Nothing I like better than promoting college entrepreneurs, so take a look at Inc. Magazine’s College StartUps 2010 in the article, Fast Learners Cool College Startups 2010. I’m particularly pleased that the lead student profiled in the story is Syracuse University’s own, Ryan Dickerson. Ryan is a resident tenant at the Couri Hatchery which is a part of the Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship here at the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. Ryan’s product is called the Rylaxer which is a “bed transforming pillow made of foam with a lumbar support.”
Ryan Dickerson, Rylaxing
Like most college students, Dickerson, a junior at Syracuse University, found himself wedged into a small dorm room that fit little more than a bed and a desk. The son of an interior designer, he set out to optimize that space. The idea? Turn the bed into a couch during nonsleeping hours. And, in 2009, the Rylaxer was born. The ergonomic, "bed transforming pillow" is made of foam, with lumbar support, and it comes in two sizes and a variety of colors, plus a cheetah print. Rylaxing has an online store, but for now the company is Syracuse-centric: The pillows are made in town and sold primarily on campus. A year from now, though, Dickerson hopes to be selling them at colleges nationwide, through an army of brand ambassadors.
Congratulations Ryan!
What I like most about Ryan's initiative is the idea of employing an "army of brand ambassadors." I've used the term "champions" to describe this integral part of the team but so many start ups and existing businesses neglect to invest in the power of people. Good post.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate that you took the time to talk about young entrepreneurs (a group that is often not given the same respect or credibility as older entrepreneurs). The poeple in the INC article are so fortunate to have been featured in such a prestigeous magazine. I would do anything to have my company featured in the same way. The problem is though, although young entrepreneurship is a hot button topic for the media, it seems to only be interested in success stories. No one wants to talk about a "not-yet" story, such as my own. This makes it harder to find that much needed exposure.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing, I will bookmark and be back again
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