Archive for February 2011
Japanese Book Scanning Service
Springwise: A vast, densely packed bookcase may still be a status symbol for some, but in small Tokyo apartments it’s simply not practical. Whilst the arrival of the iPad looked set to solve the problem, Yusuke Ohki soon discovered that an iPad without e-books wasn’t much of a solution. Taking matters into his own hands, [...]
Do you like to watch old commercials? AdViews is a digital archive of thousands of vintage television commercials dating from the 1950s to the 1980s. These commercials were created or collected by the ad agency Benton & Bowles or its successor, D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles (DMB&B). Founded in 1929, Benton & Bowles was a [...]
Bob of Sauquoit, NY, designed this leg bone cane that he sells on eBay. They’re made of polycarbonate and available in a variety of lengths. used this cane when I had my hip replaced and couldn’t believe the attention I got from strangers. About ten people a day would make comments or ask questions like: [...]
Showing People You Care More Than Once A Year
With Valentines approaching, we can expect an increase in flowers, gifts, and even proposals. The season is filled with money spending for the sake of showing others just how much they mean to you. What if you could do that every day of the year, for free? DailyLoveNotes.com is your go-to site for telling the [...]
The Push To Bring Broadband To Rural Entrepreneurs
Today President Obama will be in Marquette, Michigan to talk about improving broadband access in that area. This discussion is just one step toward fulfilling his pledge to bring improved broadband access to areas where businesses need it most, reports The Wall Street Journal. The goal is to bring high-speed wireless Internet coverage to nearly [...]
Rcreational vehicles sales are widely considered to be a good economic indicator. When the economy is up, people buy motorhomes. When it’s down, they don’t. According to this video, sales of RVs are rebounding, and are expected to increase by 8.2% in 2011 compared to last year. Are you ready to take advantage of this [...]
Dina Amico-Kriescher understands that it is difficult to manage a career while raising a family. It was that understanding that lead her to launch her own business. As that business grew, she saw yet another opportunity: direct sales. However, she wasn’t joining another company. She decided to offer women a chance to join on with [...]
How Do You Make Your Storefront Stand Out?
If your storefront looked like this, how would you make it stand out from every other locksmith in the neighborhood? If you were this Greenwich Locksmiths in Manhattan, you’d cover it in keys!
Kids playing Susan McArthur’s game, NounSense, might not realize they are learning. However, with each funny story they create, they are learning how to read. According to InsideHalton.com, her game was released approximately 10 months ago, and it has already received the a top toy rating of 3 stars by the Canadian Toy Testing Counsel. [...]
Steve Jobs Used to Be Nervous on Camera, Too
The reality distortion field is a term used to describe Steve Jobs of Apple and the way his charisma. The RDF is said to be Steve Jobs’ ability to convince himself and others to believe almost anything with a mix of superficial charm, charisma, bravado, hyperbole, marketing, appeasement, and persistence. But, Steve Jobs was not [...]
Today in Entrepreneurial History: February 10
1863 – The fire extinguisher is patented. 1933 – The New York City-based Postal Telegraph Company introduces the first singing telegram.
Candyman: Inventor of Jelly Belly
Candyman: The David Klein Story, is a film that tells the story of the inventor of Jelly Belly jellybeans. Despite Jelly Belly’s popularity and success, Klein’s life didn’t turn out the way one might expect. Candyman tells the amazing true story of David Klein, an eccentric candy inventor from LA, who in 1976 had a [...]
Water Challenge: Fight Rising Water & Win Money
If you’ve had an idea on how to stop rising water from invading coastal communities and you have yet to act on it, now may be the perfect time to do so. The Idea Village and Greater New Orleans Foundation are working together to give one lucky entrepreneur $50,000 to help him or her turn [...]
Managing Risk Is What Entrepreneurs Do Best
When you seek money from an investor, one of the first questions they will ask is, “How much of your own money, and friends and family, have you put into the new business?” If you are not willing to put your own money at risk to start or grow your business, there is no reason [...]
Mom’s Need Transforms Into Baby Gear Shop
After Ellen Diamant had her first child, it soon became clear to here that there was a need not being filled. That need was quite obvious to anyone that has ever struggled with a diaper bag, while trying to maneuver a stroller or any other gear. That initial idea was to make an attachment for [...]
What do they do with snow parks in the summer? I don’t know, I’ve never been to one. If you had a dozen or so Ice Meister Slicers, you could open a snow park in any weather — even in the blistering heat of summer! On the bottom of the Slicer are two removable ice [...]
Drobo: Bigger, Safer External Hard Disks
External drives either run out of disk space, or they fail — and hopefully not at the same time! Drobo has solved this problem for me. The Drobo is a external box that you connect to your computer via a USB or Firewire cable and then fill with hard disk drives. The Drobo magically turns [...]
