Craig Wolfe, Founder of Celebriducks

Still waiting for Snoop Dogg to mail you close-ups of his cornrows?  Craig Wolfe isn’t.  In fact, the 56 year-old Founder of CelebriDucks received photos of just about every angle of the rapper, insuring his namesake rubber duck was the perfect likeness.  Right down to his famous braids.

Craig went through college like many kids, not really knowing what he wanted to do in life.  Then, after falling in love with a vintage Mickey Mouse animation still, he started the company “Name That Toon” in 1986, buying and selling animation art.  Sales of commercial animation artwork by big names like Coca-Cola  and Budweiser followed, but before long, Craig was working on his next big idea.

Starting with Betty Boop in 1998, and with Craig’s daughter doing all of the original artwork, he began creating his new line of famous duckies under the company name “CelebriDucks”.  The real push forward happened in 2002 with the Alan Iverson duck (complete with tattoos), beginning a long and profitable relationship with the world of professional sports.

Never star-struck, Craig routinely turns down invitations to celebrity events, award shows, and even to the Playboy Mansion.  Personally, I think visiting the grotto would be awesome.  Especially if it was filled with little Snoops.

1. Your CelebriDucks are made with incredible detail.  What steps are involved in the manufacturing process from idea to package?

We start with a number of conceptual drawings to capture the look we are going for.  Then once approved, we move to the sculpting phase.  Once we make revisions there we are ready to make our first wax mold.  From there we go to pre-production metal molds leading to the final production molds plus spray mask molds for painting.  Then we are finally able to begin production which takes about another week.  All told it can take us up to six weeks to two months minimum with each new style.  We have spent up to six months and longer on some of them!

2. What is the permission/licensing process like to use celebrity images, and how long does it usually take?

That can really vary.  I don’t think it’s ever taken less than a month or two, and sometimes it has taken us up to ten years.  It’s quite a process to say the least which is probably why no-one else does what we do.

3. Have you ever walked away from a design because the celebrity involved was too difficult to negotiate with?

It’s more rare, but it has happened.  I don’t think it would be appropriate to mention names, but we have left some deals on the table.  Most of the times it was just that we were unable to come to a financial agreement suitable to both parties.  But there has been a very few times that it just too difficult working with the client.  But that really is rare.

4. Do you take baths?  If so, who do you take with you?

You know, honestly, I’m a shower person.  I kind of like the quickness factor.  But I always keep one of our Pink Flamingos in the bathroom for that Kitsch effect.

5. You have certainly carved out your own niche in the world.  As a child, what did you dream of growing up to be?

I always knew I wanted to make rubber ducks of celebrities.  OK, seriously, people thought I might become a lawyer, but I lacked any interest or real talent for it actually.  I graduated college having no idea whatsoever as to what I would be doing.  If I didn’t feel passion for something I couldn’t move forward.  But when I saw my first original hand-drawn Mickey Mouse drawing, I was captivated and soon thereafter started my animation company.

6. What do you like best about owning your own business?

Oh God, everything.  I love the freedom and the creativity of it all.  I love choosing to work with wonderful people and having totally flexible hours.  You couldn’t put me in a cubicle at this point, not that I haven’t worked in one.  But I’ve really come to deeply value the joy of doing something I really love and creating a brand from scratch.

7. Describe the ideal person who would complement both your life and your business.

Hmm….well on a practical level, I feel I’m working with people who absolutely complement what I do and I really appreciate having the opportunity to have them in my life.  I think as far as a female companion, it would defnitely be someone who “got” me.  You know, enjoyed the whimsical and creative nature of what I do.  See, I love to create….first it was the animation artwork, then the ducks, and I’m also working in my spare time on an album as I have a studio in my house.  So anyone I would spend time with would have to appreciate these kinds of things.  And ideally, myself being a Buddhist, they would have to have just a bit of an interest in things other than money, business, etc.  But most important, they would have to love chocolate!

8. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

My dream would see CelebriDucks established as a major brand with or without my running it.  I would definitely see my album being finished.  And I like to think there would be more than enough money to help do some good in the world through helping to support non-profit organizations that I want to do more for.  And ideally, I would also be perhaps a little wiser.

