toddpowell

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  • toddpowell 11:05 am on August 4, 2012
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    After looking back upon our very fast time together, there were a few things that I can offer as suggested improvements. First of all, the WordPress platform is one that a colleague and I are seriously looking at for future use in the classroom (over other learning environment platforms).  The one thing that I struggles […]

    Continue reading Looking back…. and looking forward. Posted in: Uncategorized
     

  • toddpowell 8:50 pm on July 29, 2012
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    Webcasting is one of the premier communication technologies in the world, which is primarily used in business applications.  Educational webcasting is a platform which hasn’t truly been touched on yet, and I intend to change that!  Please watch my Elevator and full Venture Pitch below.  

    Continue reading Webcasting – School Announcements with a TWIST Posted in: Venture Forum
     

    • Jody McKinnon 3:28 pm on July 30, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Todd. I completely agree with the premise of your idea – school announcements are boring! Our school does something very similar but it is run, as you stated, on television within the building.

      I hear your concerns about the cost of webcasting and hosting. My concern with the venture is this: what exactly are you suggesting? I found the elevator pitch intriguing and I wanted to know more, so then I watched the venture pitch. I feel like I had more questions after. Much of your video explains the drawbacks of the other options and the costs involved. You have explained some about why webcasting is beneficial, but I guess what I’m getting at here is, what product are you offering? Are you offering a hosting service that is inexpensive and no frills as suggest? I wasn’t sure in the end. I’m also not clear on who your CEO and Team is (my assumption is that it is you). I don’t recall any information about how you will market this, but you did do a good job of comparing the various existing options out there.The concept makes sense and I do believe that there would be a market for cheap webcasting/hosting (if that is what you’re offering?).

      Overall, appreciate the quality of the videos. I love your image selection, music, editing and the fact you used some student work to complement your own. In the end, I feel like I don’t really know enough to make a decision about investing at this time.

      Thanks.

      Jody

    • dmcinnes 11:58 pm on July 30, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Todd,
      Great job on your pitches. Professional, engaging and a great concept. I see your arguments clearly to move from the traditional, boring droning voice over the PA to digital podcasts created by students. I can really get behind the idea of all the skills the students would learn by being hands on in the podcast production. What I am not very clear on, is what you are attempting to sell or create. You effectively describe the need to move this direction, but I don’t really see you providing a cost-affective alternative. I get lost a little bit, wondering where the pitch is. I think if you could find a way to give some focus to your real proposed alternative, I’d be much more eager to jump on the bandwagon. Otherwise, I thought you did a great job.
      David McInnes

      Well done.

    • Brian H 10:25 am on July 31, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Todd,

      Great job on the pitches. You have clearly defined a market for changing school needs. Your company seems to really hit the area of Social Enterprise and the inherent social benefits and could help me leave a positive legacy as an investor.

      A very exciting proposition!

      Brian

    • Yves Mainville 11:16 am on July 31, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Todd
      Creative pitch and a good concept. I would like to hear more about the team and how you will position your product in the market – my concern is with the uniqueness of what you are selling… I think the concept is good but will need a stronger ‘hook’. Before signing up, I would like to see a bit more focus.

      Good job.

    • kimnoel 12:29 pm on August 1, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Todd,
      Fantastic job with your pitches – very concise and professional. I love your idea about webcasting, as morning announcements certainly are tired!

      After watching your venture pitch, I have several areas where I would need clarification/additional information prior to investing. While you did a fantastic job of giving the details, as well as the strengths and challenges presented by webcasting and the cost of, I was unsure what product you were advocating. Are you asking me to invest in a company that provides webcast services to schools at a reasonable price? In the end, I wasn’t really sure what I was being asked to consider (pls forgive me if I missed something obvious!)

      Have you formed a company with you as founder and CEO? I didn’t hear any info about the foundation/management of the company/venture. As well, there was nothing about what your ideal client base would be, nor how you would attract them and what you would be offering them.

      I think that you have done some strong foundation work, but would need to work on the framework a little more before presenting your venture. With some more information, it would definitely be a venture that I would consider.

      Smiles, Kim

    • Danielle 1:52 pm on August 1, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Todd,

      I think this is an interesting idea for a venture. I think there is great educational value in webcasting, though I’m not sure that school announcements alone are worthy of such an extensive venture. I think it is a great idea and could be part of more than just school announcements, such as communications and media courses. It could even be a part of language courses.

