July 2008 Archives

on July 27, 2008

There is a shortage of "Enterprise Architects" in Michigan. These Information Technology professionals integrate multiple technologies for firms.

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Dr. Livermore also pointed out that “enterprise architects” are “especially popular” careers in Michigan, and many companies are finding that there are not enough of them. Since computer technology is used in every single activity most companies are involved in, there is a significant demand for IT professionals who can “integrate” all these technologies to enable a smooth flow of information. Furthermore, since more and more companies are working together, their information systems need to be compatible to share information through computers and other devices.

For instance, General Motors is a great example of how to integrate technologies within the company and with its suppliers. In order to reach maximum efficiency, there needs to be a smooth and quick flow of information and processes throughout the supply chain. So when a customer makes a purchase, the system is automatically updated to reflect this in inventory, and when a certain level of inventory is reached, once again, the system automatically orders more needed products all without human interference. In order to do this, it takes the integration and compatibility of a customized information system and technologies.

There are many other companies that offer enterprise architecture services:

Meta Integration

Best Practice Dynamics

Conlin Consulting

Cygnus Systems, Inc.

Saline Lectronics - PCB Manufacturing Focused on the Customer

By

Colin Loomis

on July 25, 2008

An American manufacturing company builds printed circuit boards in southeast Michigan. Saline Lectronics meets needs small and medium sized businesses.

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Filed under: Competing Globally | Manufacturing | Saline Lectronics | Saline, MI

As a leading manufacturer of Printed Circuit Board (PCB), Saline Lectronics provides their customers with a fully integrated system which gives customers flexibility and control throughout the entire production process. This insurance comes with an involved testing process, quick and efficient manufacturing, prototypes to test validity of design, and finally a flexible inventory management system. Addressing the needs of small and medium sized business, Saline Lectronics works with wide array of industries; ranging from medical to aerospace.

A standout feature of Saline Lectronics is their quality of service. Not only do they quality test along most points of the production process, they guarantee response to your assembly needs within 24 hours and offer instant job estimates online. In a market segment that is often outsourced overseas, it is easy to see that in order to stay competitive Saline Lectronics offers a friendly, customer focus approach to their business strategy.

Saline Lectronics knows more then just PCB construction. They also excel at electromechanical design, DFMA (Design for Manufacture and Assembly), project engineering, and outsourcing. All of this in pursuit to “Deliver the highest quality circuit board assemblies, on time, within budget, and providing the best customer service possible”.

Tree Town Toys - Internet Store goes Brick and Mortar

By

Colin Loomis

on July 25, 2008 TrackBacks (1)

Tree Town Toys fills a market void in the toy industry, providing their product list in multiple different search queries, from age range to different skill sets required for games. From local to national business plans, this local company might have both figured out.

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Filed under: Ann Arbor, MI | Information Technology | Start-Ups | Tree Town Toys

One year ago this month, Hans and Tricia Masing took their online store, Brain Station, to the store front. Opening their first store, Tree Town Toys in Ann Arbor, they were looking to provide unique and interesting toys to the community. As new parents, they were driven by their own search for great toys for their children.

As automotive engineer (Tricia) and an IT guy (Hans), the two seem to be an odd couple in the toy industry. However, combing their quest for toys with Hans' IT experience proved fruitful and helped create their online store Brain Station. Filling a market void in the toy industry, Tree Town Toys and Brain Station provides their product list in multiple different search queries, from age range to different skill sets required for games. Want to develop hand eye coordination? They've got 243 toys for that. Toys for a 1-2 year olds? Choose from 53 different toys for them.

As all start up companies discover financing is one of the most difficult portions of the process. Hans and Tricia were no exception to this. Tricia notes the Michigan economy as a stumbling block. She notices a change in targeting perspective as one solution to their initial problems. Current perspectives are interested in national, not local business. Managing an online store for Tree Town Toys, which is very similar to their Brain Station store, must have helped to ease investors minds. While the store was only in Ann Arbor, their products are still being sold across the United States.

Beyond toys, Tree Town Toys provides the community with two other great assets. They are helping our economy by providing more jobs. Those interested in marketing, customer service, and toys should check out their careers page. Need a creative activity for your own children? Take a look at their events page.

Tranche Solves P2P Problems to Connect Science Community

By

Colin Loomis

on July 20, 2008

Peer-2-Peer file sharing programs don't offer much security to their users. Users are capable of titling their files as they please and use of a p2p network requires direct access to a users file network. Tranche solves this problem with their Java based client-server network.

