Archive for December 2010
Parenthood Inspires Dad, Inventor
After the birth of his baby girl, one of New Zealand’s newest knights is inspired to speed up the introduction for one of his life-saving inventions into the developing world, according to The Dominion Post. Sir Ray, an Auckland scientist, entrepreneur and inventor whose innovations have benefited millions in the developing world, has recently finished [...]
Rounding Up Wet Bibs On A Drying Rack
Inventing is a fun pastime for Annie Pryor, but as a busy mom to three kids her focus really seems to stick on family. That is why her latest invention, a baby bib drying rack, comes as no surprise. She was having trouble trying to find places for wet bibs to hang and dry. When [...]
Internet Sales Tax Could Impact Your Biz
Heads up, entrepreneurs! There’s increasing political interest for an Internet sales tax. Although we’ve seen calls for this in the past, the topic has seen a resounding resurgence amidst budget deficits in almost all 50 states. This deficit crisis has presented many lawmakers with a golden opportunity to recoup some revenue by collecting tax on [...]
New Year Resolutions For Entrepreneurs
Have you made any business resolutions for the New Year? While many people set personal goals based around the idea of dieting, many business owners are looking for ways to help fatten up their earnings. Reuters has posted a list of resolutions that might help inspire you. Social Media Do whatever it takes to get [...]
2011 Small Biz Forecast-O-Rama
Entrepreneur.com has a collection of some of the more interesting forecasts for small businesses in 2011: 1. More companies will use direct deposit to save money and help the environment. 2. Companies that take advantage of tax breaks expiring this year will have more growth capital for 2011. 3. New high-tech methods of reaching customers [...]
Via: Stephanie Fox at io9.
Geraldine Doyle was just 17 when she took a job at a metal pressing plant near Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1942. AFP reports that she was there when a United Press International photographer came to the factory while documenting the contribution of women to the war effort. A picture of Doyle was later used by [...]
Making Money Through Debt Resolution
Last week we posted a profile discussing VerifiedDirect and their biz op,VerifiedDebt, a debt resolution business opportunity. This week I asked Mark Hyman a few questions about the business and the inspiration behind it. Tell us a little about Verified Direct. Verified Direct is the Marketing Company for VerifiedDebt®. VerifiedDebt® was started in 2009. Started [...]
Man Makes Living Suing Spammers
Daniel Balsam hates spam. Most everybody does, of course. But he has acted on his hate as few have, going far beyond simply hitting the delete button. He sues them. According to the Associated Press, eight years ago Balsam was working as a marketer when he received one too many e-mail pitches to enlarge his [...]
Device Helps Prevent House Fires
Lyle Chesley had been out shopping with his family when he got a call telling him that his house was on fire. He came home to find it nearly in ashes. That experience sparked something within him and he set out to create an automatic device that would help prevent this from happening to others [...]
Via: Online Schools
Issues Small Businesses Will Face In 2011
Business News Daily recently took a look at some of the issues that small businesses will have to face during the new year. So, what are some of the issues you should anticipate while planning how to operate your business? 1. Tax changes – In 2011, businesses will confront the increasing complexity of the tax [...]
Train Brain For New Years Resolutions
Resolutions require more than just willpower says The Wall Street Journal. In order to really change your behavior, you must learn to change the way your brain responds to old habits. Training yourself mentally by breaking small habits—like using your less dominant hand or improving your posture—can make sticking to the big goals easier. Giving [...]
If you’ve been thinking about starting a small online business, take advantage of this deal. Go Daddy.com is offering a new 1-year domain name registration for $1.49 via coupon code “NEWYEAR11“, This offer isn’t limited to .com domains; .org, .net, .biz, and others. Click here. Photo by Go Daddy.
In 1961, President John F. Kennedy challenged the nation to reach an ambitious goal: land a man on the moon and return him safely to earth by the end of the decade. Although many believed the mission could not be achieved, Kennedy succeeded in changing the narrative. Instead of dismissing the idea, scientists accepted the [...]
Lu Chia-you’s father could no longer bend down like he once could. As a result, he was not able to tend his plants. So Lu created a product that would help his father garden again reports Taiwan Today. His new gadget, Lu said, gives people who have no space to grow vegetables or flowers in [...]
You Can’t Multitask, So Stop Trying
The year end is a busy time for almost everyone. As we use our smartphones to confirm online gift orders, we’re also trying to wrap up those work tasks we should have finished in November. We feel overwhelmed but also productive, pleased with our ability to juggle so many things. In reality, however, that sort [...]
Former Teen Mom Hopes To Inform And Inspire Young Girls
Summer Owens found herself pregnant at just 15 years old, and she no longer could be a child. Unfortunately circumstances lead her to where she was, but she didn’t let that stop her from reaching her full potential. According to The Commercial Appeal, Summer has self-published her own book titled, “Life After Birth: A Memoir [...]
