Exciting Times at Flyer Enterprises

The past two months have been very exciting ones for Flyer Enterprises:



In mid-September, six FE executives took a road trip up to Georgetown University to visit members of their student-run business The Corp. We spent all day Friday touring their divisions, discussing common issues and challenges that we face in our similar positions, as well as opportunities for future growth, and we even had time to have a little fun. We also learned a lot from them about their new employee orientation, much of which we applied in the creation of the new FE 101 program. FE originally bench marked off of The Corp when the company was created in 2001, and it has been amazing to see how we have grown since then! FE and The Corp are hoping to continue our increased collaboration to help benefit both companies in the future.

At the beginning of October, Flyer Enterprises was given the opportunity to present at the University of Dayton's Board of Trustees Meeting. During this presentation, we outlined where the company has come from, where we are now, and how we benefit UD students, the university as a whole, and the Dayton community. We received very positive feedback on our presentation and seemed to have really wow-ed the trustees with how cool the FE experience really is. In addition to our presentation, we were asked by the School of Business to create a video describing the benefits of Flyer Enterprises, which can be seen on youtube.com at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg6zhZNKFjI.

The first ever FE 101 session was held on October 18th. During this orientation, new hires were able to learn about FE history, our vision, mission, and corporate values, our current divisions and organizational structure, and what it truly means to be an FE employee. They were also able to get to know each other a little bit more and hear testimonials from several different employees within the company about their experiences.

Lastly, our Directors of Merchandise/Marketing at all of our eight divisions have worked hard to create the first ever company-wide marketing promotion. These "FE passports" were given out to over 1000 students. If these students visit all seven FE divisions (not including FE Catering), they will receive a sticker. Once their passport is filled with FE stickers, they can then turn it in for a chance to win a 26 inch TV with a built-in DVD player. This is the first time we have attempted a company-wide marketing promotion and we are excited to see how successful it is.

Overall, FE is doing some pretty cool things right now! We are looking to expand learning opportunities, creating a few new positions, and continuing to make FE bigger and better than ever before. Stay tuned for more updates!

Re-Opening Old Doors and New Ones Too

In May, as students packed up their belongings and said bye to UD for the summer, some FE divisions packed up as well. But as the doors to some divisions closed shop for the summer, FE executives and managers were still hard at work. After months of hard work and planning and even a little bit of rest, FE was anxious to reopen its doors to the returning UD students. Not only did FE reopen its divisions, but out of the hard summer's work came a new FE division, the adoption of a new philanthropy, and a new logo.

New Division: FE Catering

Flyer Enterprises is proud to announce the opening of it's eighth division, FE Catering. FE Catering had a grand opening event on Monday, August 17, 2009 at the Taste of Dayton. FE Catering combined the catering options offered by The Blend/Blend Express and ArtStreet Cafe into a single operation to better provide for the campus community. For more information, visit http://www.catering.flyerenterprises.com/!

New Philanthropy: Flyer Consulting

Flyer Enterprises has adopted Flyer Consulting as its philanthropy. Flyer Consulting opened operations in August 2009 in association with Flyer Enterprises. Flyer Consulting is a University of Dayton student-run organization that provides consulting services for non-profits in the Dayton area. Flyer Enterprises will not directly advise area nonprofits, but will volunteer its time, resources and expertise to help Flyer Consulting's success.

New Logo:

Thanks to collaboration with members of the Visual Communication and Design's Corporate Identity course, Flyer Enterprises was able to choose a new logo from many impressive options. We are hoping that this new logo helps to increase FE's brand on campus and beyond, as well as to strengthen our corporate identity across all of our divisions.

As always, please visit our website http://www.flyerenterprises.com/ for more information about FE. Stay tuned for more blog entries soon!

Hi, my name is Lauren and I'm a list-oholic.

I love lists. I make lists for groceries I need to buy, books I want to read, movies I'd like to see, places I hope to go, and of course... things I need to do.

The "To-Do" List is most definitely my favorite list. Between work and school, my TDLs more often take up notebook pages than post-it notes. But, no matter how long the list, nothing beats the satisfaction of crossing off an item - from a "To Do" to a "Did That."

Curious what my "To-Do" List looks like on a typical day? I'll give you a sneak peek...