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Filed under: Ann Arbor, MI | Information Technology | University of Michigan

File sharing systems like Bear Share and Limewire are unsecured file sharing systems because they offer little security to their users. The two areas in which peer-to-peer (P2P) programs fail the most are in accountability and the need to directly access users files. Additionally, shared files are not indexed, so the user relies on the file holder to provide secure and accurate data.

In enters Tranche, a client server network which provides secure data sharing for the scientific community. Created by Jayson Falkner at the University of Michigan in late 2005, Tranche is part of the National Resource for Proteomics and Pathways. Tranche proved to be a reliable data bank for proteomics and is now being used in the fields of glycomics, metabalomics, and 2D gel data.

Tranche goes against the grain in their pursuit of security. Their software is built off of Java Webstart and is a complete server side operation. Several security issues are resolved by simply switching to server side software. Tranche controls all of the data that is shared over their network and keeps their users safe by monitoring all of the files shared on their system. In addition, users must request the ability to upload data to the server. Once they have approval, their log in is typically valid for only two weeks. This ensures that a user name and password cannot be stolen and reused by an distrusted user. Upon upload, all files are given a unique hash. This enables quick retrieval of data from the database.

Finally, users are allowed to encrypt their data and share their passphrase with limited parties. So while anyone can log onto Tranche and download data as they please, you can restrict access with passphrases. If at a later time the owner wishes to publish their data, they have the option to share the passphrase.

As virus's become more advanced and the number of infected computers rises, I'm sure many more programs will follow in Tranches footsteps. Their client-server environment keeps their users safe and happy. On top of all of that, Tranche is completely free to use and is open source.

Set Our Sights Towards Alternative and Renewable Energies

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on July 17, 2008 TrackBacks (1) Comments (1)

Whether or not you believe in global warming, it's hard to deny the strain that fossil fuels have put on our planet. We need to change not only how we produce and consume energy, but also what types of energy we use.

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Filed under: Renewable Energy

Whether or not you believe in global warming, it's hard to deny the strain that fossil fuels have put on our planet. We need to change not only how we produce and consume energy, but also what types of energy we use.

Of course, this leads us to alternative energy. The only problem is that every type of alternative energy has its downside. Some of the most notable are: the radiation hazard of nuclear power, and the price and unpredictability of solar and wind power.

So we've come to the point where we need to choose which type of energy has the least amount of undesireable 'negatives.' I say that fossil fuels have the highest potential for problems; not only do they create tons of pollution, but we have allowed ourselves to be tied to this non-renewable resource. On the other hand, barring any unforeseen disastrous global climate emergencies, the sun and the wind are about as certain as death and taxes.

Whether it will be one hundred or one thousand years before we run out of oil, we need to embrace alternative energies now because it will take decades for us to ween ourselves from fossil fuels. Until we can rely on clean energies for most of our consumption, we must reduce our use of oil. This starts with improving biofuel technology so that we can produce it with clean energy without net energy loss. It starts with replacing the outdated power lines that cross the United States with new high-voltage lines that carry energy from wind farms to the cities that need it. It starts with hybrid-electic cars and hydrogen fuel cells.

There's no reliable way to tell how much oil the earth has left. And if we run out, then you can just about say good-bye to plastics, among other things. We need to start the process towards alternative energies now. This requires us to buy in to alternative energies and to reduce our oil consumption.

IT Industry Jobs in Michigan: Part 1

By

on July 17, 2008

There are many jobs available in Michigan, even though there have been cutbacks in the auto-industry. Job seekers may have to shift their focus to information technology, since there many open positions in Michigan in some areas in this field.

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Filed under: Education & Training | Information Technology | Jeffrey Livermore | People

Recently I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Livermore, a professor who teaches information technology courses at Walsh College. He enlightened me about the job market in Michigan for Information Technology (IT) professionals. And surprisingly enough, I learned through our conversation that there is a shortage of Computer Information Systems (CIS) professionals here in Michigan. Yeah, I think I know what you are thinking; "haven't we lost a lot of computer jobs through outsourcing them overseas?"

Yes we have, but as Dr. Livermore pointed out there are some computer jobs that can be easily outsourced to other countries, such as computer programming and data entry. However, many computer related careers are safe right here at home since they require the IT professional to be on site. For instance, especially in computer networking where a group of computers have to be physically connected through wires or wireless connections, as well as all the necessary programs installed on them, need to be done in person. Additionally, many times computer networking includes security, so the IT professional would have to install anti-virus programs, firewalls, anti-spyware, and the updates that go along wtih these, along with running regular backups, maintaining the system, etc., so the IT professional would need to be on-site, or readily accessible nearby.

