Financing Opportunities

          There are many different way to obtain financing opportunities. During this week's course we were given a number of sources for finding new and innovative financing opportunities for your business. The websites provided specifically for this blog post offer different types of financing opportunities and how to obtain them. Each an every one of these website offers their own advices and tips in how to obtain financing opportunities.  All have their own particular and specific focus in the information they provide in their websites. For instance, oweesta focuses in supporting “economic growth in Native American communities. Out of the various websites recommended for this discussion, only a few sparked interest in writing about them. Of course, there are numerous more that offer many different things and type of information about financing opportunities.

          The first website, Opportunity FinanceNetwork specifically focuses on communities that have low income and believe that have no chance of getting the opportunity to start a business or follow through with an idea or concept.  This website promotes innovative and easy ways to financing opportunities. Just like National Community Investment Fund (NCIF), which is primarily for “underserved communities”. Both of these websites direct their information towards poor communities. Also, cfed expandingeconomic opportunity helps those that have close to nothing and want to be “living the American dream”. They help you achieve your goals and dremas when it comes to financial matters that may seem impossible for your situation. Association for EnterpriseOpportunity (AEO) is a website that focuses on supporting microbusinesses and help entrepreneurs establish and maintain businesses financially. Information is presented more professionally in their site and includes statistical data and factsheet research in in micro business initiatives and matters. 

          All these websites offer a bundle of information of numerous different topics in financing businesses and finding new opportunities in your careers and industries. Each site has a page just for the members or subscribers they have, a description of who they are and their mission and what they offer. The requirements and qualifications for obtaining financial opportunities will depend on the target audiences each of the website is intended to reach. There are forms and policies that you can fill over their pages and they will place you in a certain order depending your current economical conditions and their ideas or business concepts. This way they can help each and every person with their specific needs in their particular situations.

Business Plan Development Mastery Journal

            Business Plan Development is one required course for graduation in Full Sail’s Business Entertainment Master Degree Program. This course is an essential part of our education and training for becoming a successful professional in our careers. In the previous months of this degree program we have been preparing and learning how to go through with a business plan. The courses before teach us how to build and assemble correctly a business plan. This month we were able to use everything learned and practice to build our own business plan. The original goal for this course was exactly this, apply every single lesson learned that we may find necessary to construct a successful business. This course, Business Plan Development, has definitely been more than an educational adventure. It has been a very useful month, because we have had the opportunity to make our own decisions and learn from our own mistakes. These experiences will undoubtedly help us shape better our businesses and gain more success out of them.

            The goal for this month’s course was met by practicing the facts and lessons learned in previous courses. Others may find this course a little too practical, but the truth is a more efficient way to learning everyday and real life decision-making and getting to know the professional advantages and disadvantages of building a successful business. One of the most interesting and intriguing lessons of this month’s course was Jayson Whitmore’s interview of the importance of a business plan. There were other topics discussed at this interview that are definitely very beneficial for us as students wanting to become successful business owners. Some of these are the ideal business concept and vision; about taking chances and applying what you know, doing business using the Internet, building a virtual team and professionalism. This interview was truly an inspirational piece that anyone who might be thinking about starting a business should definitely watch and listen.

            In this educational experience at Full Sail I have found many options that will benefit my business’ successful future. I feel this month will definitely be of much benefit for future references and experiences along the way. I was able to practice real life decision-making considering real options and current positions of my personal business plan concepts and vision. I hope everyone finds this course as important as I do, because they can find a place where mistakes can be made for the better good of their own visions. This course has helped me shape and polish a business plan that carries out extremely focused ideas. What we have learned in this course is indispensable for our future businesses and professional careers.  

