Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Names and ages: Warren Adams, 31; Brian Robertson,24
Company name and description: PlanetAll is anonline service designed to keep people in touch. The servicecreates a network of links between you and individuals who may livethousands of miles away, as well as those you haven't seen inseveral years. "It's the ultimate address book,"explains Adams.
Based: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Founded: 1996
1997 sales projections: $725,000
Inspiration: "[One time while I was inbusiness school], I was traveling through Africa and ran intopeople I hadn't seen in five years. It made me realize therewas no good way to keep in touch with that wider circle offriends," says Adams.
How it works: The information members can accesswith permission includes travel plans, birth dates, home and workaddresses and phone numbers, and personal contacts.
Start-up costs: $1 million through angelinvestors. After five months in business, PlanetAll securedadditional venture capital financing.
Vital stats: PlanetAll tallied 8,000 registeredmembers by year-end 1996; the company expects to have 550,000signed up by the end of this year. Approximately two-thirds of itsmembers are from the United States; the other one-third hail from120 countries worldwide. Every month, PlanetAll's home pagegets an average of 15 million hits.
Miscellaneous offices: From a lakeside cottage toa friend's kitchen to an incubator. Now it's located in ahistoric church.
Secrets of success: The relaxed management style:Although many put in long hours, employees can crash on theoffice's futon for a quick nap.
An obstacle encountered: "When you have avision that is radically different from what's out therenow," says Adams, "it's difficult to convince peoplethat vision can be a reality some day."
Future focus: Says Adams, "Ultimately,we're going to have tens of millions of people inPlanetAll." The partners are also developing alternatives toaccessing the virtual address book for those who are not always attheir computers.
Winner's Circle
Helmet maker has a head for business.
Name and age: Troy Lee, 36
Company name and description: Troy Lee Designs primarilydesigns customized graphics for racing helmets. It also makesapparel and accessories for auto, mountain bike and motocrossracing and is currently working with Mazda Motor Corp. to design atruck.
Based: Corona, California
Founded: 1981
1997 sales projections: $4.4 million
Early start: Lee picked up his first paintbrush at age 4and began racing autos in his teens.
Timing is everything: Lee and three other artistscollaborate on each helmet. Basic designs take approximately fourhours; more intricate ones, such as a recent helmet design createdfor Las Vegas' New York, New York hotel, may require up to 40hours of work.
Clientele: Indy Car winner Paul Tracy; snowboard champShaun Palmer; the Andretti family
Keeping count: His company completes anywhere from 15 to20 helmets every week.
New view: Using 24-carat gold and sterling silver toadorn helmets; designing with holographic flakes to reflect arainbow of vibrant colors in the sun; painting on top of chrome-and gold-plated helmets for "a real wild reflection"
Quality control: "When you work with the besthelmets, the best racers and the best sponsors, everything allcomes together."
In the works: Testing fins to increase a helmet'saerodynamics; continuing to try to make helmets as lightweight andsafe as possible; experimenting with special displays in thehelmet's shield so racers won't have to look down to seetheir gauges
Future focus: "We're just trying to push theenvelope and stay on the edge with everything we do."
Contact Sources
PlanetAll, 17 Sellers St., Cambridge, MA 02136, http://www.planetall.com
Troy Lee Designs, (909) 371-5219, http://www.troyleedesigns.com