In the next part of this series, I will reveal the most sought after IT field. Companies who seek out these specific IT professionals will definitely have the competitive advantage.

Michigan's Innovative History: Part 3

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on July 17, 2008

Edison's laboratory, Menlo Park, was relocated to Greenfield Village, in Dearborn, Michigan. Visitors can see how the lab was set up and try to understand how Edison invented the light bulb. It was his endurance through multiple attempts at failure until he succeeded at creating the light bulb that we can be grateful for his persistence.

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Filed under: Innovation | Thomas Edison

Later on, Thomas Edison moved from Michigan to Newark, New Jersey and established is own research laboratory, Menlo Park. Remarkably, this laboratory and its' building were transferred to the Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan. When I visited this laboratory, I thought it resembled an old fashioned chemistry lab, with many glass bottles with powdery looking substances in them. Edison was a great thinker and was able to intuitively integrate chemistry and physics concepts.

Menlo Park is the laboratory where Edison invented the light bulb, another major innovation that has changed how we live. Even to try to understand how Edison came up with the idea of a light bulb is almost incomprehensible. For instance, was he fed up with using candles one day and decided to create something better that did not exist? This was an innovation based on inconvenience that evolved into a much more important concept. It just took some creative thinking, problem solving, and over a thousand t rials and errors!

In the next part, I will further explain how the creation of the light bulb led to other life altering innovations.

Arbor Teas - All That and a Bag of Darjeeling

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on July 14, 2008 Comments (2)

Even if you do not consider yourself "passionate" about tea, the Arbor tea website is more than just a product catalog, it is a tea experience.

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Filed under: Ann Arbor, MI | Arbor Teas | Jeremy and Aubrey Lopatin | Tea and Tea Products

Anyone out there who has a passion for tea must take a look at arborteas.com. Arbor teas offers every variety of tea imaginable and a host of tea-related items including: teapots, travel mugs, infusers, tea timers, books, apparel, and more. Arbor teas also offers some other great products. They have tea samplers, gift sets, tea for children, and special blends to make iced tea. For those interested in refining their tea palate, Arbor tea has a Tea of the Month Club, and a World Tour Club.

Even if you do not consider yourself "passionate" about tea, the Arbor tea website is more than just a product catalog, it is a tea experience. Arbor teas offers informative descriptions and detailed photos of every type of tea they sell from Golden Yunnan Black Tea to White Velvet White Tea. Each tea also has an expert review and customer rating. For those of us who are far from tea connoisseurs, the information contained on the Arbor Teas website is quite informative. I now know what Rooibos is and I've learned how to make Kombucha.

The website offers some other great features. The amount of information contained on the website is impressive. The website explains the history of tea, the health benefits of tea, and how to properly store tea. Arborteas.com teaches you how to host a proper tea party, how to taste tea like a pro, and how to pair food and tea. I could go on and on. The website basically tells you everything you could possibly want to know about tea and more. The website also has an active blog for tea lovers to share their tea experiences.

The co-founders of Arbor Teas, Jeremy and Aubrey Lopatin, are a husband and wife team whose obvious passion for top quality tea has inspired them to create a great company which not only sells high-quality tea and tea products, but offers their customers the ability to make every sip of tea a special occasion. Lucky for us here in southeast Michigan, Jeremy and Aubrey Lopatin are just as passionate about their home town, Ann Arbor, Michigan, as they are about tea. These two are most importantly passionate about our environment. All of Arbor Teas are organic. Arbor Teas has partnered with CarbonFund.org to ensure that their teas are packaged in environmentally-friendly materials and to promote energy efficiency and reforestation.

Here to Help the Entrepreneur, Part II: Bizdom U

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on July 14, 2008 Comments (4)

Bizdom U expects its graduates to not only succeed, but also to give back and provide opportunities for the next generations, and it gives them the tools they need to do just that.

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Filed under: Bizdom U | Detroit, MI | Education & Training | Financing | Start-Ups

As an entrepreneur, how does this opportunity sound to you? A free one-year program in Detroit city, with living stipends, that "teaches entrepreneurship and empowers its graduates to open successful businesses."

That's the "entrepreneurship boot camp" at Bizdom U, a non-profit organization in Detroit. It's a program founded by Dan Gilbert, Chairman and Founder of Quicken Loans, and led by a team of skilled professionals.

The Executive Director, Ross Sanders, told Crain's Detroit Business that "When we started with our initial class in January 2007, it was an entirely new initiative. Nothing the likes of it had ever been done." In fact, the organizers say that the program is unique in the United States. Sanders also says, "The program's goal is to create a new wave of entrepreneurs who will go out and start businesses within the city of Detroit."

