Amber (20) from The Netherlands is the founder of AmbitionWise. She is one of few people who loves to watch ads, and maybe even the only person you will ever know to do so. Amber's addicted to golf, fusion sushi and Jakarta, and convinced M&M Cripsy’s are flown in fresh from heaven. When she’s all grown up she will be the best in everything, but her talent for sleeping in late will do for now. For AmbitionWise, Amber will cover the best young business talents and will bring business ideas with @ventures. Joshua Saunders: Modzy
Email This Post
Name
Joshua Saunders
Joshua Saunders
Age
25
25
Company
Modzy Inc., since 2006
Modzy Inc., since 2006
Home
Chicago (USA)
Chicago (USA)
Education
B.S. Electrical Engineering, MBA Candidate Entrepreneurship
B.S. Electrical Engineering, MBA Candidate Entrepreneurship
Motto
Not Available
Not Available
Joshua Saunders knows exactly what he’s talking about when he’s writing for Ambitionwise; he is a young entrepreneur himself! About a year ago, he started his very own business. Joshua saw a niche and started Modzy; a web-based scrapbooking business.
A brief overview of what your company does:
Modzy Inc is a web-based business that operates with two interrelated services; a free online scrapbook design tool that allows visitors to create scrapbooks using our paper, stickers, embellishments, and uploading their own pictures. Visitors can then order their scrapbook, which will be compiled for them and sent in the mail, or order the supplies used to make the scrapbook to compile it themselves. In addition, Modzy.com is also an online store selling hundreds of different scrapbooking products.
How did you get into business?
The business was started with my girlfriend who loves to scrapbook. Being very involved in web-based technology myself, I saw a niche that businesses are using in other industries that can be applied to the scrapbook, arts, and crafts industry.
Did you run into many obstacles?
We faced many hurdles along the way, as many start-up businesses do. The largest obstacle we had to face was dealing with the development of the software. We outsourced part of the software development to a company in New York and constantly faced delays and had many issues with bugs in the software. It took five months longer than planned to launch the business due to the delays in software development.
How do you keep yourself motivated to work hard and to get even better at what you do?
I have always loved entrepreneurship and what motivates me is getting up everyday knowing that there are endless possibilities for new products and services out there that are yet to be discovered. I know that working hard will not only help my business succeed, but expose me to many new invaluable experiences. I know that there is always something to improve; something better out there, and that the only way to be the best is to work hard and stay ahead of the competition.
What are the most important lessons you have learned along the way?
Always plan for the worst. And when you think you have all your bases covered, you don’t. In business, Murphy’s Law is a given. You must have specific goals to strive for, but you must be prepared for if these goals aren’t met. No matter how well you plan your start-up, you will always need more time, more money, and more resources. Keep this in mind from the beginning.
Who are your role-models?
In terms of my professional life, Richard Branson is my role model. Richard is an incredibly smart and hard-working businessman, but above all, he is willing to take risks. In business, you need to be able to let go and take risks. If you always take the safe path you will not have any fun and never know your true potential. Having dropped out of high school to start a magazine to developing the entire Virgin family, Richard is the epitome of what an entrepreneur is.
How important do you consider networking to be?
Networking is incredibly important. I consider networking to be one of the best business (and life) skills one can have. I network everyday just from meeting new people and talking with people whom I am interested in. In addition, I try to stay involved with organizations that are important to me, which helps me meet like-minded individuals. I am directly involved with three different local non-profit organizations.
Apart from running your business, are there any other things you’re passionate about?
In addition to business, I am also passionate about supporting causes that I care about and trying to experience as much as I can in the world. I am actively involved in non-profits that support underprivileged students and public safety. In my free time, I enjoy traveling places I haven’t been and meeting new people.
What would you advise people who dream of doing what you do now?
Take a risk. That is all there is to it. Don’t worry about not having enough time, expertise or money. Don’t stop yourself from doing something because you can’t guarantee 100% success. There is no such thing. You can never be sure if you will succeed or fail in business, but if you work hard, there is no such thing as a failure, just a lesson.
Who would you like to be contacted by?
Readers can get in touch with me by emailing me below. I would be glad to talk to anyone about Modzy.com or anything related to entrepreneurship, business development, operations management, process improvement, or networking.