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Do You Have a Winning Business Plan?
The Miller Urban Entrepreneurs Series Business Plan Competition
Also entering its sixth year, the Miller Urban Entrepreneurs Series Business Plan Competition has gotten bigger and better. For 2005, we have added a $50,000 top business grant. Now, that’s taking it to the next level! The Miller Urban Entrepreneurs Series is offering adults 21 to 35 years old an opportunity to win $50,000, $20,000 or $2,500 grants by entering our Business Plan Competition.
It doesn’t matter if your business has been in existence two years, two days or has not yet started, Miller wants you to have the opportunity to take control of your destiny.
This is how it works:
This year, Miller is offering entrepreneurs the chance to vie for one $50,000 grant, one of four $20,000 grants and one of ten $2,500 business grants, by submitting their business plans in the Miller Urban Entrepreneurs Business Plan Competition. A team of local and national judges will select grant awardees based upon the business plans developed and submitted by adult entrepreneurs (21-35 years old).
Interested applicants may call (877) 493-4400 for more information or to request an official Business Plan Application Form, Rules and Requirements.
Judges include individuals from the business community, college/university business schools, and local business owners. Applicants must submit their business plan along with an official Miller Urban Entrepreneurs Series Business Plan Application by November 10, 2006. Applicants are not required to attend the seminar in order to enter the Business Plan Competition. Official Rules and Requirements apply. Must be a legal U.S. resident 21-35 years of age to enter the Business Plan Competition. The business plan competition is announced at the seminar and is locally and nationally publicized.
For More Information
To request an Official Rules and Application Form for the Miller Urban Entrepreneurs Series Business Plan Competition, call (877) 493-4400 or click here for a PDF version. To receive an application via mail, all requests must be submitted via the toll-free line or via mail by midnight October 31, 2006.
All inquires via mail:
Miller Urban Entrepreneurs Series
c/o Flowers Communications Group
542 S. Dearborn, Suite 1150
Chicago, IL 60605
Funding for the Entertainment Industry
Many of you are in the entertainment industry and want to find out how to procure funding to start up and grow your projects. While every niche is different within the industry (what works for theatre may not work for music or movies), here are some of the most effective ways in which entertainment gets its financial start.
1. And the winner is… Submit your work to festivals, contests, competitions, etc. Sometimes being a prize or award winner is just the attention you need to get your project noticed.
2. I know a friend…
Equity investors are just every day people, except they have a great deal more money. They vary in their reasons for investing in films and other projects just as filmmakers and producers vary in their reasons for wanting to create them. And the bridge between filmmakers and private investors is a well-written business plan. Your single most important talent in preparing a plan is common sense. Know your audience (and yourself) so that you can choose the right attention-getting theme. Remember: people raise money; business plans are only a tool toward that end.
3. Grant me a wish… When in doubt, go for a grant. Although the grant writing process in itself can be quite tedious, the advantages are enticing: money you dont have to pay back, financial and political backing from credible organizations, community support, among others. On the other hand, when your project is funded by a grant, you better do what you say youll do, as eligibility compliance and program evaluations are also part of the deal.
4. We Are Family!
The most common funding source for budding entrepreneurs in ANY industry is going through friends and family to support their projects. You can be creative with this one: Host a movie marathon, a talent show, a private viewing of your play, a music gathering, etc. The key is to get them so in love with your project that theyll dedicate funds in the same way you are dedicating time, talent and effort.
5. Guardian angels Back in the days of Michaelangelo and Shakespeare, artists were sponsored by kings, feudal states, and even the Church. The deal was I pay you to do your art, you make me look good. These days, it is no different: I fund your art, you make me millions in return. If you want to pursue your art for the love of art with no thought to profitability, then this is not the venue for you. Angel investors that are passionate about art are also passionate about making good on their investments. So when you come to them with your plan (you DO have a plan, dont you?), make sure you watch the bottom line.
