An Easier Way for College Students to Furnish Their Dorms

http://www.evolvingvox.com

Supplying dorm dwellers with just the basics is earning high marks for this pair of college students.

What: Furniture rental company for college students
Who: Russell P. D'Souza and Jon Groetzinger of Evolving Vox
Where: Hanover, New HampshireWhen: Started in 2006
Startup costs: $5,000

Evolving Vox got its name from the Dartmouth College school motto, vox clamantis in deserto, which means "a voice crying out in the wilderness." So when Russell D'Souza and Jon Groetzinger heard the cry of dorm residents as they abandoned their furniture each year, the pair took it upon themselves to provide furniture that cuts down on that waste.

"Students don't want to deal with the hassle of putting [furniture] in storage," D'Souza says. "We realized there's a great market for a furniture rental company that provides everything students need for their dorms."

In summer 2006, D'Souza and Groetzinger used their personal savings to start Evolving Vox. They stocked up on dorm essentials: 24-inch flat screens, DVD players, compact refrigerators and futons. Then they created a website to give students a fast, easy way to place orders. Delivery is free.

While D'Souza says many rental companies see the college market as an afterthought, catering to college students was Evolving Vox's key to success. D'Souza, 22, and Groetzinger, 23, adopted the concept of "temporary ownership," reinforcing a sense of sharing furniture with their student customers, the same way they share a college experience. "It's meaningful that peers are buying from their peers rather than from an impersonal rental business," Groetzinger says.

Evolving Vox hit the Dartmouth College campus with resounding success--2007 sales are expected to reach $250,000. The founders have also received a number of inquiries to start similar services at colleges around the nation. Early this year, Evolving Vox branched out to Brandeis University and Cornell University. They plan to expand to 10 colleges by the end of the next academic year.

[Via - Entrepreneur Magazine]

Starting Up a Website for Freelancers in the UK

http://www.freelancersintheuk.co.uk/

A ten minute conversation provided Katie Kirk with all the confidence she needed to start her own website – a directory of freelancers workers. She reveals what starting up was like.

Name: Katie Kirk
Age: Mid thirties
Business: Freelancers In The UK
Start date: February 2005 but just launched sister site Projects and People

Tell us about your business:
My business is www.freelancersintheuk.co.uk. It’s essentially a website combining a register of UK based freelancers which is searchable by geographical location, skillset and name giving members high profile exposure without the need for a personal website. Its sister site which launched in February 2007 provides a platform for members to access projects and contracts posted by external agencies and organisations.

Was your decision to start a business inspired by any other companies or individuals?
James, who’s now my co director, rang me about a freelance copywriting project in the summer of 2004. I was overcommitted at the time and couldn’t help, but the conversation drifted naturally on to how difficult he as a client had found it to source someone local for an editorial project. I agreed. His business instinct kicked in and my creative juices started flowing…we sowed the seeds for the website there and then in that ten minute conversation.

What research did you do?
I kept Google in business! From checking out similar sites, their structure, format and navigability to conducting informal polls amongst colleagues, friends and family about how the business should be framed, I spent what felt like entire weeks glued to the computer. I also monitored the press, kept an eye on how advertisements were worded, where freelance markets were expanding and the type of publications and organisations mentioned in the media who regularly used freelancers. And I talked to people in person, by email, by phone.

When did you stop working?
The transition from part-time employment to self-employment was gradual but mentally, I’d made the change the moment the website went live. Everything shifted. To create something from scratch and see first hand the results of your labour is a huge boost to self-esteem. It’s about flexing a different cerebral muscle and crashing down barriers and preconceptions.

What about staff?
James and I work as a team with a little background support. We cover all functions between us.

Where do you hope to be in 12 months’ time?
James is aiming for world domination. Starting in Derbyshire and Yorkshire. I’m dedicated to building and refining the websites, expanding the number of categories we have to reflect the move towards flexible working and freelancing throughout the UK and across all business sectors. Our immediate goal is to attract more organisations, agencies and businesses to take advantage of the very wide range of skills and services our members provide. No reason why we can’t go global.

[Via Startups.co.uk]