Mingchi Choo's Blog

With something as important as investing hundreds of thousands of dollars into a startup company, one would think that an investor looks past things such as a poorly designed logo that could be easily fixed in the future. For example, when writing an essay that isn’t for English class, aren’t the facts more important than the flow or writing style? I know that I’ve lost countless marks due to my tendency to over-embellish points or write in a flowery, fluff-filled manner. Just because someone lacks the skills to make their product look aesthetically pleasing, does that mean the rest of their proposal isn’t worth considering, and that the entrepreneur in question isn’t skilled or passionate about their product?

At the same time, this is a stark reminder of the importance of presentation. Investors likely want to see that you’ve taken the time to refine all aspects of your product before approaching them, and it’s often small things that will be overlooked in a last-minute rush job. So the bottom line is that it’s human nature to be attracted to aesthetically pleasing things — but as shallow as this may sound, investors likely have additional, justifiable reasons for doing so.

Related Links:

Jonathan Hu: Will you be my Angel?

Whether through Facebook, Craigslist, or other sources, the sale of U-Passes is a common occurrence despite TransLink’s constant reminders that such activities are illegal. UBC students pay $30 per month (included in their school fees) for U-Passes and resell them for prices typically ranging between $30-$50. It’s a profitable business, especially for someone who rarely uses public transit. However, few stop to consider what their actions really entail.

The U-Pass program has been criticized on several instances, with a certain blog calling it “the height of fiscal idiocy.” The blog in question also describes how U-Passes are more of a detriment to society than anything else, at least from an economic standpoint. Simply put, TransLink loses at least $15 million per year in exchange for an increase in the number of people utilizing public transit.

Looking at this from a different perspective, rather than that of a student needing some spare change, provides some interesting insight. Is it ethical for students to be profiting from a program already designed to give us a huge benefit out of the pockets of other members of society? It’s certainly something to consider next time before you make that ‘Selling U-Pass!’ post on Facebook.

When faced with ticket sales that refuse to increase, what should a theatre do? Innovate, which is exactly what Cineplex has done by introducing a ‘luxury’ movie experience for adults. After all, finding reasons to increase ticket prices seems to be a logical alternative to increasing ticket sales. This strategy hits home on the main issues that might ward adults away from movie theatres: a lack of time, and a dislike for the rowdy teenage crowd that often frequents said theatres. They’re also the customers who would have the resources to pay extra for such an experience.

However, it could be argued that the current economy will not support such a venture on a large scale, since consumers may be unwilling to spend increased amounts on a regular basis. VIP movies could be a ‘treat’ every once in a while, but it seems unlikely that adults would purchase premium tickets every time they go to the movies.

This is still an innovative idea regardless, and the numbers so far imply its success — so perhaps there is more potential that will be unlocked by Cineplex’s continued expansion into the field with their additional adult-only theatres due in 2014.

Related Links:

Helena Lin: PG-13 is so last year

The Stop Community Food Centre, commonly called the Stop, was one of Canada’s first food banks and is now leading the way in revolutionizing the industry. The main point differentiating them from other food banks is that they don’t simply hand out food and wait for the government to provide grants. Through innovative fundraisers such as night markets, partnerships with upscale restaurants, and catering programs, they no longer rely as strongly on outside sources, which leads to greater sustainability of their business in the long run. Additionally, revenue from their initiatives have grown by 100% each year for the past three years — so it’s no wonder why they’re considered to be such a successful example of a social enterprise.

The ‘social’ aspect of this social enterprise is healthy food, whether it’s providing access to it, teaching people the benefits of it, or promoting it to the general public. It’s certainly an interesting twist compared to average, run-of-the-mill food banks that the Stop has criticized, calling them “an inadequate, and often harmful, response to more systemic societal dysfunction.” They promote a lifestyle and an ideal, which will hopefully continue to be the driving force behind this center of social change.

Related Links:

Canadian Business: The Stop: The capitalist’s guide to feeding the poor

The Stop’s Homepage