Social Media: Big Business for Small Business

December 22, 2015 by Greg Sarangoulis

Big box stores and franchises have all but erased the need for small business in the age of internet. Perhaps erased is hyperbole; small business is on the rise in almost all states in the U.S., according to a very recent study from the Kauffman Foundation. Yet, the abundance of options today has certainly has made it harder to simply “build it and they will come.” In 2015, just as in the late 90s and early 2000s, where it was imperative for businesses to create a website and email address, as more people began to communicate online, businesses of all sizes must establish an online presence through social media if they hope to thrive in today’s market.

More than 60% of internet users, 2.078 billion people, have an active social media account. Hence, it’s probably likely that most small business owners have a personal account, themselves, and are aware of how it works. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see personal profiles on social giants like Facebook and its subsidiary, Instagram, sharing information about their businesses or trying to sell products and services, using relationships with their personal networks as a business opportunity. While that has its place, for sure, it is not the optimal way to leverage social media for your company.

Not all small business are in the dark, of course. A study from LinkedIn suggests that 81% of small businesses have created a page on a social platform, most of them (94%) for marketing purposes. However, that means there are at least 5 million business not taking advantage of the opportunities available for everyone. Branding and advertising on social media are attractive to small businesses with comparatively small budgets, because unlike most other ways of marketing your business, social profiles are usually free, but reach large audiences. Of those audiences, majority of them are looking for products online, first, before deciding to spend money. If you’re not there, you’re not a part of that conversation.

Thus, it’s imperative to begin thinking strategically about branding your business on social media. This requires knowing how each site works, and what type of people use it most, to determine whether it makes sense for your business in particular. From there, create goals about what you hope to accomplish with your profile. It could be anything from creating brand awareness, driving traffic to your website, or building a community of people with whom you share information, as a reward for loyalty to your product. There are other steps listed in this comprehensive article, which include ways to engage your audience rather than merely gain a following.

Regardless of what your product is, what site you choose to be a part of, or what you hope to accomplish online, the undeniable reality is that your business should definitely have its own a social media account. The trends and use of such only continue to grow. Put your company in a position to grow with it rather than to be left behind.

Filed Under: Advice, Business, Entrepreneurship, Greg Sarangoulis Tagged With: advice, benefits, business, greg sarangoulis, growth, marketing, social media

Greg Sarangoulis & Advantage Point Student Apartments: The Home to New Homes

October 22, 2015 by Greg Sarangoulis

Advantage Point Student Apartments – Home to New Homes from Greg Sarangoulis

Filed Under: Business, Greg Sarangoulis, Real Estate Tagged With: advantage point, apartments, real estate, student life

Three Characteristics of Excellent Entrepreneurs

September 4, 2015 by Greg Sarangoulis

No matter how you conceptualize the definition of success, most experts agree that a number of common attributes are nearly universal among successful businesspeople. A lucky few are surely born possessing the perfect cocktail of characteristics to ensure success in the market of their choice, but never fret. Even if you do not believe yourself to be among that exalted minority, these traits are all more often learned than not. Practice and conscious effort to develop the right set of skills can transform any hard worker into the kind of individual more than qualified to helm their own business venture.

Know What You Love

What you invest in your business is what you will get out of it. This extends from emotional satisfaction to financial gain and beyond. Therefore, if you do not love the work that you do, it is likely that you will struggle putting in the extra hours when that time comes. There is no substitute for sincere passion. Love what you are doing to increase your chances of success and guarantee that no matter what happens, at least you had a good time giving it your all.

Go All In

To be successful, you need to truly believe in the value of what you and your team are bringing to the table. Many entrepreneurs are easily side-tracked or lose motivation, especially in the beginning, when most of the future business they are aspiring to create is still just an aspirational dream. Know when it is time to keep your nose to the grindstone and get the work done. If you are not willing to take your business seriously, then why give a half-hearted effort at all? Drown out the skeptics (as well as self-doubt) and embrace that what you have committed to accomplishing is the only thing you need to worry about right now.

Be a Planner

Planning every detail of your blossoming business is non-negotiable. The most critical weapon in your arsenal, both in warfare and in the business world, is information. Proper planning demands that you compile as much relevant data as possible, analyze it accurately, and leverage your conclusions for the benefit of your company. It also will help keep your focus grounded in the stated goals. Use the plan as a gage for where you are in relation to where you want to be, and how progress is unfolding. Although even the best-laid plans are liable to run into unanticipated obstacles, the old adage remains to true – if you fail to plan, then plan to fail.

