Grow Detroit | Powering the growth of Detroit. Features a collection of blogs from Detroit business and community leaders.

May 10, 2012

Happenstance Entrepreneurship: SchedFull

This week I met a “happenstance-entrepreneur;” that is, an entrepreneur who didn’t necessarily set out to start a business.

A doctor-in-residence by trade, metro-Detroit doctor Tashfeen Ekram recognized a potential business in his daily routine at work in his office.

The inspiration for the product? Frequent appointment cancellations.

We all are familiar with this scenario: we set-up an appointment at the doctor’s or dentist’s office months in advance, and then something ‘more important’ comes up at the last minute, meaning we have to cancel just hours before the appointment.

As convenient that is for us as consumers, this leaves the service provider with lost potential revenue.

Enter Schedfull.

Schedfull is a software solution that helps fill those last-minute cancellation gaps. By creating and automating an Internet-based wait-list, customers can submit their availability and be made aware via e-notification services if a potential appointment time-slot becomes available. Once made aware of the availability, the first customer in line can then RSVP or decline. If he declines, the next customer in line is then alerted and presented the same option.

It creates a win-win solution for all involved; the ISP wins because they have a consistently full, revenue-generating schedule. Customers win because they no longer have to wait unnecessarily for weeks-on-end to access the service provider.

The best part? It’s automated.

As I mentioned previously, this is another brilliant example of what I call “happen-stance” entrepreneurship.

Tashfeen didn’t necessarily set-out to become an entrepreneur or create a startup; he is, after all, on the path of becoming a very successful doctor. In that process, however, he recognized a real problem and figured out a way to solve it.

My favorite part of this story is his hustle. Tashfeen took the entire thing from idea to reality in a matter of weeks, coming home at night after long days of work to learn the appropriate coding, development, and marketing techniques necessary to make this thing a reality. Have a look at what he’s done.

If you are interested in this service or want to learn more, check out SchedFull.com. BONUS: SchedFull is still in beta mode for those interested.

May 8, 2012

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Ann Arbor SPARK Launches New Selling Smart Workshop Series

ANN ARBOR, Mich., May 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Ann Arbor SPARK will kick off a new entrepreneurial education series, the Selling Smart Workshop, on June 6, 9-11 a.m. at SPARK Central. This first event in the series, “A Practical Process for Selling Services,” will offer information on how to create a systematic approach for qualifying leads and closing opportunities.

“Sales is an aspect of business that so many entrepreneurs struggle with, yet it’s absolutely critical to a company’s success,” said Paul Krutko, Ann Arbor SPARK president and CEO. “Ann Arbor SPARK’s entrepreneurial education services, including workshops like the Selling Smart series, are designed to bridge these gaps between technical acumen and professional skills.”

The Selling Smart Workshop series will be held the first Wednesday of the month, 9-11 a.m., at SPARK Central, through December. Each of the Workshop events will include an hour of practice selling, followed by an hour presentation on a different sales topic.

“A Practical Process for Selling Services” will feature Jim Woods, CEO of Advantage Management Consulting, Kevin Phillip of LTI IT Services, and Joe Marr of Sandler Training Ann Arbor.

Future series topics include best practices for selling consulting services and sales to large corporations.

There is no cost to attend any of the Selling Smart Workshop events, however, registration is encouraged. Visit www.annarborusa.org/events/spark-events for more information or to register for the event.