Craig’s Bio

Craig Wolfe grew up in Millburn, N.J. and later graduated from Hobart William Smith Colleges in upstate New York.  Over the years, his company Name That Toon, became the largest publisher of advertising/animation art having established the first ever animation art lines for Coca-Cola, Anheiser Busch, M&M/Mars, Pillsbury, Nike, etc.  Over time, he developed CelebriDucks as a side project, creating rubber ducks of those he felt were some of the greatest icons of film, music, history, and sports. Eventually he sold off the animation and the company became all ducks!

At this point, Craig has produced CelebriDucks for the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NHL, NASCAR, NCAA collegiate mascots as well as  famous people such as Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, The Blues Brothers, KISS, Barack Obama, etc.  To date he has created over 200 CelebriDucks and pioneered a whole new collectible.  Celebriducks have been voted one of the top 100 gifts by Entertainment Weekly, featured on The Tonight Show and CBS Evening Magazine, and featured in hundreds of magazines and newspapers, and on television shows around the world.

Want to connect with Craig?  Follow him on Twitter or email him!

Want to get closer to your favorite stars?  Bring them in the bathtub!  Thanks to single entrepreneur Craig Wolfe, creator of Celebriducks, you can now do just that.  Celebriducks offers a wide range of characters from political (Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Uncle Sam), musical performers (Snoop Dogg, KISS, Elvis Presley), and classic screen stars (James Dean and Marilyn Monroe), among others.  The detail on these ducks is amazing, the packaging is just right for gift-giving, and Craig also handles custom orders if you need something special.  Aside from having a great product, kudos to Craig for holding up through all the licensing deals that go on behind the scenes to make these ducks a reality.

Learn more about Craig when I post his full interview, coming soon!

Divya Gugnani, CEO of Behind the Burner

Normally when I interview entrepreneurs I take lots of notes.  With Divya Gugnani, Founder and CEO of Behind the Burner, I finally gave up and just wrote down the word “enthusiasm”.  The fast-talking 32 year-old Harvard MBA grad (turned chef turned entrepreneur) is enthusiastic about life, business, and most importantly, her love of cooking.

The daughter of immigrant parents on Long Island, Divya acquired her first skills (and passion for food) from the family’s live-in chef.  Although her parents themselves did not cook, they often entertained, and a life-long culinary passion was born.

Aside from having a passion for food, Divya was also on track for a career in finance. While studying government economics at Cornell University, Divya took a cooking class, and at this point her dual interests in cooking and finance became parallel paths.  After graduating from Cornell, she went on to work for Goldman Sachs as an investment banking analyst, but made time to attend the French Culinary Institute in NY. In the corporate world, she went on to become a technology venture capitalist, while at the same time working for free in restaurant kitchens and doing catering jobs, gaining real life experience as a culinary expert.  Somewhere in the midst of cooking, advising startups, her involvement on multiple boards, and working in a VC firm, she managed to earn her MBA from Harvard.

Now running Behind the Burner, launched in November of 2008, Divya continues to feed her passions for both business and all things culinary.  The initial success of the website (featuring tips, tricks, and techniques from your favorite chefs) is a true testament to the power of enthusiasm.

1.  Please give us a quick introduction to Behind the Burner, what it offers, and how it differs from other cooking sites.

Behind the Burner has a network of over 250 culinary experts, particularly celebrity chefs who share their best tips, tricks and techniques in the form of short videos, articles and blogs. We also offer deals on the tools and ingredients experts recommend.

2.  You describe your mother as an intellectual “renaissance woman” who discouraged you from learning to cook.  What do you know about the experience of creating meals that she doesn’t?

My mom has a tremendous intellectual curiosity to learn about art, literature and gardening. She always felt being in the kitchen and cooking was a waste of time. It has taken her years to realize and respect that my intellectual curiosity spans to all things culinary. Searing, sautéing, shaking up cocktails and pouring wine, is both my high and my relaxation in life.

3.  As Americans we are becoming more frugal and eating out less, but our taste for good food hasn’t changed.  Do you credit the current economy for some of your early success?

I think our model works in any economy. Currently people are dining out less so they are cooking and entertaining more at home hence the desire to learn our tips, tricks and techniques. In a robust economy people dine out and enjoy nightlife more so, we still play to their voyeuristic desire to know what is going on behind the scenes at the hottest eateries, lounges and clubs.

