And the Semi-Finalists for the Eighth Idea Cafe Small Business Grant are...

We're proud to announce the semi-finalists for Idea Café's current $1,000.00 Small Business Grant. It was tough since there were so many super candidates. But now we've selected the cream of the crop from almost one thousand exceptional applicants. 40 Grant Applicants impressed us with their inventive business vision and their intent to leverage their business and personal talents to help others. (Read below for short descriptions of their businesses and ideas.) Congratulations to the semi-finalists, and a sincere "Thank you" to everyone who applied for the Eighth Idea Cafe grant!

In contrast to the previous grants, where the team at Idea Café had to choose the finalists out of the list of all semi-finalists, this time the five finalists will be decided by the votes of Idea Cafe Regulars. Those five of the semi-finalists who receive the highest numbers of your votes will make it to the final round and eventually compete for the cash prize.

Vote now, because YOUR vote will determine which companies and their owners most deserve to be amongst the finalists.

The voting page is located at http://www.businessownersideacafe.com/small_business_grants/grant_vote.php . Free Idea Cafe registration is required in order to cast a vote. Voting closes on November, 1st.

In the following couple of weeks, we'll be contacting the semi-finalists and asking them to answer several brief questions about their business. While the voting is open, we will feature those stories on Idea Cafe, so that Regulars can learn more about other people's entrepreneurial approach, while deciding who deserves their vote best.

And finally, here they are, our semi-finalists ordered by the date of their application:


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GreenWorks Construction Cleanup

Vote now!

Shaniqua Stewart
McDonough, GA
http://http://www.gwcmanagement.com

What does your business do?
GreenWorks is an ecofriendly post construction cleanup company specializing in the cleanup after commerical construction projects by using ecofriendly cleaning supplies and cleaning methods our focus and motto is "keeping it Green while we clean"

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
This grant would allow us to move into our desired office location in te city and the ability to become HUB zoned certified, which would open up many opportunties for business with the state.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
There are a couple of ways cafes grant would allow us to "pay it forward" first with the many bid opportunties we will be open to and receiving we will be able to employ people. In this current economic conditions, I feel the best thing we can provide is job opportunties. Also I am in the process of creating a nonprofit organization which will be a community service based and focused on job skill development i.e resume building, computer training and interviewing skills etc.


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Blackwell Family Resources, LLC

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Angie Blackwell
McMinnville, OR
http://www.blackwellfamilyresources.com

What does your business do?
Provides remarried parents guidance and tools to establish strong, happy stepfamilies. Our parenting coach (me), works with parents 1:1 or in small groups, in person and via teleconferencing to help them define their family roles and realistic expectations so they can avoid a second (or third) trip to divorce court.

Marriages that involve children from a previous relationship fail at a rate of 67%, that's nearly twice as often as the first-marriage divorce rate (which is 50%). Our mission is to help families be successful and to create stability for children so that they can grow up to be emotionally capable adults.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
Put myself in front of an audience to build awareness and credibility, boosting referrals for my services.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
Not everyone will be able to afford the services I offer. I will continue to offer complimentary seminars and provide valuable, updated information via my blog and website. I will also provide parenting training with my local Head Start program on a strictly pro bono basis (something I am currently setting up for the 09-10 school year).


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GreenHab

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Rachel Menozzi
Los Angeles, CA
http://www.greenhabdesign.com

What does your business do?
I have an architectural background and am a LEED accredited professional (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). I want to better the environment by providing consultations to homeowners to show them how to make their home more energy efficient and sustainable; to educate them on the benefits of going green and the tax incentives offered to do so. The initial consultation will provide them with a "green scorecard", a system that rates their homes efficiency and areas that need improvement. I will then provide additional services to help them achieve their "green goals"; through remodeling, system upgrades, retrofitting, lifestyle changes etc.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
Since my consultations are at my clients home, I would be able to sit down with them and present a comprehensive, digital presentation; illustrating the walk-through, explaining the benefits of "going green" and providing them with a spreadsheet showing the cost savings and tax incentives available. A visual, powerpoint presentation would definitely help the client understand exactly what I am providing and inspirational images (before and afters) would be of great encouragement.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
I believe success in a business is recognition. If I gain a reputation and strong client base, I would form a green community with other local, green businesses and encourage my clients to use their services.


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WOW Shop Here.com

Vote now!

Neema Mohseni
Maple Grove, MN
http://www.biometriclockspro.com/

What does your business do?
Utilizing each person's unique fingerprint as a "key," WOW Shop Here is changing both residential and commercial for the better. We sell the world's best fingerprint locks and keyless entry systems for homes, businesses, gates, condos, cabins, apartments, schools, universities, vacation homes, rental properties, franchises, government buildings, and more.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
The grant enable the business to grow and develop its marketing purpose and advertising products. It is very expensive especially in this economy turmoil to start up business or grow. So, grant or any money that support any type of businesses whether small or big will be tremendous for business owners.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
I will share my experience as well as introduce them good resource and source if they need any help for doing business. IDEA CAFE will be one of my source to them to seek their need.


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Tadlet, LLC

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Khanh-Thy Gonzales
Beavercreek, OH
http://www.tadlet.com/

What does your business do?
Text message advertising. Companies get to choose who they want their advertisements (coupons, promotions, events, etc.) to go to by picking out their demographics from our database. Our database comprises of subscribers who opt-in to receiving text message advertisements on the cellular phone (up to 3 per day). Subscribers are also compensated $10/month for filling out/updating their profile and to help pay for their text messaging bill (because text messages aren't free!). Currently offering subscriber service to Wright State University (OH) students. Will expand to military personnel at the end of 2009 (Wright Patterson AFB).

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
If I can hire a part time employee, then I can focus on sales to bring in revenue and expand the business.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
I would like to offer the text message advertising services to non-profits. It's a great way to find volunteers for events.


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Capitalist Chicks.com

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Debbie Brannigan
Portland, OR
http://capitalistchicks.com

What does your business do?