Competition Rises with Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality has come back to life. With the latest development kit by Palmer Luckey of virtual reality, Oculus Rift, practically every possible competitor in the gaming industry is now on the brink of new establishments. We have already talked about Sony’s Project Morpheus, which a piece of equipment like the Oculus Rift; goggles that you wear over your eyes that project inside the virtual technology. Now, Samsung is heading down the same road, announcing a virtual reality headset. It could be just speculation, but although nothing is confirmed yet, they do not deny any facts about the rumors about it. “Virtual reality is the new craze in the gaming and tech world, and now an unexpected VR challenger may launch sooner than anyone expected” (Kain, 2014). Of course after Facebook established it was interested in joining up with Oculus, VR and their development kits, many competitors started to stir up their waters towards new developments.

Sony did not wait for their announcement and Samsung is trying to stay on the sidelines for now. One positive advantage Samsung posses over the other companies is that they intend to merge virtual reality to mobile devices and this could be a very interesting progress. A very interesting fact is that Samsung is working the software development with Oculus, VR. In essence, this means that nobody is at a software design level as Oculus. Plus, Oculus’ merge with Facebook will definitely help the company expand to broader audiences, outside the gaming spectrum.

There is a very interesting and technologically advanced company named Virtalis Make virtual a reality, that is a visualization company that works on simulations and virtual reality software and design. Of course, this company might be a real good candidate to consider as competitor because it does not only have the means and motivation, but also the intelligence and technology to be so. They specialize in three-dimensional visuals and industry/user specifics that relate to visualization. Take a look at their latest environmental simulation development with collaboration with ActiveWorks called ActiveCurve.

Progress on the Oculus Rift

          The Oculus Rift has definitely been one of the fastest growing pieces of gaming equipment in the entertainment industry. It has rapidly gain fame and recognition throughout the world. It is quite a popular technology surely because it is the latest and most advanced virtual reality device that is in the market. It is a fact that is the newest fashion in the gaming industry because a second kit is already being manufactured and distributed. The author states in this article that this “prototype” as “virtual reality’s recent rebirth”, meaning is the technological development responsible for putting virtual reality back on the radar or map in the gaming and visual arts and graphics industries.

          From the first developer kit, back in 2012, there have been small adjustments to the product, but very essential and relevant to it. The charging mechanism is now a USB port and the visuals got upgraded to high definition (HDMI). There are still a couple of promises about the product’s cordless situation; still nothing yet has been made. The physical appearance of the outer case for the device is slightly different from the first one; slimmer and with round edges instead of squared. Every business should definitely worry about competitive businesses. What would qualify as competition for Oculus VR? In order to find competitors to a brand, product, service or business in short, some research should be done of what the business’s interests are and where are they headed.

          Virtual reality can be a match in the visual effects or graphics and the gaming industries. Meaning that any company within that wide range and variety of businesses in the entertainment industry would definitely qualify as competition. Sony is definitely developing competitive technology really similar to this one named Project Morpheus. Have a closer look, in the video below, into this competitive device from Sony, Project Morpheus. 
 It is a fact that the man behind this creation and company’s owner, Palmer Luckey has already made various deals and contracts to gain from social networks, like Facebook, and big known names in the entertainment industry like Samsung and even Sony, which is considered a high value competitor to Oculus.

          When analyzing this article and website it came to my attention that the source is not only really well known but frequently visited by various and numerous amount of people around the world. In alexa.com the details point out that engadget is globally ranked at 430 and 277 in the United States. This are really low numbers meaning that this is a very reliable source when it comes to technological and gaming information because is not only one of the most visited websites online but also one of the most recommended. Most people around the world visit this website online usually for more than two minutes a visit and the numbers provided by this analysis web page indicate they are only growing, not decreasing. Meaning engadget is a very well used and known source in the gaming industry and also in the entertainment industry. Another fact that establishes this source as reliable is that in the analysis results indicate that most of the searches are done at schools.

Professional Blog Post for Entertainment Media Publishing and Distribution

          Virtual reality has never been seen as it is today. Technology and modern advances in gaming and visual effects have made it what it is today. Palmer Luckey is a very creative and intelligent young man that is behind the latest virtual reality masterpiece named the Oculus Rift. This technology immerses your mind into a completely cybernetic and third dimensional world when you wear a special set over your eyes that projects these images. This product’s origin story is amazing. Luckey built the device from what his old video games platforms and what his dad had stored in their home garage.

