[ebarker]

Good thread.

Daniel's and Alan's comments are spot on I think.

Decades ago I met someone that started their own very successful engineering company. The one thing I remember that he said that it didn't matter what you designed and made if you can't sell it.

At all of our meetings I tell everyone, especially the newbies that at least half the time needs to be spent doing "marketing and sales". Selling the program to the public, the faculty and administration, sponsors, media, etc.

Your business plan is one of the most important things you will design. It will help solve many problems. Funding/sponsorship and "business" continuity are some of them.

re: football and such. I know of plenty of marching bands that easily exceed $1,000 to $1,200 per person just in fees, not including all the other out of pocket expenses. Those are student fees and do not include contributions, direct or indirect from the school. There are other activities that meet or exceed that level of student contribution.