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Software can be expensive these days. Thankfully, most types of software have excellent alternatives that are either free, or Open-Source. Here are some tips sent in by Chris G to help you find these alternatives.

• Google is a geek’s best friend. We use Google to find everything in our geektastic lives, so it makes sense to use it to find our free software. However, this must be used with extreme caution. Googling “Free Photoshop” may not lead to Open-Source/Freeware… but to torrents. With torrets, you may certainly get a free version of Photoshop… just not legally. Refining your search to something like “Free Photoshop Alternatives” will help a great deal.
• Indexing sites are also a good option, allowing you to search inside of all the applications available as Open Source/Freeware. This, again, should be used with extreme caution. Only download from trusted and reputable sites, as not doing so may lead to malware installed on your PC. This is bad.
• There are also many websites whose sole purpose is to find good software to recommend to their readers, as well as tips and other bits of content. Such sites are Lifehacker and 43Folders are particularly good for offering productivity tools. They also recommend other software. Whilst not everything is free on here, I have found many good pieces of freeware here.
• New/Social Media/Podcasting or whatever in the world you want to call it. Whilst these may not be the best option if your specifically looking for a bit of software, they are great for just picking up bits of advice and tips along the way…. and most importantly: providing entertainment.
• Communities. Real people are your best option. Having had real experience with the application, they will know which they think is best. This will allow you to bypass the downloading, installing, using, not liking and uninstalling of the countless apps you need to try in order to find the best one. Communities like Chris’ do amazingly well for this kind of thing. With the extremely friendly and well-educated people there, you’re to get hooked up with a few sites for the software you need.

• Affiliate Elite: New Affiliate Marketing Software!
• Master Mind Power In 9 Weeks.
• Keyword Elite: New Keyword Software.

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Google gets the OK from the EU to acquire DoubleClick. That helps Google's stock, which had hit a new low the day before. Google's expected growth in the display ad space and more, in today's show.

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Since placebos have been shown to be as effective as some current anti-depressants, can perky technopop from Japan have the same effect?

This week is a busy one for me. I'm currently sitting in a parking lot awaiting my twelve year old to finish instructing her students at dance. As I sit here impatiently waiting to get on with my personal projects, I've been reflecting on an upcoming conference I'm attending. I've registered for the UVSC Forum for Children's Literature and submitted a manuscript for review, something that I have a great deal of apprehension about. Not for the obvious reasons like being afraid of rejection. I've already been sending that ms about for months and have started piling rejections up aplenty. No, I'm more worried about whether the reviewer's critique will be relevant or worth the $35 I paid. I discovered he wrote "Bunnies on the Go" and "Cars at Play" and other preschool books and I just wonder what he'll make of my whimsical, magical romp that doesn't teach any lessons and instead is a modern fairytale. We couldn't be more dissimilar. But I've gotten worried over nothing before. Classic AD/HD trait #13. Comes with the territory. Here's hoping we get along like two books on a shelf.

Once I get home I'll be whipping up dinner and then diving immediately into my current assignment. I've been editing video for a local Science Fiction convention's masquerade (I'll be blogging about that later this week. I've made some interesting discoveries about AD/HD and my own limitations). The next step is to author the DVDs, design the labels, then put them into production for the small handful of people who prepaid for them. I'm trying to wrap this project up so I can begin my next assignment in earnest: a complete redesign of http://duihope.org.

So what does any of this have to do with Japanese technopop? That's simple, if AD/HD thought chains can be labeled simple. The busier I get, and the more tedious the assignment, the more bored I get. If I'm bored I get distracted. That lead me one night tangentially to Perfume.


With subtitles

Perfume is a group of three nineteen year old girls from Hiroshima, Japan who banded together when they were 11-12 years old with one common dream: to be Japanese Idol Stars. That dream took them to Tokyo two years later. They spent years with independent labels before being picked up by a big label and only recently broke into the Top 40. Their journey was inspirational to me because I have a sixteen year old who aspires to be a Country music entertainer (and writes her own music, produces a podcast with me, performs at county fairs, and recently landed a gig as the lead singer for a bluegrass band). I am always seeking out inspirational stories for her of people who forged their own paths towards success.


