Ohio State alumnus Brad Howard launched his own company - Dynamic Media Group - after receiving the idea from one of his business classes at OSU.
Howard graduated from OSU in 2002 with a degree in marketing and transportation logistics.
"I never would have thought that just five days after I graduated from OSU, I would be launching my own company," Howard said. "164 W. Oakland Ave. was the original home of my first office; eight people working out of a one-bedroom apartment."
Howard said he got the idea for this company when he decided to write a business plan that incorporated both of his majors.
"Brad participated in a $100,000 Deloitte competition sponsored by The Fisher College of Business and took fourth place two years ago," said Nathan Hurd, founder of the Business Builders Club at OSU and employee of the Center for Entrepreneurship. "He was the highest placing undergraduate in the competition that year."
Howard did not win any money, but his involvement with the event taught him a lot about starting a business. It also provided him with the opportunity to meet future investors of his company.
Howard's company takes carrier trucks and puts advertisements for clients on them.
The company has two main purposes: distribution of the products and advertising for their clients, Howard said. Charles Penzones, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Infiniti of Columbus are some of the media group's clients.
"There is an increasingly large number of landing restrictions in regards to where outdoor signage is allowed. Also, outdoor signage is very expensive," Howard said. "We have provided companies with digital signage cheaply."
Howard said his signage is 50 percent in-house and 50 percent from the client.
"We provide design abilities and tracking, which is revolutionary for an advertising agency," he said.
Michael Sajowsky, director of carriers for the company, said this form of advertising is more cost efficient in terms of signage but also is generating revenue for the carrier companies.
"My observation is that carrier companies like Staples and Wal-Mart do not benefit from their trucks but generate more revenue from becoming a partner of ours," he said.
To ensure quality service, each truck that is used for advertisement must meet a series of requirements.
"We have an eight-point qualification process to ensure that the trucks have value to the customers," Sajkowsky said. "Some requirements all trucks must meet in order to be a partner is that they have to be on the road for at least six hours a day, on the road 22 days a month, have a satisfactory rating by the department of transportation and classify what route they will be taking in a travel log."
The company has grown and is really taking off, Howard said. Dynamic Media Group offered an opportunity to OSU that would use their 20 box trucks for advertisement, generating profits for the university.
"I never thought I was going to have a business, but I had some family influence with entrepreneurship," he said. "But students should know there is no better time than now to start a business."
Dynamic Media Group is always looking for student interns. The Web site is www.advertisingwheels.com.
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