Business Idea of the Day

Excitement about the approach of the Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Plan, due March 17, is inspiring ever more dramatic calls for greater high-speed Internet connectivity in the United States, reports arstechnica.com. This month, FCC Chair Julius Genachowski declared that the agency wants 260 million Americans hooked up to 100 Mbps broadband by 2020. Not to be outdone, the Media and Democracy Coalition says that by that same year consumer access to “world-class networks” should equal the present rate of telephone adoption (90%+).

If you were to ask Tisha Marie Pelletier what the toughest job around is, she would tell you that it is being a “mom entrepreneur”, as reported by azcentral.com . She’s not alone. Many mompreneurs reflect that very same sentiment.

Faster computers, broadband connections and free public Wi-Fi are taking the fun out of snow days, reports USA TODAY . The federal government was shut down for the second day in a row and many offices were empty in the nation’s snowbound capital, but work continued — in homes across the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia region. It showed just how seamlessly well-equipped workers can soldier on even through disruptions such as heavy snowstorms. With more snow expected today, some businesses are extending teleworking plans. At Adaptive Marketing, an Internet marketing services company based in Norwalk, Conn., employees have been told to call a toll-free number to find out if the office will be open.

Unfazed by the trend toward e-everything, Maureen Stern is defiantly selling a product made of dead trees. And in launching Canadian Capers , her own line of greeting cards, the 52-year-old Montrealer is not intimidated by Hallmark or the other titans of the industry, according to a story in The Gazette . After moving down from the Laurentians, Maureen Stern compiled a CV that includes stints in journalism, corporate communications and advertising. She was creative director of an ad agency – think Don Draper in Mad Men – and is used to working with artists. “The greeting cards are kind of an extension for me,” Stern says.

If you watch TV, you’ve seen the ad. Domino’s chefs are experimenting with a matrix of combinations of cheese, dough and spices — anything to counter some of the negative criticism that’s come their way.

Paul King was headed to the airport in Pittsburgh in 2006 when he suffered an ill-timed communications blackout. His cell phone died and he realized he still had his roommate’s house key in his pocket, according to a story at CNNMoney.com . If he didn’t call her to arrange a return, she would be locked out all weekend. But without access to his electronic phonebook, he didn’t know her number. On his return trek, King drove past a number of ATMs and convenience stores.

One day in 2001, Yuval Brisker was stuck at home, expecting a cable TV technician to arrive for a service call. First he waited. Then he waited some more. Brisker reflected that people all over the world were stuck in the same position, wasting hours without knowing when — or even if — a service person would show up, reports CNNMoney.com

photo credit: themacinator The following is a guest post by Aditya Mahesh. I think one problem area that a lot of small business owners run into is that they try to do a little bit of everything and in turn end up doing nothing exceptionally well. They have a general lack of focus and thus don’t stand out. The logic behind the decision is obvious enough: in order to capture the whole market and increase the pool of potential customers, entrepreneurs want to create versions of their product that cater to as many people as possible.

AMEinfo.com: HP Middle East announced its new retail strategy in the UAE - HP Store in Store, which is focused on facilitating enhanced consumer experience and interaction. This unique concept has been implemented in the UAE and a 4th store was launched in Dubai Mall at Jacky’s this month. HP’s Store in Store is, as its name suggests, a mini HP island within a larger retail outlet, offering customers the opportunity to learn, engage and experience an entire spectrum of the latest HP technology; from personal computing to imaging and printing products. It is, like an island, independent and exclusive to its own products, associates and atmosphere. HP Middle East to pioneer interactive shopping experience [AMEinfo.com]

Next week Apple CEO Steve Jobs is expected to announce something big and shiny . Whether you use Apple products, or think that they’re overpriced, you can’t deny that Jobs is a great presenter. His stage persona has been carefully crafted to convey insane amounts of enthusiasm for whatever product he’s introducing that day.