Freshman Mike Lewis isn't the only Tufts student with parents who wish he'd spend more time on his studies. As fun as it might be to party until 4 a.m. and then sleep until 4 p.m., such activities rarely yield a more substantial profit than a pounding hangover or 110 new friends on the Facebook.
Lewis, however, is adamant that his extracurricular activities are in a different category. How many other students can claim that they "waste their time" on a payroll that promises to cover the cost of Tufts' tuition? Although such a reward hasn't materialized yet, Lewis is working hard to ensure that it soon does.
As a founding member of the young company Planet Combat Limited Liabilities Corporation (LLC), Lewis spends 30 to 40 hours a week working for his new business. Although he titled himself Director of Public Relations, Lewis is involved in almost every aspect of the company, from working late-nights drafting business proposals to hiring new colleagues.
Founded by Lewis and three others, Planet Combat LLC produces an online system that enhances the play of first-person shooter (FPS) video games. Described by video game aficionados as "Tours of Duty," Lewis and his colleagues create systems where individuals buy a regular game off the market and then play it at home, using Planet Combat's product online.
This links players from around the world together, allowing them to play each other in a "hierarchal structure," with an improved storyline and a more stable server.
Lewis realized the need for such a service after playing video games with a similar but inferior system. He soon found three other individuals who shared his frustration, and, communicating online, the four of them created Planet Combat LLC in Jan. 2004.
"I'm the only one who isn't married with children and [who hasn't completed] at least two years of military service," said Lewis, of his fellow colleagues.
Despite his age, Lewis still has his share of responsibilities, and plans to earn his share of the profits. Thus far, the company has been focused on the developmental stages of production: building a consumer base, creating corporate partnerships and improving the product. They currently offer the product online for free, using donations from individual sponsors to cover their costs.
"We just got a $150 check from a U.S. Army Ranger in Germany," Lewis said. "People contribute from all over the world."
Without any external marketing or promotion, Planet Combat has already secured 5,000 users. Lewis insists that this is only the tip of the iceberg.
On Jun. 27, Planet Combat intends to begin selling its product to the public at $9.95 for a three-month subscription. By securing the partnership and sponsorship of a number of highly successful corporations, Lewis describes a "conservative" estimate of the number of subscribers at about 20,000 within the first year, creating approximately one million dollars worth of sales in that time.
"What is really promising about our company is that it can grow organically, without more venture capital," Lewis said. "We have very low fixed costs," a fact that allows the company to expand easily.
Lewis declines to estimate how much money his personal share will amount to. He will admit, however, that he spends more time working for Planet Combat than he does studying.
Despite this fact, though, Lewis is already halfway through the coursework necessary to complete his history major, and he plans on continuing his business studies with a minor in entrepreneurial business.
A classic case of a person dealing with a time management nightmare, Lewis struggles to maintain both his course load and his company. And sometimes, the company wins out: while sitting in economics class last semester, Lewis listened to Economics Lecture Siddiq Abdullah discuss the concept of "opportunity cost."
This prompted Lewis to consider the concept's applicability to his personal life. "It was probably not his intended effect, but I realized that the opportunity cost of attending class was really too high for me," Lewis said. Since then, he has tried to use his time as efficiently as possible.
Lewis views one of the most important aspects of his company as its potential to bring people together. With its site (www.planetcombat.net) translated into six languages, Planet Combat has developed an international following - one that bridges cultural and political differences.
"We've got Israelis playing Palestinians all day," Lewis said.