          The Oculus Rift is a product that has already began to change history, specifically in the entertainment industry. To virtually be able to do whatever we want to do or see and experiences whatever we want to, are simply two of the possibilities this product can open up. This virtual reality has already transformed the gaming industry, capturing the attention of millions of console and computer gamers. The initial support the public gave to this project was massive and constant. This is so because huge gaming names come to relevance supporting this project. Names like, John Carmack, creator and visual designer for Doom.

          Palmer Luckey gathered support from a crowd funding website called Kickstarter. As founder of the Oculus Rift he managed to keep his company and product high on the market and very popular. The product test kit rapidly sold out and Luckey received up to $2.5 million dollars in a goal of $250 thousand. Around 9,500 people supported and contributed something with the project throughout this crowd funding website. When other names come into play like John Carmack or even Software, ID his project was heard by broader audiences and became even more popular. Oculus Rift, VR, Luckey’s company had to develop a secondary test kit to sell to those who could not get the first on because it had sold out.

          I really believe this type of technology will change many things throughout various business industries, especially the entertainment business. It has already created a great impact in the gaming industry, making real hardcore gaming console and computer gamers interested in the product. The Oculus Rift is described in detail as “stepping into the Game”. Founder Palmer Luckey is now expanding the business and product throughout social media. He recently sold part of the company to Facebook for a very large amount of money. Although there are various competitive companies; like Samsung and even Sony; that want to triumph over Oculus Rift, VR, they have yet to achieve better visual graphics. Luckey has been playing the cards intelligently and cautiously, which is why he has made his own product and business grow exponentially.

Negotiation Interview

          For effects of identity protection the names in this post will be totally fictitious. However the situation, job description and negotiation process are real and did happen. One of the most viewed TV programs in Puerto Rico is from a local channel (WAPA) and is called Entre Nosotras. 

In this morning segment four women talk about recent local and international news and stories people wish to share to others. From the living room the show actually looks like all fun and play. The show brings people together and inform on a daily basis about current situations that are happening around the world and especially on the island. I had the opportunity of interviewing the artists’ manager for this project. Nadine Suarez manages these fabulous women who host and go on the air every morning for the public. She has explained briefly what it is that she does and how she is able to do it. Basically she coordinates and is on top of every single detail of the artist. From the moment the artist wakes up in the morning to the moment they got o sleep at night, she is the girl that deals with everything and everybody for the artist, while the artist go on the air, are interviewed and even eat. It sounds like an exhausting job, but for those who love to be tight up with things to do all the time is perfect.

          Nadine gave me the opportunity to sit down and chat with her over a coffee break in the studio. She explained how she deals with negotiations regularly and that she finds them to be completely normal in her current professional field. Nadine could not go into many details of the negotiations she has in the artist’s name, but did explain one circumstance that did happen to her once while negotiating an international matter for her artist. The artist was looking forward to attend an event in the United States, where she would be able to interview some victims to a horrible kidnapping. This brought a lot of disturbance in some local news in the state, because she would be taking their time. Nadine says that the most difficult part of this negotiation was when discussing who could be interviewed and who could not. In this situation the network and manager worked towards mutual benefit when negotiating the deal. The agreement circled around the airtime each interviewee had for the segment. They agreed the piece would be no more than 20 minutes. This was mutually beneficial because they had the same amount of time to construct a segment. The difference would be then in the style the material would be presented in each and every show or news broadcast.

          Nadine did tell me about her contract agreement negotiation with the artist she currently manages. At first she was recruited directly by the channel. She was not really interested in having a job at a TV studio; still she went to a job interview and negotiated a position. What happened was that she was offered a position that was not really available and she noticed that they were trying to fool her into considering a filling position instead of what really was the job. She noticed there were other people already doing he job she had been offer and that what they really needed was somebody on the side that responded to any type of request. Thanks to the objective criteria she learned in her previous job at another local TV channel broadcasting studio, nobody could trick her into taking a job that would not benefit her. When she was leaving the studio, she came across the artist she currently manages and made a very brave and bold move. She asked the artist for five minutes she would never regret. The artist agreed and was mesmerized by Nadine’s qualities and ability to make everything look easy. The artist then asked her to join her after the show for lunch to discuss a contract.

