Female Internet Hero Eileen Gittins' Expansion Plans for Blurb

Eileen Gittins likes to take photographs. In 2003, she had what she thought was a great collection that she wanted to use for a book to give 35 friends and family members.

One little problem ? the price tag for doing that would be a jaw-dropping $10,000. Gittins thought that given the technology available at the time, it should not be so hard to produce that book. She set up Blurb to solve that problem.

One of the first questions Gittins decided to address is whether there was a business opportunity in solving this problem.

To answer that, she decided to focus on three questions (her answers to each follow):

  • Was the market opportunity big enough? After numerous face-to-face meetings with potential customers, she concluded that there was an unmet need for the service she wanted to offer. And she believed that the rise of social media and digital cameras would make it easier for people to create and promote their books.
  • Could the company make money on ?a book of one?? She decided that by analyzing the costs of the current publishing model and reconfiguring those activities ? for example, by outsourcing book production ? Blurb could lower the costs of producing a book significantly. 
  • Would she go to jail? Gittins realized that if there was a chance that Blurb might be sued for copyright infringement the company would never be able to raise venture capital. Thanks in part to her conversations with legal experts about the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, she concluded that her potential legal liability would be small.

Blurb has gained considerable market traction. By 2010, it had delivered 1.4 million books to 74 countries on five continents.

Blurb has 725,000 paying customers ? it typically charges $12.95 for a 40-page book and it pays authors between $8 and $10 per book in a markup. By the end of 2010, it paid a cumulative total of $2 million in such markups to its authors.

Turning Blurb into a real company took cash and Gittens has raised $19 million worth since 2005. Blurb?s investors include Anthem Venture Partners and Canaan Partners.

Now that Blurb is profitable and has ?double digit millions? in the bank earning zero percent interest, it has been turning down interest from venture firms.

However, recent changes in the industry are spurring Blurb?s desire to expand globally ? and such expansion will require significant capital. Gittins pointed out that in the last several years, eBooks and tablets have emerged as important form factors for consuming books.  Moreover, Gittins believes that 45% of the volume opportunity will come from outside the U.S.

To capture that global opportunity, Blurb initially entered the French market where ?there is a huge cultural love for photography.?  Blurb localized the web site in France and printed books in the Netherlands. Its French site grew 101% in seven months and Blurb will be launching a localized version in Germany in June 2011.

Over the next 18 months Gittins wants to expand even more. Blurb is now considering opening up into the so-called BRIC countries as well as expanding operations in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

She also wants to develop ways for customers to distribute their books on Apple (AAPL) iPads and eBook platforms like the Barnes & Noble?s (BKS) NOOK and Amazon?s (AMZN) Kindle.

To achieve these goals will require Blurb to double the number of its engineers and designers from 40 to 80 and to create teams that can go into the new countries and build a local version of Blurb effectively and quickly. And financing all this will require more capital ? Gittins hopes to raise at least $25 million in June 2011.

Gittins is spending a significant amount of her time on the team and company culture. She pointed out that when she built her initial team, she knew she would be setting the tone for the company as it grew. To that end, she wanted to make sure she could hire very experienced people who she and their staff would be able to trust.

When she hires, she looks for people who have a passion. Gittins is passionate about photography but she would be happy to hire someone with a different passion ? say, para-sailing. 

In Gittins? view, passion is important because Blurb customers are passionate about publishing their books and she believes that Blurb employees must share that passion in order for the company to succeed.

As Blurb reaches for global growth, that passion is likely to help Gittins achieve her ambitious goals and generate a return for her investors.

This article was written by Peter Cohan at Forbes Woman, a The NextWomen partner.  See their website here.

Source: http://www.thenextwomen.com/2011/05/25/female-internet-hero-eileen-gittins-expansion-plans-blurb

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Justin Bieber & Selena Gomez: Maui Beach Lovin'

Living the good life as they continue their break from the chaotic world of superstardom, Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez enjoyed a leisurely day at the beach in Maui, Hawaii on Thursday (May 26).

The "Monte Carlo" cutie looked svelte and sexy in a pink bikini as she lovingly held hands with her "Baby" hitmaker beau, who sported a pair of swim trunks as he strolled the shoreline with his lady.

Tweeting a short but sweet message to his millions of followers, Justin contently wrote, "sunshine...aint complaining"

Bieber also showed off his new ink job, as his body is now adorned by two tattoos - one being a small bird on his waist while the other is a vertical Hebrew inscription down his side which reads, ?Yeshua,? meaning Jesus.

