Archive for November 2011
Laura Bennett, CEO of Embrace Pet Insurance: In America, 65 percent of households have dogs or cats, yet only 1 percent of those pets have pet insurance. Across the ocean, 25 percent of cats and dogs carry pet health insurance in the U.K. British people don’t mind insurance very much. In the U.K., when pet [...]
NeverWet: You Can’t Get It Wet!
Hydrophobic means that something repels water. Oil, for instance, is commons substance that is hydrophobic. Well, Ross Nanotechnology has developed a super hydrophobic coating that completely repels water and heavy oils. Called NeverWet, any object coated with it literally cannot be touched by liquid. Any liquid placed on this coating is repelled and simply rolls [...]
This video of a machine drilling square holes has making the rounds on the interwebs today. I thought it was pretty fascinating, and wanted to share a couple other videos of drills drilling square holes I found while researching the invention. More videos after the jump.
MidlandsConnect.com: “Some people ask, well where do you work? I say I work at Just Cakes by Renee, they say oh where’s that? Oh that’s mine i own that…like that’s my business, said Woodard in her mother’s kitchen, I didn’t realize at first how big it was to be my age.” She became an entrepreneur [...]
Jack Dorsey The “Jack” Of All Trades
Mostly known as the co-founder of Twitter, he also co-founded Square. TechCrunch reveals some of the lessons he has learned as an entrepreneur. Dorsey revealed that both his own and his family’s experiences with entrepreneurship were inspiration for his two current startups — both of which remove friction from human communication and industry, a process [...]
Veterans Choosing Entrepreneurship Over Employment
Business News Daily: Veterans increasingly are forgoing the more traditional route of finding a job working for someone else in exchange for the opportunity to own their own business. There are already more than 3 million veteran-owned businesses operating nationwide. And there are a number of organizations, businesses and associations looking to help them get [...]
Today in Entrepreneurial History: November 13
On this date in 2001, Dane Carlson’s Business Opportunities Weblog was founded in Modesto, California. Happy 10th anniversary to my loyal readers!
Today in Entrepreneurial History: November 12
1439 – Plymouth, England, becomes the first town incorporated by the English Parliament. 1892 – William “Pudge” Heffelfinger becomes the first professional American football player on record, participating in his first paid game for the Allegheny Athletic Association. 1933 – Hugh Gray takes the first known photos of the Loch Ness Monster. 1936 – In [...]
Today in Entrepreneurial History: November 11
Happy Armistice Day, Remembrance Day and Veterans Day. 1675 – Gottfried Leibniz demonstrates integral calculus for the first time to find the area under the graph of y = ƒ(x). 1918 – World War I: Germany signs an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car in the forest of Compiègne, France. The fighting [...]
Airdrop Harvests Moisture Directly From Air
Edward Linacre, a student at Melbourne, Australia’s Swinburne University. has won this year’s James Dyson Award, with his “Airdrop Irrigation” system. The system harvest water from the air and delivers it directly to the roots of plants by mimicking a trick from the Namib beetle. Minute water droplets from the fog gather on its wings; [...]
How to Sell to Big Grocery Stores
Here are seven steps for getting your product into a big groccery store like Whole Foods Market, Wal-Mart, Kroger or Publix. They are, without an explanation, below. For the full scoop, visit The Daily Dose: Use and train your brokers Show the trend Don’t go in cold Position the product Stand out Secure a distributor [...]
Investment Banker Turned Furniture Maker
A few years ago, Greg Hankerson was an investment banker in Phoenix with a problem. No, not a problem at work. A problem at home. His wife wanted a patio, and Hankerson was too cheap to buy her one. This need eventually drove Hankerson out of the world of high finance and into business manufacturing [...]
Profit in the Underground Economy
Co.Exsist: It’s the second largest economy in the world. Within the decade, it may sustain two-thirds of the planet’s workers, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and even rival the United States. But it’s not China: It’s the bazaars, vendors, and informal markets of the world. Robert Neuwirth’s new book, Stealth [...]
Three Ways Entrepreneurs Can Profit from Fake Honey
According to the Food Safety News, three quarters of all honey sold in the United States isn’t something natural that bees produce. The results show that the pollen frequently has been filtered out of products labeled “honey.” The removal of these microscopic particles from deep within a flower would make the nectar flunk the quality [...]
Smelly-vision is here! Olly is a little white box that you connect to the internet that notifies you via your sense of smell. When it receives a notification from the internet, be it a new email, or a tweet or a change in weather, it emits a smell just like a Glade Automatic Spray.
Arkay is the world’s first non-alcoholic whisky. Do people really want the taste of whisky without the alcohol? Am I missing something? Is there really a market for something like this? ArKay, the world`s first alcohol free whisky flavored drink is designed for the socialite to the construction worker. The exceptional taste of whisky without [...]
