Tag: Philadelphia

Dutch Umbrella: “Bringing people & businesses together one umbrella at a time.”

posted September 11, 2008 by Alexis S.  |  Comments (0)

Philadelphia’s motto, The City of Brotherly Love, creates great expectations for our community. Some businesses in Philadelphia actually meet and exceed those expectations, one of which is Dutch Umbrella.

Dutch Umbrella “is a system for the shared public use of umbrellas comprised of pick-up and drop-off locations within a defined urban area.” In addition to being an incredibly helpful idea, Dutch Umbrella is a “community supported effort to encourage citywide sharing.” As Philadelphia’s one and only umbrella sharing system, Dutch Umbrella is truly sticking to their tag line of “bringing people and businesses together one umbrella at a time.”

What started as a neighborhood effort in Fairmount, quickly expanded to other areas of the city, such as Old City, Rittenhouse, Washington Square, etc.  Within each neighborhood, one can find Rain Drops (umbrella drop off baskets) in restaurants, hair salons, bars, stores, etc. There are over 2800 umbrellas currently circulating in the city that can be tracked with RFID tags.

Karen Rostmeyer and Joe Carlson, co owners of Dutch Umbrella, are incredibly passionate about their business and love the fact that it is strengthening the concept of sharing and trust within local neighborhoods. 

I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Karen, and she shared an inspiring story while offering great advice for any entrepreneur.

Where did you get the idea for Dutch Umbrella?

Joe was bar-tending at Bridgid’s in Fairmount and saw a flow of umbrellas on rainy days. Some people would leave their umbrellas behind, and Joe would offer the umbrellas to those caught in the unexpected rain. So he thought, well why not make that an official business. We could get the restaurants together in the area, print on the umbrella panels and give them out to people caught in the rain. When I was given an opportunity to change careers, I did a feasibility study and found we could make money expanding to Center City and other walkable communities. Not only did it seem like a smart business idea, but I also got the immediate sense of doing something that benefits others.

What resources did you use prior to launching Dutch Umbrella?

I read a lot of blogs and books, such as The Art of the Start, The Tipping Point, Think and Grow Rich, E-Myth, etc. Joe and I made appointments with a small business lawyer and patent lawyer, which turned out to be wonderful experiences since their advice was incredibly useful. We also joined organizations like the local Chamber of Commerce, CCPA, and SBA, which were great for networking purposes.

Our best resource was a class at Wharton SBDC. I took the shorter class on writing a business plan. I used this program for a previous business venture, and had a consult with a professor who gave me some very real, direct, honest and useful advice. I plan to do a consult with them this winter to review the growth plans for Dutch Umbrella. Looking back, I would have utilized the school more because it’s such a wonderful resource.

What was biggest challenge you encountered?

Neither of us had a business background. I was in IT and Joe is a Geology major working in the restaurant business. So, we had to research everything, from learning how to start and maintain a business, to getting the umbrellas, to tagging them, to printing on them. Another challenge was doing all of the paperwork to legally make Dutch Umbrella a business.

How did you initially explain Dutch Umbrella to potential clients?

We had the advantage of knowing the Fairmount community and they had heard about our idea. Initially we created a power point and spoke to businesses about how it benefits customers, which in turn creates a great image for them. In addition to creating a great image, customers often return to the place of business when dropping off the umbrella, creating repeat business.

Do you have any future plans for Dutch Umbrella?

We’re looking forward to expanding to other neighborhoods in the city.

We also just had our first event in Old City, where we created a tasting stroll with restaurants that are part of the Dutch Umbrella community. Everyone was given a Dutch Umbrella Passport and had the chance to get it stamped at 6 locations, and then ultimately receive a $5 gift certificate towards the restaurants for each stamp.

We plan on hosting more events within each area to highlight the neighborhood and participating Dutch Umbrella locations. It’s really about supporting a community within a community.

Do you have any other advice for entrepreneurs in Philadelphia?

