You Could Win $10,000 for Your Do-Good Business Idea

Which do you think is a better idea?

a. Children's book depicting breastfeeding babies and toddlers

b. Elmidae: An eco-friendly intellectual clothing line

c. Girl Talk: Read to Achieve

d. Go Localing.com: Help support local business by listing user-generated local favorite things to do, see and eat

e. Meaningful Education in Africa for the Average Child: Lead Now Fellows

f. organic fairtrade troglodyte dolls

g. PatronOfTheArts: Save the Arts (Sponsor a Filmmaker or Artist Program)

h. Project Epiphany: Transformative Astronomy Education Inspiring Science Achievement

They are 8 finalists (all women) in the running to win $10,000 this month from Ideablob.com. Ideablob.com is a site that allows entrepreneurs and small business owners to share their ideas and get advice. Each month the Ideablob.com community votes for the ideas they like the best. The idea with the most votes wins $10,000.

As of this writing, PatronOfTheArts is in the lead with Girl Talk in a close second place. Tanya of the Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog would like the children's book depicting breastfeeding babies and toddlers to win. She writes:

"La Leche League leaders in Washington state are proposing to use the prize money to get a children's book published which depicts breastfeeding babies and toddlers. One of the mothers behind this effort was told that some publishers will not allow depictions of breastfeeding, male nipples, or even cow udders in children's books! Proceeds from book sales would benefit the Seattle LLL toddler group."

You can read about past winners on the Ideablob site.

Ideablob.com also has guest advisors. Here's what Jeff Cornwall of The Entrepreneurial Mind wrote about someone's idea for "The Hummus House,"

"There is a reason that bankers run screaming from restaurants -- they have high failure rates.

That being said, it always amazes me how well certain niche restaurants can do in the market. Before launching this concept, make sure that the market is big enough and passionate enough to support this very specific niche.

You need to find a location that has enough people passionate enough about hummus -- sorry that ain't me -- so that you can sustain enough traffic to make this concept work.

Know that any niche restaurant may end up being a fad. Keep your debt low and your lease short-term so if the passion for hummus passes, you can ease out of the business with little residual financial burden."

Although Ideblob is sponsored by Advanta (a small business credit card company), their presence on the site is light. As Susan Gunelius writes on her Women and Business blog,

"I think this is a great idea, and I’m happy that Advanta isn’t burying the usefulness of the site in ads and marketing messages."

Sooooo, what are you waiting for? The voting for June's prize ends soon, but then you have 31 days in July to rally votes around your do-good idea!


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