With subtitles

The interesting thing about these videos to me was the effect they had on my mind. I have a weakness for Vocal Trance, a subset of the Techno/Trance genre. Perfume's music is a heady blend of poppy electronica with elements of video game ephemera and a heaping dollop of vocal trance. I don't care much for their earlier work, but I absolutely love their newer stuff. After watching a few of their videos, though, I noticed I felt elated - almost euphoric. Pretty girls. Vocal trance. Bizarre, silly elements. Visually stunning videos. And I'm a japanophile. That I liked their videos wasn't surprising, but what did surprise me was that I was no longer depressed.

Yes, I know some of you don't think I suffer from Depression because I manage it without medicine. However, you couldn't be more wrong. I've recently had a terrible few months. Winter hit me harder than it ever has. I've been fighting Depression off more than I usually have to. Yet here I was happy and cheerful. The videos had perked me right up.

You may recall I explored ten things that one could do to fight Depression some time ago. Number six was "Do Something Fun". Obviously, watching cute girls sing in futuristic CG landscapes to techno beats was just what the doctor ordered. This made me think, though, that perhaps medicinal placebos could be found in more forms than sugar pills.

If placebos are just as effective as anti-depressants for the majority of users, then that means to me that the power of the mind was the engine of change for most of the test subjects. Some might attribute this to positive thinking, but I believe there is something more at work. Thinking happy thoughts just won't cut it if the Depression is deep enough. You need to deluge the unhappy neural transmitters in your mind with heavy doses of endorphins. Watching Perfume videos that day produced the desired result for me. Another day it might be arguing against man-made global warming. Your endorphin booster may be something altogether different. Whatever works (Within reason, obviously. I'm not advocating criminal activities like recreational drugs, voting Republican, or speaking out against unions at your next PTA meeting). The important thing is to keep a list in your mind of activities that are known to help you feel better, then go and do a lot of them. You don't have to stay in the dumps. Depression can be thwarted, but sometimes you'll have to outthink it, or at least distract it with a goofy video.

PNME 2007 #12: Scripted Stories: Views on the New Wave of Serial Video Content From Independent Video Podcasters

Podcast and New Media Expo 2007:With the increased popularity of video podcasting, this panel will discuss the first hand experiences of producing scripted serialized video podcasts. We will help to define the difference between “vlogs” or video diaries from the new wave of independent scripted series content created specifically for online and portable media. We will also share our decisions to produce for this medium as well as the lessons we have learned and successes we have had along the way. If you are thinking about producing regular episodes of your show with a regular cast, this session will give you the insight you need to avoid common mistakes and hear from those that are already finding success. Instructors: Julie Daman of Nontourage, Hayden Black of Goodnight Burbank, Stephen McCandless of Caution Zero Network, and Chris McCaleb of Big Fantastic.

Download mp3: Scripted Stories: Views on the New Wave of Serial Video Content From Independent Video Podcasters (1:02:02 min 28.5 MB)

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A community member writes: “Being 14, I find that 99.99% of the time, no one will help me buy my geeky gadgets.I have created a list from my experiences on how to save money for your tech-related stuff.”

• If you are short on cash, start a small business. Since I am only 14 and cannot get a ‘normal’ job yet, I sell computer parts on eBay. I have my own eBay store where I make a little over $100 a week, just from selling RAM and Hard Drives. The point is that on some websites, you can make money on the side with little effort. All you need to do is post a blog with AdSense or try to put up an EBay listing. These are very efficient ways to make money without much time or effort.
• Don’t spend your money on stuff you don’t need. You don’t need to go to the movies 3 times a week. You can spend a little money once in a while, but put it towards the things you really want. Also, don’t buy a new notebook instead of paying your rent. Priorities come over tech items. How are you going to play XBox Live if you forgot to pay the electric bill? If you casually watch your money, you will notice quickly that buying your gadgets is not such a difficult task. Buying the store-brand items is not that much of a difference, other than the brand name items. Speaking of this, software is very similar. There is almost always a Freeware or Open-Source alternative. A very good example is GIMP or Seashore compared to a very expensive Photoshop.
• Put a little money away. Instead of buying a fancy $60 meal, put $5-20 away a week. This adds up quickly. You won’t believe how quickly you will have money to buy the latest video game or something similar. Putting the money in the bank is also a good idea as you cannot touch it as easily as it would be if you had it in your wallet.
• Look for good retailers, and discounts. As I know Chris has some really amazing coupons for software and things like that. Newegg.com is an amazing electronics retailer. I buy almost all of my electronics from them. It is like the Costco for Geeks. I have bought my Hard Drive, RAM, external Hard Drive and more from them. I highly recommend buying from retailers that sell the same product, but at a more affordable price. Just look around, before you pay an extra $100 for an item.
• Most geeks have a bunch of Tech items that we don’t need, but others want. I bought an iPhone a few months ago, so why would I need a 5th gen iPod Classic? Sell the unneeded items on eBay or Craigslist to “save” money on another gadget. This works very well with video games, as EB games. They buy your old games for cheap prices, and you can use that money to buy a new game. Sell your old Hard Drive… get rid of the RAM you just upgraded from… you get the idea. If you don’t need something don’t throw it away… sell it.

