Wise Uncle Ben

Have you ever had something you were so passionate about that you would do it for the rest of your life if you could just make money? I am always fascinated to hear stories about people who do just that. Here is the story of a Harrison Prather, who turned his passion for canine training into big bucks.

Inspiration

Harrison witnessed what would be a life-changing bar brawl in the army. The military police showed up at the scene to break apart the scuffle to no avail. Then one man and one dog arrived dissipating the fight instantly. That is when he knew he wanted to train dogs for a living.

Niche Market

Harrison K-9 Security Services dogs are among the elite in the world, each trained to the new owner’s specifications, as well the dogs should be considering the hefty price tag of up to $55,000 per animal. Mr. Prather sells 130 dogs a year on average at these seemingly astronomical prices, because he demands perfection from his animals. With such a bold tag line as “If It’s Not A Harrison K-9, It’s Just A Dog” he has built a brand out of quality and passion. What interests you? Could you make money doing it if you would commit to being the best at your craft?

Technorati Tags: brand,animals,business,entreprenuer

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I came across a very motivating article over at Cultivate GREATNESS. The posting lists many successful entrepreneurs who do not have a college degree.

Education has many benefits beyond the technical competence to start a business, but not having a degree should not be an excuse to put your dreams on hold. On the other hand, if you already have a degree or two, you have one less excuse for not pursing your dreams. What’s holding you back?

How many times were you told to make sure you worked hard in high school so you could go to college and get a good career job? Okay, maybe not all of you got nagged about it, but probably a good portion of today’s generation of adults did.

It’s natural to wonder whether college is really necessary. A college degree, as many have found, is no guarantee of a good career. On the flipside, there are many successful entrepreneurs who didn’t need their college education and become millionaires anyway. Here are fifteen of them, both contemporary and from the past, in alphabetical order.

15 Successful Entrepreneurs Who Didnt Need College

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When I talk to people about entrepreneurship, most immediately think of Web 2.0 companies. It seems that everyone is dreaming about creating the next MySpace or YouTube. These services are outstanding, but there are great opportunities for seemingly simple products too.

Feel Good Products Sell

Life is good makes T-shirts and related apparel that just make you feel good. From their whimsical character Jake to their positive philosophy, how can you help but crack a smile when you see their products? Bert and John Jacobs may sell clothing, but their genius was creating a brand that resonates with so many people. Everyone from an urban hipster to a grandmother can relate to their uplifting message.

Product Idea + New Tools

The Jacobs brothers started selling T-shirts out of a van in 1989, but how much faster would they have reached a $100 million in sales if they were starting today? With the advent of online companies such as CafePress, Spreadshirt and Zazzle, starting a T-shirt company would be even easier now. Of course, the hard part is creating your brand, but the startup costs are low. What product idea do you have that you could produce on demand?

Millions in Sales From 3 Simple Words

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Some people like a twist of lime on the rim of a cocktail. Yet others prefer a twist in the plot of a novel. Sometimes simple changes have dramatic effects on the end result. Many inventors do not truly invent anything new or revolutionary. Sometimes all it takes is just a tweak on an existing product to make your million

The Pitch

What did Gary Clegg invent? He cut a hole in his blanket so he could hang his arms out to channel surf. That’s destructive, not an invention “right”? Picture this you are having a having dinner with a colleague. You can see the excitement in his face as he begins to reveal his new business proposition to you. He talks about the broad appeal for the startup company and how much money can be made. Then, drum roll please, your friend says “I am going to put sleeves on a blanket”. What? Your kidding right?

Keeping America Warm

Who would buy a blanket with sleeves? Well is seems like a lot of people would, given that Greg is projected to do over a million in sales this year. The only advertising he did to start his company was a simple blog post. After reading all of the user reviews there may be a Slanket in my home this Christmas. How many times have you had an Idea that you let people talk you out of pursuing? Do you ever wish you had followed through with your idea?

Digg the Slanket

The Slanket

Technorati Tags: inventor,business,entreprenuer

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