Any adult with a high school diploma or GED is eligible. But as for the requirements, Bizdom U asks, "Are you ready to put your nose to the grindstone and perform at a high level?" It's a rigorous program, but the students have "free use of cutting-edge business technologies like Blackberries and notebook computers" in order to better help them succeed.

Upon completion of the program, each student is eligble for anywhere from $25,000 to $500,000 worth of funding towards their business, depending on whether or not they reach their goals. The students are expected to invest their time, energy, and/or resources back into the communities in and around Detroit.

Bizdom U represents a new way of thinking in this country. It expects its graduates to not only succeed, but also to give back and provide opportunities for the next generations, and it gives them the tools they need to do just that. When looking back at the first year, organizers have been pleased with the outcome. With any luck, Bizdom U can build on its successes.

Here to Help the Entrepreneur, Part I: Ann Arbor Spark

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on July 13, 2008

What Spark does is, well, just about everything to help entrepreneurs to build a better business, or even to start one. Some of the services that Spark provides are the Business Accelerator, Online Business Planning, and, of course, Financing.

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What's out there to help future entrepreneurs to succeed? As previously mentioned, there are many options available for students. As it turns out, there are also plenty of opportunities that aren't run by a university.

One organization that is trying to help innovation in the area is Ann Arbor Spark. The website says that "Ann Arbor Spark is a public-private partnership whose mission is to advance innovation-based economic development in the greater Ann Arbor region." It's an organization drawing from some of the businesses, communities, universities, and government resources in and around the Ann Arbor area.

What Spark does is, well, just about everything to help entrepreneurs to build a better business, or even to start one. Some of the services that Spark provides are the Business Accelerator, Online Business Planning, and, of course, Financing:

In addition to attempting to connect entrepreneurs with venture capitalists and Angel funds, whose mission "is to make equity investments in early stage and emerging growth companies," Spark also provides lots of information on credit enhancement and Tax-Exempt Industrial Revenue Bonds (IRBs).

Spark has received great press from Fortune's 100 best places to live and launch, particularly for its role in The Michigan Pre-Seed Capital Fund. Spark also runs a Regional Incubator for interested businesses.

Spark's network is very large, and there is much more information available on www.annarborspark.org. The website is a useful tool for anybody interested in getting help with their business. Also, as an added bonus, Spark keeps track of positive news regarding Michigan and its businesses. It's not surprising to see that Spark has received awards for all its tremendous, and necessary, services that it offers to everybody.

Red Heads and Red Head Enthusiasts - This One's Dedicated To You

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on July 13, 2008 Comments (1)

Redhedd.com was created by Steve Warrington when he discovered that the world's population of red heads is less than 2% and steadily decreasing. The mission of Redhedd.com is to "Save the Redheads."

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Filed under: Ann Arbor, MI | Redhedd.com | Social Media | Steve Warrington

Here is an unique innovation created specifically for red heads and those who have an appreciation for red heads. Redhedd.com, "The only free social network for red heads," is similar to myspace.com where anyone with an affinity for red heads can create a profile, chat, and download photos. Redhedd.com distinguishes itself by having more character and personality than mass social networks like myspace.com. Redhedd.com also prides itself on being spam-free.

Redhedd.com was created by Steve Warrington when he discovered that the world's population of red heads was approximately 2% and steadily decreasing. The mission of Redhedd.com is to "Save the Redheads." Redhedd.com is not just a social networking website, it also offers many additional features. Redhedd.com provides its members with the ablilty to browse photos and profiles of other members for potential dating connections. Redhedd.com offers products such as Redhedd.com apparel, posters, and bags. At Redhedd.com, people can share music, videos, links to interest groups, and receive information regarding upcoming events.

Redhedd.com's unique perspective has gained a lot of media attention since its creation in June 2007. Redhedd.com, and its creator Steve Warrington, have been the subject of several web articles. They have been featured on several television shows including MTV Canada, GM TV in the UK, and the St. Patrick's Day 2008 episode of the Today Show. Although Redhedd.com targets a rather specific segment of the population, the website has shown impressive traffic and continues to gain popularity. With approximately 3000 users, Redhedd.com has people logging-on from the United States, Australia, Ireland, Canada, Japan, and several other countries on the map.

Yue Fan, his Pattern Clock, and the MORE Program, Part III

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on July 11, 2008 TrackBacks (1)

I asked Yue what he thought about that day when he had his meeting with Zell Lurie and entered in the Empowered Business Plan Competition. He said "it was at that point where the resources really started to pour in."