TUESDAY TDL:

1. Website Edits - Our new site (www.flyerenterprises.com) is finally launched! It does still have a few minor errors; we'll take care of them this week.
2. Prep for final round of Exec interviews - We'll be making decisions by the end of the week!
   
3. Submit nominee for D. Flaute Leadership Award - This award goes to a graduating senior who has excelled in their role with FE and gone "above and beyond the job description." We have the perfect candidate!
4. Update schedule for LDP - The Leadership Development Program is a class taught by the CEO (that's me!) to a group of high-potential freshman students. The students learn about the fundamentals of FE, the various functions of business, and ways to develop their own leadership styles.
   
5. Alumni Weekend Prep - We have about 20 FE alumni coming in town this weekend and could not be more excited! I need to finish a presentation for Saturday's reception.
6. Check with Margaret on BOD date - Our third quarter Board of Directors Meeting is scheduled for the end of February; I want to be sure the Dean can attend.
7. Schedule meeting with HRs and MGT 405 Prof - A professor of mine is going to help out our Human Resources Directors in developing a new training program called "FE 101" for all new hires
8. Blog!! - Yes, this is on my list.
9. Contact Rachel at UPenn - FE has been invited to attend the UPenn Student Agencies Conference in March! I'm finalizing travel plans to send 4 members of our Exec team.
10. Confirm date for FE semi-formal - Work hard, play hard!
11. Homework and studying! - Must remember we are students first...
    

Just a day in the life!

What do you mean, 'student run'?

Don't know much about Flyer Enterprises? I'd be happy to share.

Flyer Enterprises is a student-run business at the University of Dayton. That means that all 166 of our employees, from the sales associates to the CEO, are undergraduate students. With seven different divisions and over $1.4 million in annual revenue, this makes Flyer Enterprises one of the top student-run businesses in the country (compared competitively to similar programs at Harvard, Princeton, and Georgetown.)

FE's seven divisions serve the UD community in many different ways. The Blend and Blend Express provide a daily dose of caffeine to latte-loving students and faculty in Roesch Library and Miriam Hall. ArtStreet Cafe serves the best paninis, soups, and salads on campus and is located in the heart of the student neighborhood. The Galley's ice-cream and snacks provide the perfect between-classes break in Kennedy Union. Many students' trips to the RecPlex aren't complete without a 5-mile run on the treadmill and a fresh fruit smoothie from The CHILL. Freshman living up the hill in the Stuart Hall dorms are grateful for Stuart's Landing's late-night hours and wide variety of food and convenience items. Finally, Flyer Spirit provides the community with UD apparel, gifts, and housewares... everything you need to be a Flyers fan! Customers can even order online at http://www.flyerspirit.com/!

In addition to the seven divisions, Flyer Enterprises also created the IT Group about a year ago. The IT Group provides financial reporting services to the divisions as well as general support for FE. They also created the Flyer Spirit website and are working on revamping http://www.flyerenterprises.com/!

Each division of Flyer Enterprises has 2-3 managers who are responsible for the venture's daily operations. Management positions include General Manager, Human Resources Director, and Director of Merchandise. The Executive Team consists of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Chief Information Officer (CIO), Vice President of Accounting, and four divisional Presidents.

Four times a year, the Exec Team presents to Flyer Enterprises' Board of Directors. The BOD is made up of faculty and University administrators who provide strategic guidance. The chairman of the Board also acts as an advisor for the Executive Team.

Flyer Enterprises offers experiential learning unlike anything else!

Bringing Blogging Back...

We at Flyer Enterprises are approaching the busiest time of the year... interviewing season! Signs of the season have already begun to appear: gCal invites indicating early mornings and late nights, folders full of resumes, boxes of chocolate-covered espresso beans and hangers of suits, making MH303 look more like a closet than an office.

Naturally, this seems like a good time to add to my "to do" list and start a blog! I originally set up exams&execs for an Internet Marketing class last semester, but didn't stick with it. Starting now, I hope to use this blog to keep YOU (employees, alumni, customers, faculty, friends, classmates, stalkers, etc) updated on the wonderful world of Flyer Enterprises at the University of Dayton!

Please feel free to comment - I'd love to hear from you!