Company name: The Hire Syndicate
Founder: Allen Ackerman
Date Founded: 2009
# Employees: 1+ freelance contractors
Resident of Sunshine Suites since: Almost 2 years

First can you tell me a bit about your company?

The Hire Syndicate is the result of a need I felt as a recruiter.  I founded my current recruiting company in 2004 and wanted to be on my own, which meant relying on my network to find candidates for open requisitions.  I found that broadcasting new requisitions to my network was a time-consuming and inefficient process – I didn’t want to feel like I was clogging email boxes, and on the other end, juggling disparate email responses.  So, I thought up a platform where open requisitions could “live” all in one place, and that would provide instant, yet subtle alerts to new activity.  That is The Hire Syndicate, which I started in earnest, last summer (2009).

In a nutshell: The Hire Syndicate is a web-based application for professional recruiters, who create Pods with colleagues to share split placement opportunities.  It has extensions for real time recruiting, like our Widget and mobile apps.  We’re currently in beta – we invite folks to try us out, it’s free – and are working towards a Q3 release.

What is the most useful thing you have learned that has helped you with your business?

I don’t know if this is the most useful thing I’ve learned, but it served as a great reminder: a couple of weeks ago, there was this “Collection of Startup Advice in Three Words” floating around the web, and one that continues to stick out is “support customers maniacally.”  It’s so important, and reinforces my belief that it’s a good thing that I take the time to connect with each new member of The Hire Syndicate, at least in these early stages.

What challenges have you faced and continue to face and how are you addressing them?

Resource scarcity.  But that’s nothing new – I try to be creative in meeting immediate needs and planning for foreseeable needs.  One general rule that I go by in addressing challenges is just to continue learning – for instance, learning from other entrepreneurs about how they manage their businesses, more about venture capital and/or alternative financing streams… the more you know, the better suited you are to handle the challenges.

By the way, one resource we’re looking for is a .NET developer/Lead Architect so if any one knows a great Lead, let me know!

How has Sunshine helped you and your business?

The Sunshine community is an incredible asset.  To have a group of savvy entrepreneurs to bounce ideas off of and solicit advice – at one’s fingertips – is an immense resource. Plus, the cross-pollination opportunities (facilitated by Sunshine Suites’ many networking events, of course) is great.

Where do you hope to be in 6 months and 1 year in terms of growth or position?

Our goal is to have positive cash flow by January 1, 2011.  It’s funny we’re just starting to do business modeling now, but my gut says that this goal achievable.  Oh – and for any potential users, know that we are planning on a “freemium” model – basic service for free and advanced functionality for a nominal fee (like LinkedIn).  We want it to be an indispensable asset for split fee recruiting.

Find them on: twitter linkedin meetup facebook

Company name: NinjaTax
Founder: Eric Konopka
Date Founded: 12/15/2008
# Employees: 1
Resident of Sunshine Suites since: August 2009

First can you tell me a bit about your company?

NinjaTax is committed to providing professional, accessible, affordable tax consulting, planning and preparation services to individuals and businesses. We offer high-touch client service and expertise comparable to that of CPAs and tax attorneys, at a much lower cost. Because we understand individuals’ and entrepreneurs’ often odd time commitments, we are available at any time to consult and regularly conduct business over e-mail, chat or phone. We are also developing related and relevant tax technology.

What is the most useful thing you have learned that has helped you
with your business?

Sticking to what you know! It’s often tempting to try to do everything yourself, but it’s very hard to juggle many different balls at once.

What challenges have you faced and continue to face and how are you
addressing them?

While I love talking to people about their businesses and their needs, I have had to reach out of my comfort zone in marketing and approaching others to start the conversation.

How has Sunshine helped you and your business?

It’s a great place to start out – before I was working out of my home, and finding that did not work as well as I liked. There are ample opportunities to meet other individuals and entrepreneurs who are looking for my expertise or know others that do.

Where do you hope to be in 6 months and 1 year in terms of growth or position?