4.  You earned your culinary dues working various kitchen roles, often without pay.  For someone just starting out, how important would you say is it to learn all aspects of a business or trade from the ground level up?

Today my role at Behind the Burner involves culinary, strategic, technology, financial, marketing and legal expertise. I developed and honed these skills as well as the most important—teamwork—in kitchens, board meetings, classrooms and at home.  The best thing to do is be a sponge, learn everything you can from everyone around you. You never know when it will be useful.

5.  Behind The Burner recently partnered with NBC to broadcast a cable show in the New York area.  What is it all about and where can we see it?

Behind the Burner segments air on NBC New York Nonstop, which can be seen in 5.7 million households in the NY Metro area: NY, NJ, CT and Long Island. For channel listings click here.

6.  I was surprised to hear your targeted demographic is ages 18-38.  What does BTB offer that is appealing to this relatively young, and often unmarried, group?

A vast majority of the culinary media, particularly food content, is written and produced with women in their 40s in mind. These women are often focused on getting dinner on the table for their families. In recent years, particularly with the rise of food competition TV shows and increasing presence of chefs as celebrities rather than laborers, a younger demographic of both men and women have become interested in the entire culinary spectrum from food and nutrition to wine and cocktails. We specifically cater to this group since they are hungry for more content, information and inspiration.

7.  Describe the ideal person who would complement both your life and your business.

Honest. Generous. Ambitious. Supportive.

And the kicker is…able to deal with a hyperactive adventurous workaholic who loves to eat:)

8.  Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Working, hopefully, not as hard as I’m working now but having just as much as passion as I have for my business and life today.

Divya’s Bio:

Divya Gugnani acquired a taste for her future in culinary arts while building a career in finance. In addition to a B.S. from Cornell University and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School, Divya holds a degree from the French Culinary Institute, where she discovered her inner chef. Divya started her career at Goldman Sachs and then worked at Investcorp International and Millennium Technology Ventures. Most recently, as a venture capitalist and Principal at Firstmark Capital, Divya provided companies with strategic and operational guidance to achieve their visions. Divya has also catered and worked in restaurant kitchens while managing her corporate boardroom responsibilities. With the creation of Behind the Burner, Divya blends her long-time passion for culinary arts with her expertise in business.

Divya currently advises several startups and established brands with board level roles. She appears on MSNBC: Your Business and NBC New York Nonstop. She has also been a guest on FOX & Friends and has been featured in Businessweek, The Wall Street Journal, The Deal, Crains, Eat. Drink. Better, and several other publications.

Want to connect with Divya? Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter here and here!

Now, here’s a great product which is not just MADE by a single entrepreneur, but is also designed FOR single women!  Want to reward yourself for all your hard work?  Not willing to wait around forever for a wedding band? Buy yourself a gorgeous diamond “Ah Ring” created by Ruta Fox, CEO and Founder of Divine Diamonds (the Ah stands for Available and Happy). Made in the USA and available in three sizes (S-M-L), the Ah Ring is the perfect little pinkie accessory that even your married friends will be jealous of.  Not to mention, you’ll be in good company-notable owners of the band include Kate Hudson, Teri Hatcher, Lauren Graham, and Kirsten Dunst.

Did I mention, Ruta got her business off the ground in six weeks with an incredible story that involves OPRAH? Come back to read her full interview, posting soon!

Jordan McAuley, Founder of Contact Any Celebrity (with Ivanka Trump)

When you can’t find a head shot of yourself without a celebrity in it, you must be Jordan McAuley.  The 31 year-old  “King of Celebrity Contacts” and Founder of Contact Any Celebrity started his Hollywood-inspired career as a teenager and hasn’t looked back since (just ask Ivanka).

I have to say, I’m pretty impressed with the middle school version of Jordan, for turning his hobby of collecting celebrity contact information into a profitable business.  Had I known about guys like this back then, I probably would have spent less time thinking about Ricky Schroeder.  With far less than a business degree, or even a high school diploma, Jordan began selling mail-order celebrity contact lists he printed off an old dot-matrix printer for $30 apiece.  Jordan went on to college and paid his dues, earning a film degree from the University of Miami and working for a large media outlet as well as talent agencies in Hollywood.