Filed Under: Advice, Business, Entrepreneurship, Greg Sarangoulis Tagged With: business, GMI First, greg sarangoulis, tips

Three Tips for First-Time Business Owners

August 18, 2015 by Greg Sarangoulis

It is often said that nothing worth having comes easy. Although that might not apply to every one of life’s scenarios, it certainly does hold true when it comes to building your company. There are a truly tremendous number of obstacles to overcome between an entrepreneur and the business of their dreams. Furthermore, the skills necessary to tackle many of these challenges are not taught in class. An on-the-job education is always an enormous component of growing your presence within any given market, especially in the highest leadership capacity. It is therefore critical that you seek out mentorship from people you respect and from those who have accomplished the goals you now pursue. Additionally, having a voracious appetite for information will keep your mind sharp and your reflexes agile for when the going does inevitably get tough. There are several things to keep on the forefront of your mind as do embrace your new identity of an entrepreneur.

Keep Your Eye on the Prize

A large number of first-time business owners can be overwhelmed by the freedom that the role brings. Granted, it is better to be lost in an ocean of opportunities than to be incapable of finding some place to devote your efforts, but you absolutely must remain focused. Your excitement, enthusiasm, and energy will be exceedingly high, so you may be more easily sidetracked. As a result, you can become distracted or spread yourself too thin to adequately accomplish whatever your original vision for your company was. If you are building a business, you have a plan in place. It would definitely be folly to keep your head down and ignore unanticipated chances to take your company to the next level. However, it is equally dangerous to jump into so many new ventures or partnerships that your organization’s identity or path to success becomes diluted and unclear. When you are an entrepreneur, you need to know when to forego the chance to try doing 10 things well for the opportunity to do one thing perfectly.

Stick to What You Know

An entrepreneur is, in many ways, a dreamer. You need to be able to see a future that others could not, and then you need to the wherewithal to lead your team there. However, just as important as having that vision, is the discipline and skillsets necessary to lay out a path to success and follow it. Do not enter an industry or market because you like the way it sounds or you assume it could be lucrative. There is ample room in entrepreneurship for big goals but none for fantasy. You need to truly be passionate about what your work is. If that’s the case, then you will also likely be an expert. People love what they are good at, and they are good at what they love. Be certain that this is the case for you and your business. If your heart is not in your work, you will have a difficult time finding sustainable success.

Keep It Simple

If you cannot explain what your vision and purpose for your organization is in 30 seconds, there is a strong chance you are in the wrong business. A good gage for the extent to which you understand something is whether or not you can explain it to a child. Not only do you need to be able to communicate what your work is clearly, but you also should be able to inspire excitement. Between potential customers and investors, you should be prepared to pitch your business at a moment’s notice in a clear and concise way that caters to the audience. In these conversations, where you have one shot and a tiny window of time to make the right impression, quality will always beat quantity.

Filed Under: Advice, Business, Greg Sarangoulis Tagged With: business, entrepreneurship, greg sarangoulis, gregsarangoulis, tips

Advantage Point Student Apartments come to Kutztown

July 10, 2015 by Greg Sarangoulis

With an enrollment of currently 10,000 students annually and working on increasing future enrollment, Kutztown University is home for attendees from more than 20 states and nations. However, finding a home for these students can be challenging. Finding a truly comfortable apartment can be a serious struggle. Gregory Sarangoulis is seeking to change that with Advantage Point Student Apartments. Plans for three five-story buildings, are in the works and Sarangoulis hopes to start site work in spring 2014 with a 2015 fall opening. The complex will have 337 units with a potential 1,348 tenants in 1, 2, 3 or 4-person apartment layouts.

“There’s a need for new state-of-the-art apartments in Kutztown,” Sarangoulis explains. These new apartments will help the university with its enrollment plan and give students the amenities that are being offered at other top universities throughout the country in the form of state-of-the- art housing.

Advantage Point Student Apartments will go far beyond standard, providing students with a 2 story, 17,000 sq ft clubhouse with a resort-style swimming pool and hot tub to match. Included are several outdoor fire pits with grilling areas as well. The clubhouse will feature a state-of-the- art fitness center with yoga and spin classes, free tanning, including meeting rooms and study rooms. The clubhouse will also feature a media center with a huge 180” screen TV that will entertain movie nights and also sporting events including college game day and NFL Sunday ticket as well.

The apartments will come fully furnished including a 50-inch flat screen TV, granite countertops, dishwasher, washer and dryer in unit, high-speed internet including upgraded cable package and more. Plus, paying bills is made easy with one all-inclusive monthly payment that includes all of the services and amenities mentioned above. Local fund raising events will also be a big part of the Advantage Point outlook involving its tenants. Owner, Greg Sarangoulis, states he is a big believer of the younger generator getting involved in the local fund raising charity events.

