Episode 1: Ground Zero
Air Date: April 28, 1998
And so it begins...
'Internet myopia' is the catch-phrase of this kick-off episode. Tom Vassos drops in on the Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI), the real-life small business for "This New SoHo" and catches up with Susan Langdon, the Executive Director of the TFI, and two budding young fashion designers, Crystal Siemens and Serena DeParis. The IBM Aptiva computer they recently purchased is still in its box, and they are excited about learning how to use the 'right tech tools' to grow their businesses.
Taking a breather from the fast-paced world of fashion design, Tom and the new SoHo recruits talk about what they expect over the next 16 weeks. From this conversation over coffee, it is clear to Tom that Susan, Crystal, and Serena are off on the right track. Full of ideas and enthusiasm, they looked at all the steps involved in their businesses, from start to finish, and thought of how computer technology and the Internet could assist them. For example, some of the interesting ideas they brainstormed include:
By taking this approach, they avoided the accursed 'Internet myopia', an affliction which often results in these technologies being implemented with a very narrow focus. For example, how many times have you heard about 'selling on the Internet'? With the amount of air-time that 'selling on the Internet' gets, you would think that's all it can do for a business.
In reality, the Internet can do much more for your business than just 'sell'. In fact, the Internet is also great for reducing your long-distance phone charges, creating your business plan, finding financing for your venture, checking the credit of your customers, finding out what your competitors are up to, and letting your customers and suppliers know what you are up to. The use of computer technology and the Internet in your business are limited only by your creativity and enthusiasm, and over the next sixteen weeks, "This New SoHo" will show you how.
Hot Links
Want to learn more about the topics covered this week? Then check out these great web sites and resources:
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The Fashion Incubator |
325 Adelaide St. W., Toronto, ON M5V 1P9 Phone: (416) 971-7117 Fax: (416) 971-6710 |
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Strategic Internet Marketing-- The Web Site! |
Learn more about what the Internet can do for your business and how to get a copy of Tom Vassos' best-selling book, "Strategic Internet Marketing"
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Your Small Office |
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Ace Canada |
Learn about Ace Canada, which promotes entrepreneurship at the college and university level through a chapter system |
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Have You Got What It Takes? |
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Do you have what it takes to run your own small business? Find out by reading Douglas Gray's self-diagnostic book available from Self-Counsel Press |
Cast
Mark Schneider CTV - Host of "Digital Desktop" Tom Vassos IBM e-business Advisor and Host of "This New SoHo" Susan Langdon Executive Director, Toronto Fashion Incubator Crystal Siemens Fashion Designer Serena DeParis Fashion Designer
Production Credits
Carol Davidson Field Producer Ross Macintosh Camera Marek Piekrzewski Audio Technician Anthony Leong Senior Web Editor
All episode summaries and supplemental information written by Anthony Leong, with material and assistance from Tom Vassos, his book Strategic Internet Marketing, and Mark Schneider.
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