Have mentors or mentor-like influences.  There are mentor resources out there…Score.org is a great one!  And I’d recommend checking out some blog sites.  Jeffery Gitomer is wonderful for sales advise.  And I happen to like sites like StartBreakingFree.com.  They are mentor-like influences to help guide you through. There’s also any number of local organization for businesses chock full of folks that love to mentor and help out.  The Chamber and CCPA are two I belong to and find helpful. 

Surround yourself with encouraging people.  This can be a friend, acquaintance or a customer who just loves what you’re doing.  Or it can be a program like The Big Idea with Donny Deutch, or a newsletter.  Even when you love what you’re doing, there are some really tough days and you need to know how to get through them.

Be committed.  Understand the costs, what you’re willing to give up for this adventure.  I started this one after 23 years at one company.  There were a lot of things I was immediately giving up by starting my own business, instead of finding a job in another company.  I decided what the most I was willing to give up was and stuck to it.  If it goes beyond it, I’ll need to rethink what I’m doing.  And you need to be realistic.  Folks have lived in cars, sold their homes and moved their families in with relatives, and much more, to make their dreams come true. 

For more info about Dutch Umbrella, visit www.DutchUmbrella.com

 

alexis-s Alexis Siemons is a freelance writer and creative business consultant living in Philadelphia. She has a passion for language and explores it in her blog, The Lexicon . When not using both hands to feverishly type, she balances a teacup in one while working on her tea blog.
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Wagons East . . . Why you should move your startup from Silicon Valley to Philly.

posted September 10, 2008 by David Speers  |  Comments (2)

I often encourage startups I invest in or founders I counsel to be contrarian and start their firms outside of the Valley, or failing that, to move East while they still can.

If you want to stay stateside, I’m partial to Boston, my home town, but there are plenty of other cities to consider, too. My top non-Silicon Valley cities are: Boston; Pittsburgh; Philadelphia; Austin; Research Triangle Park, N.C.; Minneapolis; Tallahassee; Toronto; and Basking Ridge, N.J.” - Howard Anderson

Without discrediting myself, I have to admit I was fairly young during the now infamous ‘pre-bubble’ economy of the late 90’s and early aughts. Despite my inexperience and a general lack of awareness, I did know that all the ‘cool’ (and subsequently defunct) technology companies were coming out of a wondrous faraway-land called Silicon Valley. It was the kind of place where boy geniuses (sorry girls, it was still the 90’s) took their toy technologies to be magically transformed into billion dollar companies and buy red cars. If my fledgling perspective didn’t make me vulnerable enough, the fact that I grew up in Pennsylvania with the Amish (like Chad Hurley) all but cemented Silicon Valley as the land of entrepreneurial dreams. Like I said, I was fairly young.

Now, circa 2008, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to hear first hand accounts from those who have seen the realities of the start-up mecca, and it doesn’t seem all that mythical anymore (Exorbitant costs of living, a highly competitive skill pool). It very well could be a nice place, heck, even a really great place, but very well could be a bad fit for a lot of Start Ups/ Entrepreneurs trying to boot strap. Today, courtesy of @alexknowshtml, my thoughts were confirmed in a Gigaom article by VC and MIT lecturer Howard Anderson. Not only did he make a great case for not starting a company in Silicon Valley, but a pretty convincing pitch for starting one here. The following are Howard’s 5 Reasons to Move Your Startup Out of Silicon Valley [to Philadelphia].

1. The weather sucks in some of these towns (not Tallahassee) so your people will actually work instead of bugging out at 5:15 to train for a marathon, triathlon or Ultimate Frisbee.

2. You can recruit better outside the fishbowl.

3. You won’t get lost in the startup maze.

4. In my experience, other startup communities aren’t as pre-occupied with the “exit” as Da Valley.

5. Academics make great board members.

Read Howard’s full article 5 Reasons to Move Your Startup Out of Silicon Valley.