• Wii Media Downloads - Earn Mega Cash! The Most Popular Item Out Now!

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My son and I conducted our third and fourth live webcasts over Ustream.tv today from the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington Dulles International Airport, about 30 miles outside of Washington D.C. Udvar-Hazy is an extension of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum which opened four years ago, and houses a wonderful array of aircraft and spacecraft in several enormous aircraft hangers. Our favorites in the collection were the Lockheed SR-71A Blackbird, the Boeing B-29 Superfortress “Enola Gay”, the Space Shuttle Enterprise (STS-101 Orbiter,) the Corcorde, and the Mars Pathfinder Lander Prototype. This is an exceptional museum, and is certainly well worth visiting.

In our first webcast from the observation deck near the center’s entrance, we discussed the SR-71, the STS-101 Space Shuttle Enterprise, the P-40 and the F-4U aircraft.

In our second webcast from underneath the Concorde aircraft, we discussed the Concorde, a little about the Enola Gay B-29, and recapped many of the learning moments from the past week in Washington D.C. We switched roles for the second half of this webcast, and Alexander let me interview him. We also got some audio input from one of the security guards at the center.

For today’s webcasts over Ustream, we ratcheted down our video quality considerably (to 25% picture quality) and ratcheted up our audio quality (to 30 kHz.) This worked better over our 3G AT&T cell network connection than the higher video quality settings we’d used on Sunday from the Air and Space museum on the mall in Washington DC. The audio was not clipped and had a good, constant quality, but the video quality certainly leaves a lot to be desired. I think it is WONDERFUL Ustream allows this type of audio and video quality adjustment. Ideally, I think I’d like to experiment and use a higher level of video quality (at least 50% picture quality) but maintain the same level of audio quality. Whether or not bandwidth can support that is a local, context-driven question. Here are a few lessons learned from our four “remote field trip” Ustream.tv webcasts to date:

