermaine should get more props as a producer, however I think the only thing he is missing is the "change the game" moment. He's the best at doing the hottest of what's hot, but he hasn't done what the Dre did for Gangster, or what Diddy did for the R&B x Hip Hop movement, or what Quincy did for Thriller. But Don't count him out all he needs in one change the game moment and he could get what he's looking for--RESPECT! But you definitely can't hate on his hustle. For, if he doesn't pump his own shit the critics definitely won't.

For the record: I always said they wrongly credited Cash Money Records BG and Weezy for giving us the word Bling! That goes to JD...

Saturday, October 13, 2007

24K Gold Macbook Pro




Get Yours Now
Computer Choppers
Tel: 971.230.4168

Hours: Mon-Sat 9AM-6PM (PST)
http://www.computer-choppers.com

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Cut The Check:QD3 Strikes Deal With The Weinstein Company


LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--QD3 Entertainment, the leading independent producer and aggregator of high quality urban content for multi-platform distribution, announced today a multi-year output deal between its affiliate Digerati Holdings LLC and Genius Products LLC, a leading independent home entertainment distribution company that is owned by The Weinstein Company and Genius Products, Inc. (OTCBB:GNPI) to produce and distribute original home video titles and feature films. Under the deal, QD3 Entertainment will produce approximately two original titles per year for distribution by Genius Products and may also work jointly with Genius Products to acquire completed or nearly finished urban related titles for sole distribution under the QD3 Entertainment brand. The parties will create films focused on redefining and representing urban culture.

The first QD3/Genius title, already in production, is "Who Shot Ya," an unflinching documentary examining the prevalence of violence in hip-hop, featuring prominent rappers discussing their personal experiences being shot. The film will also tackle the larger issue of gun violence and its disproportionate impact on minorities.

Quote of the Day

“I've been an employment lawyer for 15 years, and probably the single biggest misperception about the law is that an employer has to have a reason before they can fire you," says Paula Brantner, the program director for Working America, a community affiliate of the AFL-CIO that advocates for nonunion workers, and offers an “Ask-a-lawyer" service on its Web site that fields many inquiries about questionable firings.

“Most people don't know you can get fired for anything," she says. “They think they have rights they don't have."

From the article, FIRING LINES : CAN YOU REALLY GET CANNED FOR WEARING TOO MUCH PERFUME? DRINKING THE WRONG BEER - AND IT HAPPENS

Read Article at the NYPOST.COM

Thinking Caps

Strictly for those who have their mind on their money....NEW ERA has produced new 59Fifty baseball caps named CURRENCY, with a pattern of overlapping bills from many nations. There are two versions available. The embroidered symbols for the Japanese YEN and the European Union’s EURO adorn the front panels. These are available at select NEW ERA retailers now.
From our friends over at StrictlyFitteds.com

FREEZE!!



Good News! You will soon be able to freeze your credit reports, making it more difficult for identity "teefs" to open accounts in your good name. This is a much better solution than say, keeping credit so bad that the "Teefs" can't open accounts anyway.


All three credit reporting agencies recently announced plans to let consumers freeze their credit files. Credit freezes provide security at the cost of convenience: access to credit reports and scores is prevented without the consumer's express authorization, making it difficult to open new accounts or lines of credit. Freezes are considered one of the best, albeit drastic, ways to guard against identity theft.

Starting November 1, Experian will allow victims of identity theft to freeze and thaw their accounts for free. Others will have access to the same services, though the charge will vary by state.


read more at the consumerist.com

First Steps

Here's something to get your day going, brought to you by Fila.

Saturday, October 06, 2007

New Boondocks Trailer



The World's Most Dangerous Cartoon is Back!

Friday, October 05, 2007

Damon Dash: The Columnist!



Looks as if Dame is going to be a business columnist for Metro(the "Glocal" newspaper). I guess he understands how important it is to keep your voice being heard. Do ya thang!


