Index of Growing Companies

From: Cathy
Sent: Monday, June 04, 2007 12:56 PM
To: Bruce Camber
Subject: Web site inquiry

Hello Bruce,

I would like to add our business to the Index of Learning Companies.   Is this different than your business listings of episodes of the show?   I am a little  confused.

Thanks,

Cathy

______________________________________________________________

From: Bruce Camber
Sent: Wednesday, June 06, 2007 8:49 AM
To: 'Cathy'
Subject: RE: Web site inquiry

Hi Cathy,

Our current Index of Learning Companies includes many, but not all, of the companies that have been within episodes of the show.  That list will soon become dynamic and include every person who registers at this site who has a working URL for their business. 

A person and their business will remain active within The Index of Learning Companies so long as someone within the business returns at least once a week to the site, i.e. they're actively using the site to help grow their business.  The goal is to have no less than 400,000 businesses listed by country, state and city or town.

Most of the currently-listed businesses will be migrated to an Index of Growing Companies.  Essentially  this list should grow to about 40,000 businesses.  New listings will be of those businesses within the Learning Index that have been qualified by their local small business advocates as a good-and-reputable business.  Every Designated market Area has no less than 50 small business advocates. Over the past twelve years these are the people who have helped us to qualify  businesses before we selected them for a show  That was part of our due diligence (being responsible to our corporate partners and sponsors) before spending upwards of $40K to produce an episode of the show.  

So, this Index for Growing Companies will be for those people like you who really become active within the site and they begin answering the interactive questions. Those who have registered and are logged on have a path to learn and build a secondary web presence that could help give their primary website some gravitas. 

Once you answer enough interactive questions and you make that data public within the site,  you are essentially saying, “Consider my business for an episode of the show.”  If any one of your answers to a key question is particularly poignant, we will get a local crew and produce that piece to be included in an episode of the show. 

If our mission and vision are actualized, there will be local productions of the show throughout the country and the best of these local production will be re-birthed within the national and global syndications.  Essentially we are introducing an element of American Idol   in both the nominations and then the final selections of a show.  Getting through their local small business advocates is a key.  These folks will take a list of names within their local community and essentially bless a founder/business to “graduate” to the Index of Growing Companies.   

The goal is to have at least 200 companies within every Designated Market Area on that Index of Growing Companies.  In the more populous DMAs, that list will be over 2000 businesses yet there will always be a top 200 and a top 10 with in it. The top ten will be next up to be profiled. 

You have taken your first step with us;  you are registered on the site.  Next, be sure to log on.  Only then will you see  “My Profile” appear in the header.  Click on “Basic Information” and be sure that is as complete as possible, then click on “Answers.”    You’ll find a bunch of questions that will provide a basis to begin creating web pages for your business.  You are in control.

I hope this helps a little.  If it is to much, I apologize!  If you have any problems, let me know.  Thanks.

Warmly,

Bruce