1. CHARGE YOUR BATTERIES: Battery life for remote webcasts is essential. On both days of our webcasts from Washington DC this week, I failed to fully charge the laptop battery we were using. Ideally you want a full laptop battery, a spare battery, and a portable battery pack that can provide additional power to your laptop and possibly camcorder. An extra, charged camcorder battery would also come in handy.
2. USE AN EXTERNAL CAMCORDER: For our webcasts this week, we used a small, handheld Sony digital camcorder. This video quality was far superior to the video quality obtainable from a built-in iSight camera. iSight cameras ARE great, but with an external DV camcorder the person serving as the webcast videographer can zoom in and out as needed on subjects, and frame video shots much more flexibly.
3. USE A LONG FIREWIRE CABLE: A long firewire cable is essential when using an external DV camcorder. Although the laptop you are using for the remote webcast can be wireless / unplugged from electricity as well as a wired Internet connection, the camcorder must be plugged in.
4. CONNECT WITH LOCAL VIDEO FIRST: Using a Macbook running OS 10.5.2 and Ustream.TV this week, we had repeated problems with our web browser crashing when the video source in Ustream was initially set to DV Video and DV audio. This happened in three different browsers: Safari, FireFox, and Flock. We do not know why this happened, but we did figure out a workaround. By connecting to Ustream FIRST with local video and audio settings, and THEN (after the connection was established) plugging in the external DV camcorder and switching the video and audio input sources, we were able to successfully webcast using the external DV camcorder.
5. CHECK LOCAL BANDWIDTH: I like to use the Internet Frog Speed test website to check my upstream and downstream bandwidth from a particular location. I don’t know what the exact requirements for Ustream are, but generally anything less than 200 kbps is probably not going to work for a webcast or videoconference, from what I know and have experienced.
6. TEST VARIOUS USTREAM QUALITY SETTINGS: The first two times we conducted a webcast over a cell phone data connection, the audio was clipped because the video quality we’d selected was too high for available bandwidth. By reducing video quality and increasing audio quality, we avoided this “audio clipping” problem. Experiment with different settings to find an optimal combination for your available bandwidth and purpose/needs.
7. SCHEDULE IN ADVANCE: If possible, schedule the date(s) and time(s) of your webcast in advance, so others will know when they should be able to check in online to catch your broadcast. Remember folks around the world are in different time zones, so use a website like WorldTimeServer to provide a link to the exact time in GMT and/or a helpful link people can use to see the date/time for their local area.
8. ANNOUNCE ON TWITTER: It can be helpful to announce your webcasts on Twitter to let others (who are following you on Twitter already) know about the availability of your webcast. Since people using Twitter at a particular time are generally interested in “live updates,” chances are good at least some of those folks will want to check out your live webcast and provide feedback - especially if you solicit it!
9. CHECK LOCAL PORT SETTINGS IN ADVANCE: If you are using a hardwired ethernet connection or WiFi connection to the Internet, rather than a cell phone data connection, if possible check to see if Ustream is useable via that connection in advance of your scheduled conference. More hotels and other locations providing free WiFi are utilizing network configurations which prohibit streaming video, including the ports utilized by Ustream. If you can test for this functionality in advance, you may be able to save yourself headaches and disappointments later.
10. BE READY WITH EXTRA QUESTIONS: The chat feature of Ustream is wonderful for soliciting questions from viewers, but depending on your Ustream channel settings users may be required to establish an account and log in to submit something. This can delay their abilities to submit text questions or comments, if they have not pre-registered with Ustream. For folks you will be inviting to the webcast, recommend that they pre-register with Ustream and login before your webcast begins.
11. BRING EXTENSION CORDS: If you can conduct your entire webcast without electrical or ethernet wires, more power to you! (Literally!) Depending on time and the status of your respective batteries when you start your webcast, however, you may need to “plug in” one or more of your devices. Remember this can include three different things: Your digital camcorder and laptop to AC power, and your laptop to a wired ethernet connection (if applicable.) Bring an extension cord and power strip to insure you have enough electrical outlets if needed.

It was certainly fun to successfully conduct four separate live, remote webcasts over Ustream this week from Washington D.C. (See my March 9th post, “Partial victory web-casting from the Smithsonian” for the first two videos and initial lessons learned.) We learned a great deal, and I hope to apply this knowledge in the future to some “new media” grants I’d like to write to support students and teachers traveling to interesting destinations and utilizing a variety of new communication and publication technologies to both document their learning activities and share those experiences with other learners “back home” as well as around the world who are not able to physically join in the field trip learning with the group. My experiences in December 2007 helping facilitate successful videoconferences with Pearl Harbor survivors and veterans to Oklahoma learners planted the seed for this idea. Hopefully it will bear some fruit in the months to come!

Technorati Tags:
ustream, webcast, video, videoconference, fieldtrip, learning, smithsonian, virginia

Qik.com sent a couple IOGear GearJuice mobile Pocket Power chargers so I can always "go live" when I'm out on The Big Trip. Each one will charge a mobile phone up to 3 times before it needs to be charged.

The MiniStation Turbo USB from Buffalo Technology is the smallest 500GB, 5400 RPM USB hard drive I've ever seen.

Revolabs has a wireless USB mic designed for VoIP and Podcasting. The charging base stays plugged into your PC or Mac and the mic clips to your shirt so you can walk around the room.

Crgslst is a service that allows location-free search from Craigslist, and Acer announced their new Gem Stone Blue line of notebooks.

