April 2012
Caribbean Craft
Rebuilding a Niche After Disaster Many people would probably not think of colorful paintings, exotic beads and intricate jewelry, or stylish papier-mâché giraffes, reindeer, rabbits, stylish bags or gift boxes, when they think of Haiti, but there is a thriving artistic community in the capital city of Port-au-Prince, and there always has been. For example, […]
Coffee & Tobacco
Controversial Products When English settlers set up colonies in North America, tobacco was a major herb for many Native Americans, but they used it differently than the Europeans. Indigenous people used tobacco as a medicinal aid in several ways. For instance, to disinfect cuts, relieve pain, and alleviate congested lungs and bronchial asthma. Smoking cigarettes […]
Turning a Hobby into a Business
The Nature Company, Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company, & Famous Amos Cookies are a few examples of early startup companies that were inspired by leisure time activities. Using a pastime as the basis of a business won’t work for everyone, but some budding entrepreneurs successfully turn their leisure time activities into profitable ventures. Important questions to think about […]
The Art of Ventriloquism
Speaking of Ventriloquism Anyone with a normal speaking voice can learn the skill of voice misdirection, and an outgoing personality and a quick wit doesn’t hurt, says industry guru Clinton Detweiler. Terry Fator’s recent win on America’s Got Talent put a spotlight on what some might have considered an old-fashioned field. The general public is […]
Food Industry Gossip: American Government Bans Canadian Bacon
Bacon lovers who favor the Peameal brand were hit last March with a distressing new policy from the USDA, which issued FSIS Directive 95008.8, which states that consumers interested in personal consumption of any “meat, poultry, shell eggs, or egg products can no longer import those items into the USA by Postal Service or courier.” […]
Tea for Nobody
Strange Business When the North American division of the Kraft Corporation bought out a small company, one of the divisions in the acquisition manufactured and sold a popular tea, with a profit of a million dollars annually. However, someone in upper management decided to close the tea company, despite protests. There is a popular brand […]
Hail Caesar
Cocktails Anyone? Whether you drink or not, there are useful take-away lessons illustrated by a Canadian product manufactured in Manitoba. It’s Caesar’s cocktail drink packets. Transplanted Canadians know that ordering their favorite cocktail outside of their mother country is a frustrating experience. The drink can’t be created authentically outside the Canadian border due to the […]
Jan Accommodation
Free Self-Employment Resources for People with Disabilities Update: Here’s an interesting international site (British and US) 2017 for home. And many other topics included. Source:; Jane Smith http://householdquotes.co.uk/disability-accommodation-guide/ Caroline Hampton of Open educators.org has provided seeven links that include articles about personal finance, buying a car for a user with special needs, and getting into real […]
Building a Hair Care Business
Finding Their Niche In the early 1900s, while her competitors focused on products that straightened African American hair, Sarah B. McWilliams, who changed her name to Madam C.J. Walker, developed products that helped women of color to grow healthy hair. In the 1980s, Paul Mitchell and John Paul Dejoria started a company that focused on […]