***
For a more in-depth look at entertainment project funding, check out these resources:
For Film
http://www.caryn.com/indie/caryn-indie-funding.html
For Theatre
National Corporate Theatre Fund
http://www.nctf.org/cgi-bin/home.php
The Theatre Development Fund
http://www.tdf.org/index_default.html
For Music
http://www.ideasfactory.com/funding_awards/database/index.htm
(Idea Factory is based in England, not the
US, but they are a good resource for US counterparts, as well.)
http://www.canadianartsnet.com/arts/index.php
Angel Investors http://integcapfund.com/page/14s7k/Home_Page.html
http://www.gobignetwork.com/ *** Getting funding for your project is not as difficult as some paint it out to be. The key elements, as with everything, is preparation and a solid plan. Now go make the world a better place. Civilization’s very survival depends on the health of its arts and entertainment! Til next time, Coach Mo *** Want more tips and free coaching on starting and growing your business, make more money in less time while having an absolute blast in the process? Send a blank email to subscribe@ogandoassociates.com for weekly coaching!
HELP - I need a press kit!
A press kit is an essential press relations tool. While it can be used to support a special event or promotional activity, it is most helpful in strategically positioning an organization or product. On a website, the “press room” is the on-line equivalent of the traditional press kit.
More expansive and educational than a press release, a press kit/room includes a variety of supporting materials from fact sheets to photographs. Their purpose is to provide a media contact with a plentiful source of current and archived information from which stories can be created.
Traditional press kits are usually presented in a custom binder or portfolio with the name, address, phone number and logo of the organization on the cover. On-line press rooms often contains links to pages which may also be reached from other areas of the site. Depending on the industry, most companies use a combination of the two to meet the needs of the press.
It’s important to regularly update press kits.
A press kit can include any or all of the following items:
• “Press releases” are the most common press communication tool. In a press kit, only current releases should be included. On-line you have the luxury of providing a press release archive to assist reporters in developing stories.
• “Backgrounders” may take several different forms and will typically support your position, mission, goals, history and/or track record. Research or article abstracts and fact sheets are two common backgrounder styles.
• A “Fact sheet” provides an “at a glance” bulleted overview of the organization. It is a bullet list of the organization’s activity, key employees, services or products, etc.
• A “Calendar of Events” is self-explanatory.
• “Bio’s” of significant leaders or key players within the organization or, if it’s an event, the celebrity attraction.
• A “Reviewer’s Guide” is important, especially if you are going to have your product included in a round-up with competitive products. It can cover your products strengths and weaknesses against the competition’s in a factual manner. Or it can just cover your company’s technical points.
• Photos can accurately present the impact of your programs and services. Make them interesting, pertinent, and personal. Avoid boring “check passing” events. In a traditional press kit, black and whites can be used in a 3 by 5 or 5 by 7 inch format. Color photos are best provided in a transparency or slide format. For website use, photos should be made available in quickly downloadable compressed .gif, .tiff or .jpeg files.
• Position statements are helpful, particularly if your organization has a political direction.
• A “Quote Sheet” provides five or six significant quotes that are approved for media use. It allows the reporter to flesh out a story without having to interview a lot of people.
• “Brochures and newsletters” provide a reporter with “another look” at your organization. It is typical to include one or more issues of your corporate newsletter in a press kit.
• It is useful to include samples of previously published articles (”clips" 
organization or programs to provide credibility and demonstrate the news-worthiness of your organization’s activities. With an on-line press room, you can provide links to the media’s own press page or provide a copy of the article on your own site. If you chose to do the latter, you MUST receive permission to reprint the article.
• Media should always be provided with an easy means with which to contact you. Make sure to include a phone number where they can contact you after business hours.
• Annual reports provide valuable background information.
Remember, the purpose of a press kit is to let the outside world into the inner workings of your organization. Paint a picture. Tell your story. And do it all with your audience’s listening in mind. Speak to their listening. Do they want to see your experience? Are they more interested in finding out your credentials? Or how well known you are in your community? When you are clear on what your audience wants to see from you, you can mix and match the above ingredients for maximum media coverage.