Jason Calacanis is really excited about almost having 10,000 Twitter followers and I'm a little jealous, so I'm trying to catch up. Help me by following me on Twitter! :) Thanks to Geoff Smith for all his help with the "New and Improved" Geek Brief Radio. We're covering the same stories on GBR, but now Neal joins me to talk about the stories. Give it a listen and let us know what you think. If you like it, you can subscribe in iTunes or download it here or get it from PodShow.

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Jon writes: “My friend and I like filming shows at local venues. After a while there are some things you seem to focus on while recording these. Here are my tips for recording live performances, shows and concerts.”

Equipment - Always prepare your equipment before hand. Nothing is worse than showing up on a scene without your necessary things. Here is a list of useful or necessary things you should bring along:

• Camera(s) Always make sure you have properly packed your camera(s). Nothing is worse than showing up on a scene to find that your camera is damaged or even lost due to improper packing. Multiple cameras and cameramen(or camerawomen) are always recommended for any production, no matter how small. It’s always better to have a second angle to switch to if your shot gets disrupted or even too boring.
• Batteries and tapes Having extra charged batteries and tapes are a must. Besides the people behind the project, the battery is the part giving any power to your operation. The tapes are your canvas (for now). Without either of these, you can’t record your event, and they are 100% necessary.
• Tripod or Steadycam Nobody wants to watch a shaky video, even if the talent is amazing. Try a Tripod or Steadycam. Tripods tend to cause for a boring shot, but are more stable. A simple Steadycam, however, can be made easily and cost pennies. A cheap Steadycam like the one I made can serve as a Steadycam, a Bipod, a camera boom, and many more things. A ‘bar’ Steadycam, as I like to call it, is the perfect filming multitasker for the budget filmer, and will come in handy more than one would imagine.
• Lights Like a shakey video, nobody wants to see a dark, unlit video. Even if you can’t find a professional, yet affordable, portable filming light, you can still bring along a compact halogen or such light. You would be amazed by how big of a difference a single light can make, never mind a second or third. I picked up 2 halogen lights for $10 each at a tool expo that came by town, and it works great, especially for its price and size. Just remember, anywhere there is a performer, there will probably be electricity, and someone more than willing to let you plug in to help film and promote their event.
• Audio Many cameras have decent onboard mics, but sometimes that just isn’t enough. If you can get your hands on a different audio device, use it. Its always better to have too much instead of too little. A mini disc recorder works well, is compact, and is relevantly easy to transfer to a computer. If you can get a high quality digital recorder, that’s even better. They should have more recording options, allowing you to compensate for recording time, quality, whether or not you need phantom power, and many more. Also think about an audio source. It could be a soundboard from the attraction or venue, or just a quality condenser mic that you bring along. Bring everything into consideration for your audio.
• Storage/Tote Always bring a proper means of storage for your equipment. Bring what you need, leave the rest in your car. Just because your bag can carry 250 lbs of equipment, doesn’t mean that you can. There is a difference between over packing and over preparing. It is clear which is good, and which is bad. Keeping your eye on your 4 extra tripods are going to be a bigger burden than if you didn’t have any tripod at all.
• Crew Always pick a good crew that you can trust and know possess the skills you need. A crew doesn’t need to be 25 people, consisting of directors, boom operators, dolly pushers, etc. In most cases, you’re only going to need a director (who will probably work camera or audio as well), first, second, and third cameraman (fourth fifth etc depending on how many shots you have), audio technician, and someone to watch your stuff. A crew of 3 or 4 people is ideal for most low budget productions, and can be easily communicated with and transported. Does your car seat 4 people or more? I thought it might.
• Extras This includs any useful lenses you have (love my fisheye), cables (a must), pen and paper (these have been handy for centuries), or anything you might need. Always keep these neatly packed and ready in case you might need them.