But that’s not the fun part.  The fun part is imagining some teenage kid opening stacks of mail with checks inside.  Checks written by star-struck adults in search of autographs from their favorite Hollywood stars.  Not even Ricky Schroeder can say he’s done that.

1. Tell us about the services you offer through Contact Any Celebrity, and what separates you from your competition.

Contact Any Celebrity is an online Rolodex that offers the best  contact information for over 58,000 celebrities and public figures worldwide. It is updated daily, with every entry cross-referenced including phone, fax, and email addresses for the celebrity’s representatives (agent, manager, publicist, attorney, etc.). We also offer a postage refund guarantee, free research requests, weekly celebrity gift bag opportunities, and monthly insider interviews with guest experts.

2. You recently began posting celebrity twitter names as part of your directory.  How else have you kept up with the changing needs of your customers?

Originally, Contact Any Celebrity only provided mailing addresses for fans who wanted to request autographs by mail. Over time, many professionals began using the service, including nonprofits, businesses, authors, and the media. They wanted phone, fax, and email addresses, not for the celebrity’s themselves, but for their representatives (agent, manager, publicist, etc.). Now with Twitter and Facebook, people are able to contact celebrities directly, but it’s still difficult to know which profiles are real and which ones are fake. We save you time by listing the celebrity’s real profile in our Rolodex, so you can contact them directly from our site.

3. What five celebrity contacts are most requested from your database, and do you notice any trends?

This year the top 5 have been 1) Robert Pattinson 2) Oprah 3) Barack Obama 4) Miley Cyrus 5) Kate Gosselin.  The trends are when a personality suddenly becomes a fan favorite, like Robert Pattinson from Twilight. Or sadly when tragedy strikes.  Everyone wanted to contact Patrick Swayze when he was diagnosed with cancer, and now everyone wants to reach out to Michael Jackson’s relatives.

4. Your business taps into a relatively recent phenomenon.  Why do you think we as a culture are now so obsessed with celebrities?

Celebrities have always been popular, but in the past they were put higher up on a pedestal. People seemed more in awe of them. Today, we’re constantly seeing their flaws. Whether it’s in celebrity magazines, on TV reality shows, or online blogs. We don’t see celebrities as perfect anymore. One of Us Weekly’s most popular sections is called “Stars, They’re Just Like Us!” We feel like we know them. The economy and the war in Iraq is also part of the “fame junkie” equation, because people want to escape.

5. Aside from the website, you’ve also written a couple of books.  What are they, and how can they help a business owner like myself get products in the hands of celebrities?

The Celebrity Black Book is our annual directory of celebrity contact information. It comes out every year, listing the best mailing addresses for over 55,000 celebrities and public figures worldwide. For insider tips and tricks on how to contact celebrities in person, by mail, and online I recommend my other book, ‘Secrets to Contacting Celebrities: 101 Ways to Reach the Rich and Famous.” Both are available on Amazon. My new book, ‘Celebrity Leverage: How to Get Celebrity Endorsements, Instant Credibility and Star-Powered Publicity’ comes out in September for business owners and entrepreneurs.

6. What do you enjoy most about owning your own business?

Being able to make my own schedule — to some extent — and to make my own decisions. I get to do the parts I enjoy like marketing and publicity and outsource the things I don’t enjoy or don’t know how to do like database programming. I also don’t like anyone telling me what to do, so I love being my own boss!

7. Describe the ideal person who would complement both your life and your business.

Someone who has their own business or career and understands my schedule. I work — a lot. There are so many things I want to do. My business has become really successful but this is just the tip of the iceberg. I’m not ready to settle down, lie on a couch and eat bon bons all day. I’d love to find someone who wants to contribute something to the world and is working to achieve that. We’d both be really busy but could plan a nice vacation together every once in a while.

8. Has being a single entrepreneur helped you or hurt you in business and why?

It’s helped in the fact that I’m not distracted and I have a lot of time to get things done. I’m not ready to settle down. For me work is fun. If I could find someone else who works a lot but enjoys it as much as I do, that would be amazing!

Jordan’s Bio:

Jordan McAuley’s record spans more than a decade in publicity, marketing, publishing, events and entrepreneurship.  Known as the “King of Celebrity Contacts,” his Contact Any Celebrity service is one of the most respected publicity resources in the world, with a blue-chip roster of over 5,000 marketers, publicists, nonprofits, journalists, and media clients who rely on it daily.