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One question remains from my series on Yue Fan, his Pattern Clock, and the MORE Program: How did Yue get involved in the first place? Obviously he had the idea for the clock, but how did he set the process in motion?

"I had the prototype and I was dressed up for a meeting [with the Zell Lurie Institute at the UM Business School]. The Business School runs a program where they invest about $100,000 in companies."

Yue continued, "I was in preparation for the meeting but I was walking through North Campus when I saw this [MPowered Student Organization] Business Plan Competition, so I thought 'I might as well do that.' A little bit later we found out we'd won, and we won a trip to California to learn more about starting your own company." A trip to California including the opportunity to give a pitch to a panel of respected Venture Capitalists and get feedback from them.

"That was really how I got started with entrepreneurship resources at Michigan and around Ann Arbor. Before that, I kinda just sat in my room and tried to get help online."

For those of you keeping score at home, that's 3 opportunities. He made a pitch to the Zell Lurie Institute at UMich. He was a winner of the MPowered Business Plan Competition. After he submitted his business plan to the MORE Program, he got involved in their summer internship, including receiving $5,000 in grant money.

I asked Yue what he thought about that day when he had his meeting with Zell Lurie and entered in the Empowered Business Plan Competition. He said "it was at that point where the resources really started to pour in."

There are tons of opportunities for University of Michigan students. Yue didn't even participate in the MORE Program's job fair earlier this year, designed to help students get internships with start-up companies. In future posts, I will tackle the issue of finding opportunities like the ones detailed here that are available to not just college students, but to the general public.

Michigan's Innovative History: Part 2

By

on July 10, 2008

One famous innovator was raised in Port Huron, Michigan. He invented the phonograph just over a century ago. So when you listen to your favorite CD, think of where it all started.

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Filed under: Innovation | People | Thomas Edison

I am listening to my new Coldplay CD, Viva La Vida, for the first time. Since there were some days that I missed it on the radio, I had to go out and buy it in spite of my limited budget, so I can listen to it any time I want to. I have Coldplay and Thomas Edison to thank for this.

Thomas Edison was born in Ohio. However, it was in Port Huron, Michigan where Thomas Edison was nurtured to adulthood.

Edison is the inventor of many things that have changed our lives. One of my favorites, especially now, is the phonograph or as Edison called it, the “automatic repeater”. It is tough to believe that the phonograph was invented in 1877, just 131 years ago! Additionally, it is especially astounding that this technology made a significant leap in innovation, since there was nothing like it before.

Before the phonograph was developed further, the only way people could listen to music was through live performances. This was not very often, nor affordable for most people. Music is mathematics, and listening to it, and even learning it, improves one's IQ (Intelligence Quotient), especially during childhood. So it could be said that Edison's invention, the phonograph, is an innovator enabler!

It is my opinion that the phrase “ahead of his time” definitely was inspired from Thomas Edison. In the next part of this series, I will point out other life-changing innovations Edison created.

Michigan's Innovative History: Part 1

By

on July 10, 2008

Michigan has a rich history in innovation. Many of which have made major changes all over the world, not to mention, the foundations of how we live our modern lives today. In this part, I start with the innovator, Henry Ford, who manufactured the Ford Model T automobile one hundred years ago in 1908!

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The other day I was flipping through my AAA Living magazine, and came across a snippet about a discount for AAA members to the Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village and Ford Rouge Factory Tour.

This discount is to celebrate the 100th year anniversary of the Ford Model T rolling “off the assembly line”. So as we drive to work in our modern cars, it is astonishing to think that it was only 100 years ago that the Model T was created. And it goes without saying that this invention made significant changes all over the world. This is one reason why Detroit, Michigan is called Motor City and Motown.

I have been lucky enough to visit all these places, and people here in Michigan don’t seem to realize how fortunate we are to have these most unique and best museums in the world! And it all started in Michigan’s rich history of innovation.

In the next part of this series, I will bring up more innovators in Michigan’s history.

Gas Mileage: MPG or GPM?

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on July 8, 2008 Comments (2)

Professors Richard Larrick and Jack Soll conducted tests to see whether the unit of MPG was giving people the wrong ideas. As it turns out, they were right.

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Filed under: Automotive | Fuel Efficiency

We've always used Miles Per Gallon as the unit for measuring the gas mileage and fuel efficiency of automobiles. Why? Sure, the numbers are fairly easy to work with, but just because it's easy doesn't mean we've found the best way to do it. With all the innovation going on with hybrids and making more fuel-efficient cars, now is the time to change the way we measure the fuel efficiency itself.