In 6 months, I’m hoping to have had a successful tax season and to be hard at work on marketing for the 2011 season, expanding services and developing technology. In a year, I’m hoping to be growing to a second or third employee and gearing up for tax time.

A little about AC Management:
AC Management is a full service, Talent Management Company. We represent actors in all areas of TV, Film & Theater – as well as writers. As simplistically as I can state it – we are in a service industry. My job is to serve our clients and focus on moving their careers forward. It’s been a staple of what I’ve done for the last 9 years. I was on the agency side of the business for 6 years, knowing that one day I would ultimately transition to my own company in a managerial capacity. In November of ’07 I started up AC Mgmt. amidst a strike in the industry. While most thought I was crazy, I knew it was the perfect opportunity to set up the foundation of a company, and that by the time the strike (which lasted months) subsided, I’d be a perfect position to be off and running.

What is the most useful thing you have learned that has helped you
with your business?
Ultimately it’s about being focused. Working for an employer allows your brain to be scattershot during periods. Since venturing out and working as an owner, it’s been more about coming in with a game plan on a daily basis. Focus is something that has tremendously allowed me to grow over the last two years.

What challenges have you faced and continue to face and how are you
addressing them?
It’s tough being out here as an individual. Working at a company, there is a lot of structure. Hours of operation. Meeting times. Lunch Breaks, etc. It takes a lot of discipline to work as an individual. There’s no one to answer to. No one watching over your shoulder. It can be very easy to fall into a cycle of complacency and set it on cruise control. There are always days in the business that you just feel run down, and there isn’t a co-worker there to just chat with. It’s about picking up the phone and speaking with someone – which can feel hollow at times, but you just find ways to make due with that. It can get lonely fast.
The best ways that I can combat this is to be proactive. Get out there. Take meetings. go to events. See shows. There are plenty of ways to to be busy in this industry, and it’s about finding out what to be at, and make it a point to get to it. I can only become successful if I put in the hard work and effort. A lot of people out there don’t realize the determination it takes to go out on your own, and the risk that’s involved with it. I know that the time and effort will be rewarded down the road.

Fortunately – I’ve been able to stay open these two years – and continue an upward trend with my company because I have the passion, motivation & desire to want to be better. I wouldn’t have taken the risk if I didn’t feel that I could succeed at it.

How has Sunshine helped you and your business?

Sunshine has provided me with a great opportunity to have a place to go. Being a sole proprietor at the moment – it could have been very easy to have worked out of my apartment. It’s something a lot of people in my business do when they start out. Personally, I believed that wouldn’t have been a wise business decision. Coming here to Sunshine allows me to get away from the distractions that the home provides. Be it tv, games…the dog… It goes back to what I said before about being focused. I know that when I come here to Sunshine – it’s about my business and that’s it. Fortunately I share space with another friend in the business – and it’s a great way to communicate information. Having that camaraderie on a daily basis is motivating. Wanting the best for each other and watching each other succeed is inspirational.

Where do you hope to be in 6 months and 1 year in terms of growth or position?
In terms of growth over the next year – I’d like to see another employee within my space. It’s not about being large quickly – rather, quality over quantity.

For more information contact Anthony: 212-624-5866

• Company name: GreenSoul Shoes
• Founders: Alastair Onglingswan, Iris Chau, and Stephen Chen
  
• # Employees: 4 full time
• Resident of Sunshine Suites for: 8+ years

• Company name: Novadea
• Founder: Yaron Samid
• # Employees: 2 full time
• Resident of Sunshine Suites for: 2 years

• Company name:  The New World Institute
• Founder: Paul Lanzarotti & Laurel Donnellan
• Founded: October 2008
• # Employees: 2 Full time 18 Part time
• Resident of Sunshine Suites for:  4 years on and off!

What is the most useful thing you have learned that has helped you with you business?

