Category: Entrepreneurship

The Key to Success

imcclass March 2, 2017

What would happen if every company in the world was socially conscious? Would we diminish poverty or maybe end world hunger? This would be a simple solution to much of our worlds problems and it seems as though only a few companies have this figured out like The Giving Keys, a Los Angeles-based jewelry company.

The Giving Keys is not a nonprofit but a social enterprise. They believe that the solution to ending generational poverty and homelessness is to provide jobs for those in need. Instead of raising donations, the company employs those transitioning out of homelessness. The Giving Key is a pay it forward company where you can purchase an collection of different vintage keys with phrases like love, breathe, courage engraved into them. You pick the key with the word that speaks most to you and then once you feel as though it has served its purpose in your life you give your key to a person who needs the message. Through your purchase you help those transitioning out of homelessness get jobs, the company has currently provided 70 plus jobs opportunities to those in need.

Simple and meaningful. These are two words which can be used to describe the keys. It seems as though it is the meaning and purpose behind the keys that sells them. Founder Caitlin Crosby says “We aren’t in this just to make money and be fashionable. We exist to change people’s lives”. Being socially aware and using that to set you apart from other companies can turn a simple idea turn into a widely known enterprise.

Check out their website and see how they are changing the world one key at a time!

Does a company with a social purpose make you more prone to buying their product? Why or why not?

Isabella Martinez

A Thai and Vietnamese Creation

imcclass November 17, 2015

Although it’s only in Wilmington, NC, once you step through the doors of Indochine Restaurant you are transformed into a Vietnamese wonderland. Guarding the front entrance, a 6-foot golden statue of Buddha welcomes the guests that come to dine. Statues, paintings, and nicknacks line the walls of the interior of the restaurant, all collected by the restaurants owners during their many travels throughout Asia.

The true enchantment begins when you pass through the back doors into the garden. With just over an acre, the Bartsch family has created a Vietnamese-inspired garden that will leave you speechless. From koi ponds to individual tiki-huts for guests to dine in, the garden is a true transformation to a new “far east” destination.

After opening its doors in 2001, Indochine quickly became one of Wilmington’s most popular attractions. Voted Encore’s Best Restaurant Overall for over 15 years, each visit to Indochine is a handcrafted experience. On top of a beautiful atmosphere, the cuisine only enhances the experience. Staying local and true to Thai culture, each dish is freshly prepared based on family recipes.

Indochine has built a brand based on every factor of the dining experience. Atmosphere, service, and cuisine are just a few examples of where the Indochine staff focuses their attention to ensure every guest is experiencing a true taste of Vietnam. Staying true to culture is very important to the owners and doing so has allowed them to build a strong brand awareness in the Wilmington community.

Based solely on word of mouth marketing, Indochine relies heavily on their reputation. Through their success it is clear that staying true to culture and providing the very best experience to the customer is vital in surviving in the restaurant business. Although the owners choose not to advertise in the community, Indochine is a name we all recognize and has become a staple in Wilmington culture.

Freakers the New Coozie?

imcclass November 29, 2012

Established in 2011 and proudly located in Wilmington, NC we introduce to you….the Freaker! It’s the new cool coozie that is the ultimate one size fits all. Starting in Wilmington, NC this company started from a local start-up business with a vision to command and conquer and now has become a global product that is creating a high demand. In just one year it has grown exponentially into a money-making machine. How did they do it? Well first and foremost it is a very handy product that is way more interesting than any coozie we’ve ever had and can fit on any drink possible keeping it insulated and your hand protected. Secondly they have a clear-cut brand personality that is all about being unique to yourself and having as much fun as possible and they love to show it. They also have a unique way of marketing the Freaker from a truck that they turned into a home and drove around the country having grilled cheese parties at various trade shows coupled with various marketing videos on their website that show off their brand. They have approximately 200 stores across the nation with global distributors in Canada and Japan. It also helps that all Freakers are made in the USA helping local businesses and having a monopoly on it doesn’t hurt either because they have a patent on the product as well.

If you watched the video the guy is Zach Crain the founder of Freakers, and as you can see he is a highly eccentric individual with a weird sense of humor. He is obviously very confident about his personality and has branded his product with it. The show “Shark Tank” allows business owners to pitch their ideas to billionaire entrepreneurs and get a large investment in return for a percentage of the business. Zach fails to grab any of the investors because they aren’t sure that he will be able to return on their investment. However, he was able to impress the potential investors with his impressive sales record of over 300,000 dollars in 13 months. So, one thing is clear: Zach Crain and Freaker USA have no where to go but up!

Lauren Habig, Ally Walton, Hannah Eure, Gene Lee, Erin Kiffmeyer

The trend of helping others

imcclass April 5, 2012

With everything that is happening in the world today, it is nice to see that others are using their products to direct consumers’ attention to things other than America’s economy. Some companies have created a brand based on helping those in need. This trend has been one that can actually make a difference in the world we live in. These companies are using their consumers’ ethos to make them feel as though they are doing the right thing by buying certain products. This marketing tactic has proven to be a successful one because two brands especially have become increasingly popular throughout their mission to help those who truly need it.

If you haven’t heard of TOMS, you aren’t in with the latest trends. Here on the campus of UNCW especially, TOMS are almost as big of a hit as Rainbows. Not only do they look amazing and feel great, the TOMS brand is all about giving back. For every pair of TOMS sold, the company donates a pair of their shoes to people in need. The TOMS brand started back in 2006 with the creator’s trip to Argentina, where he saw first hand how many children had no shoes to protect their feet. This is not only true in Argentina, but in many other developing countries where children grow up barefoot. The TOMS brand slogan is ONE FOR ONE and is making a major impact on the trend of helping those in need.

