Ecoyarns

Link

In the summer of 2011, I traveled to Sydney, Australia to learn more about my cousin’s independent business, an online organic yarn store called Ecoyarns. While I was there, I was exposed to the challenges that a small business owner faces on a day-to-day basis. It wasn’t until recently, when I learned about the Business Model Canvas, that I connected all of the different aspects of Ecoyarns to each other. Vivian, my cousin, and the owner of Ecoyarns, clearly has so much on her plate when it comes to maximizing revenue and cutting down as much cost as possible in the yarn business. The value proposition for Ecoyarns includes providing the customer with naturally dyed, environmentally friendly and ethical wool and fibres from all across Australia. While the yarn business Down Under is a competitive one, Ecoyarns’ points of difference, including hand-dyed, hand-spun wool, create a market of its own. The relationship Vivian has with her online customers is a close one, as her customers trust that she will deliver only the finest products straight to their door (another point of difference!). Australians and knitters all around the world are very lucky to have a source like Ecoyarns!

http://http://ecoyarns.com.au/

The Shift to Self Employment

In the past year, self-employment has risen 3.6% in Canada. In between August 2012 and August 2013, 95 600 self-employed individuals accounted for 40% of new jobs. 75% of the newly self-employed are women. This fact is interesting, as it illustrates that many of the people being laid off from companies are female.

There are both pros and cons to this rising number of people working either from home or from personal offices. On the positive side, self -employment leads to new ideas, innovations, and self-employment can spur innovation and entrepreneurship, and pave the way for the creation of many small businesses that may develop into larger companies. However, many Canadian firms are concerned about expanding payrolls, due to the uncertain economy
But the growing trend also reflects an aversion by many Canadian firms to expand payrolls amid uncertainty about the economy.

For the self-employed individual, the benefits of working from home are innumerable. Self-employment means flexible hours, and especially for individuals with families, this might be a key criteria for finding a job. It also means unlimited avenues for creativity. Unfortunately, self-employed professionals lack the benefits such as healthcare plans, and pension and retirement funds.

http://http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/economy/more-canadians-turning-to-self-employment-in-shaky-job-market/article14717312/

Attempting to “take flight”- Twitter submits Initial Public Offering forms

This past week, Twitter went public, and stated that they are hope to raise one billion dollars in an initial public offering. For the first time in seven years, since the formation of this social media phenomenon, Twitter has exposed their user base numbers and their hopes to enter the stock market. At 218.3 million monthly active users, Twitter reached an increase of 44% in a year in June 2013. However, Twitter lacks two things: the user base of companies like Facebook, and the financial backing of the search engine Google. At the moment, the company has said, “If we fail to expand effectively in our international markets, our revenue and business will be harmed.” 87% of Twitter’s revenue is generated from advertising, amounting to approximately $495 000 a day. Despite the increasing revenue, the costs of running this social media tool has increased dramatically as well. In 2009, Twitter began generating revenue, but the company lost $69.3 million in the first half of 2013. In addition, the shut down of the US Government may prolong the process of the IPO, as IPO findings must be approved by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

#tweetaway #goingpublic
http://http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/oct/04/twitter-ipo-nine-facts
http://http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/inside-the-market/market-view-video/twitter-preps-for-ipo-but-are-investors-feeling-social/article14699492/