September 2009 Archives

School of Business 09/26/2009

Interviewer: Russ Capper, John Beddow | Guest: The BusinessMakers | Episode: 225 | Date: September 26, 2009

Russ and John present the show that champions entrepreneurship, innovation, and the capitalistic system that stimulates and motivates them. Includes: BusinessMakers Quote of the Week—ironic observation from Mark Twain; This Week in Business History includes luminaries like William Edward Boeing, Levi Strauss, Rod Stewart and The Beatles; Navigating Business Jargon—acronyms, technospeak and trendy new stuff; and Dumbest Moments in Business History—the Fed spends big bucks to rehab four drafty buildings… that were actually demolished years ago. 

Our Four Favorite Elevator Pitches from the Rice Alliance

Interviewer: Russ Capper, John Beddow | Guest: The BusinessMakers | Episode: 225 | Date: September 26, 2009

Russ and John dissect their favorite elevator pitches from the 7th Annual Rice Alliance Energy & Clean Technology Venture Forum. Our favorites include EGG-Energy, the Netflix of batteries; Enistic, Inc., a company that offers wireless water and energy management; General Vortex Energy has created a combustion engine that can use many forms of fuel to generate power; IceCycle LP has created a product that creates and stores power during non-peak periods for use during peak periods. 

Bill Schrom - Geotrace Technologies Inc.

Interviewer: Russ Capper | Guest: Bill Schrom | Episode: 225 | Date: September 26, 2009

Bill Schrom, CEO of Geotrace, a reservoir services company, provides subsurface imaging tools to help clients optimize oil and gas exploration on existing wells. Schrom’s mathematicians, physicists, geologists and geophysicists develop new algorithms to help clients interpret their data more efficiently and to better resolve “structures” under the earth. Schrom believes that a love of the job—and coffee—helped him to be successful. He offers an insider’s view of the fossil fuels industry and comments on international politics, doing business in a slowing economy and mental capacity.  

Rice Alliance - Energy and Clean Technology Elevator Pitches

Interviewer: The BusinessMakers | Guest: The BusinessMakers | Episode: 225 | Date: September 26, 2009

Want to know why we’re not frantic about our future here at the BusinessMakers Show? Because we think the future is in good hands. There are a lot of smart people out there and we can prove it. We have all 48 elevator pitches from the 7th Annual Rice Alliance Energy & Clean Technology Venture Forum. 

PKF Texas: The Entrepreneur’s Playbook® - Exploring Social Media

Interviewer: Greg Price | Guest: Greg Price | Episode: 225 | Date: September 26, 2009

Are you using social media? If you’ve not yet dipped your toes in the “social media” water, this is the time to do it. It probably won’t replace other forms of communication, but social media has become a powerful tool. Greg Price offers food for thought about a revolution that is changing our world. 

School of Business 09/19/2009

Interviewer: Russ Capper, John Beddow | Guest: The BusinessMakers | Episode: 224 | Date: September 19, 2009

Russ and John present the real-world, crafty show about the entrepreneurs, the innovators who most positively affect our economy. And we do this show with an added dimension—where else you gonna get that?! Includes: BusinessMakers Quote of the Week—economical humor from visionary Steven Wright; This Week in Business History includes such big names as Benedict Arnold, the Supreme Court, Honda and media mogul Ted Turner; Navigating Business Jargon—acronyms, technospeak and trendy new stuff; and Dumbest Moments in Business History—the Feds impose a new tax on tires from China.

BusinessMakers Legends on Notable Entrepreneurs

Interviewer: Russ Capper | Guest: Nolan Bushnell, Steve Wozniak, Rod Canion, Red McCombs | Episode: 224 | Date: September 19, 2009

Russ flashes back to earlier interviews with BusinessMakers legends when he revisits his interviews with Nolan Bushnell, inventor of the original video game, Pong; computer visionary Steve Wozniak, a former employee of Bushnell; Rod Canion, founder of Compaq Computers; and American business mogul Billy Joe “Red” McCombs. In this segment, Canion, Bushnell and “Woz” reminisce about lessons learned during the early days of computers. McCombs remembers his friend, author James Michener, and tries to define “The Mystique of Texas.”

Shawn Achor

Interviewer: Russ Capper | Guest: Shawn Achor | Episode: 224 | Date: September 19, 2009

Shawn Achor teaches and conducts studies on positive psychology at Harvard, asking the question: why are so many students at one of the nation’s top universities happy while others are not? Research has proved that happiness and organizational success are closely linked. Achor and Russ discuss the findings of his research, and his ideas on happiness and human potential.

HBJ Houston Fast 100

Interviewer: Russ Capper, Katie Laird | Guest: Lee Mediamolle, Anthony Grijalva Jr., Catherine Gerard, Seth Hachmeister, Philip Morabito, Dick Didow, Ken Parekh, Jerry Lasco, Pallavi Dinesh, Francisco Segura | Episode: 224 | Date: September 19, 2009

Russ visits with Lee Mediamolle, vice president of Whitney Bank, Presenting Sponsor of The Houston Fast 100; Anthony Grijalva Jr., vice president of G&A Partners; Catherine Gerard, general manager of Staples; Seth Hachmeister, business sales manager of Verizon Wireless; and Philip Morabito, founder and CEO of Pierpont Communications.

Also Russ and Katie Laird interview winners in the Houston Business Journal’s Fast 100. Winners and interviewees include G.R. (Dick) Didow, president and CEO of Catch the Moment, an event entertainment and promotions company; Ken Parekh, Amsys Innovative Solutions, a computer technology consulting firm; Jerry Lasco, founder and CEO of Lasco Enterprises, a wine-centric restaurant management company; Pallavi Dinesh, COO and founder of Fommy.com, a wireless phone accessory company; and the top winner Francisco Segura, senior vice president of operations of StarTex Power

PKF Texas: The Entrepreneur’s Playbook® - Looking for Outside Innovation

Interviewer: Greg Price | Guest: Greg Price | Episode: 224 | Date: September 19, 2009

Where do you look for innovative ideas? If you’re not staying on top of what’s trendy, you could get lost in the shuffle. Greg Price provides several sources for conferences, trends and ideas to keep your company competitive.