          Nadine Suarez had been given a once in a lifetime opportunity. In Nadine’s artist contract agreement there were some boundaries established that made the process really easy and fair for both parties. The artist admired how Nadine had handled the interview at the studio and saw great potential in her ethics. Nadine worked her arguments around why she manages artists and persuaded the artist with her qualities and pride in why she manages artists. The artist liked every single detail and possibility she saw in Nadine and decided to make an offer. Nadine’s personal tip for every single negotiator in negotiations is to say all that has to be said and play as fair as you can so can the problems be solved fast and easy. She said that in this particular negotiation both parties separated the people from the problem by always expressing their concerns and options. This way the negotiation not only went by faster but also the process would be easier.

         The world is full of endless possibilities and we should be able to deal with them when the time is right. Nadine Suarez had one of this days where all you need to do is be the best you can be and as best as you can. In these situations we can learn much of why sometimes negotiations take certain directions and why sometimes they do not. A negotiation is a process that needs to undergo certain changes. Her experiences teach us how we can deal with these types of negotiations and even how to evade problems and persuade correctly the other parties.

Virtual Reality's Purpose Extent

          Have you ever wondered what technology truly offers to benefit our life?  People think technology and tend to associate it with video games or Hollywood motion pictures. Just to clarify technology has affected every single aspect in life, especially our personal lives.  VR (Virtual Reality) has been changing over the years and is becoming not only a very entertaining source but also very educational. Today VR is used for more than imaginary worlds created in the movies. VR is transforming the way we perceive and the way we project things. In education VR permits a whole lot more information and content in the same place, without even taking that much space. Take EON experience for example, it provides virtual 3D learning experiences for students. Also, VR is the most innovative way the government is using for military trainings, doctors in medicine practice and instructors in a classroom. This kind of advanced technology is great for these sorts of areas in life because it provides a way of creating multiple scenarios with endless action and reaction possibilities.

           In the Navy VR is used to simulate different environment scenarios, as well as in the Army. This is good because it will bring with it different outcomes, which will serve as more than a practice for military personnel, as an experience and moment to remember in real situations. However the Navy still needs a more advanced technology within virtual reality because sometimes they deal with some circumstances that might not yet be able to even construct or develop. The Oculus Rift has been mentioned in some of the previous posts in this blog. Now, is going to be mentioned to describe what it is used for other than gaming.  It has already been used for pilot training and bomb disbarment simulations.  Learn here for what else is being used and thought for. NORTHROP GRUMMAN developed and built a VR system called VIPE (Virtual Immersive Portable Environment). "VIPE Holodeck provides a high-fidelity immersive environment that provides a series of mission-centric uses, including simulation and training, mission rehearsal and data visualization”. Other than for 3D gaming, this is used as a training environment and simulation center for the DoD (Department of Defense). See the video for more surprises!

          This is a great path for living in a better and safer world. How can we make it safer? First of all it is a safe way because it is only imaginary, in other words it is a “make believe” created environment that is only meant for the trainee to feel like they are in the given situations. Secondly, this is a better because it is one great practice experiences were no one might actually get hurt. Plus, it looks like is much less complicated than to literally go through a real live practice. This product is not only for soldiers, but also for local policemen and firefighters.  Most of the resources agree that this sort of training reduces costs and maximizes their time value. It is amazing how something that started as a gaming and just for fun evolution of technology turns out to be very beneficial in real life.  This virtual reality system serves a true purpose; at least that is how it is described now. A system that is no longer time wasting or solely for entertainment purposes, but for real life situations or experiences that can help shape and mold people’s character. Learn more of how this innovative technologic program helps the human race.