Duke University professors Richard Larrick and Jack Soll conducted tests to see whether the unit of MPG was giving people the wrong ideas. As it turns out, they were right; most people were thrown off by MPG : "for example, most people ranked an improvement from 34 to 50 mpg as saving more gas over 10,000 miles than an improvement from 18 to 28 mpg, even though the latter saves twice as much gas.

"These mistaken impressions were corrected, however, when participants were presented with fuel efficiency expressed in gallons used per 100 miles rather than mpg."

The New York Times wrote that "[Larrick and Soll] ran a series of experiments to show that the current standard of miles per gallon leads consumers to believe that fuel consumption is reduced at an even rate as efficiency improves. But that’s not the case.

The following graph plots Gallons Used Per 100 Miles vs. Miles Per Gallon between 10 and 60 Miles Per Gallon. Note that the relationship between fuel savings and MPG is not linear. Also note that changing from a 10mpg vehicle to a 20mpg vehicle (5 gallons saved per 100 miles) is five times more efficient than changing from a 34mpg vehicle to a 50mpg vehicle (1 gallon saved).

As professors Larrick and Soll found in their examination, many people have trouble understanding this. We should switch our system of units to GPM to avoid any confusion. Fuel efficiency would be rated with a single-digit number, the lower the better. When comparing two cars' GPM, all you would need to do is subtract one from the other. Wouldn't that be so much easier than a hyperbolic equation?

Innovative Teaching is Key to Michigan Economy: Part 5

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on July 7, 2008

Google offers grants for non-profit organizations. Dr. Gibson was creative enough to use this opportunity for our class to work on a real life project. And since we were doing something important, for many of us, a good grade was not our main goal.

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Filed under: Information Technology | Innovation | Web Development

It was a great idea for Dr. Gibson to connect Google Adwords grants with his Web Development class. This is what made it possible for us to engage out in the real world on a real project, while still in the classroom. By combining this real life experience with lectures, advice, collaborative learning and information sharing, we were able to learn more and useful information in a short period of time.

Google offers Adwords grant applications to 501(c)3 non-profit organizations. Once a grant is awarded, the organization has a generous daily budget to manage their Google Adwords accounts. It is through these accounts that Google Ads are created. These ads appear on the right side of the screen when people do Google searches. For most of us, this was our first advertising experience and it was exciting to see our ads on the Internet.

In addition, we were able to help non-profit organizations in our area to bring in more customers, volunteers, and resources.

After the semester was over, we were invited to Google in Ann Arbor for lunch and to give our final presentations. This was a great opportunity for us, and since we had been giving presentations about our Adwords accounts all semester, all of us gave excellent presentations.

And in conclusion, since we were doing something important, for many of us, a good grade was not our main goal. We learned a great deal and acquired enough experience to continue working in online marketing.

Innovative Teaching is Key to Michigan Economy: Part 4

By

on July 7, 2008

I explain how this Web Development is so valuable for creating Web-sites, and why it is important to focus on search engine optimization. By managing Google Adwords accounts we were able to understand a variety of issues when creating Web pages.

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Filed under: Industries | Information Technology | Innovation | Web Development

Furthermore, since this class was a Web Development class, it was especially important to learn how Web site development was related to search engine optimization. So we had to think of keywords people would use who were interested in the services and products our non-profits would offer, and create ads relevant to these keywords, as well as landing pages that would lead to conversions. Conversions refer to actions we want the Web-site visitors to take, such as donating money. This combination of concepts is the latest emerging business trend online.

Why have a Web site if no one is going to read it?

With a strong focus on search engine optimization, we were able to lure people to the Web site by creating landing pages for our Google Ads. We learned which strategies and keywords worked and which ones didn’t through Dr. Gibson's lectures, group presentations, and trial and error.

In the next part, I will write about the Google Adwords Grants program that helped make this class possible.

Innovative Teaching is Key to Michigan Economy: Part 3

By

on July 7, 2008

In this part, I explain how Dr. Gibson's Web Development class was so successful. By using group presentations and blogging, we were able to share information about our struggles and successes to learn more faster.

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Filed under: Information Technology | Innovation | Web Development

The main reason I recommend this class is because of expert advice throughout the semester from Dr. Gibson, as well as collaborative learning in the classroom. Students were divided up into five assigned groups. We had weekly presentations where each group showed the class what they had accomplished and we learned from each other. So we had inner-group and outer-group insight, we shared struggles and successes, and even helped each other whether we were in the same group or not. I had never been in a class like this, where so many students were involved.

