Tag: entrepreneurs

In hospitable

On my own, I wouldn’t have stopped; it was a run-down, over-used gas station built say, forty years ago. The smeared windows of the office cum convenience store were plastered with crude posters of past events, beer and cigarette specials.

At arm’s height on the door, a sign said, Restrooms for customers only. Right below it, If you’re not a customer, Sorry! Since I fell into the customer category,  I walked straight to where I believed the restroom would be and found a single door with a unisex symbol.

The room was a grimy rectangle with painted concrete block walls and a spattered concrete floor. Trash spilled on the floor in the corner and a film of dirt covered the top of the sink and the toilet. Stuck on the wall opposite the mirror was a sign, No eating, drinking or smoking in here.

Doncha just love the chutzpah behind putting up a sign that warns event planners to choose another place.

Cash In

How many times have you been sitting around with friends; someone says something funny and you all yuck it up. Then someone says that would make a great t-shirt! And everyone agrees. And life goes on.

Back in 2000, two guys who had entered an online t-shirt contest thought maybe they could make something of it. And so they started Threadless.

You upload your own t-shirt design to the site. Visitors and members of the community rate the design on a 1 to 5 scale. Each week a number of the top designs are selected for production.

Here’s the good part. The designer is paid $2000 and a $500 gift certificate (or an additional $200) plus $500 for every time they reprint the shirt. If designing isn’t your thing, send in a slogan; if it’s selected you’ll get $500.

Bonus: An online shop carries t-shirts for all ages and the prices are very good.