Archive for September 2009
Mother/Daughter Team Dip Into The Jam Business
Good Times: Kristen Cederquist leans in with her knife and stabs a chunk of blue cheese. It curls up and she slides it along a gluten-free cracker, then she pops open a jar of homemade fig jam, and smothers that onto her mini-appetizer. One bite and she nods. It’s the nod of someone who knows [...]
Halloween Attractions Are Huge This Year
The following article is a guest post from the Haunted House Association. An economy that was once shattered by the collapse of one housing market may in fact be resurrected by another – the haunted housing market. According to the Haunted House Association, (www.hauntedhouseassociation.org and/or www.americahaunts.com), a collective of the most successful and renowned haunted [...]
Tampa Bay 10: You’ve heard about owning a star or a piece of swamp; now a St. Augustine company is offering a ghostly purchase. The company claims to sell ghosts in a bottle. The owner says he partnered with actual ghostbusters who catch the spirits around the country in haunted homes and graveyards. The ghost [...]
Tiny Startup Uses Twitter To Find Success
BusinessWeek: With some 58,000 iPhone applications in the iTunes Store, developers face an uphill battle when it comes to building a user base for their applications. But thanks to a simple marketing campaign on Twitter, tap tap tap, a startup with less than 20 employees, has seen its app, Convert, become one of the top [...]
What Does It Take To Be A Hit Inventor?
Inventors Digest: For the 5th year in a row, Kentucky’s largest Inventors Conference will host inventors and entrepreneurs from throughout the state and region on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009, at the Central Public Library in downtown Lexington KY. For more information about attending this conference, visit the Web site. The conference will feature the secrets [...]
photo credit: jorbasa Have you been thinking about starting your own first small business? Then I’m sure you have realized that there are many aspects, rules, thoughts, and avenues to go down where owning a small business is concerned. There is a lot of information that gets thrown at you from all different directions and [...]
Talk To A Small Business Failure Before You Quit Your Job
photo credit: tinou bao Many people who are contemplating quitting their job to become self employed make the mistake of only talking to those who have succeeded in self employment. Yes these are good people to talk to and get advice from, but you should also talk to people who have failed at self employment [...]
In Tough Times, Referee Work A Good Call
The Star-Ledger: Mike Velez always starts his day with a bedside prayer, followed by a descent to the kitchen to reheat the coffee his wife has left for him. With the “Today” show on in the background, Velez, 51, begins the numbing process that has defined the past eight months of unemployment: He logs onto [...]
Honest, Scam-Free Inventor Help
Do you have a protected invention (provisional filed, patent pending or granted, or major trade secrets)? If so, Inventors Digest is presenting you a free market evaluation of your product and other business opportunities through Planet Eureka! and the U.S. Department of Commerce. It’s all about helping you get your invention to market & includes: [...]
photo credit: Eddi 07 With marketing becoming such a huge part of business more and more everyday, and the number of different ways to market your business today via traditional marketing, online marketing and more it is no wonder that there are some ideas floating around that have people confused over marketing concepts and strategies. [...]
Google Awarded Patent For Homepage
InventLaw: Google was awarded United States Patent No. D599,372 for its graphical user interface (GUI). This is a design patent and therefore only protects the ornamental features of the Google search page (i.e. the patent does not protect the function of the interface or how Google does its searching). Design patents last for 14 years [...]
A Look At 2 Mom-Owned Businesses In Portland
examiner.com: What better way to welcome your little one into the world than a handmade blanket, made right here in Portland? Here are two local mom-owned companies that are helping us moms do just that, with lots of style, too: Cat in an Apron was founded in 2005 by Marne Maykowskyj Nordean, mom to three [...]
Mompreneurs Get Cooking With Time Saving Business & Book
Rapid Growth: Armed with a new name and a new book, Sarah Kallio and Stacey Krastins think they have hit on a successful recipe for business with their unique meal creation system. Kallio and Krastins, two Grand Haven moms with engineering degrees and a love of home entertaining, are scheduled to release their second book [...]
