FOUNDER-CEO PROFILE

HQ: Great Kolor, Walnut Creek

Business Focus: Assist Nonprofits with sensible choices in outdoor advertising

What it does:

Evolved from local print shop roots, Great Kolor secures low cost (high profile) outdoor ad space and then prints/installs the finished graphics

Source of start-up capital: Self financed

Education background: C.U.N.Y. Brooklyn College graduate with BA in Social Science

Reason for starting business: The company Gene worked at was purchased and closed in 2005. Great Kolor was born two weeks later. The moral of this story? When one door closes (very often) another will open for you.

Most difficult part of decision: Not difficult--in a sink or swim moment, it's good for you to know that swimming is your sensible option

Biggest plus of ownership: The empowerment of being in charge of your own destiny

Biggest drawback: Negative is the flip side of positive. Being in charge puts responsibility squarely on your shoulders. Business is dependent on your state of mind and business successes and failures are owned by you.

Biggest mistake:

Summer of 2007 an incorrectly spec'd restaurant window graphic was printed, delivered and couldn't install. Although (at the time) a serious failure it caused a major improvement. Going forward every job begins with a one page agreement. This includes the exact specification, production, turnaround time and price commitment. Next there's a sign-off for final art approval. So before any printing moves forward--we (and client) review and sign-off on art and job specification twice. The results? It's been eight years and counting of perfect printing.

Biggest business strength: Very fortunate that many clients compliment us with glowing endorsements for reliability, quality and dedication to excellent customer service

Biggest business weakness:

None. Well okay, maybe it’s outreach time energy data management. Fortunately solid referrals continue to deliver a steady stream of new clients and business.

Biggest risk: There really isn’t much risk, Great Kolor is a tight little business

Smartest move: Decision to put resources into organizing a brief and to the point Nonprofit education program. We call it the Not-For-Profit Publicity Workshop. The volunteer venues like ODC Dance, California Historical Society, Mission Cultural Center and Robert Cameron’s Environmental Journey were all excellent and feedback from the attendees has been terrific.

Favorite task: Aligning clients wants and needs with Great Kolor's capabilities

Least favorite task: Having to say no

Source of support in a business crisis:

My much better half, St. Michelle

Biggest frustration: Commuter traffic

Most challenging task:

Same as favorite task--aligning capabilities with our clients wants and needs

Key goal yet to achieve: Financial stability. For a very short moment it was in hand, then the housing bust cleaned our clock. That's okay, lesson learned, we're climbing back

Favorite music

Freddie Mercury and Queen: Live Aid

Miley Cyrus: It's About The Climb

Inducement to sell: I really enjoy doing this so it would be a substantial buyout to induce selling--although an eight figure proposal would definitely cause me to stop, sit and listen

First move with capital windfall: Once around the world trip on boat and train (just me & the Mrs.)

Most admired entrepreneur: Benjamin Franklin

Most interested in meeting: Napoleon Hill and my father again

Favorite film: The Lion King

Favorite pastimes: Hiking the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range with my sons

Favorite destination: Mt Evans, Colorado

Favorite book: “The Magic of Thinking Big”, by Dr. David J Schwartz

Stress reducers:

Listening to motivational CD’s in the car

Favorite restaurant: Nordstrom’s Café

Five year plan: Take that world vacation

What is on your iPod: Still don’t have one (remarkable - huh ? : )

P.S: Why not call 415/902-6448 ? and let's do some great work together

All the Best,

Gene

For further information

and to purchase

Robert Cameron's

original photographs
call 415-710-6070

or 415-902-6448

CameronFolio

CONCEIVE IT + BELIEVE IT + TAKE ACTION NOW = SUCCESS

ABOUT GENE KAHN

FORBES

http://www.forbes.com/2004/04/21/cz_af_0421feat.html

NEW YORK TIMES   http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/22/arts/22cameron.html?_r=0

SF CHRONICLE         http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Aerial-photographer-Robert-Cameron-dies-3210110.php

WIKIPEDIA  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Cameron_(photographer)

CAMERON BOOKS http://cameronbooks.com/cameron-books-2/

ABOUT ROBERT CAMERON

Robert Cameron 1911-2009

It was during the year of 2005 when famed aerial photographer and book publisher Robert Cameron and Master Photograph Printer-Artist Timothy Hall (neighbors for over 40 years) first met. In his nineties with eye sight mostly gone, Mr. Cameron was still highly independent and active - publishing 'ABOVE BOOKS' and carrying his big Pentax 6x7 Camera while photo shooting from helicopters. And he did all this while working three days a week at his office.

