TUSTIN : Laughter Is Serious Business to Students
Simon Volkov held the plastic device in one hand, tilted it toward the ceiling light, and in about 10 seconds, a roaring laugh echoed through the room, catching the 35 students in front of him by surprise.
The Tustin High School students soon joined in the laughter as Volkov held the laughing box, called “Surpriser.” The light-activated device, about the size of a television remote control, is sold by his company as a gag gift.
Getting attention is the first thing in selling a product, Volkov said during his lecture. He was there as part of a special program between the school district and local businesses to teach students “real life” business principles and practices.
Spicing up his talk with anecdotes, Volkov, who owns a marketing company, was invited Tuesdayto recount his experiences as a businessman to high school seniors attending an economics class.
“If you have motivation and direction, you can be successful. Ideas, not money, determine if you will succeed or not,” he said.
Money is in selling, not manufacturing, Volkov said. And use a lot of advertising, particularly if it’s free, whenever possible, he said.
Last year Volkov, 29, donated more than 1,000 copies of his booklet “World of Business” to Tustin and Foothill high schools. He also donated videotapes and audiocassettes dealing with starting and managing a small business.
Volkov publishes motivational books and tapes, drawing from his experiences as an entrepreneur for the past 11 years. He sold wooden car dashboards at one time and now specializes in gag gifts.
The “Surpriser,” manufactured by a Hong Kong company, sells for about $13 and is intended to startle someone opening a closet, refrigerator or bathroom.
“Fads are good, if you create them,” Volkov said. “But know when to stop.”
Teacher Sharron Seidenberg said she often invites business people to talk to the class to complement the students’ book studies.
Seidenberg said that the class itself deals with practical matters, such as buying a car, renting an apartment, opening a bank account and doing taxes.
“It’s useful, it’s handy,” said Amber Churchin, 17, who said she is considering setting up her own business someday. “It’s a class you pay attention in. It will help you organize your life.”
Joyce Bellinger, who coordinates programs involving businesses, said students in the program visit local businesses, observe their operations, or receive on-the-job training. Managers and employees serve as mentors and tutors to the students, and several businesses have donated computers and other equipment.