McAuley has been quoted in USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, Investor’s Business Daily, Publisher’s Weekly, Out Magazine, Inside Direct Mail, E! Online and other local and national media. He and his clients have been featured by the Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Star Magazine, Village Voice, Entrepreneur Magazine, Instinct Magazine, and more. He has also appeared on CNN, National Public Radio (NPR), Q Television, Better TV, and Sirius/XM Satellite Radio.  He is a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), the GLAAD Media Circle, and the Information Marketing Association (IMA).

Jordan McAuley was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Communication (Motion Picture Business and English Literature) from the University of Miami in 2000.

Want to connect with Jordan?  Follow him on Twitter and Facebook!

As entrepreneurs, most of us are constantly seeking media opportunities.  I was lucky enough to have a business question answered by the experts at Inc. Magazine in the June 2009 issue, and am happy to announce that today I will be featured front and center on the Inc.com homepage!

After today, the article will still be accessible through a permalink, but without an image.  Thank you to Inc. Magazine for continuing to let me ride this wave of free publicity!

Peter Shankman, Founder of HARO and the Geek Factory Inc.

75,000 PR professionals are walking on eggshells thanks to Peter Shankman.  At 36, the popular PR and Social Media guru has made a name for himself providing a free service so valuable to the media (and to the PR people who need access to them), that neither side dares to break his rules.  After all, no one wants to offend the guy who knows everyone and apparently sees everything (just try mentioning his name online while staying under his radar).  When that someone also has quick commentary available to thousands of hungry Social Media followers in less than an instant, you know Peter is a friend you want to have.

HARO, which stands for “Help a Reporter Out”, is a free email list that matches journalists with sources, often by way of PR and marketing professionals.  As someone with my own product to pitch, I can’t live without it.  Peter is endlessly entertaining, the sources are good, and the opportunity to connect with major media outlets is invaluable.

But there are rules.  And if you break them, well, don’t break them, because being publicly “outed” by Peter is not good for business.  And 75,000 people know it.

1.  OK, give us a quick 411 on HARO for anyone who doesn’t know already. HARO stands for Help A Reporter Out.  It’s a source repository of over 100,000 sources from all around the world who receive queries via email, three times a day, from reporters from media outlets all over the world.  Anyone can join at helpareporter.com – it’s totally free.

2.  Do you secretly love the fact that people are scared of you (ie being “outed by Peter”)?

I don’t, really. In a perfect world, people would learn to pitch on topic and correctly. This would make their pitches better, they wouldn’t fear being “outed,” because they’d be doing a good job to begin with.

3. What’s up between you and your assistant Meagan?  Are you torturing her out of cruelty or out of love?

Meagan is essentially my little sister. BUT – she’s my little sister who runs my life. I can’t do anything without her, from scheduling a coffee to getting on the right plane. She’s the OCD to my ADHD. She’s really become my lifeblood. That she wants to eat the occasional grasshopper is fine by me.

4. Is the Peter Shankman we see in Social Media a brand, the true you, or something in between?

There’s peter@shankman.com, the brand that everyone knows. Then there’s Peter Shankman. Very few people know that person. I kinda wish more people did.

5. You speak often about Karma.  How does this relate to HARO and to your life in general?

I believe that the universe tends to unfold the way it should, dictated by your actions towards other living things. I try to be a good and decent person, and help people and animals when I can. The end result, for me, anyway, is a fulfilling life with successful businesses, and somewhat of a successful personal life. I’m still working on the latter. I believe that the results of our actions are determined by our actions to begin with, both good and bad.

6. Why do you love Social Media, and why is it so important for businesses to get on board?

I truly believe that self-promotion, when done the right way, will save the world. If you self-promote, you cause other people to take notice of you at least once. Then, something happens: Either they believe in what you’re doing, or are positively affected by it, or they don’t, and they’re not. If they do, they become your promoters – they tell people how great what you’re doing is. If they don’t, they tell people how horrible you are, and you simply cease to be. Either way, nothing happens without self-promotion. Social Media is the ultimate tool for that, for both businesses and personal brands.