A Soapy Solution To Handwashing
By washing your hands regularly, it is the best way to help prevent getting sick. However, knowing that will not make your kid want to wash their hands any more than they already do. One day Michael Reiter had asked his kids to wash their hands. Like always, they kept putting it off. Around the [...]
Hundreds of New Domain Suffixes Coming
Nine and a half years ago, shortly after the introduction of the .biz top-level domain, I registered this domain, business-opportunities.biz. Ever since, people’ve wondered whether or not I was crazy not to go with a nice, normal, dot com. Well, it looks like I’ll finally be vindicated in my decision. In a decade, the dot [...]
The Secret Flaw With Scratch-Off Lottery Tickets
What would you do if you discovered a secret flaw in scratch-off lottery tickets that allowed you to determine in advance whether or not a ticket was a winner? A geological statistician in Canada named Mohan Srivastava was just that guy. Srivastava had been hooked by a different sort of lure—that spooky voice, whispering to [...]
Time is Money: Meeting Cost Calculator
Bring TIM! (Time Is Money) is a meeting cost calculator. It will tell you the cost of every second that ticks by! Introducing Bring TIM!® (Time Is Money) – a fun yet useful office clock that tallies the dollars spent in long meetings. Simply enter the number of people in the room, ballpark an average [...]
Do you like the totally bald look? Do you hate spending the time to shave your head? This head shaving helmet might be just want you’re looking for. The helmet sprays the head with shaving cream and then four razors move back and forth across your head for about twenty seconds. At the end, you [...]
If Chinese businessmen are harbingers of fashion and style, get ready to sell a ton of purses! Hip Chinese men are now toting expensive purses that previously were exclusively the domain of women. The 41-year-old investor was dressed in the unofficial uniform of Chinese businessmen: dark blazer, crisp white shirt, designer slacks, silky tan socks, [...]
I don’t know how successful the new web application upstartly will be, but I like their message: Want to be 100% sure about your startup idea? Get at least 5 people to put down cold hard cash for it There’s nothing like someone giving you cold hard cash for your product or service. People will [...]
The trend that has businesses making green changes is more than what it seems. Not only is it good for the environment, but it can be good for your bottom line. As the push for a greener lifestyle gets stronger, the argument is no longer whether a business will take the plunge. According to Fox [...]
The Success Of Arianna Huffington
Arianna Huffington has been admired for her work for quite some time. Since she has told the Huffington Post to AOL, it comes as no surprise that there might be more to this woman than meets the eye. As a media mogul in what is still considered by some to be a man’s world, Business [...]
Crowds Lining Up to Buy a Game About Lining Up
Poles have been lining up to buy a new board game called “Kolejka” (The Queue), which recreates the tedious shopping experience of communist-era Poland. Crowds of people, including those who remember standing for days in lines, lined up at the state-run Institute of National Remembrance to buy the game. The game’s very functional box (pictured [...]
The Street Flyer is like a hang glider on wheels. The rider propels the vehicle by running underneath it and then dropping into the harness, hanging beneath the vehicle.
Quirky Invention Gets Dust Bunnies Off Broom Bristles
A little over 2 years ago, Bill Ward was sweeping up a broken light bulb when he reached down to get the dust bunnies off the bristles of his broom. A piece of light bulb that was hidden in the dust cut his finger. Determined to find a solution, he managed to create a unique [...]
You’ve Been Sentenced! To A Little Fun
If you want to learn something new, the best way to do it is to make a game out of it. The more fun everyone has while paying the game, the more information they will retain. It is that same basic idea that has made You’ve Been Sentenced! such a big hit. The game, which [...]
Today in Entrepreneurial History: February 8
1906 – Chester Carlson born, American physicist and inventor of Xerography 1910 – The Boy Scouts of America is incorporated by William D. Boyce. 1922 – President Warren G. Harding introduces the first radio in the White House. 1960 – The first eight brass star plaques are installed in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 1963 [...]
Like to get out into your community and talk to local merchants? This bizop may be for you. The Kidstuff Magazine is a free shopping resource guide for parents and grandparents. The magazine serves two purposes. It is designed to help families find products and services they need as their children grow. And, it is [...]
Sports Life: Wholesale Sporting Goods
Sporting goods are hot, even in a down economy, according to the National Sporting Goods Association: Sporting goods store sales in October rose 5.4% versus October 2009. This was compared to a 5.0% increase in September. Year-to-date sales of $31.4 billion are 5.5% ahead of the same nine months in 2009.”“ If this sounds like [...]
