First Level Entertainment Group, Inc. is a mobile app development company founded in 2008 that focuses on monetizing apps through multiple platforms. It has signed licensing deals with over 15 celebrities and is launching its first app, VIPWINK, in early 2013. The challenges of the fast-changing technology landscape and developing a viable revenue model. The owner's goals for the future include developing 5 apps by the end of 2014 and being profitable in the first quarter of 2014.

1. Small Business Owner
Interview
Steven Berman, my dad, owner of First Level
Entertainment Group Inc.
Interviewed by: Zach Berman
Nichols College, Business & Society (MGMT-
100-08)

2. Describe the entrepreneur’s
company
First Level Entertainment Group, Inc. is a development stage company emphasizing entertainment
through the development of mobile applications.
Q. Type of business structure (Sole proprietorship, Partnership or Limited Liability Partnership, LLC, S
Corporation, C-corporation)
Public Corporation (non-trading, fully reporting)
Q. Why did they choose this structure instead of another?
The best structure to raise capital and provide an exit strategy.
Q. Product or service
First Level Entertainment Group, Inc. is in an early stage of development company in the emerging
mobile applications (apps) market focusing on the monetization of mobile apps through multiple
platforms and concepts. We are currently developing five (5) mobile apps. The first is scheduled to
launch in the 1st quarter of 2013 and can reviewed at www.vipwink.me
Q. How long they have been in business?
We were incorporated under the laws of the State of Florida on June 2, 2008.

3. Background of Business
Q. How did they get started?
The three founders met through a mutual friend and all had a desire to combine their talents and enter
the mobile technology apps market.
Q. How did they finance their purchase of the business?
To date the company has been privately funded.
Q. Why did they start the business?
To develop unique solutions and make money.
Q. What is the owner’s training or background in the business?
There are three active board members. Two have backgrounds in venture capital and the third is a
serial entrepreneur.
Q. How does the company today compare to the company when it started?
Completely different. Originally the company was pursuing opportunities in digital music. In
November of 2011, the company changed its business model and core products and development
projects.

4. Successes
Q. What have been the successes?
The company has signed licensing deals with over 15 highly recognized celebrities, is
launching its first app, VIPWINK early next year, and has submitted the first of three
patent applications.
Q. What is the most rewarding aspect of running the business?
Having an idea, often an idea others don’t quite see, pursuing it, risking a lot in the
process and then enjoying the success, or sometimes plotting a different course when
you fail.
Q. Why?
It’s in our blood. We love to create and build something.
Q. What are the critical success factors for this type of business?
There are several. First to market, be well capitalized and protecting the IP if at all
possible.

5. Challenges
Q. What have been the challenges?
The technology is changing so fast. You could build something that becomes irrelevant before it’s completed, yet you
have no invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in software development.
Q. What is the most challenging aspect of running the business?
The many hats you wear throughout the day.
Q. Why?
Some situations require patience and a softer approach. Others the complete opposite.
Q. How did they overcome the challenges?
You quickly discover who is best at what and don’t let your ego get in the way of letting someone else do something
that you would like to do, but they are better at it.
Q. What are the fatal flaws in this type of business?
The technology is changing rapidly, the model of how to generate revenue is a work in progress and there are a lot of
unknowns. More so than any other vertical.

6. Competition
Q. Who do you consider two of your closest competitors?
Any 16 to 20 year old, probably on a beach in California that
writes code and has ideas.
Q. How does the business try to achieve competitive advantage?
With VIPWINK, the celebrities we are signing up are “the
franchise”. With three of the other mobile apps, we believe they
can be patented.
Q. How do you keep your customers satisfied? How do you build
customer loyalty?
Asking them what they want, and then building it when we have
a consensus and there are business economics to support that.

7. Marketing/Staffing
Q. What type of strategies do you employ to market your
business?
A combination of mobile as well as highly target SEO
and PPC campaigns.
Q. When considering new employees for your
business, what type of qualities and fit are you looking
for?
Passion, out of the box thinker, someone smarter
than me.

8. The Future
Q. Does the owner plan to stay in business for the
extended future and, if so, what are some of their future
plans/goals for the business?
Develop five (5) apps by the end of 2014, be profitable
by the 1st quarter of 2014, and secure at least one
patent on one of our current mobile apps.

9. Unique Questions
Q. How did you come up with the VIPWINK APP idea?
I was talking to a famous NFL football player, and
after he shared his concerns about Twitter I had the
original concept for VIPWINK.
Q. Which of your apps do you think could be most
successful?
Without question, AMITHERE…it could turn the mall
industry upside down.

10. Unique Questions (Cont.)
Q. What’s been the response from celebrities to the
VIPWINK app?
They love it, they will finally have a way to monetize
their millions of followers and determine who THEIR
true fans are.

11. Summary
Don’t ANYONE ever tell you your idea is stupid. It
might be, but come to your own conclusion. If you
determine your crazy idea just might be a good one,
THEN you need to make sure there solid business
economics. What I mean, is not every great idea will
make enough money to support the cost of pursuing
it.