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Las Vegas: A Nice Weekend Getaway
By: ellis j. still
My wife and I just came back from a mini vacation in Las Vegas this past weekend. It was part of a family thing, where a bunch of family members met at Vegas to honor Tina’s uncle by blessing him with money to do what ever he wanted with it (he decided to put the majority of it in the bank instead of gambling it away). This was my first time to the city, my wife’s fifth. She goes quite often for her company for conferences and the like. I, myself, did not see what the big deal was… think that it was just an assemblage of hotels with casinos in them. Neither of us gambles, so I really did not expect much.
I was pleasantly surprised. The entire strip is an assemblage of novelty resort hotels… a multitude of focal points. Every hotel had a specific theme to it, with matching architecture. Everything from resorts shaped like an Egyptian pyramid, Paris – complete with a miniature Eiffel tower, New York – which was encompassed by a roller coaster that you can ride, a family oriented hotel which had circus acts 24 hours a day, and many many other resort attractions.
If you do not feel like walking, there’s a monorail that can take you close to your destination along the strip. However, the monorail system is broken up into two systems that does not include stops near many of the major destination areas. If you are pressed for time or have a disability related to walking, it is good to do your research ahead of time before riding. Also, the airport is directly adjacent from the strip, yet Tina and I had challenges getting to our hotel once we landed. It would be good if they extended the monorail system to include the airport, which would make it a lot easier on travelers. Lastly, there is a bus system in the area, but the bus stops lack signage or any other indicator as to which bus would take you where.
At nighttime, Las Vegas takes in an entirely new personality. The lighting designs are spectacular with every resort hotel, with some that have beams of light that shoots up into the stars. There are public light and water shows, and sidewalks are designed for couples taking a romantic stroll on a star lit evening. Tina and I also went on a timeshare presentation, so we were able to hook all of our family members up with half priced tickets to dinner, and on our final day we ate for free at a reeeely expensive restaurant in Paris.
On the flip side, there are seedy activities that exist as well. Prostitution is legal in Las Vegas and like any city, they have their share of nightclubs and the like. However, you have to search these things out in order to partake in them… meaning that your mindset dictates what you choose to partake in. before going to Vegas, I thought that it was an evil place to go, but it really isn’t… it’s what you make of it, like anyplace or anything else.
Public transportation notwithstanding, overall we had a great experience. Tina and I did not come close to seeing everything we wanted to see, and we will definitely be back one day. This trip has inspired me, where my new goal in life as a designer and entrepreneur is to one day build a roller coaster in an inner city downtown center :- )
© 2010, Ellis J. Still. All rights reserved
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
____________________________________________________
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like what you read and you are not yet a Subscriber to my blog, why not subscribe now? All posts are original, there is no fixed schedule, so you would not have to check my blog regularly, and you will be receiving an authentic review of books, organizations and life experiences as a husband and entrepreneur. If you change your mind, it is easy to unsubscribe. Once you sign up, visit your email inbox to verify your email address. Check your spam folder if you don’t receive any verification emails. Thanks!!!
ellis
Becoming an entrepreneurial pioneer
Blog Series Part 02: Building Great Businesses
By: ellis j. still
I was in Newark Penn Station one day, when I noticed an advertisement for a new entrepreneurial program for first generation entrepreneurs at The Center for Urban Entrepreneurship & Economic Development (CUEED) at Rutgers University School of Business. Being a first generation entrepreneur is indeed a challenge, as you don’t have the same resources as if you grew up around business minded people (see my previous post: “The dilemma of first generation entrepreneurs”). I found out more about the program through Dr. Jeffrey Robinson, who co-directs the center, and attended an introduction session that the school offered for prospective students. There was an application process, so I applied, and was accepted. I am one who takes advantage of every door that God opens for me, and I am extremely glad that I accepted this opportunity to learn more about myself and where my venture can go.
The class met for nine months, and featured training in the areas of brand development & customer management, operations management, strategic alliances, business valuation, international trade, procurement, and technology management to name a few. There were also counseling sessions with partner organizations such as IFEL (see my previous post: “IFEL – Creating a roadmap for your business”) and the greater Newark Business Development Consortium (GNBDC – post forthcoming), and the program ended with a conference centered on the various aspects of social media from a variety of professional perspectives.
CUEED is a great program in that it is customized to the needs of the entrepreneur such that the venture will have the tools to grow to the new levels. I can’t begin to list my takeaways… there were so many, and some I am just now applying. I took a lot of notes since there was a lot of information disseminated throughout out the program, and different pieces apply to my venture in different ways.
