31 responses to “Lasermonks”

1. 

   Lars Ahlen January 26th, 2010 at 07:52

   I think that it’s amazing that even a full blown monk could be a successful entrepreneur. Another great example that someone that wants to change something can take charge and do something new.

2. 

   Zach Morgan January 26th, 2010 at 07:56

   I believe that the name of the Doberman is Ludwig. I found it at the following link:http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/september-11-2009/laser-monks/4175/

   This is a great story. I also get very frustrated at the outrageous prices of ink cartridges. It is neat to see a person of this nature take on a common burden and try and solve it with good ethical values.

3. 

   Jack Kennedy January 26th, 2010 at 09:14

   I liked this guy’s business motives:

   “Thou shalt:
   Bring joy and meaning to your work.
   Involve the customer in your mission.
   Position your company as socially conscious.
   Grow financially and spiritually.”

   These remind me of some of the successful business motives from Apple and Google. For example at Google they encourage you to have a fun and enjoyable time at work. Apple is very customer oriented and I think would be considered socially conscious.

   I think these motives are behind the success of this business.

4. 

   Loïc Mazet January 26th, 2010 at 09:55

   I totally agree with Jack’s comment. Furthermore, the first chapter of the ENTR200 book says: If you want to be an entrepreneur just to make money, most of the time, it’s doesn’t work.

5. 

   David Hyman January 26th, 2010 at 10:23

   What a wonderful idea! I am pretty sure there is no person that actually enjoys paying for those annoying refills on those cartirdges. This is very innovative!

6. 

   Justin de la Chi(cago) January 26th, 2010 at 10:28

   Again I point to the human interaction and social conscience of business that seems detached from the majority of big business. This is an aspiration that huge companies try to emulate with marketing and advertising, with success only due to market awareness.

   I believe if ever one is to enter into a business without the customer as their main focus, there is a destiny to lose.

   In a similar note, but in an entirely different industry, a founder of diamonds.com, also a monk, built an incredibly successful business with the same ethical and moral compass. A book called “The Diamond Cutter” depicts his journey. An easy, and intelligent read.

   J

7. 

   Blake Bronowicki January 26th, 2010 at 10:35

   I really was suprised to read such an interesting blog about a monk who ended up becoming a successful entrepreneur. I find it very unique that such a man could make it and turn out to be well-off. Replacing printer cartridges is always an issue and this determined individual who is giving back and doing something great for our community.

8. 

   Shawn Gearhart January 26th, 2010 at 10:39

   Holy Ink! Sometimes it is not so much the idea being unique that makes an entrepreneur successful, but the naming and creative spin that person puts on it. Great example here with Lasermonks.

9. 

   Ariana Zades January 26th, 2010 at 10:51

   I like how their “commandments” can be used with any business today. So many people today just go to their job for the end result. I love how anyone, even monks, can see a problem and want to fix it.

   That’s actually very inspiring to know that there are things everywhere that need to be fixed or changed. Gives us all some hope..

10. 

    Dan Wyss January 26th, 2010 at 11:45

    This is extremely interesting. It is a great idea to do this for the community and be non-profit and whatnot because the ink cartrages are rediculous. I think we might be raving about this so much mainly because he is a monk, though. Would we be as crazy about this as much if the same business was created by someone who was not a monk? It is a great idea though.

11. 

    Colleen Cahill January 26th, 2010 at 12:02

    I love when companies don’t follow the book when creating a mission statement. This is similar to the carboncart.com start up where good morals are combined with a business strategy. Especially when entrepreneurship/business is often associate with money obsessed founders, this guys’ idea is refreshing.

12. 

    Joseph Mecca January 26th, 2010 at 12:14

    It comes to no surprise that this entrepreneur was having a problem, and unlike most people, he didn’t just sit around and complain. He’s a go-getter and saw this situation as a opportunity instead of a problem. his a very admirable approach and an attitude every aspiring entrepreneur should strive to adopt.

13. 

    Kyle Egbert January 26th, 2010 at 12:35

    I think anyone with a free workforce would have a competitive advantage. I checked out their website and its too bad they don’t offer refills for toner on my samsung color laser printer or I would have ordered some. Good story about making a business for things other than money.

14. 

    Stephanie Mellady January 26th, 2010 at 12:51

    I love the idea that this is a for-prifit business that gives all of their profits that aren’t allocated to expenses or sustaining the church away to other charitable organizations. It seems like a great idea especially because they are not just out to make as much money as possible.

15. 

    Anthony Sikorski January 26th, 2010 at 13:38

    It is great to see people working to help others out it shows that everyone is not selfish. It is also great how they came up with one idea and expanded into many different ideas to start selling as products. This is truly what an entrepreneur does.

16. 

    Colby Beacham January 26th, 2010 at 15:00

    Once again this shows that no matter who you are or what your background is if you have a great idea and the motivation to see your idea succeed you have a chance to make it happen.

    In terms of ink cartridges I’m glad to see something is done to lower their prices however printer companies go by a very similar model as cell phone manufacturers. They lower the price of their printers and instead make their money on a ‘subscription’ which in this case is the ink. Like the current cell phone wars between ATT and Verizon (where the prices of their plans are starting to fall and phone prices not subsidized as much) I think printer companies should follow the same approach.

