Archive for November 2010
Book Review: Appetite for America
In the book Appetite for America: How Visionary Businessman Fred Harvey Built a Railroad Hospitality Empire That Civilized the Wild West we learn that the name Fred Harvey was once ubiquitous in America. His company built the nation’s first chain of restaurants, lunchrooms, hotels, bookstores—in fact, the first national chain of anything—and was heralded for [...]
According to The Wall Street Journal, thirty minutes may not seem like a lot of time to get professional input. But small-business owners from the New York city area are being helped by coaching seminars that work a lot like a speed-dating event, offering quick one-on-one sessions with advisers.
A Canadian inventor has created a new device that can be used for self-defense reports The Vancouver Sun. David Norman of Gabriola Island said he is taking orders for his Quasar portable personal stun device online, but is holding off selling them until he sorts out the legal hassles that might prevent him from marketing [...]
‘Maybe’, according to The Wall Street Journal, is one word that always gets lost in translation. And in the age of electronic invitations that can be quite a problem because ‘maybe’ tends to mean very different things. To some, it’s a gentle way of saying ‘no’. To others, it’s a way to hedge in case [...]
Companies Paying Hiring “Bounties”
It’s a finders keepers job market out there says The New York Post. More and more companies are paying their employees a bounty for finding a new hire. Experts say the trend illustrates how social networks have come to affect almost everything about our lives, even the hiring process. Others note that candidates that are [...]
Liven up your front window with a this humorous open sign that reads “Sorry We’re Open” on one side and “Come in We’re Closed” on the other.
Don’t Be Afraid of Self Promotion
Small business owners and entrepreneurs should not shy away from a bit of self-promotion to boost their company profile, according to media specialist Daryl Willcox. The founder and chairman of Daryl Willcox Publishing, which helps SMEs raise their media profile, explains the benefits of business-owners becoming the “face” of their company in a new podcast [...]
A Safer Outlet Plug-in Adapter
Plug-in adapters are everywhere. They duplicate the number of plug-ins available to each one and they can also increase the risk of fire within a home reports The Record Searchlight. The Hug-A-Plug, a new dual-plug grounded electrical outlet adapter that lets plugs lie almost flush with the wall, was introduced in March. You may think [...]
Lucas Jordan was working out on his treadmill one morning, thinking about the work he could be doing on his iPad. Unfortunately there just didn’t seem to be any mount system available for it at that time. So Lucas created his own reports Democrat and Chronicle.com. Out of that notion came the iPad Bracket. It [...]
No Cellphones Allowed? No Problem.
When schools started pushing hard to keep cellphones out, Vernon Alcoser saw an opportunity reports the NY Daily News. For just a dollar per day students can leave their cellphone at Vernon’s van and pick it up once school is out. “It’s better than trying to sneak your phone in,” said Tatyana James, a freshman [...]
Inventor Designs A “World’s First”
Considering the number of inventions in the world today, the majority of ideas tend to already exist. Just ask Derek Manson of One.61. While he has seen this first hand through his CAD business, it came as a surprise when he was unable to find the gloves he needed reports The Southland Times. A former [...]
As people begin to look for new ways to eat and stay healthy, they are turning towards gyms. It is simply not cost effective for most people to own the gym equipment they need to get fit, and this is where the opportunity turns to you. Gyms can be cost effective for the consumer and [...]
Small Biz Optimism On The Rise
If you’re running a small Canadian business then there is a good chance that you’re feeling good. According to the Toronto Sun, optimism is at its highest since May. The association’s Business Barometer increased to 66.9 in its latest reading, more than three points higher than September. “While this index level is still modest compared [...]
Many of us are familiar with dog walking. We simply grab a leash, hook up our dog, and take a walk. According to St. Lois Globe-Democrat, there is a company that feels walking is simply not enough for most dogs. Go Dogs St. Louis is based on the premise that dogs need exercise, and certain [...]
Best iPad Apps For Staying Connected
Whether you’re using your iPad to run your business or chat with friends, there are a multitude of apps that can help you do it all. Datamation recently posted a list of 50 apps that you should look at in the categories of email, chat, texting, and social networking. Here are a five of those [...]
Yesterday marked what would have been Ruth Handler’s 94th birthday. Whether you love her or hate her, it’s impossible to deny that her invention, the Barbie doll, is everywhere. Even after she died, the Barbie doll has gone on to bigger and better things. She has her own cartoon movies, and she is still has [...]
Layoff Creates Boot Strap Entrepreneur
Getting laid off from a job is never easy, however Dana Ostomel was able to take that experience and turn it into a positive reports The Huffington Post. In her bright Midtown Manhattan apartment, Ostomel started Deposit a Gift, an online cash gift registry service that lets friends and family contribute cash toward honeymoons, home [...]