Currently building a strong e-community of small business women on my website (and facebook http://tinyurl.com/CapitalistFB). Every month we feature women from the past and present who have/are impacting the business world for women today. Regular podcasts with female CEO's are also published.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
The grant money would enable me to pay for the skills of others that I do not possess myself. To date, the site has grown tremendously with all the work being done myself. Other than 4 writers, all technical and conceptual work is done by myself. I have reached a point now where the next step in growth requires skills I don't possess (coding, marketing). A good business owner realizes they don't have to know everything; they just need to hire the people that do. This is where I am today.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
My teen years were extremely chaotic. I was a teen run away, high school drop out and teen mother. I managed to turn my life around when my daughter was born and today I am a very successful engineer who has designed many automotive and aerospace products. I started the site to give inspiration to the "average Jane" out there. So many sites for women in business are intimidating and structured around those with business degrees. I want to promote the idea that even if you have dropped out of school or feel there is no possible way to succeed, there actually is. My vision is to eventually have the site profitable enough that I can offer grants and/or training to women who are low income, teen mom's or high school drop outs.
I've learned that the best thing you can offer others is your own personal experience and the wisdom you gained from it. I would like to put my past mistakes and experience to good use for others who are now in the same hopeless place I once was.


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Teresea Carson, LMP

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Teresea Carson
Woodland, WA
http://www.emotionalhealingmassage.net

What does your business do?
We are an outdoor aroma massage spa. We offer people an opportunity to get away from it all, to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and to relax. We provide a new twist to massage by offering outdoor aroma massage. We have many aromas to choose from and specialize in our own aroma creations - like Strawberry Margarita, perfect for an outdoor evening massage on a hot summer night.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
The grant would enable me to go to the next level in my outdoor aroma massage spa by creating these two additional massage sites, purchase table warmers/ electric blankets for the colder temps, purchasing additional linens, and for marketing/advertising to reach the larger communities around us (Portland, OR and Seattle, WA). We live a few miles from a bed and breakfast and live on the way to the lakes or to Mt. St. Helens, so there's a lot of potential to bring out-of-towners here.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
I'm not sure how to answer this at this point. I would do something to help feed America, but in what way I'm not sure at this point. I also would be helping massage therapists by providing an opportunity for them to work.


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ChildCareChecks.com

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Theresa Bodiford
Lansing, MI
http://www.childcarechecks.com/

What does your business do?
We provide added peace of mind to parents and families by conducting independent evaluations of daycare providers. We search public files, do background and credetial checks, along with some proprietary methods desined to gather in-depth information about child care providers. In addition, we do on site evaluations of facilities.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
By finishing my website, I would be able to expand my service area to service all of Michigan an eventually, nationwide!

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
I have already started a group to provider support to female business owners in my town. I will continue those efforts and hopefully be a shining example and beacon of hope to them!


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KeepItMoving-Fitness, LLC

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Kimberly Brown
Chicago, IL
http://keepitmovingchicago.com/

What does your business do?
In-Home personal training and group training
Focuses on weight loss, sports specific training, healthy weight gain, rehab injuries, pre/post natal, get in overall better shape, boxing, bodybuilding competitions, weddings and special occassions.
We transform minds and bodies
WE go to peoples homes, apartments, and condos. We procive all necessary equipment in our traveling truck. WE also use the clietns gyms if need be. EVery client we train is provided with a diet and bi-weekly progression check-ups such as measurements, body fat % and BMI Body Mass Index

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
Things that we cant do now beacause of money issues is the marketing asect. With a business like ours we always have to market. We have very low to little funds to market. The money woudl greatly help us as you know markeitng is very expensive. We will be able to register and set up booths at different health and business expos and seminars, purchase professional and quality business cards, fliers, posters, brochures, etc.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
Since we train clients in their home whicj in turn helps them with the inconvenience of travel. Many clients that we train are not able to travel and go to local gyms due to their physical capability. We love to service people with disabilities, in impoverished communities adb sufferign from diseases with diabete, HIV, depression, and cancer which affect our communities in Chicago greatly. We also train children , which studies have shown, it raises kids test scores, confidence and self-esteem, and it keeps them off of the streets. We love to give back to the community and fitness has always been my passion. We will use any funds that we give to help use purchase literature to on different diseases to help our clients as well as equipment that we may need .


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HAWK salon & gallery

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Kathleen Hawkins
Columbus, OH
http://matchstylist.com/hawk_salon_gallery/

What does your business do?
My business is a small hair salon combined with an art gallery featuring local artists. The art and artist changes every few months and I do not charge a commission on the work that is sold, unlike larger galleries.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
As of right now I cannot afford to run ads to promote the artists and their exhibits. This grant would enable me to advertise when each new artist displays his/her work, and be able to have gallery openings for the next year. As of right now my only advertising is word of mouth, which only spreads to people I know and each artist knows.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
If I receive the Idea Cafe grant, I will pay it forward by promoting the artist free of charge to them, and not charging a commission on their work hanging in my gallery. It is so hard for local artists to make anything off of their work as it is, traditional galleries charge as much as 40%, leading to inflated pricing on art that would otherwise be affordable to the general public. This would allow me to charge no commission, in turn bringing pricing down for the buyer and profit up for the artist.


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Mail a Hug

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Elizbeth Crouch
Sheridan, OR
http://www.mailahug.com

What does your business do?
Mail a Hug creates happy cards, hand-signs them with the personalyzed words of the customer (such as: Love, Joe), stamps them with postage, and mails them at the US Post Office. Mail a Hug also sends out gifts via the US Postal Service. Those are the physical activities of Mail a Hug.
The emotional activities include changing people's lives by showing them that their loved ones care and have not forgotten about them.
And, for the customer, they all get a feeling of warmth in their hearts because they are making someone else happy.
I've been told that anyone who tries our service will love it and keep doing it forever!
After trying my service for a couple of months, all of my customers pay for a year's worth of service at a time. That's how satisfied they are with my service.
Not only that, some recipients of my service have placed orders themselves for some of their loved ones whom they want to keep in touch with.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
Right now I would love to create my cards and flyers, then have a copy company print them for me so I can save time to be able to focus on advertising and sending out flyers and creating great gift ideas. Until then, I am printing each week's card on a slow printer. My mind soars with great ideas for my company, but I don't have enough hours in a day to do everything I think about! (Do you happen to give grants to lengthen the hours in a day?)