7. What kind of person are you looking for in life?  Do they have to be willing to jump out of a plane?

Every time I think I know, I find myself surprised. I want someone who is a partner first and foremost – someone who I can support in their challenges, and vice-versa. Someone who can be thrilled for me when I land a big deal, or have a great skydive, and someone who I can be just as thrilled for when she does something great as well. Really the perfect definition of partner. I hope to find it one day. I believe she’s out there somewhere.

8. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

I’d like to be running a foundation that really works to make sure we’re not overmedicating our children. Today, the second a kid shows any kind of creativity in school that’s not ”the norm,” we rush to put him or her on Ritalin or Adderall. I believe we’re destroying the next generation’s creativity by doing this, and within two generations, we’ll be a second rate power because of this. I hope to help prevent this from happening. ADHD is not a disability. Being normal and boring is.

Peter’s Bio:

PR Week Magazine has described Peter as “redefining the art of networking,” and Investor’s Business Daily has called him “crazy, but effective.” An entrepreneur, author, speaker, and ingenious worldwide connector, Peter is recognized nationally and globally for radically new ways of thinking about Social Media, PR, Marketing, Advertising, creativity, and just about everything else, as well.

Peter is perhaps best known for founding Help A Reporter Out, (HARO) which in under a year has become the de-facto standard for thousands of journalists looking for sources on deadline, offering them more than 100,000 sources around the world looking to be quoted in the media. HARO is currently the largest free source repository in the world, sending out over 1,200 queries from worldwide media each week. HARO’s tagline, “Everyone is an Expert at Something,” proves over and over again to be true, as thousands of new members join at helpareporter.com each week.

In addition to HARO, Peter is the founder and CEO of The Geek Factory, Inc., a boutique Marketing and PR Strategy firm located in New York City, with clients worldwide. His blog, which he launched as a website in 1995, (shankman.com) both comments on and generates news and conversation.

Peter is the author of Can We Do That?! Outrageous PR Stunts That Work and Why Your Company Needs Them (Wiley and Sons 2006) and in the few hours of spare time Peter has per month, he’s a frequent runner, with 13 completed marathons and three Olympic distance triathlons to his credit, an amateur boxer, and an “B” licensed skydiver, specializing in free-flying.

Want to connect with Peter?  Follow him on Twitter and Facebook!

Hey!  Have a cool new product or service you would like to share with the readers of Single Startups?  I am currently looking for submissions of cool/trendy/urban products that would appeal to our readership demographic of younger professionals (fashion, business/travel accessories, etc.).  Also looking for any type of business related books or books dealing with entrepreneurship to review.  Please email Laura for more information.

*PLEASE do not send anything in the mail before speaking with me.  I am currently in hiding with all the other Bush-era Republicans and cannot disclose my current location.  Thank you!

Amanda Medders, Founder of Tri-Ed Tutoring

On Independence Day, I thought it was fitting to highlight the type of business success story we find only in the United States.  Amanda Medders, the 26 year-old Founder of Tri-Ed Tutoring, a DC area home tutoring business, epitomizes what is possible with the right combination of dedication, hard work, and in Amanda’s case, brains.

Originally a pre-med major, Amanda quickly realized her love for math, science and all things academic made her better suited for a career in education.  At age 23, and just out of a Masters program, Amanda founded Tri-Ed Tutoring using the experience as a private tutor she gained during her college years.  After six months of tutoring all the Tri-Ed students on her own, she had enough business to warrant hiring outside contractors and began turning a profit soon after.  The following year her older sister joined Amanda as the only other full-time employee, handling the marketing and networking aspects of the business, a partnership that has proved to be invaluable.

Founded just three years ago with only $3000 in startup capital, Tri-Ed Tutoring now boasts over $100K in yearly revenues after reaching profitability within one year.  At 26, Amanda is her own boss and works eight hours a day in a profession she is passionate about.  I call that Independence at its best.  Happy 4th.

1.  You say that education is your passion.  How does that translate into the success you have had so far, and so quickly, with Tri-ed?

Starting a business requires a huge time commitment at the onset. If I wasn’t passionate about what I do, I think I would have burnt out within the first year. It is really a privilege to be trusted enough by parents to be a part of their children’s education. I believe that our passion for education is apparent and the reason why parents put their trust in us.

