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International Marketing: The Success of CNS Breathe Right Nasal Strips

July 23rd, 2012 No comments

In this week’s MBA Mondays blog, we’re highlighting another important and innovative international brand: CNS Breathe Right Nasal Strips. We’ve all seen them, whether having used them ourselves or having seen famous celebrities and athletes sport them on TV. Their international success is due in large part to the product’s groundbreaking nasal decongestant properties, which have helped it gain a strong foothold in its niche (kind of like Kleenex in the facial tissue industry).

Their effective treatment of congestion and popularity among athletes – particularly the National Football League – has helped them rise to popularity and expand into international markets. Breathe Right Nasal Strips are still very popular today, the go-to brand that people both consciously and unconsciously grab for over the competitors, and it is because they essentially created the market and are the trusted name in nasal decongestants. Their hold on the global marketplace is a great example for students of our online MBA programs and Hybrid MBA programs that business success is not rooted in complexity; rather, what entrepreneurs should do is find something that a lot of people need (i.e. nasal decongestion) create a product or service that is not already being offered (i.e. nasal strips), and find a vehicle for your product to be marketed and talked about in the mass media (i.e. Jerry Rice and other athletes).

Transcript of the Video



[Speaker 1]: We believe Breathe Right has great potential.
[Speaker 2]: Our product has appeal in many different markets.
[Speaker 3]: We look for where the biggest prize will be.
[Husband]: First ever decongestant more powerful than a stuffy nose, it’s Breathe Right nasal strips! Come on honey, my allergies keep me up every night; how is this gonna help?
[Wife]: The same way it helps my snoring every night.
[Narrator 1]: Until you try for yourself, it’s hard to believe the instant nasal congestion relief that comes from Breathe Right strips. Nasal congestion limits airflow; but Breathe Right’s patented reflex action gently lifts open nasal passages to help you get more air. Breather better, sleep better, with Breathe Right.
[Marti Morfitt, CEO, President and Director, CNS]: Inventor of the Breathe Right strip, Bruce Johnson, who had severe allergies and difficulties sleeping, had invented the Breathe Right nasal strip. Our Chairman, who is by training a neurologist, but by calling an entrepreneur, fell in love with the product, dropped everything, and he and a marketer and the inventor spent three years turning this product into a business.
[Dan Cohen, Chairman, CNS]: The inventor brought it into us, under the guise of, “Could you test it?” But he was really looking for somebody to license it. It was one of those nice, life insights, when you look at something and you know, “Hey, this is huge!” When we first began marketing the Breathe Right strip, what was so gratifying, particularly as a physician, were literally the thousands of letters and phone calls we received talking about how much better people slept at night. It was interesting that almost all the letters began with, “Thank you, thank you, thank you;” just three thank you’s, and it was, “I haven’t gotten a good night’s sleep like this in ten years.”
[Marti Morfitt]: The first few years were really all about testing, clinical testing; ensuring that the product worked; developing a basis for claims; getting FDA approval for that; and then taking it to market.
[Narrator 2]: The Breathe Right strip opens the nasal passage, making it easier to breathe through your nose. Pro football players discovered a way to enhance their game. The National Football League’s Herschel Walker was the first to use the strip in front of a national TV audience. San Francisco 49er superstar vide receiver, Jerry Rice, was next.
[Nick Naumann, Senior Marketing Communications Manager, CNS]: Jerry Rice, his utilizing the strips, really was a big PR generator for us. It got a lot of pick-up, both domestically and internationally, and one of the things we immediately did was contact his agent to sign him to become an endorser so we could use him in advertising, promotion and consumer trade promotion.
[Narrator 2]: With a significant amount of NFL players using the strips, CNS took advantage of the free publicity.
[Marti Morfitt]: The Company at that time had done a very effective job of getting press kits in the hands of news commentators and sports commentators and the sports press, so when the people on television were asking, “What is that funny-looking thing on his nose?” – The press reporters all had the answers and how it translated into an effective consumer product for the masses.
[Jerry Rice, Former Wide Receiver, San Francisco 49ers]: I’m looking forward to a great season and I think we have a team that can really go back to the Super Bowl.
[Narrator 2]: Breathe Right strips are used by athletes hoping to play their best; snorers hoping for a good night’s sleep; and allergies, sinus and cold sufferers looking for a drug-free relief from nasal congestion. All over the world, users have the same reaction!
[Kevin McKenna, Vice President, International – CNS]: I have to say that every time you have the opportunity to put a nasal strip on someone who’s never used it before – no matter what the country, no matter what the culture or the language – the response is always the same, and it’s in perfect English: “Wow!”

