Small Business Startup

Pre-College Program - HMG 165 A

Production Management
 

Hello everyone!  My names Theresa Gjenasaj (crazy last name, I know) and I am taking a small business class at FIT!  I think NYC is the best place to get any sort of training, and when I found out that FIT offered this course I was very, very excited. Seeing as I would also like to attend FIT! I wanted to take this class because I love fashion, and want to open up my own store called, "Mames" (named after my great grandmother who started her own store in Mobile, Alabama).  I am very excited to take a college level course, and learn a lot!!

After only a few classes I feel I have learned so much more. I came into the class, knowing bits and pieces, and I just thought I would get the generalities. I never thought we would go so in depth on every subject on opening a business. For example, today we talked about hiring people.  While I thought we would have just focused on what it would take to open the store, and not worry about the logistics. I am so excited to learn so much more, and I know that once this class is over and I will feel able to open up my own business.

After seven weeks in the small business start-up course I have learned so much.  Being a high school student (and in classes 5 days a week for 45 minute stretches) I feel that in this course, in the three hours one day a week that I sit and listen and create I learned so much more then in 5 days.  I always get out of class bringing new information, or a new creation (such as a letterhead and envelopes) home with me.  I'm excited to put together my presentation, and see how it all pulls together!  Wish me luck.

Finishing up this course I have learned so much.  I have a binder full of exciting information, and feel I am ready to start my own business.  The information here will not only help with my professional career, but my academic career as well.  I enjoyed being in a college course, and being treated as a college student really helped me not only with the subject taught in the class, but as a senior, it showed me what I should be ready for.  I wish all my fellow students good luck, and hopefully after college you'll be visiting my store!

Theresa Gjenasaj

I’m currently a sophomore.  Last year I took Intro to Business at my school and I loved it.  My teacher also had an entrepreneurship class but I couldn’t fit it into my schedule so when I found out FIT had a small business class I knew I had to take it.  I hope to one day start my own company, like my dad did.  I hope this class will help me learn how to make a successful business (especially in these tough financial times.

This class has been exactly what I hoped it would be.  We have only had a few classes but I feel like I have learned so much.  I never realized how many decisions and choices go into starting a small business.  Now I feel that when I do start my own business I will be more prepared.  I hope in the rest of *-the classes are as informative as the past few have been.

I can’t believe we only have four classes left!  In these past seven classes we have done so much.  I’ve created business cards, brochures, flyers, letterhead, and envelopes all of which I know I will be able to use when I eventually start my own business.   I’ve learned so much from all the notes we’ve taken, from what type of loan I should get to who I should hire.  On the notes we also list websites that are relevant to the topic we are discussing so when I go to start my business I can look back and have all these sources ready for me.  Starting a business is a hard thing to do, especially in this economy, but because of this class I feel I could make the right decisions to have a successful business.

I am going to miss this class so much.  We learned so much and already I have found uses for it.  In DECA, we had to make business cards, letterhead, and other stuff like that.  While most people didn’t know how to do it, I did, thanks to this class.  This class will give me the head start I need in the competitive business world.  I feel confident that one day I will be able to open up a successful Marketing Firm, possibly even sooner than I imagined.   I wish there was another business class I could take it in the spring!

Mary Cornfield

Hello I am Judy Patrice Frett and 18 years old. I go to high school and am in an upper class.   I do Commercial Arts.  I love Art and fashion too. I was in FIT during the summer of 2008 it was very fun. I come on my own free will.  I am so happy to be here my want to start my own fashion business.  I really want to work hard to own my own business.  

The fourth week of small business has open my eye to the fashion business.  I have lean so mush just in four day of class. It was hard at first but I am get there. the class helps me gown in to a business women.  Very so you will see with my own business one day.

Hi -- it almost at the end and I am going to see new doors open for me.  Most of all the new people I will miss.  I am happy to be here, and for all of you reading you will hear my name Judy Patrice Frett.

In these past few months, I have learned so much about business finance, partnerships and all the fun paper work.  I will never forget the teaching of my instructor Prof. Ari Vega, when I start my own business which will be soon, well when I get out of college.  So FIT's small business start up was a good choice.  I have new and old friends there and I want to make it my new home.

Judy Frett

Hi, I'm Karen Zhou and am currently a sophomore.  I'm taking this business course predominantly out of intellectual curiosity plus it's my personal goal during my high school career to fill my brain with an eclectic mix of practical knowledge.  I hope this course will have some relevance in my career, but that's uncertain considering I plan on being some sort of writer or journalist.  But who really knows if having some knowledge in small business start-up would be useful in literary circles?