The cute couple flew to the islands on Monday morning (May 23), with the vacation coming the day after Justin was named Top New Artist at the 2011 Billboard Music Awards.

Source: http://celebrity-gossip.net/justin-bieber/justin-bieber-selena-gomez-maui-beach-lovin-509432

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X Factor 2011: Cilla Black, Dannii Minogue, JLS, Louis Walsh and Beverley Knight speak about Cheryl Cole?s sacking!

Home > X Factor 2011 > X Factor 2011: Cilla Black, Dannii Minogue, JLS, Louis Walsh and Beverley Knight speak about Cheryl Cole?s sacking!

Cheryl Cole may be devastated by the news that she will not be allowed to continue as a judge on the X Factor USA, however, the news has definitely shored up support for the singer in the UK.

Legions of the singer?s fans have taken to Twitter to support the ?Promise This? singer and this morning, an unlikely celebrity also spoke out in support of the Geordie princess.

Speaking on Daybreak about her reaction to the news that Cole would be returning to the UK

My gut reaction, my first reaction was shock and then I felt incredibly sorry because she has obviously banked a lot on making it in America and then the other emotion that I felt, I thought why?

Her former fellow judge Dannii Minogue ? who recently announced her decision to step down from the UK version ? took to Twitter to support Cole writing:

Judging roles should come with a life jacket, drop down oxygen and a life raft!
Sending #Channii love

Marvin Humes from JLS told The Mirror:

?It?s quite disappointing, obviously. Cheryl is an incredibly strong woman ? she has been through a lot ? and I think she will bounce back from this ? no problem.?

And Louis Walsh, the only original judge remaining on the ITV series wants her back and said:

?I?m surprised about what happened to Cheryl in the US but yes I?d like her back on the UK show.

?I think she should return and I think most viewers feel the same. She?s a great asset.

But soul singer Beverley Knight wasn?t so sympathetic. She thought the former Girls Aloud star fails to ?cut it? pure and simple and tweeted:

The girl can?t cut it. Simple, and luckily for her she?s been sacked b4 she embarrassed herself on US tv. Poor sod! Xxxx

Do you think Cheryl deserved this? Leave your comments below!

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Unreality/~3/oe0lq8EFSDc/

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Snoop Dogg's probation ends

26 May 2011

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Snoop Dogg has had his probation for drug and gun possession ended 11 months early.

Snoop Dogg has had his probation ended early.

The 'Drop It Like It's Hot' rapper was sentenced to 60 months probation and 800 hours of community service in 2007 for allegedly possessing a gun and marijuana but a judge has ruled he now only has to complete 49 months, which he has done.

Snoop's lawyer Donald Etra told gossip website TMZ, he's "pleased" the court granted the rapper's petition.

a couple of run-ins and scenarios had led to his original ban, but insisted there is still a mutual love

In 2008, Snoop had his UK ban "overturned".

The star - who was refused entry to the country in 2007 after being arrested and cautioned following a brawl at London's Heathrow Airport in 2006 - said: "I was wrongfully accused and now I've been accepted back in. The decision was overturned. A judge found me innocent and now I'm able to go back there. So, everybody in the UK, big Snoop Dogg will be back to come give you all what you want."

The rapper, real name Calvin Broadus, claimed "a couple of run-ins and scenarios" had led to his original ban, but insisted there is still a "mutual love" between him and his British fans.

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Source: http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/celebrity/Snoop+Dogg-39363.html

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Oprah relaxing in PJs 'all day' after talk show ends

Oprah Winfrey is settling into a new life that doesn't include her talk show.

Frederick M. Brown, Getty

Oprah Winfrey is settling into a new life that doesn't include her talk show.

Over the course of 25 years and 4,561 shows, Oprah Winfrey never once called out sick.

So what is the media maven doing the day after her final "Oprah" show aired?

Relaxing, of course!

"Staying in pj's all day," Winfrey tweeted Thursday.

Among her other plans were "Getting hair braided for summer vaca" and "Reading all ur emails."

PHOTOS: OPRAH'S STYLE EVOLUTION

She added that she had already watched best friend Gayle King's eponymous OWN show with longtime beau Stedman Graham.

And, at the time many viewers on the East Coast would normally settle in to catch her legendary talk show, she advised fans to watch "The Gayle King Show" from 4 to 6 p.m. instead.

After the conclusion of her farewell show Wednesday, Winfrey had just a few words to offer on Twitter.