This program is important in that college level training in entrepreneurship is a scarce resource for business owners across the country. Rutgers University has entire curriculums geared towards developing entrepreneurs, making their businesses more viable for growth, and their programs sets a precedent for institutions across the country. As I am writing this post, I received an email update from Inc. Magazine (http://www.inc.com – U.S. Entrepreneurship Education Lags) that discusses the lack of entrepreneurial training in higher education, yet CUEED seems to be ahead of the curve in its development of entrepreneurs and their ventures, and has been acknowledged as being the first of its kind in the nation.
No man is an island. You need others around you that will help you to succeed. Some are obvious, but some are not as obvious. When I went into this program, I had not idea as to what I was getting myself into. I didn’t know what I didn’t know, which is the purpose of the entrepreneurship program – to fill in the gaps. I had to rely on my gut feeling that told me that this is something I should be involved with. Business types tend to rely on the ROI, and ignore intangibles that hold things together. CUEED is one of these intangibles where there is no way to measure the breadth and depth of the impact the program has had on my moving forward with my business, but I can say that my venture has by far been made the better because of it. CUEED helped position my venture for success, and if it had not been for the program, I would not have the tools to execute my vision, making my dream more isolated from the realization of dream.
CUEED offers many programs such as Entrepreneurial Pioneers Initiative (EPI – which I am associated with), Rutgers Business, Engineering, Science, and Technology Institute (BEST) and also incorporates venture capitol, city resources, and research into their programs. This post does not do The Center for Urban Entrepreneurship & Economic Development (CUEED) at Rutgers University School of Business justice. I am excited for CUEED and for all who are able to take advantage of their state of the art curriculum.
Irregardless of where you are in the country or internationally, feel free to visit http://business.rutgers.edu/default.aspx?id=1667 for more information. You never know where a simple conversation can lead to :- )
Questions: Do you have a specialized entrepreneurship program offered to business owners by your local / area college or university? Are you looking for one? Would you like your buisness venture to experience something spectacular? You may want to contact CUEED :- )
© 2010, Ellis J. Still. All rights reserved
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
____________________________________________________
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like what you read and you are not yet a Subscriber to my blog, why not subscribe now? All posts are original, there is no fixed schedule, so you would not have to check my blog regularly, and you will be receiving an authentic review of books, organizations and life experiences as a husband and entrepreneur. If you change your mind, it is easy to unsubscribe. Once you sign up, visit your email inbox to verify your email address. Check your spam folder if you don’t receive any verification emails. Thanks!!!
ellis
IFEL – Creating a roadmap for your business
Blog Series: Building Great Businesses
By: ellis j. still
For the past three years, the Institute for Entrepreneurial Leadership( http://www.ifelnj.org ) has been sponsoring a business plan competition for entrepreneurs in within the State of New Jersey. IFEL is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports economic development of New Jersey’s inner cities through business plan development and a host of business and leadership training programs.
In my first year of participation, my plan did not do well. I was crushed. I thought that the plan was brilliant – that the good people at IFEL would be falling over themselves to give mention to my eloquently written plan. The fact of the matter is that it was not remotely as good as I thought it was. While the vision was sound, the plan was not in touch with the realities of executing the plan. I didn’t place that year, which made me go for it even harder the following year.
That next year was a test of patience. I wanted to rush to open the store that year and I saw no reason to, since things were evolving on paper. When it didn’t happen I was even more discouraged, but not defeated. I relied on the hope and the desire that God put in me to make this happen. In retrospect, now I know that during the next year of updating the business plan, the preparation and IFEL coaching & feedback forced me and my venture to mature spiritually and professionally (both are inter-related), and learning patience along the way. As a result of the growth, my plan placed among the top and I was a finalist presenter during last year’s awards ceremony.
IFEL is a wonderful resource for not only planning your business but also executing into reality what you plan for, which is the purpose of the business plan in the first place. The business plan is a road map towards what makes your business tick, what will make it successful, and what will make it grow. Some entrepreneurs opt to pay others to write their plans for them. I recommend against it due to the need for your vision being put into words, and no one else can articulate your vision better that you can. However, I do recommend that you have someone write your plan with you. You as an entrepreneur need to provide feedback such that you have ownership of the vision of the plan and you can realistically act it out. A business plan is more than an assemblage of words put together about your business; it is a part of you. A few things that I have learned include:
1.) Don’t look at setbacks as failures, but as opportunities unveiled.
2.) Be teachable: take in everything with a genuine heart, and shelf the things that do not apply to you right now.