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
Mail a Hug's mission is to enrich the lives of millions, one hug at a time. We help others feel loved, focusing mainly on the elderly in Nursing Homes. Were we to win the grant, we would continue volunteering at Nursing Homes, letting the residents embellish cards that we bring to them, and then we send them out to their loved ones for free!


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Dynasty West

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Doreen Rutherford
Bend, OR
http://www.pottyponypals.com/

What does your business do?
We make and manufacture Potty pony Pals . Children's potty training underwear and media DVD. Our product is organic cotton , made in the USA, and has re-usable packaging. We use visuals printed on the inside of the underpants and the DVD to teach the toddler to keep their underpants dry.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
Reach more people, getting toddlers out of diapers!

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
I would love to help underpriveledged children.


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Artist for Hire

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Debbie Jovanovic
Croswell, MI

What does your business do?
Personalized engraving on glass and metal (wine glasses with the names of the couple and wedding date are my most popular item); some murals; other customized art as negotiated.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
In order to start up this business I would need to have a lot of supplies on hand. Since my wedding glasses are so popular I would like to stock up on a variety of those so they'll be ready for me to work on when I get the orders. There are many other things I do work on, such as framed glass and mirrors, that I would need to supply as well. I also need to buy diamond bits which are used to do the engraving. (You'd think diamonds would last forever, but these bits are just embedded with diamond particles and they wear out fairly quickly as much as I use them.) Besides supplies, a fair amount of money would go into advertising. I live in a rural area and most of my business so far has come through people who know I can do this work. I really need to have better ways to bring interest my direction.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
Well, my husband and I are firm believers in not obtaining wealth for ourselves. We want to have more so we can share more. Of the income we have, we always make it our priority to tithe to church, sponsor a child in Angola, and help out other people we know who may need it from time to time. I don't want to say much more than that because it feels like boasting. Other than this, I am always open to ideas on how I can "pay it forward," which I am sure I can learn about through Idea Cafe.


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Solar Cooker at Cantinawest

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Nathan Parry
St. George, UT
http://www.solarcooker-at-cantinawest.com

What does your business do?
We teach and promote Solar Cooking as an inexpensive and viable alternative energy use.
Solar Cooker at Cantinawest was started due to the interest I had in personally saving money, resources, and energy through the concept of using a solar cooker to achieve these aims.
As I pursued this interest in solar cooking I became more expert at it and also more interested in sharing the knowledge and skills I had acquired.
Along the way I showed others how they could benefit also by using this information and by doing the same as I had.
I also began to see a larger need for getting the information out to all who would be interested in learning these skills and knowledge for their own benefit and also for finding a way to get the information and skills out to those who could really use it, namely the less fortunate and less able in more impoverished countries.
I found out also that there were already a handful of organizations promoting solar cooking as a means for a safer, healthier and more economical way of life for the poor and destitute in third world countries that could benefit by the use of solar cooking.
They do a good job with their efforts and education but they have a very large barrier to overcome because of sheer size and scale of necessity and logistics of a world wide effort.
I wanted to do something also. I wanted to help educate people on a more local level; because I feel that it is a tool that is beneficial even here in the United States, and to sell solar cookers here with a portion of the proceeds going towards funding the purchase of economical solar cookers that could then be distributed by the aforementioned organizations and by others in the areas with the most need.
Along with the solar cookers, there would be provided the training and education to the end recipients or users on how to best use and benefit from the solar cookers on a daily basis.
I have a somewhat new website that is continually being expanded upon for the purpose of education on the subject of; the science and hobby (art) of solar cooking, and also for sales of solar cookers and dissemination of information on using solar energy as a way to conserve our natural resources.
In conjunction with the internet I am teaching a class on Solar Cooking for our local College’s Community Education Program. (There are so many who are totally unfamiliar with the feasibility and the practicality and ease of this method of harnessing the sun’s energy for their own personal, and the environment’s benefit.)

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
I would be able expand my internet presence and its ability to educate more people and I would greatly expand my local educational efforts for greater effect with my teaching possibilities which in turn can only help to spread the cause more quickly to others.
In fact since this time last year we have increased our educational and demonstration events and classes by 400% with many scheduled events throughout the rest of this year

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
I plan to use the grant to truly make an economic and environmental difference in the lives of as many people here in our own United States as well as abroad; by helping them to realize the ease and practicality of using the abundant power of the sun for everyday cooking.
In a short time we have seen a dramatic increase in interest and desire to learn solar cooking not only in our local area, but even world wide.
We are intent on helping others to be able to learn and then share this amazing and rewarding skill called solar cooking.


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Ride Red Jet Ski Rentals

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Dustin Sweigard
Christiansted
http://www.cruzanwatersports.com/

What does your business do?
We provide jet ski rentals, snorkeling, and kayaking to locals and tourists on the island of St. Croix. We are the only watersports concession on the west end of the island.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
Right now, I am working with 3 year old machines. That may not seem very old, but they have over 800 hours on them. My parents originally had a jet ski rental on St. Croix that I worked for for 3 years and when they were forced to close, I bought them. They were already old and needed replacement but being 23, it was all I could afford. This money would help to bring that number up by purchasing replacement parts or going towards buying a new motor.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
Ride Red Jet Ski Rentals works closely within the community right now. By increasing our machines through a grant, we could continue to help the Boys and Girls Club, schools, organizations and churches to allow their members to come out and have some fun. If I received this grant, I would be able to continue this community outreach, and even help more as I would be able to donate more time and more jet skis.


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Sheila+Sharon's Cookies

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Sheila Waples
Sharon Hill, PA
http://sheilaandsharons.etsy.com

What does your business do?
We make handcrafted cookies and brownies using as many local, organic, and fair trade ingredients as possible.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
The grant would enable me to work on new cookie/brownie creations and also expand our product offerings with cookie mixes, etc.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
I would "pay it forward" by supporting other small women owned businesses and supporting small businesses in my community by spending money with them and using their products in my business.


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Live Web Search

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Juan Morales
Seattle, WA

What does your business do?
You call, we search the internet for you when you can't!
Nothing compares to a human expert searching the net for you, save time, its convinient,talk to a live person everytime you call 24/7, it's like voice recognition search available NOW!!, any questions from what time is that movie to anything available on the WEB, just call, leave the search to us!

