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Russ: This is the BusinessMakers Show, heard here and online at the BusinessMakers.com. Now, it's time for the Aflac BusinessMakers Flashback brought to you by Aflac - ask about it at work. This morning, for our flashback, we're going to roll back a couple of weeks when I was in Forth Worth, Texas, on the campus of TCU, and checking out their 2009 Texas Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. We're going to start off with me talking with David Minor. He is the Director of the Neeley Entrepreneurship Center at TCU, and we entered into a discussion where I asked David to tell us about the TCU Entrepreneurship Program.
David: Basically, we've got a multifaceted program, which includes the curricular side, which is a series of courses students can major in entrepreneurial management. Or, if they're outside the business school, they can even take a couple of courses in entrepreneurship. We also have an extracurricular component that has all kinds of different things. A big part of our program is our collegiate entrepreneurs' organization. We affiliate with 140 other schools across the country, our, particularly, chapter is very active. We have the largest chapter in the country with over 400 members, and it's actually the largest extracurricular program at TCU.
Russ: Well, that sounds real cool. As you know, David, I travel around the country and visit a lot of university and college-based entrepreneurship programs. I've sort of seen this difference, and some are run by, actually, academics and some are run by entrepreneurs and business people. I know where you fall in that category because we had you on the show two years ago. But, share with our audience your entrepreneurial background.
David: Basically, when I was a student here at TCU many years ago, I started a little landscape services company, just like a lot of kids that are working their way through school. As I said, I was just damn enough to keep doing it, but I did it in a more scalable way, if you will. But, five companies here in Dallas Fort Worth did what I would call a little mini regional consolidation. I had about 300 folks at the three offices working with me. Then, I teamed with a team out of Chicago called Service Master and we rolled up the industry nationwide, we had offices from coast to coast. When we finished that roll up, we're about $550 million in landscape services revenue. So, it was a pretty good round, a lot of fun, but now, I'm here trying to help the students at TCU.
Russ: Well, it's a great, great story. But, to the students here at TCU, tell our listeners about the TCU Texas Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.
David: Basically, it's a program that recognizes and celebrates the success of young, high school entrepreneurs. These are kids who have businesses and all different kinds of little industries, mostly part time because they're going to school and they've got extracurricular activities and sports and different things like that. But the idea is to recognize their accomplishments and celebrate their successes. We bring them up to TCU for a couple of days and show them a little bit about what we have to offer in the way of entrepreneurship. We do a day of judging and then culminate in an awards banquet tonight.
Russ: I know you've got some help in doing this. Tell us about that a bit.
David: Well, Compass Bank has been a great supporter of this program now for five years. They basically underwrite the majority of the program. Every scholarship that has been given in the last five years has been funded by Compass. Compass is a great bank. They've been able to survive this economic downturn, they're doing really well. They're great folks, great bankers, but also great philanthropists.
Russ: Well, I think it's real cool that they help you and then, I think it's real cool what you're doing here, so keep doing it.
David: OK. Thanks a lot.
Russ: Thanks a lot. That's David Minor, the Director of the Neely Entrepreneurship Center. That brings us to Brian Happel, Fort Worth market president, corporate banking with Compass Bank. Brian, welcome to the BusinessMakers Show.
Brian: Russ, thanks for having me.
Russ: You bet. Tell us about sponsoring the Texas Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. How long have you been doing it and what role do you actually play?
Brian: This is our fifth year as the presenting sponsor for this program. Compass Bank really looks for opportunities to impact the community. I think, when this opportunity presented itself to, literally, work with high school students that are going to be the business leaders of tomorrow, it was just a terrific opportunity to support high school students that also had a business interest. In fact, took it to the next level and became entrepreneurs in order to be the foundation of the business leaders that we're going to look to in the future.
Russ: Cool. Do you actually get involved in perhaps listening to some of the presentations and so forth?
Brian: Actually, the last two years, including this year, I will be one of the judges. We believe in it very firmly, and quite frankly, I have to spend an entire day of hearing the students. It encourages you even more about what the future will be like, not only for the business community but the idea generation and the motivation that these kids have to run a profitable business.
Russ: Well, as you know, the BusinessMakers Show we champion innovation and entrepreneurship, so we really appreciate sponsors like yourselves who seem to do it and put your money where your mouth is on this issue. It is fantastic. Do you see Compass Bank doing this for a while longer?
Brian: It's something we firmly believe in, so I would certainly hope so. I think, as banks try to distinguish themselves within the community of competition out there, this is something where, as you said, puts our money where our mouth is and shows support down to even the grassroots effort of what we believe in the business community.
Russ: OK. Brian, really, I appreciate you sharing that with me. We're getting ready to get involved now with the students themselves. So, thanks a lot. We've been speaking with Brian Happel of Fort Worth, market president, corporate banking, Compass Bank. That wraps up this morning's Aflac BusinessMakers flashback brought to you by Aflac, ask about it at work. Stay tuned in to the high school participants in the TCU Texas Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Awards. But first, it's time for another advantage point. So, let's welcome Katie Layered.
Katie: This is Katie Laird, with another advantage point, providing up great advice for turning your small business into a not-so-small business. Online video is hot right now with sites like YouTube getting over 60 million visitors a month. This is a space very worth testing out for your online marketing plans. These video networks are not just for funny pet videos, but open up a whole new avenue of online communication for your prospects, current clients, and future employees. Repurpose those old commercials and training videos you have in storage and give them a brand new life online. Buy a cheap digital video camera and record a frequently asked question video series to embed in your website from YouTube. Or, promote your business by taping interviews with interesting clients and community members. YouTube makes it easy to embed videos, that is, to copy and paste code from the YouTube website so you can play them on your own website. Search for topics, public speakers, and organizations you find inspiring and include them on your website to keep your content fresh and interesting. Using videos on your social networks are a fun way to break out of your marketing box at little or no cost to your business. Make connections, rekindle business relationships, and have fun. We'll see you and your business online. To read and comment on this advantage point, visit us at the BusinessMakers.com.
Russ: You're listening to the BusinessMakers Show, heard here and online at the BusinessMakers.com. Stay tuned in to hear the high school participants in the TCU Texas Youth Entrepreneur of the Year Awards.