Entrepreneurship Certificate Program Library

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· 3dfx – Failure Case – Manufacturer 3D graphic chips then Voodoo cards loses out to rival NVIDA

· Acclaim – Failure Case – American video game developer loses it

· Agloco - is a controversial new Stanford-based start-up that wants to pay you to surf the Web, in return for access to your online surfing information.

· Alladvantage – Failure. Internet advertising company

· American Made – Nov 2006 study of impact of immigrant entrepreneurs and professionals on U.S. competitiveness. Interesting reading.

· Amp’d Mobile – Failure case Jun 2007 – Why they filed for Chapter 11

· Audrey – Failure. Net appliance first introduced by 3Com as $499 do-all for the internet. I have one.

· BatteriesPlus – Current franchise cited Chap 15 text. Highlights Indiana presence and includes industry considerations. Includes video interview by me here:

· Bitpassdotcom – Jan 2007 failure

· Browsterdotcom – Jan 2007 failure

· Boodotcom – Failure. United Kingdom online fashion store

· Boompa - is a story about how 2 enterprising web developers quit their jobs at CNET Networks and built an enterprise level community driven site (boompa.com) complete with all the modern "web 2.0" bells and whistles in almost exactly two months on the smallest possible budget with open source software. It covers the planning, technology, accounting and business decisions we made along the way and is meant to be an honest portrayal of the realities of opening up your own shop and what you will need to do. Great for first two chapters, lessons learned, and exam.

· Cartridgeworld is used as an example of a franchise in Chap 15 of the text. A video I shot of an interview with the local owner is here: (7 min)

· Chris-Craft & Indian - two Harvard Business School classmates who resurrected Chris-Craft have a new plan to bring Indian Motorcycle back from the brink. Good study of what went wrong, and how two entrepreneurs plan on reestablishing old business icons. Good in industry analysis sections.

· Clicktv.com – Jun 2007 Failure Case

· Craigslist - is a prime example of viral marketing, a company that marches to its own drummer, with only 19 employees. Marketing, ethics, teams.

· Commodore International – Failure Case – Classic market leader fails as new entrants present competition

· CompuUSA – Failure Case – Retailer/reseller consumer electronics goes under despite cash infusion and purchase

· Contentville – Failure. Launched in Feb 2000 as an e-publishing site, quickly ran afoul of copyrights. IP, ethics in entrepreneurship.

· Copyright Issues – Motion Picture Association suing small entrepreneurial firm sell iPods with DVDs preloaded although purchased with iPod

· Copyright Video – Ask The Techies interview with two Ohio University profs concerning copyright issues with numerous examples. Good IP class.

· Corn – Concept Map how 9/11 gave birth to corn-fired stoves – 2007

· Couchsurfing.com – Jun 2007 Failure Case

· Craigslist.com – 2007 – Good for class discussion why Craigslist so very successful

· Crazy Eddie – Failure Case – Shady deals and moving markets

· Cuecatdotcom – Stupid product. Cat-shaped handheld barcode reader

· CyberRebate.com – Failure. Make money by giving stuff away for free

· Digiscentsdotcom – Stupid product. Developer of scents delivered via the Net

· Drkoopdotcom – Failure. Leading global healthcare Network

· Dyscern – Real time. Founded in 2003 by a stay-at-home mom as an eBay business, operates in niche market of recovering customer returns, distressed & overstocks for resale. Chaps 1,2,3,4 & marketing in general.

· Edsel – Failure Case – Classic failure of FOMOCO involving Edsel automobile

· eHarmony - made its mark in the online dating landscape by establishing its brand as the site for the serious relationship seeker, particularly women. Market segmentation, targeting.

· Energy-Growth Industry – Real time. Provides background of solar energy industry for exploring industry & competitive analysis. Chapter 4.

· ePods – Failure. Founders story of how his interactive marketing & technology firm went south. Good info on team.

· epod – Failure of net appliance in same market as iopener and Audrey. I have one. How founder learned from mistake and moved on.

· Etoysdotcom – Failure. Toy website

· Facebook.com – Real time. Written 11/5/06, very timely evaluation of the student social site Facebook.com

· Firefox Kid – Current. How popular Firefox browser was programmed by 15 year old. Example of find a need and fill it.

· Floozdotcom – Failure & stupid. Online currency that would serve as an alternative to credit cards

· Forced Feeding – Background on ethics of advertising candy to kids on TV

· Friendster – Patent. Link to actual June 27, 2006 patent for Social Networks. Use for IP discussion.

· Godotcom – Failure. Web portal by the Walt Disney Internet Group

· Goozexdotcom – Real time. Written 11/6/06, Based on getting ripped off, a web-based business for game trading. Lots of interest among gamers.

· Govworksdotcom – Failure. Web site for citizens to do business with municipal government. 1hr-40 min video Startup.com on student CD.

· Grouper Networks – is is the developer of a consumer video sharing site, www.grouper.com, and a provider of white label video hosting solutions to other consumer facing websites. Good for competitor analysis, Porter’s Five Forces. Today in video, eg, YouTube, etc.

· HotorNot - one of the most viral product launches in Internet history. Marketing. Sex sells etc.

· Iloo – Stupid product. Microsoft version of the world's first Internet outhouse

· Ipod – Killer new product 10X – Traces how iPod developed by Apple – team effort, plus timeline product mods. YouTube clip at start.

· Iopener – Failure of product & company Netpliance. I have several of these, original, hacked with Linux, and running Windows 98.

· Instant Messaging – History of Instant Messaging, much used by today’s students. Background industry analysis. Won’t open FF/Mac.