2.  Competition is everywhere in the world of education.  What sets your tutoring services apart from other big names like Kaplan?

What people tend to like about us is that all of our services are customized to fit each student. We really believe that getting to know each family and their unique goals is the best way to help them work towards accomplishing those goals. Because each person has a different learning style, we do not have a “one-size-fits-all” curriculum. By developing a personal relationship, we are able to alter our instruction and study plans to fit each student more effectively.

3.  If you had to put a label on yourself, would you consider yourself more an educator or an entrepreneur?

My background is in education so I would typically consider myself more of an educator. I have never taken a business class in my life so starting a business has been a huge learning experience. However, I love the variety and challenge that comes with being an entrepreneur.
4.  You are a self-proclaimed foodie.  What is your favorite place to eat in DC?

Hmmmm…that is a really tough question! I really like trying all the fusion restaurants in DC. Mie n Yu in Georgetown is one of my favorites. It has great, unique food and makes you feel like you’re in Morocco. However, if I am in a classic steak and potatoes kind of mood, I would say Ruth’s Chris (sizzling butter…yum)!

5.  Your older sister is both your business partner and your roommate.  Does your close relationship ever get in the way of business?

If anything, our close relationship makes living and working together an ideal situation. There is no one that I would rather have as a partner or a roommate. We are able to say what we are really thinking without any worry of offending the other person. If she thinks an idea I have is ridiculous, she’ll let me know, we’ll laugh at ourselves, and move on to the next (hopefully better) idea!

6. Since you started your business so young, is it hard finding others your age with whom you can relate?

Not really. I feel like one of my strengths is the ability to relate to a wide variety of people.

7. Describe the ideal person who would complement both your life and your business.

It would have to be someone who is both supportive of and believes in me and the business. The ideal person would be positive and inspire me to continue to be better both personally and professionally. Most importantly, he has to be able to make me laugh and be able to laugh at himself.

8. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

If you had asked me 5 years ago or even last year, I would have had my whole life planned out and been determined to stick to that plan. Now, I realize that I am not really sure and, although that idea used to terrify me, I now find that I am excited about the prospect of the unknown. I’ve learned that life rarely sticks to my plan but almost always ends up better than I could have dreamed up on my own.

Amanda’s Bio:

Amanda Medders is the founder of Tri-Ed Tutoring. Together with her sister and partner, Jamie Medders, she provides in-home tutoring services for students of all ages in the DC metropolitan area. She holds a Master’s in Teaching and is licensed to teach in the state of Virginia. With 7+ years of teaching and tutoring experience, Amanda has a passion for education.

Want to connect with Amanda?  Follow her on Twitter!

Steve Owens, Founder and CEO of Colorado Premier Training

I’m laughing as I write this introduction because, what can I say?  Steve’s first interview answer made me laugh.  On the phone, and even on Twitter, Steve Owens, Founder and CEO of Colorado Premier Training, comes across as having a gentle, joking manner.  I get the feeling, though, that there is a lot more to Steve than meets the Tweet.

To me, Steve is an enigma of sorts.  How do you describe a man who, by trade, must be part hard-ass (he trains elite level endurance athletes), part brainiac (he designed a new technology wind tunnel testing system), and…drumroll, please…part recreational club DJ?  I’m thinking if I ever meet Steve in person some day, he will either whip me into shape, throw me in a wind tunnel, or at least teach me how to throw down a few beats.  Luckily I can already hold my own in the beats department.  (yes that’s me circa 1992-OK, now we’re all laughing).

Back to business…

1. What types of programs do you offer through Colorado Premium Training, and is it only for performance athletes?

*First, it’s Colorado Premier Training, not Premium. But now that I’ve clarified that… We’re already a global organization that coaches endurance athletes. Our main focus is on cycling and triathlon, but also work with Xterra athletes (another multisport like triathlon), duathletes and runners. The programs that we offer are fully comprehensive coaching packages. We consult with each one of our clients to create goals and help them in achieving their goals. We design training programs, and help the athlete to monitor their stressors and recoveries.