No one is good at everything but most people can excel at a few things. Owning up to the things you aren’t good at is a strength, not a weakness and complimentary skill sets build businesses.

What challenges have you faced and continue to face and how are you addressing them?

Our business is unique because there really isn’t anyone doing what we do so it’s a little difficult to communicate succinctly and there’s not really many companies we can emulate. Our most difficult challenge has been and continues to be marketing our unique products and services in a difficult economy. We have had to revise our business model and launch new lower priced products to react positively to the challenging economy.

How has Sunshine helped you and your business?

Sunshine’s business model has helped me in several ways. When I first joined Sunshine in 2006 I was with a business that was struggling. Had we been tied to a 6-12 month contract we would have been in a lot of trouble – but because Sunshine is month to month we managed to keep business afloat and turn the company around.

With my current business Sunshine provides an excellent network of resources for us to draw on. We are working with other Shiners who share in The New World Institutes vision for change. Everything from Flyers through to business consulting we have found through the Sunshine Network. Some of the brightest smartest people work here and there’s a willingness to club together and help each other up the ladder,

Where do you hope to be in 6 months and 1 year in terms of growth or position?

I hope to be on a beach in Thailand, a bit thinner and lying down!

Seriously though, in 6 months we hope to have a strong consumer business that is being promoted through media partners across the web and hopefully TV. Within a year I hope our schools and colleges program has gained traction and that we are providing intelligent life direction to those who need it most – young people.

• Company Name: Mike Tauber Photography
• Resident of Sunshine Suites for: 8 years
• # Employees: 1

• Company name: SuperMango Media
• Founder: Dan Allen
• Founded: January 1st, 2009
• # Employees: 5
• Resident of Sunshine Suites for: 2.5 Months

What is the most useful thing you have learned that has helped you with your business?

Coming to the realization that any business needs to have a solid team behind it, one that’s loyal, passionate and is able to succeed and thrive and run itself. Another defining moment was nailing my logline, in other words, being able to explain my company in one sentence: SuperMango Media is an interactive agency that specializes in branding and helping funny people.

What (Business) challenges have you faced and continue to face and how are you addressing them?

My biggest obstacles are financing and managing the work flow of projects. My fantastic team of graphic artists, graphic designers, photographers and developers are eager to work but we have been busy with pro bono and quid pro quo work that will help us build a solid foundation to land more clients. To motivate them, I’m securing a business loan to hire a manager to organize the workflow and ensure the freelancers get paid in a timely manner.

How has Sunshine Suites helped you and your business?

My business wouldn’t exist without Sunshine. I owe everything to Cheni Yerushalmi, the co-founder of Sunshine Suites. He’s been an incredible friend and mentor. From asking me to host the Boot Up NYC event at Webster Hall, inviting me to Sunshine’s cabin in Vermont, setting me up with work space, attending my monthly show  ¡SACAPUNTAS!, encouraging me to enroll in the  FastTrac New Venture program, setting up my Yammer account, introducing me to Edgar Zavala at the NYC Business Solutions and landing me clients, Cheni and the Sunshine community are major reasons why my company is moving forward. On a personal level, I’ve made fantastic friends at various Sunshine events (ie…The BLEND , BODEGA , etc…).

Where do you hope to be in 6 months and 1 year in terms of growth or position?

In 6 months, we would like have to have a L.A. division. In one year, we want SuperMango Media to have a presence in all the comedy hotspots in the nation (ie…Austin, Minneapolis, Boston, Chicago, Seattle, Miami, Denver and D.C.) and break into the international market as well (ie…Canada, England and Australia). Essentially, we want SuperMango Media to be synonymous with funny people. We also want to unleash SuperMango Labs which will be an open-source resource site for all comedians.

To learn more about Dan Allen and SuperMango Media check out these links:

New York Times:
“Dan Allen, a comedian who is known for knowing everyone in New York’s comedy world.”

SACAPUNTASshow.com
First Wednesday of Every Month @ The Bowery Poetry Club (8PM)