His first shot at columnizing is on mixing friends and business.Read his first entry...When buds and business mix

Damon Dash: The Columnist

Monday, October 01, 2007

"The Man Who Thinks He Can"

If you think you're beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don't;
If you'd like to win, but think, you can't
It's almost a cinch you won't.
If you think you will lose, you're lost;
For out in the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow's will,
It's all in the state of mind.

If you think you're outclassed, you are;
You've got to think high to rise.
You've got to hustle before
You can ever win a prize.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the one who thinks he can.


Walter D. Wintle

Friday, September 28, 2007

Speaking of B-Days


Its Mine today!! So I'm One foot in One foot out today!

The Kenny Burns Show pt 2


When it comes to personal branding Kenny Burns has managed to out do himself one more time. This time it was for his annual over the top traveling B-day celebration that will take place in my hometown---Miami.

I received the invite last night and It was a "KB Special". It came in a box that was branded Kenny Burns x Belvedere. I assumed it was a mini bottle of "Belvie." But, for KB, that would've been too simple. So I opened it up and boom. A Kenny Burns Bobblehead with the following quote inscribed at the base. "I'm here to inspire the world...Even you celebrities."-KB




This is the type of branding usually reserved for major corporations and celebs, yet again somehow KB has used his gifts to turn himself into his own Brand.

Here's a look at the save the date video. Do your thang hommie.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

Favela Funky-- Battle: Vinyl War



Four years, three painstakingly-detailed sets, 28 sassy characters, a head-shaking 10,000 photos later and Terpins Greco, the 40-member Brazilian team responsible for producing Battle: The Vinyl War, is finally seeing the juicy fruits of their labor. This month and next their stop-motion animation will be shown on Brazil's Cartoon Network channel in a four-part weekly series.

The shorts, which clock in at a brief five minutes each, follow the story of a vinyl shakedown between two DJs set in the favelas of São Paulo. Though all fictional, it's the classic story of the established versus the newcomer. DJ Black Jahmantha, a man who needs no introduction, faces DJ Air, a new up-and-comer, while DJ Thiade oversees the battle. Staying true to real life scenes found in Brazilian street and hip-hop culture, famous underground hip-hop DJs King and Cia were recruited to be the voices and music behind the main characters and Thiade got to cameo as himself.

via coolhunting

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Mzoli's Meat, Cape Town South Africa


Mzoli's Meat is cool hood spot, located in the township of Gugulethu, southeast of Cape Town. It has transcended its core butcher shop business to become a global tourist must see...

Mzoli's is a butchery, which doubles up as a very popular restaurant. But a restaurant with a difference - and soon we discovered it to be the ultimate social networking, user-generated business outside of Wikipedia

You start off in the butchery - choosing from a vast selection of meat cuts, Your meat is handed to you in a huge enamel bowl (secret marinate optional), which you take to the braai kings at the back of the shop for a good grilling.
Head out to the 'restaurant' section of the shop, around the corner and take a seat.

The first thing you'll soon notice is that there are no waitron staff. If you want drinks - you have to go to the house next to number 4 across the road.
You'll probably be offered a seat at the game of cards already underway and a Jack on the rocks, but if you're focussed on your mission - you'll get the beer you're after in the fridge in the kitchen
Bread (good with the marinade) can be bought at the spaza shop on the corner.

The idea is that Mzoli's supplies the meat (and a wet cloth if you're looking suitably messy) and leaves the rest to the neighbourhood business community to supply. Even the music is courtesy of restaurant goer's parked cars.

The place was packed by 2pm, with loads of people waiting for tables throughout the rest of the afternoon.


Via cherryflava

When Rehab Goes Pop


This is how you know the dope game has crossed all the way over...

via makethelogobigger

Monday, September 24, 2007

New World Order 2: Disney Crank That



The Walt Disney Company has prospered by keeping an extra-tight leash on its animated critters. Publish a comic book depicting Mickey Mouse as a sadomasochistic smoker, as a group of underground cartoonists did in the 1970s, and prepare for a not-so-magical encounter with copyright lawyers.

So why is Disney tolerating YouTube videos that turn Bambi, Simba and Winnie the Pooh into rap stars? YouTube users started posting the videos, set to “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” by the rapper Soulja Boy, about five months ago.