17. 

    Alice Yelimeshyna January 26th, 2010 at 17:33

    I really found this article quiet inspiring. The fact that the monks can make time to hold a business while praying seven times a day is really amazing to me.
    This article really showed me that with a good idea and strong beliefs one can achieve anything they want, even if it’s completely out of your league.

    Lastly, for the gentleman who believes Apple has good business motives, I am afraid that I completely disagree. I grew up right by the main Apple headquarters and went to the same high school as Steve Jobs once did. And let me tell you, not once did he give back to his old high school or have the company do anything at all for the community. Also, I don’t know if you’ve ever tried contacting Apple in person or by phone, but something about being on hold for a VERY long time just to hear the person on the other side tell me they can’t help me without me paying 19 different fees isn’t too appealing.
    I think Apple has a very, very, very strong marketing branch but nothing to back that up.

18. 

    Soroosh Karamyar January 26th, 2010 at 20:41

    Monks doing there thing. I am all for Monks doing business. Traditionally brewing there own beer and wine they make good products.

19. 

    Meiqi Zhao January 26th, 2010 at 20:42

    Monk and entrepreneur, how can these two words belongs to one person? I am very surprisied but also inspired by this person.
    No matter who you are and what you do, you can come up with great ideas and change your life or even help others.

20. 

    Brian Corley January 26th, 2010 at 20:43

    Great Story. Their website is different. Not many sites where you can buy dog biscuits, ink, and coffee. Rare to see a business adventure in the mold they are in now a days.

21. 

    Jeff Olen January 26th, 2010 at 20:46

    This is truly an amazing story. This monk had no idea about how to manufacture cartridges or start a business but he did just that. He took his idea and built this amazing opportunity into a thriving non for profit organization. Its amazing to see the development that these monks made. Not only are they doing the cartridges, but they are also caring out other helpful tasks like making cheap dog biscuits. They are so close to god that they do not believe in taking a profit off of this so they donate all the money to other non-for profit organizations. This is absolutely breath taking to me and I hope that someday I can have the courage and inspiration these monks have because they are completely amazing to me.

22. 

    Michael Evans January 26th, 2010 at 20:58

    Sometimes truth really is stranger than fiction. A monk/pilot/astrophysicist who funds his abbey by selling printer ink?

    What a great business model though: keep enough of the profits to be self-sufficient and give what’s left over to charity. These guys obviously aren’t in it for the big money; they’re seeking to improve the world using the revenue from their business. An inspiring story!

23. 

    Michael Tym January 26th, 2010 at 21:47

    This is such a cool idea that a monk came up with. Its awesome to see someone helping people instead of doing it all for the money. It’s neat to see a business being run by the three rules that are nine hundred-years-old, the tradition of kindness, hospitality, and charity.

24. 

    Curtis Brackett January 26th, 2010 at 21:51

    Personally, I find it very interesting that a man with such a diverse background, in which none of the fields pertain to ink cartridges, can become such a successful entrepreneur. He certianly exploited a gap in the marketplace. Good for him and his cause.

25. 

    Evan Tangman January 26th, 2010 at 21:53

    I didn’t know what to think when I first saw the picture, and after reading the post that monk is definitely in a league of his own. Maybe someday I’ll remember to buy a cartridge for my printer, but that would mean I would have to buy paper too…

26. 

    Steve Maniago January 26th, 2010 at 22:05

    This is one amazing monk. He is so diversified and distinguished. I think it is a great business idea/plan that he and his fellow monks have come up with. It is a great way to give the people what they need in an easy manner. It is cool how he found something that everyone that has a printer hates hassling with and made his own business off of it.

27. 

    Haley Jenkins January 26th, 2010 at 22:16

    I am really inspired by this man. He has done a wonderful job on showing that if you really believe in something and want to make a difference in the world it can be made possible. It also shows that if you find the right gaps in the market you can be very successful. I know I get very fustrated when pay these outragous prices for ink and I am very glad that someone is doing something to change this.

28. 

    Alexandra Graves January 26th, 2010 at 23:57

    This is the perfect example of going out there and doing what you love to do. This man is adventurous, generous, and kind. I wish I could be like this many have multiple degrees in different areas that I really enjoy learning about, it’s an inspiration that there is someone like him out there. I am also extremely impressed with his persistence in finding a solution to his frustration. I really love this story!

29. 

    Keegan Klauke January 27th, 2010 at 00:51

    Um… did he solve world hunger too?

30. Lasermonks @ thinkbeta.com campus university January 27th, 2010 at 14:34

    [...] is the original:  Lasermonks @ thinkbeta.com tags: apologizes, category, entrepreneurship-mind, happy, monday, power, power-supply, [...]

31. 

    Courtney M. Cronk January 27th, 2010 at 23:04

    Interesting blog. i wish those ink cartridges were available to me! I too get frustrated with the prices.

    I found it interesting how much they do. they live there lives, develop innovative ideas for cheaper ink, and make doggie biscuits, that his right hand “man” gets to try out. doesnt seem complicated, and seems very relaxed and unstressful. i wish my life was that relaxed! but then again i could never live without a lot of things they dont have. and they seem so far from any city with civilization. not my style.