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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Insomnia Cookies

When Seth Berkowitz was a junior at the University of Pennsylvania, he started baking cookies for friends out of his dorm. Soon, he noticed a trend: students got hungry late at night and there wasn’t any delivery alternative to greasy and heavy food. Berkowitz wondered, “Why not hot cookies and milk – delivered to your door after midnight?”


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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Bright Feet Slippers

When inventor Doug Vick got up in the middle of the night and bumped into the bedpost, he wondered, “How many other people do this every night?”

So he invented high-quality double-lined fleece slippers with a weight sensor in the sole, a light sensor on the side, and an LED light in the toe.


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Podcast Episode #5: “Rethink Your Industry”

In the latest episode of the Why Didn’t I Think of That? ® Podcast, Bob Smith and Greg Anastos sit down with thinkofthat.net blogger Benjamin Christopher and discuss the first of their Axioms For Entrepreneurs, “Re-think Your Industry.”

The Why Guys explore how companies like Netflix, Apple, Xerox, and General Motors were able to look at their industries, and their companies, in a new light.

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Entrepreneur Spotlight: Slinky

Richard James was working at a Philadelphia shipyard and was looking for a way to keep nautical instruments stable in rough seas. That’s when a torsion spring fell off the shelf. Richard watched the spring crawl down shelves, stacks of books and tabletops, and land upright on the floor. Suddenly, he had a great idea…


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Entrepreneur Spotlight: ManCan

Why do candles all have such “girly smells,” 14-year-old Hart Main asked his younger sister, who was selling the candles for a school fundraiser. Main thought why not have smells that guys would like, like fresh cut grass, bacon, sawdust and leather. So, with a $100 investment, and his heart set on buying a brand new bike, this young man invented a whole new kind of candle: the ManCan.


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What they do:
Family-friendly, kid-proof, interior design services.

Inspiration:
Decorator Deborah Wiener discovered that most interior designers were unable to relate to the needs of clients with children.

About the business:
Specializes in selecting fabrics, furniture, lamps and accessories that can take kid punishment. Sales: $2.5 Million.

Axioms:

Related Blog Stories:

Podcast Episode #4: “Utilikilts” - October 10, 2011

Searching for comfort from the heat, Steven Villegas altered a pair of army surplus pants into a legless skirt, optimized for the working man. He called it the “Utilikilt.” His utilitarian man-skirt quickly became a surprise hit with construction workers, bikers, and other unlikely customers. On the latest episode of The Why Didn’t I Think of That? ® Podcast, we put the spotlight on this up-and-coming entrepreneur.

The Why Guys speak with Villegas about his unique product on this week’s Why Didn’t I Think of That? Podcast.

The History Factory - May 21, 2011

It’s no secret that businesses and corporations are always looking forward. The next big product, the next big innovation, the next quarterly report. And yet, many businesses have histories as rich and fascinating as anything you’d find in a history book. Is there any money to be made in preserving your company’s legacy?

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream - April 11, 2011

While flavors like vanilla, cookie-dough, and rocky road may never go out of style, there’s no end to the possibilities when it comes to tickling taste buds. But… Riesling Poached Pear? Queen City Cayenne?

Made to Order - April 5, 2011

Can you imagine ordering a book and having to wait while it was printed and bound? Of course not. But some small businesses across the country are starting to realize that having well-stocked inventories isn’t necessary for their business.

Ebay For Lawyers - March 25, 2011

It sounds an awful lot like an obscure Yiddish swearword. But Shpoonkle is a new service for finding legal advice that’s been called “Ebay for lawyers.”