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
the grant would enable me to expend on research resources such as grant application fees and a business consultation professional.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
The very idea of the business I think will help people realize how computers are far from equaling human intelligence and exemplify how a computer is still a tool.I will donate to the Idea Cafe and will publicise the fact that it was a key source to start my business venture.


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Bella Vita Designs

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Cally Apicella
Adamstown, MD
http://www.bellavitadesigns.net/

What does your business do?
Bella Vita Designs specializes in quality, fine, hand-painted furniture. Some of our furniture is vintage, some antique and some just plain fun. We sell many items, from china cabinets to dining tables. If you are looking for it, we can probably find it and paint it in your desired color.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
The money would enable me to get more work done so that I could turn a profit. At the stage my business is now I am only able to make a small amount of money. At most times I am barely getting by. If I had the right tools I could turn a profit and bring home and actual paycheck for a change. I could take more furniture painting jobs and do more shows. At the stage I am now I am limited on what I can do.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
My business partner and myself are alway helping others to acheive their best and will continue to do so. We give advice to other dealers, share information and help each other. I would happily mentor anyone wanting to get into this type of business or start thier own business. I believe karma is a way of life, you only get out of life what you give and my life is already rich with good people, I can only get richer by adding more into it.


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Sobo

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Jillian Montes
Hobe Sound, FL
http://www.soboFitness.com

What does your business do?
Sobo IS fitness for your mind and body. The first of its kind to combine a fun, dance aerobics workout with personal development, confidence building and shattering the barrier between you and your "best self". With Sobo, you can achieve complete optimum health in mind, body and soul.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
Do more marketing in a bigger way.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
I 100% believe in paying it forward. I personally volunteer my time and donate money to various charities and organizations. Sobo already helps people in becoming happy and healthy, and once we reach our goal of hitting $1million in sales, we are giving a percentage of that amount to an organization.


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Earth Paints Collection Systems

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Juli Beucher
Grayslake, IL
http://earthpaintscs.com/

What does your business do?
We collect post consumer Latex Paint for recycling, to keep it out of our landfills. We use paint retailers as convenient drop off locations, so homeowners can recycle their old paint at their convenience. Everything we collect gets recycled into new consumer products.We also distribute our line own line of quality, 100% recycled latex paint called Beucher's Pride. Our paint comes in 11 colors and is made from 100% post consumer product.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
Provide additional, updated display materials for our growing customer

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
We will continue our practice of holding recycling fundraising events, giving back to our various hosting organization, to help them continue their work.


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LRY Media Group, LLC.

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Rashada LeRoy
Birmingham, AL
http://www.upgmagazine.com/

What does your business do?
Our business publishes a bi-monthly fashion and lifestyle magazine in Birmingham, AL. We also have an online web magazine component and a newsletter that we send out monthly. Our goal to feature designer's, boutique's, restaurants, entertainment and people in our city. We are an advertisement driven so we depend on local businesses for advertising.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
Currently we have business requesting media packages mailed. There are thousands of businesses in our area and we would like to send them information about the magazine. This would help increase our potential advertisers.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
We have a wonderful tool in our area. Most people think that in order to work in our industry you have to go to major cities like Atlanta, New York, LA etc. This would give us the opportunity to create more jobs in our area. This would also give us a chance to create a mentoring program for young people interested in joining this field.


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Mason's Mongrel's

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Lisa Mason
Elberta, AL
http://masonsmongrels4dogs.com

What does your business do?
Dog training and obedience instruction for dogs and their families. I teach only positive training methods,and amichien bonding techniques. No dog is ever removed from his/her family. we all work and learn together. I go to them when I can, but it is not always possible.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
I could accomodate the needs that I so often see for people who cannot commute to pet stores at certain times, because they work. I could also offer training during inclimate weather, and veried hours. I often see dogs who are not yet ready for group training and I provide one on one attention for them with their families.This would also make it possible for me to offer some dogs refuge during hurricane season that would otherwise be left behind to fend for themselves. We live right on the gulf coast.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
If I recieve this grant,or even if I don't, I will help by keeping dogs out of shelters and from unnessessary euthanasia. I feel that this will not only enrich the lives of dogs but also their owners by granting them the trusted companion they have always dreamed of.This will also free up shelter money for other things like vaccination clinics, better medical care, and training for shelter dogs,to make them more adoptable. I would also love to mentor children who need direction and teach them understanding of "Mans misunderstood best friend" My fav. chinese proverb: Tell me I'll forget, show me I might remember, but involve me and i will understand.


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Sapona Green Building Center, LLC

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Robbie Sutton
Wilmington, NC
http://www.saponagreen.com

What does your business do?
Sapona offers a "one-stop-shop" for green home and business solutions. We sell and install cork and bamboo flooring, Icestone countertops, and high-efficiency plumbing. Additionally, we offer services for home efficiency upgrades like blown insulation and HERS rating. Our newest addition to Sapona is a full-service renewable energy division. We are currently launching a solar, wind, and geothermal division for residential and commercial applications.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
The grant will give more space for our business and allow me to transition the
point of sale from the client's home to the store. This will increase foot-
traffic and occupancy of building.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
Renewable energy is one of the best business divisions to invest in. By
assisting Sapona, Idea Cafe will invest in Southeastern NC's future with
solar, wind, and geothermal installations. Together, Sapona and Idea Cafe can positively affect the region's dependence on fossil fuels and reduce its
carbon footprint.


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GetYourITstart

Vote now!

Phil Patton
VA
http://www.getyouritstart.com/

What does your business do?
Web based computer training for individuals and small business. Why take and pay for a whole course if you don't need it? Tell us WHAT you want to learn. Learn WHERE you want. Our training is web based so you can learn @home, @work anywhere you take your computer. Learn WHEN you want. Flexible scheduling. Classes available till 7:00 p.m.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
Increase my reach through advertising.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
I will mentor. Having done all the work myself, it would have been nice to have a mentor.


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Bellybuttonboutique.com, LLC

Vote now!