Once all of these things have been thought of and taken care of, you’re ready (hopefully) to get onto your show. When you’re at this event, there are a few tips I think might help you out:

• Don’t be shy Talk to the talent, band, or whomever before the show and get their permission. Be sure they don’t mind if you try for a more creative shot in case it might ‘invade their space’.
• Get creative After all, it is art! Don’t be afraid to ‘exploit’ your equipment for every fun shot you can. I use my Bipod Steadycam to get boom shots above guitarists, and I even tip it upside down and get an upside down shot from someones’ feet. It sounds like a bad idea, but you can always flip the image without losing any quality later, and the shot looks amazing and creative. Always try new things and new angles to film from. If it looks bad, you can always switch to a different camera. But, if it looks good… you will be switching to this shot.
• Keep Safe No matter where you are, there are risks to you, and your equipment. If you’re filming in a studio, there is always the possibility of tripping on a cable or something falling over. At a rock concert, filming from the crowd means you could get bumped into by somebody, or even somebody coming out of the mosh. Always be aware of your surroundings. The only thing here worth more than your equipment, is you.
• Setup Get ready as quickly and smoothly as you can. Keep organized… and out of the way. If you’re a nuance to the staff, they’re not going to let you film here. You must be respectful during setup and overall production.
• Setting When preparing to film something, you must think about the size of the stage, crowd area, or any place you might use for your video, whether its going to be filmed, or going to be filmed from. Always take into consideration the size of the crowd, the size of the talent, and the sound levels as well.

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You don't need us to tell you that if you want to see R.E.M. tonight you should have started lining up at Stubb's two days ago. Also you know how big these SXSW crowds are getting every year. The best bet for the sake of your legs -- and for the sake of not standing in line all night -- is to pick your showcase wisely. Besides, there are too many stacked bills to even worry about hopping around all night. Rather than sprain your fingers scrolling through tonight's master list, we've made you a list of eight different places offering multiple-set enjoyment. And as with each of our SXSW previews, we laced the list with MP3s to help you make up your mind, should you be one of those independent thinker types.

Since February 10th, folks have been coming up with image squares for the Passion Quilt. Those images have appeared on over 100 blogs and there's no sign that the meme--or whatever folks might call this--is going to stop anytime soon. This afternoon, I started compiling the images, using Skitch to capture the image of the blog and the quilt square--is that what it's called? I know nothing of quilting--and then add the blog URL to each image. I've considered dropping them into Animoto, Picasa and Flickr...in the end, I've decided to upload them to a set on Flickr entitled/tagged "PassionQuilt08"--per Sue Waters excellent suggestion--and also to PicasaWeb to create the slideshow below.

Apparently, I wasn't the only with that idea. Others are using Flickr to aggregate the photos. To contribute your own, just add "passionquilt08" as a tag to your contribution to the Passion Quilt and upload it to Flickr. Here's what the Flickr slideshow looks like...

One other person that I know of decided to do the same thing I was doing, organizing the photos into a display in ONE place was Andrea Hernandez (EdTechWorkshop Blog). Drop by and check to see how she's organized them!

Andrea writes:

Awhile ago there was a meme going around the blogs called The Passion Quilt Meme. The challenge was to find an image that represented your passion as a teacher. Teachers are so awesome. I have enjoyed looking at all the images and reading about the passions that inspired them. I thought I would try to "quilt" the quilt into a slideshow so they could be viewed in one place. If the original blogger didn't caption the picture I tried to create a caption based on what they wrote. Of course, the full thoughts can't be captioned, but I love the slideshow and what it represents. The Passion Quilt Meme was originated by Miguel Guhlin and I found the links to the images on Miguel's Del.icio.us.

What's funny is that we were both working on this today...and I was working off my Delicious links, as well. Unfortunately, not ALL the images are linked in my Delicious. I'm missing a few that exist only in Flickr. . .I'll be adding those missing ones to my PicasaWeb, and hope that everyone starts tagging their images with "passionquilt08" and putting them into Flickr. If you need help, don't hesitate to ask!

FAP757: Free coffee, free food, Free Stuff Friday

Listen now:

Student Financial Aid News
+ Chronicle: Congress cut subsidies to private lenders while tightening rules on how they operate. More than a dozen lenders have already announced that they are leaving or scaling back their participation in the federally guaranteed loan program, and many more could follow.
+ Congress’s changes, though, may prove responsible for only a fraction of the turmoil facing private lenders. The tightening of credit has prevented many lenders from raising needed capital and, combined with subsidy cuts, has led some lenders to conclude that the federally guaranteed program is no longer a worthwhile enterprise.
+ Most interesting tidbit from the article was a comment that the Department of Education Direct Loan program will have newer, easier to use systems that will allow colleges to offer both FFEL and Direct lending programs together
+ Believe it or not, that’s a good thing - it puts Direct Lending on an equal footing as any other federal student loan program and opens up the remaining 19% of colleges that are Direct-only to FFEL lenders
+ Inside Higher Ed also reports that the vast majority of students don’t go hog wild on Spring Break, instead opting for school sponsored trips or just going home.