. If you’re planning to start a business in a number of wildly diverse industries, including tattooing, tree trimming and cat grooming, be prepared to need a license, if industry groups have their way reports the WSJ: They’re asking to become state-licensed professionals, which would mean anyone wanting to be, say, a music therapist or [...]
When most people think of a death ray, the first thing that comes to mind is a silly cartoon gun that one character may use on an object to make it disintegrate. One kid has decided to make the device a little more realistic. Unlike the cartoon representation, Eric Jacqmain’s death ray is not a [...]
At my house, the Super Bowl is only super for the commercials. Which ad did you like best? You can watch them all on YouTube.com/adblitz.
Online Courses For Small Business Owners
Approximately 2 years ago, the New Hampshire Small Business Development Center launched an e-Learning program for entrepreneurs. The goal of the program is to reach as many small business owners as possible, giving them the tools that they need to succeed. There are currently over 20 lessons available for entrepreneurs to take. According to Seacoastonline.com, [...]
Dell Social Innovation Competition
The 2011 Dell Social Innovation Competition is a business idea competition for university students. Competitors should come up with innovative ideas to solve social or environmental problems. We’re giving away more than $100,000 in cash prizes to at least five winning teams who will be flown to Austin, Texas for an expense-paid Finalist Week-End that [...]
Taking Baby Steps In The Baby Food Market
Five years ago, Jennifer Broe was feeding her then 6 month old daughter when inspiration struck. The jarred food that she was feeding her daughter was well below her own expectation for what her daughter should eat. Even after researching the problem, she was still less than satisfied with the options available to her. According [...]
A new “store” in Tokyo specializes in magazines and newspapers. It can be called a store only loosely because it doesn’t actually sell any products. Instead, they are all free. The shop hopes to ultimately rent out it’s space as a gallery or event space. Springwise has more: Publications covering food, travel, fashion, music and [...]
Inventor Promoting Towbar Safety
Dave Swanepoel immigrated from South Africa to Tauranga in 2001. Since then he has been living his dream. That is why he’s not about to give up on his business idea. Dave has developed a type of towbar deflector which, he believes, will help eliminate many leg injuries reports Bay of Plenty Times. His problem? [...]
Ads of the Past: Poultry for Profit from 1922
Text of ad: Poultry raising offers you pleasure and profit combined with exercise and fresh air; we are helping many poultry raisers to health and profit and can help you, too. Only correspondence course indorsed by leading agricultural colleges. Write quick for free book “How to Raise Poultry for profit.” THE NATIONAL POULTRY INST., INC., [...]
Interviews with the Makers of Football Swag
It seems that there was some sort of big football game yesterday. Did you watch? AOL Small Business has up interesting profiles of both Gregg McArthur, the manufacturer of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Terrible Towels, and Ralph Bruno the maker of the Green Bay Packers’ Cheeseheads. One interesting question from McArthur’s interview was “Is the towel [...]
Today in Entrepreneurial History: February 6
1802 – Charles Wheatstone born, English scientist and inventor 1815 – New Jersey grants the first American railroad charter to John Stevens. 1929 – Colin Murdoch born, New Zealand pharmacist, inventor of the tranquilizer gun 1959 – Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments files the first patent for an integrated circuit. 1963 – Kevin Trudeau born, [...]
Weekend Thread: Do You Have a Website?
Do you have a website? If so, leave it in the comments below and we’ll all check it out. If you’ve never commented before, this would be a good time to try!
1840 – John Boyd Dunlop born, Scottish inventor 1840 – Hiram Stevens Maxim born, American inventor (Maxim gun 1869 – The largest alluvial gold nugget in history, called the “Welcome Stranger”, was found in Moliagul, Victoria, Australia. 1900 – The United States and the United Kingdom sign a treaty for the Panama Canal 1913 – [...]
CompoKeeper: Making Compost Smell Less
With the introduction of the CompoKeeper, diverting kitchen scraps from going to the landfill is now a piece of cake. As communities become increasingly concerned with climate change, greenhouse gases, and overflowing landfills, recycling organic material is an obvious solution. Unfortunately, the “ick factor” – the fear that decomposing food scraps leading to foul odors, [...]
If we want to get the most benefit out of our driveway, we need to make sure it receives the proper care it needs. To do that, we need to make sure cracks are plugged, and the pavement is properly sealed. While someone with enough time and the right tools might be able to do [...]
Terressentia Strikes Liquid Gold
The distilling process has not changed much over the years. However, a new company has found a way to not only shorten the length of time it takes, but make it taste even better. According to Charleston City Paper, Terressentia makes gin, vodka, rum, bourbon whiskey, and tequila in approximately six hours, with only a [...]
