think like an entrepreneur

Think like an entrepreneur.

@suzanneyada #thinkentre

Slides available atsuzanneyada.com/resources

Hey there.

Hey there.I’m

Suzanne.

Hey there.I’m

Suzanne. I work at

CIR.

But …

These startups:

• Unlimited Zine

• Evolution Literary

Magazine

• Visaliyoung

• Truth/Xposed Magazine

• KFSC-LP 94.1 FM Visalia

• Explore Central Valley

Downtown

• San Francisco Public

Press

• CoPress

• SHiFT Magazine

• California Watch

These startups:

•

•

•

•

•

•

• San Francisco Public

Press

•

• SHiFT Magazine

• California Watch

FAIL

FAIL

Be good at

ing.

Fear isa big, fat liar.

What fear tells you

• Too young

• Not experienced enough

• Not smart enough

• Don’t have a business background

• Stick to boring: At least it’s safe

The danger is in staying the same.

(You will probably not die either way.)

Step 1.Figuring out your idea.

THEY WILL COME.

If you build it,

THEY WILL COME.

If you build it,

If you build it,

IT WILL SIT THERE.

Solve someone’spain in the ass.

THEY WILL COME.

Then

Be an aspirin,not a vitamin.

BE

AN

ASPIRIN

NOT

A

VITAMIN.

Example.

Get feedback.If you don’t, you suck as a

journalist AND as an entrepreneur.

•Where do you get your news/info?• What is your biggest pain in finding that info?

Don’t just ask what they want and give it to them.

Find the problem.THEN invent the solution.

"If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses." -- Henry Ford

Step 2.Know your competition.

You’re not just competing with news outlets any more.

Who is competing for your audience’s attention?

How do the competitorsbest solve customer pains?

Possible competition• Local newspaper / TV / radio station• Facebook• University radio/TV station• Google News / Pulse / Flipboard• Campus blogger?• Etc. Etc. Etc.

Strengths

StrengthsLocally focused

Entertaining

StrengthsLocally focused

Entertaining

New York Times Gawker

CampusTV

LocalTV

Facebook

YouTube

Hulu

WeaknessesNot well-known

Boring

New York Times

Gawker

Campuspaper

Localpaper

Facebook YouTube

Step 3.Get to business.

Resources

IdeaTeam

Actually, it’s…

1. Team

2. Idea

3. Resources

Going into business with friends?

Proceed with caution.

It’s OK to make money.

Income ideas• Ads• Events• Classes• Lectures• Specialized publications• Databases• E-books

• Subscriptions/paywalls• E-commerce (wine lists,

travel clubs, merch, etc.)• Services (graphic

design, web development, etc.)

• Grants/Fundraisers (ugh)• Kickstarter (double ugh)

Thank you all.Go forth and

rock.Slides available at

suzanneyada.com/resources

@suzanneyada #thinkentre