How To Increase Your Profits Today
photo credit: Wallula Junction In business we are all striving to make as much of a profit as we can, this is a no brainer idea that we all have, more money is always great! Over time many business owners tend to lose sight of the best ways to increase their profits, they get stuck [...]
Resources For Managing Your Businesses Finances
photo credit: Casey Serin One area many business owners struggle with is keeping track of their finances, but it is one of the most important areas given that cash flow is the lifeblood of the business. Small mistakes and a lack of knowledge or resources can be costly and problematic, posted by Small Biz Trends. [...]
photo credit: re-ality Many business owners who have a website for their business surprisingly do not have a list of goals that they would like or expect their website to achieve. This is the biggest and most common mistake of small business website owners. Why have the website out there if you are not even [...]
Springwise: The U.S. government’s Cash for Clunkers program may have come to an end, but for bicyclists in Portland, Ore., the opportunities have just begun. Local bike vendor Joe Bike has launched its own Cash for Clunkers program whereby consumers can donate an old car or bike in exchange for discounts on a new utility [...]
Huffington Post: MovieWedge was developed after a plane ride where I wanted to watch some movies I had saved on my iPhone to pass the time. After holding my phone for about 30 minutes I began to get tired. I tried stacking it up on magazines, soda cans, crumpled up paper, you name it! I [...]
Think You Have A Great News Idea?
NewsChallenge.org: Do you have a big idea for informing and inspiring a geographic community? Does it include innovative use of new digital tools or processes such as social media, mash-ups or wikis? How about new ways to exchange information via hand-held devices like cell phones? Knight Foundation wants to know. “You invent it. We fund [...]
Google Plans Tools to Help News Media Charge for Content
The New York Times: Google is planning to roll out a system of micropayments within the next year and hopes that newspapers will use it as they look for new ways to charge users for their content. The revelation was made in a document that Google sent to the Newspaper Association of America in response [...]
Biz Poll: Accidental Entrepreneurs
The recession has upended millions of lives. But, as The New York Times pointed out recently, it’s also created a new class of “accidental entrepreneurs.” Either by necessity, sheer ingenuity or just plain luck, thousands of the newly unemployed have formed their own small companies in the last year. Are You An Accidental Entrepreneur? Yes [...]
LoobaLee.com Offers New Venue for Buying & Selling Designer Label Kids Clothes
PR-USA.net: “Buy right, care right, & sell right”, advises Suzanne Rielle, Mompreneur and co-founder of LoobaLee.com along with her husband, Peter Rielle. LoobaLee.com focuses on children’s designer label clothing that maintains value on the resale market. Quality equals longevity, which is good for the pocketbook, the environment, and, ultimately, donation to children in need. The [...]
Fight Against Allergies Inspires Mom
mycentraljersey.com: For Valerie Mason-Robinson, motherly instincts sparked a business idea. Mason-Robinson, a stay-at-home mom, started detoxifying her house after her 4-year-old daughter was troubled with skin allergies. “I started detoxifying personal care products, shampoos, and replacing them with organic, natural products, and her symptoms improved,” she said. A chemical engineer by trade, who has done [...]
Website Allows Customers To Design The Perfect Dress Shirt
If you’re unsatisfied with the bulk dress shirt designs that you can find in most stores, ShirtsMyWay has an alternative that you will love. Gone are the days of ill-fitting dress shirts and in comes the ability to completely customize your shirt online, from scratch, with the custom sizes you require. We asked Peter Crawfurd, [...]
Trendhunter: Let’s face it—if there is an easier way to do something, someone out there will try their best to figure out what it is. This cluster is for all of those who’d rather live off their living room sofa or who just want the ultimate in relaxation. Flip Flop Mop The Flip Flop Mop [...]