The two immediately began working together in a race against time. True photo-graphic imaging was phasing out. Supplies of film and processing chemicals were dwindling. And Mr. Cameron was already 94 years old. Tim became Mr. Cameron's eyes in the darkroom producing: 1) The ENVIRONMENTAL JOURNEY (gallery filled 1/3 of the Metreon's ground floor for a two year run). 2) A limited signed photo-metallic portfolio: Cameron Folio. 3) A limited signed edition of possibly the best photograph ever taken of jazz great Louie Armstrong. 4) A yet to be displayed ABOVE EXHIBITION.

Knowing that Mr. Cameron was a good friend, golfing buddy and also a competitor of Mr. Ansel Adams (and having worked on both of these Pro Photographers images), Tim’s comparative statement of two photographer greats is worth contemplating.

"Bob’s work often evokes a strong emotional response, his black and white capture of Louie Armstrong is extraordinarily good, and although his work is very different in perspective, technically speaking, Bob’s color work is better than Ansel Adams.”

FOUNDER-ARTIST-GM PROFILE

Principal: Color3LAB - Robert Cameron Gallery, S.F.

What: Founder/Artist/GM of Color3LAB, S.F.'s last true photographic color lab. Professional services: drum scanning, C-Printing, framing, mounting, laminating, custom finishing service, master composite negatives, film/photo paper developing chemistry software.

Source of start-up capital: Personal funds put up by myself and two brothers. The three in Color3Lab has a dual meaning: three brothers and also the three primary additive colors (RGB) used in photographic print process.

Education background: S.F.S.U. graduate with BA in Music. Artistically I'm very fortunate to have both good ears and good eyes. In my career the eyes won as I moved toward photographic printing. I registered for and was put on the waiting list to study under Ansel Adams. In the meantime, I self studied his program and took a print production position at an established S.F. Photo Lab. The spot did open in Ansel's class and I received the invitation to attend. Since I was already working full time as the Lab Production Manager and guaranteed that there would be a space for me in the next class, I passed on that opportunity. Very unfortunately for him (and for me too) Ansel passed away that next year.

Big picture reason for starting business:

Wanting to do things my way

Most difficult part of decision: Borrowing money

Biggest plus of ownership: Doing things my own way, we built the lab with many production efficiencies. For instance the enlarging rooms were constructed purposefully to limit the amount of walking distance between printing, processing and finishing. The process has changed so much over the years that these efficiencies no longer matter, however back in the 80's and 90's it gave us a distinct advantage.

Biggest drawback: There are just so many hours in every day, and often to get projects completed to my satisfaction, I have to do them myself

Biggest misconception:

Assuming there were enough people (similar to myself) that would be available to work for the lab

Biggest business strength: I am very good at seeing what does and doesn't work in a photograph

Biggest business weakness: Handling money

Biggest risk: Borrowing $750,000 to go digital

Biggest mistake: Putting trust in some individuals that proved to be untrustworthy

Smartest move: Downsizing when necessary and not giving up. A lot of our old business has been lost due to: the current economy, changing technology and the desire by many customers that cheaper price is more important then quality of product. These changes have pretty much eliminated all of our former worthy competitors.

Most challenging task: Running Color3LAB business differently then every other business that I worked at

Favorite task: Making wonderful photographs

Least favorite task: Managing salespeople

Favorite film: The Matrix

Biggest frustration:

Dealing honestly with dishonest people

Source of support in a business crisis:

Focus and perseverance

Key goal yet to achieve: Peace of mind

First move with capital windfall: TBD

Stress Reducers: Good Music

Five year plan:

Getting to make photographs that matter

Most admired entrepreneur: Paul Newman

Most interested in meeting: Franz Schubert

Favorite pastimes: Anything with my kids

Automobile: Datsun 510 (1st car)

Favorite book: "Tao Te Ching", Lau Tzu

Favorite restaurant: