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October, 2010

Semi-finalist Q&A: Sassy Creations

Submitted by Jordan on Mon, 10/04/2010 - 14:40
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Lisa Blanton, owner of Sassy Creations, makes candles. Not just typical candle, though. Her candles are 100% Palm Wax. She makes them personally, in small batches, and hand pour each one. The name of her candle line is *Palm*Scents*.

Information from her grant application is available here. Read below for more, and if you have questions for our semi-finalists don't hesitate to ask them in the comments section.

Also, don't forget to cast your vote! YOUR vote will determine which entrepreneurs most deserve to be amongst the finalists.

Is Social Media Worth Your Time as an Entrepreneur?

Submitted by Lesley Spencer Pyle on Wed, 10/06/2010 - 13:52
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Very few business owners have the luxury of too much time. Instead, most are forced to make difficult decisions about spending limited resources of time, money and energy. As a result, small business owners may not be willing to invest time in social media sites like Facebook or Twitter until they are sure they will add to the bottom line.

Visibility

4 Key Factors to Business Success

Submitted by Jenna Drew on Fri, 10/08/2010 - 14:10
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Creating and running a successful business that is profitable is not for the faint of heart. People say that between 47% - 50% of small business will fail within the first 90 days, so the numbers are not in your favor either.

In my opinion, these numbers are just there to fade out the uncommitted. Most people see those numbers and think they don’t have a chance, but think about it, how many people take risks on probabilities a lot worse than 50-50? Have you ever played the lottery?

10th Grant Semi-finalists in a Tight Competition. Preliminary Voting Results Revealed

Submitted by Elena on Mon, 10/11/2010 - 15:29
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Voting for deciding the finalists for the Tenth Idea Cafe Small Business Grant is in full swing. We have received a significant number of votes and the numbers are suggesting the finalists. But nothing is decided at this point. There is still time until November 1st for the overall picture to change.

Semi-finalist Q&A: Lisa Hall Staging & Design

Submitted by Elena on Thu, 10/14/2010 - 12:36
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Lisa Hall Staging & Design offers home staging services for people selling their homes. It accentuates homes best features, de-clutters and de-personalizes and strives for the model home look that appeals to buyers. Staged homes sell 50% faster and for 6-10% more money. In today's market, there are a huge number of vacant homes on the market and staging helps home sellers sell their properties quicker and for more profit.

Information from her grant application is available here. Read below for more, and if you have questions for our semi-finalists don't hesitate to ask them in the comments section.

Semi-finalist Q&A: Prairie Essence LLC

Submitted by Elena on Thu, 10/14/2010 - 12:52
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Prairie Essence LLC promotes healthy skin and a healthy environment through the use of its own hand crafted natural skin care products. Formulated using only renewable plant source ingredients and enhanced with prairie botanicals, these products nourish and promote healthy skin. Being packaged in post consumer and totally recyclable containers, Prairie Essence exhibits its great care and concern of the Earth.

Information from her grant application is available here. Read below for more, and if you have questions for our semi-finalists don't hesitate to ask them in the comments section.

How Ugly Are You? Redesigning Our Business Image

Submitted by Elena on Fri, 10/15/2010 - 13:59

Reeling and celebrating after a great win with Idea Café’s Small Business Grant, the All-American Fencing Academy felt empowered! We thought, “There must be other small business contests out there! We can harness the power of our loyal followers and win more!”

What did we find next? Businesscardproject.com’s Business Card Makeover contest. The premise was simple. Send them an image of your business card, and if it’s horrid enough, their designers will redesign it for free and send you a free pack of newly redesigned business cards. Would the Al-American Fencing Academy be willing subject ourselves to this little bit of humiliation for free stuff? Of course, we would.

Semi-finalist Q&A: American Mixed Martial Arts

Submitted by Elena on Mon, 10/18/2010 - 15:34
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American Mixed Martial Arts offer mixed martial arts training to children starting at 3 years old through adults. Their biggest program is their After School Program where we provide a constructive alternative to day care. They provide childcare for K-8 graders looking to get social values, discipline, and structure with their after school pgm.

Information from her grant application is available here. Read below for more, and if you have questions for our semi-finalists don't hesitate to ask them in the comments section.

Semi-finalist Q&A: M & J's Cooling Inc

Submitted by Elena on Mon, 10/18/2010 - 15:49
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M & J's Cooling Inc offers quality heating and airconditioning solutions. They take care of all the heating and cooling needs of their clients, including making your existing system run more efficiently.

Information from her grant application is available here. Read below for more, and if you have questions for our semi-finalists don't hesitate to ask them in the comments section.

Semi-finalist Q&A: Lache'

Submitted by Elena on Tue, 10/19/2010 - 10:45
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Lache' is a fashion forward clothing line that caters to the sophisticated, urban man and woman. It is a mix of cultures and enables one to capitalize on where they have come from with the world of European and Cotoure fashion.

Information from her grant application is available here. Read below for more, and if you have questions for our semi-finalists don't hesitate to ask them in the comments section.