The postings (called mash-ups), are made by editing together snippets of animated movies and TV shows. The finished products look like music videos in which the cartoon characters do the singing. As “Crank That” climbed the music charts over the summer — the song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 this month — the videos started gaining in popularity and users edited together versions using characters owned by other big media companies. A version using clips taken from Nickelodeon’s “SpongeBob SquarePants” has been viewed more than seven million times.

Ny Times

The Boondocks Back October 8!




The second season of Aaron McGruder’s series, The Boondocks will premiere Monday, Oct. 8 at 11:30 p.m. (ET/ PT) on Adult Swim, Cartoon Network’s late-night sister network showcasing animation and live action for adults. Fifteen new episodes of the Peabody Award-winning series from Sony Pictures Television are set to air through January 2008.

The new season finds Huey, Riley and Granddad encountering a roster of characters, both new and familiar, in uproarious situations, including Granddad’s feud with Thugnificent, a world-renowned rapper who moves into the neighborhood; their friend Tom DuBois enlisting the counsel of A Pimp Named Slickback, when he fears losing his wife to R&B superstar Usher; the family’s day at the movies, where they go to see “Soul Plane 2;” Granddad’s attempt at online dating; and their experiences in taking in a family after Hurricane Katrina. Throughout the season, an eclectic mix of hip-hop artists, actors, comedians and media personalities will voice guest characters on the series, including Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, Ghostface Killah, Cee-lo, Lil Wayne, Donald Faison (Scrubs), Aisha Tyler (Balls of Fury), Kym Whitley (Reno 911!), Tichina Arnold (Everybody Hates Chris), Mo’Nique (The Parkers), Marion Ross (Happy Days), Tavis Smiley, Terry Crews (Everybody Hates Chris), Bill Duke (X-Men: The Last Stand) and Cedric the Entertainer (Talk to Me). Reprising their guest roles from last season are Mos Def, Xzibit, Charlie Murphy, MTV’s Sway and Katt Williams, among others.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

WestSide Hustle

The 21st Century Hustle crew is on the Westcoast this week. It will be fast times, in the fast lane getting goals accomplished with my my LA fam!! So in the spirit of the West I'm going to leave you with a piece we did in the first 21st Century Hustle Magazine on how to get it done when you are doing business on the left coast. Enjoy.


7 Things to consider while on business in LA

1. Get UP!
When your body wakes up at 4 AM PST get up!!! This will give you time to check emails, prevent fires, work out and see the sunrise. You never want your problems to have a three hour head start.

2. Navigate
Anticipate every move that you need to make for the day, and plan accordingly. LA traffic is unmerciful to the wrong turn. My thing was to rent cars with navigation and give myself an hour between meetings, because in LA Everything is an hour away.
3. Prioritize
Once I have my geographical bearings, I would set up meetings in order of convenience. I like to get my harder sells and office meetings done early so towards the end of the day I can kick it with my more casual clients. This way I could enjoy Mr. Chow with my folk (What up Tubby!)

4. Think like a Local, Act like an Immigrant
You traveled from your home 3,000 miles across the land for one reason, to get this money--Act like it. Don’t be daunted by the shallowness of Hollywood. On the surface understand they like aesthetics, but be diligent in your work and grind. Most cats just look the part-out do them with work ethic.

5. Time
LA tends to be very laid back in pace (they invented the three hour lunch) so it is easy to be hypnotized by the palm trees and mojitos. However, this casual trance will prevent you from taking advantage off all the opportunities that exist with the amount of time you have. Therefore, keep things at a go getter’s pace. This will set you apart and bring some excitement to the game.

6. Get Some Friends
This is very important when you are on the West frequently. In order to maximize your time and efforts you have to become ingrained into the economic fabric of LA. So having a network of people that can constantly keep your name buzzing is a must.

7. Smell the Roses

Find the places that inspire you and
build or steal the time to visit those places, between or after meetings.