Video Transcription by GMR Transcription

Categories: MBA Mondays Tags: , , , , , , ,

Preparing For Financial Freedom Before A Family Emergency

July 20th, 2012 No comments

Planning for the future is a complex problem that must involve both you and your spouse. And it must take into consideration a whole variety of issues.

As a starting point, think about things that could go wrong. Almost everyone will have something pop up that is completely out of the blue. Taking those events into consideration involves some commonplace items.

  • Set up a savings account and put a little away every pay period. Perhaps start an investment strategy with a program that allows you to buy in small quantities.
  • Cover potential losses or other exposures with insurance on your home, goods and car(s).
  • Have enough life insurance to make sure that the rest of your family can survive if you or your spouse is not there.

But there are some other, much less painful things that you can plan for as well. If you are in the military, think ahead to the day when you will be out. Using the experience and education from Uncle Sam can be a valid asset as you start a new life, but there are likely some things that need to be added.

Consider online MBA programs. Augment your military training with coursework in marketing – not normally a talent taught by the Armed Services. Or add finance to your resume. As you and your spouse think through your plans for the future, dream big and make plans now for the long term career when you return to the civilian world.

An online business degree can give you the leg up that you will need when you leave, and can be accomplished while you are still on active duty. From the comfort of your home or base, online MBA programs can be exactly what you need to plan for your future outside the military. They are specifically designed to help you fill out an already impressive leadership resume with courses that will round out your knowledge and expertise.

We will help you plan ahead before that family emergency occurs when you unpack your duffle bag and ask, “What next?”

Categories: Career Advancement Tags: , , , , ,

CalMU Small Business Spotlight: Square Peg Packaging and Printing

May 16th, 2012 No comments

This week’s CalMU Small Business Spotlight is on San Diego’s own Square Peg Packaging and Printing. They are a great example of recognizing an industry deficiency, creating a business idea to fill in the gaps and then cultivating that idea with a very unique business model and enthusiastic vision of prodigious proportions. This is why we have chosen to highlight them this week, and why they are a good case study for students in and graduates of our Hybrid MBA and online MBA programs and our Leadership programs.

 

BUSINESS MODEL

Their name sums up their services quite well. Square Peg designs, manages (via supply chain), and distributes packaging materials for myriad businesses. Basically, they’re all about branding, and they do a very good job in their specialty. But what makes them stand out from other companies who do the same thing?

First, they recognized that businesses were wasting time, money and brand continuity by going to multiple vendors for their printing and packaging needs. By creating a business model and hiring innovative minds that specialize in both aspects however, they were able to include all services under their umbrella and enables companies to get everything done from the same people. This not only ensures that the business’ vision and message is consistent throughout all of their products, but it also saves businesses money because they are only going to one vendor instead of two or more, makes businesses money because their brand identity is uniform throughout and thereby stronger/more recognizable, and enables businesses to focus more on their operations and ultimately generate more revenue.

Second, they don’t just stop there. They also offer business analysis consulting that includes industry research, sales strategy, marketing plan (like establishing an online presence and everything involved in branding), and product positioning in the market. But Square Peg doesn’t just stop there like most consultants; they will also execute everything – and very successfully – if their clients wants them to. So not only do they offer a unique service in the industry; they’ve also gone five steps beyond and have incorporated business analysis, strategy and execution as services as well.

 

BUSINESS GROWTH

This innovative approach to printing and packaging has done wonders for their success over the past 5 years. When they were founded in 2007, they were a smaller operation and pulled in a revenue of $122,030, according to Inc.com. However, as they increased their scope and expanded their services, their revenue did the same. Just 3 years later in 2010, they pulled in $7.4 million, a whopping 5986% 3-year growth that earned them the #34 spot on Inc.’s 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in the US. Now that is impressive.

So now you see why we were very impressed with Square Peg Packaging and Printing and decided to award them with the CalMU Small Business Spotlight. They are a great example for students in our Hybrid MBA and online MBA programs and Leadership programs to find what’s missing, develop a unique strategy to fill the void, and then go the extra mile to set your businesses up as the one-stop destination for everything in your niche.

Categories: Business Buzz Tags: , , , , ,

How Do I Finance My College Education?

April 16th, 2012 No comments

One of the things we pride ourselves on is our very affordable tuition. With student loans being a deterrent from some pursuing higher education, we have four ways that we can help you finance your education.