At first, I thought the weekly presentations would be useless, but they proved to be extremely worthwhile since every group had different types of non-profit organizations to manage Google Adwords accounts for. We were able to use the shared information to solve problems in our own groups as well, and information that was not relevant would be in the future when we would be managing Google Adwords accounts for other organizations.

In addition to the weekly presentations, we were required to write at least 3 blogs per week regarding subjects covered in class, including problems we were having and strategies that worked for us. So when we had a question, we found that many other people had the same question and were able to look up the solution or advice online. I still refer to the blogs for managing my Google Adwords accounts now.

In the next part, I will explain why this class was so valuable...

Janeeva Balances Outsourcing Relationships

By

Colin Loomis

on July 7, 2008 TrackBacks (1)

The use of SaaS to provide businesses with solutions to common international business problems.

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Filed under: Ann Arbor, MI | Competing Globally | Janeeva

When companies go global, they are doing much more then opening shop in a different country. They are accepting an entirely new culture and way of life different from their own. The single most difficult piece of this process is communication. Companies have difficulties managing communication within their own office, so imagine the trouble you could find yourself in a foreign country. Along with the communication differences comes different technology standards, government policies, and business practices. It is no wonder why going global is one of the most daunting tasks a business owner faces.

This is where Janeeva steps in. As a company specializing in Outsource Relationship Management, Janeeva can help smooth out the communication process of globalization. Areas that Janeeva provides assistance in include: Governance, IT Support, Call Centers, Financial Services, and Heathcare.

To understand how Janeevas software works, you first need to understand Software-as-a-Service, or SaaS. SaaS is an emerging way of administering software solutions. Vendors provide their services over the internet, rather then giving you a software package to load onto your computer. This enables everyone to use the same software, thus eliminating compatibility issues. Saas also simplifies software updates, with all updates managed server-side; you get the most up-to-date version of the software every time you log on.

The most impressive point of Janeeva is the experience of their management team. Their CEO, Vinay Gupta, has an astounding history managing companies on a global scale. Additional members of their staff show very strong computer skills along with international experience.

Janeeva provides an affordable way to launch into a global market. Their great selection of products gives Janeevas customers convient access to technology that limits communication issues and solves many more business problems.

ERT Systems and Innovation, Part II

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on July 7, 2008 TrackBacks (1) Comments (1)

Fresh ideas will always shake up a market.

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Filed under: Automotive | ERT Systems, LLC | Innovation | Renewable Energy | Solar Power

There's also the auto industry. If we look at purely Hybrid-Electric Vehicles (HEV), we can see that the struggling Ford and GM have found hope in the Ford Escape Hybrid and the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid. Ford wanted to have the first Hybrid SUV; it has done just that, and has seen financial improvement. The Tahoe Hybrid increases gas efficiency from its non-hybrid counterpart by nearly 29%, and will probably sell extremely well to those who need a powerful SUV. HEV have shaken up the market among the big automakers themselves, and whichever automaker (be it Ford, GM, Toyota, Honda, or other) makes the best-selling HEV will have a lot of power in the market.

Plug-In Hybrid Vehicles (PHEV) are even more interesting to examine. The new techology has allowed new companies to try to grab a piece of the multi-billion-dollar pie. Some of the most important companies that you have never heard of are Tesla Motors, Phoenix Motorcars, and the Lightning Car Company, all of whom are fighting with the likes of Chevrolet's Volt to bring their PHEV vehicles to the market first. It's been a long time since we've seen so many new car companies, and all it took was some innovation.

All these industries share the commonality that innovation in materials has brought change. Although the industies that they belong to had already been created, companies like ERT Systems and Phoenix Motorcars have a great chance to make a name for themselves. Fresh ideas will always shake up a market.

ERT Systems and Innovation, Part I

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on July 7, 2008 TrackBacks (1) Comments (1)

The bottom line is that John Ellis and Dennis Carmichael, the founders at ERT Systems, chose to approach the same problem from a different path, and it brought success.

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Filed under: ERT Systems, LLC | Innovation | Renewable Energy | Solar Power | Start-Ups

ERT Systems is an Ann-Arbor based company whose product is a wireless system that keeps track of firefighters in a blazing building. It's a helpful (and hopefully life-saving) invention, one that the Ann Arbor Fire Department plans to incorporate into its program soon. But enough about doing good for the world, what I want to look at is how it could make a lot of money.

ERT is not the first company to make a product like this one. However, ERT uses different materials than all the other companies, and so they have the easiest on-scene deployment on the market in the market.

