Top MBA Connect

VAROJ is a Southern California-based startup that is focused on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the retail industry. By partnering with celebrities, designers, and merchants and their preferred causes, VAROJ (http://www.varoj.org) provides an online shopping arena where consumers can purchase clothes and accessories that include a donation to a specific charity, and then share their selections through digital conversations.

The company was founded by three bright, young individuals: Rick Garcia (CTO), Frankie Scanlon (Operations), and Vanessa Lengies (Outreach). I conducted an interview with Varoj’s head of outreach Vanessa Lengies to find out more about the business idea development and the team’s transition from idea to action. Below are my findings:

While there are many tales of entrepreneurs who started a company in their garage (Yahoo and Apple spring to mind), it might not be the best option for you and your business. Coworking spaces free you from the distractions associated with working from home (dealing with family members, telemarketing calls), as well as the loneliness of working on your own. And if you are New Yorker who also happens to be an aspiring entrepreneur, you have several great co-working spaces to choose from.

Social media helps build brand awareness -- a crucial step building your startup. As an entrepreneur usually ends up wearing many hats, however, it can be hard to find the time to promote your business. Social networking tools, however, can help entrepreneurs be more efficient in how they engage in social media, and Internet Media Labs is a company that provides several of those tools.

While many people associate startups with the consumer Internet and big tech spaces, there are also several interesting startups that are finding new ways to apply technology to the food industry. According to Poets & Quants, 7% of last year's Stanford's MBA entrepreneurs created food startups. The new Columbia Business Labs is also home to several food and beverage startups, such as Urbavour and Cup & Compass. Here is a list of some growing food startups, including four MBA-founded food startups.

Since more people are using their MBA to start their own business, there are more MBA entrepreneurs who are competing for startup funds. Crowdfunding websites allow you to raise money for your business without relying on venture capital or angel investors. RocketHub is an example of an increasingly popular crowdfunding website that has allowed entrepreneurs to successfully launch or expand their businesses.

As US military operations wind down overseas, a large number of veterans will be transitioning into civilian life and looking for post-military work opportunities. For example, 68,000 US troops serving in Afghanistan are expected to return home to the US by December 2014 according to NBC News. While most veterans will be looking to work for other companies, many could be applying the skills they learned in the military to creating their own business.

Are you an NYC entrepreneur who is looking to connect with the city's largest startup investors and advisors? Then, you should attend Hatch Match 2012, an evening of facilitated entrepreneur networking that is being held at the Fashion Institute of Technology on Thursday, October, 18.

New York City is home to a growing startup community, and part of this is due to the fact that there are so many angel investors funding new companies. If you are a New York entrepreneur looking for funds to help expand your business, here are six organizations you should look into.

As one of the world's fastest growing tech hubs, New York has a big startup community. The best way to network with and learn from members of that community is to attend New York startup events. Here's a small sampling of the startup events that NYC has to offer.

Meet EMILY. She’s a young red-head who loves the beach and makes a living lifeguarding. Unfortunately, she is not actually human, which takes her off the market for most guys out there. But, she is capable of moving at more than 28 mph in hurricane conditions and contains Navy-derived technology capable of recognizing a flailing swimmer and moving towards them without human controls. That makes her pretty cool in my book.