Steps To Small-Biz Success In 2011
Economists say the Great Recession–the longest and deepest since World War II–ended 18 months ago and that the U.S. economy is, in fact, growing again. That doesn’t mean sit and wait for things to improve. Rather, Entrepreneur advises retool for the economy that exists today, and will be lingering for many tomorrows. Double Down On [...]
Making A Business Out Of Second Chances
Larry Keast had every reason to be proud of himself. He had managed to bootstrap his business from something in his garage into a heavy equipment manufacturer reports Chron. However, he rarely felt at ease. He had the nagging feeling that his staff wasn’t entirely trustworthy. Then, not quite two decades ago, serendipity struck in [...]
The Sun Sentinel reports what’s being billed as the first gold-dispensing ATM in the nation at the Town Center Mall in Boca Raton, spitting out an after-dinner-mint-sized gold bullion into the palm of its first customer. The Gold To Go gold bullion vending machine, developed by the Germany company Ex Oriente Lux AG, was brought [...]
Barbara Weltman over at AOL Small Business shows you how to squeeze some extra savings out of your 2010 tax bill. 1. Wait to bill for work you’re doing now. Instead of sending an invoice immediately so you’ll receive payment in 2010, consider waiting until the end of the year to send it. This will [...]
Frank Fish was on vacation with his fiancée in Boston when he spotted a fine-art sculpture of a humpback whale in Quincy Market. On closer inspection, he noticed the flippers had bumps on the edges. “I thought ‘The artist got this all wrong,’” he recalls. “But when the store manager pulled out a picture of [...]
Imagine a homeowner with a plumbing problem. Not having a previous relationship with a plumbing company, the consumer calls the first one she finds online. Although the plumbing problem is eventually remedied, since the plumber’s demeanor, quality of service and punctuality were subpar the homeowner realizes she’s in the market for a new plumber for [...]
Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions
What does it take to make that new habit stick past January 1? What are the key principles in transforming our lives to make conscious new habits become unconscious routines? Kentin Waits over at Wisebread has put together five key steps that can give you a running chance at achieving those New Year’s resolutions and [...]
College Grad Realizes Life Long Dream In Manufacturing
As soon as Paul DeWys turned 15 years old, he went out and got a work permit. That was only the first step he needed to take to realize his life long dream in manufacturing. Now, at 22 years old, he is the owner of his own business: DeWys Industrial Design. Paul got his start [...]
90% of Word of Mouth Marketing is Offline
It isn’t surprising to hear that the average American consumer mentions specific brand names 60 times per week in conversations. In personal relationships, people talk most often and most convincingly about topics that they are passionate and knowledgeable about.. This should come as no surprise to anyone. Since customers care about the products and services [...]
Top Ten Franchising Trends For 2011
The future of franchising is looking bright: In September, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that 10.5 percent of all businesses with paid employees were franchises in 2007, the latest data year, and that they generated a staggering $1.3 trillion in annual sales. Where is franchising headed next? Entrepreneur.com identified 10 categories as the industries to [...]
Five Great Business Apps For Google Chrome
For every person there is a browser that suits their needs. For anyone that feels that Google Chrome is the best browser for them, PC World has recently listed 5 free business apps that can make it that much more useful. The Chrome Web Store has not been open long, but there are already plenty [...]
Best Industries For Starting A Biz Right Now
Candy How sweet it is. Even in a recession, candy has been a luxury that many people can still afford. “Chocolate is a comfort food,” says Dan Johnson, owner of Choco-Logo in Buffalo, New York, which has seen retail sales rise 30 percent since last year. The confectionery industry, as a whole, grew 3.7 percent [...]
As more businesses move online and more jobs come into existence based upon these moves, it’s not a surprise that the number of people working from their home office is rising. This infographic by ContactMe drives home the numbers and puts it into perspective. Photo by ContactMe.
Team National Helping People Save Through Group Discounting
Receiving a discount by purchasing a membership is not uncommon. Some popular stores, like Sam’s Club, is known for using this kind of approach. Team National uses a similar concept. With a membership, the person that purchased it and their family members can purchase a variety of products or services at a discount. They can [...]
Entrepreneur reports that a new fleet of entrepreneurs are creating their own spin on the food-truck model some with seriously cool mobile retail. On weekends, one of the hippest places to shop in SoHo In New York sits at the corner of Broadway and Prince, with street artists to the west, trendy stores all around [...]
Well, that is if you’re selling ugly Christmas sweaters. The holiday may have passed, but that says nothing about the success of UglyChristmasSweaterParty.com. According to Post-Tribune, Adam Paulson, Kevin Wool, and Brian Miller are college buddies. Last year they got together and decided to see what they could do with a certain website URL. They [...]