“We’re really trying to get the students to communicate and get involved with other students, to socialize,” Sarangoulis says. “We do lots of fundraising events, including blood drives, dinners for the homeless, sponsor 5K walks, Women in Crisis events, donations to the Red Cross to mention a few. We like to get the students involved from that standpoint.” Sarangoulis also owns complexes at Bloomsburg University named Lion’s Gate Apartments and 525 Student Apartments located in Reading, PA, serving Alvernia, Albright, Penn State Berks Campus, as well as RACC students.

When asked about what makes the Advantage Point Student Apartments stand out, Sarangoulis’ answer was “location, location, location, amenities galore, it’s literally on campus, but off campus. That’s the Advantage Point!” Sarangoulis states at this point, there are very good conversations with the university moving forward as being a great neighbor. Parts of those efforts include using the same security for an example. Sarangoulis feels that the addition of Advantage Point Student Apartments will help the college with its future enrollment growth and will give the students a place to look forward to living after their freshman year. The Advantage Point Student Apartments will give the students the amenities they have become accustom to in this generation and will help retain the students throughout their college career to continue studying at Kutztown University.

Advantage Point began another relationship, that with The Haydenfilms Institute, when the HFI Agency worked on promotional videos for Lion’s Gate Apartments and 525 Student Apartments. Now, the two organizations are working together on events like PSA Festival Showcase at Kutztown, proving that a community built upon organizations that cooperate and work together, can produce great things.

Sarangoulis states, “Hayden {Craddolph, HFI Founder and President} is an alumni of Kutztown University. The University has acknowledged Hayden as an inspiration moving forward in the field of social medial and film. I feel working together with this group is a positive decision moving forward.” This combination of talent should prove to be very successful as a group. The project looks very promising as construction time looms around the corner of winter weather. There have been a great number of inquiries by the local student population. For more information and updates on Advantage Point Student Apartments, visit

Currently, Advantage Point has an office at 263 W. Main St., in Kutztown. Students will be able to get more information and see a mock-up apartment layout when the in the near future.

Filed Under: Business, Entrepreneurship, Greg Sarangoulis Tagged With: greg sarangoulis, gregsarangoulis

Greg Sarangoulis Developed Lions Gate Housing

June 22, 2015 by Greg Sarangoulis

The College Experience is a way of life, and Greg Sarangoulis is positive that the Lions Gate way, is the best way! Lions Gate is Bloomsburg’s premier luxury off-campus housing community and has everything you need to make college more than just memorable – make it unforgettable.

Greg specifically designed and developed his residential concept to realize this goal. Starting from the moment residents enter the doors on move-in day, everyone feels right at home – maybe even better than home, because, at Lions Gate, your home includes a state-of-the-art fitness center, free tanning salon, community clubhouse with game room, and brand new resort style swimming pool with hot tub to match, fit for a real VIP.

Lions Gate is full of community and school spirit, and residents are sure to feel it when they see the Lions Gate mascot, Lenny the Lion, hanging around the grounds or on campus.

Lions Gate apartment interiors are all brand new, move-in ready, and fully furnished “homes away from home,” conveniently equipped with a washer/dryer and dishwasher! The designer kitchens with granite counter-tops, spacious living area, and private bathrooms per bedroom provide unmatched college comforts. All bedrooms are provided with individually controlled heating and air conditioning.

To go one step farther, Lions Gate will have residents enjoying their favorite shows and movies on a 50” flat screen television including a free HBO package.

Also, included is high speed internet, offering quick downloads, and Wi-Fi access available everywhere in the building – whether they’re in the community center or their personal bedroom.

If residents work and study better out of the house, the business center is perfect for holding study groups and getting school work done. The Lions Gate business center is stocked with both PCs, and Macs, and of course printing capacity.

Whether residents want to study, work out, tan, or, relax; all of the Lions Gate amenities are open 24 hours, so everyone can enjoy them when convenient. Lions Gate also offers planned resident events covering everything from spin classes to movie nights and cookouts on the patio by the pool. Group activities also includes volunteering in fundraisers to benefit local charities.

Lions Gate has well lit on-site parking, 24-hour surveillance and individual apartment controlled access key FOB. Whether it’s Lions Gate community assistants or courtesy officers, there is always someone there in case of emergency – even after hours.

Located only minutes away from local attractions, the private resident shuttle system provides daily trips to Bloomsburg University and nightly trips into downtown, giving you the opportunity to take advantage of all Bloomsburg has to offer.

Filed Under: Entrepreneurship, Greg Sarangoulis Tagged With: greg sarangoulis, gregsarangoulis