Karla Trotman
Wyncote, PA
http://www.bellybuttonboutique.com/

What does your business do?
Bellybuttonboutique.com, LLC is the parent company that runs the website www.bellybuttonboutique.com. It is an online store that provides advice and products of comfort for pre and postnatal women.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
This grant would allow me to hone in and specialize on new and unique products in the world wide market place. It would create newsworthy buzz for my business and open the doors to local television and newspaper interviews. It would allow me to position my business as more than just another online store, but one that sources THE BEST products available to women during those nine plus months.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
The products that I would like to buy are from smaller companies. As I grow as a business, so will they. I have also pledged to "tithe" 10% to http://www.harambeefoundation.org/. This organization is in the process of building a center for displaced youth in Tanzania. They have tangible donation requests and it they focus on helping people help themselves.


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Owl Towels

Vote now!

Avi Tal
Bonita, CA

What does your business do?
Simply stated, Owl Towels is an innovative towel company. Unlike other towel
manufacturers, we design towels to be activity specific, allowing us to create
towels that are completely purpose driven for particular activities. We
provide our consumers with an overall better experience by ridding the
inconveniences associated with performing certain activities. As an example,
our Gym Owl™ provides protective pockets to house and conceal the important
articles you bring to the gym like your gym I.D. card, your car keys, and your
MP3 player. Similarly, our innovative Golf Owl™ features an abrasive fabric
corner for polishing off the golf balls, another corner containing a groove
cleaning pick, and a small discrete pocket holding a divot fixer and ball
marker. We also have innovative designs for Beach, Running, Pool, Hiking, and
Spa Towels.
Our company was founded in the spring of 2009 in the McGuire Center for
Entrepreneurship at the University of Arizona. Our venture team was
passionate about doing something creative and innovative, while at the same
time keeping our student economic situation in mind. We decided that the best
idea would be to create a business that both solved problems and was easily
boot-strappable. With that idea in mind, we started solving the problem of
losing your valuables while being active and bettering overall experiences
with certain activities. Our current business utilizes turnkey manufacturing,
allowing us to sell bulk orders of our towels before actually having them
made. The best resources we possess are our creativity for designing the
perfect towels, and our marketing backgrounds for validating our ideas in the
market.
We were very successful at making quality prototypes funded by our
entrepreneurship program’s grant-giving-arm called the Hearst Foundation. Our
products and ideas received excellent feedback in qualified test markets. We
later went on to give our venture pitch to incredibly successful entrepreneurs
and angel investors like Karl Eller, Chris McGuire, and John May. In the end,
we were awarded with 2nd place overall for our plan and likeliness to succeed,
being the only undergraduate venture team to be placed at all.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
The grant would enable us to test our products in the market better, to the
point in which we could use our samples for selling ourselves, eventually
landing those essential bulk order deals with retail chains.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
As one of the founders of Owl Toels, I have always believed that giving a
certain percentage of your income to charity is the right thing to do. Owl
Towels would definitely have this mindset enabled in its culture. I believe
the proper charity would be to something that helped other startups like
ourselves.


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Mosiah's Roots Outdoor Adventures & Fitness

Vote now!

Sylvia Smith
Atlanta, GA
http://www.mosiahsroots.com/

What does your business do?
Mosiah's Roots Outdoor Adventures & Fitness offers a veriety of outdoor education programs, and health and saftey courses that enable our participants to build and develop sef confidence, and critical thinking skill while earning professional certifications required for several employment oppurtunities.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
With the purchase of our own training equipment, we can offer more scheduled health & safety course (CPRo-AED and Junior Life guarding)

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
I have always been a youth advocate. I value woring with them, and other youth orgainizations companies that service them. With a relief in expenses, this will allow me to offer trainings to those in need at a much lower cost.


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Momentum 1 Products, Inc.

Vote now!

Julie Zizka
Del Mar, CA
http://momentumone.com

What does your business do?
Momentum 1 Products, Inc. is passionately dedicated to creating innovative and responsible products that contribute to positive lifestyles, a healthy planet, and charitable causes. At our core, Momentum 1 is a company that believes in the power of products that care.
My first product, which will launch September 1, 2009, is The Tote Buddy (www.TheToteBuddy.com), The World's First Reusable Bag Organizer, and this is how it came to be... I've always been a big recycler, wanting to do my part to help repair the damage that we've done to our Earth. And I found out that our oceans and marine life are literally being strangled to death by one-use plastic bags. As unbelievable as it may sound, there's an 'island' floating in the Pacific Ocean and it's said to be twice the size of the continental U.S.! It's called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and it's made of plastic debris, such as water bottles and plastic bags. Well, my desire to contribute my share to help save the planet, coupled with the realization that I was not alone in continuously forgetting to bring my reusable grocery bags to the grocery store, lead me to an idea. I decided to make an organizer that allowed me to keep all of my reusable bags neatly stored in my car, so that I would remember to bring them into the store with me every time.
Well, it worked like a charm! I haven't forgotten them since and everyone who has seen it wants one, too.
It's made out of the same recyclable material that is used to make the common reusable bag found in most grocery stores. It's currently available in black and a floral pattern, and I hope to soon offer it in many eco-friendly fabrics, colors, and styles.
I truly believe that society is ready to move from a use-and-toss consumerism to a more conscious, responsible, life affirming modus operandi. This is my way of encouraging the trend and leading the march!

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
The grant would help me to buy a booth at The Fancy Food Show, which is the most convenient and cost-effective way to meet buyers from every major food/beverage buying channel in the U.S. and around the world. Anyone who's anyone in the grocery business attends The Fancy Food Show.
I truly believe that if The Tote Buddy had a booth at this show it would be extremely well received. With the momentum created by multiple countries and cities around the world 'banning the bag', many grocery sellers are no longer offering plastic bags and are opting for the more Earth-friendly alternative, the reusable bag. The Tote Buddy is a perfect companion product to the reusable bag. The time is ripe! Receiving this grant and exhibiting at The Fancy Food Show will catapult The Tote Buddy sales beyond my wildest dreams!