Chegg is a resource that hundreds of thousands of students utilize around the world to rent or buy textbooks to save money. One of Chegg’s incentives for students to rent or buy textbooks from their company is their philanthropic marketing strategy. Chegg markets to their consumers that with their support, Chegg can plant trees around the world. Today, Chegg has planted over five million trees with their partnership with American Forest Global ReLeaf Foundation. As stated on Chegg’s website these trees are planted worldwide to, “help regenerate areas damaged by wildfire, strengthen River Bounds, and restore wildlife habitats.” In 2011, 175,000 trees were planted in Pondicherry, India, 40,500 trees were planted in Colorado and 700,000 trees were planted in Florida, just to name a few. Chegg inspires students to be a catalyst for change around the world. When their consumers purchase their textbooks through Chegg they can make a difference in the world by improving the environment.

-Kelsey Bendig, Andrea Blanton, Brooke Keller, Brian Burch

Networking your way to the top!

imcclass March 29, 2012

The Annual Communication Studies Day is something students and faculty alike look forward to every spring. This jam-packed day is full of expert panels and networking sessions to help communication studies students get their names out there in their potential field, and a fashion show with examples of appropriate work attire. Networking is something that is becoming more and more important when trying to get a job in society today.

What exactly is networking? According to the UNCW Career Center website networking is, “the development of contacts and personal connections with a variety of people who might be helpful to you and your career.” Building a personal connection and relationship with people in the community will be beneficial. According to the UNCW Career Center website, 80% of jobs are filled by networking – people they know. Networking doesn’t guarantee a job, but it is a great way to gather information and get advice from people who have been in the industry for a while. It is important to network at any given opportunity. Networking can occur through various social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Social media is a powerful tool that should be utilized when networking.

COM Studies Day allows students to hear from professionals and get experience with networking. Jenna Curry, a COM major graduate and treasurer of CSS during her years at UNCW, took these days to heart. After she started her career, she noticed that she did not know many young professionals in the Wilmington Area. With this realization, she decided to create an atmosphere where young college students and graduates could meet and network with local businesses because she had learned the importance of networking at UNCW. Port City Young Professionals (PCYP) is the atmosphere she created. PCYP hosts a networking event the third Wednesday of every month in different areas of Wilmington. Curry hopes to give the members a chance to establish new personal or professional relationships, give young business people a chance to interact socially, and share ideas. “PCYP was created to help improve its members’ networking skills, expand their contact base, and provide the opportunity to promote themselves and their business in a relaxing atmosphere. The goal of the PCYP is to ultimately help its members get involved in the local business scene and to impact the current and future marketplace.” For more information about Port City Young Professionals check them out at: www.portcityyoungprofessionals.com.

-Kelsey Bendig, Andrea Blanton, Brooke Keller, Brian Burch

Surfing Your Way to Success

imcclass March 6, 2012

Entrepreneurs, as well as many other companies, rely on Integrated Marketing Communication to get the word of their business out to the public with multiple methods. A fellow UNCW Senior in the Communication Studies department, James Connolley, has been an entrepreneur using IMC to promote his business, JC Surf Camp. James has been teaching people of all ages how to surf for 8 years and has been an entrepreneur, owning JC Surf Camp for 6 years. His decision to start his own surf camp business started with a conversation with his high school bible study leader. James has a love for surfing, kids, and Jesus and decided the best way to combine all the things he loves into his surf camp. He likes to share his message through his surf camp by the quality and professionalism in his every day work.

When the surf camp started in 2006, the only way James was communicating with his publics was by posting fliers in the storefront of a local surf shop. His business quickly started to grow and in 2007, James decided he wanted to market his business to a broader audience. He paid someone to build his own website and just recently added new content and features. James uses many other ways to communicate to his public by using mass emails, direct mailing, brochures, website, and social media. The best marketing overall with JC Surf Camp is word of mouth advertising and partnerships with other local camps in Wilmington. More recently, James was able to advertise his business through the local news station WECT.

Link to WECT Live bit on JC Surf Camp

The JC Surf Camp team considers surfing one of the greatest blessings in life and goes to great lengths to ensure others see it the same way. Each instructor at JC Surf Camp has gone through an extensive SurfInstruct Training Program before becoming a surf instructor. This program was developed to ensure every instructor knows ocean safety, surf safety, CPR and First Aid certified, and knowledge of different teaching methods for all levels, such as, kids, teens, groups, or private lessons. Another way James and his team ensure safety is by providing UV protected rash guards and soft-top surfboards. Safety is very important to all the JC Surf Camp instructors to make sure they are providing a safe learning environment. James stated it perfectly when he said if people feel safe, they are able to have fun. This is one of the messages James tries to communicate to retain and maintain customers.

Many times entrepreneurs start from the ground up and have to take what they have and make the most of it. Since James is in the communication studies department at UNCW, he has been able to take the knowledge learned in communication classes and IMC classes and implement that in his business. James, as a student and entrepreneur, thinks of entrepreneurship as an adventure and has far exceeded what many entrepreneurs his age are capable of.

Learn how to surf today!

By: Laura Simmons, Dorothy Conley, Christina Stevenson, Mollie Berthold

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