3.) Patience is underrated, especially in the service industry. Sometimes we tend to do “stuff” in an attempt to move forward, but often it lacks direction and is a waste of time and resources because we did not take the time to research and ponder over what will make it work.
4.) Do not take any experience for granted. All experiences are learning experiences… for better or for worse. if you remain teachable in all of your life dealings, it will translate over into your business.
IFEL also offers webinars through its network of speakers who specialize within their given topic, as well as an assortment of small business offerings (see http://www.ifelnj.org for more information).
Questions: What is in your plan? Have you taken the time to map out your business for the present and for the future?
© 2010, Ellis J. Still. All rights reserved
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
____________________________________________________
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like what you read and you are not yet a Subscriber to my blog, why not subscribe now? All posts are original, there is no fixed schedule, so you would not have to check my blog regularly, and you will be receiving an authentic review of books, organizations and life experiences as a husband and entrepreneur. If you change your mind, it is easy to unsubscribe. Once you sign up, visit your email inbox to verify your email address. Check your spam folder if you don’t receive any verification emails. Thanks!!!
ellis
Blog Series: Building Great Businesses – Introduction
by ellis j. still
In my journey towards being an entrepreneur, I have been blessed and fortunate to be surrounded by resources that have assisted me in achieving my goals. Being an entrepreneur is different from being a business owner in that business owners seek to maintain where they are in their venture, where entrepreneurs have a vision of growth for the future. There is nothing negative about either, and one tends to evolve into the other sometimes simply as a matter of choice, or by forces of the free market.
In the Newark, NJ area, there is a network of public and private organizations that equips people in building and growing viable businesses. Last year I attended the Inner City Economic Forum hosted by the ICIC (Initiative for a Competitive Inner City – http://www.icic.org ) in Washington DC, where I heard it said that Newark NJ’s collaborative network of public and private institutions serves as a role model for cities across the country. This comment resonated within me, and I have come to realize that public and private entities across the country may be seeking to create similar resources to address the challenges of entrepreneurs in their regional area in growing their business ventures. As a result, I decided to create a blog series featuring my experiences with the various organizations so as to demonstrate some ideas based on established institutions that genuinely collaborate to meet the needs of the business community.
© 2010, Ellis J. Still. All rights reserved
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255
_______________________________________________________
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. If you like what you read and you are not yet a Subscriber to my blog, why not subscribe now? All posts are original, there is no fixed schedule, so you would not have to check my blog regularly, and you will be receiving an authentic review of books, organizations and life experiences as a husband and entrepreneur. If you change your mind, it is easy to unsubscribe. Once you sign up, visit your email inbox to verify your email address. Check your spam folder if you don’t receive any verification emails. Thanks!!! ellis
Encourage a young person today
by ellis j. still
Young people tend to be resilient. They bounce back to life’s adversities. There are numerous support systems for youth that encourages and rewards them for doing better. But then at the same time, some stop trying. By nature we encourage those who are doing well, and label and condemn the others as troublemakers and deviants. Part of my history in working with youth is mentoring and working with those who are deemed by many as a menace to society… as deviants.
Those who are excelling have more than adequate resources, but those who are not excelling in life often are an island of themselves. To offer kind words (as opposed to words of condemnation) to those youth who are failing and getting expelled from school, who are frequently in contact with the law, is a huge gesture to them. If you encourage them, you give them a spark of hope that they can be more than what they are today. The expectation is that the spark will one day turn into a fire within them, enough to where they will have a new and strong desire to do and be better.
Condemning is not the answer. You do not know their story. You don’t know why they make the decisions that they make. Often times, habits and attitudes are handed down from generation to generation. At other times they act on the emotions of a painful past that adults would have a hard time coping with, and healing is all but impossible in the environment that they are in.
However, you can help break the curse simply by having a few kind words for a young person who is underachieving. This would not only shock them, but give them self worth, even if they do not show it on the outside. If you know of any young people that you know is struggling, let them know that you care. They will appreciate it, and you could plant in them the mustard seed that one day will bloom and flourish into a strong and steadfast tree.
I listen to the Steve Harvey Morning Radio show. To paraphrase one of his conversations, he told a story on how one day saw a young person working at the airport whose pants were sagging… the way many young people wear them today. Steve walked up to him and said… “you know what, I see something special in you…”. The next day, Steve saw that same young person dressed in a nice button down shirt and tie, and to this day I believe they communicate on a regular basis with Steve serving as mentor. That goes to show the power of encouraging and showing a young person that he is more that what he is today.
© 2010, Ellis J. Still. All rights reserved
ellis j. still 