"Thanks tweeps," she said. "WE DID IT!"

Source: http://feeds.nydailynews.com/~r/nydnrss/gossip/~3/JZOYMKA-rXo/2011-05-26_oprah_winfrey_relaxing_in_pajamas_all_day_after_iconic_talk_show_ends.html

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First Image Of R-Patz In Cosmopolis!

R Patz In Cosmopolis

Check out the first picture from Cronenberg's Cosmopolis!

That's the yummy R-Patz who is playing Eric Packer, and next to him is Sarag Gadon who plays the character Elise.

David Cronenberg is one the best directors working out there right now, and we're sure what he's got up his sleeve for this story will NOT disappoint:

Cosmopolis is the story of 28 year old Eric Packer, a multi-billionaire asset manager who makes an odyssey across midtown Manhattan in order to get a haircut. His quest is complicated by the presidential motorcade, a gang of violent anarchists and a funeral procession for a famous hip-hop star. Meanwhile, his vast fortune rests on the value of the yen, which he continually monitors from the comfort of his stretch limo.

See? Doesn't that sound awesome??

And if you've seen A History of Violence or the little known one he did called eXistenZ with Jude Law, you know what R-Patz is getting himself into!

Can't wait for the trailer, guys!

[Image via YFrog.]

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

R Patz In Cosmopolis

Check out the first picture from Cronenberg's Cosmopolis!

That's the yummy R-Patz who is playing Eric Packer, and next to him is Sarag Gadon who plays the character Elise.

David Cronenberg is one the best directors working out there right now, and we're sure what he's got up his sleeve for this story will NOT disappoint:

Cosmopolis is the story of 28 year old Eric Packer, a multi-billionaire asset manager who makes an odyssey across midtown Manhattan in order to get a haircut. His quest is complicated by the presidential motorcade, a gang of violent anarchists and a funeral procession for a famous hip-hop star. Meanwhile, his vast fortune rests on the value of the yen, which he continually monitors from the comfort of his stretch limo.

See? Doesn't that sound awesome??

And if you've seen A History of Violence or the little known one he did called eXistenZ with Jude Law, you know what R-Patz is getting himself into!

Can't wait for the trailer, guys!

[Image via YFrog.]

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/inspirationally/CelebrityGossipNewsHeadlines/~3/nptrVM51afQ/

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Kim Kardashian Celebrates Her Engagement in Monaco

Kim Kardashian Celebrates Her Engagement in Monaco | Kim Kardashian, Kris Humphries

Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian

Todd Williamson/WireImage

Talk about a whirlwind!

After getting engaged on May 18, Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries touched down in Monaco on Thursday for a planned family vacation with the basketball star and his family.

"I wanted to propose before the trip so we could really spend some quality time together with my family as a couple," Humphries, 26, tells PEOPLE. "I planned it out this way."

Adds Kardashian: "We're celebrating ? on a family vacation with them."

The couple, who plan to marry this summer, will spend quality time together before Humphries begins his fall basketball season.

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Source: http://feeds.people.com/~r/people/headlines/~3/Lbxbt_v3_yk/0,,20497968,00.html

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New digs for ex-IMF head accused of rape attempt

NEW YORK -- Former International Monetary Fund leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn is now living in a posh, four-bedroom brick town house in an upscale Manhattan neighborhood where he will remain under house arrest as he awaits trial on charges he tried to rape a hotel maid.

The stately red brick town home in Tribeca rents for a cool $50,000 a month or, for those looking to settle, is on the market for $13,995,000.

But, despite the home theater, gym, waterfall showers, Japanese paper walls, fireplace and renovations featuring the "finest materials and craftsmanship," Strauss-Kahn is a prisoner, his every movement monitored electronically, armed guards and cameras watching him around the clock. He will be allowed out for court, doctor's visits and religious services. Prosecutors must be notified at least six hours before he goes anywhere, and he can't be out between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Under the terms of his house arrest, he can receive up to four visitors at a time besides family.

Strauss-Kahn's attorneys, meanwhile, claimed Thursday that media leaks from the New York Police Department could lead to an unfair trial. The NYPD had no comment.

The lawyers said the prosecutor's office is not to blame, but they're hoping it help stop leaks. In a letter to District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, they also requested scientific reports and the accuser's statements to police. They said the defense may request a hearing if leaks continue.

At the townhouse where Strauss-Kahn

is staying, security is being managed by Stroz Friedberg, the same company that handled house arrest for disgraced financier Bernard Madoff. Strauss-Kahn's agreement is expected to cost him about $200,000 a month.

