I am frequently sent large zip files of photos or videos from clients, which I need to download and then FTP to their website. I decided today to find a different way to do this so I could bypass the long process of uploading GBs of files.
1) Go to your email from YouSendIt and right click on the download button. Copy this link.
2) SSH into your server.
3) Issue the “lynx” command to open a text-based browser
water or coffee
mac or pc
aol or gmail
car or bike
club or dive bar
take photo or be the photo
sit or stand
rent or buy
cook or take-out
read or watch
talk or listen
write or type
txt or call
Stereotypes aside it’s an interesting world we live in
This is part 1 in my weekly series, where I open my little red book of random business ideas and let you rip one apart – all for the sake of entrepreneurship
A Theoretical Business – “InvestInMe Inc.”
How absolutely crazy it is that the average 4-year college graduate leaves with an average of $25,000 in debt. 79% of med school graduates have more than $100,000 of student loan debt, with the average a mind-blowing $156,000! This debt disease has been proven harmful by decreasing the amount of future doctors, teachers and inventors who would otherwise complete their schooling and go on to help our population for decades, but choose to be able to afford their food instead.
With tuition consistently rising year after year and laws requiring tuition caps unlikely to pass anytime soon, there is no help in sight. InvestInMe, Inc. plans to change this.
InvestInMe’s mission is to help highly achieving students avoid student debt by allowing outside investor(s) to pay for their schooling in exchange for equity in their future earnings. Similar to valuing a company, the student’s value will be determined by a proprietary algorithm combining aptitude, GPA, social characteristics, direction of study and future profession. The brighter the student and higher future potential salary, the better score received. Just as the students are ranked for risk and value, InvestInMe’s private investors are screened to ensure they will be able to meet all costs in the investment.
Let’s take a look at a potential candidate for InvestInMe
Amanda Johnson
18 years-old
Highschool GPA of 3.8
Top 5% of her class
Member of the basketball and softball teams
Accepted for next years freshman class at Harvard, pre-med
Wants to become an Orthopedic surgeon – (median salary of $408,000)
With family contribution counted, she is facing an estimated $194,000 in debt upon graduation – OUCH!
The Business Model
Amanda agrees to sell “equity” in the value of the first 15 years of salary she will earn post-grad, likely being employed as a surgeon.
A private investor is matched with Amanda and pays InvestInMe $194,000 for 10% of her post graduate income for 15 years.
InvestInMe disperses the $194,000 directly to Harvard as tuition bills are presented.
On April 15th of each year following Amanda’s graduation, she submits a copy of her tax return along with a check to InvestInMe for 12% of the prior year’s gross income. (10% for investor, 2% management fee for InvestInMe)
On April 30th of each year following Amanda’s graduation, InvestInMe pays the investor annual returns estimated to be $40,800 each year.
Benefits to Everyone
Amanda graduates med school, following her dreams to become a surgeon, with $0 traditional debt.
Private investor earns good returns ($40,800 annually X 15 years = $612,000) with relatively low risk, while helping a student achieve their goals.
InvestInMe earns $8,160 per year for 15 years ($122,400) plus interest on the $194,000 (the float) before it was fully dispersed to Harvard over the 4+ years.
What Do You Think?
Could this business succeed? Post your feedback and questions below to join the discussion.
I just finished reading an article in the NY Times about the real costs of free parking – the emissions, traffic congestion and reduction in exercise to name a few. There certainly are places which lack a strong public transit system, but at least in cities (such as Boston where I reside) there are few times you couldn’t use the train or walk anywhere you need to go.
I thought about this a little more. If the cost of parking around where I live wasn’t $300/month I would likely have kept my car, and subsequently driven to many places I now walk to.
On 8/7/2009 a terrible car crash happened in my quaint hometown of Holliston, MA. I remember kids in high school driving well above the speed limit on the road (Norfolk Street), many ending up off the road when they hit the S-Curve.
The latest accident happened with 2 guys from Holliston going in excess of 100MPH in their Honda Riceburner Civic. At least one of them was ejected. The engine was found 30ft into the woods. These guys were quite a few years out of High School, in their mid/late 20′s – and may I add, some of the luckiest bastards I’ve ever seen considering these cars don’t have roll cages.
Besides the fact that alcohol was a major factor, leading them to the bright idea of driving over 100MPH on a small back road – aren’t you supposed to learn in High School that you aren’t invincible?
unzip the file
