Episode 226: Algae and iPhone Apps...What?

Episode 226 originally broadcast on October 03, 2009

Gaurav Khandelwal grew up in India where his family owned a tea company. In the U.S., he launched Chai Hut, a concept that morphed into ChaiOne, a digital agency that develops custom corporate iPhone, Facebook and Web applications. It’s a fascinating entrepreneurial journey. Then, flash back to an incredible accomplishment by a company that first appeared on The BusinessMakers in March 2008. You will want to hear what Sunrise Ridge Algae has done since we last spoke with CEO Norman Whitton.

School of Business 10/03/2009

Russ and John present the “business shaken and stirred” show for the people who are working hard to grow their companies, the people who probably won’t get a Stimulus Package bailout. Includes: BusinessMakers Quote of the Week—an astute observation from comic Steven Wright; This Week in Business History includes traitors and inventors, train robberies and telephones, McDonald’s and Route 66 (where else you gonna get this stuff?!); Navigating Business Jargon—acronyms, technospeak and trendy new stuff; and Dumbest Moments in Business History—Bank of America gives money to ACORN (but has since stopped).

Business Applications for your SmartPhone

Gaurav Khandelwal grew up in India where his family owned a tea company. Once in the U.S., Khandelwal launched Chai Hut, a tea company he envisioned would compete with Starbucks. But, his true passion was technology and websites. Over time, his initial concept morphed into ChaiOne, a digital agency that develops custom corporate iPhone, Facebook and Web applications. The company provides strategy consulting (in this digital age not all clients correctly diagnose their needs), then builds an application to execute the company’s solution. They don’t do games.

WebXtra - Gaurav Khandelwal

Making Biofuel from Algae

Russ conducts a repeat interview with Norman Whitton, a BusinessMakers entrepreneur first interviewed in March 2008. And what an update! In November 2007, Sunrise Ridge Algae began operations of a test production facility that uses algae to produce biofuel products. In September 2009, the company completed production and testing of a sample of algae-derived bio-crude, which it calls “bioleum.” Bioleum, now in the testing phase, appears to be suitable for refining in a complex petroleum refinery. The material has a high heating value near diesel, low sulfur and very low phosphorus, which greatly reduces harmful waste on several levels. The company has achieved a key milestone by producing oil in a quantity that can be tested and did so in a waste treatment plant!

PKF Texas: The Entrepreneur’s Playbook® - Managing Risk

Risk has been part of our lives since we were kids. As adults in the business world, the perception of Risk is a very different scenario and being pro-active in risk assessment is critical to success. Greg Price offers tips to better assess and manage risk in your business.