Intuit took the pulse of small businesses in America to hear both their biggest challenges and greatest rewards from 2010 as well as their perspective of what’s to come in 2011. While small businesses are still feeling the brunt of the recession, they enter 2011 motivated to grow and with realistic expectations. Photo by Intuit.
Flight Attendant Turned Inventor
Joi Sumpton always wanted to be an inventor, but the opportunity never seemed to arise. According to her article in Fox Business, the opportunity finally appeared while she was trying to help her child wash his hands in the bathroom. They had diaper changing tables and other tools to help kids, but there was nothing [...]
April over at BlacksburgBelle.com takes a look at some books for creative entrepreneurs you might have missed. The Creative Entrepreneur by Lisa Sonora Beam This is a DIY visual guidebook for making business ideas real. Do you ever wonder why business, numbers, and marketing aren’t that easy for artists and other creatives? It’s because we [...]
Toy Inventor Recognized With Lifetime Achievement Award
For the last six decades, Eddy Goldfarb’s toys have made their mark on the imaginations of many. According to Venture County Star, his toys have make just as much of an impact on Christmas morning as any other inventor. Goldfarb has created so many toys he was recently given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the [...]
Buildings Shaped Like What They Sell
Longaberger is known for its handcrafted maple baskets, so its headquarters are obviously shaped like a giant basket. Not just any old basket, though. It’s a Longaberger Medium Market Basket that’s been blown up to 160 times its normal size. This one’s a Boston institution. In 1933, Arthur Gagnon wanted to open an ice cream [...]
Photo by flickr.
Sometimes it pays to freak out. An Ohio boy’s over-the-top reaction after receiving a Wii game system for Christmas three years ago has turned into a tidy little side business says the Hamilton Journal News. Since the boy’s father posted the reaction video on YouTube three years ago, he’s made almost $5000 in royalties. The [...]
VerifiedDirect Debt Resolution
Where there is debt, there is an opportunity to make money collecting it. Debt collecting has been around for many years, but now there is an opportunity that is helping people get into the business. VerifiedDirect is home to VerifiedDebt, a business opportunity that allows people like you start your own debt collection business. They [...]
World Record Collection Of Santa Claus Memorabilia
Somewhere in that photo above is Jean-Guy Laquerre, who holds the Guinness World Records for having the world’s largest collection of Santa Claus memorabilia. Neatorama reports that Laquerre, a 74-year-old retired geography teacher from outside Montreal, has devoted all his time to his Santa collection, which he proudly displays between Dec. 15 and Jan. 15 [...]
More Small Businesses Trying E-Commerce
Melissa Johnson perfected the recipe for her cupcakes, and now she’s working to master the right mix for ecommerce. According to ArgusLeader.com, Melissa is the owner of Oh My Cupcakes. She has decided to take the leap into ecommerce for her cupcakes, but she is having a little trouble. It’s a task she’s been working [...]
Christmas tree decked out with dollars 11 million U.S. worth of gold, at the Emirates Palace hotel, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The hotel’s general manager, Hans Olbertz, was quoted in local newspapers Thursday as saying the 43-foot faux fir has 131 ornaments that include gold and precious stones including diamonds and sapphires. The [...]
Google Wooing Advertisers Via Phone
The web giant is known for changing the way we view ad sales online, but now they’re trying something a little more old fashioned. According to the Wall Street Journal, they’re trying to woo local businesses into advertising with them by calling them up on the telephone. The Internet-search giant this year has hired several [...]
Patent #5,523,741. Thomas Cane’s “Santa Claus detector,” patented in 1996, combines yuletide spirit with cold-hearted espionage. Kids booby-trap the hearth as shown on Christmas Eve, and if the decorative ribbon is pulled during the night, the stockings light up, giving proof of Santa’s visit. “This is particularly important to young children, providing reassurance that the [...]
Christmas Tree Powered By Electric Eel
According to Neatorama when an aquarium in Japan planned their holiday displays for Christmas, they decided to harness the natural talents of one resident: the electric eel. The lights on one small Christmas tree are powered by the eel’s natural electricity, which is picked up by two aluminum panels in the tank that act as [...]
The United Inventors Association of America is reporting that in January, Silent Crow Productions will begin production on a major television series celebrating backyard inventors in America. It’s an opportunity for you to receive public acclaim through an ethical, well-respected cable network. The network is looking for just 12 of the greatest, most extreme idea [...]
This Christmas Elf Flies Off The Shelf
He’s been called charming. He’s been called creepy. He travels under cover of night, moving from perch to perch. And he knows if your kids have been naughty or nice. He’s the Elf on the Shelf. A book. A doll. And now a holiday phenomenon at a home near you. Maybe even yours. According to [...]
