Here we go, yesterday we launched 52businesses! This is a venture in which we will start a new business each week for one year. With this challenge, we hope to showcase the accessibility of entrepreneurship, 
particularly during the initial stages. By highlighting the process of turning an idea into a viable business, 52businesses aims to show that with the right tools and guidance, starting a business can be far less difficult or risky than people think. Of course, you may be skeptical that we (or anyone for that matter), could start fifty-two businesses in one year. It will certainly be difficult, but we believe that the challenge of trying to open fifty-two businesses will be fun and exciting, in and of itself.
Using whatever resources we have available to us, we’ll assess each new business idea as any entrepreneur should–with “ruthless pragmatism.” (A la Frank Underwood.) The status of each of the fifty-two “businesses,” at the end of every week, will likely vary greatly. Some weeks we’ll be determining if the business idea is even viable, leaving us to decide whether to adjust our thinking, or simply cut our losses. Other weeks we may prove the concept within the first few hours, then spend the next few days building out the whole business, and by the end of the week, potentially even turn a profit.
All of this will take place aboard our mobile office, a retrofitted 1980’s blue school bus that we lovingly call “BOB” (the Businesses Operations Bus). The 52businesses team will document our journey online through a variety of mediums. We will chronicle our successes, failures, and whatever hijinks happen along the way, with loads of entertaining and educational content. The 52businesses team consists of a ragtag bunch of experienced and fledgling entrepreneurs — Maxwell Walters, Jason Seidman, a small team of incredibly impressive college interns, and myself, Colin Grussing.
I’m a native Louisianan, perpetual investor, and what some might call a serial entrepreneur (one of which [RootSuit] was even featured on ABC’s Shark Tank). Max, our Venture For America superstar and Boston College grad, relocated to the Crescent City to begin his entrepreneurial career and to learn even more about the city that he’s already fallen in love with. We snagged Jason when he heard that he’d get to drive the bus (Bob) and that we were bringing back traditional “Friday Lunches.” Our two newest interns, Sean Rowland and Logan McCabe, are already proving to be invaluable. You certainly already know Sean if you frequent Capdeville, and obviously no great team is complete without a ginger–so, thanks Logan!
During this first week, we’ll be launching the “52businesses” entity, itself. Our time will be spent accomplishing traditional business tasks such as forming an LLC, developing marketing and content strategies, putting the finishing touches on our mobile office (Bob), and finalizing the internal operating structures that will guide us through a new business each week for a year.
We’d love for you to come along for this action-packed ride! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to see what we’re up to each day. Ask us questions, laugh at our mistakes, and join us in knocking back a few to celebrate our (hopefully numerous) successes. Of course, the 52businesses website will be your one stop shop for everything you need to engage or just follow along. Our blog will contain our lessons learned, project mentor spotlights, critiques by industry experts, and guest posts by our community partners along the way. You should also keep a lookout for our weekly updates via podcasts and video blog (using a Real World confessional format). And, if all that’s not enough for you, we’re honored to announce that we’ll also be writing weekly wrap-ups for each business, right here on Silicon Bayou News.
So, let the adventure begin & Laissez les businesses rouler!