So my bubble has been popped (no pun intended . . . but if it works I’ll take it) and the Silicon Valley of my youth has been depreciated. But all is not lost! What Silicon Valley has lost in myth on its trip from entrepreneur Hal Valla to startup Limbo, the rest of the country including Philadelphia has more than gained in value as a viable startup location.

david Dave Speers is an online marketing consultant and start-up junky that has worked with a wide variety of Philadelphia businesses. Dave spends most his time annoying really smart people at Indy Hall co-working collaborative.
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A Philly Rank To Be Proud Of: Drexel Scores Top Spot on Entrepreneurship Education Program List.

posted September 10, 2008 by Alexis S.  |  Comments (1)

According to Entrepreneur and The Princeton Review, Drexel University ranks #3 out of the nation’s top 25 entrepreneurial undergraduate education programs. After reviewing 2,300 undergraduate and graduate programs, a select 50 were chosen based on criteria such as faculty, academics, unique experiences, etc. The schools that stood out from the rest weren’t just passing out packets and giving lectures, but helping make their students’ business dreams become realities. Amy Cosper, VP/editor in chief at Entrepreneur noted that, “We’re finding schools focus more on helping students determine an idea’s feasibility, plan and set up all aspects of a business, and network more with other entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.”

Drexel’s Baiada Center for Entrepreneurship is making a serious effort to do exactly what Cosper mentions above, since their faculty and advisors are experienced professionals that provide “students with access to mentors and potential partners in the business and investment community, as well as a wealth of knowledge and resources from the academic community.” Within our own city, countless students are leaning about business in an active, hands-on way, creating an experience that will shape their future careers and hopefully continue to grow Philadelphia’s business scene.

For more information and a full list all of schools that made the list, visit http://www.entrepreneur.com/topcolleges

alexis-s Alexis Siemons is a freelance writer and creative business consultant living in Philadelphia. She has a passion for language and explores it in her blog, The Lexicon . When not using both hands to feverishly type, she balances a teacup in one while working on her tea blog.
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Vintage Philly: 10 questions with Heather Waity, owner of Vintage Connection

posted August 27, 2008 by Alexis S.  |  Comments (4)

Philadelphia is on its way to becoming a serious vintage hot spot, as new vintage stores are frequently popping up in Philly neighborhoods. However, there’s much more to the vintage retail business than finding a few pretty trinkets and raiding mom’s closet. In fact, Heather Waity of Vintage Connection shares her secrets to success as an entrepreneurial retail owner later on in the post. Vintage Connection, located on the corner of 9th and Bainbridge, has been showcasing its vintage flair for almost a year in the Bella Vista neighborhood.

What started out as a small online business of selling vintage finds, quickly evolved into an idea with serious business potential, as Heather started gaining attention from clients nationwide. Her passion along with the support of new clients “inspired [heather] to open [her] own store and closet to the Philadelphia public.”

Vintage Connection not only benefits the fashion savvy, but the eco-conscious as well, since “research shows that more than half of the clothes thrown away can be recycled. Reusing clothes helps conserve textiles which use a lot of energy and pollute the environment.” Vintage Connection truly is a sustainable business.

Even though Heather has come quite far since her opening day, she feels that she has a lot more to learn and so much growth to look forward to. She is incredibly thankful for the support she has received from the Philadelphia community, and we’re positive that they’re just as grateful for her store.

 

A few questions for the retail entrepreneur:

Before opening Vintage Connection, what were you doing?

Before I opened the store, I was a makeup artist for 6 years. I was also selling my vintage finds online.

 

When and why did you decide that you wanted to open your own business?

It was a spur of the moment choice. I really liked the aspect of buying and selling vintage, and saw a lot of potential in this neighborhood.

I was really inspired by the boutiques on Market street, and thought that if I applied my passion I could do it too.

I made an effort to save money so that I could open my own store. I really felt like I needed to make a move and at least try.

 

What was the process of finding a retail space in Philadelphia?

