Have an idea on how to change the world?  Burning up with ideas to help the environment, society, business, your friends, social media or anything else you can dream up?  UMBC wants to give you $750 for telling us your idea!  How can you win cash for your innovative solution?  Read on!

The UMBC Idea competition is designed to challenge you to think about problems facing society and what you can do to help.  If UMBC is one of the most innovative schools in the nation, then UMBC students are just the kind of innovators that can really change the world.  Now’s your chance to see it happen.

Entering is easy!  Go to www.umbc.edu/ideacomp to enter your idea before March 15th at 5pm.  Ideas can be inspired by a new product or service that:

·         meets a need in the marketplace or improves society

·         improves the UMBC campus

·         engages more people in the arts and humanities

·         is part of a research project with commercial applications

·         is currently part of another class or team project
This is your chance to use your idea to win some cash! The top entries will be judged, live, by a panel of professionals and alumni along with a crowd of students at the final competition on April 18th

In many ways, starting a business will be nothing like what you expect. One founder reflects on his top five reality checks.

Entrepreneurs spend a ton of time learning about how to grow a business--but not nearly enough time questioning whether they should start one in the first place.

About six years ago, I founded WordStream. It’s a search marketing company with about 100 employees that's based in Boston, and I’m happy to say that we’re doing great. However, I admit that I naively started it with certain expectations in mind that really didn’t quite align with the reality of starting a business.

Here are five ways that my experience in starting and building a company turned out to be nothing like I had expected it to be:

Expectation No. 1: You’ll be your own boss.
One of the most common reasons for wanting to start a business is to be your own boss. But generally, if you take on investors as I did, you lose control of the company when you accept the venture capital dollars. And even if you don’t have to take on investors, your customers become your new boss--and they’re likely to be much more demanding than your old boss ever was. I’d argue that there’s actually less freedom and more responsibility involved in starting a business versus having a regular job.

Expectation No. 2: You’ll make tons of money.
Admit it: You hoped (or still hope) to make boatloads of money by growing and selling a business. That was one of my end goals, too.

But I soon learned that founding a business creates value that isn’t monetary. I didn’t realize that one of the most valuable aspects of having started a business is the social capital and learning experiences you pick up along the journey. The opportunities I’ve had to meet other company founders and discuss crazy business ideas are invaluable. So though it’s possible that you’ll make tons of money, be sure along the way to savor the insight you gain--about life and work--from the company you keep. It will help you put any failures in the proper context.

Expectation No. 3: You’ll get to do more of what you’re good at and interested in.
You might start a business to follow your passion. But as your business grows, you’ll inevitably find yourself doing less and less of whatever it was you started out doing, and focusing more on trying to find people smarter than you are to do a better job than you could have done. Also, keep in mind that even the most fun hobby can easily turn into work when it becomes your full-time job and livelihood. Ultimately, the most important aspect of your job as a company founder is less about doing stuff you love to do and more about building a team, and then nurturing and encouraging that team.

Expectation No. 4: You have nothing to lose.
I’ve found that in life, it’s a lot easier to just fly under the radar and keep your goals and achievements--and any failures to reach those goals--to yourself. It’s a way to avoid embarrassment and judgment. But when you start a business, you need to market it, and as a result, you’re putting yourself out there in a very public way. Because something like 80 percent of businesses fail in the first year, the odds are good you could go down in flames. And sadly, some people actually want you to fail. So you do have a lot to lose in terms of your own pride. The key is to stay positive, ignore the naysayers, and learn from your mistakes so that things work out better the next time around. Some serial founders start multiple companies, and look at each company as a learning experience, not a failure.

Expectation No. 5: Your big dream will become a reality.
Of all the items on my list, this expectation comes closest to being true. However, I greatly underestimated just how awesome it really is to show up at work and watch your company grow over time, and to watch the dream become a reality. Stuff like getting your first office, moving into a bigger, “real” office, having a company party to celebrate your achievements, getting recognized with an industry award, or even just having really happy customers--it’s impossible to anticipate or describe how great it feels.

Starting a company is a big undertaking. My goal here isn’t to encourage or discourage anyone from starting a business, but rather to challenge you to think more deeply about what’s behind your motivations to start a business. Most likely, it won’t be anything like you expect it to be--but it’s possible that it will be better than you ever imagined.

The CEO and co-founder of Ajax Union has won over hundreds of clients and hired dozens of employees using these basic tenets of smart leadership.

Ajax Union CEO Joe Apfelbaum warns business owners not to fear change nor feedback--both will fuel your company's growth. Here, he explains the best pieces of advice he's ever received.

Since Ajax Union started five years ago, it has been my goal to make a difference in doing business. We have worked to develop unique and innovative online marketing strategies for our clients. As a result, in just five years, we've grown to managing two offices with upwards of 60 employees working with hundreds of clients.

We're firm believers that marketing is all about testing; that said, here are three tips I've tested and learned while leading one of the fastest-growing companies in the United States.

1. Look to build relationships, not business. Relationships will bring youthe business.

If you remember one thing, it's this: Business is not just about sales. It's about meeting people. Making connections. And developing those connections into potential future business relationships.

People want to do business with someone they trust. Listen before you start talking about yourself. Focus on getting to know the person. And understand that it helps a great deal if you genuinely understand their industry. This will make the probability of engaging in business with them more feasible and realistic later on. It will also allow you to personify your own business--to humanize your company and show your clients that you care about them and want to help them succeed.

2. Survey everything; ask everyone.

It's not always what you think will sell or be attractive that's the best solution. Look at it this way: You are one person with one opinion. Look to your friends, colleagues, and associates for advice. Ask as many people as you can when surveying a new product, service or idea. Get input. Invite change and opinion.

It's very easy to get too embedded in a project. By divorcing yourself from a situation and asking for input, you're inherently working towards creating a stronger, better-developed idea. Welcome advice with open arms; reward creativity and carefully weigh opinions that are different than your own. Remember: "Different" does not mean "bad."

3. Embrace change.

The old, "tried-and-true" methods of business don't always work in a corporate culture this fast-paced. Rather than competing with the changing atmosphere, it's best to embrace the change--and even use it your advantage.

For instance, we're an online marketing agency. If we stuck to traditional print advertising, we could only help a small number of businesses achieve success. This applies with operations, sales and overall business methods. Stay on top of your own shifting landscape. For our part, we're constantly learning new techniques and discovering new technologies that help us stay ahead of the curve and reach the greatest number of people through the most mediums and venues that we possibly can.

Apply the same principle to your business: Test new software. Read up on new developments. Change is a little scary, but that doesn't mean you should cower from it. Face the times, change with the times, and be glad you did.

Joe Apfelbaum brings more than thirteen years to the online business, technology and marketing community. As CEO and co-founder of Ajax Union, he has been featured on Fox Business Network and was selected as a Certified Google Trainer.