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
Momentum 1 Product, Inc. is a member of 1% For the Planet, and is thereby dedicated to donating 1% of gross sales to this phenomenal organization. Additionally, I hope to offer employment opportunities to as many people as possible, create school fundraising programs that would allow educational institutions to sell our products and use the proceeds to better their school, and continue to develop Earth-friendly products, which will ultimately better the lives of approximately 6.776 billion people (the Earth's current population!).


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Hello KY.com

Vote now!

Steven Sanders
Benton, KY
http://www.helloky.com/

What does your business do?
We are the southern fried guide to western KY. We provide listings for local events, job openings, activities, going green articles, living on a budget articles, cooking tips & recipes, and coupons/freebies for the local area.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
It would build brand recognition and increase awareness and the use of our website by locals, which would in turn entice local companies to advertise with us.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
We actually plan on offering our own grants to local small businesses once we start making a profit from advertisers.
This would also help us by building an even bigger brand awareness and increased readership.


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Moth Attack

Vote now!

Megan Dean
Los Angeles, CA
http://mothattack.com/

What does your business do?
I design and build custom steel bicycles and components. Everything is designed and built by myself in my live/work warehouse. It's a very small operation, and one of the very few of it's kind in Los Angeles. Custom bicycle building has grown over the years, but never caught on until very recently in the area. There are currently only a couple other women in the country doing this kind of work as well.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
Currently, I'm predominantly just floating in the same place. Having a little extra freedom that could open up some money and project time would allow me to put some energy into the team bikes that won't generate any profit themselves. If I have riders on bikes in more places, the business can only grow!

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
I'll be picking out and helping racers get bikes they may not necessarily be able to afford. I'm currently a very active bike advocate, volunteer and donate to several non-profits that have similar goals and ideals.


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A Festive Touch

Vote now!

Kelli Phelps
Murray, KY
http://afestivetouchflorist.com/PageTemplates/Default.aspx?PageID=117

What does your business do?
We are a new florist in town. We offer the most trendy and unique flower arrangements, while also making the more traditional customers happy. We also carry giftware, candles, gift baskets, and gourmet chocolates.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
This grant would enable us to keep up with our everyday bills. I wish i could say, to buy new product, but at this point bills need to be paid first. With the help of getting bills paid, then new product can be bought, which keeps the customers coming.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
We will definitely give give give. We already try to make as many donations and possible, but since the summer, those are becoming few and far between.


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Exodus Studios, LLC

Vote now!

Rebecca Long
Ocala, FL
http://www.exodus-studio.com/

What does your business do?
We are a small, independent company developing and promoting family-friendly and faith-based videogames and entertainment for all ages. Our website is designed with the community aspect in mind, to help bring people (both Christian and non-Christian) together and become more aware of the Christian game industry, which is currently a very small portion in the videogame market.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
As of now, we are limited in production of new projects due to funding issues. With the grant money, we would be able to hire the appropriate people needed to release these projects in a timely manner (we are aiming for late winter/mid spring 2010 to release these next two projects, if possible).

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
First of all, we would give our detailed testimony of how Idea Cafe's Grant program has helped our business's success immensely, as well as promote Idea Cafe on our website. We are already recommending some friends and business partners to check out the Idea Cafe website for assistance and business advice. We would also definitely be more than happy to offer help and business advice to those business owners who may need it.
We thank everyone at Idea Cafe for allowing small business owners like us such an awesome opportunity for grant funding! These sort of programs are very hard to find these days, and it's further reason why we would want to really promote this website and all that you do!


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Heaven's Blessings Tiny Zoo

Vote now!

Laurene Wells
Newberg, OR
http://www.tinyzoo.com

What does your business do?
Heaven's Blessings Tiny Zoo (HBTZ) was established in 2003 in the state of Oregon by woman business owner, Laurene Wells. HBTZ is a Christian company producing family friendly games with an entirely volunteer team, all of whom work from their own homes. Work on game development is collaborated over the internet from locations all over the world. She continues to grow her business by offering valuable experience in the game development industry to volunteers who want to practice their skills on professional projects. The company home page is at http://www.tinyzoo.com
The flagship project of HBTZ is Visions, a Christian MMORPG set in the 2nd century Holy Land using the TGEA engine by Garage Games. Visions is a quest and skill based game where the player can experience history as a Roman citizen, study the profession skills of a trade, and learn about Biblical history through visions and dreams. Visions is still in development. Volunteers can apply online at http://www.visionsgame.com
Also produced by volunteers through HBTZ is Chariots, a racing game with a role playing twist set in ancient Rome on the island of Cyprus. Players can race on foot, on horseback or in a chariot, as well as perform collection quests to earn elite prizes. Chariots was released in July 2008 and is available for sale on the http://www.chariotsgame.com website.
Laurene is the Project Leader and Producer of both Visions and Chariots. And in July 2009 released her first card game, Messiah, through the online publisher TGC. Messiah was developed in 2004, but was not released until 2009 when this PPO distribution option became available. She hopes to release a foreign language educational card game later in 2009 as well, which was developed in 2003. Messiah is available through the TGC website. https://www.thegamecrafter.com/games/messiah.
For people who want to follow Laurene's progress, she has started a blog at http://laurenewells.wordpress.com which is updated periodically. Many have said that creating games with volunteers could not be done. We are accomplishing the impossible, because “With God, all things are possible”.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
Should we be awarded the grant, such that we suddenly were able to obtain all these assets simultaneously, it would advance the progress of our project by several months.
We would immediately be able to begin testing our development on a live server. Testing is a major factor to the success of a game development project, particularly on on as large a scale as Visions. This would be a the largest benefit.
We would also be able to train our new developers faster in a hands-on environment rather than through text and videos. Their learning curve would be accelerated, work would get done faster, and our team would have a collaborative environment online to work in which is more efficient to get the tasks done.
It would give us the male avatar to choose from for the character selection screen, and all the associated benefits for that. As well as the ability to edit the animations and the other animated models that we have created for the game.
It would, in a nutshell, allow us to reach the world for Christ through games sooner than we could do on our own without the funding. And it would increase the likelihood that we would reach our goal of launching the Visions Beta by Christmas. Research shows that games which launch within a month before Christmas have significantly higher success rates than games which launch any other time of year.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
Besides the financial goal of being able to attain financial stability that we can eventually hire a full time development team (we would like to create about 180 full time paying positions), we have several more altruistic goals as a company as well. We intend to be a "tithing company" where we donate a minimum of 10% of our profits to charitable organizations. This is written in our business plan to do so. We will accept Charity suggestions from members of our team, and then the board will vote to determine the monthly recipients of the funds.
As an individual I also would like to support families with educational opportunities for their children such as summer camps for kids, scouting registrations, special classes or lessons they need, things which help parents help their kids. And of course I am a strong supporter of small business, perhaps that goes without saying, but I would really like to reach a point where I can help other creative ambitious entrepreneurs achieve their dreams. The statement "You have to have money to make money" however true it may be has always irritated me. I would rather focus on the encouraging phrases like, "Where there is a will, there is a way" and "With God, all things are possible". Sometimes God works through other people, and I would really like to be able to reward those who have helped me, as well as help others who are traveling the same path I've been down.
Our anticipated potential for success is based on market research of the games industry for both secular and faith based populations. An estimated 78% of Americans proclaim belief in God, and an estimated 65% of Americans play games. This suggests that between 136,323,536 and 240,854,304 Americans could potentially be interested in playing our game. When expanded to the worldwide audience, this number grows even further. If even 1% of this target audience subscribes for one month, we will attain financial viability.


