Student entrepreneur creates thriving, award-winning Web site
Note2Home.com lets parents monitor child's school activities
Lindsay Dunham
Issue date: 10/9/08 Section: News
Balancing classes, work, homework, exams and a social life is a challenge for any college student, but senior accounting major Brian Kress added a home business to the mix, and people are taking notice.
Kress' business, Note2Home.com, won Kress the No. 9 spot in Startup Nation's 2008 Top 20 Dorm Based Businesses. Startup Nation is a resource Web site for entrepreneurs. Kress' Note2Home.com is a Web site that gives parents a chance to monitor their child's attendance, grades, extracurricular activities and more online. The Web site is available for schools from elementary to high school.
According to a Startup Nation press release, the competition was based on innovativeness of business concept, potential growth, cutting-edge business practices, demonstration of business fundamentals, degree of talent exhibited by the founder, financial performance and potential overall impact.
Kress found out that Note2Home.com placed in the Top 20 Dorm Based Businesses through a friend.
"A judge sent me an e-mail about it, but my filter was set so high that I never got it," Kress said. "Then a friend called me and told me they saw my name and business on MSN Money."
Kress said the win shocked him and motivated him even more.
"The idea was to make it more convenient for parents to stay updated about their kids," Kress said. "And it's not just for parents. It's for schools, too."
Kress went on to explain that schools will often put aside $10,000 to $15,000 per year for this kind of software.
Note2Home.com is trying to be "a sort of Google for schools," Kress said. "It's a free application for schools to use, and we can both make a profit out of it. I was trying to create a win-win situation for both parties."
Kress said Note2Home.com is free as long as all features are being used, such as the online store.
The online store allows parents to buy school supplies online and a portion of the profit goes to the child's school.
Kress' business, Note2Home.com, won Kress the No. 9 spot in Startup Nation's 2008 Top 20 Dorm Based Businesses. Startup Nation is a resource Web site for entrepreneurs. Kress' Note2Home.com is a Web site that gives parents a chance to monitor their child's attendance, grades, extracurricular activities and more online. The Web site is available for schools from elementary to high school.
According to a Startup Nation press release, the competition was based on innovativeness of business concept, potential growth, cutting-edge business practices, demonstration of business fundamentals, degree of talent exhibited by the founder, financial performance and potential overall impact.
Kress found out that Note2Home.com placed in the Top 20 Dorm Based Businesses through a friend.
"A judge sent me an e-mail about it, but my filter was set so high that I never got it," Kress said. "Then a friend called me and told me they saw my name and business on MSN Money."
Kress said the win shocked him and motivated him even more.
"The idea was to make it more convenient for parents to stay updated about their kids," Kress said. "And it's not just for parents. It's for schools, too."
Kress went on to explain that schools will often put aside $10,000 to $15,000 per year for this kind of software.
Note2Home.com is trying to be "a sort of Google for schools," Kress said. "It's a free application for schools to use, and we can both make a profit out of it. I was trying to create a win-win situation for both parties."
Kress said Note2Home.com is free as long as all features are being used, such as the online store.
The online store allows parents to buy school supplies online and a portion of the profit goes to the child's school.
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