Bungobox: Move. Unpack. Now give 'em back.

Bloomberg The Mentor

Jan. 30 (Bloomberg) -- "Bloomberg The Mentor" is back Tuesday February 21 at 9pm ET/PT. Tune in to see budding entrepreneurs get expert guidance from CEOs of some of the best-known companies in the nation. This week, CEO Mark Lore, who sold diapers.com for $570 million, gives cousins Bob and Tom Cannon advice on how to scale their shipping container business. (Source: Bloomberg)

BungoBoxes for Good

During the holiday season, the BungoBox team worked with the Ephraim Project, a non-profit organization in downtown Orlando, to collect clothing and other useful items for the homeless. Thanks to the support of Baker Barrios, CityArts, Consensus Communications, De Beaubien, Knight, Simmons, Mantzaris & Neal, Evny Labs, Foley & Lardner, Fry Hammond Barr, IZEA, Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission, Odyssey Creative, Olde Town Brokers, Paramount at Lake Eola, Knight, Resources Consulting Group, Solaire at the Plaza, Where Orlando/Orlando Magazine and Your Office, we donated 65 BungoBoxes -- that's more than 182 cubic feet of stuff! We couldn't have done it without the help of the downtown community.

If you'd like to volunteer for the Ephraim Project or donate items, please visit theephraimproject.org.

BungoBox announces franchise location in Denver

Orlando, Fla. (Dec. 23, 2011) - BungoBox, a plastic moving box rental company, has awarded a new BungoBox franchise in Denver, Colo., bringing the total number of BungoBox franchises in Canada and the U.S. to 12. 

BungoBox, founded in May 2009, rents reusable plastic boxes to save consumers time and money over traditional moving methods. The edgy and innovative company, with a slogan of “We Make Moving Less Sucky,” takes the hassle out of rounding of moving materials by delivering its stackable moving boxes to a customers’ doorstep. (A large box of about 2.5 cubic feet rents for $1.75 a week.) Once they’ve been unpacked, BungoBox picks them up at the new residence.

"Our boxes rent for a quarter a day, so you can pack up a two-bedroom apartment for less than $80 on a one-week minimum," says Tom Cannon, BungoBox co-founder and CEO. “It’s a simple concept that is transforming the moving industry.”

BungoBox, launched the franchise option in late 2010, and co-founders Tom and Bob Cannon were overwhelmed when they received more than 100 franchise applications. The fast growing, Orlando-based company has opened an average of one new location per month. 

“Things are moving even quicker than we could have expected,” says Cannon. “We have a list of more than 100 franchise prospects and investors from around the U.S., Canada and Western Europe. ”We don’t see the growth slowing down any time soon.”

About BungoBox:

BungoBox is an innovative company that is transforming the traditional moving process. Committed to helping consumers save time and money with an eco-friendly alternative to cardboard boxes, BungoBox has 12 locations (11 franchise locations and one corporate location). For more information, visit www.bungobox.com.

To download product photos, please visit www.bungobox.com/about/press.

Tom Cannon Elected to Orlando Inc. Board of Directors

Orlando, Fla. (Dec. 19, 2011) - BungoBox is proud to announce that Tom Cannon, BungoBox co-founder and CEO, was recently elected to serve on the board of directors for Orlando Inc., Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce. 

In this role, Cannon will work alongside Central Florida’s top business leaders to help guide the Orlando Regional Chamber into the future. Orlando, Inc. is one of four lines of business of the Central Florida Partnership and is specifically focused on Regional Entrepreneurship. A “Five-Star Chamber" - the highest level of achievement awarded by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce – they are positioned to serve the growing needs of businesses and entrepreneurs throughout the Central Florida Region. Working together with BusinessForce (Public Policy Advocacy), myregion.org (Regional Research & Resolves) and Leadership Orlando (Regional Leadership), the Central Florida Partnership is moving "Ideas to Results."

Based in Orlando, Fla., BungoBox is an innovative company that is transforming the traditional moving process. Committed to helping consumers save time and money with an eco-friendly alternative to cardboard boxes, BungoBox has 11 locations (ten franchise locations and one corporate location). For more information, visit www.bungobox.com.

