Name of your website?www.bizrent.com
Your name?
Mike Schmidt
Your Location (city, etc)
Utica
Please give us a short summary of your website?
www.bizrent.com is Michigan's Largest on-line Rental Reservation Directory. Web Searchers are able to Look at exact items that local businesses have for rent. Businesses are able to showcase up to 25 items they have for rent, then web searchers are able to see the actual item they are reserving and going to rent.
What inspired you to launch your own website?
My family owns an Equipment rental company in Shelby Township (Metropolitan Equipment.) I know how hard it is for Rental Companies to make money, so I decided to create an on-line Rental Directory where web browsers are actually able to Reserve items to help local businesses make more money.
When did you launch your first website, and what was it?
This is the first project I have done, and it took a lot of effort and coffee to complete.
How did you decide on a name for your website?
I wanted something that had rental in it, and I chose rent. I needed something to let the businesses know this is for them, and I found biz. You combine the two and get bizrent.com
What makes it different from other, similar offerings?
Our site is better because you get to see the actual itmes you are looking for. Other sites let you list your business. We go farther, you list your business, and then post the actualy itmes you have for rent, and then be able to Reserve those items!
What is your eventual goal? (To sell it, keep it for income, secure a book or other mainstream media deal?)
We are selling it to small businesses for 39.95 per month. This is a small fraction of the price the yellowpages charges per month, and with our site you get more.
How does your investment of time and money balance against your success?
We will find out soon!
If you had an unlimited development budget for development, how would you change your site?
We would be have the number one listing in every sponsored ad in a Michigan Rental Search.
If your site got really big, really quickly, would you be able to keep up with the demand?
Our staff works almost around the clock, and we like it that way.
What unexpected costs and headaches have you had to deal with?
We want to help local businesses, and some of them are scared of using the interent.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Our biggest challenge has been getting companies listed quickly.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
Interent advertising is by far the bet way to get your name out.
How has running your website differed from your expectations?
You can never get everything you need to done in one day. I live at our office, sometimes I even had to spend the night and sleep on the floor.
How long have you run the site already, and how long will you continue to keep it up if you don't enjoy big gains in traffic, income or popularity?
I have been running the site since March of 2007, and I intend to always run the site.
Why do you care about Michigan Rental Companies so much?
I watched my father run himself into the ground phsycially trying to run a profitable Tool and Equipment Rental Business. If I can help all local Equipment Rental Companies make more reveune, basically open their shop up to take Reservations 24 hours a day, I would feel good making money. Rental is one of, if not by my experience, the hardest industry to make a profit in. I want all local businesses know that I feel their pain, and am working for them everyday.
What is your website address?
www.bizrent.com
