My Radio

It is amazing how cell phones have seemed to take over our lives. Think about it.

What is the first thing you check for when you are leaving your house in the morning? Your cell phone. It seems like we can’t even function without them. But, with technology continuously growing, I guess we don’t have a choice. All of the mobile applications available for download on cell phones allow our phones to act like our calendar, our computer, our personal assistant, and our social connection all at the same time.

I remember when I was in high school and cell phones had those computerized ringtones. Mobile applications have advanced to the place where you can now hear your own voice in your ringtone.

There also seems like there is a mobile app for everything! Even unnecessary things. I was at work the other day and one of our interns had a mobile app that made farting noises! Absolutely ridiculous! But, most importantly, mobile applications help up to improve our efficiency during the day. Business create mobile applications to make purchasing products more convenient for their customers. I have the CraigsList application on my phone that I use just about every day. Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare are also applications that I have installed onto my phone that I use almost daily. While these three companies don’t necessarily sell a specific product, the advertisements that they display on their websites make them money. The mobile applications help them to increase their count of how many people are actively using the sites, therefore helping their case in demanding higher prices for advertisement space.

Mobile applications are not necessary and will not work for every business, but with the right product or service, providing customers with direct access to your business can help you out tremendously. Mobile applications typically work for larger corporations that have a lot of repeat customers. It could also work for a business providing some type of software or technological service and also for a smaller company that thrives within a niche category!

Have fun with your apps! They are great tools!

~*Love, Peace, & Radio*~

I came across a website that fits in perfectly with the financial aspect of my business venture, Moguls in the Making. The Coalition of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) is an organization that “serves economically distressed communities by providing them credit, capital and financial services that are often unavailable from mainstream financial institutions.” This is great for Moguls in the Making because our business structure is setup to serve underprivileged youth. These underprivileged youth live and grow up in economically distressed communities; the exact places where I will start, build, and grow the Moguls in the Making locations.

The financing opportunities discussed within this website include loans that have been built to tailor business plans directed towards the development of underdeveloped communities. The only thing I don’t like about this website is that it does not offer information regarding grant opportunities. I understand the CDFI’s are actual financial institutions that are built to distribute only loans, but they should consider offering grant opportunities as well. Since they are already established financial institutions, it should not be that hard to obtain government funding to provide grants.

In order to receive funding from a CDFI, you must of course first fill out an application. In order to be approved for the funding you must meet several of their criteria, which include:
• Have a business focused towards community development
• Have a need for funding
• Have a business that is serving a specific target

Through CDFI.org I also learned all about the history of CDFI and Bill Clinton’s influence and implementation of providing funds for the program. The website also talks about the importance of community focused programs/businesses and how they provide a positive impact on our society. The CDFI also provides information about how receiving funds from the CDFI is different from receiving funds from other financial institutions.

All of the information that you may need about receiving funding for your business can be easily found on the web.

Happy searching!

~*Peace, Love, & Radio*~