First there was the big and tall, now there are options for the height challenged. Jimmy Au may have started out as an accidental entrepreneur, but now he provides suits to some of the biggest names in Hollywood. “My professor was my first customer, and I made $400 with 40 orders, so I told myself [...]
Abu Dhabi Women Embracing Business
The National: A year ago, Badour Al Massabi and Hend Al Nuaimi would have been at a loss to describe what, exactly, an entrepreneur does. Now they are not only preparing to open their own businesses, but they also hold events to educate other female students at Zayed University in Abu Dhabi. “We are empowering [...]
Getting Started With Grant Proposals
Are you having a little trouble getting the grants you need for your small business? Small Business Trends has a few tips to help you get started. The difficulty in applying for a grant is knowing where to start. Instead of trying to do it all by yourself, try the following: Go to local networking [...]
Selling Designer Jeans Through Home Parties
Companies find many different ways to market their product to consumers. A popular and effective way is through direct sales. That is the approach taken by Vault Jeans. Their passionate Fashion Consultants sell their product and have the opportunity to earn a little money, too. I recently spoke with Shannon Misener one of their consultants [...]
Tiny Family Biz Sells Billions in Gold
In 1973, Coins ’N Things opened as a small storefront between a Dairy Queen and a hair salon in Brockton, Mass. Today they do $6.5 billion in annual sales with about fifty employees. How do they do it? Easy, they’re the single largest seller of raw gold the United States government. Every weekday, Coins ’N [...]
Let’s face it, school portraits are boring. Flat and dull. The WSJ has taken a a look at the industry and discovered some new companies trying to revitalize it. Kelsey and Dennis Kleiman of Brooklyn, N.Y., were underwhelmed by their daughter’s school pictures. So Mr. Kleiman, a professional photographer, volunteered to take less-stilted portraits of [...]
Secret to Success: Fast and Free Shipping
Business Insider: It’s quite simple: fast and free shipping closes deals. Looking for free shipping offers is a learned behavior by consumers, and they expect it – especially around holiday time. By offering special shipping promotions, buyers are more likely to purchase under the impression that they are saving money, somewhere. Candidly, that means that [...]
Honda has unveiled “All-new ASIMO”, a new version of their humanoid robot. It can run at hop on one or both legs, and more. Honda: The all-new ASIMO is now advanced from an “automatic machine” to an “autonomous machine” with the decision-making capability to determine its behavior in concert with its surroundings such as movements [...]
Inspiring Women To Take Command
Hoda Kotb may not be an entrepreneur, but she knows how to inspire a group of women. She had to work her way to the top, and she recently celebrated women in business with her own success story as inspiration. Toting her interview short, Fairfax native Kotb tried to launch her career out of college [...]
Student Debt Hindering Entrepreneurship?
We recently mentioned a trend where students leave school to start their own business. Some entrepreneurs regret their choice, and some do not. However, those students who manage to finish school often find themselves in a massive amount of debt. Is that stopping them from starting their own businesses, too? Consider the depth of the [...]
Lee Johns first fell for Cafe2U in Australia. He discovered the mobile coffee shop while in the country and knew it was a concept that would find success in the US. So, he obtained the rights to set up franchises in the US. Earlier this year, Johns and the company’s Portland-based CEO traveled to Australia [...]
Everyone has a different set of fears. Little kids may be afraid of the dark, some people may fear the unknown, and entrepreneurs have their own list of fears, too. Forbes considers a few fears that some entrepreneurs may face. Losing my drive: Leila Janah founded Samasource, a non-profit that gets women, youth and refugees [...]
Stay at the Same Company for 5 Years: $50K Bonus!
What can a small business owner do to ensure that his employees remain committed and loyal to the company? One small business owner in Charleston, South Carolina thinks that cash will prevent his employees from walking. Dan Schneider, owner of SIB Development and Consulting, has offered a $50,000 bonus to any of his employees that [...]
Niche Biz: Chickenpox-Infected Lolipops
According to Jerry Martin, U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, it is a federal crime to send diseases or viruses across state lines, but that hasn’t stopped one Nashville woman who is charging $50 for a chickenpox-infected lollipop. Customers are lining up. AllVoices has more: It seems that these days, even the most [...]
Inc.: While a new tablet launch isn’t breaking news anymore, there’s one that’s unlike any other yet to be released—it’s a full-fledged mobile computing device for kids ages three to 10 that lets them play educational games, watch videos from providers such as PBS and National Geographic for Kids, as well as engage in social [...]
Books Turning To Movie Trailers to Sell More
LA Times: In a sewer beneath Las Vegas, a lethal vixen named Abigail is locked in a mortal struggle an outlaw cowboy with ties to Greek gods. The scene, recently filmed over three days on a sound stage in Glendale, wasn’t for a new sci-fi TV series or movie. It was for a 30-second commercial [...]