Lessons From Parenthood Help In Business
Over the weekend there was a conference held in Manhattan that catered to the women who run both a business and a family. It is safe to say that these women are super moms reports NY 1. The ladies at this conference add something more to motherhood. They are also part of the business community [...]
When you started your business maybe you had dreams of making enough money to buy the things you wanted. Maybe your vision was more realistic and you were prepared to make less than you were used to as an employee. The reality is that many entrepreneurs cannot afford to pay themselves when they’re just getting [...]
Shopping consignment for discount clothing is always fun if you’re a deal seeker, but what if you wanted to do your own consignment sale? For the entrepreneur that likes deals and would like to make some money, one business is offering the education you need. Jenifer is the owner of Consignamania, a business that teaches [...]
New Bizop Classified Ads This Week
New listings this week on the Business Opportunities Weblog Classifieds. Never ‘sell’ Again Turnkey Poker Business Perfect For Retirees And Stay-at-homers! Usa Solar Store Trash Out Work- How To Get Trash Out Jobs Clean Foreclosures, Foreclosure Clean Out, Clean Foreclosure Properties Foreclosure Cleanup, Foreclosure Cleaning, Foreclosure Clean Out, Foreclosure Trash Out Cleaning Reo Properties, Cleaning [...]
Mario P. DiForte, an inventor, is battling heart problems so he has decided to give away some of his patents. Of course, he isn’t handing them off to just anyone reports The Baltimore Sun. The catch: DiForte says he will hand over patents, including pending and provisional ones, on 22 products to “legitimate” companies only [...]
The Phone Book: The Curious History of the Book That Everyone Uses But No One Reads
Did you know that Hollywood generated 33% less revenue than the US yellow page industry last year? Neither did I until I read a fascinating new book called The Phone Book: The Curious History of the Book That Everyone Uses But No One Reads. Ammon Shea is not your typical thirtysomething book enthusiast. After reading [...]
PersonalWineBottles.com is a company that creates hand-painted and, hand-etched wine bottles. Customers can select everything from the design of the bottle to the type of wine allowing for a truly unique personalized wine bottle entirely over the web.
Madlibs for Pitching from Video4 on Vimeo.
When Your Tech Guy is in 5th Grade
NY Times: It’s really not surprising that some businesses are getting a technology assist from, well, children. They are way ahead of the rest of us on much of this stuff, having cut their teeth on it at home and at school. And they’re thrilled to work for wages that a pro would sneer at [...]
Tyler Galganski of Forever Lazy said: Worry more about getting your idea out there to see if it works, rather than spending your time doing all the bookwork and business plans. Exactly the point of my favorite post 20 Things Not to Do Before Starting A Business.
In Indonesia, 75% of the population – or 180 million people – live below the international poverty line of $2.50/day. 63% of the population earns their economic livelihood in the informal sector, with little bargaining power, little or no access to efficient supply chains and highly variable and unpredictable sources of income. Despite this, over [...]
Jeweler Finds Her Artistic Niche
Although Kat Woodard grew up in a home filled with artists, it wasn’t until she was older that she found her own niche reports Idaho State Journal. Woodard, 56, said it began at a Lia Sophia jewelry event about a year and a half ago. She was drawn to a particular necklace, but did not [...]
When the LaBarbera family was trying to think up the perfect business they decided on something sweet. What’s sweeter than cupcakes? According to the Dayton Daily News, this mom and daughter business offers cupcakes, coffee, and tea. “We wanted to do something to make people happy and put a smile on their faces,” said co-owner [...]
October Sales for California Small Businesses Rebound
More of California’s small and mid-sized businesses were sold last month than in any month for the year, with 1,384 completed transactions. The total was ahead of the October 2009 figure of 1,314, and represented a substantial increase over the 888 deals concluded during September 2010, according to figures released by BizBen.com, which tracks monthly [...]
Sisters Turn Grandma’s Toffee Into Candy Business
A good butter toffee offers the consumer a sweet, crunchy treat that can be enjoyed every holiday and in between. A group of four sisters recognized that potential in their own Grandma’s recipe reports ArgusLeader.com. Grandma B’s sells homemade almond butter toffee, just like how the sisters’ great-grandmother, whose nickname was Bolly, made it. Toffee [...]
At the Home Care & Rehabilitation Expo 2010 in Tokyo, Japan, Panasonic exhibited a prototype hair-washing robot. The robot utilizes Panasonic’s robot hand technology. The left and right arm mechanisms adjust the pressure used to wash hair, depending on the shape of the user’s head.
Type While Walking: Never Take Your Eyes Off Your iPhone
From the “I can’t part with my phone even for an instant” department comes an app that promises to let you keep your eyes on your iPhone at all times, even while you’re walking around in public. AppScout reports that Type While Walking allows you to compose SMS messages, e-mails, and other documents while on [...]
