8020PRODUCTIONS - TECHNOLOGY DESIGN & DEPLOYMENT
8020productions.com is a very small company that provides hands-on Internet technology services to small businesses and non-profit organizations. It established Internet presences using advanced tools and services and. 8020Productions provides technology that small organizations would otherwise have either the skill nor technological know-how to do this for themselves. 8020Productions positions small to medium businesses to compete with large corporations while providing vehicle to gain applied technology experience
ENCOREPRO - AN INTERNET BUSINESS SELLING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Aside from the obvious business opportunity, setting up EncorePro provided real hands-on experience in building an e-commerce business from top to bottom. The business itself occupies a narrow, but highly profitable niche, selling professional wind musical instruments. The pathfinding work for the business was done by Glynn Finley, who is a retired high school music director. Using eBay, he proved that there was a clear opportunity in buying, refurbishing and reselling professional grade musical instruments. He involved another retired music director, Robert Gray, who together leveraged their teaching and retail experience into a highly profitable business that is growing at 20%+ each year. In 2011 the business entered starter instruments for high school students, and is positioning to launch an instrument buying web site before year end.
Encorepro.org has a ROI of 35%, generates cash and has gross margins of 33% - 37%.
CAMBRIDGE INFORMATION SYSTEMS – Investor & Non Executive Board Chairman
CIS was an internet start-up that grew quickly on the back of developing software framework and web application. The company partnered with Sun Micro Systems and Computer Associates while adopting a high risk strategy of working for the emerging Web 1.0 companies, taking equity stakes in part payment for service they provided. Like so many other start-ups at the time, it grew too quickly, but ultimately failed when the Internet bubble burst. Unlike so many other failed start-up businesses, CIS funded their growth from profit, and the executive management team were able to avoid bankruptcy.
SECOND ROTATION (now Gazelle) – Strategy input & investor
Second Rotation, which is now at its third stage of financing, has developed a successful and highly automated business model around buying and reselling Apple and other technology products. Its focus is on the supply side, where it partners with retailers to buy traded-in computers and other equipment, typically from early technology adopters, as they update their equipment. After purchase and testing, Second Rotation sells the trade-in equipment through multiple consumer channels, including eBay. More recently, Second Rotation has made its own on-line market in Apple computers, iPods etc
8020productions.com is a very small company that provides hands-on Internet technology services to small businesses and non-profit organizations. It established Internet presences using advanced tools and services and. 8020Productions provides technology that small organizations would otherwise have either the skill nor technological know-how to do this for themselves. 8020Productions positions small to medium businesses to compete with large corporations while providing vehicle to gain applied technology experience
ENCOREPRO - AN INTERNET BUSINESS SELLING MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Aside from the obvious business opportunity, setting up EncorePro provided real hands-on experience in building an e-commerce business from top to bottom. The business itself occupies a narrow, but highly profitable niche, selling professional wind musical instruments. The pathfinding work for the business was done by Glynn Finley, who is a retired high school music director. Using eBay, he proved that there was a clear opportunity in buying, refurbishing and reselling professional grade musical instruments. He involved another retired music director, Robert Gray, who together leveraged their teaching and retail experience into a highly profitable business that is growing at 20%+ each year. In 2011 the business entered starter instruments for high school students, and is positioning to launch an instrument buying web site before year end.
Encorepro.org has a ROI of 35%, generates cash and has gross margins of 33% - 37%.
CAMBRIDGE INFORMATION SYSTEMS – Investor & Non Executive Board Chairman
CIS was an internet start-up that grew quickly on the back of developing software framework and web application. The company partnered with Sun Micro Systems and Computer Associates while adopting a high risk strategy of working for the emerging Web 1.0 companies, taking equity stakes in part payment for service they provided. Like so many other start-ups at the time, it grew too quickly, but ultimately failed when the Internet bubble burst. Unlike so many other failed start-up businesses, CIS funded their growth from profit, and the executive management team were able to avoid bankruptcy.
SECOND ROTATION (now Gazelle) – Strategy input & investor
Second Rotation, which is now at its third stage of financing, has developed a successful and highly automated business model around buying and reselling Apple and other technology products. Its focus is on the supply side, where it partners with retailers to buy traded-in computers and other equipment, typically from early technology adopters, as they update their equipment. After purchase and testing, Second Rotation sells the trade-in equipment through multiple consumer channels, including eBay. More recently, Second Rotation has made its own on-line market in Apple computers, iPods etc