U-M prof explains what all those Super Bowl ads really meant
University of Michigan Ross School of Business professor Christie Nordhielm watches Super Bowl ads a little differently than the rest of us. Yes, the polar bears and Star Wars jokes and Dorito gags are a $3.5 million hoot, but they also reveal a little bit about what's going on in our economy. Beer and beverage ads have gone down. Auto ads have gone up. Hmmm. More importantly, who spent their money well and who threw millions away? Excerpt:... [Read More...]
U-M launches Venture Shaping Program to turn ideas into startups
Business ideas don't always make profitable businesses. A new program at the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business hopes to make that transition more commonplace in Ann Arbor. U-M is launching the Mayleben Family Venture Shaping Program through the Zell-Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. The new program is being funded by a gift from Aastrom Biosciences president & CEO Tim Mayleben (a U-M graduate) and his wife,... [Read More...]
GI Jobs salutes Ann Arbor and Ypsi colleges
When it comes to our veterans, some colleges go out of their way to embrace those who have served our country. EMU, Concordia, Washtenaw Community College, Thomas Cooley, and the Ross School at U-M are among those singled out by G.I. Jobs. Criteria for making the list included efforts to recruit and retain military and veteran students, financial commitment to veterans and academic accreditation. Check out the list here. News from Concentrate Read More →
To become Chief Doctor, go to med school and get an MBA
Dual MBA / masters degree programs are very of the moment these days. (U-M's joint degree from the Ross School of Business and School of Natural Resources is a popular one.) Now the latest tagline you want after your name is an M.D. / M.B.A., according to the New York Times. They're still quite rare, but Dr. James Kuo, chief executive of Ann Arbor's Adeona Pharmaceuticals, has one. Get the full story here. News from Concentrate Read More →
Local Orbit adds customers, doubles staff
A year ago Local Orbit, which connects restaurants and institutions with local farmers and food producers, was a fresh-faced start-up prototyping its software, testing out its business model and trying to gain traction. This year, the Ann Arbor-based firm has incorporated lessons from early on, enabling it to add customers and create jobs. Local Orbit will double its staff next week with two new hires. Another is set to arrive in September. That... [Read More...]
It’s Hard to Raise Money Today
Unfortunately there is not much new, or anything you don’t already know, about how difficult it is for a start-up to raise capital in 2009. That makes it even scarier for a corporate executive interested in transitioning from the BIG world to the SMALL world. Our friend Jim Price over at the Ross School at U of M was interviewed for the school newsletter. He discusses the differences between the two cultures and the paradigm shift these... [Read More...]