BungoBox CEO meets with Kevin Harrington, star of ABC’s hit show Shark Tank

Kevin Harrington, star of ABC’s hit show Shark Tank, was in Orlando last month to take center stage at Orlando Inc’s B.I.G. Summit, a gathering of hundreds of business innovators. Harrington, and other “sharks” conducted a mock episode of the popular show. Local entrepreneur and CEO of BungoBox, Tom Cannon, pitched his company to the sharks and they loved it. Here's a bit more about Tom's experience:

What was it like being participating in Orlando Inc's Shark Tank at the BIG Summit? Were the judges responsive to your business plan? The experience was awesome; even better than expected. I thought it would be great to get the word out about BungoBox. The sharks have been awesome, we have been discussing possible investment with them.

Did anything about their feedback surprise you? Yes, I thought that I would get some great advise, which I did. However, the high level of interest in our company was a surprise. Mainly because we considered the event to be more of an exhibition. 

I understand that since you won the Shark Tank contest, you had the chance to sit with Kevin Harrington for some mentoring time. What is the number one tip that Kevin gave you? We have had the chance to sit with Kevin and his team on multiple occasions. They have a tremendous business acumen, and know how to scales businesses and products quickly. They number one tip: is to go for it and go big!

Other tips you found useful? The power of the team and having the right   investors with the right influence is a tremendous asset

Anything else you'd like to include? The event was awesome. The full results of the events are yet to be realized. I cannot express how appreciative we are that Orlando, Inc included us and we will be forever thankful. 

BungoBox partners with The Ephraim Project for clothing drive

This holiday season, BungoBox is partnering with the Ephraim Project, a faith-based Orlando nonprofit, to collect clothing for the homeless. If you are interested in donating items, drop by any of our collection points in downtown Orlando (see list below) before Dec. 19. Items that Ephraim especially needs include dress shoes, running shoes, work boots for men and women; jeans and underwear for men and women; belts, plastic coat hangers and razors and shaving cream.

"We have a passion to help those who are less fortunate," says Rachelle Petrescu, founder and president of The Ephraim Project. In addition to the year round clothing drive, her program offers bus passes, a resume service and aid in applying for food stamps and disability. 

If you would like to volunteer for the Ephraim Project, contact Rachelle “Ray” Hood at rachelle_hood@yahoo.com or 407-451-0242. For more information, visit www.theephraimproject.org.

Collection points:

CityArts
Fry Hammond Barr
IZEA
Knight
Metro Orlando Economic Development Commission
Odyssey Creative
Solaire at the Plaza
Morris Publications
Baker Barrios
Consensus Communications
Foley & Lardner
de Beaubien, Knight, Simmons, Mantzaris & Neal, LLP
Your Office
55 West
Envy Labs
Old Towne Brokers
Resources Consulting Group
Paramount at Lake Eola

Tom Battles the Sharks and BungoBox Wins

At the Orlando Inc’s B.I.G. Summit on  Nov. 10, hundreds of business innovators flocked to Full Sail University. And our fearless leader, Tom Cannon, CEO and cofounder of BungoBox took center stage during a mock episode of ABC’s hit show Shark Tank, which gives budding entrepreneurs the chance to pitch their products to a panel of acclaimed judges in hopes of turning their ideas into a successful business reality. Tom competed against two other great businesses and came out on top. Tom got a once in a lifetime opportunity as his prize. Tom was able to spend valuable one-on-one time with Kevin Harrington.

One of the “Sharks,” Kevin Harrington, chairman and founder of TVGoods, Inc., is known as a pioneer and principal architect of the infomercial industry. In 1984, he produced one of the industry’s first 30-minute infomercials. Since then, he has been involved with more than 500 product launches that resulted in sales of over $4 billion worldwide with 20 products that reached individual sales of over $100 million.

Education On the Go

With the tough economy locked tighter than a Vegas vault, it's no surprise that many small businesspeople are still proceeding carefully. Some, however, are doing quite the opposite. Like Tom Cannon. He launched his BungoBox franchise in May 2011 and went full steam ahead—without the operation falling apart.