      I think the presentation is very clear and I like the fact that you use local examples. I think it is important for investors to see the potential being put into practice.

      I also think you make the same point several times, and I would have liked to have seen more about the CEO and team, and your venture plan as well as the marketability of the venture. I think this is an intriguing idea and certainly one I would be interested in if I had more information.

      Danielle

    • mackenzie 4:53 pm on August 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      I like your initial question about announcements and the fact that they need to change. My problem with your proposal is that I am not sure what you are asking for. You seem very passionate about your webcasting idea but how is the high cost of hosting being solved? Where are schools going to get this money and how are you going to make money doing it.

    • Sherman Lee 11:13 pm on August 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Todd,

      I like your idea as an instructor and a tutor who works with youth on a daily basis. I think what you proposed would be great for developments in many ways aside from the obvious fact that school PA systems are boring. Giving children tools to do a professional announcement boost confidence and of course engage interest of those who are listening.

      I like that your presentation was visually clean and you mentioned a lot of educational value but I really wish that I have learned more about you and your team so I would know what I am putting my investments into. As well, from an investor point of view, I am not quite sure what you would like from me to help you improve or carry out your ideas.

      Sherman

    • Bridget 6:11 am on August 3, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Todd,

      Thank you for sharing your elevator and venture pitches, which I thoroughly enjoyed watching. Your elevator pitch caught my attention immediately and I was impressed with the way in which you very efficiently demonstrated the need for schools to move to a mobile method of transferring their daily information. The fact that most programs and packages available are set up with businesses in mind is a very real problem and one often faced in schools with technology integration/implementation.

      Technically, both of your pitches moved at a pace, which kept my interest and your use of pictures, diagrams and voice over made for a complete flowing presentation. I felt though that at one point it went a little long concerning the needs of schools and you did not summarize what you would be offering as a solution.
      As an investor I feel that this is the way that schools need to move yet they need to be able to do it using a platform that is financially viable in the future. There are a couple of questions, which come to mind regarding the specifics of your venture and the actual cost to schools. I did not see any pricing information or proposals so I am wondering what the cost to schools would actually be? Also, are there any competitors in this field who are doing the same thing?

      I have seen some in house productions at a school in Montreal http://www.lcc.ca/page.cfm?p=835 where the time and commitment from the students is extraordinary. Providing youth with this opportunity is incredible and if your venture facilitates this process then I would be happy to back you financially after some clarification on your direction and pricing.

      You are a yes for me!

      Bridget

    • sheza 7:05 pm on August 4, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Todd,

      You have an interesting venture concept here but I think it is not well-defined enough as yet. Your elevator pitch was captivating and made me want to move onto hearing your Venture Pitch but I was confused as to why you were only discussing the drawbacks of the venture. And then I thought I understood that what you wanted was not a studio suite produced type of morning announcement but rather a podcast type — but I wasn’t clear on what exactly the product/service was that you wanted the investor to put money into.

      I think it is an exceptional idea however, that students create productions in school to captivate student interest – I believe this is an excellent learning opportunity for students, but I agree with a lot of what you were saying in your venture pitch which was how can we make this affordable?

      If you can clarify your venture and come up with a solid plan as to how to make this marketable and an investment that we could see some return out of it would be a viable venture.

      Good luck!

      Sheza

    • Hussain Luaibi 12:42 pm on August 5, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Really nice work! I like the swift pace in your venture and pitch. There was no information about the team which will run such a project and how they will sell it in our current “relentless” market.
      This venture tackles a point which is an uncultivated aspect in the market. The idea of webcasting is not new and there is always a chance of introducing creative ideas to it. I don’t know how your project will compete with the similar existing project. But there is something that I can see in your project which is focus on increasing the students’ self-confidence and this comes through a solid program that can make all learners participate in broadcasting.
      your presentation is clear but its position in the market is still vague.
      I would wait to see how the market looks at it before investing in it. I need more information, market information!
      Good luck with your project
      Hussain

  • toddpowell 11:58 am on June 14, 2012
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    Hello all, My name is Todd Powell, and I am coming at you from the VERY beautiful city of Victoria, B.C. in Canada.  My sincerest apologies for the VERY late intro, but I have been dealing with a very unfortunate situation at my school with one of my students. I have the wonderful honour of […]

    Continue reading Hello Everyone!! Posted in: Uncategorized
     
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