Happy Thanksgiving! This week in The Pelican Report we’d like to focus on the entrepreneurial side of business. Anyone who has tried to open and run an office knows the perils involved and so we’ve offered resources to defuse some of the stress. Fashion wise we’ve thrown in some updated options of one of the most classic pieces in men’s and women’s fashion, the camel hair polo coat. In keeping with the spirit of the holidays we’d like to thank our readers for their feedback and, as usual, welcome everyone to let us know what you think.

Sincerely,
Drew V. Davitian
Publisher


The Pelican Report
Issue 3, November 26th, 2009


Business

The Best Online Resources for Entrepreneurs

Fifteen years ago the internet was just beginning to fall into popular social use. Computer nerds and geeks still communicated through BBSs and one of the few options normal “non-techies” had to explore this new medium with was the per minute cost structure of America Online. At this time the World Wide Web was really just a collection of resources for coders and non-interactive web pages for companies looking to create a presence in this new platform. Today the internet provides resources, point of sale locations and hundreds of other functions to billions of users. It has become a way to garner maximum exposure to niche markets with minimum cost and the entrepreneurial market is no different. It is in this light that we have compiled the best online resources for entrepreneurs who are looking to get the most bang for their buck when starting a new company.

Free Education For The World – In 2008 Jack Sandler Bloom, an adjunct professor at Harvard Business School, started this online social network based platform, the goal of which was to provide free education to the entire world. As such, the first endeavor, a no charge (non-accredited) MBA program works by posting video lectures on a weekly basis and students can complete assigned projects and submit them to a messaging board for peer review. http://chai18.ning.com/video

Google Business Apps (Premiere Edition) - For those budding entrepreneurs who do not want to spend several hundred dollars a year per employee to provide e-mail, chat, interactive calendar and online document resources Google offers a more functional alternative to Microsoft exchange software for $50 a year per user. The site boats over two million companies that use these apps and with support for an unlimited number of employees it’s a cheap way to forge expansion.
http://www.google.com/apps/intl/en/business/index.html

Wisebread.com – “Living large on a small budget” is the perfect blog presence for entrepreneurs to reach millions of value conscious customers and it can give some great pointers for those trying to run a lean business as well.
http://www.wisebread.com/topic/career-and-income/entrepreneurship

Intuit QuickBooks Free software – In a recession you can’t beat free and that’s exactly what QuickBooks is offering their basic software for. The only difference between the free and the full version is the free version only allows you to track and invoice up to 20 clients.
http://quickbooks.intuit.com/product/accounting-software/free-accounting-software.jsp?priorityCode=3988700000&cid=pi_yahoo_plp_QuickBooks+SimpleStart+Free

US SBA Small Business Planner – This government sponsored site provides almost every resource a prospective or new business owner needs to set up, get started and eventually get out. With links to demographic sites and grant possibilities this should be your first stop when trying anything new.
http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/index.html

Fashion

The Camel Hair Polo Coat: 100 Years Old And Still Cool.

In 1910 the polo coat was imported to the US from England. The original coat was sold only in white wool, but shortly thereafter the coat started to appear in grey wools and finally camel’s hair. This jacket bloomed in popularity first in the northeastern cities then moving westward until it became an international classic wardrobe piece for both men and women. For this issue, we’ve showcased a few options at different price points for both men and women so everyone can own this luxurious, classic piece.

Women
$800+
Italian Camel Hair Polo Coat - $898 – Brooksbrothers.com
http://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=246&Product_Id=928382&Parent_Id=1034&default_color=CAMEL&sort_by=&sectioncolor=&sectionsize=

$1000 +
Darci Baby Camel Hair Coat - Sale Price: $1399 – Ralphlauren.com
http://www.ralphlauren.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3571020&utm_medium=feeds&utm_source=YahooPI

$2500+
Andrew Gn Lace Coat - $3990 – Bergdorfgoodman.com
http://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod45130016&eItemId=prod45140115&cmCat=search&searchType=MAIN&parentId=&icid=&rte=%252Fsearch.jhtml%253FN%253D0%2526Ntt%253Dcamel%252Bhair%2526_requestid%253D20464



Men
$300+
Camel hair topcoat - $400 – Josbank.com
http://www.josbank.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_11001_10050_101683

$1000+
Golden Fleece Camel Hair Polo Overcoat - $1198 – Brooksbrothers.com
http://www.brooksbrothers.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=1&Section_Id=681&Product_Id=1387756&Parent_Id=680&default_color=CAMEL&sort_by=&sectioncolor=&sectionsize=


Home & Office

The Anti-cubicle: Chic Office Furniture On A Budget.

Most everyone has been required to occupy a bland off white cubicle at one time or another. The most frightening thing is that some people will spend their whole working lives in a cubicle staring at those taupe, fabric covered dusty walls. For those of us lucky enough to escape that disastrous fate, we can meet our own end with cheap, office supply store, particle board furniture. Not everyone can afford designer ultramodern Armani Casa digs, but for those of us with a little style and on a budget a plethora of new options have emerged. Studies show the average middle managers office is 8X10’ and the following pieces inhabit a functional workspace, that will fit in your office and will keep you refreshed from 8 am through burning the midnight oil.

Markus Swivel Chair - $199 – Ikea.com
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00103102

Scoop back chair - $99 – Westelm.com
http://www.westelm.com/products/f887/?pkey=coffice-desks-chairs

Parsons Dining Table/Desk - $399 – Westelm.com
http://www.westelm.com/products/f866/?pkey=cdining-tables-chairs

Phantom table lamp - $99 – Cb2.com
http://www.cb2.com/family.aspx?c=320&f=2985

Metal boxes - $22 - $34 – Westelm.com
http://www.westelm.com/products/a718/?pkey=ggifts-under-50