Posts for September, 2008

Who is more successful? Bill and Melinda Gates or this father and son: Over the past thirty years, Dick Hoyt and his son Rick have completed hundreds of races, including more than sixty-five marathons, more than two hundred triathlons, and six Ironman races. This is an amazing feat for anyone, but when you take in to account the fact that Rick was born a non-speaking spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy, it’s downright miraculous.  Read more »

The funniest bathroom graffiti has been interpreted into business advice. Trust me, it works... kinda. (FREE - Downloadable wallpaper for your computer)  Read more »

Think you have the next great business plan? Here's how to know if your business idea is good enough.  Read more »

The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur starts shipping next week (Tuesday to be exact). And what would a book launch be with out a TPE video, making fun of book launches? We just had to make it...  Read more »

Now here’s a story of how to make lemons into lemonade (hence the picture Sarah Radford submitted)!  There are a lot of great tips here, enjoy. Mike out. I always knew that one day I would own my own business. I started my company, Chic Gems, etc. jewelry, as a side project in 2002 while working as a [...]  Read more »

VIDEO - Mike's Vlog on The Clench  Read more »

TOILET PAPER ENTREPRENEUR PROFILES Ms. Lizzie Stark, Founder of Fringe Magazine Inc. Company Name Fringe Magazine Inc. What The Business Does Fringe is a quarterly online literary journal that publishes political and experimental literature by emerging and established writers. Started June 2005 Startup Cost $300 Favorite food Steamed artichokes. Yum! Cost of a Great Night Out $30, tops. Enough for a few beers and maybe a movie. Favorite [...]  Read more »

TOILET PAPER ENTREPRENEUR PROFILES Jeff Swedarsky, Founder of DC Metro Food Tours Company Name DC Metro Food Tours Year Launched May 2007 Age 27 The Service DC Metro Food Tours provides guided tours that highlight the cuisine from locally owned and operated restaurants in historic DC area neighborhoods. Startup Cash $300, a fork and a plate. Favorite Food Anything Vietnamese Favorite Quote ‘Different is better when it is [...]  Read more »

You can tell a lot about a person by the way they take a dump. Some people run to the bathroom, check to see if there’s enough toilet paper, and when they don’t see it, the clench begins. They run around from bathroom to bathroom, desperately searching for toilet paper, hoping the worst won’t happen. Until it does. They’ve shit their shorts.  Read more »

I'm quite happy to say that Mike gave me a wonderful opportunity to talk about Entrepreneurship in Eastern Europe following his excellent report on Jamaican Entrepreneurship. I would say that writing this article puts a great deal of responsibility on my shoulders, first because I have to match Mike's article with an equally interesting one, and second because Eastern Europe is actually called home by a lot of countries with very different perspective. Lot's of things to say, so let me make some sort of list that we can follow later if it's the readers' wish.  Read more »

When I threw my cap in the air at my 2004 college graduation I made myself a promise; I promised myself I would NEVER go back to school!!! Well now it’s 2008 and I broke my promise. I am proud to call myself a MBA candidate at the #1 Graduate Entrepreneurship Program in the country, as ranked by the U.S. News and World Reports. Babson’s entrepreneurial resources, diverse student body, and unique offerings make it the best entrepreneurship program in the world.  Read more »

VIDEO - Mike's Vlog on Cribs  Read more »

TOILET PAPER ENTREPRENEUR PROFILES Carolyn Goodwin, Founder of Whirled Events Company Name Whirled Events Year Started July 2005 What Do You Do? Gifts & promotional items for events. Start Up Cash $15K Favorite Food Chocolate chip cookies, without the chocolate chips. My Pet Is My: Rambunctious nephew who likes to poke at my eyes. Ouch! A Great Night Out Costs $47.25.  That’s the price of my favorite bottle of wine.   [...]  Read more »

Yes, Jamaica. You know the Jamaica I am talking about. The beautiful resorts, the amazing Dunn’s River Falls and the world famous “No problem, Mon!” white glove service. If you have visited Jamaica, via a flight to Montego Bay, that may be all you have ever seen, besides the few communities during your mad dash bus drive from the airport to your caged in resort. I have come as a tourist. I have done that. And I have relished the sliver of beauty I was exposed to. My visit this September was not for vacation. It was to inspire people and show them the path of entrepreneurialism. Alas, they inspired me and have shown me the path.  Read more »

It’s safe to say that no one wants to be f*ck up. We go to great lengths to avoid total humiliation – who wouldn’t? No one wants to get caught with his pants down. No, not that kind of mistake. I mean the getting-caught-doing-your-business kind of mistake. Keep the door shut (and your mind out of the gutter) already.  Read more »

On the internet you can be "anyone you want to be", but one thing you will learn quickly is that if you are not fully honest with people about who you really are, you will lose their respect faster than white on rice. The more transparent you are, the faster you can gain someone’s trust!  Read more »

VIDEO - Mike's Vlog on Competitor's Numbers  Read more »

TOILET PAPER ENTREPRENEUR PROFILES Ms. Jodi Smith, Founder of Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting Company Name Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting The Service Mannersmith is an etiquette consulting firm that delivers seminars to clients ranging from children to CEOs; each program is a combination of lecture, activities and exercises designed to ensure that learning about etiquette is both educational and entertaining. Started Officially January 1996 Start-Up Cost A [...]  Read more »

Here is some TPE stuff from this past week: Friday Traffic Report Jack Humphrey recommended the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur on his website, the Friday Traffic Reprot.  What a wonderful endorsement! Check it out. Daily Record (Man’s Head Attached to Child’s Body) The man-child is… me.  This is probably the funniest picture I have ever seen of me.  My head is HUGE and [...]  Read more »

Analyzing your competitor’s revenue is a helpful tool in measuring your own progress and potential. Duh. It’s not rocket science. You won’t beat ‘em if you can’t find the finish line. So how much are your competitors taking – or raking – in, and how the hell do you find out?  Read more »

First, let me qualify the title. Free, for the purposes of this article, carries the definition of no monetary compensation. As we know: time is money so time is never free. With that disclaimer out of the way, let's proceed onto the current topic of how to get free advertising for your business.  Read more »

VIDEO - Mike's Vlog on Email Thrice  Read more »

TOILET PAPER ENTREPRENEUR PROFILES Brandon Labman & Tom Moore, Founders of ROCs College Student Staffing, Inc. Company Name ROCS (aka Responsible Outgoing College Students) College Student Staffing, Inc. Year Started 2003 during our freshman year at George Mason Start Up Cash $200 cash each (Brandon’s $200 cash was actually a refund check from his school loan when he lowered his on-campus meal [...]  Read more »

Interested in reading more about the TPE movement? (Yes… I said “movement”).  Check out this stuff: CNBC - Things You DON’T NEED to Launch Your Business - This is an article I wrote a few weeks back and I have received a countless mix of emails either telling me I am dead on, or I am [...]  Read more »

I’m about to save you from your inbox. I don’t care how many FAQs you include on your website, you’re still going to get the same questions over and over again. And if you don’t have a website, your inbox is going to be FULL of more questions, all requiring your timely response.  Read more »