NOTE: And even with our very affordable tuition, online MBA programs are great because they allow you to save money on travel to and from school while enabling you to work during the day and gain that valuable work experience that all employers love. When you add a salary, work experience, affordable tuition, high quality education, experienced and venerated professors, and the ability to study when you want, an online MBA is a great option for all.

Hi, good morning.We’re going to talk about “How do you finance your education for college?” Okay, a few things to keep in mind.

  1. One: at CMU you have the advantage of paying every single month. So instead of having to come up with big lump sum twice a year, you can pay every single month and make it smaller amounts. So that’s one great advantage to paying for your education while you’re a student here at CMU.


  2. Number two: there’s no interest, so whatever the cost of your education is, divide it up, pay it as you go each month, pay it off at the end before you graduate, but there’s no interest. So we as a university finance your education, great advantage to paying for your education when you’re a student here at CMU.


  3. Third point: if you are a Veteran or if you’re current Active duty in the military, we accept the GI Bill and all the benefits that you have. Fantastic benefits with the GI Bill, you can make use of all those at CMU – that’s number three.


  4. Number four: we have a military spouse discount. It’s a 50% discount for all military spouses. It’s a great program, it’s a great option if you’re a military spouse, and that’s reason number four.

So again, the four ways to finance your education at CMU:

  • Pay each month as you go
  • Pay small amounts each month as you go and we finance it
  • Use your GI Bill
  • And a military spouse discount

Finally, a big difference between CMU and many other schools out there, CMU is a very affordable tuition. So why go into debt, why break the bank when you don’t have to?

Quality education at an affordable price. Check out the tuition structure at CMU and glad having you here as a student.

Video Transcription by GMR Transcription

Categories: MBA Mondays Tags: , , ,

Strategic Management: Short-Term Objectives

March 19th, 2012 No comments

Last week we showed a clip of Sherri Petro, MBA discussing the 15 Grand Strategies of strategic business management. This week, we’re looking at short-term objectives, both in terms of how they link and synch the company now, and how they can be tied to your company’s long-term objectives and ultimately set the course for accomplishing those.

This video clips comes from one of our online MBA courses on strategic management from a highly qualified and nationally renowned professional in business sustainability. Ms. Petro is an Adjunct Professor with us at California Miramar University, a 2010 Outstanding Professor of the Year award recipient, and one of the reasons why our on-campus, Hybrid MBA and online MBA programs have been recognized by the San Diego Business Journal as one of the Top 10 in San Diego County.




Transcript of the Lesson


So what are short-term objectives? Just how short are we talking about? I think about it as like operational work planning; it’s one year or less. Often times this helps resolve any type of conflicts between multiple departments within the organization and also assist with your performance management system. This is about making a strategy real, breaking it down into the functional levels, so that people know how they link and synch and contribute to the actual working of the company. Can each individual determine what their role is and the responsibilities they have in achieving strategy?

Short-term objectives: so, we said that they’re one year or less. They’re usually very specific. There’s a time frame for completion – both the start date and an end date – and we’re always determining who’s actually responsible for this, who will be held accountable. There are action planning worksheets when it comes to strategic planning that when we get down to this tactical level: Who is responsible? When’s it going to get done? What exactly is going to get done? It links and synchs the organization – hat will be S-Y-N-C-H, not S-I-N-K.

What are the qualities of effective short-term objectives? They have to be measurable, which means the activity that you are going after needs to be measurable. Often times when we get down to the functional level we’re also asking the question: How is technology going to support us in achieving this? Because we’ll talk about balance scorecards again, like we talked about in a previous chapter. Do I have the technology to actually measure, which means you have to be collecting the data. Do you have measurable outcomes? Are you able to prioritize either by importance or urgency, with a simple ranking or perhaps a weighted average? And can you link your short-term objectives to the long-term objectives? Every individual should be able to see that what they’re doing links to a strategy.



Video Transcription by GMR Transcription

Categories: MBA Mondays Tags: , , ,

4 Things Every MBA Student Should Be Doing in Social Media Right Now

March 16th, 2012 No comments

Alright folks, there’s a simple truth we all know that has been ceaselessly drilled into our heads, repeated time and time again in an apparent effort to make us as dazed as we are annoyed. Guesses anyone? Anyone? Yep, you got it! Social media is… very… very important for businesses in the world we live in today. Hold on; let me take a step back while you digest that.

Okay I’m done, but there is something to take out of this. Yeah social media is great. Yeah social media never seems to distract us and take away from what we should be doing. But that’s just it. We all participate in social media networking in one form or another and all love that we can bring the far corners of the galaxy into the comfort of our own homes. But for businesses, social networking has become the most quintessential marketing trend in the past few years; and for MBA students – yes that means all of you in traditional, hybrid or online MBA programs – there is a lot more that you should be doing every time you log on.