Niche Biz: Three Squares Greetings
CityNews: For years, the greeting card industry has been pretty much the same. You can get a million different messages that say “Happy Birthday”, “Congratulations,” “Best Wishes For Your Engagement/Wedding,” “In Sympathy,” “Get Well Soon” and on and on. In the past few years, there have been some slight additions, including kudos on a divorce [...]
If You’re An Entrepreneur, It’s Time To Get Social
Entrepreneur: Whether you’re creating the next Facebook or you have a patent on three-tiered umbrellas, you’re an entrepreneur. But finding funding for your idea, getting some advice, or even just talking to people in your same situation can be difficult. Social networks designed specifically for entrepreneurs aim to help you achieve your goals. Check them [...]
Mom Turns Boredom Into A Business
The Southtown Star: Two years ago, stay-at-home mom Amy Gluch needed a change. The 37-year-old Frankfort woman wanted to return to work, but she wanted a job that would allow her to spend the day with her 7-year-old son Jack and 5-year-old daughter Claire. In July 2007, she created Claire A Bella Boutique to escape [...]
How Fast Time Flies Appeals To Digital Holiday Photo-Takers With 63 Unique Templates
As the appeal digital photography continues to grow, so does the demand for unique photo-based web applications. HowFastTimeFlies.com is pleased to now announce that it now has a total of 63 winter holiday designs, which include Christmas, New Years, and Hanukkah. The 63 holiday templates are part of its library of 624 template choices for [...]
Smoothie Idea Takes Teen To Entrepreneur Finals
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Two more years of high school await Zicuria Ussery and, after that, college — Georgia Tech, she hopes — then maybe a career in industrial engineering. In the meantime, the 16-year-old junior at Maynard Jackson High School in Atlanta has another matter to attend to: building her business. Next spring, Ussery hopes [...]
Wal-Mart CEO Sees “Late Christmas”
Reuters: Wal-Mart Stores Inc is expecting a “late Christmas” as consumers continue to carefully manage spending, CEO Mike Duke said at an investor conference. Duke said shoppers are keeping a watchful eye on prices and are less likely than before to stock up on items or to purchase lower-quality “throw-away” items. Consumer spending, an important [...]
How to Run a Successful Trade Show Booth
photo credit: naelyn Need some tips on how to run a successful trade show booth? Jason Calacanis offers 22 good ones: In order to maximize your investment in a trade-show booth or conference table top, you must clearly define your goals. A booth is but one of many ways to obtain value from a conference. [...]
Funny: What Does Your Business Card Say About You?
Time: You know what’s funnier than someone calling themself an “infotainer?” An infotainer ranting about pop-up business cards. Enter Joel Bauer, creator and star of the YouTube clip, “Your Business Card is CRAP!” “Looks like crap, it is crap,” Bauer explains while holding up your average business card, one that creases, tears, and does all [...]
Dads Turn iPhone Into Children’s Books
Los Angeles Times: Like most parents who find themselves juggling fussy tots and multiple chores and errands, Woody Sears and Graham Farrar have surrendered their mobile phones to distract their toddlers. It wasn’t just the buttons and beeps on those devices that attracted their kids — it was also the music and video clips that [...]
Chic Vomit Bags For Morning-Sick Moms
Springwise: Morning sickness is an unfortunate reality for many pregnant mothers, and it’s often compounded by the stress of being unable to predict where or when it will strike. Aiming to do away with the frantic search for an appropriate receptacle, Morning Chicness Bags offer a way for expectant moms to always be prepared. Vancouver, [...]
Time Management Tips For The Mompreneur
If your kids haven’t already started going back to school, it is likely they will be within the next week. In which case it is time to start managing your own schedule around their new one, or at least take a hard look at your current schedule to see if there is room for improvement. [...]
Domino’s Delivers Pizzas To The Beach & In The Park
Springwise: Most people order pizzas when they’re at home or at work. Aiming to broaden those delivery horizons, Domino’s Pizza in the Netherlands recently placed white doors in the park and on the beach. Dubbed Domino’s Delivery Points, the doors prominently featured the company’s phone number, as well as doorbells for delivery people to ring. [...]