· Is It Best To Be First? - challenge for most first-to-market players is in learning how to address new entrants as they emerge while maintaining the lead over the long haul. Good for industry, competitive analysis and general timing discussions.

· iStockPhoto - established the market for “microstock” photography by providing high quality stock photos at extremely low price points which changed the entire photo industry. Distruptive 10X example.

· ITV Digital – Failure Case – British-based pay-TV service

· Kikodotcom – Real time. A 2006 Ajax/Web 2.0 developer sold on eBay to Tucows. Includes 19 minute MP3 interview with Tucows why purchased.

· Kibudotcom – Failure. Online community for teenage girls

· Kozmodotcom – Failure. Online store and delivery service. 1hr-40 minute video e-Dreams on student CD. No model, no plan, no success.

· Lonelygirl15 – Real time. Very interesting recount of how two totally different entrepreneurs started a fictional video blog that has gained international attention via YouTube. Started Jun 16, 2006. Could compare to Rocketboom. Use early in ENTR200, or how $$$$ a startup later.

· LowerMyBillsdotcom – Real time. Good example of a company that adapted from its initial business plan to find success in a different market. Although the company had some initial success helping consumers lower their monthly long distance bills, they eventually found the larger opportunity in one-time consumer financing events like home mortgages.

· Meebodotcom – A IM-support site, illustrates how Web-Based firms may be started on a shoe-string, and how VCs are responding to this challenge

· Mixd.com – Started in Nov 2006, went dark Feb 2007 – Failure Case – Why?

· Montgomery Ward – Failure Case – Department store that started everything in 1800s bows to changing times

· Moore – What Moore’s “Crossing The Chasm” is all about. How to recognize the “Chasm” and what to do about it. Entrepreneurial Marketing.

· Mvpdotcom – Failure. Proved celebrity endorsements are worth nothing in the long run

· MySpacedotcom – Real time. Written 9/10/06, social site, viral product, Web 2.0 success, acquired by older company (Fox).

· Newegg.com – Real time. Nov 2006. Fourth company in Inc 500 history to crack the billion-dollar mark. Lots of pictures of operations. Targets market niche of geeks. Chaps 2,3,4,5,6,11,13,14. Very strong case. Flash format.

· Payperpost - is a Florida start-up that lets bloggers get paid for writing about products and other companies. Raises many ethics and moral issues. Home site has videos concerning startup. Car salesmen-type personalities.

· Petsdotcom – Failure. Aimed to sell pet accessories and supplies over the Internet

· Patents – Case before Supreme Court about patent “obviousiness.” IP discussions.

· RFID Innovation – Real time. Selexyz, a Dutch bookseller tags individual books with RFID to streamline warehouse-to-consumers ops. Chaps 1,2

· Rogers – Diffusion of Innovation model. Use in conjunction with Moore’s “Crossing The Chasm.” Marketing 101 for entrepreneurs.

· Rotten Tomatoes – Current leading movie review site. Started off as a hobby, got a little VC funding, is a success. Use as see problem and fix.

· Skype-A Disruptor – Lead into how Skype/VOIP communications changing business models and leading to new ones in many industries.

· RSS Calendar – Online 2006, failed 2007 – Why?

· Singlestatus.com – Sued by MySpace, Failed, Why?

· Solar Power Industry - Silicon Valley has changed the world once. Now, thanks to a wave of investment and innovation in solar power, it's on to the next revolution: a massive disruption of the U.S. electricity market. Good for Chapters 1-2 STEP, and Industry/Competitive analysis and/or exam.

· Tello.com – Failure Case – Although founded by several “big names,” fell on its sword. Why?

· Tower Records – Failure Case – Once the market leader in record/CDs, fails.

· Toysmartdotcom – Dishonesty when dying.

· Tucker – Failure Case – Tucker automobile company 1948

· TVNewser.com – Real time. Nov 2006. Brian Stelter, a 21 yr old Towson University student starts a blog about the television news business that is a must read for talking heads and their bosses. Chapt 1,2, 5 (business model)

· Userplane - successfully transitioned from services to products by taking a vertical go-to-market strategy, concentrating its sales and marketing efforts on becoming the premier provider of communications applications to online dating sites.

· Viral Marketing – Introduction to concept of viral marketing. Use in entrepreneurial marketing/marketing for entrepreneurs.

· Webvandotcom – Failure. Online "credit and delivery" grocery business

· What Really Makes A Great Entrepreneur – article from Forbes, use in Chapter 1. Outsiders are today’s entrepreneurs – generate discussion!

· Where Patents Are Today - currently a sea of chaos, and the net effect is that patents simply don’t pack the ooomph that they once did—particularly for startups. From Guy Kawasaki’s blog. IP discussions.

· Wildcat Creek MX – Example of local Indiana business started out of a need to practice racing, which grew into business. Video available.

· Woot – Current very popular one-per-day auction site. Use in business model discussion. Students are into this site.

· xfire - enables gamers to detect what games their friends are currently playing and allows unobtrusive IM communication from inside the game. Doesn’t sound like much, but sold for $102 million in cash after launching in January 2004. Chapters 1&2.

· Yourminisdotcom – Real time. Oct 06 startup, provides widgets for web pages, etc. Twenty minute video with a founder is here:

· Youtube.com – Exhaustive analysis of why youtube is what it is. Great for class discussion. 2007.

· Zippo Manufacturing Company – Real time. Old company doing things differently to stay in business. Intrapraneurship.

Notes:

(1) Movie Startup.com is about inner workings of govWorks.com. Case has info on what the founders have moved on to. I have copy of video Startup.com. (2) The documentary video/film e-Dreams (2001) portrays the fate of Kozmodotcom. I have a copy of video.