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Express Marketing

Vote now!

Nicholas Jerns
Kuna, ID
http://www.expressmarketing.biz/

What does your business do?
Marketing On the Move (M.O.M) is a new concept that Express Marketing, LLC is introducing to the advertising industry. Unlike other mobile billboards that advertise their clients on side panels facing the street or expensive and time consuming vehicle wraps, M.O. M. advertises to the individuals sitting in traffic in behind semi-trailers and cargo containers. M.O.M. puts an advertisement in your face that you can't turn the channel on; as long as you are behind this vehicle you will see the advertisement.
Using a patent pending process (application 61/064.926), Express Marketing manufactures and installs vinyl doors that are attached to semi-trailers and cargo containers creating a location for advertisers where one did not formerly exist. The photo paper used in this process is easily applied and removed from the vinyl which allow us to recycle the vinyl and creates an additional advertising opportunity; The Money Zone. The Money Zone is a portion of the full space advertisement that can be removed and replaced with a new promotional piece. For instance a realtor may want to focus on one particular house for one month and then another house the next. The Money Zone space allows for the realtor to change a portion of their advertisement throughout the year without having to pay for an entire new advertisement. A similar example would be a theater house that knew it had six different productions during the year could advertise the theater company and then change "The Money Zone" to promote the current production.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
The grant would enable us to access industry data data that will assist us in our growth and in developing our overall business plan while providing us with clout when making a sales presentation.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
The founders of our company have always believed in supporting those in need of a helping hand regardless of whether is personal or professional. That is why we set aside 5% of pre EBITDA gross profits from every sale.


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Air Power Systems, LLC

Vote now!

Frenchy Krauss
Port Richey, FL
http://www.airpowersystemsusa.com/

What does your business do?
Air Power Systems (APS) has created a simple yet revolutionary product that will dramatically alter the small wind energy market. There is nothing like our product on the market today, the design is simple in concept and simple to produce plus very cost affective with a shorter ROI than competitive systems currently available. We will create and capture new markets and set a new industry standard as the leader in energy independence at multiple levels in the consumer and utility markets. Our
design is patent-pending in the US and international as well.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
Hire Dun Bradstreet to contact my vendors to start my business credit rating ($499.00) the rest goes to fix my personal credit.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
APS will create at the very first day 21 new workplaces, and 12 contractors work places. Because we are a totally new product we need to school most of our workers. We focus on a group of workers fresh from the university and veterans, to bring newest know how and old school together. we work with non profit organization , like big sisters & big brothers together to provide not only a job, to give them a chance.


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Bunny Barricade

Vote now!

Linda Haas
Sugar Grove, IL
http://www.bunnybarricade.com/

What does your business do?
I have greated an item for homeowners to make plant protectors to avoid rabbits eating plants. I make and sell completed plant protectors or offer the homeowners the chance to purchase the form and instructions to make an unlimited amount themselves.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
I have invested all the money I have availble to create and manufacture my product. I need to reach the consumer thru garden magazines and garden shows.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
I think I will only feel I am successful, when I can assist others. I can offer time, advice as well as money. Success is better celebrated in a group!!!


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BMS Off Road, LLC

Vote now!

Nate Hanson
Anaheim, CA
http://www.blitzkriegoffroad.com (old website;new one is in development)

What does your business do?
BMS Off Road is a retail outlet that aligns its focus with the existing off-road industry, providing an array of innovative, customized products that are highly sought after by off-roading enthusiasts. “Off-roading” is an industry-specific term used to describe vehicles that are customized to maneuver on unpaved roads, such as sand, gravel, riverbeds, mud, snow, rocks and other natural terrain.
Our business model caters to recreational off-roading fans and competitors alike. While off-roading is a diverse and creative sport, some common categories include dune bashing, greenlaning, mud bogging, rock crawling, formula off-road and trials, both of which incorporate speed and/or skill.
At BMS Off Road we take this to the next level, designing customized lift kits and suspension systems that incorporate innovative designs with quality craftsmanship, capable of high performance yet safe and reliable.
BMS Off Road is the brainchild of collaborative efforts set forth by myself - a former Pro BMX rider and founder of the fabrication company Blitzkrieg Offroad - and industry expert Travis Bozzano. Mr. Bozzano is currently Vice President of S.N.O.R.E (Southern Nevada Off Road Enthusiasts), a domestic non-profit corporation focused on event coordination and social responsibility in the off-road racing market.
BMS Off Road’s model also incorporates an environmental component, where education and community collaboration are essential in maintaining the public lands open to off-roaders. We align our business with non-profits and sponsors that participate in authorized off-roading events, ensuring our products are endorsed by socially responsible organizations and entities.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
The Idea Cafe grant would be a tremendous stepping stone in taking our retail business to the next level. Additional exposure is essential to stay above the game in the off-roading industry.
Exposure will lead to increased sales volume and provide the additional revenue needed for marketing expenditures. For instance, the addition of a website would allow BMS Off Road access to the online retail channel, providing revenue for magazine advertising and help us increase outside sales efforts.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
At BMS Off Road we understand that in order to sustain a business you must participate in all areas that are impacted by your business and related counterparts. We plan to pay it forward through collaborative efforts with Clean-Dezert.org, a non-profit organization committed to maintaining the natural landscape of the Nevada desert.
Their mission is to unite the off-road community, by organizing and facilitating regular cleanup events, building relationships with key members of the off-road industry, and educate and motivate the overall desert community of the importance of maintaining our deserts. We are currently collaborating with Clean-Dezert management to organize additional clean-up days, furthering the BMS Off Road mission to promote environmental stewardship.