Keep Walking

"What saves a man is to take a step. Then another step."
Antoine de Saint-Exupery





Anytime I set out to do something big. I run into obstacles, dead ends, opposition, & frustration. Sometimes I want to say forget it and move on to something else, but the inner hustle is always like "come on lets try it like this, call so & so, go get that what'chamacallit." then it points me in a new direction and all of a sudden we are back on course.

Just think of it like this, if you knew you had a million dollars waiting on you 1,000 miles away and the only way for you to get it was to walk. Would you go get it? Would you wear out those Jordans going to get i? Hell yeah. Its the same in any aspect of life. You want that Job you are going to do everything you can to get that job. Resume, letters, recommendations, 2-3 interviews, scouring the net on your current job 's computer....etc. You have to put that same resolve into building your dreams.

Yet, in doing so, hard times will come, but you just have to keep walking. And at some point you'll arrive.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

New World Order 1: Quarterlife Will Air on MySpaceTV

What started as a pilot for ABC three years ago, and rejected has found a broadcast home on MyspaceTv.
Emmy-winning television show creators Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz are teaming up with MySpaceTV to distribute their new online series, "Quarterlife." The first "Webisode" will air on MySpaceTV November 11.

“When Emmy award-winning producers come to MySpaceTV you know this is reaching a whole new level,” said Chris DeWolfe, CEO of MySpace. “We’re proud to offer the creative community a blank canvas and open platform to express their vision.”

Herskovitz and Zwick are the Emmy Award-winning co-creators of the TV series thirtysomething and My So-Called Life; they have also produced hit movies, such as Traffic and Blood Diamond.
http://quarterlife.com/

Monday, September 10, 2007

Fahamu Pecou: Arty Like A Rock Star


On Friday, I went to check out Atlanta Artist, Fahamu Pecou in his first NYC solo exhibit. I actually didn't know he was coming but I stumbled across them setting up the exhibit earlier in the week.I know they were bugging because I just bum rushed the exhibit as they were hanging the pieces and sipping Heineken (below).
My bad!! But I promised I'd come back for the opening on Friday.

The series that being shown now through October 6 is called "Born in Famous a satire on Pop Culture. However, by using himself as the "Art Celebrity" in all of the pieces, he also makes the statement that he too is "the shit!" I love it, he just did the Jedi Mind Trick on the world. By "observing" Pop culture obsessed with people who are famous for anything he in turn becomes famous for something. Great Plot.


SIDEBAR: Heineken needs to go ahead and do the deal with this cat!!









BORN inFAMOUS is the latest suite of paintings utilizing Pecou’s alter ego as “art celebrity”. These works consider and challenge art-world politics and issues of the black male body. Audacious, confrontational, and witty, the work appropriates the lexicons of celebrity, magazine, and fine art culture to facilitate conversations that allow the viewer to examine these traditionally separate worlds and see where they connect.

In BORN inFAMOUS, Pecou ups the ante with the swagger of a Blaxploitation anti-hero, battling a system that prides itself on tokenism and flavor-of-the-month icons. The paintings in this series cite the work and words of figures like Melvin Van Peebles and Andre 3000 (of the hip-hop group Outkast), whose ability to stay politically and socially current in their work make them relevant to a contemporary audience as they recalibrate their work and careers across genres and styles.


If you are in NYC Go See it!


September 7 - October 6
Lyons Wier • Ortt
171 7th Avenue, NYC 10011 212•242•6220
http://www.lyonswierortt.com

If you are not in NYC check him out here.
www.fahamupecouart.com
www.myspace.com/fahamu

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

10 Producers to Watch


Here's the full Variety list that we reported about earlier...



On the 10th anniversary of our 10 Producers to Watch list, Variety looks both forward and back. We present a new crop of producers showing great promise.

Click the links to read the stories.

Will Packer

Pablo Cruz

Doug Dey and Lynette Howell

Lee Eugene

Alexandra Milchan

Michael Roiff

Michael S. Ryan

Todd Traina

Simone Urdl and Jennifer Weiss

Orian Williams

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Power Moves!!



