| Niche Biz: Ugly Christmas Sweaters Posted: 17 Apr 2012 03:30 AM PDT 
Lost that ugly Christmas sweater Aunt Ethel made you in the 80′s, but you need something to wear to your next ugly sweater party? One company has made it their business to provide people with the ugly sweater they need, reports The Street. Self-titled tacky sweater aficionado John Kaplar took his love of these sweaters to a new level — and started Skedouche.com in 2009. Kaplar began designing his own sweaters when he came to the conclusion that what was already out there was “boring.” He started with over-the-top holiday sweaters like the Lighted Fireplace Sweater with 3-D Stockings and the Santa Pimp Sweater. Kaplar’s holiday gear has earned notable mentions and he was recently featured in Jimmy Fallon’s “12 Days of Christmas Sweaters.” “Our Christmas sweater store is overflowing with the tackiest, ugliest, most festive and obnoxious Christmas sweaters around. And everything is brand new,” the company’s website states. Customers can also buy things like LED Christmas sweaters, Hannukah sweaters, candy cane scarves, hats and in its latest expansion, St. Patrick’s Day gear.
 |
| 6 Ways To Attract Customers Posted: 16 Apr 2012 04:32 PM PDT 
No matter what area of business you are in, if you don't have customers than your business will eventually fail. That's why it is so important to present yourself and your product in a way which will not only attract the demographic you seek, but inspire them to come back again. Here are 6 examples of things you can do to ensure you will not only attract new customers, but create a regular customer base. Continue reading. 
 |
| Silly Putty for Potholes Posted: 16 Apr 2012 03:41 PM PDT |
| Entrepreneurs Cashing Out in 2012 Posted: 16 Apr 2012 03:24 PM PDT 
Inc.: According to data collected from BizBuySell.com, online business-for-sale marketplace, acquisitions for the first quarter of 2012 were the highest they’ve been since 2008. Bloomberg reports that although the company-for-sale business is not back to pre-recession levels, the increase is a positive indicator. “While we are not out of the woods yet, economic factors are slowly improving and have given the business-for-sale marketplace a nice boost to start 2012,” Mike Handelsman, group general manager of BizBuySell.com and BizQuest.com, said in a press release. What’s driving the upswing in acquisitions? Bloomberg cites the steady improvement of small business revenue and cash flow since mid-2010 to be a major factor. Photo by bsabarnowl. 
 |
| Could Ethopia Become The Breadbasket of Africa Posted: 16 Apr 2012 03:21 PM PDT 
Ethiopia has in my mind always been a country of famine. But that could be changing. What would East Africa look like if Ethopia became the breadbasket of the region? But what if, despite the poor rainfall, Ethiopia stopped importing thousands of tons of foodstuff and attempted to reverse the trend? What if Ethiopia actually became an exporter of food? It is not science fiction: this country's food production potential is huge. Ethiopia is indeed to East Africa what Switzerland is to Europe: a virtual water tower. Its rivers cut across vast areas of potential arable land, which nevertheless has been left idle since it lacks irrigation. Few people know that with its 50 million bovine, 25 million sheep and 22 million goats, Ethiopia has Africa’s largest collection of livestock, and the tenth biggest in the world. As for foreign markets, the wealthy oil-producing Gulf States are close by. Photo by ex_magician. 
 |
| iPad App to Help Autistic Kids Talk Posted: 16 Apr 2012 11:30 AM PDT 
Techcrunch: We met Joe Hill in Norfolk, Virginia last week. He had a story to tell us. He has two autistic sons who have had trouble communicating and he noticed that the world of tools for autism often overlooked a few things – aesthetics, usability, and customization, to name three. Instead of relying on ready-made utilities, Joe wanted to make something fun and cool. He created Aeir Talk. It's an app that allows parents to create and record their own content for use in a very simple but effective method for communications. The parents record a set of verbs and nouns and add pictures of themselves or of familiar objects. When the kids need to communicate, they select a noun and a verb and press a button. The app creates a simple sentence. "I want to go outside, please" or "I want a carrot, please." 
 |
| Dieting With A Tube Up Your Nose Posted: 16 Apr 2012 10:21 AM PDT 
GMA: Brides-to-be looking to shed that final 10, 15 or 20 pounds in order to fit into their dream wedding gown have taken a controversial approach to crash dieting that involves inserting a feeding tube into their noses for up to 10 days for a quick fix to rapid weight loss. The K-E diet, which boasts promises of shedding 20 pounds in 10 days, is an increasingly popular alternative to ordinary calorie-counting programs. The program has dieters inserting a feeding tube into their nose that runs to the stomach. They’re fed a constant slow drip of protein and fat, mixed with water, which contains zero carbohydrates and totals 800 calories a day. Body fat is burned off through a process called ketosis, which leaves muscle intact, Dr. Oliver Di Pietro of Bay Harbor Islands, Fla., said. “It is a hunger-free, effective way of dieting,” Di Pietro said. “Within a few hours and your hunger and appetite go away completely, so patients are actually not hungry at all for the whole 10 days. That’s what is so amazing about this diet.” You’re welcome that I didn’t include a more graphic photo. Here’s a brochure if you’re interested. 
 |
| Today in Entrepreneurial History: April 16 Posted: 16 Apr 2012 08:58 AM PDT |
| Bringing The Service You Want To Where You Are Posted: 16 Apr 2012 08:55 AM PDT 
Traditionally, when you want a professional service you need to go to their business or office to get it taken care of. Whether you're looking for a massage or need the services of a notary. What if they could come to you instead? Servemehere.com took that idea and turned it into a reality. Some businesses have taken a hit in the down economy, and ServeMeHere allows them to revive in a new way. Any service that is willing to travel can pick up some new customers by listing themselves on the website. As for the consumers, they're able to search the directory for the local services they need. David Hini-Szlos, the founder of ServeMeHere, was kind enough to answer a few of our questions about his website and what inspired him to create it. Continue reading our interview. 
 |
