November 2010
COVER STORY
The Demand Economy
How can you survive today's demand economy? One way is to provide consumers with things they don't yet know they need. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
FEATURES
Could a New Name Fix a Company?
Chris Russo felt his company's brand was pigeonholing the business. Would a new name help it grow?
"What Am I, If Not My Business?"
Joel Altschul and other successful entrepreneurs tell us what happens when it’s time to move on.
How I Did It: Eileen Fisher
She started her namesake company with $350 and a simple idea. In 2005, she sold it for $300 million. Here's her story.
The Smartest Businessman on the Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail delivers customers directly to Winton Porter's door. But what keeps them coming back?
The 2010 Business Valuation Guide
Drew Sanocki, co-founder of Design Public, a San Francisco-based online retailer, is in the midst of reconsidering his decision to sell. Should he sit tight and hope that things turn around?
The Way I Work: Lani Hay of Lanmark Technology
A typical day for Lani Hay includes meeting with politicians, partying with celebrities, and advising the military.
COLUMNS
Street Smarts | Norm Brodsky
A Little Self-Promotion Never Hurts
Veteran entrepreneur Norm Brodsky suggests ways for getting the word out about your new business.
Get Real | Jason Fried
Go Ahead, Raise Your Business's Prices
Some customers will complain, and others might go elsewhere. Here's why Jason Fried suggests raising prices, anyway.
Balancing Acts | Meg Cadoux Hirshberg
Why So Many Entrepreneurs Get Divorced
Columnist Meg Hirshberg discusses why the start of a company so often means the end of a marriage.
THE GOODS
Four New Android Tablets
A review of Android-powered tablets that are competing with the iPad
Reinventing the Computer Mouse
A look at computer mice designed to be easy on the eyes and the wrist
An Easier Way to Share Files
Say goodbye to overstuffed inboxes with this new file-sharing device.
3 Task Management Apps
A review of the latest smartphone apps designed to keep you organized
A Case for Every Gadget
Our favorite cases for keeping gadgets safe on the go
Hotel Rewards, Without the Commitment
A new way to earn rewards while staying at various hotels
My Favorite Tool for Organizing My Travel Plans
Entrepreneur Aaron Booker explains how he uses a Web-based service, called TripIt, to plan and manage his business trips.
Things I Can't Live Without: Lori Greiner of For Your Ease Only
Greiner's favorite things include wind chimes and a digital pen.
Take Jazzier Photos With Your Phone
These wide-angle and fisheye lenses attach to any smartphone.
Perfect Your Golf Swing
The story behind the Orange Whip training club
PASSIONS
CEO Passions: Acting
Bill Leigon dreamed of being an actor but ended up taking the role of serial entrepreneur. Now, he is back onstage.
INNOVATION
Innovation: Flexible Circuit Boards
Vorbeck Materials’s new graphene-based ink can be used to print circuit boards that can be twisted, creased, or peeled off like a sticker.
How to Negotiate Effectively
As with many endeavors, preparation is essential. Follow these steps and you may just get what you want.
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STRATEGY
An Office of Rock Stars
About a third of the staff at M5 Networks is learning to play instruments on company time. Here's why.
The Growing Cost of Doing Business in China
The rising costs of Chinese manufacturing and the weak dollar are contributing to the growing cost of doing business in China.
Tapping Customers for Product Ideas
Kevin Sproles's company designed a system for collecting customer feedback and turning it into new products.
How Would You Sell Temporary Wallpaper?
LolliProps, maker of temporary wallpaper, has already garnered many press mentions, but it has yet to become a household name. How can this family business increase sales?
Elevator Pitch: ShopKeep
Jason Richelson wants to raise $1 million to launch an online advertising campaign. Here's what the experts say.
How to Staff Up in a Hurry
It's never easy to find good employees. So imagine having to find hundreds in a matter of months. Here's how one company did it, growing from 30 employees to 350 in just eight months.
BEHIND THE SCENES
The Business of Leo Aguilar Memorial Stadium
Here’s a look at the companies that provide the lights, field paint, 10-yard chains, and band uniforms used during Friday-night football games at Los Fresnos High School in Texas.
LAUNCH
How to Get Financing When Banks Won't Lend
Some companies, like FashionStake.com, are turning to less common sources for money: their customers.
A Wine Label From the Mandela Family
House of Mandela brings pride in the farming heritage of South Africa to wine making.
Entrepreneurs in the News
The latest news on Ryan and Chad Steelberg, Jessica DiLullo Herrin, and Dean Kamen
The Power of Loyalty-Card Apps
Here's a look at four companies racing to reinvent loyalty card programs with high-tech alternatives.
Review: MacroWikinomics
In their recent book, MacroWikinomics, authors Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams highlight organizations that are embracing Wikinomics.
Entrepreneurs Speak Up
We asked and you answered at the Inc. 500|5000 Conference.
LEGACY
Obituary: Harrison ("Buzz") Price, 1921-2010
Remembering Walt Disney’s favorite research economist
VIEWS & OPINIONS
Editor's Letter: Things Change
The economy goes through phases, and so do individual business owners.
Reader Mail: November 2010
Responses to the Inc. 500 issue
A Teenage Founder Looks Back
Joel Mueller founded MacUpdate in high school. Now it’s a $3 million business.
The Entrepreneur Behind Yes to Carrots
Ido Leffler, the co-founder of Yes to Carrots, answers readers' questions.