This week Variety Magazine will announce its prestigious 10 Producers to Watch list. One of which is 21st Family, Will "Power" Packer from Rainforest Films. For those who know about this list, its a BIG Deal and for those who don't know Rainforest....They are too !! Consistently on the grind since '96, The Forest started off by shooting the extremely independent film Chocolate City, while they we're still at FAMU. With a slew of underground hits and box office successes under their belt they are poised for Hollywood longevity. Big time Congrats and much love!!! See ya at the Toronto Film Festival-Lets Get it!!

The HIT: Stomp the Yard $75 MILLY At the Box Office & #1 for 2weeks straight!


Its a celebration!! Will Packer with Stomp Star Columbus Short and Director Sylvain White

The Saviour: The Gospel took them to greater heights $17milly at the box office


The Catalyst: TROIS the underground classic! Fastest grossing African-American Indi Film. And still selling!



Below: More Underground Goodness

Friday, August 31, 2007

WSJ:Young Entreprenuers Face Bigger Challenges

Interesting advice I found on the net that may help if you are trying to get your business together...via Evan Carmichael Youngentrepreneur.com

The Wall Street Journal put out a story recently on how young entrepreneurs face greater challenges than their older counterparts when they are starting a new business.

The article mentions that with the success of YouTube and other dot come ventures, young entrepreneurs are flocking to get their own companies started but they are strapped for cash and often don’t have the financial stamina to succeed. According to one young entrepreneur they interviewed, “the most difficult challenge is convincing people that you’re savvy enough to do something even at a young age.”

They offer five suggestions for how young entrepreneurs can successfully pitch investors, partners, and customers to get them to believe in your idea and give you the money you need to succeed.

1. Be persistent - “Persistence does work,” says Ms. Darrah, 28, co-founder of Treesje, a handbag and accessory company in Los Angeles. “We wanted to be in Bloomingdales since the very beginning, but got the brush off for the first two years of business. They finally got back with us last year, and now our bags are in Bloomingdales.”

2. Partner up - For young entrepreneurs with no track record of success, the right connection can mean the difference between being in business or not. Unfortunately, most young entrepreneurs lack these all-important relationships. It can help to find a partner that does.

3. Hire the connections - If a partner isn’t readily available, another option is to hire a professional that does. A business consultant, marketing expert or publicist can bring a Rolodex of contacts that a young entrepreneur might not have.

4. Stand out from the crowd - “I think the main problem was getting people to take me seriously since I was so young when I started,” says Tina Wells, who started Buzz Marketing Group, a youth-focused marketing-services company, at the age of 16. “Be willing to take risks in your work,” she says. “For instance, Buzz Marketing published a report that said that college students did not think downloading was illegal, and they were not going to stop. This got a lot of attention for us.”

5. Launch it anyway - “If you’re young and have a great idea for a company or product, you probably won’t get far in pitching an idea that is just on paper to a large company or investor,” says Carlos Barrionuevo, director of business development at NPR (National Public Radio). “Set a vision for what it could be, and do as much as you can on your own. Demonstrate some amount of success. Even if it’s in a small way, others can see where it’s going.”

What have you done to convince investors, partners, or customers to believe in you despite not having a track record behind you?

Evan Carmichael

Thursday, August 30, 2007

Inc.Com: 26 Most Fascinating Entrpreneurs

Inc.com has a list of their 26 most fascinating entrepreneurs


# 16 is Warren Brown, Cake Love and Love Cafe
because only in America will someone quit a secure job as a lawyer to start a bakery


Four years ago, Warren Brown walked away from a job as a federal litigator to bake cakes. It all started on New Year's 1999 when Brown, an able cook, resolved to become an expert baker as well. After work, he began to whip up cakes. He found that baking provided release from the workaday stress.

Soon Brown fell into the habit of throwing dessert parties -- "Friends were jumping on the bed," they were so happy, he recalls. Their joy combined with his job dissatisfaction led Brown to take a leave of absence in 2000. He wanted to see if he could support himself as a baker. He subleased a small commercial kitchen and found customers mostly by word of mouth. This went well enough that he moved into a 600-square-foot storefront that he christened Cake Love. He funded the business with credit cards and then a $125,000 loan backed by the Small Business Administration. When Brown officially left his day job, Emily McCarthy, Brown's friend since college, says she wasn't shocked but did think it was brave. continue reading at inc.com

Guess who was #1

  1. Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart Omnimedia
    because she took one for the team
haha!!