2. What kind of competition exists for training endurance athletes, and how do you market yourself to potential clients?

As a business owner, I look up to what Chris Carmichael has been doing. After my business partner coached Lance Armstrong, he eventually met Chris. The two of them are marketing machines, and it doesn’t hurt that you’ve coached 7x Tour de France Champion. We work with a ton of athletes that are nearly at the same level as Lance and from there it’s just fact. Success breeds success. We write for all the major magazines within the sport, and I’m very thankful to have great B2B relationships that help market us and our company. I basically try to spend no money for advertising, and rely on the magazines and other publications writing about the things we’ve accomplished.

3. Has the advancement of technology significantly changed the way athletes train?

Definitely! I think that’s something that has differentiated us from others. We have a core business and coaching philosophy that is actually extremely basic (manage the athlete as a person and maximize the work they do while balancing stress), but the other part of our business is extremely sophisticated. Wind tunnel testing in sports helps us to develop new, more aerodynamic products in the industry and helps us to educate athletes on what the fastest positions are. Our test balance is the most accurate in the world, so we are the only people that can measure differences in clothing and materials, etc. etc. So quite literally, we can find that an athlete can be faster from point ‘a’ to point ‘b’ producing less power with a good aerodynamic position versus an athlete that produces more power (stronger) but has a less aerodynamically efficient position. It’s amazing what technology can do.

4. Who is your favorite for the Tour de France this year?

This is a tough year to guess, with Christian VandeVelde (4^th last year) having crashed a little while ago and he may or may not be in top form. Then there’s Lance. He’s not one of our clients, but I personally have him picked as my favorite because of the way he rode the Tour of Italy last month. I think he’s been sandbagging it and downplaying his chances. His teammate, Levi Liephiemer, would be another favorite, as would be Carlos Sastre (last year’s winner). Cadel Evans (Australia) has been knocking on the door every year and I believe is riding his best ever. It’s a tough one!

5. You attended college under a vocal performance scholarship and currently work part-time as a DJ.  Do you think your love of music would ever lead you to start another business?

Well I’d hardly call DJ’ing ‘work’, but I love music. It’s therapeutic for me, as has been cycling. I think it could lead to another business some day, but we’ll see how that unfolds. I’m going to record a regular podcast for some of the music that I make as a DJ and have it available on our website coloradopremiertraining.com to download. I love listening to it while I ride a bike, so I think some of our clients will too. Maybe it’ll push them harder in training…Then I can sell it as an ergogenic aide!

6. What do you enjoy most about owning your own business?

I create my own destiny. Like my father told me once, “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.” I enjoy what I do. Each day is different and entertaining. I get to work with some of the best athletes in the world and contribute to their successes. It’s quite a blast at times.

7. Describe the ideal person who would complement both your life and your business.

Someone who understands business, entrepreneurship and passion for what they love. Someone who also has had the opportunity to have a similar type of passion in their life as well.

8. Has being a single entrepreneur helped you or hurt you in business and why?

My work requires quite a bit of travel at times. Sometimes I just enjoy it because it allows me to be there in ‘the trenches’ where the actual work happens. I try hard to get out on my bike and ride with clients / network, etc as well. All of this takes time. Some days are long, but at the end of the day, right now in my life I’m only responsible for myself and the hard work I put into the business and the athletes.

Steve’s Bio:

Steve Owens is CEO and Founder of Colorado Premier Training, and is among the cycling world’s elite professional coaches. He holds a degree in Exercise and Sport Physiology with a concentration in Sports Medicine from Colorado State University (CSU). He has worked for the United States Olympic Committee and the Guatemalan Olympic Committee, both in a role as exercise physiologist. Steve served as director for the CPT-Colnago Pro Cycling Team in 2006 and was head coach for the Colorado State University Cycling Team for three years, during which time the CSU team was considered one of the nation’s best collegiate cycling teams in the United States.

More recently, Steve brought together one of the brightest arrangements in technological performance to CPT, wind tunnel testing in sport. In putting this together, Steve has had numerous opportunities to work with the worlds most talented athletes and coaches. His philosophy is to bring great minds together to achieve the best possible results for athletic performance. Steve has also been a contributor to Bicycling Magazine, Cyclingnews.com, ProCycling Magazine, VeloNews, Velonews.com, as well as other newspapers and publications. He enjoys mountainbiking and road cycling, skiing, snowshoeing, traveling, foreign languages, and music.

Want to Connect with Steve?  Follow him on Twitter and Facebook!