Business Idea of the Day

Although many people wouldn’t normally give it a second thought while pouring out some kibble for their dog, Carol Brown thinks twice about what they’re about to eat. After losing more than one dog to cancer, Carol decided there must be something she can do to help improve the quality of her pets’ life. She started mixing together various healthy and organic ingredients until she came up with her own homemade dog food reports The Patriot Ledger . Brown refinanced her house and opened her 500-square-foot store in August 2003 with only one brand of dog food and some homeopathic flea and tick powders.

Malemark.com has launched, with the goal of offering men greeting cards from a male perspective. AppScout reports there are no syrupy poems here or pastel shades, just things men can relate to.

Lisa Gundry, Professor of Management at the DePaul Center for Creativity & Innovation offers this tip to get creative. Are you planning a vacation, weekend getaway, or staycation this summer? As you think about what you might want to do or try, consider adding a visit to a business that you have always wanted to learn more about. Many businesses offer tours, but you might want to go a step further and see if you can create your own personal excursion that includes a conversation with the founders and a chance to learn about how they do things (nothing proprietary, of course).

Even as scientists and environmentalists fret over the continued melting of Greenland’s glaciers, at least one person has seen an opportunity for money to be made, reports Digital Journal. Iluliaq Original Water is melted glacier water, and is the brainchild of Julien Caquineau, who has spent three years in Greenland developing the idea. It comes in a designer glass bottle – even the stopper is glass –and is said to be absolutely pure. The name comes from the kalaalissut (Greenlandic) language and means “giant’s iceberg.” Currently it sells for 300 kronor per 750 ml bottle ($52). It is apparently in great demand in Dubai, where a company has ordered 30,000 bottles of it

Bill Stevenson believes he has found a winner. In late March, Stevenson, 62, was awarded a U.S. utility patent for his SuperStake product, a stake-and-base support system to allow people to securely grow items such as tomato plants in planters, The News Journal reports. A good idea only comes along once or twice in a lifetime,” Stevenson said in a recent interview

In 1983 Paul Sellew started a company that converted farm waste into a fertilizer. Fifteen years later his company, Earthgro, was sold to Scotts for $47 million reports Forbes . Nearly three decades later Sellew, 52, is on his sixth eco-company, called Harvest Power, in Waltham, Mass., which aims to build multiacre facilities around urban and suburban locations to turn food scraps and lawn trimmings, branches and leaves into energy. Supply abounds. A November 2009 study by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease found that the average food waste per person per day has increased by half, to 1,400 calories (that’s two Big Macs with cheese), since 1974 as more people eat out and portion sizes have swelled.

Michelle Christerson would find herself faced with a challenge whenever it would rain. Where would she take her 4 and 12 year old children to play? Between a play structure located at the mall and an arcade, there just weren’t many options. According to the Kitsap Sun , that was when she decided to make life a little easier for herself and moms like her.

The USA Solar Store is a chain of independently run shops that offer alternative energy products. With 24 stores in 11 states, from California to Vermont, it is their goal to help bring renewable energy to everyday people all over the US. Inspired by Helen and Scott Nearing, Dave Bonta and his wife moved to Vermont in the 1990’s with the intention of living the simpler life. What started as a lifestyle choice eventually became a business, providing the products people need to live a sustainable lifestyle

Stuff.co.nz : Liz Collins started clothing company Chalkydigits in 2000 while living in Wanaka after seeing a gap for more stylish clothing for the outdoor environment (the name relates to the chalk that rock climbers put on their fingers). Now based in Christchurch, the brand has moved to more of a quality fashion brand. Ms Collins, who has a background in graphic design and advertising, is committed to having all her clothing made in New Zealand, despite the expense, and likes to use environmentally- friendly fabrics such as merino and organic cotton where practical

According to WNDU.com , Cindy and Laura Ormson started their business in 2007. It has been 3 years since they launched their clothing line and their basement-based business is still booming. Laura Ormson, co-founder of Wear to Win, has been golfing since she was kid and didn’t like the options available when it came to outfits for the course. “I’ve grown up playing golf since I was 12 years old, I competed at Penn High School and at various junior tournaments and just really noticed a lack of stylish youthful clothing for young golfers.” So Laura and her mom Cindy decided they could make a change. A friend recommended the two call the Small Business Center in South Bend