It was too easy for me. I literally had a spur of the moment idea. My boyfriend was a realtor at the time and found the spot I’m currently located in. I thought it was too good to be true. After seeing how perfect the place was I immediately gave my best offer. Luckily, the first offer fell through and I got the space the following week. I then spent the following two weeks buying vintage. I opened the store so quickly that I’m still building it to what I want it to be.

 

Did you do any research about the retail business prior to opening Vintage Connection?

I got a lot of ideas just by visiting other boutiques and combined that knowledge with my ideas. I also sought out business advice from an antique dealer.

 

What was the biggest challenge that you encountered?

I knew how to buy for women, but not so much about men’s fashion. I had to learn about buying men’s vintage items, which meant lots of research.

 

What was your first pleasant surprise after opening the store?

I opened on 0ctober 17th and a few weeks later someone from DigPhilly approached me about writing a piece about the store. I was beyond excited and surprised. To this point, I haven’t had to advertise because I’ve received so much great press. I feel really lucky.

 

What have you learned about business from opening your own store?

The business is always changing and you have to stay on top of the seasons, relating to fashion trends, in order to succeed. You really need to understand the psychology of the customer.

 

What do you think about the Philadelphia boutique scene?

I love shopping in Philadelphia. I think we have the best boutiques. They truly inspired me to open my own store.

  

What do you do to grow your business and attract customers?

I try to host several events in the store that showcase my new collections. I also like to highlight local artists and designers, which draws quite a crowd, since Philly is so supportive of the local scene. I think it’s really important to support local talent, and Philadelphia has a lot of amazing artists.

 

 What advice would you give to entrepreneurs in Philadelphia?

 Become familiar with all of the business laws. It’s important to do the research yourself, so that you’re familiar with everything and don’t have to rely on others.

Get a good accountant

Be yourself. Be very selective about what you put in your store, because it represents you.

Be true to who you are. 

 

For more information about Heather Waity and Vintage Connection, visit http://shopvintageconnection.com/

 

alexis-s Alexis Siemons is a freelance writer and creative business consultant living in Philadelphia. She has a passion for language and explores it in her blog, The Lexicon . When not using both hands to feverishly type, she balances a teacup in one while working on her tea blog.
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Get Schooled in Business: Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs

posted August 21, 2008 by Alexis S.  |  Comments (0)


Philadelphia offers numerous resources for entrepreneurs; however, some outshine others, such as The Wharton School. Not only does Wharton train their students to enter the business world with the knowledge and skills necessary to run a successful company, but they also reach out to existing small businesses and support their endeavors. Wharton has created the Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs, which

“supports and seeds innovation and entrepreneurship globally through teaching, research and outreach to a range of organizations through its many programs, initiatives and research centers. At the same time, Wharton students and alumni are helping to build entrepreneurial enterprises around the world and impacting virtually every industry.”

Wharton truly understands that it is not only important to teach students to be business savvy, but to also nurture the community that they will be entering upon graduating. That being said, one of the many resources that they offer is the Wharton Small Business Development Center, that has

“assisted more than 20,000 small businesses in the greater Philadelphia area as part of its dual mission to provide one-on-one management consulting and affordable business training to entrepreneurs. Most of the Center’s business consultants are recruited from Wharton’s MBA and undergraduate programs. Business training comes in the form of more than 65 courses each year taught by staff and industry experts, many of whom are entrepreneurs themselves.”