MyFoxTampaBay: Steve Pitts is stepping up, working hand-in-hand with local golf course owners to save their game. His new business model is shaping the way local owners do business. Local pro shops are failing to compete with high volume sport stores, so Pitts came up with the idea to front the bill by outfitting the [...]
Holistically Treating Senior Pets
Examiner: When Grant Stevens first started researching holistic ways to ease the aches and pains of his three senior dogs, he never dreamed it would lead to a new business venture. After seeing a dramatic change in his own dogs thanks to therapeutic massage and other treatments, Stevens is now sharing his talents through his [...]
Worldcrunch: A cozy fire burns in the waiting room’s fireplace. There’s a cowhide rug on the floor and antlers on the wall, along with a photograph of an imposing mountain peak. A woman wearing a lovely silk dirndl – a traditional and somewhat revealing Bavarian dress – walks in and asks what we would like [...]
Surviving Feast Or Famine Business Cycles
Whether business is steady, overwhelming, or dead, The Charlotte Observer has some tips that’ll help you survive. The truth is, there is no silver bullet for creating a steady stream of work. But there are some things you can do to cope and manage. Communicate early and often To get out in front of your [...]
Looking for little jobs you can do from home that will help bring in some money to help pay bills? Find a small skill you can utilize like this mompreneur: One such entrepreneur is Elise Clarke, a mother of three from St. George. Rent for a studio was more than she could afford, so she [...]
Entrepreneur Defies Mafia Control
Filippo Callipo sometimes wonders why he is still alive. That is the question he is left asking himself after refusing to play the mob in the small Italian town where he runs his businesses. But it also means he makes the sign of the cross when he leaves home. It is a silent prayer that [...]
Entrepreneur.com Needs Indie Products For 2011 Gift Guide
From now until Thanksgiving, we invite all eligible businesses to tell us about ONE item that you sell that is the perfect gift for someone special this holiday season. So tell us in 250 words or less the story behind the item: the reason you decided to create it; why it’s absolutely unique; why it’s [...]
From Corporate Life To Motivational Speaking
It takes a lot to leave a good job that pays well to venture out on your own. However, that is exactly what Monica Marie Jones did, and she has seen plenty of success because of her choice. Monica was no longer happy in the day-to-day grind, so she felt it was time to create [...]
A reader wrote: I’m a small biz entrepreneur and I’m feeling overwhelmed by everything. Can I get a word of advice? First off, take a breath. Stay true to who you are and what you do best. Let someone else do those tasks that will take you off course because you don’t like to do [...]
Made by Hand / No 2 The Knife Maker from Made by Hand on Vimeo.
What scent strips are for fine fragrances, Peel ‘n Taste flavor strips are for flavored products; a way to market the most important sensory aspect of your product. Peel ‘n Taste flavor strips are edible film strips (similar to popular breath strips) which are flavored to the taste experience of a food or beverage brand. [...]
A Business Card for A Model Airplane Builder
Rethink Communications: Specializing in model and radio-controlled aircraft for over 40 years, Norburn Model Aircraft Supply offers the widest and best selection in British Columbia. We created a unique business card for them by printing and laser die cutting balsa wood that can be assembled into a small — and functional — glider.”
Today in Entrepreneurial History: November 8
On this day in 1895, while experimenting with electricity, Wilhelm Röntgen discovered the X-ray. Photo by CHENGYUAN YANG/ShutterStock.
Niche Biz: Hygenic Hospital Door Handles
The Hygiene Handle is covered in 23 pressure points that release a sterile gel when it is pulled to open the door. Inventor Matt Roberts, 31, said the idea has been trialled at two hospitals and he is hoping the invention will be rolled out nationally by the NHS. The father-of-one, said: ‘I came up [...]
Dropping Out To Start A Business
With people like Peter Thiel, co-founder of Paypal, paying people to drop out of school and start a business, leaving the classroom behind seems like a good idea. However, The Christian Science Monitor found some entrepreneurs who chose to go back. John Price and Sam Dryden dropped out of the entrepreneurship program to pursue their [...]
Ever feel like you just need a little “good luck” on your side to do well in business. TechCrunch has a few ideas on how you can create your own. As Wayne Gretzky says, “skate to where the puck is”. Don’t start a soft drink company competing against Coca-Cola. Start a company in a fast [...]
Steve Jobs Was a Tweaker, Not an Inventor
In Malcom Gladwell’s review of Walter Isaacson’s book Steve Jobs, Gladwell argues that Steve Jobs wasn’t an inventor. Instead, he was a tweaker. A tweaker, according to economists Ralf Meisenzahl and Joel Mokyr, was a a resourceful and creative man who took the signature inventions of the industrial age and tweaked them – refined and [...]
Techcrunch: Finally, there’s a way for me to carve up the slopes with my pizza-wedge turns without having to endure the condescending smirks of strangers. That’s because Liftopia, the startup gives you steep discounts on ski tickets and other snow-related activities, has just added a new feature: full-mountain rentals. Which means you can keep the [...]
