Web Video Opportunities

Last week, I was researching a software product for my internship and was reading a description of the software online.  The information provided on the website was general and only used screenshots of the program when examples were needed.  I became increasingly frustrated as I tried to get a sense for the program’s capability.  I wanted to try using the program.  Better yet, I wanted someone to show me how the program worked.  I decided what the website really needed was an informational video. 

Whenever I am considering using a new Google product, I always look for Google videos which explain the product and how to operate it.  I love this feature of Google products.  I am now in the habit of “youtubing” questions I have rather than simply googling because I often prefer a video answer to a written answer.  As a consumer, I prefer these videos because they save me time and are similar to having someone demonstrate the benefits of a product.  My strong suspicion is that a scientific study would find that many other people prefer the option to watch an informational video when they are researching a product.    

I have a number of friends who still enjoy their high school hobby of making movies.  While I’m sure making informational web videos is somewhat different than the excitement of making a dramatic movie, this could be a real business opportunity for someone with a creative mind and skill at editing video.  I am fairly confident that research would show that well-crafted informational videos could help a company or product gain a competitive advantage over another company or product which does not.  As more businesses improve their online presence and begin to learn this lesson, I would expect real potential for anyone making good quality informational web videos.

What do you think?  Do you prefer web videos?

My Internship

An important component of Catholic University’s MSBA program is the part-time internship a student takes during the school year.  This internship complements classroom instruction and provides real-world, business experience.  In addition to supplementing what we learn in class, these internships can serve as a gateway into the business world.  

In my case, I did not know exactly what industry I wanted to join after graduation.  However, I wanted to find an internship where I could gain new experiences which would be useful in any industry.  I was especially interested in development because it included sales experience mixed with strategy and customer service.  

In September, I started as development intern with CUA’s School of Business and Economics.  This internship has afforded me the opportunity to gain some sales knowledge and become better acquainted with development in higher education.  In the month I have interned for the business school, I have already learned a tremendous amount about development, particularly how to identify potential donors and the methods used to build relationships with current donors.  I have had the opportunity to work on the logistics for networking events which provide opportunities for individuals to learn more about the school and those involved in it.  It has been a great experience, and I am looking forward to learning more as the year progresses.

JHOP Enterprises

My start in business

I have always been fascinated by businesses and how they operate.  In college, I bought an electric griddle and, with a friend, started a business selling pancakes two nights a week in our dorm. 

The idea for the enterprise started at an IHOP on National Pancake Day (Fat Tuesday).  My friend and I were discussing ways to pay for our own electric pancake griddle, and we decided to sell pancakes in our dorm.  That evening I bought over $120 worth of supplies and equipment.  We spent the next month “testing” pancakes and calculating exactly how much we should charge per pancake.  We settled on $.50 per pancake and, to prevent oversaturation, decided to only sell two nights a week.

The business, which we named JHOP (Jack’s House of Pancakes) Enterprises, did very well and we learned a lot.  We discovered that sales would go up on evenings when the college’s cafeteria served unpopular meals.  Occasionally, we would advertise and sell pancakes on unscheduled nights solely because the cafeteria’s dinner wasn't popular.

We also learned to innovate and the importance of business analysis.  I came up with the idea to sell pancakes “taco style” (chocolate chips rolled in a pancake) which increased profit significantly more than we had expected for the additional $.25 charged.  A little analysis showed that in addition to charging an extra $.25, we were also reducing consumption of our most expensive ingredients: butter, syrup, and plastic forks.  This taught me the importance of understanding not only how single components of a system work, but also how they fit into the whole.

JHOP was one of the more informative and enjoyable experiences I have.  My friend and I not only made money, but we also had a great time and learned much about business.  I often draw on lessons I learned from that small business.