The bottom line is that John Ellis and Dennis Carmichael, the founders at ERT Systems, chose to approach the same problem from a different path, and it brought success. As it turns out, using innovative techniques and materials to do the same thing is a good way to start a new business.

For example, take the solar panel industry. Right now, more than 90% of existing solar panels are made with silicon. Soliant Energy, the solar panel company I worked for last summer, was based upon a simple principle: use less silicon than everybody else. This new way of using the same materials was a great selling point for the company, and that's how we got investments.

There's also a new technology called CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide) in the solar industry. By staying away from increasingly costly and hard-to-find silicon, companies such as HelioVolt are trying to build a successful future. CEO B.J. Stanberry said, "CIGS will have a significant portion of the market within 10 years." Using different materials than the other companies in the market may work very well for HelioVolt.

Rentlinx - The Google of Rental Housing Listings

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on July 7, 2008

One impressive innovation created locally is called RentLinx. RentLinx is a web-based service that allows clients to list available rental housing on multiple websites for free.

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Filed under: Ann Arbor, MI | Jeremy Schneider | Property Rental | Rentlinx

One impressive innovation created locally is called RentLinx. RentLinx is a web-based service that allows clients to list available rental housing on multiple websites for free. RentLinx was created by president and founder Jeremy Schneider. In 2003, while Jeremy Schneider was working on his master's degree in Engineering and Computer Science, at the University of Michigan, he discovered a need to index multiple rental housing units on the web. In 2005, he created RentLinx which started by listing 200 properties and 500 units. Currently RentLinx lists 16,000 properties and 400,000 units, located in 47 states.

RentLinx offers several different services based on the needs of its customers. The AdLinx feature allows individuals and companies to list their rental properties one time with Rentlinx for free. These listings are advertised by RentLinx on several different websites. The WebLinx feature allows the rental property listings on a company's website to be powered by RentLinx. This feature brings more traffic to a company's website and organizes the information allowing renters to easily search the website for rental properties by location, rent amount, availability and other factors. DataLinx allows companies to automatically update their RentLinx accounts from their database. PartnerLinx is a free service available to organizations who serve property managers or renters. CraigslistHelper is another free service provided by RentLinx where they assist individuals and companies organize and manage their rental housing advertisements in Craigslist.

RentLinx's impressive growth shows that there is a demand for the services they provide. In the last year, their website traffic has increased 147.3 %. Also impressive is the RentLinx website. The website is quite informative and easy to navigate. When you look at RentLinx's partner websites, it is obvious that RentLinx has had a great impact in making its clients' listings easy to navigate.

As I take a look at RentLinx on the web, I see that this company has generated a lot of attention. It is difficult for me to understand why this impressive company would offer many of these in-demand services for free. Apparently RentLinx is on a mission to list every rental housing unit in the United States. And in order to accomplish this ambitious goal, they are listing rental housing units for free. Perhaps this clever strategy is just another example of why RentLinx has shown a great deal of success. I think that RentLinx is quickly on its way to becoming the Google of rental housing listings.

Arbor Strategy Group Helps Businesses Innovate

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Colin Loomis

on July 7, 2008

Utilizing innovation and market trends to assist companies in product launch

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Filed under: Ann Arbor, MI | Arbor Strategy Group | Innovation

Using innovation and market trends to assist companies in product launch is what the Arbor Strategy Group (ASG) is all about. Based in Ann Arbor, Mi, ASG provides strategic solutions on how to get great ideas off of the drawing board and targeted towards customers needs.

One of the most interesting practices of ASG is their collection of over 100,000 different products from as far back as the 1960s. This gives them the ability to see years of marketing and consumer trends. Products in this collection range from beverages to household items and a special rotating display featuring different items every month. I see this as a great advantage over simply following typical methods of viewing trends, such as view charts and graphs. By actually seeing the different items, you can catch more detail and subtleties then by traditional methods.

Another way ASG stands out is by not just tracking trends in the U.S, but by gathering data of market trends around the world. The benefits of this are quiet apparent, most of their customers are dealing with a global market, but I didn't expect this type of scope from a small business based in Ann Arbor.

My favorite part of ASG's website is its Hit or Miss section of their webpage. Here they pick apart products that they think will be great hits and other products that failed miserably.

With a friendly approach and a good view of today's market, I think ASG is in a prime position to be successful. Given the current state of our economy, they could help many companies that are looking for someone to help them turn a profit in a turbulent market.

Ingenex Digital Marketing/3.7 Designs - The Complete Package

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