Scholarship Update
+ Detroit Queen of the Highlands scholarship
+ Perfect example of a small local scholarship
+ $1,000 award
+ June 2 deadline
+ Must be of Scottish descent
+ Details at our free college scholarship search site

Free Stuff Friday
+ BlueLock for Windows
+ Hulu is now open
+ Mark march 21st on your calendar - Dunkin’ Donuts is giving away a free iced coffee.
+ Dunkin’ Donuts free ground coffee sample
+ Limited Too has buy one get one free Webkinz.
+ Free Hamburger Helper samples
+ Hat tip to Connie Bensen - Cool Text has 1,200 free fonts
+ Hat tip to Chris Johnston - 8 page ebook on how to get good recommendations for college admissions
+ Environmental tip: get a clothes drying rack and/or clothesline. You will save money on quarters, energy, and extend the life of your clothing, not to mention reduce your environmental footprint
+ Financial tip: if a company goes into bankruptcy and you have a gift card for it, it’s now worthless - sorry. Chapter 11 treats gift cards as debts, not as cash.

Free Song of the Week
+ Adrina Thorpe, Midnight

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Direct MP3 file download: Click here to download the MP3

Reminders
+
+ Financial Aid Podcast Show Notes at FinancialAidPodcast.com.
+ Free scholarship search secrets eBook at StudentScholarshipSearch.com/ebook
+ FAFSA form tutorials and free help at FAFSAonline.com
+ Grad student? Get graduate financial aid information at the GradLoans.com blog!
+ Stafford federal student loans at StaffordLoan.com
+ Student loan consolidation at StudentLoanConsolidator.com
+ Private student loans available at any time - visit AlternativeStudentLoan.com
+ The Financial Aid Podcast is a publication of the Student Loan Network.

I want to hear from you! Email me at financialaidpodcast {at} gmail {dot} com, visit http://www.FinancialAidPodcast.com, or call 206-350-1208.

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Bigg Challenge
One of our listeners, David, e-mailed us because he has an idea for a business, but doesn’t know what to do next. He wants some direction to get started.

Bigg Advice
Congratulations, David! You have a good IDEA. Now you need to know if it’s a good opportunity. Answer these four questions:

#1 – Is there a market?
Are there enough buyers? Here are a few of the many ways to know:

• Check with relevant trade associations.

• Talk to business owners who won’t be your competitors.

• Conduct surveys – on the street, via phone, through e-mail.

Keep in mind that you’ll never know for sure – what people SAY they will do isn’t necessarily what they WILL do.

Some markets are too bigg. Others are too small. You want one that’s just right! Bigg markets attract bigg competitors. They’re tough to compete against. Small markets may not offer enough opportunity. You’ll waste resources for very little upside.

#2 – Is the market accessible?
Can you reach your prospects? The best idea in the world is no good if you can’t access your prospects. Here are few examples:

• Publications they regularly read

• Internet sites they visit frequently

• Search terms they use

• Specialty stores where they shop

#3 – Who’s your competition?
Prospective entrepreneurs often think that they won’t have any competition. Well, everybody has competition. If you think you don’t, think again.
 

How bigg are your competitors? Ideally, the industry is highly fragmented with a lot of little companies. If it is dominated by one or two major players, you’ll need to compete around them.

#4 – Will it provide a sufficient return?
Estimate how much money you can make. Divide that by how much money it will take to start. That’s your return.  

Your return has to be enough, given all the other opportunities, to justify the investment. Otherwise, you won’t attract the capital you need.

Thanks, David for sharing your bigg challenge. We hope this helps you get started!

Our bigg quote today is by Tim Blixseth.

You’ll discover new worlds if you explore your ideas, map your course, and then set sail!

Next time, we’ll discuss the most important person at whom you should laugh. Until then, here’s to your bigg success!

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Subscribe to The Bigg Success Show in iTunes. 

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