What possible use could Josh have for all that old oil? Turns out Josh has been using household chemicals to turn that oil into diesel fuel.
“Here is the diesel that can actually be used straight into an engine,” he says, pointing to the amber liquid that has separated from the fats in a storage jug. Minutes later Josh pours the bio-diesel into a pickup truck belonging to the father of one of his friends.
“It has a little bit smaller of a carbon chain than regular diesel does, explains Josh.
The friend appears unconcerned that a high school sophomore has just poured homemade fuel into her dad’s Chevrolet truck.
He’s also just warming up. Josh already has an agreement to collect used cooking oil from a local Chinese restaurant. He’s now in talks with Elk River’s school bus provider about selling them his fuel. But that’s just to raise some capitol.
Lake now uses only organic products in Artiste Organic Salon and Spa, her new salon on Main Street in Hobart. Organic hair care products are those made solely with natural plant ingredients.
“I became allergic to everything I had been using,” Lake said. “I had bumps on my head, swollen fingers. Using bleach and color made my eyes water. It bothered my breathing and my skin. I’d choke and gasp on the fumes.”
The salon’s all organic product lines have been a big hit, she said.
“Some of my older clients have conditions like psoriasis and eczema,” Lake said. “The organic products don’t bother them as much. They love it because the products don’t cause health problems for them or for me. Everyone is into organics now days.”
Lake has four independent contractors, two masseuses and two hair dresser/cosmetologists, working at her shop. The location has a kitchen and several rooms that allow Lake to host events, such as Ladies’ Days Out, beauty parties, plus holiday–themed and other special occasions. Many of the events help Lake Raise funds for charity.
Ever wonder what happens when you’re done with the wine? By Gordon takes those bottles and turns them into a unique Chandelier.
We recently asked Chad and Shannon Gordon a few questions about their company.
What is By Gordon?
By Gordon is a product development company that specializes in high quality, custom-crafted items for the home. The By Gordon company’s committed and dedicated staff work tirelessly to ensure the success of the business and satisfaction of each of their clients. By Gordon welcomes inquiries for custom products. Whether your personal design style is Traditional, Contemporary, Mid-Century Modern or Country French, By Gordon can create one-of-a-kind custom masterpiece utilizing the latest in design trends, materials, finishes and fixtures on the market today.
Where’d the idea for the wine bottle chandelier come from?
The idea of the wine bottle chandelier has been around for a long time in many different shapes and sizes. We have combined the history of the French riddling rack and the wine bottle lights to make a beautiful light that will transform any space. It provides an ambient light that creates a warm and inviting look.
How’d you get into this business? What’s your background?
I guess you could say creating works of art with my hands is in my blood. I am a third generation creative craftsman and I have a passion for making artistic functional pieces that inspire and enhance both indoor and outdoor spaces. I grew up with an itch to tinker and create. If something was broken, I would fix it. I would help my grandfather and father work on projects around the house. I would spend hours on end gathering useless parts from things that were broken in order to transform them into something useful and unique.
For the past 10 years, I have enjoyed creating and crafting one-of-a-kind items and products out of both new and reclaimed materials as a hobby with the desire to some day turn my passion for creative craftsmanship into a thriving career. I attended a California State University to earn a Business Degree and with my faith in Christ, and a little bit of passion, patience and perseverance I have cultivated the tools to turn my dream into a reality.
That day has come. I am building my hobby into a thriving business and I couldn’t be happier. I always used to hear the saying ‘You’ll never work a day in your life, if you do what you love’ but never understood it until now. I am fulfilling my life long dream. I reside in beautiful Northern California with my amazing wife and two beautiful daughters. I couldn’t ask for anything more, I am one lucky guy.
What kind of success have you had?
We have had a lot of success since our kickoff a couple of months ago. People from all over the country have found our products and fell in love with them. It is so much fun to meet people that are inspired by our creations and a joy to provide them with something that I love to do. Every piece is handled with care and with the utmost attention to detail. If you love what you do and do what you love, the sky is the limit.
Other than the wine bottle chandelier, do you have any other products?
Yes, We are getting ready to launch our line of wine barrel furniture with many more ideas to come. This is just the beginning and we are keeping our creative minds open to what inspires us and our customers to produce quality products that everyone will love.
What’s the future of By Gordon?
Our future is to create high quality customized products that inspire our customers. We encourage thoughts and ideas that will help us in creating artistic pieces that bring out the personality of our customers. We love what we do and look forward to making something that inspires any space.
Mothers’ Day is coming up. Looking for a gift for the crafty and entrepreneurial mom in your life? Epson can help expand their creative talents through with its portable EPSON LabelWorks LW-300 and LW-400.
Both models deliver several features to help crafting and scrapbooking enthusiasts with all their labeling needs, including more than 40 tape cartridges for customized projects with a wide variety of colors, symbols and print styles. In addition, iron-on labels can quickly be applied to almost any fabric, giving crafty moms a simple way to label clothing, felt scrapbook pages and more.
“Moms everywhere should be celebrated, but not with the usual chocolates and flowers. The LabelWorks offers them so much more by inspiring personalized projects or helping them organize a cluttered craft station,” said Anna Jen, director of new business development, Epson America, Inc.
Nearly every day, someone asks my advice on the best way to promote their business or themselves. I get the question at speaking engagements, at the office and, yes, sometimes at home. I don’t mind at all, because I’ve always got a good answer:
Write a book.
“A book?” some say — with obvious horror. “I’ve never written a book!”
Precisely my point. But let me back up a bit.
When I started EMSI 22 years ago, I soon realized the clients who got the attention of the media most quickly were those who’d written a book. Not just any book, mind you, but one that aligned with what they were promoting. The apple salesmen who wrote about apples were far more successful getting media coverage than those who wrote about oranges – and those who hadn’t written anything at all.
Why? Because yesterday’s business cards are today’s books. They give their authors immediate credibility, establishing them as experts in their fields. Credibility opens the door to journalists, talk show hosts, bloggers and anyone else creating content for hungry audiences. Who will they turn to as an expert source of information when a mysterious apple worm is destroying orchards? Johnny Appleseed, author of Red All Over – The Core of the Apple Industry.
There are some caveats. A poorly conceived, poorly designed, poorly written or poorly promoted book is worse than no book at all. Your book must capably and professionally represent your unique message – and you.