I strongly recommended that you take a look at their classes, online resources and one-on-one consulting opportunities. For example, Wharton offers a two session program for “early stage entrepreneurs” that is lead by instructors for only $25 (an invaluable investment). This program offers entrepreneurs the ability to ask questions relating to their business, customized packets of research, assistance in creation of a business plan, review and assessment of the plan, etc. For more information about this program and a calendar of sessions, visit http://whartonsbdc.wharton.upenn.edu/coursedetails.asp?course_id=1

Thanks to Wharton, Philadelphia may soon be known as The City of Business Love.

alexis-s Alexis Siemons is a freelance writer and creative business consultant living in Philadelphia. She has a passion for language and explores it in her blog, The Lexicon . When not using both hands to feverishly type, she balances a teacup in one while working on her tea blog.
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Food For (Entrepreneurial) Thought

posted August 8, 2008 by Alexis S.  |  Comments (3)

This past Saturday, I treated my taste buds to a fantastic dinner at JAMES restaurant in the Bella Vista neighborhood (I highly recommend the sweet herb agnolotti dish and the beer ice cream). A few days later, I found many more reasons to love this Philadelphia dining establishment after sitting down and chatting with the owners, Chef Jim Burke and Kristina Burke, General Manager. Both Jim and Kristina are true entrepreneurs and have a long history with Philadelphia, as they both have spent much of their culinary life working here. In fact, history is what they both love about Philadelphia, as they believe it is “comparable to a European city, in the sense that history is preserved and it is not afraid of being new.” Their history with the city’s restaurant industry is a big reason why they chose Philadelphia for JAMES’ location, as they’ve made strong connections with farmers, purveyors, future customers, and business contacts over the years. Jim noted that, “those are the people who you need to support your business, as it is a daunting task to start from scratch in another city where you have no history.” The underlining message to entrepreneurs is, start in a place where you have already built a solid reputation and let your previous successes support your new adventure.

The process of idea to conception for the restaurant only took Jim and Kristina a year and a half, and after creating the business plan JAMES was open in less than 5 months. During that time, the biggest challenge that Kristina and Jim faced was only having two sets of hands to get everything done.  Most restaurants have an opening team and entourage that take care of the logistics, construction, etc., however, Jim and Kristina managed to successfully get JAMES up and running by themselves. They stressed the importance of sticking to deadlines and maintaining a steady pace, as “it’s a domino effect. If you don’t get the gas turned on then you can’t get the liquor license, etc.” That being said, they believe that the bureaucracy of Philadelphia deters entrepreneurs and small businesses from opening, as the process is complicated. A simplified process would benefit both the entrepreneurs and the city because, “what makes cities unique are small business owners that bring their own flavor. A boutique style attracts tourists and new residents, as it creates a desirable identity and atmosphere,” noted Kristina.

Eleven days after their opening, the editor of Food & Wine magazine made a visit to JAMES which was followed by a glowing review. Positive press continued as JAMES was awarded for a best dish and earned a spot as a top ten restaurant in less than a year. Six months later, Jim was named as one of the top ten best new chefs in Food & Wine magazine.

JAMES is truly putting Philadelphia on the culinary map with the commitment to buying local produce, not just in the summer months but year round in both the kitchen and at the bar. Jim noted that, “we’re advocates for farmers and we believe there needs to be change.” A dining experience is not just about glamour, but “the importance of knowing where you get your products from.”  The challenge that comes with supporting a local agricultural scene is consistently finding local produce year round for the seasonal menus. Kristina is committed to researching vineyards and seeking out new farms since their small sizes do not allow them to produce on a large scale. It’s not just about taste, but also having “entrepreneurs support one another and creating a sustainable local economy.” Lucky for them, Philadelphia has a strong network of organizations that connect farmers with restaurants.

Jim and Kristina are a truly wonderful husband and wife team. Their entrepreneurial success is a result of their trust and shared vision. Their advice to entrepreneurs is to “know exactly what you want to be and stick with it. You can’t be everything to everybody, even though most restaurants have mixed identities.” Their overall message: Know your strengths and your weaknesses. Have confidence in your vision. Be true to yourself, even if it sometimes feels like a risk. That big risk can lead to an even bigger reward, especially when you are as passionate as Jim and Kristina.

alexis-s Alexis Siemons is a freelance writer and creative business consultant living in Philadelphia. She has a passion for language and explores it in her blog, The Lexicon . When not using both hands to feverishly type, she balances a teacup in one while working on her tea blog.
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