In fact, his two-year-old company, which rents plastic reusable bins as an alternate to cardboard boxes for moving, has added at least 10 franchise locations in the past year alone (still counting). Plus, there are still hundreds of franchise applications to review. Even more, the company started making a profit after year one, a feat not easily accomplished, of course, in the boom-or-bust (mostly bust) world of entrepreneurship.

So, how has he kept up with all the growth? He’s gone back to school.

“You can take all the business classes in the world and still not be prepared for everything thrown at you when you become a business owner,” Cannon says. “By the time you have some years under your belt and start making money, well, it’s time to take some classes again.”

With that in mind, the 39-year-old recently completed a three-month program at Rollins College in Winter Park called the Rollins Business Accelerator. This new program is designed to help second-stage entrepreneurs evaluate strategy and develop a growth plan while maximizing cash flow for future profitability. It's surely not the only formal training available in Central Florida. With Orlando ranked as one of the “10 Best Cities to Start a Business,” according to Entrepreneur magazine, there is plenty of instruction to go around. In this instance, though, the Accelerator prompted Cannon to really think, well, outside the box.

“This class has given me the tools needed to harness the vision I have for my company,” adds Cannon. “The lessons learned from all involved have forever left a mark and will play an important role in our culture. I feel like we now have a distinct advantage when faced with any challenge or obstacle."

Classes, each accommodating up to 15 CEOs/presidents, are held at the Center for Advanced Entrepreneurship, in the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins. One hundred percent of the faculty have started, bought or run a successful business.

“We identified a gap of preparation in the market,” comments Cari Coats, the center's executive director. “We often get CEOs and/or presidents of entrepreneurial ventures [enrolling] in one of our MBA programs. We’ve noticed an upswing in the demand for business preparation skills by entrepreneurs.”

Not every entrepreneur, however, is able to afford the cost or have the time to enroll in a two-year MBA program. The Rollins Business Accelerator fills this void in the market, with no long-term commitment or significant capital investment required, says Coats, who also is president of C2 Advisors, a management consulting firm specializing in strategy, operations, governance, marketing and business development services for corporations and other enterprises.

“Recent graduates over the past four years of our program have been able to elect a concentration in entrepreneurship with their MBA program,” she says. “Graduates (who received their degree) prior to a few years ago (and) who have entered into an entrepreneurial venture since graduating may feel they need a mini-MBA primer intensely focused on running [their] own venture.”

And, in case no one has noticed, entrepreneurship is to the economy as fuel is to an engine. It makes things move. Big picture: Who would debate that entrepreneurship (and innovation) will be crucial to the nation’s economic revival and competitiveness in a global marketplace?

At the Rollins Business Accelerator, students are assigned a professional coach, who has a successful entrepreneurial track record and helps them learn about relevant topics such as how to position their company for growth, how to lead their organization, how to obtain capital to fund growth and who to negotiate with. During the comprehensive three-month program, entrepreneurs work on their business and leave with a development and planning process they can use as a tool for ongoing growth.

“Ultimately, it’s a place that fosters support and inspiration,” Cannon says. “The ability to work on my business with the nationally ranked Crummer faculty, who have been there and done that, and with dynamic classmates was certainly a game changer.”

Cannon contends that he walked away with a good assessment of the current status of BungoBox, the competition and the market. Now, he believes, he's ready to make better decisions about the continued growth of his company.

“It definitely helped me hone in on my strategic thinking and get advice from people who’ve been in my situation and come out on top,” he concludes. “It’s is a must for any business owner.”

Published in Florida Forward
November 10, 2011
By Sarah Sekula

Tom speaks at the The UCF Center for Entrepreneurship

Tom will be speaking to a group of entrepreneurs at The UCF Center for Entrepreneurship tonight. As part of the UCF Incubation Program’s Excellence in Entrepreneurship Certificate Course, participants will learn from successful business leaders like Tom who have created innovative companies in Central Florida. 

If you’d like to book Tom or Bob Cannon for your next event, please contact Sarah Sekula at sarah.sekula@bungobox.com.

For more about the UCF Business Incubation Program, visit http://www.incubator.ucf.edu.

BungoBox: An Eco Friendly Alternative to Cardboard Boxes for Moving