Armor Cars are Big Business in Brazil
Wall Street Journal: Over the last three years, the number of armored cars in Brazil has doubled as an explosion of wealth has sent the newly rich in search of ways to live safely in a class-driven society where the murder rate is nearly five times that of the U.S. … Brazil’s armoring industry, including [...]
It Takes A Village To Fund A Biz
Fortune Small Business: John Halko was halfway through renovating an expanded space for Comfort, his mostly organic eatery in Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y., when the credit crisis hit. His source of funding — a home-equity line — ran out, so he applied for a loan at a local bank. He was turned down. Halko wasn’t ready to [...]
Biz Read: American Entrepreneur
Amazon: Ever since the first colonists landed in ‘The New World’, Americans have forged ahead in their quest to make good on the promises of capitalism and independence. This book vividly illustrates the history of business in the United States from the point of view of the enterprising men and women who made it happen. [...]
Big Idea Group: Big Idea Group is searching for inventions that could become the basis of a profitable microbusiness. BIG plans to form a venture to bring the best invention (or inventions) to market. The winning inventor(s) will receive not only a royalty on products sold, but also an equity stake in the new business [...]
Clean Air Lawn Care is a sustainable lawn care service that uses clean electric lawn equipment powered through renewable energy.
Teenager Builds Solar Panel from Human Hair
Kids these days are always inventing something! Daily Mail Online: A new type of solar panel using human hair could provide the world with cheap, green electricity, believes its teenage inventor. Milan Karki, 18, who comes from a village in rural Nepal, believes he has found the solution to the developing world’s energy needs. The [...]
She Got a Patent, But Copycats Stole Her Idea
Sometimes a patent is just a piece of paper, as Mary Brock found out when she discovered a product remarkably similar to her patented Doggie poop freeze wand for sale: One day in 2007, I was browsing through a catalog that included pet-related products. Right before my eyes was an ad depicting a product that [...]
Should Entrepreneurs Be More Like Teenage Girls?
Entrepreneur Corner: As I was thinking through my personal goals for this coming year, and discussing individual goals with each of my kids (a recently adopted ritual I highly recommend for any parent), an article from The Economist caught my eye. The article’s subtitle, tells it all: “Depression may be linked to how willing someone [...]
Fast Company: The bees of America have been working hard all summer: To make a pound of honey, they have to fly the equivalent of eight roundtrips between New York and Paris. Now it’s time to enjoy the fructose of their labor. Have a taste of the facts and figures on honey. Last year, 161 [...]
What Mad Men Can Teach You About Biz
Inc.: Among the management lessons that made their way into the teleplay this week: 1. Nobody actually enjoys forced work socializing. 2. If you slight a worker, he will inevitably act out. 3. Collaboration is great, but one worker alone in her office can often be more productive than three in a conference room. 4. [...]
Mothere & Daughter Teams Work Together In Business
Great Falls Tribune: When Karla Larson’s mother, Karen Larson, bought 2K’s Kafe about three years ago, Karla decided the time was right to quit her job and go to work for her mom. It was a good move. Business at the eatery, located in downtown Great Falls at 406 3rd Ave. S., has boomed and [...]
Wal-Mart To Sell Goods From Other Vendors
USA TODAY: Wal-Mart Stores has launched an addition to its online business that has outside retailers selling nearly 1 million new items through Walmart.com, a move that could help the world’s largest retailer catch up in the online world. The Walmart Marketplace has products from categories that include home, baby, toys, apparel, sporting goods and [...]
Wired: Gone, at last, are the days of bribing your best friend with pizza and beer to hold your flashlight as you tinker (or fumble) with a wrench in the dark recesses of your car. Grab yourself a set of Hi Beam-Light Wrenches and you can use one hand to hold the wrench and the [...]