Inventor Is Revolutionizing Banking
Could you imagine if that ATM you were hoping to draw cash from actually connected you to a live teller via a TV and Internet connection? One man’s invention hopes to keep banks open 24/7 using a simple, webcam-like contraction that allows you to communicate with a teller that could be just about anywhere reports [...]
Swedish Entrepreneurs Get Access To Untapped Patents
Patents are at the heart of countless technologies, and that can make life difficult for smaller startups, which are less likely than big companies to be patent-holders themselves. Trendspotter Springwise reports aiming to create opportunity, innovation and new businesses in southern Sweden, the Mobile Heights Business Center is a partnership between local industry, academia and [...]
Build Your Own Job Search Site
Finding a job at this time is not easy but starting your own money-making website that will help others find employment is not impossible. A website called Recruitment Exchange is helping entrepreneurs start their own job boards. Their premade software allows entrepreneurs to get started right out of the box. They handle the SEO. You [...]
For a few months in the 60′s Marni Wieshofer and a colleague worked together at a company in Australia. Women like them were so rare in business at that time that they became somewhat famous. Despite there being so few women in her industry, Marni worked hard to enter into the business and dominate reports [...]
Vending Machine Sells Live Crabs
This video below shows a live crab vending machine from China that dispenses hibernating Chinese mitten crabs in little plastic cages. The crab is a famous delicacy in Shanghai cuisine and is prized for the female crab roe. The inside of the crab vending machine is kept at 41 degrees, a temperature cold enough to [...]
AFP reports Pop music icon Madonna will launch a chain of fitness clubs, with the first to open in Mexico City next month, her business partners in the new venture announced. Our goal is to create an environment inspired by Madonna’s vision and high standards of what the ideal gym would be,” said Mark Mastrov, [...]
Here’s some eye candy that has nothing to do with politics. It just shows awesome people doing awesome stuff. Whoever wins the elections will mean nothing to these folks.
Gene Marks in his blog at The New York Times says many small biz owners are hoping for a change on election day. As the election looms, President Obama continues to talk about how his administration is helping small business. But a survey issued last week said that most small-business owners are voting Republican. Another [...]
WSJ: A small but growing number of chains—such as Cousins Submarines Inc., Tasti D-Lite LLC and Toppers Pizza Inc.—are following in the tire tracks of those local food-truck businesses popping up on city streets around the U.S. Many brick-and-mortar eateries have added mobile units in recent years, and more are expected to do the same, [...]
Every business knows that they need to track how many people are buying their products and services, but what specifically should you analyze when you’re marketing? Here are five questions to ask about your marketing: Who? Who is responding to your marketing? Do certain types of customers respond to certain ads? Who doesn’t respond to [...]
Combining Fantasy Sports And Fitness
According to The San Francisco Chronicle Jim Schutz tried everything to get lifelong friend Jeff Hagen to lose weight after Hagen hit 290 pounds and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. He tried encouragement, shame, humor and anger. Nothing worked until he appealed to Hagen’s love of fantasy football. I realized that if I could [...]
Have you ever wondered what inspired that frozen treat that we all know as Dippin’ Dots? The Chicago Sun-Times recently interviewed Curt Jones, the inventor of Dippin’ Dots, about his futuristic ice cream dots. Q. How did family, friends and colleagues respond when you pursued your business idea? A. “I took the frozen pellets to [...]
Should High Schools Sell Ad Space On Lockers?
According to The Star Tribune, school lockers are becoming the latest venue for bombarding kids with advertising. Just what that will look like is on display at the north suburban Centennial school administration building: four lockers wrapped in a bubblegum pink ad for the Mall of America’s “Underwater Adventures” aquarium. On Nov. 1, the school [...]
States Pour Government Money Into Wine
Dick Seibert has lost money every year since he opened Knob Hall Winery in rural Maryland in 2006. Now he’s looking for the financing needed to double his vines to 60 acres by yearend. “We’re not making money yet, although we’re not that far away,” says Seibert, 58. Businessweek reports that Seibert’s optimism is buoyed [...]
Daughters Follow In Mom’s Footsteps
Maggie Teed was a rebel when she was young so her parents sent her off to boarding school. After that she got married and had seven children. However, the marriage ended in divorce and left Maggie to be a single mother. Struggling to get by, she had a moment of inspiration. Deciding to try out [...]
Year-End Survival Tips For Entrepreneurs
Rosalind Resnick over at The Wall Street Journal has these year-end survival strategies to get you through January 2011. 1. Retool your business plan. The economy has changed, and your company has to change with it. Take whatever isn’t working and scrap it. If you haven’t looked at your business plan since you first wrote [...]