1. Be social, join the Group. We all Like different Groups on Facebook all the time, but when was the last time you looked at the Group through the Administrator’s eyes? Who are they? What’s their primary objective? What are they doing to accomplish that? These are all questions you should be asking yourself when pressing that good ol’ ‘Like’ button. One of the biggest ways businesses engage and get noticed on Facebook is by participating in Groups, specifically Groups relevant to Influencers and their industry/niche, not necessarily their own. It’s an easy exercise and can really get you clarifying your social business vision every time you log on.

2. Look for the positives in Google+. And the biggest one? Social and search engine optimization. It is, after all Google’s brainchild, and it does, unsurprisingly, appear pretty high in search engine results. Although not many people are using Google+, register for an account, get used to the layout and how it works, and think about different ways you can optimize it for search engines. Pay specific attention to the ‘About’ section (hint: hyperlinks!) and photos (hint: geotag!). Although it will probably never match the Facebook empire, it has its purpose and that, as far as marketers are concerned at least, is to make Google happy.

3. Get Pinterested. It may still be new, but it is booming in popularity because of its easy usability and highly visual format. And while it’s really fun to endlessly scroll down and be bombarded with photos and images from Pinboards that Pinterest us (+10 me), it can serve myriad advantages for businesses when utilized correctly. (And in this case, ‘correctly’ means creatively, which really makes it a fun social network.) So hop on – you still need an invite to register so request one from a friend or request one from the site and wait a little longer – and look at what businesses are doing and how YOU could improve that. What are they missing? What do you and don’t you like about their Pinboard(s)? Simple questions, but very important to get a true business grasp on the emerging platform.

4. Hop on the Blog Bandwagon. I know I wrote a post on this a few weeks back, but now I will focus on blog networking and blog commenting. Find blogs on topics that peak your interest, notice the tone and style of the blogger, and go through what they’re writing a back. Since this is a topic that you’re interested in, are they writing about what you want to read? Or are they boring you with content on social media that you’ve read 10 times before? (Hmmm…) Regardless, start interacting in that blog and communicating with the community. (There’s a joke in there somewhere.) At the end of the day the most successful people in life are passionate about what they do. If you start looking at social media through a business lens about things you’re really interested, heck, maybe you’ve found yourself a career after you graduate.

I’ve only touched on 4 strategies and will get to more later, but for all you on-campus, Hybrid and online MBA students out there, these are simple everyday strategies that can really improve your online business sense. Whether you realize it or not.

Categories: Best Of Lists for MBA Tags: , , , , , , ,

CalMU Business Spotlight: Karl Strauss Brewing Company

March 7th, 2012 1 comment

So far we’ve put the Spotlight on FortuneBuilders Inc. because of their innovation in the real estate industry, and Ludus Sports for their ceaseless passion and commitment to providing a community-based model for customer service. This week we are shining the CalMU Business Spotlight on the Karl Strauss Brewing Company for two major reasons: vision and innovation.

I’m not going to go over the history of their rise to the top of the San Diego brewing scene, as you can find that on their website or Wikipedia, but I will tell you this: entrepreneurial-spirited founders Chris Cramer and Matt Rattner started with a very unique and maybe even “crazy” idea; did their homework and spent countless hours turning back the hands of time in the 1980s to fight Prohibition-era liquor laws; and eventually risked everything they had to turn their initial idea into a profound vision.

You see, when they started in the late 1980s, San Diego County was still entrenched in a Prohibition mindset when it came to beer. Their vision was to create a completely new beer culture in San Diego and open a microbrewery that specialized in local handcrafted beer. (They also enlisted the help of Chris’ cousin and master brewer with over 50 years experience, none other than… you guessed it… Karl M. Strauss.) When they opened up shop on February 1, 1989, they had absolutely no idea how San Diegans would receive their innovative concept. They had invested so much time, money and effort into this vision they had that their microbrewery’s ‘Opening Day’ was essentially a make-or-break deal. But on that fateful day when they opened their doors (*cue inspirational music*), they found locals already lined up to get the first taste of their original 3 beers.

It has now been 23 years since their founding and their business has skyrocketed. Starting with just three beers, they now offer 10x that at 30, including a 6 year-round beers and a variety of highly reputed seasonals and specialties. In 2010 Draft Magazine voted the Karl Strauss Endless Summer Light brew as the best light craft beer in the US. Later in the year their Red Trolley Ale, an Irish red ale, received gold medals in said category at both the World Beer Cup and Great American Beer Festival. They also received a bronze medal at the Great American Beer Festival for their winter seasonal Two Tortugas Belgian Quad in the Belgian-style Abbey category.

