Entrepreneurship and Running a Company

Entrepreneur is defined by The American Heritage Dictionary as, "a person who organizes, operates, and assumes the risk for a business venture". In the business world, as entrepreneur is a person who thinks outside the box. They have a vision that sometimes only they can see. Through much planning and networking, an idea can blossom into reality as a new business.

By herding your colleagues and friends towards your vision, a business person can have the makings of personnel they can hire to work in their new business. Mission statements and long-term strategies are an important part of starting-up a new business. Once reviewed, review it again, and again. It is necessary to know that your vision is viable economically. You need to show to your investors that you understand the costs involved into making your vision a reality.

Come to the Science / Technology Room at Central Library, located at 1301 Olive Street, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63101 and discover assistance with finding the information you need to write your business plan, to be successful in hiring the right staff, and how to motivate your staff.  Call (314) 539-0390 and set-up an appointment with the librarian to see how we can help you find information that can make your vision become a reality.

Start Something: Starting a Franchise Business

Monday, February 9 2015
Central Library Training Room
1301 Olive St.


Please join us on February 9th to learn about the process of starting a franchise and how to choose the right business for you. Presentation by Franchise Consultant Chris Coleman of FranNet. Q&A to follow the program.


Reservations recommended - please call 314-539-0327 for reservations or any questions.

Book Review: Eat People!

Eat People: And Other Unapologetic Rules for Game-Changing Entrepreneurs by Andy Kessler, 253 pages


For once, this is a business book that lives up to its title. In Eat People, Kessler leaves any notion of political correctness at the door and offers up some suggestions on how entrepreneurs can launch themselves into the stratosphere of big business, such as creating a business that cuts out people, carving out a horizontal slice of the market instead of going vertical (for example, creating a better widget that makes the big machine run more efficiently rather than just building a whole new machine), and figuring out a way to make something cost less to make more money. Along the way, he gives lots of great real-life examples, some dating back 150 years, some dating from last year.

There were a lot of things I agreed with in this book, but when I disagreed with the author, wow, I REALLY disagreed with him (he seemed to throw around stereotypes WAY too much). I appreciated Kessler's candor, snark, and laid-back writing style, though at times I wanted him to throw some research at me; too often, he would give a number (say, "eight out of ten" or something like that) and would give no indication of where he came up with it. I also didn't really like the way he kept name-dropping. Yes, every business book will have some quotes or information from moguls/superstar innovators, but Kessler made a point to refer to them as his friends. Not necessary.

I honestly don't know if I'll recommend this one to anyone, though that's as much because of the people at who it's aimed as anything else. Most of the people who come to me looking for business books are looking to start a business, not take it global, and it's the latter to whom this seemed written. This book will, however, make for a great conversation.

Pro-Bono Trademark Applications Come to Saint Louis

A recent development in Saint Louis is the Pro-Bono Trademark Application that is now available at the Saint Louis University School of Law. Professor Patrica Lee heads up this valuable program that offers SLU law students the opportunity to help clients with free trademark advice. It is a win-win situation where students gain experience with talking to the public and the public gain free advice and help with their trademark application.

If you are interested to start-up a business, but do not have the funds to complete a trademark application, you may be eligible to get a free trademark application done by SLU law students, under the guidance of  SLU Law School professors.

To reach Professor Lee, Associate Professor and Director, Legal Clinics, at the Saint Louis University School of Law, Patricia Lee, J.D. you make an appointment to visit her office at 100 N. Tucker Blvd., Suite 704, Saint Louis, MO 63101-1930. She also may be reached at her directly at her office at: (314) 977-4155, or use the general phone line at (314) 977-2778. Email is:  leeph@slu.edu. Website is:  http://law.slu.edu.

Business News Roundup

In Kansas City, Beer Paws is coming up with ways to share your beer with your favorite furry friend. (via Joplin Globe)


Surprise, surprise: here in St. Louis, the beer and pizza industries have done very well in 2014. (via St. Louis Business Journals)


Some great tips for National Write a Business Plan Month (which was in December, but holds true throughout the year. (via St. Louis American)


Check out Create Space, a new artisan display space, shop, and events space in the Loop! (via St Louis Post Dispatch)

Visit the Venture Cafe And Network...

Local places to network for business opportunities now includes a new Venture Cafe. Created first in Boston, the second Venture Cafe offers entrepreneurs an opportunity to meet potential investors, business people with experience in technology, and marketing.

Located at 4240 Duncan Street, Saint Louis, MO, you will find a very relaxed atmosphere condusive to networking. From 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., every Thursday, the Venture Cafe is the place to connect. I have been there already three times, and each time, besides meeting familiar faces, I also get to meet many new ones.

If you need to send them snail mail, try:

Venture Cafe - St. Louis
4240 Duncan Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110

Visit once and you will be added to their e-distribution list for their weekly newsletter. Travis Sheridan, Executive Director, has done a terrific job getting Venture Cafe - St. Louis off to a great start!