There’s a great program on TV called “Startup Junkies,” which follows a Seattle startup called Earth Class Mail. There are high-fives. There are firings. You can watch it for free at Hulu.com. Most of the characters seem like they came out of central casting. I find the blazer-and-no-tie-wearing CEO fascinating — and by my count… Read more »
Aaron Kremer
Aaron Kremer is the founder of Richmond BizSense. Email him at [email protected].
Seventh Inning Questions
I’ve been thinking a lot about the business of minor league ball. A few questions: How much would a local business pay for the naming rights to a new stadium? What businesses might be likely candidates? Does paying for parking illicit some emotional reaction from consumers and turn them off, and would the Diamond get… Read more »
$25 gas card for out-of-town visitors
Drive to Richmond. Stay in a hotel for two nights. Get a $25 gas card. That’s the pitch of an ad currently running in Roanoke, Washington D.C. and Hampton Roads. The Richmond Metropolitan Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, which promotes the Richmond region as a tourist destination, is paying for the spots. The ads link to… Read more »
Computer meltdown at CarMax
CarMax had a computer systems meltdown earlier this week, according to an AP story and a source at the company. “Spokeswoman Trina Lee says computer systems for the Richmond-based company experienced a temporary hardware failure that started Monday night. The problem was nearly 100 percent resolved by Tuesday afternoon and CarMax was able to sell… Read more »
Taco Bell Feedbag (Satire)
Why didn’t someone at Corporate think of this:
Richest Richmonders
Virginia Business magazine released its list of the 100 Richest Virginians. The top 5 Richmonders are: 1. The Gottwald Family, net worth, $713 million 2. The Estes Family, net worth, $400 million 3. The Robins Family, net worth $400 million 4. The Sauer Family, net worth $250 million 5. Richard Sharp, (retired chairman of CarMax)… Read more »
Cheap Office Supplies
A new stall at the Super Flea Market on the Southside is trying to unload bunch of high-quality office supplies. This could be a good way for a startup or growing company to snag desks and other merchandise at a steep discount to prices at Staples of Office Max.Ronit Sarr bought a tractor trailer load… Read more »
Chariots of PR Gold
Buck Ward just batted for the PR cycle. His new Segway of Richmond shop in Shockoe Bottom garnered a full-length story in Style Weekly, one in Brick Weekly, and two stories in the Times-Dispatch. There’s also a lengthy plug on the Richmond Region Visitor Center, which promotes the area as a tourist destination. (That would… Read more »
Tell me more about your vacation
On the heels of Memorial Day, business folks are probably still talking about the gnarly waves at the Outer Banks or the perfectly grilled T-bone. Apparently, telling a good vacation yarn can be good for business.MainStreet.com, a spin-off from financial news site TheStreet.com, has a neat read about how to tell a good tale.
Venture Forum starts mentoring program
The Venture Forum has launched a mentoring program, which will pair veteran CEOs of growth businesses with their less experienced counterparts for two hours of mentoring each month. The Venture Forum promotes entrepreneurial activity around Central Virginia. The application form can be found here. “You can give a lot of good advice to someone in… Read more »