Monday, August 27, 2007

Hustle Alert:Complex Mag Looking For Model



Complex is looking for a cute and sexy lady willing to get her hair cut for an upcoming issue. You must:

1. Be willing to get a REAL haircut (you will have some say in the matter, but don't come in expecting to get just a trim)

2. Live in the NYC area

3. Submit 2 medium-resolution pictures of yourself to jacke@complex.com no later than WEDNESDAY, 8/29/07
- one photo from the waist up showing your hair (no ponytails, headbands, etc.)
- one full-length photo showing your body

4. Be available to come in to the Complex office on Thursday, August 30 if you are going to be considered for the shoot.

5. Be available on Friday, August 31st between 9am-12pm for the shoot.

Friday, August 24, 2007

World Is Back


After a brief renovation at their Lower Eastside Headquarters the Crew at WORLD NYC is Back with a new look and feel. For my NYC peeps come out tomorrow for the official re-launch party and catch some sweet deals on Exclusive and Limiteds!!

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

Ari Gold:The Extreme Hustla



Via Young Global

Here's a collection of some of Ari Gold's "moments." Jeremy Piven is a fool in this role!!

"You can have it, if you want to live in Agoura f@#!ing Hills, and go to group therapy. But if you want a Beverly Hills Mansion, and you want a country club membership, and you want nine weeks a year in a tuscan villa, then I'm going to need to take a call when it comes in at noon on a mother f#@%ing Wednesday."-Ari Gold

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Quote of the Day:Kevin Costner

"I'm not the shrewdest in business. I'm more of a dreamer. A 'What if' person who feels failure is an underrated experience."-Kevin Costner, in yesterday's Ny Post

Cell Plane


There has been talk recently of airlines in parts of the world (JetBlue in America) allowing in-flight cell phone usage. cnet.com

For me I like the idea of disappearing over the clouds for a few hours. It's probably one of the few places I can just kick back and reflect knowing that I can't make any moves. That would be out of the window if they let calls through on the flight. I can only imagine noise that would be coming from the people sitting around yapping away. Arrrgggg!!!

What JetBlue is suggesting is allowing text messaging but not voice calls. Thats better for the peace and quiet but terrible for the disappearing act.

But The Economist reports that 80% of airline travelers said that they would approve of the use of cell phones in transit. via infight.com

What do you think?

Friday, August 17, 2007

Forbes: Hip Hop's Cash Kings


Jigga tops Forbes List of Hip Hop earners last year See story here.

However the bigger picture is how many cats on this list came up under Dr. Dre. The Good Doctor has 5 cats, not including himself, on the list(highlighted in red). They list Pharrell as being Hip Hop's Quincy Jones(Maybe in his global personality) but in terms of the wealth of opportunity he's provided that title has to go to Dre. Not to leave out the second story of the list...ATL has 6 cats on the list(Highlighted in money green)..Young Joc!!! Now that's Hustlenomics!!!


No. 1: Jay-Z $34 million

No. 2: 50 Cent $32 million

No. 3: Diddy $28 million

No. 4: Timbaland $21 million

No. 5 :Dr. Dre $20 million

No. 6: Eminem $18 million

No. 7: Snoop Dogg $17 million

No. 8: Kanye West $17 million

No. 9: Pharrell Williams
$17 million

No. 10: Scott Storch
$17 million

No. 11: Ludacris (a.k.a. Christopher Bridges)
$16 million
No. 12: T.I. $16 million
No. 13: Outkast
$14 million
No. 14: Lil Jon
$14 million

No. 15 : Ice Cube
$13 million

No. 16: Jermaine Dupri
$12 million

No. 17: Swizz Beatz
$12 million

No. 18 : Chamillionaire $11 million

No. 19 : The Game $11 million

No. 20: Yung Joc $10 million