The document provides advice and guidance for starting an entrepreneurial journalism venture. It discusses thinking like an entrepreneur, overcoming fears of inexperience or lack of skills, finding problems and inventing solutions, understanding competition, and generating income sources. The overall message is that one should solve customers' pains, get feedback, know the competition, and proceed cautiously when going into business with friends to successfully launch a new venture.

1. Think like an
entrepreneur.
@suzanneyada
#thinkentre
Slides available at
suzanneyada.com/resources

2. Hey there.

3. Hey there.
I’m Suzanne.

4. Hey there.
I’m Suzanne.
I work at
CIR.

5. But …

6. These startups:
• Unlimited Zine Downtown
• Evolution Literary Magazine • San Francisco Public Press
• Visaliyoung • CoPress
• Truth/Xposed Magazine • SHiFT Magazine
• KFSC-LP 94.1 FM Visalia • California Watch
• Explore Central Valley

7. These startups:
• •
• • San Francisco Public Press
• •
• • SHiFT Magazine
• • California Watch

9. Be good at
ing.

10. Fear is
a big, fat

11. What fear tells you
• Too young
• Not experienced enough
• Not smart enough
• Don’t have a business background
• Stick to boring: At least it’s safe

12. The
danger is
in staying

13. (You will probably
not die either

14. Step 1.
Figuring out your
idea.

15. If you build it,
THEY

16. If you build it,
THEY

17. If you build it,
IT

18. Solve
someone’s
pain in the

19. Then
THEY

20. Be an aspirin,
not a vitamin.

26. VITAMIN.

27. Example.

29. Get
feedback.
If you don’t, you suck as a
journalist
AND as an entrepreneur.

30. • Where do you get
your news/info?
• What is your biggest
pain in finding that
info?

31. Don’t just
ask what
they want
and give it to

32. Find
the problem.
THEN invent
the solution.

33. "If I had asked people
what they wanted, they
would have said faster
horses."
-- Henry Ford

34. Step 2.
Know your
competition.

35. You’re not
just
competing
with news

41. Who is
competing for
your
audience’s

42. How do the
competitors
best solve
customer

43. Possible competition
• Local newspaper / TV / radio station
• Facebook
• University radio/TV station
• Google News / Pulse / Flipboard
• Campus blogger?
• Etc. Etc. Etc.

44. Strengths

45. Locally focused
Strengths
Entertaining

46. Locally focused
Strengths
Local Campus
TV TV
Facebook
Entertaining
YouTube
Hulu
New York
Times Gawker

47. Not well-known
Weaknesses
Campus
paper
Boring
Local
paper
Gawker New York
Times
Facebook YouTube

48. Step 3.
Get to business.

49. Resources
Team Idea

50. Actually, it’s…

51. 1. Team
2. Idea
3. Resources

52. Going into business with
friends?
Proceed with
caution.

53. It’s OK to
make
money.

54. Income ideas
• Ads • E-commerce (wine lists,
• Events travel clubs, merch,
• Classes etc.)
• Lectures • Services (graphic
design, web
• Specialized publications
development, etc.)
• Databases
• Grants/Fundraisers
• E-books
(ugh)
• Subscriptions/paywalls

55. Thank you all.
Go forth and
rock.
Slides available at
suzanneyada.com/resources
@suzanneyada #thinkentre