Through this course, I’ve come to see the world through the eyes of a small business owner.  Prior to learning about federal withholding taxes, limited partnerships, and the like, I viewed small businesses with a cool nonchalance.  Now whenever I see small businesses on the street, I always instinctually take a minute to marvel over how hard it was the boutique, the restaurant, the bodega to establish itself and grow.  As a matter of fact, because of this course, I've taken on a strict campaign to exclusively support small businesses with my parents' money.  Instead of getting a "herbal fusion tea" from the Starbucks located right by the subway station, I walk an extra one block to go to a Mr. Yeh's Bakery.

My original motive for getting up so early on a Saturday morning to take this course was just to learn the workings of a small business.  But I think over these four weeks, I have gained the fundamental know-how to start a small business if I wanted to.  I'm glad I took this course so early in my life because now I have plenty of time to attain all the experience and skills I need to hypothetically start my own business. 

Remember when you got your first pair of glasses and you realized how much sharper the world appears to be?  I felt like that after several "Small Business Start-up" classes.  Now when I read the Business Section of the NY Times, I unconsciously take special attention to read articles about small businesses. 

I hope to spread this small-business awareness to my school community.  So, for my school newspaper's next month issue, I plan on doing a piece on small businesses that people at my school frequent and could do their holiday shopping at.  See, I'm doing my part to support the economy and hopefully other people will do so too!!  So thanks Prof. Ari Vega for spreading the word and helping me come up with a story idea!! 

I think the past month's Saturday mornings were worth it even though I didn't spend them comfortably lying in my comforters!  I definitely learned a lot about to run a small business; I visually saw how much I learned at our last class when we made a binder with all our notes.  It still shocks me at how hard it is to get a business together (all the IRS forms, the leases, and the partners).  I guess that's why people go into business: for the sense of accomplishment of doing something way over their head. 

Karen Zhou

Hey, I'm Ashley Jeziorski and I am currently taking the Small Business course at FIT.  I am a senior in high school and have been going to FIT for over a year.  I plan on majoring in fashion design when I complete college.  Music is another big part of my life.  It helps inspire me to come up with new ideas for design..  I love to go out and have fun with friends and family. I love to shop and keep up with new styles.  I only shop in NYC because I can find items usually people in NJ don't come across.  And I hope to have a greater learning experience going to FIT.

After having a few courses in the business course in FIT, I realized the reality of making a business.  The insurances, documents, money put into the making of a business is very crucial to launch it.  I also learned the more creative side in making flayers and business cards which I had much fun creating.  While writing down the notes and creating these example business cards, I was inspired with new ideas for my future business that I am happily looking forward to. I'm very excited to find out more about the business world because it will be very important in my near life as I grow into starting my career.

Now that a few more weeks have passed, I am beginning to learn more of the business world in reality.  Taking notes and realizing most of the things I am learning my own father deals with in his business.  It is interesting to see how something that seems so easy could go in to such detail.  I am starting to realize there are many steps to take for even security for a business no matter how small it may be..  However, the class is very helpful in being able to see in the real world and understand what the future might take.

Now that I finished the course, I learned a whole new side of business, not just the good side but the bad sides that could happen.  It helps because many people come into business thinking of success and not the true reality.  The course wakens people up to understand that a business needs a lot of focus and time to start and run.  This course was very helpful in the process of running one's own business and I would love to take it again.

Ashley Jeziorski

So far this class has been so helpful.  It definitely makes my dream of having my own business someday feel like it can come true.  Being able to make my own store how I want is so much fun!  Learning all the business terms are really helpful for everyday life.  I can’t to go on and make my store complete.  So far I have created my name, logo, location, flyer and business card.

This is the 7^th week I have been involved with Small business start up.  So far I’m really enjoying learning about all the things I never knew.  I love the creative aspect as well.  We made flyers, brochures, letter heads, business cards, envelopes and job descriptions.  It’s so much fun to explore different websites and programs to make these things happen.

We have learned about loans, insurance, taxes, security and so much more.  It’s cool to see your dreams start to become a reality.  This class has opened my eyes so far on what direction I want to take my life.  I hope to one day put all the information I have learned and apply it to a business of my own.

This class really helped my dream of opening up a store become a reality.  Not only was it interesting but it was fun as well.  Being able to have the ability to open up a business at my age is amazing.   I will keep all of the information I have gotten from this class because it is all information that can help me through- out my business career.  I enjoyed making all of the creative aspects of the business such as, business cards, flyers, job descriptions, brochures, letter heads, envelopes, and even a mock supply list of the things we will need in our store.  I came up with round about costs and budgets that may actually come into effect one day.  I recommend this class to anyone who has a dream of opening a business.

Molly Birnbaum