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Bamboo Bike Studio

Vote now!

Jesse Huffman
Brooklyn, NY
http://bamboobikestudio.com/

What does your business do?
The Bamboo Bike Studio is a working laboratory that develops natural materials science, design, and engineering, educational programs that create a more conscious, participatory consumer-product relationship, and sustainable personal transportation alternatives. Bamboo is our current focus material, and the bicycle is our focus form of transportation. Domestically, we research, develop, and test methods of treating and optimizing bamboo for bicycles, and teach two-day bike building classes in which students build their own fully functioning bamboo bicycle. Internationally, we are in the development stage of establishing the first of several bamboo bicycle factories in developing countries, starting with Ghana, Africa.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
Securing the services of our volunteer team on a more regular basis would allow us to push the development of our bicycles on a consistent basis that is needed for product and materials testing and development. Also, we would be able to put more effort into the business and logistics elements of international development, allowing us to reach our goal of establishing a bamboo bicycle factory in Ghana.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
The Bamboo Bike Studio’s mission reflects progressive, environmentally conscious, socially conscious, and economically conscious values. Domestically, we seek to provide natural, renewable materials research and development that will allow manufacturers to segue to more sustainable means of producing consumables, we champion bicycling as a viable and important transportation alternative, and we provide an educational experience that brings a more conscious, engaged perspective to consumer-product relationships. Internationally, our bamboo bicycle factories seek to provide a low-cost, sustainable form of personal transportation, which greatly increases access to crucial everyday needs such as food, water, health care, education and economic opportunity. Our factory model uses local, renewable materials, provides a local and skills-positive form of employment, and sets a precedent for further sustainable light industry infrastructure and economic improvement.


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Kick Start Pro

Vote now!

Layla O'Shea
Wilbraham, MA
http://www.kickstartpro.com/

What does your business do?
Kick Start Pro is a personal wake-up call/calendar management service for working mothers. Kick Start Pro's personal service is designed to engage clients in conversation and make getting their feet from the bed to the floor the easiest part of their day. This is a completely niche business in that there are several companies offering computer automated services, but no personal service. Nor do they target helping people think about, plan and reach their goals.
We are targeting working mothers because they give so much to everyone else - the boss, the kids, the spouse -that sometimes they forget about their own goals and dreams. Kick Start Pro is committed to helping others with self-improvement, as well as bringing personal service back into the business equation.

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
When I was laid off last month from a Project Management position, I took $1,500 to invest in a business start-up I'd been working on for over a year. I'm using this initial funding to obtain hardware,software, obtain a Web site, get accounting consulting and professional logo work. With the grant money I would be able to put my marketing plan into effect. I will have very little money for marketing efforts otherwise. I really believe my company can help working mothers out there get up, get moving and get living.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
If Kick Start Pro becomes a success, I would happily donate funds into grants for other up-and-coming businesses. Making this business successful means we have already helped others as well.


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ColorGoRound, LLC

Vote now!

Kari Papadopoulos
Commerce, MI
http://www.FingerPrintsKeepsake.com

What does your business do?
We are a mom-owned company who created and manufactured a finger painting kit for children called FingerPrints. FingerPrints, create a keepsake for life, makes it easy for children to create an original piece of artwork that lasts a lifetime.
Complete with a stylish frame, FingerPrints allows families to capture creative moments forever. With each child's creation framed, parents can rest assured that their children's artwork will not be lost in a drawer, tattered and torn, never to be seen again. Children will beam with pride when they see their masterpiece hanging in their home.
The kit includes a quality 11” x 14” frame, acid free artist paper, an adorable child’s canvas apron, 6 bright, washable, non-toxic finger paints, and a Certificate of Authenticity affixed to the back of the frame stating the child's name and the date his/her artwork was created, including his/her handprint. There is no other complete kit like it available today.
"FingerPrints" is the perfect gift for the busy career person, as completed gifts for moms, dads and grandparents, or as a birthday party gift, baby shower gifts and more.
Anyone with a child in his/her life will appreciate the convenience of an all inclusive, one stop shopping package, that turns family time into a keepsake that will last a lifetime.
Read what one website which tested FingerPrints had to say:
"Our little tester had a blast painting with this kit - she created 4 beautiful works of art and still has some paint left over for another day. A plus for moms was that the paint came off so easily and the kit comes with a little apron - the perfect solution to keeping paint off the clothes. We definitely recommend this product and love that it comes with a frame so you can let your child pick his/her favorite work of art to display in a special way."

What would the grant enable you to do that you can't now?
Due to the tight economy, we have to allocate our limited funds to advertising in order to optimize sales; therefore, the grant would enable us to divert some money o improving our inner packaging.

If Idea Cafe's Grant helps your biz reach greater success, how will you "pay it forward" to help others in some way?
As two female business owners with children, we understand the importance of community and of giving back. All along our path to realizing our actual product, we were fortunate to have received advice and assistance. We would like to create opportunities for children with disabilities to utilize our product.
FingerPrints is a creative product that has no boundaries- no lines to color inside of, no complicated pieces. The special thing about our product is that a “specially- abled” child is able to create a masterpiece equal to that of a “fully-abled” child. We would eventually like to be able to donate FingerPrints, or offer it at a reduced cost, to an organization or school that cares for children with special needs so that they would have the opportunity to create their own masterpiece with pride. Art programs are typically the first to be cut during economic times, so it would be our pleasure to offer an opportunity where it does not exist.

Comments

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