The one-time French presidential contender was smiling as he got into a gray SUV under tight security Wednesday evening. The new space is in Tribeca, about a mile away from where he was staying, according to a person familiar with his housing arrangements. The person was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The building, which has five bathrooms, is on a cobblestone street and is close to the courthouse where Strauss-Kahn will attend hearings.

Attorney William Taylor told reporters Wednesday that his client was "doing fine" under house arrest.

"Not much he can do," Taylor said.

Strauss-Kahn is free on $1 million bail under strict house arrest after prosecutors feared he might flee given his international status and wealth. He spent about a week in jail on Rikers Island after he was arrested May 14 following accusations that he sexually assaulted a hotel maid in his room at the Sofitel near Manhattan's Times Square. His lawyers maintain Strauss-Kahn is not guilty.

Bail plans hit a snag late last week when tenants at the Upper East Side apartment building initially secured for his house arrest refused to accept him because of unwanted media attention. He was briefly housed at a high-rise near Wall Street, where a throng of media has been camped out at the building, broadcasting as his wife, former journalist Anne Sinclair, entered and left the building.

The town house includes jetted tubs and steam showers, an oversized skylight and a fireplace. A large terrace includes potted plants, a gas grill and Japanese paper walls for privacy.

Court officials confirmed that a new location had been agreed upon Wednesday for the economist, but didn't give any details. Spokesman David Bookstaver said only that the judge had approved the plan. The attorneys in the case filed court papers late in the day, but the judge didn't immediately release them.

The Manhattan District Attorney's office didn't comment.

Strauss-Kahn was pulled from a jetliner bound for Paris after the 32-year-old West African immigrant reported the encounter to hotel staff. She told police she entered his room around noon and he emerged from the bathroom naked, and then chased her around his luxury suite before grabbing her and forcing her to perform oral sex on him.

Earlier this week, people familiar with the investigation told the that evidence found on the woman's work clothing matched Strauss-Kahn's DNA.

It was the first forensic evidence to link Strauss-Kahn to the woman -- and it's also on track with what his lawyers have suggested would be his defense.

Meanwhile, the district attorney's office has beefed up its team by adding two senior prosecutors to the case against Strauss-Kahn, according to The New York Times. The report, which appeared on the Times website late Wednesday, cited several people briefed on the matter.

Strauss-Kahn resigned nearly a week ago from the IMF, a powerful international institution that lends billions of dollars to troubled countries.

In his resignation he said he wanted to protect the institution.

"To all, I want to say that I deny with the greatest possible firmness all of the allegations that have been made against me," he said.


Associated Press writers Karen Zraick and Jennifer Peltz contributed to this report.

Source: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_18146780?source=rss

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Lindsay Lohan turns herself in for house arrest

Lindsay Lohan was fingerprinted at the women's county jail in Lynwood, Calif. early Thursday.

Mario Anzuoni/Pool

Lindsay Lohan was fingerprinted at the women's county jail in Lynwood, Calif. early Thursday.

Lindsay Lohan is under house arrest.

After slipping out of her bikini top in the rough surf off Miami beach this week, Lohan quietly slipped into the booking center of the women's county jail in Lynwood, Calif., around 5 a.m. Thursday.

Lohan was fingerprinted in an over-the-counter booking process that didn't include a mugshot, a sheriff's spokesman said.

"She's going to do about 35 days," spokesman Steve Whitemore told the Daily News. "She's confined to her home with an ankle monitoring bracelet, though the court can make exceptions to her confinement if it wishes."

Lohan, 24, drove to the jail with her lawyer Shawn Holley, he said.

Holley brokered the plea deal that is sparing Lohan an extended stay behind bars like the two weeks she served last July for a probation violation in her DUI case.

Lohan recently pleaded no contest to misdemeanor theft after taking a diamond necklace from a Venice, Calif., jewelry store without paying for it.

The judge ordered her to begin serving a 120-day sentence no later than June 17, and the early surrender means she should be finished just in time to celebrate her 25th birthday on July 2.

The starlet will then try to complete 480 hours of community service before jetting off to New York for her upcoming role in the new Gotti family biopic starring John Travolta.

ndillon@nydailynews.com

Source: http://feeds.nydailynews.com/~r/nydnrss/gossip/~3/Af6FBAMuhD0/2011-05-26_lindsay_lohan_turns_herself_in_to_begin_house_arrest_fitted_with_ankle_monitorin.html

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