Karl Strauss Brewing Company provides their beloved brews to over 2,500 liquor stores, grocery stores, bars and restaurants in California and now has 6 prime locations across Southern California. (And when I say prime, I mean PRIME… Downtown San Diego, La Jolla, Sorrento Mesa, Costa Mesa and the Universal CityWalk… try that for real estate.) Unlike other craft breweries across they nation, they have limited their scope and distribution to Southern California, but plan to slowly expanding both north and east.

The brewing company holds many events to benefit myriad charities and also strives to be eco-friendly by donating its used ethanol for fuel use. Management is committed to their employees with progressive benefits/compensation, bonuses for those who demonstrate the entrepreneurial spirit that got them to where they are today and help the company grow, and a 401(k) plan. Karl Strauss brews over 30,000 barrels every year in their state-of-the-art 2-story main brewery, bottling 250 bottles every minute. They currently have over 400 employees working from them in their main office, brewery and microbrewery restaurants, and grosses over $20 million every year. They have also been ranked 40th on the list of Top US Craft Breweries.

So thank you Karl Strauss Brewing Company, and especially Chris Cramer and Matt Rattner, for serving as the perfect example of how entrepreneurs can turn some “crazy” idea into a very successful operation. When you think about it, one of the key ingredients for success is being unique and adding a unique value proposition. If you stand out from the field, put in countless hours of hard work and cultivate your vision, you can really do great things in the world. And it doesn’t hurt when you’re brewing beer because, let’s face it, it never hurts to sip on a cold brewsky on a hot San Diego spring day.

So again, thank you gentlemen for teaching us all a lesson on how to build and grow a successful business; thank you for your vision and innovation in redefining the San Diego beer scene and reinventing local craft brews; thank you for inspiring our students in our on-campus, hybrid and online MBA programs; and thank you for giving me some ideas of things I need to try this weekend. We are honored to shine the CalMU Business Spotlight on you.

Categories: Business Buzz Tags: , , , , , ,

Strategic Management SWOT Analysis – A Traditional Approach

January 16th, 2012 No comments

This is the first video of 3 we will be posting over the next few weeks from marketing guru Sherri Petro. This week is all about SWOT Analysis: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. This analysis enables you to decide what type of strategy you want to employ for your business.

Once you take a step back and really analyze these four cornerstones of your business strategy, you can weigh all possibilities and consequences and then make an informed, sound decision.

The course is taught by Sherri Petro, M.B.A. Ms. Petro is the President of VPI Strategies, a San Diego based marketing consulting firm, where she focuses on research, strategy and communications. Her mission is to assist organizations in becoming more sustainable by breaking down barriers, creating understanding and making connections. Ms. Petro is a nationally renowned expert on generational motivation and its impacts in the workplace. Ms. Petro is an Adjunct Professor at California Miramar University and a 2010 Outstanding Professor of the Year award recipient.

Transcript of the Lesson

So what is SWOT analysis? It’s really the most traditional approach to taking a look at your organization. Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, it’s a historical technique. What is a strength; what is a weakness; what is an opportunity; what’s a threat? A strength – internal; weakness – internal; opportunity, major favorable situation – external; and threat, major unfavorable situation – externally.

So remember when you’re thinking SWOT, SW: Strengths, Weaknesses – internal; Opportunities and Threats – external.

This one analysis allows you, once you take a look at the attributes, skills, pieces of your organization, to choose whether you want an aggressive strategy, a turn around strategy, a defensive strategy or a lets just get rid of it strategy. But there are some limitations of SWOT. It’s a moment in time. It does not talk about dynamism. And one of the things I’ve seen over the years of doing strategic planning is we pay attention to our strengths and not necessarily consider exactly what’s happening in the external environment. It would be what I would call hand or head in the sand strategic planning. We can over emphasize one part and not pay attention to another.

In some organizations we tend to get quite defensive. We’ll be looking at all of those weaknesses, not paying attention to the strengths, thinking that they are strengths, we can just keep them on the back burner instead of realizing that those strengths actually contributed so much to the organization and that you need to have a strategy to make sure those strengths don’t weaken. And another thing to consider, strength’s not necessarily a source of competitive advantage. A strength might not be something unique.

Transcribed by GMR Transcription

Categories: MBA Mondays Tags: , ,